The Clock on the Wall

One of our visitors last month

Slow living. To live without a schedule, without an agenda, without appointments, without a calendar.....I consider it a luxury, my friends.

We have a clock on the wall in our kitchen. It is a pretty clock. It serves no real purpose. It's a thing. An item that hangs there looking pretty. The batteries have been dead since we moved in 5 months ago. It is bizarre to live life and not feel a need to know the placement of the hands on the clock or even the day of the week.

Five months. A short amount of time and yet, it has had such a significant impact on our little family. Moving here, we knew that we would be one of the privileged few who have had the opportunity to live this life. It sounds so silly but we feel such a possessive attachment of the experience.
You may say that it isn't healthy to live this way....that structure is needed. We have structure. The structure is built with stable materials. We laugh a lot, we drive each other a little crazy, we talk, we cook and we eat, and we play. We are making memories. Honestly, I can't even type this without tears coming to my eyes because I know that it will not be like this forever. I struggle with trying to figure out a plan for our future...a way that we can somehow hold on to this slow way of living.

Evan and I recently had a conversation about what life is going to be like when we move back into the "real world". This conversation took place somewhere around mile 43 on the Realty Road. It didn't end up being much of a conversation because I can't talk about it without crying. I know that our time here is limited, and that when we go back, reality is going to hit us like a ton of bricks. You know that feeling that you get to camp....when you've left everything behind. You're able to relax and lounge and feel completely stress free? That is the life we are living here...every. single. day.

Why is life here so stress free? Because we have such LIMITED options. The biggest decision we make when we drive out of the driveway is whether to go right or left. There is no one waiting for us. We aren't in any time crunch. There is NO schedule!

While I feel sad about the day we will have to leave, I also look forward to a life that is a little more convenient, a life closer to my family. It is annoying to feel so conflicted! The experience has set a precedent for us, and we will do everything in our power to mirror this stress free life. If anything, it has made us realize the importance of slowing doooowwwwnnnnn. And for that, I will be forever grateful.

PLAY: What we can do to encourage an appreciation for the great Maine outdoors

I hear people say all the time that kids don't know how to enjoy a simple day of fun outside anymore. Here's a well known fact....kids follow by example.

If he was allowed to do so, Jackson would probably sit on the couch with an Ipad and the television on for hours. He loves Cabela's Deer Hunter and Angry Birds. Currently, his favorite show is "Yardens" (better known as North Woods Law) and the movie of the month is Brother Bear. It bothers me to see little kids sitting motionless in front of any device for an extended period of time. And yes, we are all guilty of this. Myself very much included!

Some of my fondest memories as a kid are of family sledding nights. My mom and dad would take old milk jugs, cut a hole in the back, and place votive candles inside. Both sides of our driveway were then lined with homemade luminaries. The weight of the snow and ice made the birch trees bow down, forming a perfect arch that extended the entire length of the driveway. That little bit of light turned a cold dark night into a winter wonderland. We would race each other and often times take a minute at the end to lay down and look up at the stars. Our fun was always followed with hot cocoa or warm tomato soup and grilled cheeses on homemade bread from Helen's Restaurant. Talk about a magical memory!!! My little brother and I were very blessed to grow up with fun parents.

It's so easy to say, "Go outside and play! Why can't you be content with being outside? Where is your imagination?"

Show them!!! Lead by example. A snow angel, a snowman, ice cream making, fort building, sledding, snowshoeing, ice skating, snow flake observing, skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, hiking...the list could go on! Show them fun things to do outside and use YOUR imagination. Seeing your excitement and your imagination will give them a push to be passionate about the moment, simply because YOU are. Excitement is so contagious, especially to children!

Trust me, I need this reminder just as much as the next person. Winter to me encourages lots of lounging around, eating delicious things, reading on the couch and just not wanting to move. It has been three weeks today since we last visited civilization...so it is VERY necessary to at least leave the house to play and get some fresh air.

Realty Road

 

 

 

Comin' Up Reality Road

 

A dog, a cat, two little boys, a husband, a wife, and lots of groceries.

 

We crammed it all in on the last trip we made back into Clayton Lake. After the rainfall a little over a week ago, the Reality road turned to a smooth glare of ice with a little dirt tossed on top in some places.

 

The MURS radio was probably the most active I have heard it. Most voices that came over the radio were monotone and pretty bland...but there were a few that made me chuckle.

"Mile 41. Heading down Reality. Wide. Loaded."

"Mile 13. Comin' up Reality. Empty."





A few of the truckers made a dramatic production of your typical shout out on the radio. Most were spoken in heavy French Canadian accents and the fun ones had a little sing song added to their voice...the rhythm reminding me a little of the cattle rattle of a southern auctioneer.

The logging trucks were answered with shout outs from other loggers and "four-wheelers". Four-wheeler is the term used on the MURS for any regular passenger vehicle.

"Mile 16. Coming down Reality. Four-wheeler."



I am so thankful for the communication of the radio. It isn't a warm fuzzy feeling that comes over you when you see a wide load logging truck coming towards you at 40 miles an hour on a road of ice sprinkled with a little dirt on top. It's a relief to know when they're coming.

The boys did awesome on the ride back in and I was able to see my first lynx! So exciting. What an elusive, beautiful creature.

Trigger was ready to get back into the woods. We were inside when we looked out to see him waiting patiently.