Chilly Sunday

Seeds for breakfast

Probably shouldn't use up a title like that, considering it's not even October yet. Ah well, it was chilly. A good day of shelf installation, dreaming of a wood stove, and watching the sun hit the snow-capped mountains.

This afternoon we went to the Flathead Lake Waterfowl Production Area, which is next to Monique's parents' old farm, nestled in at the north end of the lake! Didn't see any waterfowl in production, which is good, but also didn't see any waterfowl, which was a bummer. A large eagle circled for a few minutes, and we had a good view of at least one hawk. Nice breeze, great light, the sound of water lapping on the shore and the driftwood, and otherwise sublimely quiet. We'll visit there again, for sure.

Fun Fact: Kalispell Montana has a population of about 20,000. But did you know they're all Costco members, and they were all at Costco last Saturday afternoon?

My favorite picture I've taken since we moved here. Flathead Lake

Six Days of Unrelenting Busy-ness

Bob here, which means one thing: that title is a crock. Six days of forgetting to post, more like it. Six days of thinking "Hmm, I should post something," six days of procrastirationalizing. That, and playing outside.

The cracked window panes get replaced next week, which will be grand. Looking outside and not focusing on the giant fractal lines in the glass will be wild. "The Guy" coming out to do the work I met at the Echo Lake store, and he lives about five minutes away. I like that.

I'm soon to begin a for-real homeowner project... installing shelves in the laundry / pantry. Apart from when I was a kid and put a hole in my bedroom door with my skateboard (yes, I rode my skateboard in the basement, but this was the days when wheels were fairly rigid, and I never liked the rough vibration of pebbles and asphalt running up my legs)... ehh, too long of a parenthetical offshoot. So, again. Apart from when I was a kid and put a hole in my bedroom door with my skateboard, the biggest holes I put in walls are push-pins. These shelves require nails, brackets, and I should probably use a level. A LEVEL! I aint no Norm Abrams!

It's pouring out, and Norah Jones is singing in the background. A big mug of hot cocoa is in my very, very near future, and I just borrowed "Marley and Me" from my aunt and uncle. It's in the queue, after "The Godfather."

Rivers are good. Rivers are important. River rocks are amazingly diverse, and skipping stones is an activity that's gotta be good for the soul.

Tearing up a riverbank with an ATV - not so much.

Oh, and autumn. Autumn is unstoppably important and good and rejuvenating. It is my season. Dragonflies and fuzzy-butt blue aphids and apples and tree colors and ... well, you know.

The Full Willow Story

Monique and the willow: October 2006

Willow down: July 2007

When we arrived for the 4th of July, I saw the lovely river willow had been felled by beaver.

We noticed the tree was still green, meaning it hadn't been down long, but we also saw that branches in contact with either ground or water were sprouting roots! I quickly used the internets to discover willows are very hormonal, and good at starting over. I also learned the easiest way to propagate willow is to take a branch and jam it into the ground. Well, even I can do that, so I did.

That first day, Monique and I put ±30 twigs and branches up and down the riverbank. Since then, it just got into me. 1) Why didn't I protect the tree years ago? 2) Why didn't I learn about willow propagation and take selected branches off the tree years ago? Why didn't the beaver take the flippin' tree after taking the time to cut it down?!?

Because the beaver didn't take much, I could. I've planted at least 150 twigs, branches, even a few limbs. Branches I thought were dried out and "no good," I tossed into the river. Some came to rest by the swimming hole, and some of those sprouted new leaves and roots. We won't know until spring how many are still viable, and even longer to know if trees can survive where they've been planted.

Today with a handsaw and a pick I finally separated the tree from the stump -- that was a pile of fun. But I've fenced the stump and its many shoots, and sort of hope the beaver leave the rest as-is.

Enough about my willow obsession focus. Today was gorgeous, and after a trip to Kalispell for various bits and pieces, I spent the afternoon outside. Last Thursday was cold, rainy, windy, and cold, and definitely took the idea of "wood stove"... wait for it... off the back burner.

random note to self: don't do that.

I am thrilled to be up here. Yesterday morning I went outside and took this shot of our chestnut tree. Life is good.

In the air

Autumn that is....Beautiful bountiful autumn. Leaves are changing (we got our first dusting of snow on the mountains last night) and even the sunny days are snuggled between crisp morning and evening air.

It's time for thick fuzzy warm socks, hats and mittens, sweaters, soup, cuddles under the quilt on the couch, and candles.

I love this time of year!

I fly to Seattle on Friday to help out on a shoot for Media Alchemy, and I'm also looking forward to seeing a few friends while I'm there (albeit a short time). I'm sure Seattle is beginning to show its autumn colors too! And while I'm there I'm on strict orders to stop in at Trader Joe's for some Autumn supplies. mmmmmmmm Trader Joe's......

Can't think of a title

Oddly, I took no pictures today, so here' s another from yesterday's river walk.

Finsihed "20,000 Leagues Under the Seas" last night, one of my favorite books to read up here. It's supposedly a very accurate translation from Verne's original in French, and it's wildly different from anything I remember as a kid. Dunno what I'll grab off the shelf for my next read.

When Monique got home from her class this afternoon (see below for her cool fish!), she said it had rained most of the afternoon in town. We'd gotten nothing but some cool clouds, but soon the lightning and thunder began. It's now 10PM and the rain is pounding. Take that, forest fires!

random note to Trader Joe's: c'mon, open a store in Kalispell, wouldya? Sure, I mostly want you for your Aussie licorice, and chocolate-covered orange sticks... and those cheese doodle thingies, and your mac-n-cheese, and your pure juices... but I might grow into appreciating you for your produce, and meats, and... you know... real food. so how 'bout it? Pleeease?

Tonight on my walk I ran into the boys, Mutt and Jeff, the young deer who hang around the property. I tossed a couple apples their way -- I know I should discourage their trusting of and getting anywhere near people -- and I swear Mutt was ready to follow me. Kids these days, I tell ya.

Also came across two piles of bear poo I hadn't seen before (or maybe they hadn't been there before). As long as it's at a safe distance, I'd love to see another bear up here. I repeat for the benefit of any bears cruising the blogs, "as long as it's at a safe distance."

Fire-drenching, dust-reducing, tree-watering rain, thanks for showing up.

Feeling crafty

For the past two days I've the HUGE pleasure of taking a class with my mom at Glacier Quilts. It was so much fun sewing next to my mom as we learned from one of the greatest quilt artists around: Ellen Anne Eddy. Her ability to paint and draw with thread and fabric is eye opening, soul sounding, and just a blast! Mom worked on a heron and a dragonfly, and I pulled out a sketch I have been carrying around for some time of a little fish. I've never been quite sure what I wanted to do with it....until now.
Here is how my fish started....just a little sketch.....

and I could never had imagined just how cool it would become.
I'm not done with my project yet, but I feel like a whole new door has opened up for a way to play with this art form. (and just in time for winter!...the perfect time for curling up with a blanket as you sew away) Thanks Mom for sharing such a great opportunity with me, and for giving me my love of art in all mediums!!!

A Good Cloudy Day

Bob here! Took this photo this afternoon on my post-work river walk. It's a heckuva good way to finish the day, and it provides me a great opportunity to work on my rock skipping technique. If you click on the photo, you'll see a larger, less spooky-lookin' version.

When I bought "The Cabin" from my parents in 1999, I probably hoped to spend a couple weeks (maybe a few) at a time up here. In three days I'll tie my record for consecutive days here, and each day thereafter will be part of a pretty dang cool new record.

As Monique's posted, we've gotten a lot done; even so, after the first hurried and hectic weekend, we've taken time each day for a walk, or just some "puttering" outside.

random note to IKEA: You stink for doubling the prices on your closet doors in one fell swoop. Of course our closet systems don't look as good without doors as they could/would/should with doors, and I'll gladly tell everyone why our "storage solution" looks incomplete.

The oak and chestnut trees are beginning the turn to autumn, and our collection of unintentional bonsai maples are close. When the tamarack (for you Python fans, "The Larch") starts its shift to yellow, it'll really feel like fall to me.

Internet-based factoid: Tamarack is from the Algonquin word Akemantak which means "wood used for snowshoes". So there you go.

There are moments (sad, fleeting, pitiful moments) when I wake up, hear the river, and think it's traffic. That should end very soon.

Not really a day of rest

....but it was still a good day. Bob tackled the fencing of the trees we planted the other day, and then after I had done a much needed clean of the living room/dining room area I went out to help plant the last of our three newbies! After he had made good progress on our first choice for the little crab apple tree, Bob discovered that the soil was all clay in that spot. A good place to put a pond, but not so much for a tree looking for good drainage! So time for plan B! We looked around and found a couple other spots that would be nice, but our second choice had the same problem. Finally, we decided to move a little volunteer pine down and over a bit from the front of the house and TA-DA we had the perfect spot. Now what used to be a mound of tansy and other weeds is a lovely little grove of bird dwelling, color adding, trees. Needless to say our hands are a bit sore, legs and arms are scraped and scratched and eyes are heavy but we still have a smile on our faces as we have three new tress to cheer on!

Mutt and Jeff

Since we've been here we've seen the same three young bucks wandering the property almost every day. We have taken to calling the two we see the most "Mutt" and "Jeff" mainly because they are the oddest deer we've ever run into up here. "Mutt" in particular....have you ever heard of a deer who likes to play fetch? We hadn't either...until now. And the other day as I was walking home from an stroll at dusk, I came across Mutt's path and so started talking to him to let him know that I was there...darned if he didn't walk right up to me! (thankfully he stopped before he got within reach. Not the best behavior for three little male deer right before the start of hunting season. Let's hope that they continue to stay on our little lot of land and not wander off to where hunting is allowed!

September 15th--Bear Creek Road

This morning Bob and I decided to go for a short hike up Bear Creek. We've been up this road many times before, but never have we actually run across a bear....until today! We were still in the car so there was no danger, and the "little" black bear was much more interested in running across the road and getting away from us as fast as possible. Still it was a great way to start the morning!

The hike was lovely too, with lots of photos to take and shopping through the new trees on the trail, wishing each and every one could somehow appear down in our field by the cabin. Our own trees are doing great however, and we even have three new additions to cheer on: two Serviceberries and one Crab Apple. Along with the 100+ willow branches that Bob as 'planted' down at the river side it's been a record year for planting trees!

Time has really done some funny things since we've been here. We arrived only a couple of weeks ago, Uhaul and car packed to the gills, and yet it feels as if we've been here most the year. I'm reminded every now and then by boxes that need tending to, or areas that are desperate to be organized, but I can't say it any better than, from the moment we walked in the door from our drive across the passes on the 30th....it's felt like home.

River swims, driving through the valley (where I grew up) to go help out at the quilt store, walks down the dirt road as the sun goes down, no television, deer, birds, (and bear) as entertainment, uninterrupted starlight, a moon so bright that it casts a shadow, and that wonderful feeling of going to sleep after a day of being active in the outdoors.

life is good.

-monique