Happy Saturday morning from the North Woods. Except for yesterday, this past week each and every day was rainy, cold, and very windy. It reached a point where I discovered myself openly griping about the phenomena. It was then that I discovered that other folk had similar feelings. It was ma fren (a little homage to his native French) Claire-the-North-Woods-Everyman who had the answer. Grab your coffee and sit a spell, this’ll shock you.

His theory is that we have set our clocks to reflect a single rotation of the earth at 24-hours. But and this is a big ‘but’, it isn’t really 24-hours at all, and so we added a ‘Leap’ year every four years. However, the Leap Year thing doesn’t quite cover the difference either, so:

”Over the years the seasons have actually shifted and now we are experiencing April in May” ~ Claire-the-North-Woods-Everyman

considering the weather we have experienced these past few weeks; makes sense to me!

Fit Bit – The attached photo is as much as a pat-on-the-back to myself as it is a way to urge everyone to stay active (just being honest). Actually, since I received my Fit Bit as a birthday gift in February I’ve gotten into such a routine that it now feels wrong should I not get up and go.

A Mother’s Day gift? – OK, we had just arrived at Northern Comfort and were still setting up the place when Mother’s Day crept around. If I remember right, I did offer to fix something like Crepes with Jam, but this was turned down. In fact the reality being that nothing much happened on Mother’s Day. Marcia crept under to covers at 8:30; maybe out of boredom.

It was a couple of days later that our local can-do gentleman, Mr Montpetit, happened by. I had one of those ‘flash of insight’ moments and initiated a discussion. The next day I stealthily handed him a drawing with room measurements which I had even more stealthily taken after Marcia had gone nighty-night. A price was settled on and now in a week or so, he’ll start putting knotty pine on Northern Comfort’s living room walls and floor. As a bonus, I get to help.

Marcia has always claimed that I am an impulse buyer.

This week I relieved the walls of all the existing Drywall (including my favorite paint work – the Mayan entry portal into the bedroom). Marcia has been busy at work filling up the wet-dry Vac’s canister.

What me do Yard Work? – even with it being “April in May” the grass has gone from winter dormancy to out-of-control in mere days. In preparation I took the Weed-Whacker in for a quick repair. “I’ll call tomorrow,” said Allen, “it should be done sometime tomorrow afternoon”. Today Allen is leaving for a week’s worth of camping and fishing with his family and I am assured that my machine will be worked on first (he emphasized the word “first“) when he returns in early June.

This is life in Canada’s north and so I have learned to just nod knowingly and do so with understanding.

Neighbor Bob-the-Forester also understood and later today I’ll be using his Weed-Whacker. Oh, by the way, Allen is also repairing one of Bob’s chain saws. I believe he is one slot ahead of my “first in line” position.

Animal Planet – now that nesting is underway or Hummingbirds have also resorted to their constant efforts to beat the others away from the feeder.

The Tree Swallows might have laid their eggs this week. Lots of switching off activity makes me think that egg-siting duty has begun.

One of our River Birches is in distress. Around the roots and coming through the bark were what appeared to be soap bubbles – something I had never seen. The dear folks at Google knew all about it and by sending me 200,000+ answers in point-8 seconds advised me that the tree has a nasty case of “Slime Flux”. Not a killer, but not good either. I see more firewood in our future.

Now that I have a trusty Husqvarna chain saw and a few hundred more trees around me, not that big a deal.

Next door, neighbor Noreen, keeps a magnificent Veggie garden. It actually could be featured in one of those Home magazines such as Canada’s Harrowsmith Country Life. Mid-week a Moose barged through the fence and ‘waded’ through the newly planted carrots. That Moose might not realize it, but it’s one step closer to being the featured course at some future meal.

Finis – Yesterday Paul and Dia arrived. We stopped by last evening and put up with oversized mosquitoes since the ‘yuks’ were that good.

If the weather holds and I get the yard done, then the Pontoon might just het launched this afternoon.

Launching it will open up the space I need for The Duck’s little portable garage. The old one blew apart during a storm last year and Paul brought one they weren’t using. These things are fascinating to put up (insert smiley face here). Thanks Paul.

Make it a great week everyone.

Cheers.

Dirk