We just returned from a wonderful weekend at the lodge, complete with six inches of fresh new snow Saturday night.  We kept the "winterizing" going, which meant we had to act like pioneers in several aspects, including melting and filtering our own water.  For renters of course we'd turn the water on, but it was kind of neat to act like we were in the 19th century.  Well, we thought it was neat, our teenage daughters weren't as enthused--but they survived.  John had cut and split two cords of downed wood this fall and it's dried nicely, so we were really toasty warm (truthfully, I also used the furnace, but don't tell him...).  He used the tractor to start clearing an area for little Jack's future cabin; tractor work is always good for his soul.  Our neighbor loves plowing so we arrived with very little work to do except to just turn the key and start the fire.  The moon was huge and beautiful, the cove was frozen over for great skating and sliding, and we obviously have some very happy deer and turkeys on the property since they ate all of the cracked corn we left on the feeding stations last week.  The dogs, as always, were beside themselves with glee; acres to run around on, squirrels to chase, and a woodstove to curl up beside--what could be better?

While we enjoy winter sports immensely, we always look forward to the essential indoor projects and improvements that we have on our task list each year.  With acres of land comes a lot to do in the spring, summer, and fall months so we're able to get more indoor work done in the winter.  So far we've moved some new furniture in, hung new curtains, painted, and completed the hookup of the woodstove--it needed to be redone after the new tiling that Karen did a few months ago.  Squirrel-proofing the lodge is always a challenge, the little guys are very creative and inventive but since we finally found their favorite entryway it looks like they'll be spending the winter in the pine trees instead of our attic.  Happy New Year!

--Karen

It's winter!

We were over at the lodge this weekend and had a great time de-stressing after the holidays.  It's now below zero overnight which makes the woodstove not just cozy and romantic, but vitally necessary for keeping the chill at bay.  The heating system does the basic job, but there's nothing like cuddling next to a woodstove for ambiance and bone-soaking warmth.

Our turkey friends have been eating at the riverside and path feeders, it looks like there are a lot of them this year by the number of tracks (and how quickly they're going through the feed!).  We know they would say thanks if they could--having a reliable food source during the winter must make them very happy.

--Karen