Time for an update!

Howdy all! Been a while since my last Butedale check-in, eh? Well, it's been wet, very wet. Aside from the last 3 days, and less than a dozen in total; it has rained between 1 and 8 or 9 inches every day since the first week of November.(2.5 cm to 20 / 23 cm) EVERY day! Most days it was between 1 and 3 inches; but there's been far too many where it's been over 6 inches (15 cm) in 24 hours. There's been so much rain, that's let's just say; when a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around, they do indeed make a sound. lol! A bunch of trees on the slopes behind the cabin gave up the struggle against gravity during one of those 6+ inch rain days and they made quite the thump when they hit the ground.

It hasn't been all bad though. It's been astonishingly mild here at almost 54 degrees North. The temps have been above freezing the entire winter aside from 3 or 4 days where it snowed an inch or 3 instead of raining. It's so mild that the Daffodil and Narcissus plants have been sprouting since the first week of January. Not just that, but the Highbush Blueberries and Huckleberry bushes have been budding since the end of December, and at least 15% of them are putting out new leaves. (That's just not right!) I'm almost within spitting distance of Alaska; it's supposed to be COLD! As in; there should be 5 feet of snow on the ground right now, and the lake should be frozen over with at least a foot of ice. (30 cm) But no, things are sprouting, and things that should've died during the winter are still green. (Ferns, Starberry plants, Bunchberry plants, etc.) So weird! Ah well, at least I didn't have to shovel much this year. lol!

Other than the weather, I've been having fun. I got bored last week, so I decided to make myself a chair. From a stump. A BIG stump. And now I've got a Stump-Chair with a view.

The Stump-Chair.

It's missing something...




...Oh yeah! A "beverage" holder.




Ahhhhhh, life is good.


It took me about 3 hours total over 3 days to carve with my chainsaw. The sweat was just a' pourin', I stunk like chainsaw smoke and I was covered in sawdust, but what a blast that was to make! And now I have a wickedly comfortable chair with an equally wicked view to sit at with a book or a camera and just enjoy life. Sigh...

The weather has been perfect the last few days; with the temps being around +10 (50 F) during the day, and nary a cloud in the sky. So, after letting the woods dry out for a couple days, I took Bud for a stomp to the lake. Turns out; he's quite a log walker.

Bud, walkin' the logjam at the end of the lake.





He still won't get wet past his belly, but he's certainly not afraid of walking logs. lol! What a dog!

And finally, the night before last was clear as could be, so I took my camera to the docks to do some star photography, (and hope for some Northern Lights). When, while the shutter was open for a 20+ second exposure; a shooting star went past and exploded twice right in front of the camera. Like, No way!!! How lucky can a guy get!?! I caught a meteor and Northern Lights last time the skies were clear, and this time I caught a spectacular meteor explosion. Lucky, lucky, lucky, LUCKY!

Meteor Exploding.

Like, WOW!

Anyhoo, that's the update; and I'll chat at ya's later.

Cheers!

Oh yes indeedy a big WOW from me too Are you two actually IN heaven there, cos it sure looks like you are to me What a life, long may it continue, for you to enjoy such spectacular views of nature and the skies. Right, I'll get back to my coffee, looking forward to a day of trudging around the supermarket, and glaring out at the thick fog outside, with expectations of yet another storm in the UK. Got a spare room anywhere at yours there TJ????

Spectacular pics, thanks!

What a great place to be. Love the chair. Sure looks like heaven for you and Bud

Oh yippee! I was waiting for an update. Going to get a kawfeee and enjoy this.

WOW!!! Am I ever jealous!
You have such a wonderful life and Buddy too. Love the chair.

I'm curious about your Buddy. What is he like character/personality wise? He is beautiful and I love the last picture of him.

A WOW from me as well. You do know you could have half the UK travelling over to join you don't you. I am so jealous of your lifestyle now. Enjoy it.
Can't think of anywhere nicer to sit than on your chair looking at that view.

Ooooh fantastic life or what. Amazing piccies, especially the exploding one, life being lived as we would all love to I think.

Wow indeed! Fantastic photographs. Oh please, please PLEASE keep us in the loop with occasional updates won't you? A real life 'adventure'. It should be in a movie!

I love your chair especially the view from your chair. What luck that it was positioned just right for that view!

Reading that your dog won't get his belly wet and living where you do just made me laugh out loud! Dogs! Huh!

As for your weird weather well I think the weather all over the globe's gone crazy these days. You've had non stop rain and here in Cyprus where it is supposed to rain every year between Nov and Feb - we've had our first short gentle shower today! It's been non stop summer, dry and hot. Lakes that should be full are almost empty affecting whether migratory birds will 'stopover'.

In your place I would not be complaining about the mild temps though!

I am guessing that, overall, you do not regret your decision to move there then?

So in love with the place you live and your chair is fab...well done you!!
Think we should have a Dogsey Trip and all go for a visit,how cool would that be?
Bud is a very lucky boy
Thanks so much for the update,really enjoy hearing from you xx

Thanks everyone! I sure is heavenly here. I'll take the rain any day in exchange for such all encompassing wonder and beauty. There's so much loveliness around; I can't even begin to show or describe. (But I try!) lol!


Hiyo! Well, he's a mix of Shepherd, Husky, Akita and Wolf, so his personality is pretty unique. (As in; COMPLETELY bonkers!) lol! He's actually a very quiet and patient dog. When we head out on our daily walks along the abandoned roads along the shore, he'll spend the first minute or so running ahead a few meters, then charge back, then back and forth a few more times until he calms down a bit. One of his cute things that I can't break him of (an Akita thing supposedly) is when he's calmed down and just walking beside me he'll spend as much time holding my hand in his mouth as he can. Too cute! Most folks would be annoyed by that I imagine, but I don't mind.

He's also a great babysitter for the cat. (No, REALLY!) If I don't notice that Tiger wants out, Bud will whine and look at the door; where I'll invariably see Tiger waiting to go out. Awesome! And the same if Tiger is outside with Bud and wants to come in. If I don't hear the scratch, Bud will stick his head in at the window in front of my desk and look at me, then look at the door. So I know; Tiger wants in. lol! Funny sweet dog!

He of course lives for sticks. Just chasing and chewing them up; none of that returning thing for Bud! He has a pile of sticks, fishing floats, knots of wood, and discs I cut from small logs as Frisbee's for him. It's cute; we'll be playing with a float on a rope, and I'll toss it, he'll chase it, then just lay down and chew and worry it. So I'll toss him another toy somewhere else; he'll get it, then bring it to his stash and chew on it there. (What a monkey!)

He's incredibly protective of the property and everything / everyone on it. He's not aggressive by any means, but any unusual sound has him standing at attention (like in the last shot of him) looking around for any intruder. He hasn't encountered any large wildlife like bears or wolves yet, and I hope he never does. His temperament seems mostly Akita, and as such he fears nothing. (Except water) lol!


Thanky! And anyone who wants to do a vacation out this way is more than welcome. (Really welcome!) I have someone from the BushcraftUSA forum coming this summer, and someone from Backpacker Magazine forum coming next summer. So all's welcome!

Anyhoo, here's a couple more shots of Bud lovin' our little chunk of heaven. (Actually, it a pretty darn large chunk!) lol!








He's a HAPPY doggy!


And Tiger is a happy cat with his guardian Buddy.


So yup! Were pretty happy out here in the Wilderness, and I wouldn't exchange it for a million bucks. (Well, if I had a million I'd buy Butedale myself, but that's it.) lol!

Cheers! And thanx again everyone! I lovin' it here, and I'll keep the updates comin' when I can.

Cheers!