Ski Fast, Snowshoe Slow.

There is snow in the forecast for this weekend!

We have lots of snow on the ground up here right now.  The issue has been that it has been very cold, and the snow has formed a heavy surface crust. That makes it very icy and fast... the ski trails are not for the faint of heart or those lacking in klister.

On the other hand, it makes for wonderful snowshoeing, and the ski trails can be hiked with ease in the morning.

By afternoon, the sun has softened the surface enough that skiing improves.

All it will take to get the ski conditions practically perfect in every way is about an inch of fresh snow...   And that's what the weatherman is predicting!

But for those who are wondering if we have any snow, be of good cheer. Yes we do.

You get a good look at it in this picture, of Taffy assisting Hydro One in inspecting one of the  poles in the pasture. 

Lovely and Dangerous - Stay off the Ice!

Just prior to Christmas we were experiencing some Global Warming effects --  one of the very very rare Green Christmas' in our memory.

I do recall, as a teenager, taking my Mom out in the canoe on Christmas Eve, so it is not unprecedented, but it is very rare.

In the absence of snow for skiing the trails, we have been -- quite simply, and quite gloriously -- hiking.

Sunshine pouring through the pines along the River Loop trail turned it into a cathedral -- very fitting for this holy season.

The Beaver Ponds have embraced the season -- frozen over, they provide a focal point to the hills beyond, which are themselves dusted with a light snow.

Now, we did get more snow on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We now look white... and Christmasy... but we are, admittedly, still short of snow, still long on hiking opportunities.

Not to say there's no winter up here -- in addition to long wonderful walks (and as a quick editorial aside, guests who were here for Christmas Day told us that they were delighted to just be hiking and spending time together. "It's easy," said Jasmin, "to do too much. We're happy just to be here, together.")

In another slide aside -- we caution people to STAY OFF THE ICE.  Beaver Ponds may look enticingly skatable, but there can be currents that undermine ice and right now, while it is still firming up, it can be extremely treacherous.  Taffy gave me minor heart failure when we got to the river. She happily ventured out following otter tracks... but just beyond this little swale you can see the river run.  And run it does. The flow is fast. The shores are frozen. There is absolutely no way to get to anyone, dog or person, who falls in.  I turned and ran the other way, calling, and she came racing after me. Whereupon she found herself on leash until we were well clear of the river.  I felt really stupid -- I was the one who knew we were approaching the river. I was the one who knew about ice. She was just interested in the fascinating smells of otter paws... So -- keep in mind the Rule of Ice:
One inch: Stay Off
Two inches: One Person May
Three inches: Small groups.
Four inches: Okay.

Want S'more?

With just the tiniest bit of help from Dad, Elizabeth roasted herself a marshmallow, and turned it into a delicious s'more.

The bonfire at the Cookout is always a popular place, with ALL ages!

There's just something about woodsmoke and s'mores that speaks to the Canadians in all of us!

Back in the Air!

Saturday was such a beautiful day... and the ice was gone... and Brian couldn't resist the siren call of his Piper PA11 Cub airplane.

It's been a long winter.

He and Dave climbed in for the first flight of the year.

What did you see? I asked upon their return. 

A lot of debris, came the reply.  A lot of water...   Spring is not the tidiest of seasons.

Le Poney, et Le Cheval Gris

Sarah was visiting over Thanksgiving. Having proudly showed her school results to all of us, impressing us with her 100% in her first ever French course, she then took full advantage of the superb weather we had that weekend. Including taking Bailey for one last stroll in the lake. He is quite the water horse, and truly enjoys spalshing about with the water over his tummy.

"How far out can I go?" she asked. Well, that's limited by the fact that you are wearing boots and Bailey is wearing a saddle... was the reply. She still got out quite a ways, making a lovely picture against the blue water and coloured trees.

Then, with Bailey back enjoying his pasture, she helped with pony rides for the small children here that weekend. And, quite unexpectedly, she got to practice her French vocabulary! Glodina and her litttle daughter Chloe were delighted to be able to chat about "Le Poney", or, as he is better known, Squeegee.

Le poney, il est tres gentil!

Mais oui!

Castles in the Sand

The super heroes were at the beach today, armed and dangerous with various buckets that created turrets, noodles that became culverts, shovels that morphed into bridges and walkways.

Before they were done, Dylan and Matt had created an entire city, with help from Emma, who tells us she is "never leaving."

Closer to the water's edge, Vivian and Nora put Dad to work carrying buckets of water to flood the moat and save the princess...

That's one of the wonderful things about summer, it's such a simple recipe: sand, water, just add kids and stir...

Sunsets, Smiles, Rainbows

After the cook-out Tuesday night, we got a sudden rainstorm. The sky lit up with a double rainbow -- as Kyle pointed out, with excitement, "That must mean something!" No doubt... It's an interesting aside on double rainbows, that the outer rainbow reverses the colours of the inner rainbow.

Judy was here, with Squeegee the pony, and she made the best of it by giving pony rides in the aisle of the stable.

Just as the adage goes, Hard Rain Short, Soft Rain Long, these sudden storms don't last long, and long before Judy had worked her way through the collection of excited youngsters, the storm had passed and she was back outside with the pony. Having come from the beach, nobody was really 'dressed' to ride, but being lead on Squeegee, who is in line for sainthood in the Pony Universe, does allow us some leeway... provided everyone has a helmet! We don't ever bend THAT rule -- you need to slap one on, every time, every ride.

Dave, cheerfully took a turn being "Pony for a Day" and pulling a packet of people in Squeegee's cart. The passengers in the 'Rickshaw' were shrieking with delight, and Dave got quite the cardio workout. Kyle also took a turn between the shafts, much to the delight of the passengers. He discovered that going downhill is much easier than coming back up!

And when the sun finally set, it left in a blaze of colour. And that, too, means something. Good weather coming!

Overview

Any pilot will tell you that there`s never enough time available to spend in the air... And this July the weather was not conducive to bush pilot antics. August was better...

Brian did manage to squeak in some air-time... Every time he goes aloft, he takes his camera along, and brings us back great photos.

This is a bird`s eye view of Bondi... You can see the Point we swim to every Thursday on the right side of the curve of the bay. The Island, 1.6 km. away at top of photo. Our back fields where the Disc Golf course, the horses` cross country fences and the wild turkeys and deer like to hang out. You can see how shallow the bay is -- that submerged ring of shallow sand is how we got our name. Grandfather Joseph Tapley, when he settled here in 1905, long before the dam at Baysville jacked up the water levels about 5`, named the farm for the famous beach at Sydney. From this height, you can easily see why.

Because we developed from that farmstead beginning, our cottages have been widely spaced on the property, giving us so much extra room and giving each cottage so much extra privacy. We still maintain that for great getaways, while it is important for everyone to be able to `get together`, it`s just as important for everyone to be able to `get apart`.

You can even spot the horses, out in the pasture. Bailey the gray is the one who shows up easiest!

Great picture, Brian!

A Change in the Weather

April is a funny month. We were raking the beaches a few days ago, the water level low, the sun warm. It was a shirtsleeve sort of day, with the grass starting to turn green. Holly had been to the Poodle Spa, for her spring makeover. That was on Friday.

David was putting up bird houses, so we will be Swallow Ready when our tree and barn swallows return from the south. They do this every April, about April 25th. Last year, with everyone away in Australia except for Nancy, they arrived early, and she was scrambling to get birdhouses repaired, restored, new curtains hung, rugs aired... This year, we are ready.

Then Carol came in from one of the cottages, and asked, "What's the matter with the killdeer?" They were flying in huge agitated circles over the pasture, calling and calling.

And we woke up Saturday to snow. Snow that just kept coming. We've got over eight inches of it on the ground now. The birds are crowding the feeders -- flocks of juncos, finches, even the robins have dropped by. The killdeer -- well, they're really annoyed. Holly's back into her winter jacket, and Achmed is figuring out how to turn on the propane fireplace.

But it really is spring, folks. Honest it is. And summer isn't far behind.

Now's the time to plan for your summer vacation. After all, the swallows shouldn't be the only ones coming home to Bondi to roost!