Well, there has been a lot going on since the last update. Celebrated a milestone birthday with a couple of girlfriends. We've shared more than 40 of the last 50 years together through thick and thin. Not that this has anything to do with the property except that I was gone for 4 days leaving Troy to handle everything. He is pretty awesome, I must say :)
Since my last post, the roads are done. Well, the 2nd one should be done today. I have learned that there is something called Pit-run. Before knowing this, I would have called it 'rocks'. Who knew?! it gets put down over the clay base and eventually, once the pit-run is worked in, it'll get covered with gravel. Jed Rappel finished the road in the trees. Troy's friend, Keith from KT Excavating, helped us out enormously and put in another road in the clearing, as well as a pad. This is the area that Troy will be using for his business. Picture sea-cans and a quonset to start.
The roads have been a bit of a scary process, to be honest. The land is so beautiful and you hate to change anything. It doesn't help that the older I get, the more I like stasis. I know! I know! Troy and I are making huge life-changes but at least I've had 5 or 6 years to get used to the idea so it doesn't seem as drastic now! Anyhow, I missed seeing a lot of the road through the trees going in. The first time I saw it, all I noticed was the space and the quiet and the tidiness. Also bugs. There were a ridiculous amount of bugs. I'm guessing they came from the moisture and the stirring up of the under-brush because I haven't seen many since. The road in the clearing has been another matter. I'm going to start by saying it looks amazing now; it really does. I had a bit of a panic attack the other day because I saw it in progress. Much like anything, the process of creation isn't always pretty, no matter how glorious the result.
While the roads were being worked on, the water well was drilled, too. No power yet so we can't access the water but it's there. I think I will always remember how, when a well gets drilled, there's a lot of run-off. You know why I'll remember? Our dog, Riley. When we were out yesterday, the well had been in for a few days. Some (and I say 'some') of the water had started to dry up. Just enough to make the resulting mud soupy. Kind of like when you put on a clay mask. Can you guess where I'm going with this? She plunked herself right in there all the way up to her shoulders. EEEWWWWW!! Then she ran around trying to play with me and shaking herself off. I am following up my Eeewww with and Ick. It's not overstating anything, I assure you. This naturally resulted in a visit to the creek before we left. Most of the clay had dried and flaked off by then, but still...
Yesterday, Troy and I put up the first of 2 gates. A very satisfying process and we didn't even get annoyed with each other while we were doing it. Much. The weather co-operated and part-way through the afternoon, we sat down and had our fist picnic out there. It truly felt wonderful. We also met our neighbour across the road. They've got horses and run a trail ride business in the summer (awesome!!). They also raise cattle and sheep and breed dogs. Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying it out there? She (the neighbour) said it was one of the most beautiful places in the world and I tend to agree. Towards the end of the day another neighbour who we met a couple of weeks ago drove by and stopped to chat. I had to rush that visit along because, frankly, we don't yet have bathroom facilities and it had been a long day for me!
Other things going on that all need to be taken care of at the same time: insurance and internet. Neither is as straight-forward as it is in the city but that doesn't come as a surprise. Everything will work out, it's just taking a few more calls and massaging than I'm used to.
Coming up next: the 2nd gate which we'll be working on tomorrow; setting up our camper-trailer and belongings so we have somewhere to stay while we get everything set up; getting the sea-cans and ATCO trailer out there; and moving Troy's business out there from its current location in Calgary. All this while we're both busy running our businesses. We are happy!
Since my last post, the roads are done. Well, the 2nd one should be done today. I have learned that there is something called Pit-run. Before knowing this, I would have called it 'rocks'. Who knew?! it gets put down over the clay base and eventually, once the pit-run is worked in, it'll get covered with gravel. Jed Rappel finished the road in the trees. Troy's friend, Keith from KT Excavating, helped us out enormously and put in another road in the clearing, as well as a pad. This is the area that Troy will be using for his business. Picture sea-cans and a quonset to start.
The roads have been a bit of a scary process, to be honest. The land is so beautiful and you hate to change anything. It doesn't help that the older I get, the more I like stasis. I know! I know! Troy and I are making huge life-changes but at least I've had 5 or 6 years to get used to the idea so it doesn't seem as drastic now! Anyhow, I missed seeing a lot of the road through the trees going in. The first time I saw it, all I noticed was the space and the quiet and the tidiness. Also bugs. There were a ridiculous amount of bugs. I'm guessing they came from the moisture and the stirring up of the under-brush because I haven't seen many since. The road in the clearing has been another matter. I'm going to start by saying it looks amazing now; it really does. I had a bit of a panic attack the other day because I saw it in progress. Much like anything, the process of creation isn't always pretty, no matter how glorious the result.
While the roads were being worked on, the water well was drilled, too. No power yet so we can't access the water but it's there. I think I will always remember how, when a well gets drilled, there's a lot of run-off. You know why I'll remember? Our dog, Riley. When we were out yesterday, the well had been in for a few days. Some (and I say 'some') of the water had started to dry up. Just enough to make the resulting mud soupy. Kind of like when you put on a clay mask. Can you guess where I'm going with this? She plunked herself right in there all the way up to her shoulders. EEEWWWWW!! Then she ran around trying to play with me and shaking herself off. I am following up my Eeewww with and Ick. It's not overstating anything, I assure you. This naturally resulted in a visit to the creek before we left. Most of the clay had dried and flaked off by then, but still...
Yesterday, Troy and I put up the first of 2 gates. A very satisfying process and we didn't even get annoyed with each other while we were doing it. Much. The weather co-operated and part-way through the afternoon, we sat down and had our fist picnic out there. It truly felt wonderful. We also met our neighbour across the road. They've got horses and run a trail ride business in the summer (awesome!!). They also raise cattle and sheep and breed dogs. Have I mentioned how much I am enjoying it out there? She (the neighbour) said it was one of the most beautiful places in the world and I tend to agree. Towards the end of the day another neighbour who we met a couple of weeks ago drove by and stopped to chat. I had to rush that visit along because, frankly, we don't yet have bathroom facilities and it had been a long day for me!
Other things going on that all need to be taken care of at the same time: insurance and internet. Neither is as straight-forward as it is in the city but that doesn't come as a surprise. Everything will work out, it's just taking a few more calls and massaging than I'm used to.
Coming up next: the 2nd gate which we'll be working on tomorrow; setting up our camper-trailer and belongings so we have somewhere to stay while we get everything set up; getting the sea-cans and ATCO trailer out there; and moving Troy's business out there from its current location in Calgary. All this while we're both busy running our businesses. We are happy!
EXPLORING
Even with all the work going on, we are making sure to spend time exploring the property, too. No point in making it all about the work! We found what appears to have been a road at one point that goes from the top of the property all the way down to the creek. It circles around a bit and there's a deep bowl filled with high canopy trees and where the ground is almost clear. This picture of me with Riley was taken down there.
Even with all the work going on, we are making sure to spend time exploring the property, too. No point in making it all about the work! We found what appears to have been a road at one point that goes from the top of the property all the way down to the creek. It circles around a bit and there's a deep bowl filled with high canopy trees and where the ground is almost clear. This picture of me with Riley was taken down there.
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