Our version of retirement: Living a childhood dream

A regular Winter Wonderland!:eek:nthego:
uRIz367.jpg
 

Another light day

Chores are daily (I’m thankful)

Fiddled with the sign and hung it on the fence
T4DYmTa.jpg



I leave the gate open this time of year, due to snow/ice accumulation

So, we have this gong
f24W7Yk.jpg


An aged acetylene tank cut in two with a bit of leather strap and steel clapper
Ao977Va.jpg


Folks don’t usually traipse down this way in the snow, but there are occasions of the odd one

And they know to ring that thing before coming up to the cabin

Saves ‘em from a chance happening onto two naked oldsters bumpin’ fuzzies


oh, and outside the back of the shop there was this misplaced albino halibut trying unsuccessfully to not slip off the tree screen
pieJMjc.jpg
 
Beautiful photo, looks like it would be a very nice walk. Glad she's feeling good enough to go out for a hike and I'm happy you're sticking close to her until she heals completely.

A clean bill of health for my lady

Her doc was full of praise
He’s usually all business, but rather gushed at how she’s healed

She’s now back to hiking 5 miles a day
I go with her every other day
The days I don’t, I worry if I think she’s been gone too long
Yesterday was wunna those
Thought about untarping the Jeep and heading out
Then just bundled up and started off t’ward where I thought she’d be coming in

Only, it wasn’t

Turned back t’ward the cabin about a mile away with the grim determination of getting in the Jeep and heading back out

She was home
Looking for me

She’s mentioned getting walkie talkies

Not gonna do that
Maybe a cheap tracfone
 

Good to hear she's healed so well Gary. We have two way radios that we use sometimes when camping, I like to go for long walks and he sometimes just wants to stay near camp and do some fishing, but he likes for me to be able to call if I have a problem. We wouldn't get any cell phone reception where we go, so that's the next best thing. Not sure what the range is with them, guess it depends on the terrain and surroundings, I don't think I've been further than two miles away when using ours.
 
Not sure what the range is with them, guess it depends on the terrain and surroundings, I don't think I've been further than two miles away when using ours.

Yeah, I haven't had much luck with two way range here

Thing is, there's a cell tower within 10 miles of our place
and I've been considering another phone for some time now, for the rare solo trips to town

Not any real expense with phone cards
 
So, we have this iPhone 7

Working on four years now

Had to have it in order to communicate….anywhere…when living off grid….as long as we have this Jet pack gizmo
lJRAaFG.jpg


Over the years, I learned to not hate it
I can get weather…now, as in immediately
Pics…now
Everthing I never wanted…..now
Just at the touch of a finger or two
Pack it to town
Never know when ya get stranded

Well, we musta hit a wrong button
The thing died

Keeping it charged has become my religion, so not a battery issue

No matter what we did, it wouldn’t power up
Just a black screen

Thought, ‘well crap, gotta travel 50 miles to the Verizon store, now (after a thought to call them quickly faded)

2nd thought, ‘the damn thing has some sorta time bomb to get me to pay another $700 for a new phone

3rd thought ‘get on the PC, google ‘iPhone 7 dead’


Found this
tb2aEFX.jpg



Tried it

It worked

Realized how much I could love/hate some….thing

Also realized how dependent I was, even off grid

My self-satisfied smugness, when hearing of power outages in our area, waned a bit

I’m just as dependent as anyone, with maybe the exception of keeping warm
….unless a tree falls on the stove pipe (had sustained winds of 30-40 mph, and gusts of 60 mph last night)

and more snow
 
So, sittin’ here in the cabin at 4p, darkness coming on fast, wondering what happened to the day

HxBEvSZ.jpg


Dang winter days are short
Especially when finally rising at 10a

Did some burning and a few chores, then wandered in the shop, wondering what I’d do tomorrow

But, that’s tomorrow

Hiked a bit the rest of the day, but took a few shots back at the place

Found the ice I was trudging on rather interesting

FdSChMO.jpg



I cursed it yesterday, but today I praise it
Got some pretty good winds last night
But all the ground cover, including all the little droppings from the pines, stayed put
Keeping our pumice filled soil covered
Sometimes it’s best to leave things be

Looks like Santy left his mark on a tree last night

DTdJ345.jpg


The moon waxes full

rVI2fWx.jpg


Tomorrow I’ll build something

Or just hike again


Gawd, I love this retirement gig
 
Wishing you both a Merry Christmas Gary! May your cabin be filled with His Peace, and the New Year be packed with His Best!
giphy.gif
 
Wishing you both a Merry Christmas Gary! May your cabin be filled with His Peace, and the New Year be packed with His Best!
giphy.gif

Thank you, coolest of ol' dudes

The very best to you, sir

the sunsets are deliberate when looking east this time of year

WQmaQJ5.jpg


the moon, well it gave us a slim shot

xjH9jz1.jpg
 
Yesterday morn, the usual

On the porch
Still in my bed shorts
Scratching my hind end
Sipping steaming hot java
Greeting the day

...and the big soft flakes

EOxfY2S.jpg


CTtCZZK.jpg


Woody is becoming quite friendly
I can reach out and touch him

2sY7CbS.jpg


Hiked with my lady
The woods seemed to be celebrating this yuletide

6Y9Z2Jk.jpg


RCSesBA.jpg


yPX8i5X.jpg


AvVc6hV.jpg



Many things of which to be thankful

But

Right now, it’s the wood stove

UcPElGr.png


jGJFCik.jpg


And not a worry as to whether or not we’ll have enough wood to get thru winter

Q6C8kT1.jpg


The sawbuck gave its all last spring, and now having a deserved rest

m3pTzyd.jpg


We gave out the last of our food baskets yesterday
My lady was exhausted, crashed early

‘tis a merry Christmas

Indeed

A60EMN5.jpg




...and just a very few minutes ago, before ol' sol took over

the morning star

icwwwJq.png
 
This new winter season is meandering in like a lamb
Mild temps flexing from the high 30s to the teens

This creates perfect snow powder in the morn, turning to slush in the afternoon,
and freezing that slop into an interesting challenge to get about the place the following morn

MqkBjQR.jpg


8sc94YL.jpg


T-shirt weather as long as the wind doesn’t kick up

Strolled the property ‘tween chores and while my lady hiked her 5 miles
And before ol’ sol completely had his way with sloughing snow

Wt2NFgC.jpg



The melt creates interesting scenes
Like these tiny gems, releasing their final sparkling glimmers in the softening rays

beFmTfN.png


And, with all the nice glimpses of meadow and mountain
This evening’s shrouding mist had a wraithlike calming effect on this soul



WZr5eTV.png
 
I watch those Alaska shows and scratch my head how anyone can live in bitter cold and months of darkness in a cabin with a wood burning stove. I do admire their strength of conviction to that lifestyle but I wonder how they accept it when they are to old to do the physical chores and have to move to the town or city. It must kill their souls.
 


Back
Top