The one that got away

Yesterday afternoon I was out cutting the grass on my new (used) lawnmower.  A gentleman that I had never met stopped in looking for Wade.  He said to me "don't wear out that mower the first day!!"  It always surprises me how the small details of your life get noticed by the people around town.

"Look at that contraption!!" is what Darlene said when she saw the new lawnmower, I laugh every time I think of it.

We heard they are cutting out on the Carney Road, so we rode out to see if our baitsites would be effected. We couldn't get through because they were working right on the main road.  I love watching the limber work.  At the end of the video is a skidder exacatly like the one Wade drives in the winter.  He works on a crew just like this one.  One fellerbuncher, one limber, two skidders hauling trees out to him.

After lunch, Wade and I went out to the Yellow Line Road to take down a coyote blind for the season.  The road was muddy and wet and we got stuck briefly and Wade had to push us out.  When we got back to camp, we saw a bunch of gear stacked on the steps and a rough looking canoe on the lawn of the new camp.  Leitha yelled over and said that a group of 4 guys were dropped off here and had lost their canoe.  They had borrowed Leitha's car to hopefully spot the canoe washed ashore on the riverbank.  When they returned empty handed we got the full story.

They had put in at Baker Lake several days ago and had canoed all they way to the Ouellette Farm where they camped for the night.  They awoke this morning to find one of their canoes and a cooler had floated away sometime during the night.  The river had come up and the canoe wasn't tied off.  Hilton spotted a red cooler floating down the river this morning around 6am.  The guys were from Jackman and the youngest member of the party was sent for help while the rest of the group waited at the campsite.  After walking 10 miles he was picked up by a good samaritan who kindly took him back to pick up the others and all the gear.  They looked quite tired out and seemed happy to be here although were quite bummed about losing the canoe. After a good meal at Two Rivers Lunch they contacted their ride and will be picked up tomorrow.  Tonight they are relaxing comfortably in the cabin.  When asked if they needed anything, the only thing they requested was a case of Bud so Wade and I went to Judy's on a beer run, our good deed done for the day!  Something tells me they will sleep good tonight.

Looks like there might have been a problem with the paddle too!

Spring Projects

I planted some small cedar tress along the driveway of the bait shop yesterday.  Several years from now they will fill in and provide some privacy for our campers.

Wade has almost finished building our canoe trailer.  It needs just a few more reinforcements and then we'll paint it.  We used it last night when a couple young men stopped by saying they had just come from Michaud Farm where they were flagged down by a canoe group from NY.  The group wanted to end their trip early because they were not prepared for the bugs being so pesky.  The group paid the guys to find some one to come get them.  We got out there around 5pm and they were so happy to see us and thanked us over and over.

Windshield time

On Tuesday we traveled down to Lincolnville to visit with my parents and pick up a lawnmower I got from my them.  It was a short visit but as usual my mother fed us well and served us steak from a Belted Galloway cow they raised on their farm.  It was delicious!!  We had fresh rhubarb pie for dessert.  Abby stopped by after work to join us.  My sister Terrie's Chocolate Lab was having puppies and we got to see them, she had 8 in all.

Moxie's pup

Next morning we had waffles and maple syrup they boiled off this spring ~ yum.  After loading the lawn mower, 500 or so earthworms my folks dug for me to resell, 2 quarts of maple syrup and the new boots I got for mothers day we got on the road.  We stopped by Scott's who also new babies, a litter of kittens that were just starting to run around.

We headed to Princeton Maine where Wade attended the IF&W Advisory Board meeting and then headed home arriving in Allagash at 8:30pm.  It was a long day.

This morning, Wade took a sport fishing in a couple remote ponds. They had decent fishing catching more than a dozen brook trout ranging form 8-15 inches.

Native brook trout

 I headed to Baker Lake with Arlo to pick up a truck.  The Cyr road had just been graded so we slowed down and held our breath crossing it.  After 5 hours  we arrived at Baker Lake and found that the truck had already had a flat on the way in and the driver had to put a very bald spare tire on leaving us with no spare. We carefully drove back until I had a flat on my truck on the 17 Road.  We got changed it and made it home after 10 hours of driving 236 dusty miles.

Arlo on the wrench

It takes a village to raise a pig

Today I went to Frenchville to pick up our pigs.  We are raising three altogether, two for us and one for Bonnie and Hilton.  They are various sizes and we paid $65 for the smaller ones and $70 for the bigger one.  They were happy to be out on green grass but spend most of the day laying in the shade trying to stay cool. There is always a lot of anticipation in town about when we will get our pigs. I have been asked probably a dozen times this week when they are coming. The folks in town seem to enjoy seeing them out in the yard. I purposely put the pig pen out near the road  because the few kids in town like to come by and see them.  Many people help out feeding them by throwing in their food scraps.  Pat Kelly is an older woman in town who lives alone and each week I find a  small container of food scraps on my doorstep that she brings by for the pigs. It always brings a smile to my face and I am amazed by her faithfulness and that there are still people like her in such a fast paced world.  Most people would not take the time or effort  to bother with it.  I think folks are reminded of the good old days when they raised pigs in their back yard. My mom says  I should put up a sign out front that says "It takes a village to raise a pig!".  We feel happy to see people stop by and enjoy them.

 It was in the 90's today.  The leaves have just burst open in the past couple days and the black flies are here with a vengeance.  The fiddleheads are also up on the flat across from the house.

 

Fishing trip at Long Lake

Wade and I took a short trip to Long Lake on the Allagash Wilderness Waterway. On Saturday we put in at Umsaskis Bridge and motored down to the Grey Brook Campsite.  After setting up camp, we motored to Ross Stream and fished.  We each caught a 16" brook trout which we kept to cook for dinner.  Several smaller trout were caught but we released them.  Overall excellent fishing!!  We had hoped to pick some fiddleheads for dinner but it's still too early.  On the way by McNallys Ross Stream Camps we saw The Richardson's relaxing out front enjoying a glass of wine and taking in their amazing view. We stopped to say hello and visit for a while.  Someday I want to stay there, it is charming and very remote.  After a trout dinner we relaxed by the fire and listened to the loons.  On the opposite shore from our campsite we found an old logging camp site with a spring house still standing.  You could see where the old buildings once stood but they were gone.  We were surprised to find 6 or 7 big  bunches of rhubarb still growing strong like they had been tended carefully.  On the way home we picked up a car at Round Pond to drive back to Allagash and checked our bait trap.  We caught at least 6 dozen but had to let they go because we forgot to bring our cooler to transport them home with.  In all we saw four deer, one moose, one nice bear, and  six partridge.  We both agreed we need to camp out more often.

Tylor turns 75

 We celebrated Tylor's birthday today.  Roger Tracy came for a visit and brought a dozen lobsters for us to enjoy.  We had dinner at camp and had a great visit.

Canoe season begins ~ Allagash Wilderness Waterway

Talking over the trip with  Churchill Dam Park Ranger

Dropping off gear at Bissonette Bridge below Chase Rapids

Today we had our first transport of the season.  We took two guys from Virginia to Churchill Dam to start their canoe trip down the Allagash.  On way the way back we stopped at Henderson Brook Bridge to leave a rental canoe for another couple coming in this Saturday.  We also threw in a bait trap.  The roads were in good shape and we made the trip out in three+ hours.  The round trip took seven. Only saw one moose, a bull at Clayton Lake.  Lots of bear sign on the 1212 road and we went along the California Road and saw where Wade yarded wood this winter.  The ranger at Churchill said the canoe season was getting off to a slow start, he only knew of two other parties that have made the trip this Spring.  I left my camera sitting on a rock by the put in and we had to turn around and go back for it.

The History Center is worth a look

An old time batteau built with ribs made from rounded tree knees.  The bottom was all scarred from the loggers calk boots

Carved inside the batteau was the signature of the late Percy Jackson from Allagash

Mothers Day weekend

Two ships passing

Abby working on her B Pond windchime

 Wade and I met Abby and Ryan at B Pond for the weekend.  We left Allagash around 1 pm and arrived at camp around 5pm.  We saw 3 moose on the way in.  Camp was cozy and warm since my father and brother had just left earlier in the day.  Camp looks great and we loved the new woodshed.  We fished Saturday morning until it got too rough and the fishing was decent.  Abby and I crafted some B Pond windchimes from fresh cut fir and pine cones. Abby and Ryan rode to Guantlet Falls. We did puzzels and  played a wicked game of Parcheesi that lasted late into the evening.  Sunday morning was beautiful and after a big breakfast we went out on the pond and caught 9 trout between us.  Cleaned up by 2pm and headed for home in opposite directions.  It was a great weekend.

Brook trout

Salty's first boat ride

Rainy Days

Steady rain today.  Wade burned some brush this morning but it was too hard to keep the fire burning.  I went to Fort Kent to buy some groceries for the upcoming weekend.  Gas prices are down to $3.99 per gallon in town…. better than the $4.15 we had been paying recently. 

Problem solving

Bunkhouse gets a new door

Today was overcast but warm in the 50's.  We have been working in the bunkhouse bathroom.  Last week I painted it and today Wade replaced the bathroom exterior door.  We will be utilizing the bunkhouse bathroom for campers to use. He is building a deck and steps for a separate entrance.

Side entrance to bunkhouse bathroom under construction

Salty is learning to ride in the back of the truck

Camp Wood

Drove out to camp this morning and picked up a load of firewood that I split last week.  I wanted to make some bundles of firewood to sell at the restaurant to campers.  I used hardwood and split some cedar for kindling.  After some practice, I got 10 nice bundles held together by shrink wrap.  We are going to ask $7 a bundle.

Wade is cutting wood up on the land by the Little Black. He found some high grade spruce today and is hoping to cut enough for several loads to sell.

Raining this afternoon so I started a fire and it feels warm and cozy here tonight.