A long, heavy winter which threatened to never end has given way to spring! There are still plies of icy snow here and there in shady areas but mostly gone.
Just a week ago, it seemed that it was never going to melt!! Jobam is covered with dollops of slushy ice which should be gone in the next few days. Chickadees, phoebes and woodpeckers, ravens, sandhills and the odd goose fill the air with their activity. A pair of wild turkeys crossed the highway in front of us yesterday- Duke went ballistic. Chipmunks and squirrels are very active with one very large black squirrel taunting Duke daily. We saw our first robin but no sign of hummingbirds yet!!
Such an enormous amount of snow has caused some damage to buildings in the Soo. We were very lucky! Cottage #4 has a new dormer above its entrance, now waiting on some warmer weather to paint. Cottage #2 had some damage as well, but not due to snow. A large bird, probably a grouse, crashed through the side living room window leaving a few feathers and drops of blood. But no bird so its seems he lived to tell the tale!! Now all that snow is melting- Jim and Duke report that the water level of Jobam is the highest ever with it reaching up past the beach pump house.
The crazy weather brought us inside in January. Our home, cottage #6, was first on the list- the kitchen floor needed replacing. We peeled the layers one at a time, at least 6 in all from sticky tiles and plywood to at least 3 layers of retro linoleum. There must of been ten thousand nails and some discoloured areas from an old wood stove but underneath it all was beautiful, light coloured maple hardwood! Next was the bathroom which received a new vinyl clic floor and tub surround. Finding remains of orange shag rug gave us a laugh- gotta love the 70’s decor. We removed some panelling from behind the toilet exposing a beautiful shiny log wall. The two upstairs bedrooms in the Lodge were next on our list. It was very gratifiying to remove ugly red carpeting to reveal nice, flat, painted hardwood!! Love our 6” V groove pine so we reclad a wall in each room!! Cottage #7 received some new bedroom flooring marking the end of all carpeting in the cottages! It is such a treat for us to be able to take the time to do projects like these.
Jamie and Sean are well, Sean is in Guelph and Jamie is in the Soo and will be back with us to get the kitchen all set to go for the season. Sean is planning a spring trip to help with opening.
Duke is learning how to be a camp dog and is maturing everyday. He is a terrier however, so am afraid that we will never be able to let him roam free. The distractions are too much (SQUIRREL!) He is a sweet, loving work in progress.
Last spring, the crew from the New Fly Fisher came to the Outpost and produced an awesome show. Here is a link to the full episode- check it out!! Outpost Lodge – Ontario’s Hidden Gem – YouTube
The season is filling in but we still have a few spots here and there. We are so excited to host two big family reunions this July with the families filling all of the cottages for their week. Should be fun! Everyone I have spoken to this winter have said that they are more than ready for a relaxing vacation to get a break from the crazy reality of our world. We think the Outpost is a perfect place to rest and renew. Come north!!
All the best, Jim, Ann, Jamie, Sean, Isabella and Duke