Vamos Homestead Adventure!: In the Canadian Wilderness!

We've not been online because we've been in THE BUSH. Yup, that's the place where there isn't running water, electricity or mobile phone coverage...but there are huge whispering pine trees, the soft sound of water lapping on the shore of the lake, the lonely but brilliant call of the local loons and the annoying buzz of the ever-present mosquito! We have a little piece of land on a little lake, down one dirt road after another, and there we have a cabin, a bbq made of stones, a fire pit and the building site of our future cottage.

Our site on arrival- it needed some clearing.

The first week was marked by rain and cooler temperatures, and absolutely no fish were caught. We brightened things up with a trip to MEC in Ottawa and a lovely Sunday at church in Westport. It was wonderful to see friends again, and to have them visit us on Monday out in the woods. Canada began to feel a bit less foreign then! As the weather brightened in the second week the kids (and I) began to enjoy it all a bit more. Jonathan and Rebecca had a competition to see who had the most mosquito bites- with Rebecca accusing Jonathan of intentionally letting himself be bitten in order to win- he denies that. But the mosquitoes were better that week and we could eat and play without hassle.

Grandma and Grandpa visiting

Thanks to Mum and Dad for the delicious ribs!

The Famous Five with.....who can guess?

Rebecca had some trouble with burning marshmallows.

S'mores!!!! Yum!!!

When we had guests Dominik and the guys felled a couple of big trees which were potential threats to our new cabin, and the kids had a load of fun then exploring the fallen trees- climbing along the trunks and in amongst the branches. Dominik cut up and peeled some cedar logs for building use and made a shelter for those logs. Then some of the neighbouring cottagers were up and the kids had a chance to play with their kids. There are only four cottages on our part of the lake so it is almost always quiet. The best parts of the day, I thought, were the early mornings before the kids were up and when the lake was smooth and calm and all was peaceful, and then at night the stars came out above the towering pines. The kids found that amazing. The joy of having an outhouse instead of an indoor toilet is that you have a chance to pause and stargaze before running back into the cabin!

Screened in!

Dominik and the kids built a tree house!

Yeah Daddy :-)

There ARE fish in the lake!

Our Canadian Breakfast!

Chill out, Josiah!

Josiah liked chainsawing

There are deer and beaver and racoons, squirrels and loads of chipmunks in our woods. Probably bears and wolves too, but we didn't see any of those. The kids were excited to learn about them all- including the mosquitoes (their wings beat 600 times per second to make that annoying sound)- from our nature book. We had a great time in the woods and, although we are sad to leave, we are really enjoying this time now with Grandma and Grandpa and are looking forward to the next leg of our trip!