New Trail

Craig is trying out the new trail. It was a fine day and the timber was beautiful with the sun coming through the leaves.

Photo of Light and Shadow

This photo of light and shadow was taken on October 8th. It was a beautiful fall weekend and Himself and I worked hard, ate well and slept like logs. Fresh air and exercise are excellent tonics.

We will not get back to III until the 26th or 27th. I know Himself thinks that is WAY too long and would spend our entire 9-day vacation here but I have a need to visit my children, see new places and do new things -- and he keeps his promise.

When I look at the pictures and think about the beauty of the property, about the projects I have in mind and the trails to build, I am homesick for III too.

Harvest Moon at III

October Weekend

Himself and I spent most of the weekend at III. The cool nights were bright with the glow of the full Harvest moon. The days were warm and sunny – and much shorter. Darkness falls early.

The trees have started the business of losing their chlorophyll (something came up this weekend and we read up on the subject or I wouldn't even have been able to spell chlorophyll let alone talk about it). In other words, the trees are starting to change to yellow, red and orange. Some won't turn pretty, of course, but will just slowly fade away to brown. Some, like the oaks, will hang on to their leaves as long as they can and others, such as the fickle walnut, give them up early and willingly.

We spent most of our working time this weekend picking up left over brush piles and fallen limbs along the drive and around the perimeter of the clearing. Previous owners had cut the timber to make the drive and left the trees where they were dropped. Himself pulled the trailer down the drive while I walked beside. We both kicked out and scooped up the bigger branches, limbs and trees and threw them on the trailer. Himself made several trips down to the clearing to throw them on the fire ring and burn them. He will use the new brush cutter to keep the small trees down and hold the timber at bay.

After our evening meal, we tried to sit and enjoy the view but we kept finding ourselves up and working. I meandered over to the dam to look and ended up piling up branches and dead wood. Himself walked up the drive and did the same. The sticks and limbs later made for a good campfire and we watched as the Harvest Moon (before we could even see it through the trees) magically lit up the pond, the trees and eventually the whole clearing. It was a sight to behold. A magical, moon-lit night.

In two weeks, we will head east for a week’s vacation. I know that Himself would spend the entire week’s time at III. He wishes for that. When we bought the property at III, I made him promise that we would take other trips, go other places -- and he has kept his word. So, we will go to Galena, to Wisconsin and explore old Mississippi river towns. We will visit our dear daughter in Champaign. Then, we will turn west and Himself will beat it back to Missouri, to III, and he will be at peace . . . the other side

Project Done

This is my version of the drogue, or sled. Had I done my homework, I would have found a log with straight grain. This log, maybe Ash, wasn't and when I split it, we almost went clear around. So one runner runs on bark and the other on the split side. But it is kind of cute and the front came out as it should (turned up so as not to catch when it is pulled) and it if the Mule won't pull it, I'll just decorate it for the Season. I also learned a bit about chiseling. The front brace and back supports had to be chiseled smaller to be set securely into the log.

Here, the sled is adorned with colorful oak leaves.

Biker Babe

A visitor to III in July, this wild woman rode the trails with me. She's a nature person and I think she loved the place as much as Himself and I do. She'll be back in the spring, I hope, to teach me about morel mushrooms.

Smile, Vi! I bet you didn't think you'd see yourself here!

Chore for Himself

A large, dead tree fell across the River Trail and Himself took the chain saw down and cut his way through. Now we can, again, ride the 4-wheeler on the trail.

Himself thinks that limbs and trees always (and only) fall on the trails. He's probably right.

When the sled / drogue is done, we'll pull it down to the river, cut the wood to length and pull it back to the cabin.