Working on the Camp

My parents built this camp almost 30 years ago and in the last while it has really fallen on rough times. We all got talking about it and the wonderful memories back there and decided it was time to fix things up. Many more memories will be made there now.

It's a slow process but it's starting to really come along. We want to make sure to do things right so that the "fixes" will last another 30 years. The road to the camp was over grown and really needed some severe pruning and clearing. Mother Nature sure does reclaim quickly.

Our first trips back happened when snow still was covering the ground.

Discovered that a few trees had blown down and were blocking the entrance. One had even hit the edge of the camp and so that section will have to be fixed up. Good thing I know a really handy carpenter ;) heehee

Then the weather shifted and we were able to get back there and really get working on the road and pathway. Lots of little trees that needed to be taken out and a few fires to clear the brush. We haven't even made it inside the camp yet to work but it's all coming along.

Then since we were going to be doing all this work back at the camp, we also thought it might be a good idea for us to all walk and blaze the boundary lines of the property. My father is an only child and the parcel of land will some day come to my sister and I. Neither of us have ever walked the boundary. She and her family came down for the long weekend in May. While she and her youngest daughter stayed back at my folks place to help Mom make the rest of us a big pizza supper....... the rest of us walked....and walked.....and walked some more. My father owns A LOT of land! hahaha (Way over 100acres)

            Someone thought they'd get comfy on a break ;) heehee

 Time for some food!!!  I swear my mother and sister thought they were feeding an army. The amount of food that we were carrying in those backpacks.

 Food always seems to taste so much yummier when sitting out in the fresh air.

 My oldest niece Hannah and I.

A few more weeks passed, and Andy and I have been back there a few times each week we really working on clearing the camp road again. Starting to really see some progress and it's been fun really. Quite relaxing to sit back by the meadow and just listen to all the songbirds, the Canada geese honking and the campfire snapping away.

Dad spent a few hours back there one afternoon as well and really took out a lot of the little trees that were needing to be cleared. Good job! Andy and I hauled them to the burn pile.

 Saving this long solid log in case it will work for bracing up under the camp.

 You can see the damage to the outside of the roof but Andy says not too bad inside and will be ok to fix.

 All the thorns and brambles are being removed and a clearing made. We are going to work on making it level for chairs and a better made fire pit.

 View of the meadow and the beaver lodge. We've heard the beaver slapping its tail against the water but haven't seen it yet.

 Lots of lily pads and flowers happening along the edge. Peepers and really large frogs happening back there. So cool to hear them "gronk gronk gronk".

 Painted turtles like to crawl up on all the different pieces of dead fall along the meadow edge and sun. There wasn't much sunshine yesterday when we were back there so only one lone painted turtle was spotted. He looks pretty comfy though.

 Fire blazing well!!! We had piles of stuff to burn all over and it burned up really well. Nice to sit in the quiet of the meadow and woods and just listen to the snap and crackling of the fire.

 A few beer may have happened.

 HONK HONK HONK
Next thing we knew, we could hear these guys come flying onto the meadow. They are LOUD.
They swam around for a few hours and then drifted off further to the far side where they must be nesting.

 Adding more brush that was cut down along the meadows edge.

 

And if I'm anywhere near a campfire, then a bag of marshmallows is too!

I came back home head rushing from a serious toasted marshmallow fix.

Won't admit to just how many were eaten but may have had a bit of a tummy ache.

They tasted sooooo good at the time though it was totally worth it.