Spring is full of excitement as we make our first trip of the year back up to the cottage. There has been lots of news reports about high water so when we set off we are never sure about what we will find. Our driveway is about 400 feet long (wouldn't it be nice if it was also 400 feet wide - other than the taxes LOL). Quick left turn in and quicker stop. First surprise of the season, we are going to have to walk down to the cottage. The top of a giant pine tree blew off and knocked down another tree and multiple saplings on the way.
Thankfully it was the branches and not the trunk that was on the driveway, this is something we can definitely do if we can rent a bigger chainsaw.
Thankfully the cottage had no trees on it, still lots of snow around the property and lots of ice under the cottage. No water turning on this weekend. One of our footings has fallen down, but other than that the cottage survived another Canadian winter and so did we.
In 18 years at the cottage we have never seen a deer on our property, but they came for a visit over the winter. My property is full of hostas in the summer, a favourite food of the deer, hopefully they are heading north now. :)
Neighbours docks are underwater on the Saturday, but when we went back up on the Sunday for tree removal the water had receded enough that you could walk on their docks. Our docks thankfully were just fine and waiting for our boat. You don't often see a boat zipping along in the April water, you have to be careful after a year like this as there are always lots of debris in the water, planks, branches, noodles and other items from boathouses that had been left on the dock inside the boathouse and floated off with the rising water.
After we realized that we didn't have a long enough extension cord for our electric chainsaw, we headed for a little tour of the area. There is nothing I like more than heading up Hwy 11 to the cottage and then crossing over the the 400 and heading down the Georgian Bay side (my penchant for travelling in circles). High water time always means a trip to Bala. Just as we parked near Don's Bakery (dang it was closed), this northern train went by with a beautiful caboose.
The dam is fully open and water is leaving at an amazing rate. Everytime I see this I am amazed that we have any water left in Muskoka. You can see why they want to put a hydro-electric plant in to harness all this energy. In the summer you can walk across the falls or sit in the water. This is just 1 of 2 connections joining Lake Muskoka to the Moon River and finally to Gerogian Bay.
It is amazing how clear and calm the water looks at the top of the falls.
This is the other entrance to the Moon river, again the dam is fully open. People stand on the rocks during the summer to fish, definitely wouldn't want to fall into this.
2 or 3 years ago the water was up to the windows on this cottage. It is amazing it is still standing.
Our next stop was Loch 45 on the Trent/Severn Waterway, the water was flowing just as fast here.
Days like this, water like glass, could you ask for anything more beautiful. (Maybe have it happen in July).
Sunday turns out to be another beautiful day and Home Depot has a 20 inch chainsaw we can rent so off we go back to the cottage to clear out the driveway. My great Canadian guy starts removing branches and I cart them off to the bush. A great day, looking forward to my epsom salt bath when I get home with a bottle of wine and our homemade pizza.
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