Bird Feeders

Don't you just love new residents who move to the country for the first time? The other day I was explaining to someone what happened to their bird feeders.

“Nope, that damage to your feeder wasn't done by birds. You are actually feeding bears.”

Love the expression on their faces.

Bears will eat just about anything it seems. Bird seed is high in calories, a perfect food for a lean bear that just came out of hibernation.

Black bears aren't particularly dangerous, but you do need to know a few things about their habits. One important thing is that if they find a good food source, like a bird feeder, they will be back. Those folks are going to have to be extra careful not to leave food around for some time now. They should also put their garbage out just before the truck come by. No leaving it out overnight for bears to paw through the chicken wings and peanut butter jars.

They should also be careful not to accidentally bump into them in the dark when walking around their place. Use lights. Make noise. If they do come across a bear, they should give it some space. I for one am not about to fight a bear over some bird seed or garbage.

That bit about not coming between a mother bear and her cubs? Totally real. Don't do that.

Bird feeders are a really bad idea around here, especially this time of year.

-Sixbears

The quiet

I guess it's all relative.

There's some new people living around the lake. While walking the dog I happened to run into a few of them. Nothing like a sunny weekend day for getting people outside. With all the visiting it took three and a half hours for a two mile walk.

One guy asked, “What do you hear?”

I wasn't sure exactly what he was going for. I could hear the guy with a leaf blowing moving sand out of his driveway from a about a mile away. A quarter mile away I could hear people talking around their outdoor grill. Two fishermen were chatting in the boat on the lake. A woodpecker was banging away in the distance. There was a truck moving along the road two miles away and I could hear his tires crunching on the gravel. Someone's dog was barking out there somewhere.

While I was listening to all the sounds the guy answered his own question.

“Nothing. You hear nothing. It's quiet out here.”

Sounded kinda noisy to me.

Then I remembered he just moved up from a city in Rhode Island. Compared to a city it is quiet. One more reason cities drive me nuts.

-Sixbears

Cabin in the woods, then and now

There's living in the woods and there's living in the woods. I'm living in a low population density area surrounded by trees and wildlife. However, it's a compromise area for me. When we moved out here we had young children. My wife didn't mind moving for one major reason.

The road was maintained year round. Sure, having some access to town services is nice, but the fact the road is plowed in the winter is huge. It's inconvenient if the kids have to cross country ski to the bus stop. Sure, it's a pain to haul groceries in on a tobaggon. That's bad, but not the deal breaker. Mud season is the deal breaker. When roads and trails turn into a knee deep mix of slush and mud, there's no traveling.

You can't keep a job or live even a semi-normal life if you are housebound for a mouth until the mud dries out. Whatever you do don't have a medical emergency or need supplies in town. It's not gonna happen.

Now that the kids are grown and on their own I suppose I could live in a more isolated cabin. Off the grid cabins can have a few things my dad's old hunting camp lacked. The big one is cheap solar electric. Just being able to have bright LED lights is a huge plus.

Another thing I'd change is the outhouse. There's nothing worse than having to put your boots on and struggle through the snow to do one's business. Dad was smart because he kept the toilet seat on a hook behind the woodstove. That way you could take a toasty warm seat with you to the outhouse. Believe me, it made a huge difference. Instead of an outhouse a nice indoor bathroom with a composting head would be a huge improvement. No need to put boots on and plow through the snow.

The problem with moving to a more isolated cabin is that I'm pushing 60. One day I could wake up with shooting pains down my left arm. Being able to call an ambulance and have it appear at my door could save my life. Actually, if access to emergency medical services is a necessity, it really makes sense to live in town. EMS response times make a difference. Also, you get help from professionals who stay right next to their ambulance ready to go. Beats the heck out of waiting for volunteers, no matter how dedicated they are.

Personally, living in town would probably kill me quicker than a heart attack. Being out in the country is probably one of the reasons I'm not dead before age 45 -like one doctor told me I'd be. Clean air, water, exercise, and natural beauty do wonders for one's health. That doesn't mean I can't fall down and break a leg. Should that happen I'll be very happy that my local volunteers will be able to eventually get to me. Beats the heck out of dying in the mud.

-Sixbears