Eliguk Outpost

Early morning Eliguk crossing... The dusty trail to the Dean River Road All reasons why I don't put too much of a fuss doing my hair to go to town, and oh, how I needed a break from the bugs, birds and dogs! As frugal as we need to be these days, the distance to Bella Coola and back was do-able in a day. We could lock the dogs in the outdoor chicken run, leave the greenhouse open and take our chances with the hens and their chicks free ranging out and about. We locked down the resort in case lookie-loo's happened by; it's hard to leave everything you own…

The birds and things that buzz; yes, that's what I'm going on about today. All stuff to be expected when one lives off the grid, amongst the flora & fauna. This year is different however, somewhat like an avian sanctuary/breeding ground except the birds have all gone crazy! Each species seemed to fight the prior ones upon arrival - competing for nesting grounds and existing bird houses. I've watched a wood pecker pull all the dried grass and feathers from a bird house that a robin had completed, along with it's little blue eggs. It's been a battle ground since the first migratory birds arrived at the resort in April.…

Overlapping weather fronts, a rainfall warning below and thunderstorm warning above. Grateful for all the green, even if it came with hoards of mosquitos! The last time I witnessed this much saturated ground here, was in 2016 when I first set foot on this land. Our lake is finally up by at least a foot and on Mountain Mans supply run out a few days ago, he said the Blackwater river is only inches away from breaching it's banks over in Walt's field. It should be interesting to see if the precipitation continues - we've had no warm weather yet this year, and yes, I'm still lighting fires in the…

It feels like last month was April, how is it possibly the end of June already? I was feeling confident that we were ahead of things with our project line up this year, but now I'm not so sure. Our guests coming in a couple weeks were promised a washroom on the Hudson cabin, and it's been a struggle to get working on it. There's always distractions of company popping by (yes, even out here), or potatoes to plant, and the large patch of morels to check in on from time to time. I think the washroom looks amazing, and of course I'm totally jealous that it's the first cabin…

There's really no point in trying to explain how busy we've been, I'm sure the illustrations will blow your minds at how it was all possible! The amount of work a man in his 60's can accomplish all on his own has to be some sort of phenomenon, at least the sort of thing that's unheard of these days. In order to host our first guests of the year this past weekend, we not only had our docks to repair, but the neighboring cabin of our Californian friends were coming up at the same time. Not only did they need their dock in place, but Mountain Man was supposed to…

Ice-off took place on May 7th, remarkably the same day as it has six other times in our eight years here at Eliguk. I'd say it's safe to call that the average time, when someone asks specifically when to expect to land on the lake with a float plane. The loons are happy and the fish are jumping once again. The solar storm hit shortly after the lake ice melted, and most of North America and other parts of the world were treated to one of the most amazing Aurora Borealis displays of their lifetime! Of course I took photos from 11:30pm to 2am while Mountain Man snored away in…

Tied off for safety The transformation a new metal roof brings to a quaint little log cabin is remarkable! It enhances the cabin's aesthetics with its black tuxedo-like sophistication and adds to its durability and longevity. With its modern and sleek appearance, the gleaming metal roof creates a striking contrast against the rustic and earthy tones of the wood, making the cabin stand out in its natural surroundings. The new roof also provides security and protection, shielding the cabin from harsh weather conditions and ensuring it remains a cozy and comfortable abode for years to come. The addition of a sound-deadening, leakproof barrier was welcomed, and now, when it rains…

Very unique cloud pattern highlighted by the moon. Spring is in the air, although it's been a fairly cool transition over the month of April, you'd never know it; with the arrival of all the song birds. Well, all but one of the perching chorus has yet to arrive, and I'm grateful for that - for when the barn swallows do show up, so to do the mosquitos! Come and Cut Again Lettuce. Tomatoes begging for a bed My soil additions must be spot on this year, as the growth rate on the tomatoes is almost an inch a day. I don't think they have ever out-grown their small pots…

A Rainy Day... The transition to Spring, when the warmth of the sun melts the snow covering the land, and the robins hop around tugging at worms from a barely thawed landscape. A day of cloud, wind, and rain closes in all around Eliguk, immobilizing that husband of mine - you'd think the world had come to a stand still! These are the days I have to drop everything and play counsellor, chef extraordinaire, inventor of new exciting games, and line-up a really good movie he's never seen. A time when I'd love to just sit and write in a quiet corner of the log cabin, while the soothing raindrops…

Too tired to work anymore... I'm not quite sure where March went, but I do know I'm over fire mitigation! This type of bush work day-in, day-out, is not something I'm built for; they call it Lumberjack for a reason, not Lumberjill! That mountain man of mine has not given up the fight just yet, as the Category 1 & 2 fire ban doesn't start until tomorrow at noon - in fact, he hasn't let up this year at all! The chainsaw runs for an hour cutting all the dead logs into 16' lengths where they're salvageable, then the rest gets cut into manageable lengths to pick up with the…