WINTER ICE & WATER
The Isolation Blues;
reflections during covid-19
When I look back at the early years in the cabin it’s interesting to note the “no-frills” approach to the everyday necessities; no running water, no refrigeration, no flush toilet, no sink and (of course) no cable TV. In those days my water source was straight out of the Meduxnekeag River that runs by the front of the cabin. This was before the beaver moved in next to me on the oxbow and before I had ever heard of giardia, a nasty water borne parasite that can make your life more than miserable. In the north woods it’s often called “beaver fever” and requires your water to be filtered, chemically treated or boiled before usage. I eventually sank a well tile in a spring behind the cabin and put in a 19th century hand pump which was quite the modernization for me. In winter it was especially challenging to collect water. Before I put in the hand pump I used to walk down the steep trail onto the rock ledges and walk on the frozen stream until I came to an open spot in the ice that hadn’t closed in yet. The last place to freeze was on the bend in the stream where the current was the fastest. Quite often I found myself making the trek after dark or late at night, which probably wasn’t the prudent choice. Walking a good distance on a (mostly) frozen river in winter at ten below zero with no one else around and no cell phone or means of communication is a damn poor combination. Option number two was gather some snow in front of the cabin and pack it in a cast iron pot and melt it on the wood stove. You might be surprised to find out how much snow it takes to get one full pot of water. And that’s not to mention the fir needles and particulates that end up in your pot, no matter how careful you are! All of that to show you what I will do to get enough water to make a pot of coffee.
In the grainy photograph of me standing in front of the cabin you’ll notice the purlin logs on the roof jutting out into thin air. This is an example of the various phases required over a period of time to make up-grades to one’s living space and lifestyle. It took several years before the envisioned front porch was ever finished. When a friend visited the cabin in those early years they would inevitably ask, “What’s with the logs sticking out the front of your building?” I would just smile and say, “Oh, I’ve got something in mind when I get around to it…”
In the woods,
Dave
January 7, 2022