Limits to Visiting

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Mark Zeiger

For a while now, we’ve been preparing the “homestead” for a visit we knew might not take place. We’ve been cleaning, straightening, and improving the cabin, and, especially, clearing obstructions from the trail. Our deadline is Saturday, but yesterday, we got the news: Michelle’s mom’s doctor has recommended that she not attempt to hike out to the land this coming visit.

This tears it. Dad Harris had decided on their last visit not to try to make the hike. Actually, he decided not to on every previous visit, and they’ve been coming out here about once a year since 2006. That’s Mom swinging on the rope swing in the photo on our history page. That was the trip she broke her ankle while she was out here, but that didn’t stop her from coming back. Continue reading →

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Clearing Another Windfall

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Mark Zeiger

Ever since a late winter wind storm, we have passed back and forth under half-fallen trees hanging over a section of our trail. Two trees growing side by side, with their root wads entwined, leaned past 45°, but failed to fall when they hung up in branches of trees on the other side of the trail.

Each time we passed under them, we eyed the trees, and, if traveling together, often commented on them. Michelle felt they might fall any time; I assured her that they would probably still be hanging over the trail long after we were gone.

Very early Thursday morning a southerly gale blew up. We heard the wind generator roaring in the night. In the morning, 8 foot swells slammed into our beach rocks, while a cold, hard rain fell. I felt sorry for Michelle as she bundled up and left to hike to the road to get to work, and blessed my luck to have a work-at-home contract that would keep me inside, conveniently near the woodstove, drinking hot drinks and admiring the wild weather from the comfy side of the picture window.

A short time later, Michelle called with the news: the trees had fallen.

wind fall trees

The root wad and two trunks of the newest windfall across the trail (Photo: Mark Zeiger).

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