Memorial Weekend

The family and I went up north for a long Memorial weekend.  We got there around midnight on Thursday and left about noon on Memorial Day.  The weather was perfect. It was sunny and 70s all weekend.  We had one thunderstorm Sunday night, other then that, a fantastic weekend.

We hauled the boy's motorcycles up and spent all day Friday riding the trails.  They had a blast.  This is a first for our family and I think we may make a habit of trail riding, enjoying northern Michigan.  We discovered lakes, sand trails, flowers, mushrooms, pine trees, deep mud puddles that will stop a small motorcycle in it's tracks, logged acres, bridges over streams, jeep trails that go forever, and ticks.  We got lost a few times and had to pull out the compass to reorient ourselves. 

On Saturday my father-in-law showed up to help me drill a shallow well.  He is a retired well-man so, that was greatly appreciated. We drove down about 13 feet and the threads broke so, that was the end of that or so I thought.  My father-in-law left after lunch because there wasn't much more we could do at this point.   We needed to rethreard the pipe before we can go any further.   After he left I went into town and rented a pipe cutter and threader and rethreaded it myself.  By then it started getting dark so we waited until Sunday to start driving again.  We drove down another two or three feet and now it won't drive another inch.  Not sure what's going on but I decided to stop for the weekend and think this through a bit more.  So we spent the rest of Sunday riding.  Not a bad alternative to hand drilling a well.

My son, Mikey, and me hand driving a well.  This was very hard work.  I knew it would be ruff but I had no idea how hard this would drive.  It took us 22 hits with the driver to drive about an inch down.  The reason it's driving hard is because there is a lot of clay.  We here hoping to only have a few feet of it but it doesn't seem to letting up.  Every part of my core body hurt.

This is Tomahawk Creek Flooding Area that we discovered by accident while out riding the trails.  Left to right is, Joey 12, Mikey 17, me and Curtis 14.

 

The camp site.

Close up of fire pit.  We just added the large stumps for extra seats.  Also, we cut up downed trees and stacked some some wood for future use.  We finished every day sitting around this fire pit.  I love the memories we are making here.

 

We are the 3rd owners of this property.  The 1st owner was a single woman from New York who received this property from the state of Michigan as a homestead.  We found one of her dump sites and dug up some very old, cool bottles.  A few were old prescription liquor bottles from the Prohibition.

This is my wife, Jenny, her dad and my middle son, Curt pretending to be drinking.

Mushrooms and Well Drilling

This weekend up north was more about playing then working but I did manage to start drilling a well.  I took my friend, Chris, up with me and we met another friend, Matt, who arrive before Chris and I.  I gave Matt the keys and he unlocked the place, powered it up and had a fire going in the pit when we arrived Wednesday night.  Thursday morning we went mushroom hunting.  After lunch we went back out and found more.  I think we picked around 300 by the end of the day.

 This was the first harvest of the day.

Matt left Thursday night.  On Friday Chris and I rode the ORV trails in Montmorency and in between the riding I started drilling a well for a hand pump. 

Chris grilling some burgers after an afternoon of riding the ORV trails.

Started drilling for a hand pump.  This about 6 feet deep.  I'm going to move to a lower elevation next weekend.  I started drilling this last weekend for the fun of it.

This is some of the dirt I pulled up.  The auger is about 10 feet.  After I drill down the 1st 10 feet I'll start driving with a screen and well point.  I'm hoping to hit water within 25 feet.  If it's any deeper I may not be able to use a hand pump.  Drilling a shallow well is the project I'm going to try to get done on Memorial weekend.

2000 Starcraft Popup

Since we purchased our property in 2009 we have not used our popup camper, so I put it on craigslist today.  It's a bit sad because my wife and I remodeled it in the spring of 09 and then took the boys to Yellowstone that summer.    Our dream was to camp all over Michigan with the family but now that we have land up north we don't think we will get much use out of it anymore.  We love camping but being on our own piece of paradise is much better.  Anyway, here's a link to the listing; http://battlecreek.craigslist.org/rvs/2363285089.html

Ideas I Am Kicking Around

I'm getting excited about getting back up north to our property.  The weather is getting warmer here in Michigan and I'm so ready to get back out into the woods.

Right now we have a 2006 Gulfstream travel trailer holding us over until we can build some type of cabin up there.  The Gulfstream works but we want a bit more room, as well as, something more pleasing to the eye in the woods.  We are wanting to go the no permit route and I've been kicking around several ideas.  There's a few ways you can do this.  In the county we are you don't need a permit for anything under 200 sq feet, if it's on wheels and not over 400 sq feet it's considered a travel trailer or a park model.  I'm not sure about a portable cabin?  I may be able to do that if it's not longer then 40 feet, but I'm not sure.

Just about everyday I'm searching online what others are up to.  When I'm in the car I'm always keeping my eye out for little get-a-ways in peoples back yard.  Some of my thoughts are add onto my travel trailer a 12x16, side the trailer to help it's aesthetics.  I could build a 12x16 "shed" with a loft for sleeping or two.  That sounds like fun.  Another thought is build on a travel frame my own park model, that way I can get over the 200 sq ft issue w/o a permit.  One of the benefits of this I could move it later if I wanted.  No sure yet.  I don't think I will be doing anything this year but I still love the dreaming part.

Here's some pictures of things I've seen.  Not saying I love them all, but they all generate ideas for me.

 Found this on Craigslist in South Haven, MI.  It's 12x16, built well and he's selling it cheap. It would cost to much to haul 250 plus miles.

Here's an inside pic.  You can stand up in the center without hitting your head and you could fit a queen size mattress on both ends.  This is already wired up too.

 I like these.  This is what I would build on a trailer frame so I have no permit issues.

 A trailer with an addition.  A bit ghetto but still intriguing. I found a whole camp ground full of these in Jackson, MI.  I think it's a 12x16 addition.  This is something I've considered.

Found this park model on Craigslist  It's a 2006 Gulfstream exactly like the one we have on our property.  They put a roof on it and sided it.  This is what I would do, plus adding a 12x16 addition on it.  I would have around 440 sq feet.

 This is my favorite and what I would like most, I think.  This also is 12x16.  The rest of the pictures below are the inside.  My wife says this is what we should do.

Looking forward to our next trip up north.  I'm hoping to drive a well by hand memorial week but I would like to get up there before just to enjoy it.

First Snow

One of the things that Jen and I wanted when we bought our 20 acres in Northern Michigan was for others to be able to use it. My friend Tim was the 1st to take us up on our offer. We have never been up there with snow yet. When Tim arrived he called and told me there's about an inch of snow. I texted him and asked him send me a picture. So this is our first snow and our first time of letting someone besides us stay.

Thanksgiving

I think Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I like it because there is no pressure with Thanksgiving. No gifts to buy, no Easter outfits to purchase, it's about getting together with those you love. I like Christmas and Easter but Thanksgiving is easier to hang and enjoy family. At Christmas I sometimes worry about getting the right gift, will it be liked, did I go to far with the purchase. One year I had my parents say to me "You wasn't supposed to get us a gift." And they were seriously offended not to the point of ruining the day but enough to say something. I don't enjoy that part of holidays but Thanksgiving is just about gathering, praying, eating, telling the same stories every year but they still make you laugh, taking a fast nap, more food, more conversation. It's the best.

I love Thanksgiving because it's what all holidays are intended for, to get together with friends and family, to reflect on what God has given us and to enjoy the company of others. Thanksgiving feels warm, cozy, and not rushed.

My dad is going to be 60 on New Years Eve. That's not old but it's a significant enough age for me to wonder- "Am I spending enough time with my parents?" My dad prayed over the meal this year. In the past he's delegated the prayer to me or to one of my brothers but he prayed this year. As he was praying I was thinking he should pray every year. His prayers are thoughtful, thankful, well paced, they're real, and you feel God in them. I would love to hear my father prayer more at most occasions so I can take it in. My dad wasn't much of a spiritual leader growing up but today when he prays it carries leadership, weight and history. It's like he glues the occasion together with his prayers. I love my dad and mom and I'm going to enjoy every moment God allows me to be with them.

It wouldn't be right for me to finish a post about Thanksgiving without saying what I'm thankful for. I'm thankful for a heavenly Father who loves me and all others. I'm grateful for creation, I love being in the woods. I have my health, a wife who really loves me. My three sons are a blessing, they challenge me daily and keep my head in the game. I was blessed with 20 acres this year, which is why I started this blog. I'm glad I'm close to family, that my parents are still healthy. I get to do what I love for a living- sing. I'm thankful for the gifts and talents God has given me. I live in a place where I can pursue my passions. I very grateful for the success Father has given me. It is God who has given me the power to live life. I'm thank for the bible- how it guides me in stressful times. I am blessed in many ways, to many to mention them all.

A Short Visit

We drove up to our property the last weekend in September to winterize our camp. While we there I took my son Curtis hunting and he got his first deer, a doe. He was so proud.
Also, I shot some video of our camp, took some pictures of the stream on our property, thought I would post it.

Curt's 1st Deer

Our Stream

Video of Camp

Video of Stream and Cabin Site