Good Times

It’s been awhile since I have written anything on this site. I have been trying to decide what I wanted to put here. I was trying to remember some good times we had at the cabin but for some reason I am having a hard time remember very many.
I remember some funny things to which I wish I had pictures for. But then Jason wouldn’t appreciate that much. I use to bath the kids in a round water trough. We would heat the water on the wood stove and pour it in to trough. I have this picture in my mind of Jason sitting there with his knees up around his chin taking a bath. I at one time had a picture, but unfortunately it has been lost, lucky for Jason!
Then there was the time one winter when the boys made a sled and wanted to sled down the hill behind the cabin. The only problem was they did not take into consideration at the end of the hill was a drop off of about 4-5'. Once they hit the end of the slope they dropped straight down. That kind of spoiled the sledding fun for the day. Boys will be boys!
All three of the boys enjoyed finding critters, salamanders or waterdogs as they called em. There was always something to explore for them. Unfortunately for Sarah it wasn't much fun, having to use an outhouse, no bathtub, no running water all the things little girls need to be comfortable. She did have a good friend up the hill, the same family that took us in when we walked out after being snowed in. They still keep in touch having found each other on the net.
When we first moved to the cabin I use to read the Little House on the Prairie books, the similarities of our life at the cabin and the way life was lived in the books was scary. I use to wash clothes down at the creek on rocks, and believe it or not they got clean, although scrubbing on rocks has a tendency to wear clothes out faster.
I bought and read over and over a book on wildlife in the mountains. The kids and I use to try to figure out what left what tracks. We discovered bear, mountain lions, skunks (not my favorite, cute but smelly), opossums, racoons, quail, snakes, lizards and so on.
There were many times when I would walk up the hill and hear something following me just up the hill in the trees. I could never get a good look at it, but decided it was probably a mountain lion. I had read they will out of curiosity follow at a distance and were usually not dangerous unless threatened. So I just accepted the fact I was in it's territory and as long as I didn't bother it, it wouldn't bother me or the kids. And it never did. It was pretty cool though knowing I had somewhat of a companion when walking.
Of all the things I miss its the beauty of nature we experienced every day. Each season was filled with a different visual blessing from above. Winter was the pure cleaness of the falling snow, Spring was the gorgeous blossoms on the apple trees, pink and white; the changing colors of Fall, yellow, brown, and faded green.
At times it was a harsh way to live, but the beauty and the wildlife made it all worth it.