There are people who think that operating a resort means sitting by the lake all day in the sunshine.  But there is always some winter damage.  All cabins were invaded by mice, squirrels and packrats, and cleaning up after them, in time for my first visitors tomorrow,  has been my main job so far.

The ice went off the lake a week ago, and the water is very cold and very high.  There are still patches of snow in shady spots, and one enormous drift in a wind funnel – it was where I put my tent when I built the first cabin.

This winter was very windy and there are an enormous number of trees down.  I took an hour off to hike around “The Block” yesterday and must have stepped over a dozen trees on the trail – most years there are none or one, occasionally two.  There are also a lot of trees down right around the cabins.  Only one did any damage.

It split the outhouse asunder!

The sitting part is still OK so once the tree is removed, it won’t take much to repair it.  I did not bring a chainsaw with me this time – I am leaving that for Nuk Tessli’s new owner, who arrives in a week’s time.

Cabin two has lost many chimneys to sliding snow and I have tried to build structures to foil it.  At least the chimney is still held by its restraining chain this time.

I used to fix all these things alone but I now find the ladders too heavy.  The clients who arrive tomorrow are going to get a nice surprise when I ask them to help me put the chimney back!

There are compensations, of course.

And this morning’s almost solstice sunrise shining through the cabin door.

There are no leaves on the deciduous plants yet, but the first flowers are already blooming in the meadow.  These are Mountain Marsh Marigolds.