Building Our Cabin: Full Steam Ahead

It's been about a month since we've documented any goings on at the property and there's much to tell.

I get asked about the pigs a lot by friends and fans of our online diary here. I'm hesitant to say it but it sure seems like they're well under control. I haven't talked to the dude since the last big blow up but its obvious he has done the best he mentally and physically could do, albeit that is equal to a normal person's bare minimum, to keep them contained. He has had some help in that department by mother nature as many of the beasts have died of disease and starvation recently. I don't know a total number but driving down the road past his place you can spy several dead and bloated pigs in a makeshift pen (along with live pigs). Those dead bastards have been there for weeks and I'm sure their numbers will grow. Especially since the lasts few weeks we've seen no sign of human life except for one interesting instance a few weeks back.

Back in late January we were working around the property, trimming trees and burning brush when we caught wind of the unmistakable smell of goats. I look around the camper to see about 8 walking through my gate like they were ghosts. I ran at them and unlike their idiot barnyard mates the pigs, they turned and ran. Give it about twenty minutes and there's that smell again. This time I spy them walking the old pig path through the woods, about 30 yards away. I had my .22 revolver on my hip and popped a white one a few times broadside. He ran and others followed, but they slowed and stopped again. I grabbed my .20 gauge loaded with hollow point slugs and set out toward them, which is also toward the neighbors junk pile, where they're supposed to be penned. Essentially, I found myself aiming somewhat in the direction of the neighbors place, shooting due north with the neighbors place being slightly north east and only about fifty yards away. I half heartedly blasted at the white one again and missed. Pissed that the pigs are contained and now his filthy fucking goats are invading I was determined to send a direct message. So I knelt down and took aim on the largest male. He's a beautiful goat as far as goats go, but this son of a bitch was trespassing and his good looks weren't going to get him out of it this time. He reached up, stretching to eating leaves off of a low branch and he turned the top of his head directly at me. I steadily placed the bead at end of my shotgun directly between his curled back ram like horns and placed my finger on the trigger. A split second before I pulled the trigger I heard a woman's voice yell, "Frank! Come on home boy. Come on guys! Get back over here!". The neighbor's old lady had heard all of the gunshots. Knowing I'm ready and willing to eliminate any of their animals on my land she stepped out and began calling them. It was a huge victory because I didn't have to kill a goat and leave him for coyotes and varmints to eat and also because I see first hand that my message was heard loud and clear. There was no sign of the bad neighbor, Michael. And we have not seen him or his old lady since. I honestly feel we're in our last days of that mess. All of his animals are sick and starving. We've seen evidence of packs of coyotes picking them off nightly in the neighbor's absence. None of what's going on down the road there is sustainable. The guy doesn't own the property he's destroyed. He's only been there six years and I believe it's just about run its course and he will be moving on soon for good.

This used to be a calf. Coyotes have strewn picked clean bones all over,

On the other side of the tracks, we're doing great work! Our place is looking terrific. We've began trimming all of the low branches around our driveway and cabin site. We've also burned all of our brush piles and it has really made the place look clean and beautiful.

Burning multiple brush piles at our cabin build site.

I found a trick to really getting the fire going by using a leaf blower as a bellows.

We've done some things to the camper to make it more comfortable and convenient like adding storage shelves and insulating all of the plumbing so we don't have to unhook and drain the system every time we come and go. It is really a pleasure to go up there.

This trip was cold and rainy, but we didn't let that stop us. We had okay weather this Saturday and we took advantage of it by putting up our floor joists on our storage shed workshop. It's looking awesome and we have scheduled five days next month to return to build and finish the entire shop! It is being built in the same style that our cabin will be done. It is a great practice run to work out some kinks before we get to the main house, which will begin this spring!

This is our 12' X 12' shed that just like the cabin will have a loft.

We spent a lot of time with our rural neighbors and friends this trip as well enjoying lots of camp fire time, cooking out, riding the property and generally having a great time.