Diary of a Homestead Vacation Continued (see previous post here)

Some chores are a necessity at the Homestead, like going to get water.  We have a line up from the lake to the cottage, which goes through filters and is ok for washing/showering, etc., but we have never had the water tested to see if it was suitable for drinking as we have always gotten our drinking water from a local spring.

About a 15 minute drive away, located on a narrow, dusty dirt road in the middle of nowhere is a waterline coming out of the bush at the side of the road in the ditch.  It runs about a mile back through the thickly wooded area and the water runs 24/7/365 days a year.  This spring has been running for as long as I can remember.   Who owns it? We have no clue.  Who put it there? Again, we have no clue.  But all the residents in the area know of it and have been using it for eons.  There are even folks from the City of North Bay that drive 30+ minutes from town just to get the pure, clean tasting spring water (and it’s FREE too!)

So first thing in the morning I take our empty 5 gallon water jugs and put them in the trunk.  I also grab my floppy hat, bug zapper and my hooded jacket….why the bug zapper you ask? Really, you don’t know by now that when I mention the words bug zapper it can only mean one thing? DEER FLIES.  These pesky critters are really bad in the month of July, I can’t wait until August when they start disappearing.

As I head down the two lane highway, I pass a freshly cut field of hay, which smells divine.  I love the smell of freshly cut hay, but with the freshly cut field comes a danger.  Best keep your eyes peeled to the sides of the road for deer.  The area is rampant with them and sure enough, not a mile farther down the road, a young pair bolt from the bush at the side of the road and make a dash for the other side, white tails flying like flags.  Thankfully I am back far enough that I needn’t hammer on the brakes.  I had already schmucked a groundhog a couple weeks ago and didn’t need a John Deere emblem on my front hood as well.

I get to the watering hole and there wasn’t a soul around, yipee!  Never go on a weekend as that is the busiest time, hubby says, and you will be standing there waiting in line forever.  Usually getting water is his chore but with him working 7/12’s for the annual shutdown, it has become a new adventure for me.  I turn the car around on the narrow dirt road to aim back in the direction I came and before I even put the car in park, the deer flies are swarming the side mirrors.  Crap, I muttered, I really hate these things.

I flip the hood of my jacket on my head and then stuff my floppy beach hat over top – I look in the rear view mirror at myself…damn, I look so fetching, I think I have started a new fashion fad.  I pop the trunk open, grab the zapper and step out of the car and immediately start swinging my best forearm and backswings (tennis style), with 3 of the dreaded things going down for the final count inside of 10 seconds. HA! Take that you bloodthirsty suckers!  If anyone was watching, I am sure they thought I was loco.

I grab the 4 jugs out of the trunk and head over to the hose and start filling each one, all the while swinging my arm efficiently to ward off the buggers.  By the time I fill all the jugs, I have killed at least 20 of them and perfected my tennis swing to boot.  I am now ready to do battle against Serena Williams at the next Grand Slam event.  I can take her.

I hoist the full jugs into the trunk and then dive into the driver’s seat, slamming the door behind me before one of the flying vampires follows me in.  Whew…thank goodness that is over with.  It is much nicer getting water at any other time of year than summer, no insects to deal with.

I head home, take the jugs out of the trunk and put them in their place in the garage.  As I exit the garage, I am greeted to a noisy ruckus from the water’s edge…the ducks were demanding their breakfast….

To be continued….