Bush whacking!!!!!!

I see it is raining this morning.  We got out for our walk at 6:30 and had just arrived at the house when it started to rain.  Just a gentle rain - no storm. The fishing boats are still on the water which looks calm!

Let's just say that things have changed around here!   There are neighbours EVERYWHERE!  My next door neighbour is back  - this time with his dog and of course my two are very curious. They want to meet this stranger dog. They had a brief sniff this morning before we zipped in the house because of the rain. I'm kind of glad it is raining because I want to sew today and what better day to stay inside and sew than when it is too wet to be out!

The other good news is that the weather has warmed up. Now it is coolish this morning because of the rain, but I actually had to open a window yesterday. Only slept with one quilt, not THREE and well - life doesn't get much better than that.

For those of you that have no idea what geocaching is - well you can get edcuated at the Geocaching web site. (there is a link to a video at the top of the page) OR you can read this quilt and that should help.

Geocaching quilt

In a nutshell - it is like an electronic treasure hunt using a GPS.  The thrill is actually find the "treasures" where you get to sign your name in a log book (some are microscopic size) and move on!!!!

I have been geocaching for many years, but not actively. Mostly when I am on vacation. Every country or province I've been in - I've found at least one cache. Let's just say that I have discovered some great little spots because of geocaching. When I looked at the geocaching map when I arrived, I spotted SEVEN that were within walking distance of the house so earlier this week - the GEODogs and I were off.

The first one was in a cemetary VERY close to the house.  You had to park at the road (we walked) and this was the sign that we encountered on the path in.

Curious sign

Proceed at our own risk?  Because of the path which was very decent or what was in the cemetary???  And note that it is in French as well!!!!

Let's just say that the view was worth the "risk" to get there. There are no head stones in this cemetary - a nice marker which I didn't take a picture of.  But look at that view - see that red roofed house pretty much in the middle?  That is MY house!!!!

The view from the cemetary

View to the left!

Oh - I did get a picture of the story of the cemetary.  First settlers in this area - 1778. A long long time ago!!!  Some of the treasures are easy to get - you just follow the GPS coordinates until you are in the area (some are more accurate than others) and others you have to figure out a problem or a puzzle before you get the coordinates.  This one was a math problem which was easy to solve except that I visited this place THREE times before we were organized to get the cache.  Don't ask!

Sign in the cemetary

 Let's just say that it has been a LONG LONG time since I used the longtitude and latitude on the GPS that I had forgotten how.  It took a while for it to come back to me. Don't get me wrong - some of these little things are HARD to uncover.  You think you know where it is, but it isn't there - the coordinates aren't quite right. Well - we got lucky as we found six of them no problem.

Anyway - here is the little cache.

The cache - a small cylinder hidden in the grass

 AHA - after that - we were good.  Plugged in the coordinates to the next one and we were off.........

The next one was right on the intersection of two roads.  And just as we arrived, so did a couple of other vehicles and BOTH of them stopped - one was a farm vehicle who appeared lost - he was delivering something and the other?  Eventually both left, but we tried to nonchalantly pass the time which is weird to do on the corner of a country road with two dogs. I guess it was better with the two dogs than without them!!!!

Number two

 Easy enough to find - see the small silver cylinder hanging in the tree?

Ah - the next one is going to be in that grove of trees - after while - you start to guess where they will be.  So we went down into the ditch and walked along the edge of the field. EXCEPT it wasn't in that grove of trees - nope - it was on the other side of the road in a SINGLE lone tree.  OK - so don't anticipate!!!!

Number three

 The next three were along a trail called the Irishtown Trail.  Sounds good to me - off road - the dogs can have a run.

Number four

Ah - where's the trail????  We have to walk through that to get to the next one?

Little Sammy is a sissy. She doesn't do trails!!!!!

 Did you see Little Sammy in the above picture????  Oh yes - she is there.  But she wasn't too happy about going down that "trail".   I mean we did have to bush whack a LOT in places.

Some parts were more wide open

The trail!

Fiddleheads 

At one point I thought we were going to have to turn back because the ground was getting wetter and wetter. But the "trail" is right alongside a farmer's field so we cut out to the field to bypass the water.

Found a little creek

I jumped over the creek, Sparky seems to love walking in water!!!!

Trudging along the edge of the farmers field

Number five wasn't hard to spot - a boat bumper marked the spot

Number six

 The last one was at the end of the trail and then we were on the road home. But between number five and six, Little Sammy went balistic. She ran away!!!!   "No more of that bush whacking for me - I'm out of here!!!"   So I am trying to get her back by yelling, Sparky is in her own little world and Sammy keeps going farther and farther away.  I was worried she would get out onto the road and well - that wouldn't have been good. However common sense (for her) prevailed and at last I managed to get her back on her leash.  She wasn't too happy about that, but she was sure glad when we were done!!!!   Let's just say that we all did a few extra steps than we needed to! And it was HOT out!

I don't know how many steps we took or how far we walked - it was only a couple of KM, but those girls have been sleeping every since. That afternoon and evening, they barely budged!!!!   No problems with pacing that night!!   Actually they have settled in rather nicely and are happy here.

I did get out on my bike yesterday, but drat - I didn't bring the cable to download the information to my computer.   Well - the distance was 35.5 KM - that much I know.  I wasn't sure where I was going to ride - god forbid that one would look at a map!  My aim was to do 25 KM - out 12.5 and then turn around and come back. I didn't want to be away too long because the girls don't like being alone and usually get into trouble. At 10 KM I was in Malpeque with a sign pointing left towards Kensington.  Hmmm - I'll go to Kensington and then ride home from there.  Basically did a big triangle with each leg approximately 12 KM.  Works for me.  While the day was nice, there was a bit of a wind.  Next time with that wind condition, I ride the reverse because I had a LOT of wind on the first two legs, but not on the third.  No worries - it was a lot of fun.

Let's just say that PEI is NOT flat.  There were a lot of hills both up and down. I don't know exactly how many meters of climbing I did, but it wasn't that big of a deal. And please - someone help me!!!!   Can you guess what I was doing while I was riding????   Yes - I confess - I was scouring the ditches for signs.  Yes - perhaps I need professional help!!!!!   But more on that sign business another day and you will see why I was searching for signs!!!!   I stopped twice but false alarm both times.



Oh yes - I forgot to mention that Geocaching is not only fun (you do have to have a GOOD sense of humour), a great way to explore a new area, but it can be educational as well.  The seventh cache in my area is what they call an Earth Cache.  This is a cache that you technically don't find - it just points out some geological phenomena in that area.   Like the sand dunes on the beach.   Have a look at this and you will see what I mean. There is probably an earth cache for the red cliffs as well. Must find that one.


The other day when I was in Staples, I saw these notebooks.  They reminded me so much of when I was a kid that I just had to buy them.  They were very cheap!!!!

Hilroy notebook!!!

With graph paper inside

More notebooks

Just like when we were kids - although the covers didn't have recylcing symbols on them!!!!

Also found teapigs!  A brand of tea which isn't bad.

teapigs tea

Look at that tea bag - made from organza. Hmmm - I wonder if I can make something with that????

Yes - picking up signs - using old tea bags.  It's sad!!!!!!   But I'm loving it!!!!!!!! I know that I am not doing the touristy things and I don't really care.  I just love being able to do what I want - getting out and exploring without getting stuck into the tourist trap.  Just not a tourist!!!   I like this house rental thing - going to do it again next year, but might go for a place a bit closer to home - not close enough to go home if I need, but closer!!!!    Quebec - I will try to find a place in Quebec????

And when I was out yesterday, I came across this track in the mud.  Yikes - that looks like a strong big person with hefty boots who made that tread in the mud. Ooops - that would be me!!!!!!

My boot tread!!!

On that note - I am out of here.  A busy busy day ahead - I have loads that I want to do, some things that I HAVE to do and well - I hear there are fresh cinnamon buns available if you get to the bakery on time.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!!