It's gone!!!!

I felt an immediate sense of loss, when I went "upta camp" last Friday. As we finished the long drive through the deep woods and pulled up next to the boulder in front of camp. With the headlights shining  bright, it was obvious that something was missing.  The sentry that has stood guard and watched the camp for decades was gone. The stump, that has been perched on top of the boulder for as long as I can remember was no longer there. It had fallen from its perch, a victim of age, time and weather. This is the stump, that I have taken many pictures of over the years and during the different seasons. It has sat there and watched every creature of the North East Kingdom Woods pass by at one time or another. It’s been engulfed in snow for months on end during a few big storms of the past,  later it has served as the stage for the many birds and small animals that sat on the lofty perch, as they watched over their own kingdom. It is  the stump that I show in the different seasons on the home page of this web site.   

My friend Jim and I had gone up to camp to install a  new tin roof. The old roof had started to leak and with the winter coming on fast, and a few more trips up to the Northeast Kingdom still on the schedule, it was time to get it done. I have slept in a camper in the past that had a tin roof and was a little leery about the thought at first. Rainy nights and all the noise that goes with it was not that appealing. Our friend Ray who is an expert in the field explained the benefits of having a tin roof and the decision was made. With Ray now taking charge himself on the installation, we put on the new roof Saturday afternoon.  He is also one of the closest neighbors we have, his camp is only a couple miles away.

Later that evening, there was a session of storytelling, chili dogs, beer and happiness that the new roof was on.  Jim and I drove Ray back over to his camp and then went back to our camp to turn in for the night. The wood stove kept the camp nice and warm by the time we got back that the bunk was calling so I turned in for the night. Later in the night I woke up to a noise that was very new to me. It had started to rain and the sound was soft yet consistent as it fell on the roof. It put a smile on my face as I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

The views on the road between Island Pond and Lyndonville on route 114 were unbelievably beautiful. As we traveled along the road that just three weeks ago was showing off its stunning colors of sugar maples were now aglow with the Tamaracks.  The yellow Tamarack trees were joined with the greens of  pine trees as the road wound down showing off the views of the valley on one side and
the tree lined mountains on the other.  I never get bored on this trip with the scenery like this. It makes me happy to think that I'm now old enough to appreciate it all and that I can still rediscover it. When the Tamaracks have finished, it’s just one more sign that Fall is well underway and Winter is not far behind.


 R.I.P Stumpy............No wood stove for you
For years you have stood, at the watch every day, as the creatures came out, when I drove away;
But now I've returned, and you are no more, there’s only a memory, those visions from the door;
You've been shared in pictures, tales and likes, with friends and strangers who marveled at the sight.
Goodbye, old friend, I've watched you so long, the camp will seem empty, now that you are gone;