Winter 2016

This has to be the most beautiful winter of our 16 years at Taiga. The trees were covered with snow from mid December 2015 to the last week of February 2016. The city of Thunder Bay and even the small town of Kakabeka Falls had little snow this winter. Driving up to Taiga has been a journey to another time and place.

We had huge gatherings of family and friends for Christmas and New Year's Eve, as has been our tradition for 16 years. It truly felt like this would be our last such celebrations here. It is time to begin a new chapter in our lives, a new location, new pursuits, perhaps new friends. We are open to and excited about a change as we embrace  new experiences.

We purchased 2 new banks of batteries for our solar system in December and they have made a significant difference.  The outdoor furnace is performing perfectly.

In November we investigated the possibility of bringing hydro  to the house. We will not go that route ourselves but the lines have been marked out on the grass for the next tenants to ponder. There is always the opportunity to sell back to the grid and this year would certainly produce significant savings. Because the house is heated with hot water radiators around the perimeter , it would be very easy to connect a propane boiler to the existing pipes in the sub-basement. This would eliminate the need to cut and split wood for heating purposes. Mind you, it's great exercise and the fresh air is exhilarating.

Below the basement floor we have a 12' x 22' x 6' deep pool that serves as a heat sink and for our first winter was the chief source of heat along with our large radiant fireplace. This winter we directed the hot water into the radiators only, and not into the pool's heat exchangers. We were quite comfortable. The first couple of years, the pool was open and we would swim in it until it became too hot. We encased it in polyethylene, leaving vents, and covered it with a pine plank floor. It is a beautiful space for entertaining or even for a small business.

The other feature of the property which we have neglected to mention previously is the helipad to the northeast of the house. We envisioned brides having the option of arriving for their weddings in a helicopter. It never happened, unfortunately. Our nephew, a helicopter pilot, advised us on size and layout. The deer have enjoyed the clover on and around it. It is a feature that might be important to a buyer.