Summer Highlights 2016

 Ever dream of running away from it all...and escaping to your own Private Wilderness? It IS possible, here are some Summer photos of Taiga. 

You could be sitting here, enjoying these incredible panoramic views. 

If you love wooden beams and timber, this is your Home. 

You can just imagine curling up here with a book, enjoying the views and the peace and quiet. 

We managed to get most of the stain on the outside of the house so it is quite attractive. This comes at a small cost to our health. We are here because we needed to remove ourselves from environmental toxins. No toxic finishes were used inside the house. The outside finish was completed as each board was being installed, months before we moved in. In our haste to get the job done, we had forgotten about the possible reaction  to the toxins in the stain. Fortunately, we are familiar with and regularly practise detoxing with green smoothies and lemon water.

On August 11th we hosted our friend Jane Sibbery, a Canadian icon, in concert in our home. She was scheduled to share a house concert on the 10th in Thunder Bay and we were too late in responding to the advertisement. So at midnight on Tuesday the 9th, I emailed her and asked if she'd agree to a second concert in our home for all of the disappointed folks who were too late. She immediately responded and the concert was set for Thursday evening. In less than 48 hours, we had an enthusiastic audience, a sound system and an opening entertainer, Les Henderson. It was indeed a blessing to have Jane share our home and her extraordinary gift and she in turn remarked that she was "thrilled" to be here in our home.  I picture Jane as an exotic butterfly who bestows love, light and joy in her wake. We have my son , Rob, to thank for bringing us together a few years ago. We are blessed to have a home that lends itself to these house concerts and to sharing it with beautiful people.

We are hosting OPEN HOUSE events every weekend. We enjoy meeting those who come solely to check out an off-grid home. Ron, the consummate teacher, is delighted to answer questions about the system and how it works for us. We may all be faced with off-grid living in the near future in order to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions.  In the spring Premier Wynne made a premature announcement regarding this very real possibility. Because of the backlash, she had to rescind the statement but it certainly was a heads up for future directions. It's all here, ready to go, folks, and at a greatly reduced price.

Check with Kjiji for OPEN HOUSE dates and times. Call to arrange a Private showing at (807)474-3244

Summer Highlights 2016

What a summer it has been! The temperatures were consistently high and so was the humidity. Our flower and vegetable gardens flourished and are still producing.  Fortunately, the groundhogs will be hibernating soon so there's still a chance for our cabbage and broccoli to produce something. I planted everything from seed (organic) in mid May and have harvested all our peas and beans, lettuce, spinach and radishes from that planting. The cucumbers are forcing me to do some pickling, which I was hoping not to do. The tomatoes are growing and ripening beautifully as are the onions. The squash and zucchini are full of blossoms but I haven't detected any produce other than two zucchinis so far. I must admit that I've truly enjoyed the whole process of planting. tending and harvesting my garden. There is something very soul satisfying about the whole thing. The photos above are of the summer Gardens at Taiga. 

The flower gardens seem to have exploded this year. They are full and lush as they have never been. Each flower in it's season seemed to fill an enormous space. We have purple irises, bright and light pink roses, bright pink, white and red peonies, golden tiger lilies, white and purple alyssum, pansies, petunias, geraniums, begonias, hostas and some flowers that I cannot name nor can anyone else who harbours them. They add so much to the absolute joy produced by the whole assemblage.

The chokecherries were also prolific, black and juicy. We picked approximately 14 quarts that are now fermenting for a late fall wine harvest. Six years ago we went through the bucket to car boy process and never seemed to have time to bottle it. Thinking it might, at the very best. be vinegar and at the very worst be pure poison, I finally went at it in May. I was delightfully shocked as I began suctioning the goop out of the carboy. We have, or rather had, 28 bottles of something more akin to sherry than wine. It is absolutely delicious. It has inspired us to repeat the process but we won't be waiting six years for this wine.

Yesterday we picked about 10 quarts of our wild plums. these were more exposed that most others and so were quite ripe. The bulk of the fruit should be ready in a week. These, too, will fill our wine cellar. Every year I've made cases of jams and jellies and given them to friends and family since we try to limit our sugar intake. However, we do enjoy the occasional glass of wine. Being conscious of the ingredients of anything we ingest is mandatory, and we know exactly what's in our wine. Too bad about the sugar!  The above photo is in the Main Kitchen of Taiga. This property is perfect for those who love entertaining, there is another Kitchen as well, situated on a lower level! 

Call today to view this Rare and unique Home - p (807) 474-3244.