Checking out the intruders, Quail in the Dove Aviary

Checking out the intruders. First time for the baby Quail in their new home in the Doves Aviary. The Doves are most curious, but don't seem to care. Seem they will get along fine together.

Pic = 140929c 2731 Quail in Dove Aviary

140927 2731 Quail babies

Anyone know what these are? They are 1 month old. VERY calm and mellow. If one flies away you simply go pick it up. Not afraid at all and make no attempt to escape. They are going to live with the Doves in the indoor aviary. They Can fly quite well but stay on the ground mostly. They will not get too much bigger. They make a sweet chirping sound, almost like a sound from someones cell phone.

Simon always finds a spot in the sun.

At our Cabin 

Always looking for adventure and interesting things to admire. A Very Happy Pigeon.

"The Point" - Central MN Tiny Cabin built 1995.

. . The sole purpose of this 10x12 (no permit required) Tiny Cabin is to provide year-round shelter, comfort and convenience not afforded by a tent ...It "could" be lived in ... we sometimes stay there for weeks, winter and summer even at 25 degrees below zero. It's located by the creek on my Minnesota farm, 1/4 mile road down the hill from my Pole Barn to the cabin. The cabin is located on a 1-1/2 acre wooded Island peninsula (a "Point"), surrounded by water except for the driveway, and the creek is right in front of the cabin. There's a good view from the cabin, hundreds of feet up and down and across the creek.
   We buried (30" deep)  #6 wire from the pole barn to the cabin. It has a inside well and hand pump, but no plumbing. The cabin foundation is 12"x12" creosote timbers from a railroad bridge.
. . The gambrel roof makes the cabin and the loft, with plenty of headroom and a queen sized bed, feel fairly spacious for it's small size.The wrap-around thermopane windows around the entire front also adds to the spacious feeling. The loft and lower windows all tilt inward from the bottom so give good ventilation even during rain. It has a 30,000 btu mobile home furnace. All the lower windows are shuttered with no glass exposed when we're not there. The front shutters bi-fold at an angle so do not block the view when opened.
The "kitchen" is like a closet, with bi-fold doors to conceal it. The swing-up stair allows unobstructed full use of the entire main floor during the day.
A couch provides additional sleeping if desired.

From inside, the bi-fold doors are not visible when opened. That's a bird feeder at the top of the picture. I plan to build an enclosed back porch... the 12" timber foundation extends 5' beyond back of the cabin.

This is hi-water. A few more feet and it would flow over a highway 1 mile away downstream.... never flood the cabin. In spring, the 12' wide creek expands to 300' wide, to the woods on the far side.
Picture taken from the 30' viewing platform extending over the creek. 

Note the viewing platform just left of center, and also a dock just above water level.

NNE

Viewing platform. A few years ago, the only big tree nearby, fell and of course it fell directly dead center on the viewing platform, destroying it.

Looking due east from front door.

From viewing platform, dock below.

In spring, the creek floods over this entire expanse, 300' wide creek.

 1/4 mile road from Pole Barn to Cabin

Cutting a tree that fell directly in front of cabin. My Electric Truck (very handy).

 In spring, the 12' creek often floods to 300', lots of wildlife. 

Stair to loft in Up position, allows unobstructed use of main floor.

Cutting firewood... tree that fell in front of cabin.

The Kitchen has bi-fold doors to conceal the kitchen. Note blue hand pump in Kitchen. Stair swings up to maximize floor space lower level. 30,000 btu mobile home furnace behind stair.

Loft - Queen sized bed, plenty of headroom. Carpeted floor space on the left at foot of bed.  Dimmer light on left controlled from top of stairs. Dimmer light on right controlled at the light. Electric blanket nice and cozy warm.

The verticals are there only to keep me from falling out of bed. Didn't want to obstruct the view.

There's at least 2 multi-plug outlets on each wall. There's normally a couch where the chairs are, for additional sleeping. Simon Pigeon comes with us of course, He's in his cage for the night, sound asleep. During the day, Simon Pigeon enjoys gazing out the window, or exploring in the front yard.

The upper shade can be controlled via cord either from the loft or from below. The window can be opened/closed from below with a pole. Controls for ceiling fan are on the wall. 

Since the ceiling/loft does not need to be insulated, the space between joists is used for additional storage. Note porta-potty for night use, otherwise, latrine on N end of island.

50 miles from town, ... TV reception not that great. Fortunately, the Internet/cell phone service works ok (Netflix, etc).

All lights are on dimmers.

Installing electric cable. Rounding the sharp bend, final length to cabin.

Heading down driveway below the pole barn which is just a ways over the crest of the 80' hill.

Near the pole barn from the top of the hill.   My land extends into the woods 3/4 mile to the back. There's a lake just beyond.

Time for a shovel. View down road toward pole barn on hill.

Yes, there are fish in there... and otters, and geese, ducks, cranes, egrets... lots of deer and wild turkey, etc.. There's another smaller 1/2 acre "island" in view to the left.

Electrical trench from pole barn to cabin ... 30" deep, #6 wire.

View of road to pole barn, from cabin window. Sometimes we snowshoe pulling toboggans, sometime snowmobile. The snowmobile makes a hard packed trail like a sidewalk by the next day.

It's very peaceful there... very very isolated but just 50 minutes from St Paul. Even my neighbors don't know I have this cabin here.

Life in a small town.

Over 5 decades have not changed this very popular small town Swedish family restaurant Harris MN, ... small town atmosphere ... If you're within 50 miles, worth the trip.
. . Excellent fresh food but the prices have doubled. Now a real-meat thick burger full meal 1/3 lb. burger, lettuce, tomato, cheese, raw onion and miracle whip on a bun. With choice of (excellent) soup or fries $4.85.  Typical menu items (see link).  Good choice of Fantastic pies made on site.
. . Sundays after church, the average age is about 80?... mostly local farmer families.  Also Sundays... very local Farmers market until 3:00.
. . When I lived on my farm, I ate many meals here.  An excellent place to eat.

open 7;30 to 7:30 except Sunday 8: to 2:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harris-Kaffe-Stuga/100545568060

110703b Harris CaffeStuga.jpg

Worlds tallest stump

Worlds tallest stump - 30 feet.... ... A tornado twisted off the top and threw it down exactly precisely on top of my 30 foot viewing platform in front of our cabin a few years ago.
. . It also twisted off the top 40 feet up of a few other huge trees surrounding the cabin... cabin untouched, but later a windstorm dropped a 100' tree on our cabin, damaged the roof.

This is not a sunset picture. It is a message sent just to me.

This is not a sunset picture.
It is a message sent just to me.
It was overcast when we drove to my farm. A dark and gloomy day with a light rain coming down as I was digging. Then just at the instant we buried my sweet loving Pigeon Velcro, the sun shown for a few minutes then it became dark.
For those who may not know, Velcro and I were very close for nine years. She was killed by a hawk as she was flying to the deck to visit me. She now has a view of this sunset every night and of our cabin on the creek. It was not easy to drive back home and leave her behind. I miss her desperately.

Do birds dream ?? I'm convinced they do. Simon Pigeon sleeps very soundly, but sometimes he very suddenly pops his head up and glances around the room, looking for whatever danger was in his dream. Then he goes back to sleep.
My Doves don't sleep that soundly, every few seconds open their eyes for a second, so... it's hard to tell with Doves.