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The Rural Voice, 2001-01, Page 30We see each other at the supermarket, on the street or in the park. Our children play on the same teams as yours. We work for the same good causes. Our people are part of the community—and we're here to stay. We think that's important to you when you need insurance. People you know. People who care. 264 Huron Road, Sebringville 393-6402 or 1-800-263-1961 dere / J,'Jrr. Knew", www.downiemutual.com 4. A Member O1 The I„ Ontano Mutual Insurance Association First Class Cooling! HiPerForm Mueller distributors know the ultimate measure of a cooler's worth is its performance. The HiPerForm refrigeration system, patented Temp - Plate® Heat Transfer Surface, electronic controls, safety features, and superior automatic cleaning system assure you of first class performance. 24 Hour Service See us at the Mueller display at the Canadian International Farm Equipment Show, Toronto, February 6-9, 2001 Buchanan and Hall Ltd. 615 Huron Road, Stratford, Ontario (519) 271-4793 Toll Free 1-877-893-4628 26 THE RURAL VOICE got through another winter. I ride the horse about three miles northwest, through the bush to another neighbour. Mrs. Kaliska, 90, homesteaded with her husband in 1934. They built a log house, log barn, and an above -ground cold cellar with four -foot stone walls, all by hand. She dug a well down 17 feet, and only came up when she had to nurse the baby! She planted an acre of garden and canned it all. They put up enough hay for 35 cows. She wonders why we came to this land of hardships with no phone or hydro. We sure have no regrets, but with no close neighbours and no close markets, it's not the type of farming we're used to. April 5 — A curious skunk was looking in the patio door. Donna Jean says: "There's too much stinking wildlife here." April 28 — We're busy trapping and got our quota of five beaver filled today. They are all XXL and quite heavy to carry from the river. Donald skins and scrapes the fat off. I sew the leg holes up. He nails them on a board to stretch and dry. We also have one fox pelt, one otter, and over 30 muskrats. The septic tank finally thaws out. Daylight Savings Time will save a lot on propane. May 27 — The wild roses and lady's slippers are blooming. I go looking for some today but only find mosquitoes and wood ticks. I plant some flowers in a hole in the lawn, but the kids use it for third base, so I don't know how much will survive. The beavers have dammed up the ditches along the side of our road again, and the water is running right over the road. A neighbour shot two or three beaver last night. Hopefully that will help. He painted the gun sight white so he could aim in the dark. One night we saw no less than 12 deer — what a thrill! Now that we've been here a year, I don't know how we did it. But it's rewarding to see how much we've accomplished, and how we're all thriving. June 23 — We wear toques and winter coats to fix fences. The cattle walked down the road to the neighbours, two days in a row, tramped through their garden, and ate some of their hay field, so we build a gate across the