A beautiful sunny and mild day greeted the Strollers on November 7. With a relaxing stroll to the Lake ahead of us we took time at the beginning to admire the Moses Hudgin Log House. The House, built in 1865 and inhabited by three generations of the Hudgin family stands as a testament to the hard work of these early settlers to the South Shore. Later owners Ben and Lillian Rose installed a metal roof which protected the house through the late twentieth century until now. Plans for restoration have been completed and the first phase will begin in 2021. That phase will stabilize the structure and prepare the interior ground floor for restoration. Eventually both floors will be made safe and secure and the house will have electricity installed allowing for its use as a small museum or field house for nature related studies.
Twenty humans and one canine companion joined in the Stroll. Although we did not see or hear many bird species, there were Black-capped Chickadees, Blue Jays and Common Ravens around as we walked to the shore. We took a moment to inspect the Milkweed meadow where we saw so many Monarch caterpillars in August. The swamp at the turn in the road was almost totally dry leaving us wondering where the resident Beavers had gone.
At the shore we had a discussion about the iconic Ostrander Point tree and decided it was an Eastern Cottonwood. Several people got busy picking up garbage on the beach – there was the usual litter and detritus including shredded plastic balloons and water bottles. Others explored the shore or sat enjoying the sunshine and water.
Arriving back to the Hudgin House we had an opportunity to view the wonderful Hand Made Canoe that Dick Bird has donated to raise funds for the House restoration. Dick talked about the building of the canoe – his 29th! He explained how the cedar ribs were bent and what different species of wood he had used in the canoe’s construction. The canoe has a value of $6000 and will be auctioned in 2021. Dick also brought Blue Bird Boxes for sale. In addition, Borys Holowacz displayed the cards and decorations that the Restoration Committee is currently selling as a fund raiser.
This stroll was a good opportunity to not only enjoy a nice walk on as beautiful day, but also to see and hear more about the Moses Hudgin Log House and its planned restoration.
Thanks to Dale Smith for recording our Stroll with his camera
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