Spring


Chapter 3 from a work in progress

 (To start reading from Chapter 1 - Click here)



Bruce Rosenke




 
© Copyright 2026 by Bruce Rosenke

Photo by Victor G on Unsplash
Photo by Victor G on Unsplash

April 1, and spring is in full motion!

To the extent we were ‘shut down’ by the ridiculously deep snow, we are more so shut down by the melting of that snow. The reality is, this is not a 3 or 4 day process! Maybe not even a 30 or 40 day process, especially in the shaded areas. We have for a couple of months been totally ‘snowed in and shut out’ of communication with the ‘out there’ world. We are in the same condition now, only with melting snow. We have had a couple of air drops of groceries, so ‘it’s all good’.

As of this date we are not yet in water and mud, if they exist they are several feet below us, as is the forest ‘regen.’ we know nothing about. Oh, the ‘great reveal’ that is in the future!

A few weeks ago the skinny stick pushed into the snow had revealed depths of up to 15’ in the open, and up to 8’ in the forest. Snow of course settles under time and influence, the measurement of accumulation being less than the measurement of rate of fall. In the forest there is much variation of snow conditions due to vegetation species, population, and density.

This mixed age, mixed species, variable density, and combinations of those, is not a high value merchantable forest. Certainly not what you would call, ‘cream of the crop’. It’s better than recreational land, but not much.

That may be the view of business, but that isn’t at all what Land Supporting Life is concerned with. Nor why God in His infinite wisdom and foreknowledge, destined us to be here. It’s just that no one here has experienced a winter like this has been, and still may be. And we are a people previously without experience at living long term in the wilderness.

What we find interesting is the; mini-climates, wind speed and direction, mini-currents, influence on the snow of the sun heat on tree trunks, and the contemplation of whether or not coniferous trees drink snow. A simple observation of snow depth near spruce trees makes one wonder where the snow went, especially in these last couple of weeks.

Jacob is becoming more vocal on what he sees Scripture as teaching. The various wonders of the death of an individual being of value to the life of the group, has him studying, and his young mind is working overtime! His increased prayer-time and partners we believe are inspirational to our; ‘life of the interior’, ‘the spiritual man’, the soul of property, and the ‘preparing of a place in the wilderness for the woman to be cared for and protected from the dragon’.

In no way is Turtle Lake Land Supporting Life a theological seminary. Simply, we are pretty basic human-beings, who knows where, doing who knows what, and excited for the opportunity!

There is the snow-float helipad out near Kristy Kottage, that Grant and Kristy have been maintaining in working order, but today is the day for clearing the roof-top helipad in the yard. No small job and of limited value relatively speaking. Maybe, just maybe, K.C. will fly in with a load of supplies and news. Supplies he could just kick out the door, news has to be spoken into ears. And that can’t happen unless he has somewhere to land his ‘air spanker’.

The only human in the population of Turtle Lake, or any population, that was sired by William Hiram, has been carried in the womb of Jacelyn Ruth Hiram for now one trimester. Jacelyn is beginning to see the glory of God’s infallible providence as it relates to her husbands death. Her freedom to worship God as God is growing, yet her loneliness for the particular bonding that pregnancy grants husband and wife, is acute. She holds no grudge against God, but she intensely misses the ‘interactive teddybear’ nature of Mr. William Hiram!

Her 16 year old son Jacob, and his 13 year old wife Frankie, though carrying their own sorrow, are incredibly servitude in their care of Mom. Both of these young people, very soon after meeting William, had in the depth of their souls acknowledged and honoured him as Dad. Without the faith that comes from the Word of God, this family would be in dire straights, and they know it, and that is catalyst for reverent worship of the only Almighty God. At least in the short term, there is strong evidence that William’s death is bringing more glory to God than his life did.
 
Considering the often ‘unexpected’ and, ‘surprise!’ of life at Turtle Lake, still there is a rhythm and routine that flows easy and satisfactorily. There’s never a question of childcare, or firewood hauling. Everything that needs doing, get’s done by people who don’t look for the big picture, but do ‘only and every’ what’s in their eyes and hands. Of course there are those who have found their ‘schtick’ and occupy it by servitude, but for the majority it’s day by day, often moment by moment.

William is remembered as often breaking into calls of gratitude to God for His perfect placement of property, provision, people, and potential. Occasionally persons are heard repeating that, and the soul of this property is beginning to reflect it. This place, at least in our thinking, is becoming a statement of ‘genders, genetics, and Jesus’.

The King of this sovereign benevolent kingdom of Land Supporting Life and it’s associated A Vessel of Mercy, and this particular place and association, is none other than Jesus Christ. He also is Lord of life and land. He has human representation, we refer to as throne, working out of main office in Land Supporting Life east. Throne is a husband wife unit, Bobby and Cameo Munity. Or at least they were, a lot can happen instantly, and we have been uninformed for a couple of months. One thing that is common knowledge is that the Lord Himself is the one to build up and tear down human kingdoms, thrones, and kings.

In His perfect placement of property, provision, people, and potential; God sometimes uses miracles, but mostly He uses methods, and what His methods are, is not for us to know. It’s safe to bet head-office is involved. As long as mankind is grateful to be nothing more than a vessel thoroughly cleaned, filled up, and poured out, the kingdom advances. It’s when individuals of mankind think they are a required ingredient in the recipe, that things go sour.

Because Land Supporting Life is a kingdom, a righteous benevolent kingdom, husbands and dads do NOT supply for their families! The King supplies all that He considers is needed for protection, provision, and pleasure. Every individual regardless of gender or age is freed to learn how to respect and love property, people, and potential. It is when mankind becomes dissatisfied with God and His ways, preferring to ‘be like all the other nations’, that God withdraws His leadership, and allows humans to experience their personal fall. The nature of a righteous kingdom is not an expression of the ‘id’ of humans. When God allows us to shoot ourselves in the foot, we’re going to do it, it’s our expression of ‘rights and freedoms’.
 
It could be argued that the ‘Democrat’ of democracy is a promoter of ‘id’ freedom. The 10 children of Turtle Lake are the youngest of us demonstrating the energy of ‘id’, and the futility of democracy without ego and super-ego. Regardless of how many times nature-history repeats itself, ‘everyone’ insists on gambling that certain population numbers can avoid the deadly diseases caused by over-crowding, over-use, and over-freedom.

The very surprising thing is, it’s one of the ‘crazy’ Dunstan boys, not having enough work to do, that he’s got time to study the dictionary, read his bible, some biographical works, and of course talk with both genders of those who lived before coming to Land Supporting Life. And now he is trying to get people into some deep thinking. Camron Dunstan isn’t at all argumentative, he is just being introduced to the serious side of thought. This could get interesting, maybe we should find him a wife!

He doesn’t live alone at Turtle Lake, so of course he is influenced by others. Consensus at the base is, ‘cultural influence on the individual is only safe when the cultural influence is submitted to Biblical influence’. Through all the back and forth of history, evidence shows there is no global consensus. That of course is of no influence on Land Supporting Life, being that our mandate is to
‘not look for the big picture, do only what’s in your eyes and hands.

Jesus Christ is Lord!’

It’s interesting how things ‘be’. It was no small task, but the log doghouse that Gwen crawled all over Bruce for building, was moved out of the sea-can and into the real world! It has for a few days now been sitting on about 8’ of snow, a dog house by night and a children’s playhouse by day. Talk about ‘make work projects’! The snow of course doesn’t melt evenly, it also is under the influence of circumstances. And, on this property there are several persons who don’t like things being ‘screw-gee’, and so levelling, almost daily, is a real inconvenience to the children! You ever tried to level a log house on wet snow?

Early in the winter the heavy equipment and it’s operators, worked extreme hours moving snow. The snow worked extreme hours filling in their holes and adding to their heights. And now most of that equipment is still unseen below the thick white blanket.

When we could no longer move snow, some of the mighty ones packed paths with snow shoes. Lost is the count of how many repeats to that little trick happened. Folk who had never even seen snowshoes are now proficient!

Then we had a few days of thick ice crust on the snow, sufficient for foot and sled traffic to ‘have it easy’.

Now? Now ‘easy’ has left the property! We can’t move snow nor travel with snow travel footwear, and none of us have learned to fly.
We are not under 1 roof, everything is in another building, so, take a step, sink to your knee, lift your now wet-snow filled boot, and do it again. ‘Just put one foot in front of the other’, is taking on new meaning!

And still; firewood has to come in, ashes out. Fresh water in, slop water out. Feed and water the animals, bring goat milk, chicken and duck eggs to the kitchen, and mop up the water from your boots. One thing experience has taught us, ‘don’t get used to this, it will be different in a few hours.’

The wonderful thing is, in between chores; crafting, studying, child-play, adult-play, rest, and game, have full participation. And when the Dunstan boys, Jacob, and Gwen, start cutting up, face and stomach muscles get sore! One thing in short supply is music, well, good music. Several do what they can, may even be cheered,
but… .

Meal times are always the highlight. Yes we have good cooks, even when supplies are low and dwindling, the meals are always
‘more-ish’! We’ve never been hungry nor unsatisfied, perhaps because no one is ‘needy’ nor ‘entitled’. We’ve never had to limit our intake, and our lifestyle prevents fat buildups.

But it’s the communal discussions that thrill. There are smiles, but the craziness is reserved for away from the table. The little children aren’t yet conversationalists, but if they’ve got ‘something to share’, they are heard out. Pink seems to be the topic, that pup is quite the influencer! Most of what’s said isn’t quite understandable, except by our ladies. Explain that! It’s wonderful to have translators on site!

So here’s the thing; everybody and everything has history. There comes a time or times when everybody and everything with history, is thrown into, or jumps into, a ‘now’ that is relevant to nothing in that history. Response to sudden change, imagined or real, perhaps varies according to the perceived value of the new now.

This is the beginning of April, mid-afternoon of December 25 of last year, William and Jacelyn Hiram were air transported here to Turtle Lake, for the purpose of putting eyes and hands on property that head-office already was intimate with ‘on paper’. A report was to be filed after 2 or 3 days ‘snoop-looking’. On the calendar they were to be picked up and returned home on December 27 to everyone and everything they loved. They arrived by ski-plane in a whiteout snow storm, fought their way through more than hip deep snow to a skid shack, 1 of 3 left behind by whatever company was doing whatever they were doing.

Now in less than 3 1/2 months the population of 18 adults (4 of which are in first trimester), and 10 toddler/early-preschool children, are each examples of one history ending and another history beginning. Or, maybe some will leave at first opportunity. There also is one grave.

History is not necessarily known, for example, we know nothing of this 1440 acres that we have named Turtle Lake because of the small spring fed lake in the approximate centre of this 1 1/2 mile x 1 1/2 mile property. Or so the paperwork says, we have not seen the lake nor it’s surrounding wetland, their hiding under the snow. Before the New Year Jacob had found a small turtle in some mossy soil when he was snowplowing, so named the place Little Turtles Lake, time shortened it to Turtle Lake. He brought the turtle home and thawed it out, it still lives in Jacob and Frankie’s room!

Our 3+ month history could fill a book or two, and yet ‘we are not to look at the big picture, but do only what’s in our eyes and hands’. That means a moment by moment existence, the future and the past are not to be in our view. And now in this early afternoon of a beautiful spring day we hear helicopter, and we hope it’s coming to us. On go our wet boots and wet snow pants, just in case he’s going to land on our helipad. We certainly could use some supplies, we certainly are hungry to give and receive news, call it history lessons. It’s the same old conflict of interest; ‘big picture’ or ‘news’.

People drop what their doing and come from where ever they are, no one desires to ignore company, regardless of the work it represents!

Yes the helicopter is owned and operated by K.C., or at least it used to be, that history may have changed also. This property is getting a thorough looking over from up there, then a landing is beginning. One big advantage to the snow being wet is that it doesn’t blow around, this is a wee-bit of alright!
 
It is K.C. flying, what he’s watching for is the height of the snow around the deck, possibly it’s too high for the rotor. The helipad had been shovelled off, but the only place for the snow was up, he’s landing in a ‘well’. No, he’s not landing, not enough room.
Carson and the Dunstan boys get onto the pad, and working above their heads, 2 working on each side, they can just reach the floor at the open doors. A boy they don’t know hands them packages. This certainly is not an approved standard procedure, but it’s working.

Who signalled who, wasn’t seen, but the result is Kristy is being boosted into a cargo door! This surprises no one, Kristy is a flyer in the making, and K.C. always makes opportunity for her, you’d think he believes in her!

They leave and are gone an hour, listening to the sounds it’s obvious Kristy is giving K.C. a significant tour and story. By the time they are back all the packages have been moved to the appropriate buildings, the Dunstan boys and Carson’s family are standing on the helipad.
Kristy is helped out, Carson’s family are helped in. Will we ever see them again?

We listen the helicopter into the far distance, not a word is spoken. It’s not encouraging when someone leaves. Those who stay experience feelings of self-condemnation, ‘what did I do or not do that made them decide to leave’? Is there a cumulative effect of little things?

Bruce was ‘born in the night, but not last night’, he suggests, “Maybe it’s got nothing at all to do with us.”

Supper is still a way off, but we all meet at the cook shack, anxious to hear what Kristy has to say. The grocery lift included jugs of fruit juice, we all get a glass of ‘orange juice pulp in’. Some sip it, others open the hole and pour it in!

Kristy begins, “K.C. wasn’t happy I married, he’s afraid it’s going to keep me out of the sky. I didn’t say it would or it wouldn’t. I did tell him Grant isn’t interested in flying, but does want to be my ground crew. He did give me some really good advice on what to do and not do when I’m sitting in the sky crane, certainly I have to both change and expand my procedures. I told him I’m looking forward to starting it up, he told me not to. After all this snow a mechanic team is going to ‘fine-tooth comb it’. He said it’s a helicopter not a submarine, it’s not built to be pressed on all sides. He also said to expect to be very busy, it seems to me he wasn’t telling me everything.” Kristy pauses for air and organizing thought.

She continues, “K.C. was ‘cut up bad’ with the news of Williams death. I’m praying he can keep his mind on flying until he’s landed and parked. A couple of times he thought out loud, ‘What will Jacelyn do? What will Turtle Lake do? What will any of us do?’”

“I had no answers, I hope we can soon converse. The rest of the time in the air had silent blocks throughout a shallow conversation. The boy with him is 12 year old Jimmy John from Chile. He looks like he’s got a big history, and that K.C. is his hero.”



Contact Bruce
(Unless you type the author's name
in the subject line of the message
we won't know where to send it.)


Bruce's story list and biography

Book Case

Home Page

The Preservation Foundation, Inc., A Nonprofit Book Publisher