Wintertime Around The Hermitage What is snow? We do not know. But snow is fun, this we know. Grab your mittens, it's toboggan time.
Wintertime Around The Hermitage What is snow? We do not know. But snow is fun, this we know. Grab your mittens, it's toboggan time.
The Stream There are 3 streams on the property. The one here runs between the cabin and the new house. It feeds the pond and for the first ten years it supplied water to the cabin - carried by hand at first, and later drawn by the hand pump in the kitchen window.
The Outhouse In the absence of electricity and running water for the first ten years, the outhouse was an essential service back in the day. It's still synonymous with peace and quiet and Relief.
The "Relief" casting comes from "The Birches" on Murray Isle, Thousand Islands, NY.
Hermit's outhouse is a two-seater (Pilot and Co-Pilot), and it has been moved twice.
Lichen, Moss & Fungi The Hermit gathers Lichen, Moss & Fungi around the Hermitage
The Cabin
Built in '72, using only handtools and 100% reclaimed materials, the cabin was home for twenty years. Living in the cabin was living life to the fullest: always in the moment, and always intimately connected with the surrounding nature and its rythems.
Firewood
Cooking and heating have been done on wood stoves for fifty years at the Hermitage. Cutting, splitting, and stacking are among the Hermit's favorite pastimes.
Here fishy fishy fishy..
Fishing 2002-2008. After Uncle Jim departed for the Muskellunge Hall of Fame in the Sky, Greg took up all the slack in his line, from the Thousand Islands all the way to West Virginia. Then, to my chagrine, for the blink of an eye, he had Paul casting like a pro.
Hermitage
The New House, as it's known around here.
Tiling the wood stove
Preparing a badly out-of-plumb block wall for tiling and creating a reinforced tile platform for the 850-pound Vermont Castings Dutchwest convection heater.
Classic Sauna
Homepage for the Hermitage sauna. These pictures are of the original sauna. At the bottom of the page there are links to photos of the sauna renovation and new sauna.
Pond Cleaning
Sediment removal, July/August 2005
Eastern Townships Ice Storm, 2013
The epic 2013 ice storm here in the Eastern Townships of Quebec provided a mandatory
week-long vacation from electricity - a "Hydro Holiday". It was just like the old days!
Over Fields We'll Go, In a One-Horse Open Toboggan
Jingle-bells, jingle bells! The Appaloosa Express, 30 Dec 2016
2016 May and June around the Hermitage
Planting blueberries, veggie gardens, bear poop & moose on the loose
Summer 2017, Repair & Rennovation Projects At the Hermitage
2 doors, 1 roof, 2 roomettes, & sauna cement work
Summer 2021, Repair & Rennovation Projects At the Hermitage
Sagging porch, replacing wooden posts, picture window, outside stairs, reconstruction of Newhouse front porch,
pond cleaning.
Summer 2022, Repair & Rennovation Projects At the Hermitage
Replacing rotten sills, Newhouse porch roof and siding (WIP).
Shunda Lake, Cline River Alberta
Photos of Shunda (Fish) Lake and the Cline River, near Nordegg, Alberta Canada.
Snack Time!
Trygva, Jasper, and Emmet gather around for cookies!
Royal Tyrell Museum
A baker's dozen of photos taken on an outing to the Royal Tyrell Museum in Drumheller, Alberta Canada. Take the tour!
Montreal Street Art
Manning the barricades and making the rounds of Montreal's street art scene.
Pippin the Peculiar
Mysterious. Magnificent. Heat seeking. Able to hide beneath speakers
for six weeks without food or water.
India, 2008
LA's International Affairs trip
Greg Fishes
Greg's 2013 fishing trips
Little One
Little One feels sleepy after a porch snack, 2003
Remembrance Day
Sherbrooke Quebec, November 13, 2016
995 Before & After
Reconstruction, renovation & addition, 2002
Arts & Letters
Selected writings and illustrations
The Gizmo Gadget
A 4-Hand 555 Sextet - design & assembly, April 2017
Good Old Truck
2003 Sierra 1500, June 2017
Look Sharp, Feel Sharp, Be Sharp
A few pointers on keeping your chain saw sharp and cutting efficiently.
Peter's Rides
Photos of a couple specimens from Peter's collection, and Peter in his winter quarters.
Adirondack Road Trip
Richard casts a long shadow in the Adirondacks, September 2014
773rd Radar Squadron Reunion
Attention Airmen. Attention Airmen.
All 773rd Airmen report immediately to Montauk Long Island.
Hermit's First Triumph Motorcycles
The Wild One and the Wild Thing, 1965-1970
The Bonnie at Frank's Brit-Barn
Love at first sight, 2003
Beebe, Boynton, Tomofobia Quebec
All original 1969 Bonnie on the Quebec gravel, 26 October 2003
Bebee, Quebec
Views of the Stanstead Granite Quarries Company's quarry, October 2003
Georgeville, Fitch Bay, Cedarville, Beebe Quebec
From Memphremagog lakeside to bay views at P.Snow's, October 31 2003
Island Pond & Lake Willoughby
Lake Willoughby and the hills of Lode Vermont, 2005
Kancamagus Highway, NH
The Kank - "No gas next 32 miles", 2006 & 2013 with BB
Look! A Snow Bonnie!
A surreal Christmas Day ride in Southern Quebec & Northeast Kingdom Vermont, 2006
14 Eastern Townships & Northeast Kingdom towns & villages
Hatley, Compton, Moe's River, Martinville, Saint Malo, East Hereford Quebec
Beecher Falls, Norton, Island Pond, Seymour Lake, Morgan, Holland, Derby Line Vermont
June 4, 2007
Brit-Iron in Birchton Quebec
BB&B assemble their Brit Iron, 2013
Big Falls, Vermont
A stone's throw from Paddy's Snack Bar in North Troy, November 6, 2013
Five Northeast Kingdom Vermont Ponds
Long Pond, Newark Pond, Bald Hill Pond, Job's Pond, & Island Pond, 2013
Thousand Islands, New York
A trek across Vermont & Upstate New York & a nostalgic visit 'The Birches', 2013
Irasburg, Barton, & Orleans Vermont
The best views are always from 'The Gravel', July 2014
Burke Mountain Vermont
The First Annual Under the Wire ride, 11 November 2014
Burke Mountain Vermont
The Second Annual Under the Wire ride, 10 November 2015
Burke Mountain Vermont
The Third Annual Under the Wire ride, October 6, 2016
Three Ponds, Vermont Northeast Kingdom
Job's Pond, Bald Hill Pond, Long Pond, & Brownington Observation Tower, September 28, 2014
Potton Quebec
Leadville & Mansonville on Lake Memphremagog's western shore, 21 October 2015
Asbestos Mining in the Vermont Northeast Kingdom
(Loop Road, Buck Hill, Mines Road, East Hill, Eden Mountain, Collinsville, Wild Branch) July 25 2015
Vermont Green Mountains
Including four of six Green Mountain gaps, October 2015
Smugglers Notch Vermont
Mountain Road 108, October 2015
The Texas Falls
The Vermont Green Mountains' fabulously beautiful Texas Falls, October 2015
Saint Etienne de Bolton Quebec
Village views in Saint Etienne, July 2016
Mountain Biking in the Greens
Whimsey in the Vermont Green Mountains, October 2017
Abandoned Premises
Quebec, Vermont, New York Very Spooky
The Graveyard Shift
I brake for cemeteries - back-road cemeteries of Southern Quebec & the Vermont Northeast Kingdom
Lake Willoughby Vermont
From summer swimming hole to Fall foliage at the Lake
Fall Foliage in Stanstead Quebec
Brilliant! That's all I can say
Bonnie Landscapes
Bonnie poses with landscapes, skylines, & sunsets
2006 CVMG Ormstown Rally
Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group Montreal Section Annual Rally, August 2006
2007 CVMG Ormstown Rally
Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group Montreal Section Annual Rally, August 2007
British Invasion, Stowe Vermont
The Stowe Vermont British Invasion Car Show, 2012
Stanbridge East Quebec
Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group Montreal Section Meeting, July 2013
Fabricating an Engine Base (7 photos)
To facilitate the installation of two gearbox bearings in the casing
I fabricated this engine base for use on a hydraulic press.
Installing a Podtronics beneath the Battery Carrier (8 photos)
I used a couple of tie-wraps to fasten a Podtronics regulator/rectifier
beneath Bonnie's battery carrier.
Gear Oil & Yellow Metals
Some background info on yellow metals and GL5 gear oil products and
some sinetific research.
Assembling the Triumph Unit 650 Gearbox: Hancox Method
A photo-illustrated, step-by-step description of Hughie Hancox's method of assembling the gearbox components.
Camplate & Quadrant Indexing.
A photo-illustrated description of indexing the gearbox camplate and quadrant in
first gear, fourth gear, and neutral between 2nd & 3rd.
Winter in the Castle Part 3 (12 photos)
Removing engine from frame for a trip to the machine shop
and repair to shorn thrust washer locator peg. Also presents the
rare opportunity to shine up the bottom side as well as the top.
(But how will I know which side to keep up?) February 27, 2018
Winter in the Castle Part 2
Dismantling transmission and gearbox after discovering GOLD in the outer gearbox cover.
Includes photos showing range of motion of gearshift quadrant
in degrees as well as the use of several special purpose clutch tools.
February 2018
Top End Tear Down
'69 Triumph T120R Top End Tear Down, January 2016
Gearbox/Transmission
Photos of Bonnie's gearbox and transmission components, April 2016
Top End Reassembly
Photos of 1969 Triumph T120R Bonnie's top end reassembly, May 2016
New Wiring Harness
Wiring Bonnie with a custom wiring harness using supplies from British Wiring, 2015
Winter Tear down
Bonnie's Winter Tear Down, 2015
Gearbox Components
Photos of Bonnie's gearbox components, Winter 2015
New Wiring Harness
Photos of 1969 T120R Bonnie's new repro wiring harness, Winter 2006
Powder Coating
Bonnie's newly powder coated parts, Winter 2006
Original Wiring
Photos of 1969 T120R Bonnie's original wiring harness, 2005
Engine Removal using Chain Hoist - 2004
Removing and replacing the engine from/in the frame of a 1969 Triumph T120R
using a chain hoist to do the heavy lifting.
Reassembly - Winter 2004
Reassembling Bonnie after painting her cylinder block, frame,
and tinware. Very shiny!
