At the far side is a fence that is important, because it divides my land from the next farmer’s and he has cattle that could stray. I keep an eye on this fence on my periodic walks, but he is the one who keeps it repaired. When I see that he has worked on it, I pay for half of the repairs the next time I see him. He is the same man who delivers my eggs and starts my car.

Eventually on this walk I will come to the end of the pasture and head back along a path toward the cabin. There are bushes along this path, wild flowers, a couple of maple trees. Ahead I will see the enormous willow that hangs over the cabin; one day, I think, there will be a winter ice storm or heavy snowfall and one of its great limbs will crash through my roof. Or the whole tree may just lean over, because it is already split naturally, and collapse on me. I would not cut that tree, though, if I could, so until it happens, I try to trust it and forget it.

On each walk, the sight of the cabin and the willow ahead makes me eager to get back, to light a fire, put my feet up, think, perhaps, about what I’ve seen, be warm in my home. And so I will hurry along the path, forgetting already the creatures dying beneath my feet.

The cabin itself is very old, hand-built of stone, carefully, solidly made. It is not, however, primitive; it has electricity and plumbing, and I bought a freezer as soon as I came here. It is my home. It is not an outback, a wilderness; I do not have an interest in “roughing it.” I am accustomed to comfort.

There are just four rooms, not counting the bathroom. The kitchen is large, modern appliances and ancient wooden counters and cupboards everywhere, hooks that I have put up myself to hold the pots and pans. I have painted the room in black and white, except for the counter tops, which are plain wood. The colours do not sound warm, but they are. I have a small table, round, some heavy kind of wood that I refinished, and two chairs, one of which sits empty. I eat breakfast at this table, and often lunch, but rarely dinner. I did not used to eat so many meals, but here the work is different and I need more food.

The refrigerator and the stove are second-hand and white. The kitchen is the first thing that happens when you walk in the door. There is only one door to the outside in the cabin.