Category Archives: The Cabin

Here’s what I like about my cabin. Even on the road in front of the cabin I can turned all the way around and not see a single person.

You may have noticed the signs on the trees. On the one side is this.

Just informing that the owner, the Seanor Timber Company is kind enough to keep their land open to the public.

On the other side is this.

Not really a problem. A little secret. Most people who post PA Landowners Association signs will give you permission if you ask. Notice the line “DUE TO GOVERNMENT OVER-REGULATION OF LAND USE”. If you give the government an inch they take a mile. If you leave your land open to public use the government takes that to mean they get to control the land use. Farmer have lost the use of their farms by the government taking control. The government thinks it controls the public when it is supposed to be the other way around.

Also this land has another membership sign.

Most of the land around here is either owned or leased by timber companies. Pennsylvania hardwoods are famous.

It’s May first. The Gaelic pagan holiday of Beltane. Half way between the spring equinox and the summer solstice.

And right on queue.

Today I saw the first mayapples pop up out of the ground. Of course these are just the mayapples plants. The actual “apples” aren’t ready until later in the summer. And, while edible, that aren’t really very good and take too much processing to make them palatable. Kind of tastes like bad lemons.

Also many fern fiddleheads are ready. Some types are good to eat. Most are not good, but not poisonous.

As I was walking through the woods behind the cabin yesterday, I heard a strange gurgling or bubbling sound. At first I thought it was my tinnitus. But then it got louder and I noticed it was coming from an old oil well casing. So today I recorded it.

Now nearby Pithole Creek supposedly got its name for deep natural holes beside it. There are tales of people sitting next to the holes and either passing out or dying from breathing the natural gas coming out. I figure it is either natural gas bubbling up through water that has filled the well casing or possibly an underground spring bubbling by the well. The gas seems most likely. Since natural gas has no color or smell the only way for me to know for sure is to hold a match to it. I’m not ready to do that. It may keep burning.

Oh, my daughter says it might be g-g-ghosts.

A great thing about Christmas time is that the decorations can be found just a few feet into the woods.

Ground pine, ferns, berries and moss.

I even added some ground pine to the gate beside the red reflective tape, which is already in the shape of a pine tree.

I’ll pick up a little more decorations with each walk.

My daughter came home to visit but it was November 1st. She still wanted to carve pumpkins. So we spent an afternoon shooting all the guns I have (except those lost in that unfortunate boating accident), and her compound bow. Plus we carved pumpkins and put them at the end of the driveway.

And then it snowed.

Speaking of writing, my Dad, who recently passed away, had written a book back in 1991. So I just finished digitizing it and it is now available on Amazon Kindle.

It’s called I Would If I Could But I’m Wood. It is a fictionalized story of his experiences as an United Methodist Minister as told by a church pew. That’s right. First it is a tree being cut down then made into a pew.

Click the book cover to read a sample.

Coming soon. My Dad’s writings about his childhood growing up in Western Pennsylvania called Ramblings: When I Was A Kid.

I have been using my laptop to write but it just uses too much power. This time of year the sun is too low in the sky to hit the solar panels, and the leaves are still on the trees. Once the leaves fall the sun can once again get through. So I set up a low power rechargeable wireless keyboard and mouse and use my Viking tablet.

Works good and easy to type on with large, round keys like an old typewriter. And uses about 1/10th the power of the laptop. Everything recharges with just 5v USB. I can type over 6 hours on the tablet without recharging. Days before the keyboard and mouse need recharging. So along with my USB power pack I could type for a week without using my solar power system.

But now that I’ve upgraded the solar batteries to 200Ah I have lots of power to spare for the dark winter days.

Next I’m going to install a 12v deep well pump so I never have to run the generator except when I need high pressure.

Squirrel, grouse, rabbit and quail.

I took Lily out hunting.

Okay. Pretend hunting. Dogs aren’t good for squirrel hunting. It’s hard hunting grouse with a rifle. There aren’t many rabbits around. Coyotes must get them and there aren’t many fields nearby. And I have never seen a quail in this area all my life.

But I just wanted to see how Lily acted when I shot the .22 with her in the woods. She’s not gun shy.

We did see a lot of deer. It is archery season and I have a license but you can’t hunt deer with a dog. Just a nice day to get out.