Tomorrow I need to go shopping. I just have to find a store that doesn’t force me to pretend a bandana can block a microscopic virus.

That’s right.

I will not role play apocalypse for the the governor. The stores forcing it should just put a big picture of the governors butt and require everyone to kiss it as they enter.

I really miss my dad, but I am thankful that he didn’t have to live to see how disgusting and pathetic the country and the state he loved so much have become.

It is embarrassing that there is only ONE person in the government who is trying to save the country and he is attacked daily by the press, the Democrats and his own party. Thankfully he has the grit to take it because he is not a politician. He is an American. But I am not sure he can do it alone.

Anyway, any store that is playing the crooked government games of , now you need a mask, now you don’t, will not get my business, even when the charade is over. If people want to wear a mask, more power to them. Let them do their thing and I’ll do mine, as Neil said. At least Walmart doesn’t force it. As I walked by the greeter recommending a mask last week I said “It’s okay. I’m just here to loot”. What a sad joke we have become.

If any one noticed the site was down for a while. I changed servers and just didn’t hurry. I may switch again soon just for some improved abilities.

I have been fairly active. Gone on backpacking trips and working around the homestead. But I didn’t feel like recording it. Just enjoying the time. I’ll start posting a bit more now.

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.

Well I am here sheltering in place at the cabin by order of Herr Governor. What an idiot.

It doesn’t make much difference to me since I am sheltered here at the cabin all the time. And don’t tell Herr Governor but I am usually miles from home wandering the woods. The horror! I have plenty of food and toilet paper so I am not taking part in the panic.

So I thought I’d take this opportunity to show a little how prepared I am.

Of course I have plenty of the basics like flour, cereal, powdered milk, granola, tea, bullion powder, and many assorted canned goods.

But I also have supplies mainly used for backpacking.

Like powder butter, powdered cheese and 10 lbs of oatmeal.

These are just a few of the Knorr rice and pasta sides and tuna packets I have. They are good for backpacking or just eating.

And of course lots of garlic mustard beside the cabin. And cattails and day lilies are ready.

The sad thing is people are going to realize there are always viruses around that are possibly deadly. Especially for people with compromised immune systems. This ridiculous panic is only going to serve to make a lot of people fearful of living. For far too many people this horror brought on by the crooked media will have no end.

And the whole purpose of stirring up this pandemonium is to try and keep the president from being reelected. That’s it. Even the people advising him have ulterior motives. He should never trust lifelong government employees or politicians. He’s already on to the media’s games. All we can do is hope the people aren’t stupid enough to fall for the media lies.

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.

I got up early and headed back into the woods. I had a spot all set up with leaves and branches cleared yesterday. I saw two does. At about 10am I decided to go back to the cabin and check on Lily.

While at the cabin I went out on the porch to get some water. I looked into the woods and saw 5 does walking around. I watched for a while when I noticed trucks that passed out on the road slowed or stopped. Then they continued. I figured there must be deer out by the road too. I scanned with my binoculars and sure enough there were several deer. I figured they must all be does since the passing trucks kept on going.

Then I realized that I am in the woods every day. All I wanted today was meat so I could hunt just as easy from the cabin porch. The porch faces back into the woods. Whenever I went inside for lunch I took the curtains down and cleaned the windows so I can look out in the woods.

Right now I am eating lunch and hunting the woods through the front windows.

Based on the many times I have watched deer through this window I see no reason why I couldn’t spot a deer now. I check the other windows every once in a while but I have seen the most deer in this direction. I left my gun out on the porch. If I spot a deer I’ll head out there to check it out.

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.