Not a whole lot happening at the Aerie this week.
Sure, Terry and I went to Point Pleasant Beach, NJ last weekend for her high school class' 50th reunion and had a great time with a bunch of people from St. Mary's High School of whom I knew just three. But the bar was open almost all night so there's that. And the weather was gorgeous so we got to walk on the beach and boardwalk both Friday and Saturday. Waves were marvelous!
Then on Sunday we stopped at cousin Nancy's to meet up with lots of folks from Terry's side of the family to look at a bunch of old photographs. The goal was to ID as many people as possible. As I didn't know many of them (or plead the fifth), I sat on the side and watched while recovering from the high school reunion. (See above. re: "open bar".)
******
I was keeping an careful eye on Irma as she tore through western Florida. I've relatives in Key LArgo and up the coast at Weeki Wachi. They all suffered minimal damage to their property and the folks in Key Largo were sane enough to have evacuated to areas around Orlando where they hunkered down. (And then went to Disney World immediately after since they couldn't get home.)
******
Tuesday, Terry did a pre-op assessment over in Wellsboro and on Thursday she had her left knee scoped to remove debris and remove/repair a partially torn meniscus that has been troubling her since, well, the early '70s. She hurt it when we were going to climb Mt. Washington back then and reinjured it the next year when we went to climb Wildcat Ridge across the highway from Mt. Washington. Doctors back then pronounced it "hyperextended" and gave her some Tylenol, a pair of crutches, and sent her home. No MRI or anything. The current doc (who replaced both my knees in '13) said she also has arthritis and bone-on-bone contact on part of that knee may need a partial knee replacement if this surgery doesn't help.
Terry came home the same day (Thursday) and has been hobbling around the house with the occasional help of a cane. I'll be driving her down the hill to church on Sunday but she should be good to go on her own Monday or Tuesday.
******
I've been knocking around the house doing some chores like cleaning out gutters and weeding the fallow garden beds in preparation for winter. I've also been mentally marking the trees I want to fell this winter for next year's firewood. (I'm still waiting for the power company to come through and do their right-of-way maintenance that they said they were going to do this summer. That might provide some additional wood.)
******
I've also been plotting exactly how I'm to catch/nab/trap three 5-month old kittens to take them to the vets on Monday morning. I've been working on gaining their confidence so I can suddenly snatch them in an act of betrayal. One will be easy. (That's the one I played hide-and-seek with in the basement for 12 hours about a month ago.) A second is a possibility. (I've managed to actually pet that one a time or two. Granted it was only a quick stroke or two and very , very brief, but I think I can snatch that one.) They third.... Well, that's why they make have-a-heart traps. Tigger is a wily, wary one. My plans may be foiled, however, if they successfully bring down their own meals as they did last evening. A young, dumb bunny became an overnight snack that meant they really didn't need my can(s) of cat food.
Showing posts with label Aerie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aerie. Show all posts
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Saturday, July 22, 2017
I hate yellow jackets!
Have I ever told you how much I hate yellow jackets?
Probably. I tell every one of my brush with death in the form of winged
stingers.
See, when I was a little tyke, about four or five, and we
still lived on Kenwood Avenue in Hawthorn, New Jersey, I stepped on a honey
bee. I remember we had a lot of white clover in the lawn and the honey bees
just love that stuff. It must have been the second time I got stung by a bee
because I had an allergic reaction. I’m told that the first time usually
doesn’t elicit such a reaction. Your body just says, “Damn! That hurt! Don’t do
it again or I’ll kill you!” Well, my body tried to kill me this time. I started
having trouble breathing and Mom called the doctor. (This was before 911. The
doc dropped whatever he was doing and rushed to our house where he got the full
story from Mom, said something like, “Uh-huh,” and gave me a shot to counter my
reaction. I’m told that if he had been 10-15 minutes late, I might have died
from anaphylactic shock.
Time passed. We moved to Oakland, New Jersey and I continued
to be something of what would be called today a “free range” kid. One day, when
I was 10 or 11, while I and a couple of friends were walking home from
somewhere—maybe the ball fields—we stopped to throw some rocks against an old
wooden fence at a place that once was an academy. That fence made a glorious
“THUD!” that echoed off the hillside every time a rock hit it and we were
having a grand old time. Little did we realize there was a bees nest hon the
other side of that fence. And they were not happy with our activity. They came
swarming out and attacked. I was the only one stung. Home was just a short
distance up the hill on Yawpo Avenue and I made my way there post haste.
This time, Mom, hauled me off to the doctor’s office pronto
and, as the allergic reaction began to set in, the doctor administered the
necessary shot. He then discussed the relatively new procedure available to
desensitize people like me to the venom bees and wasps deliver with each sting.
That procedure required a series of ever strengthening injections of bee venom
over the course of three years. And so I became a bee venom pin cushion. The
shots produced a reaction something like a mosquito bite: a little itching and
a little bump. Even as the shots potency increased, my reaction remained about
the same. Which was good. After three years the doc said I was no longer
allergic to bees and I could ditch the medic alert bracelet I had been wearing.
Time passed some more. I got married and Terry and I were
living in Dover, New Jersey. Jessica was born and I was working on my Master’s
thesis. This required some field work during which I was in the woods along the
median and verge of I-78 just east of the junction with I-287. One warm
summer’s day I was out trapping mice in this area when I stepped on a yellow
jacket nest. I dropped my gear and hurried out of the woods toward my car. This
was the first time I had been stung since those allergy shots and I was a
little worried that they might not actually work.
As I stepped out of the woods, I saw a state trooper’s car
parked behind my vehicle. I approached the officer, told him what had just
happened and asked if he would mind sitting with me for a bit to see if I would
have a reaction—and if I did, to get me to the hospital just a couple miles
away ASAP. He agreed and we sat in his car chatting a bit while he did
paperwork. When nothing seemed to have happened after 15-20 minutes I thanked
him and said I seemed to be okay. He went on his way and I got in my car to
head north on I-287.
Just to be safe, I got off in Morristown and stopped at a
co-worker and friend’s house--a home Terry and I would later purchase—located
just off the exit ramp to I-287 and only a quarter mile or so from Morristown
Memorial Hospital. Ellen Rosenbaum was home, listened to my tale and made some
ice tea. We sat and talked for half an hour or more and when I didn’t show
signs of dying, Ellie sent me packing.
I’ve since been stung by wasps and hornets and, while they
hurt like the blazes, I’ve had no allergic reaction. I was so impressed with the results of these
desensitization shots, I went to an allergist to find out if he could do
anything for my hay fever and reactions to other insect bites. After using my
arms and back as a place to do scratch tests to determine what my allergies
were (I’ve a booklet somewhere that lists dozens of things I’m supposed to be
allergic to—including coffee and chocolate. Really?), we agreed on six targets
for desensitization. Same deal as before: start with injections of the allergy
causing crud and work our way through ever stronger solutions over three years.
I got three shots in each arm on every visit. Never had a reaction to the shots
beyond a slight bump and mild itch. After three years, my eyes didn’t water and
itch every spring and a mosquito didn’t create a mountain on my bare skin when
it bit. Neither do deer flies or black flies. I’m a happy camper!
I became desensitized to poison ivy all on my own. I credit
total immersion for that one. That day I fell into a patch while fishing the
Ramapo River at the NY –NJ border, with no shirt on caused me to break out from
head to belly button. Caused quite the rush on calamine lotion, too.
I’ve since waged war against yellow jackets when and where I find them. I’ve wiped out a ground nest in the Adirondacks and another here at the Aerie. (The Adirondacks one was more fun as the only materials at hand was some 50:1 mixed gas-oil I used in the chainsaw. Whoosh!) And there was one in the Aerie’s eave that I got with a foaming spray.
Now, I told you all this so I could bring up what happened
today as I was mowing the lawn after a three week hiatus. Three weeks because
of the heat and the sporadic heavy rains. This morning was cool and overcast.
The latter meant there was no dew on the ground so I figured I’d get out there
and mow. Some of the plantain flower heads were a foot high and you could see
the occasional honey bee or bumble bee causing them to bend and sway as they
gathered pollen and nectar. I fired up the mower and set to work. As I was
cutting around the septic tank cover (a small roofed structure I built a few
years ago) I reached down to pull a Queen Anne’s lace from the ground. That’s
when they hit me. Swarming out from the roof of the tank cover came the yellow
jackets. The RAF didn’t respond to the Luftwaffe with as much energy or
determination. As soon as I realized what was happening, I backed off, left the
lawn mower and walked swiftly away. Not fast enough. One got me on the left wrist
just above my watch band and another got under the bandana I was wearing and
stung the top of my right ear. Damn they hurt! I was happy those were the only
two that succeeded in getting to me. Even now some five hours later, my wrist
is still swollen and I’ve a cauliflower ear. I took one of the Spectracide cans
that sprays up to 25 feet and hosed the area from which they emerged. Some were
still flying about so I didn’t want to get too close. I’ll go back tonight when
they’re inside and spray again. Hopefully I can get to wherever the nest
actually is. I do NOT want to have to lift that cover to get to them. No siree!
I did manage to get the lawn finished but you can be sure I
kept a wary eye on that corner of the yard while I was working nearby.
Friday, July 21, 2017
Finally. New Water Heater Is Working
So the folks installing our replacement water heater finally got all the right parts. Took them about 30 minutes to put the exhaust pipe in (now that they had the adapter) and test the system for any leaks: water, propane, exhaust fumes.
An interesting month-long process. Shows what happens when someone in the supply chain doesn't think things through. I mean, if your ordering a replacement heater and it will need a new exhaust pipe with a new adapter to connect the two, wouldn't you think to mention that to the purchaser? And maybe send all three together?
An interesting month-long process. Shows what happens when someone in the supply chain doesn't think things through. I mean, if your ordering a replacement heater and it will need a new exhaust pipe with a new adapter to connect the two, wouldn't you think to mention that to the purchaser? And maybe send all three together?
Oh, and I learned today that the exhaust pipe is a "telescoping" pipe not a fixed length unlike the last one. This allows for any minor differences in the location of the heater and the exhaust hole through the wall. And when the installers got it from the supplier, the box only contained one of the two parts. Sheesh!
Friday, July 14, 2017
The Saga of:
The Rinnai Hot Water Heater Replacement
When we returned from our trip to Oregon on May 20th, we discovered one of the two Rinnai water heaters wasn't working properly and called our local energy company (WOC) to come and take a look. They, or their Towanda office, had installed the originals when we built the house so they were the ones to look it over, diagnose the problem and perform repairs as needed.
Guy shows up the next morning and says they (the Mansfield office) and he personally don't do Rinnai heaters but some other brand, but he'll look it over. Came to me and said the automatic diagnostic program says the ignition fan was not functioning and needs to be replaced. Okay. So they ordered the parts and came back a few days later.
Turns out it wasn't the fan that needed replacing but the entire unit as there was a leak/crack in the heat exchanger which caused water to get into the fan and, thus, caused it to malfunction. No charge for the replacement parts I didn't need. We'll just send them back. Okay, order me a replacement.
Next day I get a call: they don't make that model any more but the new model has the same footprint according to the Rinnai people and it should be easy-peasy to pop in. Oh, and the unit we are replacing? That's been out of warranty for almost a year. Sorry. Good and bad news, right? Fine get a new unit out here and get it installed.
A week later, they bring the new unit out. Take the old unit off the wall and hang the new one. All the incoming pipes (gas and water) and the outgoing water pipe simply plug into the new unit just fine. The exhaust, however, is a whole 'nother ball of wax.
The exhaust has an exterior diameter that's fine, but the interior pipe (the one carrying the hot gases) is a different diameter. They need to get a new exhaust pipe.
They come back today with the "right" exhaust pipe. It's got the proper diameters and everything. But the coupling from heating unit to pipe is wrong. Whereas the old pipe was male-female the new one is female-make and it needs a different gasket--which Rinnai did not send. Aarrgghh!
We're now on to week four of this dog and pony show. And I can't blame the guys from WOC. They've been told only partial truths by the Rinnai supplier. And the Rinnai supplier has not thought far enough into the project to realize what is needed. It's like some idiot robot only answering the specific question being asked with no thought as to what comes next. How could they not understand that replacing the old unit would require a complete new exhaust?
It's a good thing we had TWO heaters on the wall when this started and that we were able to by-pass one so we still get hot water.
Guy shows up the next morning and says they (the Mansfield office) and he personally don't do Rinnai heaters but some other brand, but he'll look it over. Came to me and said the automatic diagnostic program says the ignition fan was not functioning and needs to be replaced. Okay. So they ordered the parts and came back a few days later.
Turns out it wasn't the fan that needed replacing but the entire unit as there was a leak/crack in the heat exchanger which caused water to get into the fan and, thus, caused it to malfunction. No charge for the replacement parts I didn't need. We'll just send them back. Okay, order me a replacement.
Next day I get a call: they don't make that model any more but the new model has the same footprint according to the Rinnai people and it should be easy-peasy to pop in. Oh, and the unit we are replacing? That's been out of warranty for almost a year. Sorry. Good and bad news, right? Fine get a new unit out here and get it installed.
A week later, they bring the new unit out. Take the old unit off the wall and hang the new one. All the incoming pipes (gas and water) and the outgoing water pipe simply plug into the new unit just fine. The exhaust, however, is a whole 'nother ball of wax.
The exhaust has an exterior diameter that's fine, but the interior pipe (the one carrying the hot gases) is a different diameter. They need to get a new exhaust pipe.
They come back today with the "right" exhaust pipe. It's got the proper diameters and everything. But the coupling from heating unit to pipe is wrong. Whereas the old pipe was male-female the new one is female-make and it needs a different gasket--which Rinnai did not send. Aarrgghh!
We're now on to week four of this dog and pony show. And I can't blame the guys from WOC. They've been told only partial truths by the Rinnai supplier. And the Rinnai supplier has not thought far enough into the project to realize what is needed. It's like some idiot robot only answering the specific question being asked with no thought as to what comes next. How could they not understand that replacing the old unit would require a complete new exhaust?
It's a good thing we had TWO heaters on the wall when this started and that we were able to by-pass one so we still get hot water.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Waging War!
Saw the first carpenter bee (wood bee) of the season bouncing off the windows of the deck and searching for a likely spot to bore a hole--just as they have done ever since we've been here. So, instead of pulling out the Spectracide Wasp & Hornet spray as I've done in the past, I put out the two traps I built. Mounted one on each side of the front deck in the hopes that I'll catch the darn bees before they start excavating tunnels in the soffet--again.
I found the spray to be a killer IF I could hit the bee but that's the problem.
They are nothing more than a couple of plywood boxes with a couple of smallish holes drilled slanting upward on each side and a larger hole on the bottom to which a Mason jar is attached. I simply lashed them to the extending ends of the logs rather than do any drilling/nailing into the house.
The idea is the bees enter the small holes, get confused and exit through the larger hole into the jar where they die. A friend in Tennessee a number of folks online seem to have success with them so we'll put them to the test here at the Aerie.
I may also add some faux hornets nests made from paper bags stuffed with plastic bags/Styrofoam to the underside of the covered porch and deck to scare the bees away.
I found the spray to be a killer IF I could hit the bee but that's the problem.
- The bees are difficult to hit on the wing.
- The spray does NOT reach out to 25-feet as advertised when you aim upwards. (And then some of the mist falls back on me!)
- The spray is not effective n a windy day--and we get lots of those!
- I am not on "guard duty" full time.
They are nothing more than a couple of plywood boxes with a couple of smallish holes drilled slanting upward on each side and a larger hole on the bottom to which a Mason jar is attached. I simply lashed them to the extending ends of the logs rather than do any drilling/nailing into the house.
The idea is the bees enter the small holes, get confused and exit through the larger hole into the jar where they die. A friend in Tennessee a number of folks online seem to have success with them so we'll put them to the test here at the Aerie.
I may also add some faux hornets nests made from paper bags stuffed with plastic bags/Styrofoam to the underside of the covered porch and deck to scare the bees away.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
I'm a b-a-d Boy.
Forgive me Father for I have sinned.
It's been over two weeks since I last posted. It's not that I've been terribly busy or anything, I just have been spending my time reading Facebook and, well, you know how that works. "I'll just take a quick glance..." and five hours goes by.
Since my last post, we have had the heaviest snowfall of the season: about 4 inches fell on Saturday April 9th. That was followed by a weekend of 75+ degree weather on April 15-18.
One bird walk was freezing (April 2), one was snowed out (April 9) and one was fantastic (April 16).
Terry and I have been planning our Spring and Summer travels:
All if that will get us home by the end of July. But we'll still be getting around the state to some of the great state parks in the north, west and southwest corner of the Pennsylvania.
Terry will, of course, be doing some traveling of her own come fall. This time, however, she'll be a bit closer to home as both the SAGA and EGA conventions are in the east this year.
It's been over two weeks since I last posted. It's not that I've been terribly busy or anything, I just have been spending my time reading Facebook and, well, you know how that works. "I'll just take a quick glance..." and five hours goes by.
Since my last post, we have had the heaviest snowfall of the season: about 4 inches fell on Saturday April 9th. That was followed by a weekend of 75+ degree weather on April 15-18.
One bird walk was freezing (April 2), one was snowed out (April 9) and one was fantastic (April 16).
Terry and I have been planning our Spring and Summer travels:
- First up is a trip down to Weeki Wachee, Florida with stops along the way to visit relatives in North and South Carolina. We'll also do some sightseeing at St. Augustine as well as drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive on the way home.
- Second will be a quick trip to Cape May, NJ sometime in late May.
- Third will be another quick trip. This one to the west to visit Rick, Sandy and Chelsea when the come to visit Sandy's parents north of Chicago.
- Then I will be going north to fish in Northern Quebec with Joe M.
- Finally, and this is the big one, Terry and I will take the travel trailer on the road to visit the coast of Maine, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia before returning via Alexandria Bay (NY) and the Thousand Islands. I've been spending some time planning this one--and need to get on the phone to start making reservations.
All if that will get us home by the end of July. But we'll still be getting around the state to some of the great state parks in the north, west and southwest corner of the Pennsylvania.
Terry will, of course, be doing some traveling of her own come fall. This time, however, she'll be a bit closer to home as both the SAGA and EGA conventions are in the east this year.
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
I'm A Lumberjack and I'm Okay...
well pretty good...
and lucky.
I put any construction/building plans on hold for a few days and did some destruction instead. Actually, I cut down some trees. I've been meaning to do so for a while and the winds finally died down enough that I felt I had a fair chance to drop these trees where I wanted.
So much for my "fair chance" as everything seemed to go foul on me from the start.
Tuesday:
A white birch that had partially snapped about 8 feet off the ground (it was still attached) had it's crown hung up on a small maple. Even when I cut the stump of the birch, it refused to let go. No amount of cutting, or pulling on the hanging remnant of the birch could persuade it to let go. I had no choice but to cut down the maple as well. I ran ropes from the maple to a large oak and from the birch to a pine forming a 90 degree restraint that I hoped would prevent the trees from falling on the wood pile or worse the house. The did protect the house, but the tops of both three landed on the wood pile. Luckily they did no damage as it was just the uppermost twigs that landed on the stack of wood. The two together didn't yield more than a weeks worth of firewood, but it's good firewood. Birch lights easily and burns nicely, and the maple produces lots of heat. (I might even make a birdhouse or two from the birch or peel some of the bark to apply to the sides of a birdhouse.)
Wednesday:
I had my eye on a couple of locust trees that shade the garden a a few white ash trees that need to come down before they get attacked by borers. None threaten the house, but I wanted them out any way.
The first locust I attacked, was a short distance downhill from the main garden bed. (That will be a future project as the landscape timers on it and the onion/strawberry/herb garden are rapidly decaying after nine years.) I hoped to drop it next to the garden, but it had a mind of it's own and landed on the chicken wire fence instead. Some minor damage there, but nothing too serious. I had thought to save some of the straighter sections of the locust for either fence posts or something else, but decided to chuck that idea and proceeded to cut it into fireplace lengths. It will burn...eventually. Takes a hot fire (see birch and maple above) to get it going but once it starts burning, it gives off plenty of heat. Got a pretty big brush pile from the smaller limbs and branches that will serve as home for some lucky critters.It's even got armor protection from the thorns the smaller locust branches bear. (I've got a few scratches from them and the wild rose bushes growing in that area to prove how formidable that protection will be against a cat or fox.
I went on to look at a second, larger locust that obscures the view to the west and sheds copious amounts of seeds in the direction of the garden, bit had second thoughts when I realized how large the trunk was. Actually I should say "trunks" as the thing divides into three about 3 feet off the ground. I couldn't decide 1) where to cut it first or 2) which direction(s) it would go. It can wait.
On to the first white ash. Slight bend to the trunk, branches pretty evenly distributed...should be easy to make it go where I want it to go. HA! I wanted it to fall south across the trail and made my notch on that side almost half way through the trunk. BUT, as I started making my felling cut, and got about a third of the way to the center, the damn tree sat down on my chainsaw! IT wanted to fall north!
I scratched my head and walked back to the garage to get the second chainsaw. (There was no room for wedges.) If it wanted to fall north, then, by golly, I was going to let it. I carefully cut out the back of the notch and the tree fell with about 1/4 inch of wood between the two saw blades. I should say MOST of the tree fell. One large section above a split I hadn't noticed got hung up...on the large locust I had though about taking down.
By cutting off three foot sections one at a time, I was finally able to get the hung up portion of the ash to come to earth. I then spent the better portion of the afternoon cutting the trunk and larger branches into fireplace lengths and stacking it at the edge of the trail. There's enough wood there to get us through a month of cold weather once it's split and dried. Luckily, there doesn't seem to be any sap rising in the ash yet. At least nothing was showing up at the cut end of the trunk as it would with either birch or maple. (Ash burns really, really good. almost as good as maple.) Got a sizable brush pile from that slash too.
So there you have it. The best laid plans oft go astray.
And it's going to take my aching body a day or two to recuperate.
So much for my "fair chance" as everything seemed to go foul on me from the start.
Tuesday:
A white birch that had partially snapped about 8 feet off the ground (it was still attached) had it's crown hung up on a small maple. Even when I cut the stump of the birch, it refused to let go. No amount of cutting, or pulling on the hanging remnant of the birch could persuade it to let go. I had no choice but to cut down the maple as well. I ran ropes from the maple to a large oak and from the birch to a pine forming a 90 degree restraint that I hoped would prevent the trees from falling on the wood pile or worse the house. The did protect the house, but the tops of both three landed on the wood pile. Luckily they did no damage as it was just the uppermost twigs that landed on the stack of wood. The two together didn't yield more than a weeks worth of firewood, but it's good firewood. Birch lights easily and burns nicely, and the maple produces lots of heat. (I might even make a birdhouse or two from the birch or peel some of the bark to apply to the sides of a birdhouse.)
Wednesday:
I had my eye on a couple of locust trees that shade the garden a a few white ash trees that need to come down before they get attacked by borers. None threaten the house, but I wanted them out any way.
The first locust I attacked, was a short distance downhill from the main garden bed. (That will be a future project as the landscape timers on it and the onion/strawberry/herb garden are rapidly decaying after nine years.) I hoped to drop it next to the garden, but it had a mind of it's own and landed on the chicken wire fence instead. Some minor damage there, but nothing too serious. I had thought to save some of the straighter sections of the locust for either fence posts or something else, but decided to chuck that idea and proceeded to cut it into fireplace lengths. It will burn...eventually. Takes a hot fire (see birch and maple above) to get it going but once it starts burning, it gives off plenty of heat. Got a pretty big brush pile from the smaller limbs and branches that will serve as home for some lucky critters.It's even got armor protection from the thorns the smaller locust branches bear. (I've got a few scratches from them and the wild rose bushes growing in that area to prove how formidable that protection will be against a cat or fox.
I went on to look at a second, larger locust that obscures the view to the west and sheds copious amounts of seeds in the direction of the garden, bit had second thoughts when I realized how large the trunk was. Actually I should say "trunks" as the thing divides into three about 3 feet off the ground. I couldn't decide 1) where to cut it first or 2) which direction(s) it would go. It can wait.
On to the first white ash. Slight bend to the trunk, branches pretty evenly distributed...should be easy to make it go where I want it to go. HA! I wanted it to fall south across the trail and made my notch on that side almost half way through the trunk. BUT, as I started making my felling cut, and got about a third of the way to the center, the damn tree sat down on my chainsaw! IT wanted to fall north!
I scratched my head and walked back to the garage to get the second chainsaw. (There was no room for wedges.) If it wanted to fall north, then, by golly, I was going to let it. I carefully cut out the back of the notch and the tree fell with about 1/4 inch of wood between the two saw blades. I should say MOST of the tree fell. One large section above a split I hadn't noticed got hung up...on the large locust I had though about taking down.
By cutting off three foot sections one at a time, I was finally able to get the hung up portion of the ash to come to earth. I then spent the better portion of the afternoon cutting the trunk and larger branches into fireplace lengths and stacking it at the edge of the trail. There's enough wood there to get us through a month of cold weather once it's split and dried. Luckily, there doesn't seem to be any sap rising in the ash yet. At least nothing was showing up at the cut end of the trunk as it would with either birch or maple. (Ash burns really, really good. almost as good as maple.) Got a sizable brush pile from that slash too.
So there you have it. The best laid plans oft go astray.
And it's going to take my aching body a day or two to recuperate.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Back to the Drawing Board
So much for the gate being the answer to the bear incursions on the deck.
Last night I heard some rattling of the gate around 11:30 PM and came down to see if it had held them out. No, all four were on the deck checking out the tray feeder (empty) and the places where the stick feeders hang (empty). I flipped on the deck lights and watched as all four (Mom and her three cubs--very large cubs) went over the gate using the corner post like a pole dancer on Friday night.
They ARE determined! After several unsuccessful forays on the deck, you'd think they'd figure out it's NOT a food source any more. But, as Terry told me, it's on their rounds and therefore must be checked.
*sigh*
Last night I heard some rattling of the gate around 11:30 PM and came down to see if it had held them out. No, all four were on the deck checking out the tray feeder (empty) and the places where the stick feeders hang (empty). I flipped on the deck lights and watched as all four (Mom and her three cubs--very large cubs) went over the gate using the corner post like a pole dancer on Friday night.
They ARE determined! After several unsuccessful forays on the deck, you'd think they'd figure out it's NOT a food source any more. But, as Terry told me, it's on their rounds and therefore must be checked.
*sigh*
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Another Project Finished (Almost)
I spent the last two days building and installing a cedar gate to the deck. As I've mentioned before, we have bears. And they like sunflower seeds. A lot! It's cute to see them come up on the deck--when they are alone and/or tiny little cubs, but when they are nearly full grown and still hanging together. This year we have a sow and her three cubs returning. Last year the cubs were about as big as Chester our oversized cat. This year they are as big as St. Bernards and growing yet they are still hanging around with Mom as she explores all possible food sources including any birdseed that may still be on my deck. They were here Wednesday night sometime after the rain and left muddy footprints on the deck including a pair that stopped right in front of the sliding door for a bit. Someone was probably scoping out one or more of the cats who were looking outside. That's when I decided to do something I've been thinking about for some time: build a gate.
I went to Lowe's Friday morning and got some 1x4 and 1x2 cedar and spent the day cutting and assembling the gate. Saturday morning I went down and got the hardware to hang and latch the thing. Then I put the thing in place.
The 1x2s are on 4 inch centers leaving just 2-1/2 inches between them. That's enough room for the squirrels but not nearly enough for even the tiniest bear cub. The top is 33-34 inches above the deck floor. Add another 7 or 8 inches for the final step and we're talking about 40 inches from the outside. It's held closed with a very sturdy gate latch and the hinges are quite sturdy, too. Oh, I'm sure a 250+ pound bear putting its shoulder to this can do some damage--IF it wants to. I just hope that the bears are not that desperate for food.
As for the "Almost" in the title of this post, I'll be putting a layer of stain on this as well as the top of the rails when I can be sure the night time temperatures won't be below 40 degrees. (Last night it dropped down to 24.)
******
I had cause to go into the shed this afternoon and discovered that there have been some very busy mice in there. They chewed--and ruined--two plastic gas cans. One was nearly full of non-ethanol gas and the other was a third full of 32:1 mix for one of the chainsaws. I was able to salvage the fuel, but the cans will be going in the trash on clean-up day. They have also completely shredded a cardboard box in the back. I hope they haven't been at the fuel lines for the mower, chipper or weed wacker.
I need to attract some more outdoor cats--the four or five we see from time to time aren't doing their job--or a weasel.
I went to Lowe's Friday morning and got some 1x4 and 1x2 cedar and spent the day cutting and assembling the gate. Saturday morning I went down and got the hardware to hang and latch the thing. Then I put the thing in place.
The 1x2s are on 4 inch centers leaving just 2-1/2 inches between them. That's enough room for the squirrels but not nearly enough for even the tiniest bear cub. The top is 33-34 inches above the deck floor. Add another 7 or 8 inches for the final step and we're talking about 40 inches from the outside. It's held closed with a very sturdy gate latch and the hinges are quite sturdy, too. Oh, I'm sure a 250+ pound bear putting its shoulder to this can do some damage--IF it wants to. I just hope that the bears are not that desperate for food.
As for the "Almost" in the title of this post, I'll be putting a layer of stain on this as well as the top of the rails when I can be sure the night time temperatures won't be below 40 degrees. (Last night it dropped down to 24.)
******
I had cause to go into the shed this afternoon and discovered that there have been some very busy mice in there. They chewed--and ruined--two plastic gas cans. One was nearly full of non-ethanol gas and the other was a third full of 32:1 mix for one of the chainsaws. I was able to salvage the fuel, but the cans will be going in the trash on clean-up day. They have also completely shredded a cardboard box in the back. I hope they haven't been at the fuel lines for the mower, chipper or weed wacker.
I need to attract some more outdoor cats--the four or five we see from time to time aren't doing their job--or a weasel.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Doings At the Aerie
Nothing much going on around here the last two days. We enjoyed some lovely 70 degree weather on Thursday bit the wind shifted and brought rain and colder temperatures overnight. The rain ended early on Friday and the sun eventually made an appearance in the afternoon but the temperature never got above 54 degrees. Tonight's sunset was spectacular! Bright reds lit up the western evening sky for almost half an hour.
******
Not much new on the birding front. Thursday we had winds out of the south-southwest and skein after skein of geese and Tundra Swans were taking advantage of the favorable tail winds. to head north. Every time I stepped out on the deck there were three or four that flew overhead. We still have the same old birds at the feeders however. The Pine Siskens, Chickadees, White and Red Breasted Nuthatches, and Tufted Titmice don't seem to have decreased in number. That can't be said for the Goldfinches. While they are still pretty numerous, there seem to be a few less than a week ago. Perhaps they've started to look for other sources of food and/or nesting areas.
I'm going to go out tomorrow and hit some of the better birding areas in the county. I need to build my species list for this year before I fall too far behind.
******
I didn't mention it the other day but Terry is down in Louisville, KY for an executive board meeting of the Embroiderer's Guild. She's a regional director and a member of their finance committee. She says things are going smoothly and they may even finish a day early.
******
I spent a few more hours in the workshop straightening things out and got the paint situation pretty much in hand. I put a set of shelves under the stairs and managed to get (almost) all the pan and stain cans on it. That alone freed up considerable room. The majority of the plastic drop cloths along with rollers got put into a box. Brushes got sorted and some chucked. What I'm going to do with about eight or more paint rollers and trays is yet to be determined. I think the bulk of them will end up being taken to the dump. (If I ever have to paint walls I will NOT have to buy much but the paint..and even that is doubtful if I stick to white.)
I may rearrange the position of the one work benches and the bandsaw so the sawdust from the sander and router is kept under better control.
I should be able to get back to building stuff next week. I better hurry up and get some birdhouses outside and clean up the ones that are already out there. Very little in the way of cold and snow in the forecast for the next 15 days.
******
Not much new on the birding front. Thursday we had winds out of the south-southwest and skein after skein of geese and Tundra Swans were taking advantage of the favorable tail winds. to head north. Every time I stepped out on the deck there were three or four that flew overhead. We still have the same old birds at the feeders however. The Pine Siskens, Chickadees, White and Red Breasted Nuthatches, and Tufted Titmice don't seem to have decreased in number. That can't be said for the Goldfinches. While they are still pretty numerous, there seem to be a few less than a week ago. Perhaps they've started to look for other sources of food and/or nesting areas.
I'm going to go out tomorrow and hit some of the better birding areas in the county. I need to build my species list for this year before I fall too far behind.
******
I didn't mention it the other day but Terry is down in Louisville, KY for an executive board meeting of the Embroiderer's Guild. She's a regional director and a member of their finance committee. She says things are going smoothly and they may even finish a day early.
******
I spent a few more hours in the workshop straightening things out and got the paint situation pretty much in hand. I put a set of shelves under the stairs and managed to get (almost) all the pan and stain cans on it. That alone freed up considerable room. The majority of the plastic drop cloths along with rollers got put into a box. Brushes got sorted and some chucked. What I'm going to do with about eight or more paint rollers and trays is yet to be determined. I think the bulk of them will end up being taken to the dump. (If I ever have to paint walls I will NOT have to buy much but the paint..and even that is doubtful if I stick to white.)
I may rearrange the position of the one work benches and the bandsaw so the sawdust from the sander and router is kept under better control.
I should be able to get back to building stuff next week. I better hurry up and get some birdhouses outside and clean up the ones that are already out there. Very little in the way of cold and snow in the forecast for the next 15 days.
Sunday, October 18, 2015
And So It Begins...
Woke up to 26 degrees this morning and a dusting of white on the ground. Didn't amount to much, perhaps a 1/4 of an inch, but it IS a harbinger of things to come.
With so many trees still hanging on to their leaves, it's a good thing there wasn't more snow.
Still, it does look pretty when the edges of the colored leaves stick out from beneath the central coating of snow.
This should all disappear sometime today as the forecast is fro 50+ degrees and plenty of sunshine.
 |
| Snow capped Sumac and Goldenrod |
 |
| Oak leaves with a dusting of snow |
 |
| Oak, ash, maple and poplar leaves with snow |
 |
| Deck is coated, too |
With so many trees still hanging on to their leaves, it's a good thing there wasn't more snow.
Snow + Leaves = Power outages.
This should all disappear sometime today as the forecast is fro 50+ degrees and plenty of sunshine.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
A Taste....
Had visitors on the deck again last night. I heard some thumping out there and got up to flick the deck lights on but the bears scurried off before I hit the switch. Sounded like two or three of them as they banged into each other in their haste. Anyway, they got no sunflower seeds from me as I had brought the feeders in before 7 AM. They did leave a mess of muddy footprints on the newly stained deck.
There was a little bit of rain around 10 PM and the temperatures fell steadily overnight reaching 30 degrees this morning. There was a bit of frost on the deck but not on the lawn. I guess the cold air under the deck helped ("Bridge Freezes Before Roadway").
Scudding clouds thinned more as the day went on but at 10 AM it was still just 35 degrees and one gray cloud was spitting snow flakes.
The lows tonight and tomorrow night are forecast to be in the mid 20s so we can expect more frost and perhaps some more snow flurries. Things get a little warmer after Monday with highs around 60 and lows around 40.
We just may get out of October without any measurable snowfall.
There was a little bit of rain around 10 PM and the temperatures fell steadily overnight reaching 30 degrees this morning. There was a bit of frost on the deck but not on the lawn. I guess the cold air under the deck helped ("Bridge Freezes Before Roadway").
Scudding clouds thinned more as the day went on but at 10 AM it was still just 35 degrees and one gray cloud was spitting snow flakes.
The lows tonight and tomorrow night are forecast to be in the mid 20s so we can expect more frost and perhaps some more snow flurries. Things get a little warmer after Monday with highs around 60 and lows around 40.
We just may get out of October without any measurable snowfall.
Saturday, October 03, 2015
That Was The Week That Was
I finished busting my butt and staining the deck on Sunday (September 27) and then retired with my bourbon and pro football. The stain calls for 24-48 hours of curing before walking on the surface. It also says to not apply if there's rain expected within 24 hours. I got through the entire week with no rain and pretty low humidity. In fact, it didn't rain until late Monday night...more than 36 hours after I finished staining. I must say that the deck looks good.
The only part I didn't stain was the top surface of the top rail. I had hit that with a different stain about a month ago and it really would need sanding before it gets stained. That will have to wait until spring. Why? Well, it has rained every day since Monday. (We had 1.95 inches of rain in the gauge on Wednesday morning, October 1.) In addition, the temperature hasn't climbed above 45 degrees these last three days and it may not get much higher for a good long time.
******
I began to wonder what was up when Adam didn't show up on Monday or Tuesday. (He was supposed to return from Peru late Sunday.) Terry had a meeting with her church ladies on Tuesday and hear the sad news. Adam's dad, Don, died on Friday. He had been battling lung disease that had been destroying his ability to function. While Adam had told us he was showing some improvement, Don passed quietly at home. Don was 66 years old.
Don was the contractor whom we hired to build the Aerie back in 2006. He, Adam and I were the only three on the job from start to finish. He and his wife, Deb, allowed me to stay with them during the building process from April through November. I got to know them and their family quite well.
******
Terry and I sat down on Sunday afternoon to activate our new iPhones. We had no difficulty setting hers up but when I tried to set mine up, the phone said there was no sim card inside. There was, however, so I had to wait until Monday to head for the Verizon store to find out if the problem was the phone or the card. The very helpful young lady at the store took the sim card out of my old phone and installed it into my new phone. At that point the new phone saw the sim card and I was in business. She then started the set up process and sent me home where my wifi is faster than theirs to finish retrieving stuff from the Cloud. I left the old phone with them as part of their rebate/recycle program. Didn't get as much for it as I was originally promised, but, hey, it had a faulty sim card.
To sum it up, both our phones are iPhone 6ses and both are now activated. Life is good.
******
I've been watching the progress of Hurricane Joaquin this week. Initially predicted to impact the Atlantic coast somewhere between the Chesapeake and Long Island, it has slowly been shifted further and further off shore. This is due to the presence of a stationary front just off the coast that is steering the storm.
The only part I didn't stain was the top surface of the top rail. I had hit that with a different stain about a month ago and it really would need sanding before it gets stained. That will have to wait until spring. Why? Well, it has rained every day since Monday. (We had 1.95 inches of rain in the gauge on Wednesday morning, October 1.) In addition, the temperature hasn't climbed above 45 degrees these last three days and it may not get much higher for a good long time.
******
I began to wonder what was up when Adam didn't show up on Monday or Tuesday. (He was supposed to return from Peru late Sunday.) Terry had a meeting with her church ladies on Tuesday and hear the sad news. Adam's dad, Don, died on Friday. He had been battling lung disease that had been destroying his ability to function. While Adam had told us he was showing some improvement, Don passed quietly at home. Don was 66 years old.
Don was the contractor whom we hired to build the Aerie back in 2006. He, Adam and I were the only three on the job from start to finish. He and his wife, Deb, allowed me to stay with them during the building process from April through November. I got to know them and their family quite well.
******
Terry and I sat down on Sunday afternoon to activate our new iPhones. We had no difficulty setting hers up but when I tried to set mine up, the phone said there was no sim card inside. There was, however, so I had to wait until Monday to head for the Verizon store to find out if the problem was the phone or the card. The very helpful young lady at the store took the sim card out of my old phone and installed it into my new phone. At that point the new phone saw the sim card and I was in business. She then started the set up process and sent me home where my wifi is faster than theirs to finish retrieving stuff from the Cloud. I left the old phone with them as part of their rebate/recycle program. Didn't get as much for it as I was originally promised, but, hey, it had a faulty sim card.
To sum it up, both our phones are iPhone 6ses and both are now activated. Life is good.
******
I've been watching the progress of Hurricane Joaquin this week. Initially predicted to impact the Atlantic coast somewhere between the Chesapeake and Long Island, it has slowly been shifted further and further off shore. This is due to the presence of a stationary front just off the coast that is steering the storm.
Friday, Oct 2: Stationary front runs from Florida to Nova Scotia
As of 5 PM this evening, the storm will stay well out to sea.
Predicted storm track at 5 PM Saturday.
Even so, the storm is throwing lots and lots of moisture on shore and it has been raining hard from Georgia to Boston for several days. And that will continue for a couple of more days before the storm moves far enough north. I saw a prediction that Columbia, South Carolina may end up with as much as 18 inches of rain before it's all over.
******
The Mets...*sigh*...gotta love 'em. After clinching the NL East title and a place in the playoffs, they have been...well, horrible. They've dropped three to the Phillies on the road and one to the Nationals at home. (A second game will be played tonight and the final will be on Sunday afternoon, weather permitting.) A few players have been dinged up, some of the young pitchers are being sat down and "saved" for the playoffs and, frankly, they have been playing like they've got hangovers from the celebration or something. Snap out of it guys!
Thursday, September 17, 2015
Good News, Bad News (again)
Got a phone call last week from Adam K. Seems he didn't forget about the conversation we had back last November.December about pressure washing and staining the Aerie this year. (I did ask his brother, sister-in-law and several nieces to remind him when they were cat sitting early in the summer.) He's been busier than a one armed paper hanger but finally had an open week where the weather looked perfect.
So Adam came out Monday with his ladders and pressure washer. While he cleaned the logs and deck, I drove over to Beaver Mountain in Deposit, NY to pick up two five gallon containers of stain. That took me the better part of the afternoon as it's about 120 miles one way. When I got back, Adam was just wrapping up the gable end of the garage.
******
Tuesday Adam started in on the staining while I went south to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA with Joe. This was a long ago planned outing to pick up some fishing equipment to replace broken/lost stuff. I picked Joe up at his home outside of Jersey Shore, PA and we eventually got to Cabela's around 11 AM. (It's a l-o-n-g ride--about 180 miles one way when I stop at Joe's.) We shopped for about two hours and got nearly everything we wanted although I was disappointed in not finding the handgun I was looking for (Springfield XD Mod.2). Not too surprising as it's a new release and hasn't hit all the stores yet.
When I got back to the Aerie around 5 PM, Adam had finsished staining the south side of the house and the bedroom dormer.
******
Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment over at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. I was to have a CT scan of my lumbar spine and then meet with a new neurologist. (The doctor who did my surgery in January has moved on to greener(?) pastures. Dr. Reichert and her PA Tim Rogers were very thorough, friendly and informative. I'm almost sorry this may be the last time I see them as the CT scan showed the screws inserted in my lumbar spine were stable and holding their own. There's new bone growth that's typical of a fusion surgery and everything is progressing well. THe small amount of tingling I still have in my right leg is normal and all I need to do is get more exercise to strengthen the thigh muscles. I was given a clean bill of health (from them and as regards the spine) and told I wouldn't have to return.
Terry had I then went over to Horseheads, NY to visit the Verizon store. I am experiencing swift battery power loss in my iPhone 5 (from 100% to 30% overnight) and wanted some answers. (In contrast, Terry may lose 5-10% of her power in the same time despite getting many more emails.) Instead of answers, we walked out having ordered new iPhone 6ses. Mine will get here around the 25th while Terry, who opted for the new rose color scheme, will get her's on the 30th. We also got new plans that are better suited to our usage.
We then Stopped at the Field & Stream store to pick up a couple things Joe and I couldn't find at Cabela's. I had a $25 F&S cash coupon burning a hole in my pocket that I got from purchasing a Henry Golden Boy (in .22LR) last week. We burned through that $25 coupon like a gas soaked rag as I picked up two boxes of .22 ammo, two boxes of Lightfield slugs, a couple of little stuffed toys, and several packs of the rubber skirts I was looking for...although they weren't the red and white that I really wanted. Those rubber skirts go on the Johnson weedless spoons Joe and I got at Cabela's who also did not have the red and white skirts. We're looking for something that's about 50-50 red and white but all I could find was about 10-90 red and white. Maybe they discovered that just a little red worked better than more? Whatever.
When we got home after putting another 180 miles on the Tundra, Adam had finished the north side and the west side of the house. All he has left is the gable end of the garage and the north side of the garage.
******
Got the checks from the closing on the Bolt Hole yesterday and were sorely disappointed on several levels:
[UPDATE: Our bank accepted the check with the misspelled name, all we had to do was sign it the way it was made out and then with our "real" names. I guess it's now up to the attorney's bank to accept it.]
Adam should finish staining the house today. Then it will be time for the deck. He's leaving Friday night for a week in Peru so, should he not complete the deck, I'll probably be charged with doing that this weekend or so if the weather holds. There's no guarantee that it will be good when he returns and I've got the doctor's word that I'm healing well and in need of exercises that will strengthen my thigh muscles. Going up and down a ladder (necessary to do the rim joists and rails on the outside of the deck) should do the trick.
******
Today's my birthday!
Last week I bought the Henry rifle, then it was fishing lures and line, and today I bought a new gas grill. Of course, Terry will be the one using it most as she does 99% of the cooking when she's home. She said it was like "buying me [Terry] a vacuum cleaner for my birthday."
So Adam came out Monday with his ladders and pressure washer. While he cleaned the logs and deck, I drove over to Beaver Mountain in Deposit, NY to pick up two five gallon containers of stain. That took me the better part of the afternoon as it's about 120 miles one way. When I got back, Adam was just wrapping up the gable end of the garage.
******
Tuesday Adam started in on the staining while I went south to Cabela's in Hamburg, PA with Joe. This was a long ago planned outing to pick up some fishing equipment to replace broken/lost stuff. I picked Joe up at his home outside of Jersey Shore, PA and we eventually got to Cabela's around 11 AM. (It's a l-o-n-g ride--about 180 miles one way when I stop at Joe's.) We shopped for about two hours and got nearly everything we wanted although I was disappointed in not finding the handgun I was looking for (Springfield XD Mod.2). Not too surprising as it's a new release and hasn't hit all the stores yet.
When I got back to the Aerie around 5 PM, Adam had finsished staining the south side of the house and the bedroom dormer.
******
Wednesday I had a doctor's appointment over at Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. I was to have a CT scan of my lumbar spine and then meet with a new neurologist. (The doctor who did my surgery in January has moved on to greener(?) pastures. Dr. Reichert and her PA Tim Rogers were very thorough, friendly and informative. I'm almost sorry this may be the last time I see them as the CT scan showed the screws inserted in my lumbar spine were stable and holding their own. There's new bone growth that's typical of a fusion surgery and everything is progressing well. THe small amount of tingling I still have in my right leg is normal and all I need to do is get more exercise to strengthen the thigh muscles. I was given a clean bill of health (from them and as regards the spine) and told I wouldn't have to return.
Terry had I then went over to Horseheads, NY to visit the Verizon store. I am experiencing swift battery power loss in my iPhone 5 (from 100% to 30% overnight) and wanted some answers. (In contrast, Terry may lose 5-10% of her power in the same time despite getting many more emails.) Instead of answers, we walked out having ordered new iPhone 6ses. Mine will get here around the 25th while Terry, who opted for the new rose color scheme, will get her's on the 30th. We also got new plans that are better suited to our usage.
We then Stopped at the Field & Stream store to pick up a couple things Joe and I couldn't find at Cabela's. I had a $25 F&S cash coupon burning a hole in my pocket that I got from purchasing a Henry Golden Boy (in .22LR) last week. We burned through that $25 coupon like a gas soaked rag as I picked up two boxes of .22 ammo, two boxes of Lightfield slugs, a couple of little stuffed toys, and several packs of the rubber skirts I was looking for...although they weren't the red and white that I really wanted. Those rubber skirts go on the Johnson weedless spoons Joe and I got at Cabela's who also did not have the red and white skirts. We're looking for something that's about 50-50 red and white but all I could find was about 10-90 red and white. Maybe they discovered that just a little red worked better than more? Whatever.
When we got home after putting another 180 miles on the Tundra, Adam had finished the north side and the west side of the house. All he has left is the gable end of the garage and the north side of the garage.
******
Got the checks from the closing on the Bolt Hole yesterday and were sorely disappointed on several levels:
- They forgot to collect the $700 for the furniture we left behind despite our having reminded the attorney's office several times and being assured that there would be a note made.
- They spelled our last name incorrectly on the check. (They used a "V" instead of a "B" in our last name. Lots of people make that mistake but considering they had our name spelled correctly on a dozen or more pieces of paper...well, that's inexcusable.)
[UPDATE: Our bank accepted the check with the misspelled name, all we had to do was sign it the way it was made out and then with our "real" names. I guess it's now up to the attorney's bank to accept it.]
Adam should finish staining the house today. Then it will be time for the deck. He's leaving Friday night for a week in Peru so, should he not complete the deck, I'll probably be charged with doing that this weekend or so if the weather holds. There's no guarantee that it will be good when he returns and I've got the doctor's word that I'm healing well and in need of exercises that will strengthen my thigh muscles. Going up and down a ladder (necessary to do the rim joists and rails on the outside of the deck) should do the trick.
******
Today's my birthday!
Last week I bought the Henry rifle, then it was fishing lures and line, and today I bought a new gas grill. Of course, Terry will be the one using it most as she does 99% of the cooking when she's home. She said it was like "buying me [Terry] a vacuum cleaner for my birthday."
Sunday, August 02, 2015
Busy! BUSY! BUSY!!!
Got a phone call Wednesday night from our realtor up in New York. She had an offer for our camp. It was too low so we counter offered. They counter-counter offered on Thursday and we agreed. It's a cash as is sale so there shouldn't be any problems.
We got the names to three attorneys in Herkimer who the realtor recommended. Terry made some phone calls Friday morning and we chose the only one that would give us a straight answer as to the cost of handling a closing. (The first went to an answering machine and the second said, "Well that depends....") We still had the title search that was performed way back when we purchased the property in the mid-80s. Plus the deed and tax bills from last year. Could I get to the office before they closed at 4:30 PM Friday afternoon? Hell yeah! IT was only 11:30 AM and Herkimer's only 190 miles away. No sweat!
I got there at 3 PM. And not all those roads between here and there have 60 mpg\h speed limits, you know. All I know is I was still getting passed on the NY Thruway!
Terry joined me at the Bolt Hole later that evening as she left around 3 PM.
I spent much of Saturday morning replacing 10 boards in the middle of the screened porch's floor. Tongue and groove stuff is supposed to be laid from one end to the other. Trying to replace sections in the middle is a...challenge. Especially when that final board is 1/8 of an inch wider than the hole. I didn't have a table saw so I screwed one plant to a longer, wider board from the barn to rip the edge of that overly wide board and then slid it in from the end. Tight fit! As for the other boards, I don't think I used more than six 4d finishing nails (galvanized) to encourage a couple of boards that wanted to bend where they shouldn't.
Meanwhile, Terry was going around bagging clothes (some for home, some for donation), bundling books (again, some for home and a lot for recycling--mostly old Reader's Digest books. Hey! They did add some insulation to the walls.) I went on to clean up the red shed behind the house, and start on the brown shed on the east side. Then joined Terry in sorting stuff for donation, home and trash. I also protected her from the mean old teenage mice she encountered in one closet and fended off that piece of string she thought was a snake skin.
As we worked, we thought about where we would put all the furniture and decided we would rather sell it that have to haul it out. So we emailed the realtor our suggestion and offered all the furniture (except for a few choice pieces) to the buyers. [The realtor would later give me the buyers' phone numbers and tell me to make the suggestion to them. So I called Sunday night and they agreed to the purchase with only a little haggling. They don't have to go shopping and I don't have to figure out when I'll have to haul and where I'll have to store all those things.]
******
In the midst of this all, we learned that my Aunt Doris passed away. She was the youngest of the five Dunn sisters--and one brother. She was also the last survivor of that particular generation. They were all sweet ladies and independent as hell. Each had skills that they applied to daily life while raising families. And they each had the misfortune of seeing their husbands--and in some cases a child--predecease them. They are all missed by, not only their own offspring but their nieces and nephews--many of whom are grandparents now.
******
Sunday, we spent the morning packaging and boxing still more stuff and filled the Tundra cargo area to the brim with trash and the back seat with treasure. Terry's little Compass got filled with books and magazines to be recycled at the dump and clothes of the home-or-donation variety. We packed up most of the Tupperware and dried foods and stacked those boxes in the living area. Ate lunch and left for home. I went one way while she went another and I got home all of 2 minutes before she did.
After feeding the cats, we unloaded those items we wanted for home, and those that we wanted to donate. Tomorrow (Monday) morning, we'll both go to the dump. She to the recycling area, me to the trash area. Then I'll drive north to get those boxes we packed and bring them home.
Tuesday we both go north--in separate cars--and get to work cleaning out the garage (me) and washing down the house (Terry).
Wednesday, Terry goes over to Liverpool (just west of Syracuse) for a dinner with one of her stitching groups and then home. I'll leave a little later than she does but I'll be going home with a load of stuff from the garage.
Thursday I'll be prepping for my fishing trip to Quebec. Joe and I will leave Friday around 3 PM to arrive at Clova (look it up if you can!) in time for our 7 AM Saturday flight to our wilderness camp.
And that fishing trip--and an August 21st closing date is why Terry and I are racing back and forth between the Aerie and the Bolt Hole this week and probably between August 17th and 21st!
Just hope I don't run out of gas like Kyle Busch at Pocono today. Poor guy was leading by a considerable margin (because two others had already run out of fuel!) got the white flag for the final lap...and...ran out of fuel himself!
We got the names to three attorneys in Herkimer who the realtor recommended. Terry made some phone calls Friday morning and we chose the only one that would give us a straight answer as to the cost of handling a closing. (The first went to an answering machine and the second said, "Well that depends....") We still had the title search that was performed way back when we purchased the property in the mid-80s. Plus the deed and tax bills from last year. Could I get to the office before they closed at 4:30 PM Friday afternoon? Hell yeah! IT was only 11:30 AM and Herkimer's only 190 miles away. No sweat!
I got there at 3 PM. And not all those roads between here and there have 60 mpg\h speed limits, you know. All I know is I was still getting passed on the NY Thruway!
Terry joined me at the Bolt Hole later that evening as she left around 3 PM.
I spent much of Saturday morning replacing 10 boards in the middle of the screened porch's floor. Tongue and groove stuff is supposed to be laid from one end to the other. Trying to replace sections in the middle is a...challenge. Especially when that final board is 1/8 of an inch wider than the hole. I didn't have a table saw so I screwed one plant to a longer, wider board from the barn to rip the edge of that overly wide board and then slid it in from the end. Tight fit! As for the other boards, I don't think I used more than six 4d finishing nails (galvanized) to encourage a couple of boards that wanted to bend where they shouldn't.
Meanwhile, Terry was going around bagging clothes (some for home, some for donation), bundling books (again, some for home and a lot for recycling--mostly old Reader's Digest books. Hey! They did add some insulation to the walls.) I went on to clean up the red shed behind the house, and start on the brown shed on the east side. Then joined Terry in sorting stuff for donation, home and trash. I also protected her from the mean old teenage mice she encountered in one closet and fended off that piece of string she thought was a snake skin.
As we worked, we thought about where we would put all the furniture and decided we would rather sell it that have to haul it out. So we emailed the realtor our suggestion and offered all the furniture (except for a few choice pieces) to the buyers. [The realtor would later give me the buyers' phone numbers and tell me to make the suggestion to them. So I called Sunday night and they agreed to the purchase with only a little haggling. They don't have to go shopping and I don't have to figure out when I'll have to haul and where I'll have to store all those things.]
******
In the midst of this all, we learned that my Aunt Doris passed away. She was the youngest of the five Dunn sisters--and one brother. She was also the last survivor of that particular generation. They were all sweet ladies and independent as hell. Each had skills that they applied to daily life while raising families. And they each had the misfortune of seeing their husbands--and in some cases a child--predecease them. They are all missed by, not only their own offspring but their nieces and nephews--many of whom are grandparents now.
******
Sunday, we spent the morning packaging and boxing still more stuff and filled the Tundra cargo area to the brim with trash and the back seat with treasure. Terry's little Compass got filled with books and magazines to be recycled at the dump and clothes of the home-or-donation variety. We packed up most of the Tupperware and dried foods and stacked those boxes in the living area. Ate lunch and left for home. I went one way while she went another and I got home all of 2 minutes before she did.
After feeding the cats, we unloaded those items we wanted for home, and those that we wanted to donate. Tomorrow (Monday) morning, we'll both go to the dump. She to the recycling area, me to the trash area. Then I'll drive north to get those boxes we packed and bring them home.
Tuesday we both go north--in separate cars--and get to work cleaning out the garage (me) and washing down the house (Terry).
Wednesday, Terry goes over to Liverpool (just west of Syracuse) for a dinner with one of her stitching groups and then home. I'll leave a little later than she does but I'll be going home with a load of stuff from the garage.
Thursday I'll be prepping for my fishing trip to Quebec. Joe and I will leave Friday around 3 PM to arrive at Clova (look it up if you can!) in time for our 7 AM Saturday flight to our wilderness camp.
And that fishing trip--and an August 21st closing date is why Terry and I are racing back and forth between the Aerie and the Bolt Hole this week and probably between August 17th and 21st!
Just hope I don't run out of gas like Kyle Busch at Pocono today. Poor guy was leading by a considerable margin (because two others had already run out of fuel!) got the white flag for the final lap...and...ran out of fuel himself!
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Today's Saga
For those of you new the Pennsylvania-New York border, that blue streak you saw this morning (and again around 2:30 this afternoon) was just me swearing at the fershugina chipper/shredder.
This morning, after spending some time cleaning up the slash and getting ready to chip it all up, I ran into a teensy weensy problem. The damn chipper wouldn't start.
I purchased it two years ago and used it only once. That time it started right up and ran until the gas ran out. I refilled it and it wouldn't start again. I put it under the deck and covered it with a tarp. Then the back acted up and I couldn't have pulled the starter cord if I wanted to. Then there was back surgery and it wasn't until now that I needed to use the darn thing.
Figuring the gas might be part of the problem and since it had been in there for a year, I drained the tank. No water in the fuel that I could see but it was ethanol containing crap so I replaced it with good clean no ethanol unleaded. Followed the directions for starting it and nothing happened.
I checked the spark plug and it was dry. No fuel getting there? So I decided to pull the carburetor and clean the fuel out of that and see if there was any obstruction. But to do that I first needed to pull the air filter. Long story short, I pulled everything but the kitchen sink and saw nothing obviously wrong. (But I sprayed the carburetor with starting fluid anyway and poked a thin wire in all the little holes--just in case.)
Put everything back together again (with no left over bolts!), put a bit of gas in the tank and pulled the cord. It started right up! BUT it was time for lunch so I shut it down and went in to eat.
Coming back outside, I said a few silent prayers, filled the gas tank and pulled the cord. It started on the second pull.
I ran that sucker for over two hours and got about half of the pile done. When the gas ran out, I let it sit for fifteen minutes while I took a break. Filled the tank again and pulled the cord and...nothing. The damn thing wouldn't turn over.
Drained the fuel, pulled the carb (and the air filter) and cleaned the thing again since it seemed to work the first time. This time it didn't. So I pulled the spark plug again. It was slightly moist but when I tested it I couldn't see if it was producing a spark. So off to Lowe's I went to get a new spark plug.
After returning and installing the new plug, I put a little gas in the tank and gave it a pull. Started right up!
Moved it back to where I was working, filled the tank and it took me half a dozen pulls to get it going again. I ran that thing for another two and a half hours before the tank ran dry and I was almost done with the stuff I wanted to chip/shred.
I figure I lost over three hours futzing around with the damn machine. Three hours I could have used to stack the firewood length pieces and/or cut the pieces that are over 3" in diameter for firewood.
Well, there's always tomorrow. Although I still have about an hour on the chipper to finish what I'm doing so jeep an eye to the sky in north central PA tomorrow around 8 AM. If you see a streak of blue, you'll know I'm having trouble with the damn chipper again!
This morning, after spending some time cleaning up the slash and getting ready to chip it all up, I ran into a teensy weensy problem. The damn chipper wouldn't start.
I purchased it two years ago and used it only once. That time it started right up and ran until the gas ran out. I refilled it and it wouldn't start again. I put it under the deck and covered it with a tarp. Then the back acted up and I couldn't have pulled the starter cord if I wanted to. Then there was back surgery and it wasn't until now that I needed to use the darn thing.
Figuring the gas might be part of the problem and since it had been in there for a year, I drained the tank. No water in the fuel that I could see but it was ethanol containing crap so I replaced it with good clean no ethanol unleaded. Followed the directions for starting it and nothing happened.
I checked the spark plug and it was dry. No fuel getting there? So I decided to pull the carburetor and clean the fuel out of that and see if there was any obstruction. But to do that I first needed to pull the air filter. Long story short, I pulled everything but the kitchen sink and saw nothing obviously wrong. (But I sprayed the carburetor with starting fluid anyway and poked a thin wire in all the little holes--just in case.)
Put everything back together again (with no left over bolts!), put a bit of gas in the tank and pulled the cord. It started right up! BUT it was time for lunch so I shut it down and went in to eat.
Coming back outside, I said a few silent prayers, filled the gas tank and pulled the cord. It started on the second pull.
I ran that sucker for over two hours and got about half of the pile done. When the gas ran out, I let it sit for fifteen minutes while I took a break. Filled the tank again and pulled the cord and...nothing. The damn thing wouldn't turn over.
Drained the fuel, pulled the carb (and the air filter) and cleaned the thing again since it seemed to work the first time. This time it didn't. So I pulled the spark plug again. It was slightly moist but when I tested it I couldn't see if it was producing a spark. So off to Lowe's I went to get a new spark plug.
After returning and installing the new plug, I put a little gas in the tank and gave it a pull. Started right up!
Moved it back to where I was working, filled the tank and it took me half a dozen pulls to get it going again. I ran that thing for another two and a half hours before the tank ran dry and I was almost done with the stuff I wanted to chip/shred.
I figure I lost over three hours futzing around with the damn machine. Three hours I could have used to stack the firewood length pieces and/or cut the pieces that are over 3" in diameter for firewood.
Well, there's always tomorrow. Although I still have about an hour on the chipper to finish what I'm doing so jeep an eye to the sky in north central PA tomorrow around 8 AM. If you see a streak of blue, you'll know I'm having trouble with the damn chipper again!
Tuesday, July 28, 2015
I'm A Lumberjack and I'm Okay
Terry and I took the Vibe up to Camping World in Bath, NY yesterday. There were a few issues that they need to correct under the warranty and we wanted two automatic awnings installed over the slideouts. Unfortunately the choice of colors was limited to white or black. We would have preferred a light tan to match the color of the trailer, but wet with the white since we wanted something to reflect heat and not absorb it.
Then we filled the Tundra up with more stuff to haul to the dump. As I expected, it cost us $15 for the load of crap we had. Still, that's the same as if we put five bags of garbage at the end of the driveway. And we had w-a-y more than five bags worth!
******
Today, with the Vibe away and no wind, I decided to fell two large poplars that were next to the area where the trailer sits. Sure, it was the hottest day of the year so far at 92 degrees but the other conditions were right. I dropped both trees exactly where I wanted them and then went to work lopping off the limbs and cutting the trunks into fireplace lengths. Poplar isn't the best of firewoods--being really soft it produces low heat--but when given lemons....
I spent five hours doing all that in the afternoon sun and really paid the price! So far the aches and pains have dwindled away as the evening progresses. I did take plenty of breaks and drank half a gallon of water and a quart of Gatorade. One problem with a low pulse rate is that the slightest movement in this heat causes me to sweat copiously. I was drenched when I quit at 5 PM.
Tomorrow, while Terry is out with her stitching friends, I'll be cleaning up the slash--if I can get the chipper/shredder working--and stacking the wood to dry. And, yeah, it's supposed to be another hot one.
Then we filled the Tundra up with more stuff to haul to the dump. As I expected, it cost us $15 for the load of crap we had. Still, that's the same as if we put five bags of garbage at the end of the driveway. And we had w-a-y more than five bags worth!
******
Today, with the Vibe away and no wind, I decided to fell two large poplars that were next to the area where the trailer sits. Sure, it was the hottest day of the year so far at 92 degrees but the other conditions were right. I dropped both trees exactly where I wanted them and then went to work lopping off the limbs and cutting the trunks into fireplace lengths. Poplar isn't the best of firewoods--being really soft it produces low heat--but when given lemons....
I spent five hours doing all that in the afternoon sun and really paid the price! So far the aches and pains have dwindled away as the evening progresses. I did take plenty of breaks and drank half a gallon of water and a quart of Gatorade. One problem with a low pulse rate is that the slightest movement in this heat causes me to sweat copiously. I was drenched when I quit at 5 PM.
Tomorrow, while Terry is out with her stitching friends, I'll be cleaning up the slash--if I can get the chipper/shredder working--and stacking the wood to dry. And, yeah, it's supposed to be another hot one.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Time Flies!
It's been ten (10) days since I last posted here? Seems like only yesterday! I'm still alive and haven't had to go to the hospital or anything like that, I've just been a bit busy
.
******
Terry had a great time out in Portland, OR visiting with Rick, Sandy and, of course little Chelsea Rose who turned one month on the 20th on May.
Every time I see a new picture of her, she seems to be getting bigger and bigger.
******
I made a trip up to the Bolt Hole and was pleased to find it still standing. I hauled a gas lawn mower that once belonged to Terry's Mom up there in case the lawn needed mowing, but I lucked out this time. The grass hadn't really started to grow yet.
I did get a chance to talk to Mark and learned there was a great deal of activity up there last hunting season but that there were still several big bucks and bears hanging around.
I believe I'll have to go back up there this week to do a first cut on the lawn. I'll drag Terry up so she can help decide what can be chucked and what has to be cleaned. We'll probably put the place up for sale soon. I'm just not getting up there enough to justify the payment of taxes and upkeep.
******
Terry and I came to a mutual agreement (as in we were both thinking the same thing at the same time even though we were separated by a few thousand miles) vis-a-vis the Winnebago Access that's been parked in the yard for way too long. We decided to go back to a travel trailer.
After nearly three years of owning the Access we came to realize it wasn't as flexible as we would have liked. Part of that had to do with the need to tow a second motor vehicle along if we intended to do any sightseeing. So, we drove north and visited Camping World in Bath to see what they had in
stock last Friday. And I spent a goodly portion of Saturday and Sunday
searching their website and comparing models from Heartland, Coleman,
Keystone, Forest River and Crossroads.
There were quite a few to chose from but most had features we didn't want (bunk beds for extra campers) or were lacking in storage space in the galley or living quarters.We winnowed them down and prioritized them. Then we went back today to take another look and ended up closing the deal on a 31-foot long Forest River Vibe Extreme Lite (model 279RBS).
The kitchen has plenty of counter space, an oven that may actually be able to do a roast and a huge pantry. The bathroom does not require that you grease up before you enter and contains a big wardrobe. There's storage under the dinette area's bench seats (Why some Heartland Prowler models had regular table and chairs I do not know.) and even under the couch. It has an outdoor kitchen area with a sink, fridge and grill. It's also got a 32" flat screen TV and a DVD player. (We may actually be able to operate this one. The one in the Access never got turned on after the second night of trying to figure it out.)
The only thing missing is outside storage for things like hoses and extension cords. That's why I have a Tundra. Oh, and Terry would have liked the Prowler with its two captains chairs IF they didn't have that silly dining table and four chairs.
We drop off the Winnie Access this week and pick up the Vibe on July 3rd. A brief shake down in a local park to be sure we (meaning "I") know what I'm doing and then we'll be heading west to see that lovely little girl in the photo above.
******
In other news, the bear sow and her three cubs have been back. Several times. She tore one hummingbird feeder off the deck and cracked the plastic so now no one gets anything. I may have to start strapping on my .40 S&W M&P when I go outside. (Or make sure Terry goes out first, eh?)
******
In a reversal of fortune, Terry has been suffering from a degerative disc disease that has been giving her fits--especially in the right arm. The doc says it originates in the neck area where there compressed discs. She's on Naproxen (industrial strength) and it helps...a little.
******
We had an eventful week at the Aerie in the bird department, too. The Indigo Bunting has returned and sings from the top of the poplars with the Red-eyed Vireo. (At least I can see the Bunting!) I had a Scarlet Tanager fly through the yard one day and Terry and I heard a strange "po, po, po" call which made me think immediately of Cuckoo. Sure enough All About Birds confirmed that we were listening to a Black-billed Cuckoo. Then, there were the Bobolinks in the fields down near the post office.
Then, on Saturday, I recorded 39 species at Hills Creek State Park. Nothing particularly new or exciting except for the Black-billed Cuckoo.
******
Well, that's about it for now. Terry's got a couple of appointments on Tuesday then we'll drop the Winnie off Wednesday or Thursday. We've got to get up to the Bolt later in the week so I can cut some crass and maybe pull some weeds while Terry sorts out things in the cabin.
This upcoming Saturday is the last guided bird walk of the season. I'll finish with the list of species I generated on the 23 of May:
Hills Creek SP, Tioga, US-PA
May 23, 2015 7:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Crisp, cool morning with lots of sunshine.
39 species
Canada Goose X
Wood Duck X
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Bald Eagle X
Spotted Sandpiper X
Black-billed Cuckoo X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird X
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker X
Hairy Woodpecker X
Pileated Woodpecker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Red-eyed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
House Wren X
Eastern Bluebird X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Common Yellowthroat X
Yellow Warbler X
Chestnut-sided Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Chipping Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Baltimore Oriole X
Purple Finch X
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23591453
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
.******
Terry had a great time out in Portland, OR visiting with Rick, Sandy and, of course little Chelsea Rose who turned one month on the 20th on May.
 |
| Chelsea Rose, age 1 month |
Every time I see a new picture of her, she seems to be getting bigger and bigger.
******
I made a trip up to the Bolt Hole and was pleased to find it still standing. I hauled a gas lawn mower that once belonged to Terry's Mom up there in case the lawn needed mowing, but I lucked out this time. The grass hadn't really started
to grow yet.I did get a chance to talk to Mark and learned there was a great deal of activity
up there last hunting season but that there were still several big bucks and bears hanging around.I believe I'll have to go back up there this week to do a first cut on the lawn. I'll drag Terry up so she can help decide what can be chucked and what has to be cleaned. We'll probably put the place up for sale soon. I'm just not getting up there enough to justify the payment
of taxes and upkeep.******
Terry and I came to a mutual agreement (as in we were both thinking the same thing at the same time even though we were separated by a few thousand miles) vis-a-vis the Winnebago Access that's been parked in the yard for way too long. We decided to go back
to a travel trailer. After nearly three years of owning the Access we came to realize it wasn't as flexible as we would have liked. Part of that had to do with the need to tow a second motor vehicle
along if we intended to do any sightseeing. So, we drove north and visited Camping World in Bath to see what they had in
stock last Friday. And I spent a goodly portion of Saturday and Sunday
searching their website and comparing models from Heartland, Coleman,
Keystone, Forest River and Crossroads.There were quite a few to chose from but most had features we didn't want (bunk beds for extra campers) or were lacking in storage space in the galley or living quarters.We winnowed them down and prioritized them. Then we went back today to take another look and ended up closing
the deal on a 31-foot long Forest River Vibe Extreme Lite (model 279RBS). |
| Forest River Vibe Model 279RBS |
The kitchen has plenty of counter space, an oven that may actually be able to do a roast and a huge pantry. The bathroom does not require that you grease up before you enter
and contains a big wardrobe. There's storage under the dinette area's bench seats (Why some Heartland Prowler models had regular table and chairs I do not know.) and even under the couch. It has an outdoor kitchen area with a sink, fridge and grill. It's also got a 32" flat screen TV and a DVD player. (We may actually be able to operate this one. The one in the Access never got turned on after the second night of trying to figure it out.)The only thing missing is outside storage for things like hoses and extension cords. That's why I have a Tundra. Oh, and Terry would have liked the Prowler with its two captains chairs IF they didn't have that silly dining table and four chairs.
We drop off the Winnie Access this week and pick up the Vibe on July 3rd. A brief shake down in a local park to be sure we (meaning "I") know what I'm doing and then we'll be heading west to see that lovely little girl in the photo above.
******
In other news, the bear sow and her three cubs have been back. Several times. She tore one hummingbird feeder off the deck and cracked the plastic so now no one gets anything. I may have to start strapping on my .40 S&W M&P when I go outside. (Or make sure Terry goes out first, eh?)
******
In a reversal of fortune, Terry has been suffering from a degerative disc disease that has been giving her fits--especially in the right arm. The doc says it originates in the neck area where there compressed discs. She's on Naproxen (industrial strength) and it helps...a little.
******
We had an eventful week at the Aerie in the bird department, too. The Indigo Bunting has returned and sings from the top of the poplars with the Red-eyed Vireo. (At least I can see the Bunting!) I had a Scarlet Tanager fly through the yard one day and Terry and I heard a strange "po, po, po" call which made me think immediately of Cuckoo. Sure enough All About Birds confirmed that we were listening to a Black-billed Cuckoo. Then, there were the Bobolinks in the fields down near the post office.
Then, on Saturday, I recorded 39 species at Hills Creek State Park. Nothing particularly new or exciting except for the Black-billed Cuckoo.
******
Well, that's about it for now. Terry's got a couple of appointments on Tuesday then we'll drop the Winnie off Wednesday or Thursday. We've got to get up to the Bolt later in the week so I can cut some crass and maybe pull some weeds while Terry sorts out things in the cabin.
This upcoming Saturday is the last guided bird walk of the season. I'll finish with the list of species I generated on the 23 of May:
Hills Creek SP, Tioga, US-PA
May 23, 2015 7:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Protocol: Traveling
2.0 mile(s)
Comments: Crisp, cool morning with lots of sunshine.
39 species
Canada Goose X
Wood Duck X
Mallard X
Double-crested Cormorant X
Bald Eagle X
Spotted Sandpiper X
Black-billed Cuckoo X
Ruby-throated Hummingbird X
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker X
Hairy Woodpecker X
Pileated Woodpecker X
Eastern Phoebe X
Red-eyed Vireo X
Blue Jay X
American Crow X
Tree Swallow X
Barn Swallow X
Black-capped Chickadee X
Tufted Titmouse X
Red-breasted Nuthatch X
White-breasted Nuthatch X
House Wren X
Eastern Bluebird X
American Robin X
Gray Catbird X
European Starling X
Common Yellowthroat X
Yellow Warbler X
Chestnut-sided Warbler X
Black-throated Green Warbler X
Chipping Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Dark-eyed Junco X
Northern Cardinal X
Indigo Bunting X
Red-winged Blackbird X
Brown-headed Cowbird X
Baltimore Oriole X
Purple Finch X
View this checklist online at http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S23591453
This report was generated automatically by eBird v3 (http://ebird.org)
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