Quill Pig Blues

Porcupine

Well, it is officially mating season for porcupines or as I like to call them "Quill Pigs." They are out in full force trying to find each other and make more prickly little creatures. Coming home the other night from the edge of the State Forest to the house, I saw eight of them; five in the last two miles near the house. That is one less than every quarter mile. I think that is a record for me. They are out a lot in the evening and night time, but I have seen them during the day as well. Since they have caused me thousands of dollars of damage to my equipment, vehicles and dogs, we are on high alert. I saw the one in the picture on the way up from Cedar Run he scurried away from the camera unwilling to have his face on film. This one is about average size for the ones I have seen. I have seen them larger up to forty pounds and smaller than this one who I put at about twenty pounds.

The turkeys and grouse have been out doing the mating dance as well. I have seen many running after each other across the road. The grouse are not the brightest birds when it comes to cars. One of their defenses is to freeze and not moving on the road can be deadly. So remember if you see one on the road it may not move until it is too late.

I also saw my first bear, a second year cub, just above me along the road. Although the bears have been out for a while, I just hadn't been in the right place at the right time to see one. Soon they will be checking all the picnic baskets for a free meal as tourists and camp owners come in they know to watch out for any easy pickings.

The weather has been erratic we had several days without using firewood and are now back to warming the cabin up after cold nights in the 20's and cool days in the 50's. We have been getting some nice sunny days and that always makes it feel warmer on the South slopes if you stay out of the wind. I can report no snow on the ground sightings anymore, however a few flakes drift down now and then to remind us it ain't summer yet.

I have been working long hours at a new job in Wellsboro as well as doing my carpentry job, so I haven't had as much time to enjoy the mountain as usual this last month. It is the old thing of no money lots of time, no time more money. Too bad we have to choose. Roads are all open and ruddy, so come and enjoy the mountains. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.