Monday is beautiful

Dozer at logging road

Top of Cedar Mt at snowmobile crossing

Gasline Snowmobile crossing

Monday's are the days most people have gone home so I thought it was safe to walk up on Leetonia Road to the top where the pipeline crosses. There were a couple straggler snowmobilers still out but for the most part it was quiet, sunny and beautiful.
There is a Bulldozer up above us parked at the logging road. He has plowed the snow out for the loggers, but I have yet to see them cutting anything behind us. They are taking out mostly pulp wood and according to the Forester will be working until April. It is always a bit nerve wracking to meet a logging truck on snowy roads so I am not anxious for them to start.
So far the weather has been mild and is expected to warm up over the next few days above freezing. Hopefully, we won't get the rain they promised a few days ago as that would make a horrible mess. You can see in the last two photos where the snowmobilers cross Leetonia Road on the pipeline trail. A place you definitely want to slow down and make sure one isn't flying over the top before you run your car through. Although, I haven't had any close calls there hitting a snowmobiler with my car is one of my worst nightmares.
The snow has packed down to 4 to 6 inches in the places where there has been car or snowmobile traffic. However, it is still a bit tricky anywhere it isn't plowed for a car and I don't recommend trying it without chains and nerves of steel. Also, make sure you have the ability to walk for help if you get stuck.
Time for a bit of a rest after my four mile walk. But I always feel so good after being out in the fresh air. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Morning Walk

Every morning I try to take a walk with the dogs up the road if the grass is still wet. Seems like that is most days as the dew doesn't dry off until about 10am and by then it is getting a bit hot. I took a picture through the trees so you all could enjoy the view as well. It got down into the upper 30's and rained last night but is clearing off nicely today. It was 47 when we started our walk.

The dogs enjoy their walk even though they can pretty much run everywhere on their own(except Speck due to large predators) they want me to go on an adventure with them. The tiniest one can outlast them all and I tried to get a little of him on a walk, but the small dog is hard to catch on the video. He goes on walks all year the only thing that slows him down is when the snow touches his belly. He gets cold then and I have had to tuck him under my jacket to bring him back. All together we hike anywhere from 2 to 6 miles a day up and down the mountain. The dogs of course do a lot more miles than me weaving back and forth across the road. They stay in good shape and it helps me keep in shape as well. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Surprise

My sister and her kids are up with my mom for a vacation. So this morning I decided to go for a walk with the 13 year-old twins and our three dogs.
"Can you show me where the blueberries are?" they asked.
"Sure. " I said. "They are on top of the hill."
I have a road that goes back about a quarter mile and then cuts up to the top of my hill. From the top of the hill you can see a lot of the mountains surrounding us this is one of my favorite places. We have a lot of berries on our property: blackberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries(which are called huckleberries locally).
I pointed out the red raspberries and several of them were ripe as well as a few blueberries we found on the side of the hill. So we picked and ate them all the way up to the top and just when I was pointing out a large patch of blueberries. I saw what no one wants to see about 50 yards in front of me. A large black bear also eating the berries. I shouted to Scooter who was a head of me and the bear bolted. Too late Scooter was in pursuit. Now the girls made a bit of a sound and Leo charged and growled, but I had him on a leash so I was able to keep him from also entering the charge. The Chihuahua was quickly scooped up by one of the girls. Then three small heads popped up...cubs! Now I was worried.
I turned everyone around and started them down the hill yelling again for Scooter hoping he had not caught up with the mother. I realized I could do nothing to help Scooter if he didn't stop on his own. For everyone safety I  needed to get everyone away from the cubs. I moved them back down the hill away from the cubs and I saw Scooter coming back to us just as the mother bear stood up over six-foot tall a distance from the cubs ready to share her feelings with anyone coming closer.
Thanks goodness we only have black bears and not grizzlies or we would have all been attacked. The bear let us move back down the mountain with a story I am sure the twins will remember for a while. As they were saying they weren't that scared and weren't the cubs cute my heart was still beating at a fast rate thinking about how close we came to someone or a dog getting seriously hurt.
Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

A walk in the woods

It was a beautiful morning to take a walk with the dogs. Leo, Jack and I walked up the road and then cut through the woods to the top of the mountain. Even though it was just about freezing the sun sliced through the pine trees and made me feel warm. Its the kind of morning you don't mind the chill. A morning where you feel summer's warmth just a few hours away.

The nice thing about chilly mornings is NO BUGS! Yesterday as with all good things the warm weather woke up the bugs. The fisherman know this is a good thing and refer to the bugs as hatches.

This weekend the hatches are Tan Cuddis, Blue Quill, and Quill Gordon. They sound like the names of coon hounds to me, but to the fish they are an invitation to feed and to the fisherman an invitation to catch trout. These "hatches" remind me my bug free walks are in short supply.

As I came up through the pine forest the sun sliced through the trees lighting my way to the top of the hill behind my house. Exiting the pine trees the full warmth of the sun can be felt on your skin and soul.

It is mother natures happy pill for me. I can't sad about anything on a day like today. As I walked across the top with the dogs in front of me to my surprise a deer(the one in the picture) was grazing unaware that I and the dogs were within 50 feet of it. It noticed and didn't have time to snort before it bounded off. The dogs never saw it. It always amazes me how close they can be and not see or smell something so large. All the better, I didn't have to yell at them to leave the deer alone.

Well, I'm back at the house getting ready to eat my oatmeal and head over to Black Forest to work and I won't mind working at all in this weather. Have a great Leetonia Day. Mountain Girl, Paula logging out.