Leetonia Logger readies for big Turkey

This logger in Leetonia is sharpening his saw to get ready to kill the Thanksgiving day turkey. We have big turkeys in Leetonia so only the largest of saws will work.

The biggest problem with our turkeys is they won't fit in a stove so you have to cut them into pieces and spread them around or start a big bonfire to cook it whole.

Don't you wish you lived in Leetonia? Have a great Thanksgiving wherever you live. Mountain girl, Paula, getting ready for one big turkey.

Latest Project

The weather has been unseasonably warm and bear season is in full swing. Lots of hunters in the woods, but I haven't seen a dead bear yet.

Just finished roughing in a small addition close to Slate Run. The owners are coming up for hunting season and my brother is coming up for Thanksgiving, so this is the last day I will be working for a week. Wow, can't think of the last time I had a week off. Of course that means I get to do work around the house that I have been ignoring and cook for my brother and his girlfriend. My brother is bringing his dog up with him, so that will be four dogs in the small place. Hopefully, none of my dogs will eat his dog for Thanksgiving. They aren't always too accepting of a new face right away.
Lee is still gone to Rockford, Illinois to help her sister with taking care of a 2 year-old, while her sister watches over her son in intensive care up in Madison, Wisconsin. Her son, Neal, 19, has leukemia, which has reoccurred at they are all on needles and pins. It is tough seeing a young person be so sick. So say an extra prayer for them this Thanksgiving.

After Thanksgiving is deer season so the boys will be up to chase the deer and the beer. Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and spend time with the ones you love. I will be missing my dad this year for the first time and I know many of you have loved ones not at the table...so cherish the ones you have while they are here. Even if some of them are pains in the b..., Mountain girl, logging out, and cleaning house.

Maynard School and Election

Well, Tuesday, was election day and I finished the outside painting of School house buildings (outhouse included) just in time. I added a little color to the porch by painting the top and bottom rail dark green and the spindles white. The door is also green to match. It made a huge difference over the green-treated wood look.
I took these pictures as the sun was setting so they are a bit dark. The sun is setting earlier thanks to the time change. We can now count on it being dark by 5:30 pm.
We have had absolutely beautiful weather for nearly a week. No rain and temperatures way above normal in 60's and 70 one day. I have to say it spoiled me a bit. I know when it goes back to normal temperatures for November I will be complaining.
All the "girls" plus Bill Merkle manned the ballot machines from 7am to 8pm. With only 32 voters registered in the township, it makes for a lot of free time. Time they use up by snacking and playing a township version of Skip Bo that I can't quite get used to.
I worked on an addition I needed to get under roof before we get too much bad weather and stopped in at the end of the day to munch on some of the goodies. Who said there isn't such a thing as a free lunch? They haven't lived in our township. Voting time is definitely a time of catching up on local news and a time to see all the voting members of the township. I think they
ended up with somewhere around 26 voters by the end of the day. Well all that is left to do in the school house is a few more repairs on furniture, which I will do as I have time between jobs. One day soon I hope to set up all the school desks and get a nice picture of the building as it might of looked when school was in session. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.
P.S. Thanks to all who stop when they see me and say hi. Makes me realize how many people read and enjoy this little part of heaven in Elk Township.

Vandals in Leetonia

Well over the weekend Melvins place got hit by vandals and thieves. They stole some scaffolding and pulled the posts down holding a roof over his camper. They also pushed his outhouse down the hill. This kind of behavior is inexcusable no matter how you feel about someone you don't do this kind of damage.

This isn't the first time Melvin's place has had damage, but it has been a long time since the last incident. Anyone with any information about the person or person's involved in this should call the State Police.

When you are up keep an eye out for anyone not where they are supposed to be. Mountain girl,
Paula, logging out.

We dodged the Oct snow bullet

Crispy start to the morning at 25 degrees, but very little snow. We are just North of the line of heavy snow that hit others and I am not at all upset about that. Our temps will go above freezing today and I am guessing the small amount of snow we have will go with it.

Since I am digging a footing tomorrow for a frost wall I am perfectly happy to see we are looking at decent temperatures and a little drier weather for next week.

It is always a push to get the last few things done before "real winter" hits and the ground is frozen hard. So for anyone worried about their camp, never fear, the woods are clear. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

Top of Maynard School

My mother will scream when she sees this post, she is afraid of heights. However, mom notice I do have my safety harness on! For the rest of you we finished painting the outside of Maynard School and by the looks of the weather just in time. The last part to be painted was the bell tower. I had hoped to get a picture of the bell, but without removing wood panels it was impossible to see much of the bell. On the very top of the bell tower was a wood pillar. I am sure something was on top of it at sometime. I am guessing either a weather vane or lightening rod, the first seeming the most likely.

Our power went off in the middle of the night and I had to get up before it got light of course lately that just means before 7am. I had a kerosine lite bowl of oatmeal to start the day. Fortunately the power out was solved by 7:30am so Lee didn't have to deal without power all day. It appears the problem was somewhere in the Cedar Run area.

We are under a winter storm warning for tomorrow. Estimates ranging from 1" to 10" are floating around. In looking at the weather map it appears we may be on the edge. So I am hoping for the closer to 1" amount. I still have a foundation and small addition to get up and under cover before the big stuff comes. I will let you know if we get anything of significance tomorrow. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

Snaggle Nose LIVES!

Snaggle Nose was first injured in June of 2009. None of us thought he would make it past the first hunting season and yet here he is over two years later. Dutch one of the township road workers took this picture during this summer of the bear right in our front yard. Snaggle Nose was in pursuit of a female bear at the time and didn't seem to care that the men watched him. Somehow he must be able to smell in order to track a female and keep from being shot. Unlike humans who might feel a bit intimidated if half their face was torn off old Snaggle Nose still makes other smaller bears flee in fright at the sight of him. And appears to be quite the lady's man.

I often wondered what the other bear looked like that Snaggle Nose tangled with. He is truly one amazing animal to have not only survived but prospered after an incredibly hard fight. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.