CPR Class at Brown Twp Fire Dept

Well, even the youngest person gets into the action of learning CPR. Here Alex is shown giving compression on the small practice baby. This class is sponsored by the fire company free for anyone wanting to take it. Both Lee and I took the class and I would recommend everyone know these basics. The number of breaths to compressions has changed 2 breaths 30 compressions, so those of you with older versions should be aware of the new changes.

Also there is a big lack of trained people in our area. We have a
large number of tourists coming into our area in the summer months and few people trained to help in case of an emergency. Knowing the basics could help save a life.

Of course I got Lee blowing into the baby. There is an advantage to being the one with the camera...you don't have to be in the shots. Both Lee and I are going to take the EMT training, which is more intensive the next time it is offered. Our remote location is sometimes the first point people reach and is a long way from help. Cell phones do not work up here so getting quick and trained help can be valuable. Also it is just wise for us to be trained in all first response care. For more information about classes call Morris Twp Fire dept or Brown Twp Fire depart for class times and places. Or get a hold of your local fire or Red Cross for places to get basic CPR training. One, two... breaths..... one,two,three... thirty compressions. Have a safe summer. Mountain girl, Paula, Logging out!

Laurel festival and flora

I am embarrassed to see that it has been twelve days since I posted anything to my blog. Things have been busy and hot. The mountain laurel festival was last weekend and I went into town for the first time to see it. It is pretty much a craft, carnival, parade thing and I didn't see any mountain laurel. So I went to the top of our mountain and took some pictures for you.

The mountain laurel took a big hit from a late cold frost in the 20's during May, so it is very sparse. But as you can see from the first two pictures the plants that made it through to bloom are beautiful.

The Mountain Laurel is a fairly ugly plant when it isn't blooming and you would never guess it could get dressed up so well. There is one disturbing note. The bush that is blooming the best now and is much more noticeable than the Mountain Laurel is in my last
picture and it is Multiflora Rose.

This plant was introduced to us courtesy of the State back in the 60's. My grandfather was told to plant it as great game cover. It is
wonderful game cover, but it is very aggressive and dominates the native plants. It is difficult to control and has climbed my apple trees and literally pulled them down. It seems the more you cut multiflora the faster it grows. Attacking it with a weed whacker is like flinging a wet noodle at a tiger. It claws back! It leaves nasty slashes in any flesh it manages to snag.

The first year we moved up here my dog, Jack chased rabbits right into the multiflora. He would come out bleeding and covered in thorns. He must be a slow learner because it took him two years to learn to stop at the edge of the multiflora. Well he figured out no amount of pain got him a rabbit. Now he hunts by hiding and trying the sneak fast attack. He has been much more successful with this approach and the rabbits that stray too far from the multiflora haven do not fair well. Leo the bigger of the two dogs never went into the multiflora. He is not as determined to catch a rabbit and only makes half-hearted attempts. I think he just likes to see them run.

Speaking of Jack and the things he attacks. No, not another porcupine. I had a Red Squirrel get into my storage van where I keep my sunflower seeds for the birds. It ate right through my plastic containers( I now have metal ones) in a night. I opened the van door and there the little devil was staring me in the face. Jack leaped in knocking over everything determined to catch the pest. The squirrel bounced from one side of the van to another then headed out toward me it jumped to the ground, Jack in close pursuit and then ran up my leg. I remember thinking, "don't let either one of these critters bite me." Jack circled my leg a couple times and fortunately before he took a bite at the squirrel it jumped off and ran. Nothing like a squirrel being chased up your leg by a Pit Bull to kick start your day. After all of that the squirrel got away to chew another day.

Post Script: The bear with the broken leg has managed to heal on its own without the aid of human intervention. It will probably always walk with a limp. Sort of like I would have if the squirrel had tarried on my leg too long. That is all for now. I promise not to be so delinquent with new stories. Mountain girl, Paula , Logging Out!

Rattlesnake Roundup

This weekend was the annual Morris Rattlesnake roundup. The rattlesnakes around here are Timber Rattlers which come in two colors yellow and black. During the contest they give out awards for the biggest yellow one and biggest black one. The snakes are micro-chiped and released back to where they were captured.

There were a total of 37 hunters, John Templin caught the biggest Yellow at 51.5 inches and Dyllan Weikel caught the biggest black at 47.25 inches. What is even more interesting is the black one was caught by Dylan's father Jason two years earlier and the yellow winner was caught by Jeff Rice 3 years earlier. The micro
chip enables this tracking of the snakes for years.

The snakes are protected animals. The snake handlers are not as well protected. The man on the left is Amos Osborn, who is a long-time snake handler at the event. Last year a snake turned around and bit him. This is the second time he has been bitten and by far the worst. You can see from his hospital pictures it was quite a nasty bite.

Amos has decided not to handle the snakes anymore since another bite would not be in his best interest. Timber rattlers are generally not very aggressive. But placed in a stressful situation
they will retaliate. This should be a warning to all about attempting to handle these snakes.

All in all it is a fun time seeing the snakes at Morris every year. Mountain Girl, Paula, logging out!

Back to the woods

June is a month were everything is green and color comes alive in the woods. Traveling down the road yesterday, I noticed the change from the leafless trees of winter to the green canopy of summer. It feels as though you are traveling in another world. The temperature drops 10 degrees from the heat of town and the trees block the sun and the outside world from your eyes and thoughts. The ferns blanket the sides of the mountain and the blackberries are promising to be abundant with their display of flowers.
This weekend is the Laurel Festival and some of the mountain laurel started blooming on Cedar Mountain about two days ago. It seems from year to year to be a surprise as to whether or not it will be a glorious or minimal display. The abundant flowers are like white and pink snow across the tops of the mountain; it is very beautiful.
I took a few pictures for you to enjoy of the colorful yellow finches outside our kitchen window and some blue flowers along side the road which are abundant in sunny areas. They seemed to be
mixed with white flowers and look better than any planned display covering large areas with their blooms. I attempted to look them up in my flower book, but don't seem to be finding a match. If any of you know the name of this flower let me know.

For now I am fully joyful driving through the woodlands of Leetonia. Mountain Girl, Paula, Logging out.

Road Rally responses

I figured my comments about the road rally would get some attention and I welcome the comments and the education as to how the road money is spent. One of the racers, Dave Getchell, took the time to email me this information:

"First off, I want to apologize for the litter and bad behavior by some
of
the spectators. We had one race stage canceled because drunken
hooligans
were throwing things at passing cars, creating an unacceptable security
situation. WE also encountered a gang of obviously out-of-control
locals at
a country store, so at least part of the problem came from locals as
apposed
to spectators from away who came to watch the rally. Either way, it's a
problem and I don't like it, either!

As for the rally "tearing up the roads," part of the entry fee goes to
a
road bond that pays for re-grading the roads used by the rally.
Ambulance
services are by volunteers--NOT funded by taxpayers. Virtually all the
race
workers and radio people are volunteers. These folks feel the rally is
beneficial enough to the community to donate their time, energy and
expertise.

And finally, the rally DOES benefit the local community with direct
financial effect. Our team spent the following on our visit to
Wellsboro
area:

Entry fee: $1200
Hotels: $1000 (Canyon Motel, Wellsboro)
Race fuel: $450  (bought from a local vendor, 55 gals @ $8.15/gal!!)
Meals: $1000  (crew of 6 in town for 4 days)
Tow fuel: $150 (diesel bought at station in Wellsboro)
Misc parts: $200 (autozone and napa stores in Wellsboro)
Fees for practice stage: $50  (benefits local ambulance/fire co's)
Souvenirs/gifts for folks at home: $250

total: $4300

That's just one team. Multiply that by the 52 teams that actually took
the
start, and you've got some serous support from this event--upwards of a
quarter-million dollars. This doesn't count $$$ spent by those annoying
spectators, etc.

Our car broke down on last year's rally, and the locals we met out in
the
woods couldn't have been more supportive--helping us push the car out
of
danger, feeding us thru the long evening, and helping us get out of the
woods so our crew could come recover the car.

I understand and appreciate your viewpoint of how the rally roars to
town
for one weekend and raises Cain in the normally quiet woods...but then
we're
gone, leaving a whole lot more good things behind than bad...I hope!


Dave thanks for taking time to explain your position, I realize this
race bring money to the Wellsboro area and that is the main reason most
people around here support it even if they are not race fans.



Let me explain what I see as you can tell I live in the woods all the
time and I see what happens before, during and after the race. Your
money to fix the roads is done before the race to make the roads you
race on good for you. They do not fix any roads which are not part of
the race, this includes the roads most people travel on to get to the
observation sites and starts of the race. Our roads are very fragile.
After the race is over the roads are ruined for those of us who travel
them daily. Money is not spent to fix them or pick up the litter.



Also the race cars went by my house until after Midnight Saturday night
making it difficult for me to sleep. I am not sure why they were
running so late. I still feel that racing through a natural area
disturbs balance of things. Can't these races be run in an area less
fragile?

Racing through the woods

The only time we ever see an ambulance in Leetonia is during the Road Rally. Sixty cars racing through the woods at break neck speeds, bouncing off trees, rocks and sometimes animals. They start this event with about sixty cars and typically end up with around thirty finishing.

The goal of this event is to get the best time in all three legs of the race. You can hear the sound of the engines popping off of the mountains and valleys. The animals take cover for the weekend
and most of the regular camp owners make sure they aren't here.

I understand the fascination with seeing fast cars race and take chances. What I don't understand is why this belongs in our State Forest? I stood at the end of one of the legs and listened to the calm of the woods being broken in two, dust flying and the smell of fuel filling my nose as the cars raced past me.

This event tears up the roads, disturbs the animals and most of
the full-time residents. Some animals are even killed by crossing their otherwise peaceful road at the wrong time. Spectators who think they are race car drivers as they race from spot to spot to see the car add to the confusion, dust and litter.

After they leave. They leave behind discarded trash and a feeling of being used all for the sake of a few. I know there is going to be a lot of you who disagree with me on this point. But racing should be done on race car tracks, not somewhere that is supposed to be animal and plant life sanctuary. Who benefits from this Rally? Local businesses who feed and house the racers? Who pays for the road care and emergency care...ultimately we the tax payers fund the destruction of our roads and the disturbance of our peace.

Mountain Girl, Paula, picking up trash and logging out!