Weather still strange

We got 2-5 inches of wet snow in the middle to upper part of the mountains yesterday, unfortunately it was followed with rain and freezing temperatures. The North side of mountain froze up pretty good. On the way back from town today we got a snow squall that was absolutely beautiful as you came into the forest; something you would never hear me say if we had been having real snow this winter.

As I was enjoying the view I saw a logging truck coming out of the woods loaded towards me. Now it is not fun. The road wasn't plowed wide enough for both of us so being the smaller one I started to back up looking for somewhere to get around. I got out once to check the ditch full of snow to find it was deeper than it looked so I back up down the narrow icy road for a mile and a half. Finally, I found a wide spot and let him around. Backing up in white snow it is very hard to see the edges of the road so it is a bit nerve racking.

However, it wasn't nearly as nerve racking as the North side of the mountain had become during the day. It was very icy, half way up I started slipping and my heart started pumping as I slowed down to a crawl. I wasn't sure I would have enough speed to make it up the 2 mile grade. But I made it and once I cleared the top covered in snowmobile tracks. I started down the other side, which is mostly clear. All I can say is I am glad to be home and don't plan on leaving again until it is cindered. Mountain girl, Paula, calming her nerves in front of a warm fire.

Unseasonable Weather continues

I took a walk up on the mountain today it was 45 degrees as I walked. The birds were chirping in the woods like it was Spring. Even the Chihuahua who doesn't care for winter is happy this year. There is still some snow on North sides of mountains and places on the road, which are icy, so having a set of chains with you is still a good idea.

I saw about a dozen deer together near my pond, a common thing in February usually because of deep snow. This has not been the case this year so I wondered if they would still herd up in groups. I seem to have my answer, yes. In reading it says deer prefer the evergreen browse in the forest during winter months and may congregate here for that reason. I always thought it was so as a group they could beat through the snow easier to find food. If you all know of any reasons deer herd up let me know. I think they will be coming through this winter in good shape.

As for me I am enjoying this weather, not sure it isn't spoiling me for an real winters to come. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Outta the Way: Bigfoot in Pennsylvania

One of my followers posted this and I thought it was interesting. They say that sightings have been made back in the 1870's. I know of such a one as it was written about in Tannen Bark and Sawdust written about the Leetonia sawmill in its haydays.

Turned out people saw prints of this creature in the snow and movements of it in the woods. In fact, many a brave man ran screaming out of the woods. This brought a french trapper to Leetonia to trap the beast, which he was going to sell to the circus.

He did indeed trap the beast out of the Fahneystock area. It appeared to have been living in a cave. He brought it to Leetonia in a cage and the local kids poked at it with sticks. It growled at them. It would eat only raw meat.

However, it was determined this "Bigfoot", was indeed a man. A mentally disabled man, who on his own had little to wear and had been able to survive by catching and eating local animals and fish. His feet had been frostbite from lack of proper clothing so he left an abnormal footprint, which had started the hunt.

The State intervened and would not let the trapper sell a human, instead they placed him in an asylum where he died from not eating. He would only eat raw food and refused all the cooked food until he died.

It was common during this period of time for the mentally challenged to be abandoned or even chained up by their relatives. Another "hairy ape" was seen in Morris during the same period. He was chained by his relatives but would get loose now and then and scare people. I am not saying "Bigfoot" is impossible. But, make sure you aren't looking at a hairy man as found by people in the past.

Here is latest video news broadcast about one in Pennsylvania: Video

Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Weekend Winter

Well, winter has reappeared for the weekend. I woke up to a cold 15 degrees, normal for this time of year, but after being spoiled with above freezing temperatures it felt cold.
It has snow about 2 inches since yesterday, which I am sure, brings our total snow to less than a foot for the year. We have had a couple 1 inch snows, one 5 inch, and this one. It is rare that I can even remember the amounts and number of snows.
Tomorrow it will be back above freezing, so I don't expect the snow to be much of a problem. In fact, it helps cover some of the slippery ice spots and when it melts a little makes them rougher so they aren't a problem. You should always have a set of chains in your vehicle when coming up on forest roads before May. Also, a good pair of boots with ice cleats, and heavy snow clothes. Once you enter the forest you must rely on yourself to survive and get out if you have an accident or your car breaks down. No one will be coming down the road anytime soon. And like I said in earlier blogs, let someone know your route and your schedule. This is a big woods and it makes looking for you much easier if the rescuers have a general idea where to start. Well, I am staying inside today and enjoying the white from a warm fire. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

More than one way to finish a cabin

Here is an interesting idea for those of you with access to a lot of skids, a planer and a joiner. One of my customers is taking pine boards from skids and re-purposing them for the inside of his cabin. He does a batch brings them up and I nail them up for him. So far we have the bathroom
and the ceilings done.
The first picture gives you a close up of the boards after he planes them and rabbits both edges in opposite directions. They are very rustic looking, and gives the owner a sense of turning something to be thrown out into something of beauty.
The second and third pictures are the ceiling inside the camp. This process takes a lot of time to do all the prep work to make the "free boards". After they are all up they will be varnished.
The ceiling area of 20 foot by 30 foot took me about 12 hours to cover the ceiling at 3" a row. I am not sure how long it took him to make the boards, but I am guessing longer than I spent putting them up.
Now that the ceilings are done, the walls are next and I will be waiting for some more finished boards to do that part.
It is supposed to get cold over the weekend and snow a bit. So I am planning on working around the house over then next couple days. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Track the Mountain Girl

In order to maintain some sense of security while Lee Anne is gone helping her family, I decided to get a satellite rescue assistant. It uses satellite feed gps positioning to help me send live feed as to my location every 10 minutes. It also has the ability to send an okay message, which I use when arriving at my location. The last two functions are emergency only functions. It can send a message to as many as 20 email or text messages with my coords that I need assistance. It also has a 911 feature that when pressed sends to local 911 my coords for as long as the batteries last.

During the winter months it can often be a week or two without seeing a car go down the road. Longer on roads that have no winter maintenance. It is such roads I travel and on such a road I had my accident. Without cell service I had no way of contacting help. Since my accident was on a Sunday and I was able to pull myself up to the road, I got help. This is not the case during the winter. If roads get too bad, I just do use them but right now they are passable and save me hours and dollars of gas.

I wasn't sure this unit would work back here but it seems to be sending track notices every 10 minutes as advertised. This does give a feeling looking at my track that I drove over the top of mountains. I assure you this is not the case. If you want to see my live track tomorrow. Click on this link: Findme
You can change image to satellite view and see the cabins and trees as well. It seems to get my position around 50 or so feet off. Which is a lot closer than somewhere in 500 acres. Mountain girl, logging off.

Project Completed(pictures of bed and bath)

This is one of two posts showing this project. First two pictures are bedroom. Not sure what happened to queen bed pictures lots of spots.









Next three pictures are handicap accessible bathroom. Difficult to show much in a small space with the camera. So by the end of project I had added on four extra feet by 26 feet to end of camp. Upgraded most of plumbing, and electrical. And total refinished the 13.5 x 15 foot bedroom. As well as the now 10 x 11 foot bathroom. The old bath you could barely turn around in. Now the camp waits til spring to have its first visitors come back to camp. I am on to a shorter project that will only last a few days upstream at Cedar Run. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Project Completed (wall destroyed)

Well, I got everything cleaned up and all my stuff carted home. I will have to share the project in two blogs as they limited my number of pictures. The first picture is taken from the kitchen side of wall before I tore wall out. The second picture is after wall is gone with support beam holding ceiling.











The next group of pictures shows the wall from the dining room side first two before pictures and last one after picture. I didn't do anything to these two rooms other than taking this wall out. This gives the room a much bigger feel and more flexibility than having two tiny rooms.

Road Conditions

The road coming up from Cedar Run is mostly mud all the way to Leetonia. There are a few spots of ice put I didn't even need four wheel drive to make it to Leetonia. However, at Leetonia starting in front of Valley Hi up Leetonia Rd to in front of Micks it is a sheet of ice. Go very slow. It is supposed to be colder next couple of days but no significant snow. If you are planning any trips on State Forest roads make sure to have chains with you for emergency and do what I do and let someone know exactly what roads you will be taking and when you will arrive. It is always nice to know where to start looking it is a big forest.

Winter still missing?

There are still patches of ice on forest roads so chains are a must if you come back. However, winter seems to have missed us or been put on delay. Temperatures have been above freezing everyday.
I have seen quite a few deer moving around lately. I am sure they are happy for the warm weather too. Also Elk have been spotted on Sliders and out towards Parker Hollow. I have yet to see one myself, but am keeping an eye out.
I took today off to get work at home done since Lee is again gone helping her sister in Wisconsin.
I also took some time to walk through the woods. When I used to visit and not live here, I practically lived outside during the day. Now that I live and WORK here it is easy to go a long time without enjoying the very place I love.
The dogs enjoyed the walk and if I didn't know better I would have thought it was Spring. There was only small patches of snow and mostly mud to walk through. The birds were out singing like they were on Spring break. Usually, in the winter it is quiet and cold. The animals slow down to reserve energy and there is a feeling of hibernation in the air. Bears have also been spotted out and about. So I enjoyed February 3rd...alone in the woods...breathing a breathe of fresh air. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.