Icelandia

Driveway

Ice road

2 of 6 Turkeys on the hill

As I listened to the rain fall last evening, I knew we were in store for some bad roads. The ground is very frozen from our below zero weather last week and the rain didn't stay liquid long when it hit the earthen ice-cube. Our driveway is an ice-skating rink leading down to the road which isn't in much better condition. Just looking at it makes the muscles in my chest tighten in preparation for driving over the mountain. 

My least favorite weather: chain and cleats for your shoes weather. Falling can result in a nasty bone break, muscle strain or worse a head injury. Driving on this is like floating on a boat in the wind without a rudder. I am hoping the township brings some more cinders down before I need to leave for work tomorrow morning. This is the kind of weather it is really better to stay home, wish I had that option. 

Before we got the rain, Lee saw about six turkeys walking on the side of the mountain next to our house. They eat the seeds on the weeds stretching their necks high to reach any seed still left for the taking. They seem to like the Multifloria Rose berries as much as any thing they can find. You may have to look close to see them as their color blends into the patches of brown against the snow.

I wouldn't recommend anyone coming back here unless they have to. It is not going to be fun traveling until we either get some more snow on top this ice or it all melts in March or April. The temperatures are about ten degrees lower back here than what the forecast shows for the area because of the snow cover and the mass of very frozen ground keeping the air temperatures low. As always be prepared for any emergency if you do come back. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

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.

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.

Turkey Day

You might recognize this bunch of Turkey Hunters up for the first day of Turkey season. I will tell you more about them and their camp in another blog.

But I just had to relay the story that John Tobias, lower right told me. There is a camp about 4 miles down Leetonia Rd. going to Cedar Run. It is the perfect little log cabin, built by a man back around the late 30's with local Red Pine logs. I will have to retrieve his name when I see some of his relatives come up.

The story according to John is this guy was hunting a bear near his cabin, he shot at it and wounded the bear. The bear proceeded to run down the mountain with this man in hot pursuit, the man was older at the time; he got another shot off right before he had a heart attack. The shot killed the bear and the man fell down the mountain and landed on top of the bear and died too.

This would be what the Native Americans call a good death where the prey and the predator come up even. This seems too incredible to be true so it probably is. If any of you know anything of this event email me so we can lay this story to rest...so to speak.

That's the talk for now. Mountain, girl, Paula, logging out.

The Sun may shine again

There is still a little snow on Leetonia Road coming up from Sliders, but I expect most of it to be gone by the end of today. The weather forecast for the weekend is looking good...no rain and 50-60.

This morning the sun coming out brought out the gobblers collecting their hens. I had five in the front yard and could hear gobbling all over. It seems they are happy the cold, wind and rain has stopped today. I even saw a glimpse of the sun.

It is still muddy and ruddy. When it dries out it will be ruddy and dusty. So it is just what kind of dirt you prefer. Lee is gone back to Illinois for a few days seeing family and getting some training for a class we are planning at camp. So the dogs and I will be alone and can be a messy as we want. Although, I probably won't be much worse than usual. Leo is the worse of the two dogs he likes to find things to rip up in the yard into little pieces. He grabbed a cardboard box, some firewood and a quart of oil the other day and made a nice mess on the front yard. Fortunately he didn't get the oil all the way open or he would be a nice mess as well.
Jack sits in the chair on the porch and just watches Leo beating up cardboard. He waits for something more worthy of his energy like chipmunks or bears. With Leo making so much racket Jack is unlikely to see either. Well that is the news from Leetonia. Mountain Girl, Paula, logging out.