Saved by the rain!

Well at this point the rain saved the day as you can see it pouring off the back porch. Thanks for all of your prayers, thoughts and offers of places to stay. It makes you appreciate good friends and neighbors the value of which can never be burnt away by a fire.

On the darker side of this story, the multitudes of volunteer fire departments that showed up to help us out were poorly treated by the State. Someone needs to answer for the lack of concern shown to our firefighters, and property owners. There is little or no communication from the State to us or the firefighters. I am not sure of the reasons for this, but our lives and property are being placed at risk all for who controls the scene. I spent all day trying to get information without going directly to the fire and had little success. It is not very comforting to smell smoke all day and night and not know if you are in danger. I talked to the State Police, the Forestry Service and the local fire departments and found out less than I did smelling the air. We have no disaster plan and little ability to find out information in a timely manner. Having a working disaster plan is something that cannot wait. This is the second time in three years we have been threatened by forest fire and the second time it has been handled in the same manner. Enough already! We need a plan immediately that communicates with people, and best uses the generous resources of our volunteer Fire Departments.

This doesn't need to be difficult. We are not a town of millions but less than 100. Anyone who has ever been part of a small community knows that there are a few key people the State could keep informed and everyone would know. Why is that so hard for them to do. We don't need an elaborate evacuation plan.... we know how to get out of the woods... we live here. Why send people up here who don't know the woods to give us a plan. Just tell us what is going on. Involve us and we can save ourselves and others. This plan needs to respect our local firefighters....use them and not abuse them by making them stand around while our forest burns. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! I am generally not a protester or a complainer, but fire scares me enough to make me one.

I know this probably won't make much news, since Tuesday is election day. But if you have a voice after you vote. Call Matt Baker and let him know you want to be safe in this Canyon. Now is the time for bravery before someone dies for lack of a plan. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out and sleeping better tonight!

The Fire Continues...

This morning I woke up to heavy smoke coming up the valley and no information as to where the fire was. I called the Forest Ranger office and was told the fire was in Leetonia and to evacuate. As usual this information was not correct. But not knowing this I started the usual panic of what to take what to leave can I keep the cabin from burning.

I looked around the cabin and realize that even though we are in a fairly open area I have a lot of burnable stuff near the cabin. I heat mainly with wood and there is 6 cords of season wood and 10 cords of new logs in the front lawn, there was also a lot of dry brush in the ditch along the house before the creek. The hopelessness of realizing there is little you can do in a short period to change your fire risk was overwhelming. I set the sprinkler on to start wetting things down and took a trip down the road to evaluate how much time I had.

The fire was not in Leetonia in fact I drove 5 miles to Mine Hole road before I found fireman from the various departments of Avis, and Trout Run who barely knew where they were let alone the status of the fire. As a permanent resident of this woods this is nothing new when it comes to fire. The ability of the State to get information to us and volunteers is paramount to a disaster waiting to happen. We can't get local television, nothing is on the radio, the firefighters and the Forest Rangers know nothing and this places much of us and our property in danger. I am not sure how this can be solved but it needs to be addressed before lives are lost. Mountain girl, Paula, fired UP!

Update Fire coming our way

Fire is still coming we are preparing things around the house to best keep it safe and trying to pack up a few things in case we have to go. No rain is scheduled til at least this afternoon and the wind is picking up. We do have a large open area around the house and creeks so hopefully the fire won't catch the house. You realize quickly how little you can save if it does. It is 8:35AM

Fire on the Mountain

This afternoon Lee smelled smoke in the air, normally something we get used to in the winter coming out of the chimney. But today it was 80 degrees and we didn't have a fire in the stove. We didn't think much of it until we got a call from Cedar Run and Howard Bradshaw, one of the guys whom I am doing work for.
"Are you all right up there?" he said.
"I said sure why?"
"Well, I am watching a fire going all the way up the mountain towards you guys and its been burning all day."

Not much scares this mountain girl, but fire and for good reason. During the 30's many people lost their lives up here in forest fires in and around Leetonia. Some stubbornly sticking with their homes until it was too late. We only have two ways out of here and fire can have a way of cutting you off. We checked out the fire at 11pm on the 19th. and estimated a fire line running up from Cedar Run across the West Rim towards Leetonia of at least 10 miles. Fortunately it seems to be moving slowly and is at least six miles away from us at this point. As much as I love this place there isn't anything here that can't be rebuilt and we will be moving out quickly with the dogs if needed. On a good note rain is called for in the immediate forecast. This is good because they aren't attempting to put this fire out right now it is in a very steep area that would be almost impossible to work on so they are letting it burn and establishing cut off areas. I will know more by morning and promise you an update unless I am forced out before then. So don't any of you worry the mountain girls don't take chances with fire. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off, and praying for the best.

The Barn Swallows are back!

Today was the first day we saw the barn swallows. That means they will be trying to build nests all over the house and we have to get the screens up on the porch before they claim it as well.

I thought I would include some progress on my carving. It is not turning out as well as I had hoped, since I found a bad spot in the log right between the bears legs, but it is my first attempt at something so large. I am wishing at this point I would have tried an easier bear pose.

The second picture is a shot up the road you can
see no snow! Yeah! The grass is getting green and the trees are starting to bud. We have a perfect blue day starting in Leetonia. This is the kind of day I love living up here. The day started with a little frost but is supposed to get up into the 60's.

Sorry I haven't written sooner, but I lost my small camera and the one I used today isn't as easy to carry around. I like having some pictures instead of just words to share. Have a great Leetonia Day. Mountain girl, Paula, logging off.

fish stocking galeton

When I was in Galeton a few days ago the DNR was stocking Pine Creek at the area behind the library. Make sure you click on the video to get it to play and you will see some really nice trout they put in for someone to catch. A quick note for anyone wanting to come to Leetonia. The roads are muddy, but mostly clear with some small patches of ice. Four-wheel drive recommended. Expect to get a really dirty vehicle. Mountain girl, Paula, logging out.

Galeton Renovation?

For those of you who haven't been to Galeton for a while you won't recognize it. They decided to do a city renovation project. Which means they took out most of the old building along Hwy 6, widened the road and added a few street lights.

My personal feeling is one of loss for the old structures and a sort of death of the look of Galeton. Now the road way is bare except for a few surviving structures and the town has effectively been moved to the other side of the creek. Without business or a source of livelihood for Galeton I wonder what the next ten years will bring?

Mountain Girl, Paula, logging off!