I've been busy planning a lot of trips for this summer and fall. These in addition to Terry's two conventions/seminars for SAGA and EGA--both of which take place in the Virginia this year; in Hampton Roads, VA and Alexandria, VA respectively.
First, Terry and I will be traveling south next week to visit relatives in North and South Carolina as well as Weeki Wachee, FL. We'll also do a quick sightseeing tour of St. Augustine, FL; a stop over in Charleston, SC; and drive both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive on the way home. We''ll be staying with family members much of the time. Yes, they know that already!
The second will be a three to four day trip to the Cape May area--before Memorial Day and the usual Jersey Shore (never "the beach!") madness revs up.
Third is a brief trip out to Long Grove, IL (north of Chicago) to visit with Rick, Sandy, and Chelsea as they will be in to visit Sandy's parents for a week.
Fourth (for me) will be a trip to Clova, Quebec in mid June to do some fishing for pike and walleye with Joe at a remote cabin off Goin Reservoir. (Reserved and eagerly awaited!)
Our fifth trip will be a longish one in July as we plan to trailer to Acadia National Park, ME; the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick; then back to Gorham, NH; and Alexandria Bay, NY. Three weeks on the road. Reservations have been made for those places we'll be staying more than one night but the one night stops still have to be booked or we'll take our chances calling ahead as we travel.
Nothing is planned for August, but we may have the trailer out to visit some of the fine state parks here in Pennsylvania. There will also be time for rebuilding several of the garden beds where dry rot has taken out the landscape timbers I used, oh, nine (!) years ago.
Sixth on the list will be a solo affair with Terry heading to Hampton Roads, VA in the second half of September for her SAGA Convention.
Seventh--and as yet unplanned completely will be a solo excursion for me to Portland, OR and Anaheim, CA to visit with the kids. That should take the first three weeks in October. I might fit in a day birding at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge at the north end of the Great Salt Lake. Maybe even stop in American Canyon, CA and visit with family there. I could even get down to San Diego to visit friends Ellie and Wayne. Who knows?
The eighth and final will be another solo trip for Terry the final week in October into November to Alexandria, VA for her EGA Seminar.
I love the act of planning these trips. Pouring over the maps and trying to figure out what we would like to do and where we will stay. Mapquest is a help but so is the Good Sam Club trip planner. the only thing they lack, as far as I can tell, is a function that lets me tell them I want to go from point A to point B but want to travel just 300 miles (with the trailer) or 750 miles (by vehicle) a day, where's my stops?
My kids and wife will tell you I will plot a course in minute detail (Eisenhower's crew planning D-Day had nothing on me!) but will toss those plans after the first day or two on the road. Unless, that is, we have to make reservations at some of the more popular spots. Even then, there are always new roads to explore, shortcuts to take, and all manner of unexpected sights to see along the way.
Then it'll be time to rest a bit, do some hunting, entertain for Thanksgiving and hibernate.
Showing posts with label Plans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Plans. Show all posts
Friday, April 29, 2016
Sunday, June 07, 2015
Trip Begins in 5 Days
Getting closer. We do a test run starting Monday and then hit the road on Friday.
Terry and I spent the last two days loading "stuff" into the Vibe in anticipation of starting our 2015 Road Trip: Portland, OR or Bust. We've each got our clothes pretty much stowed away as are the pots and pans, utensils and dried/canned foodstuffs for the galley. The towels and cleaning supplies are tucked away in the bathroom and I've got some fishing stuff in the undercarriage storage along with a set of canvas folding chairs.
I worked on the itinerary some more and printed out a page for each travel day along with two or three campgrounds at the end of the day. We'll make some reservations for the longer layovers in Portland, Glacier, Rapid City and Racine, but for the one night layovers while going from point A to point B, we'll call the day before or the day of our arrival. Such a practice has worked for us before and I see no reason it won't again.
I've got my reservation for our trial run at Hills Creek State Park printed out. I can't actually check-in until around 3 PM, however, so there are a few chores I'll be doing in the morning.
Looking at the weather forecast, they're predicting thunderstorms Monday afternoon and night so I better be sure to put a few books in the trailer.
Hills Creek does not have wifi reception (or cable for that matter) and I've not got a satellite account so anything I post after tomorrow will be through my iPhone unless I come home for such things as cutting the grass so don't expect much.
Terry and I spent the last two days loading "stuff" into the Vibe in anticipation of starting our 2015 Road Trip: Portland, OR or Bust. We've each got our clothes pretty much stowed away as are the pots and pans, utensils and dried/canned foodstuffs for the galley. The towels and cleaning supplies are tucked away in the bathroom and I've got some fishing stuff in the undercarriage storage along with a set of canvas folding chairs.
I worked on the itinerary some more and printed out a page for each travel day along with two or three campgrounds at the end of the day. We'll make some reservations for the longer layovers in Portland, Glacier, Rapid City and Racine, but for the one night layovers while going from point A to point B, we'll call the day before or the day of our arrival. Such a practice has worked for us before and I see no reason it won't again.
I've got my reservation for our trial run at Hills Creek State Park printed out. I can't actually check-in until around 3 PM, however, so there are a few chores I'll be doing in the morning.
Looking at the weather forecast, they're predicting thunderstorms Monday afternoon and night so I better be sure to put a few books in the trailer.
Hills Creek does not have wifi reception (or cable for that matter) and I've not got a satellite account so anything I post after tomorrow will be through my iPhone unless I come home for such things as cutting the grass so don't expect much.
Saturday, June 06, 2015
Prospective Itinerary for 2015 Road Trip
Starting Monday afternoon, the Vibe will be spending some days over at Hills Creek State Park. From Monday through Thursday Terry and I will be making ourselves familiar with the new travel trailer in preparation for our cross-country. Our concerns will be to familiarize ourselves with the operation of the stove, grill, fridge, etc. as well as making sure to stock the pantry and fridge for the first seven days of travel. At the end of seven days we plan on being in Portland, Oregon where we'll stay for almost a full week have an opportunity to restock while visiting with Rick, Sandy and Chelsea Rose.
I've worked out a "Plan" for our trip, but as always it is subject to change.
The total travel mileage is approximately 5800 miles. Of course touring and such will add more miles to the odometer.
Any number of things could affect our plans. But, considering the longest days are 540 miles (from Cedar Rapids,Iowa to North Platte, Nebraska) and a pair of 475 mile days (Toledo, Ohio to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and from North Platte, Nebraska to Rock Springs, Wyoming)--all three days in the middle of the first week when things should be mechanically fine--I'm hoping to have sufficient slack time to accommodate detours and--God forbid--breakdowns.
We only had one serious problem when we went to Alaska and that was even before we met up with the crew in Dawson Creek. The trailer's twin axles were misaligned and the tires worn badly. Luckily we had a couple of days built in and spent one of them touring Edmonton, Alberta while repairs were made and tires replaced. And, when we went to Mardi Gras in 2013, we had to lay over one day on our way down because of tornadoes along our route.
I've worked out a "Plan" for our trip, but as always it is subject to change.
Prospective Itinerary for 2015 Road Trip:
Day 1 Friday, June 12 Depart Hills Creek State Park with Toledo, Ohio as our goal. This is merely a one night stand as we head west. Approximately 440 miles.
Day 2 Saturday, June 13 Depart Toledo area for Cedar Rapids Iowa. Again a one night stand. Approximately 475 miles.
Day 3 Sunday, June 14 Depart Cedar Rapids for North Platte, Nebraska and another one night stand. Approximately 540 miles.
Day 4 Monday, June 15 Continue west from North Platte for Rock Springs, Wyoming and another one night layover. Approximately 475 miles.
Day 5 Tuesday, June 16 From Rock Springs we go to Brigham City, Utah where, after a relatively short day’s drive (approximately 200 miles) we’ll do some birding at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge.
Day 6 Wednesday, June 17 From Brigham City we head for Ontario, Oregon and another one night stop. Approximately 340 miles.
Day 7 Thursday, June 18 Departing Ontario we traverse the state of Oregon to arrive at Portland. Approximately 380 miles.
Days 8 Friday, June 19 through 13 Wednesday, June 24 are spent visiting with Rick, Sandy and Chelsea Rose as well as touring Portland.
Day 14 Thursday, June 25We’re back on the road as we depart Portland for Couer d’Alene, Idaho. Another one night stand. Approximately 385 miles.
Day 15 Friday, June 26 From Couer d’Alene we head to West Glacier, Montana. Approximately 240 miles.
Days 16 Saturday, June 27 and 17 Sunday, June 28 are spent sightseeing in and around Glacier National Park.
Day 18 Monday, June 29 We depart West Glacier for Billings, Montana and one more one night stand. Approximately 415 miles.
Day 19 Tuesday, June 30 From Billings we head for Rapid City, South Dakota. Approximately 320 miles.
Days 20 Wednesday, July 1 and 21 Thursday, July 2 are spent at Mount Rushmore, Badlands National Park and, of course, Wall Drug.
Day 22 Friday, July 3 We head for Worthington, Minnesota—another one nighter. Approximately 400 miles.
Day 23 Saturday, July 4 From Worthington we head for the Caladonia/Racine area south of Milwaukee, Wisconsin where we’ll be stopping for several days. Approximately 450 miles.
Days 24 Sunday, July 5 through 27 Wednesday, July 8 We visit with Brian and Vicki (Milwaukee, WI), tour Milwaukee and visit with John and Cindy (Long Grove, IL). Both are less than 30 miles from where we hope to camp.
Day 27 Thursday, July 9 We head for Toledo, Ohio and another one night stand. Approximately 320 miles.
Day 28 Friday, July 10 From Toledo we go to Presque Isle, PA to tour the state park. Approximately 210 miles.
Day 29 Saturday, July 11 We stay at Presque Isle.
Day 30 Sunday, July 11 Depart Presque Isle for home. Approximately 230 miles.
The total travel mileage is approximately 5800 miles. Of course touring and such will add more miles to the odometer.
Any number of things could affect our plans. But, considering the longest days are 540 miles (from Cedar Rapids,Iowa to North Platte, Nebraska) and a pair of 475 mile days (Toledo, Ohio to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and from North Platte, Nebraska to Rock Springs, Wyoming)--all three days in the middle of the first week when things should be mechanically fine--I'm hoping to have sufficient slack time to accommodate detours and--God forbid--breakdowns.
We only had one serious problem when we went to Alaska and that was even before we met up with the crew in Dawson Creek. The trailer's twin axles were misaligned and the tires worn badly. Luckily we had a couple of days built in and spent one of them touring Edmonton, Alberta while repairs were made and tires replaced. And, when we went to Mardi Gras in 2013, we had to lay over one day on our way down because of tornadoes along our route.
Friday, May 11, 2012
Past, Present, and Future
It's been a couple of very quiet days at the Aerie. Well, for me anyway. Terry's been running hither and yon doing all kinds of stitching stuff.
After a rainy Tuesday we had a decent Wednesday and I got the grass cut once more. Thursday we had a nice morning but then waves of isolated showers swept in to keep everything nice and damp. And the wind picked up, too. Out of the north-northwest so things got really raw. When the rain stopped, the wind didn't so we had a very cool night with temps dropping to the upper 30s here on the side of the hill. It probably got colder down in the valley.
We're going on the road in about a week. Yesterday we made arrangements to have a young lady come in to care for the cats while we are out gallivanting around--first to Cape Cod and then to Portland, Oregon over a five week period. The first leg of our trip will be with travel trailer in tow and will be a reunion of sorts with the folks from our Alaska Adventure. After returning the trailer to the Bolt Hole, we'll head west to visit with our son and daughter-in-law. They've a porch that needs reconstruction. Terry also has a desire to see her niece and her husband down San Francisco way so we may end up looping down the coast before heading east on I-80.
In the interim, we've got a Saturday Bird Walk to attend to and then a picnic lunch. Then I get to go up to the Bolt Hole tomorrow afternoon to check out the trailer and--probably--cut the grass.
After a rainy Tuesday we had a decent Wednesday and I got the grass cut once more. Thursday we had a nice morning but then waves of isolated showers swept in to keep everything nice and damp. And the wind picked up, too. Out of the north-northwest so things got really raw. When the rain stopped, the wind didn't so we had a very cool night with temps dropping to the upper 30s here on the side of the hill. It probably got colder down in the valley.
We're going on the road in about a week. Yesterday we made arrangements to have a young lady come in to care for the cats while we are out gallivanting around--first to Cape Cod and then to Portland, Oregon over a five week period. The first leg of our trip will be with travel trailer in tow and will be a reunion of sorts with the folks from our Alaska Adventure. After returning the trailer to the Bolt Hole, we'll head west to visit with our son and daughter-in-law. They've a porch that needs reconstruction. Terry also has a desire to see her niece and her husband down San Francisco way so we may end up looping down the coast before heading east on I-80.
In the interim, we've got a Saturday Bird Walk to attend to and then a picnic lunch. Then I get to go up to the Bolt Hole tomorrow afternoon to check out the trailer and--probably--cut the grass.
Monday, August 01, 2011
Monday at the Bolt Hole
The Bolt Hole did not get the 40% chance of rain that was forecast so the applied roof coating is getting a chance to cure nicely. After two strenuous days on the roof and in the glaring sunshine, I'm going to take today off and do some house cleaning. This will give the (very) red top of my head and backs of my ears a chance to stabilize. I had strips of toweling and a square of the same on my sparsely follicled pate but that that did not cover the tops of my ears. The one time I wore a ball cap, I forgot that the rear of said cap was nothing but loose mesh and the sun could--and did--easily shine through. Even my face, which I seldom raised to the sun, got a nice reflective burning from the roof surface. (Maybe I can get the muscles in my buttocks to unclinch and my toes to uncurl, too. Standing on a sloped roof for hours fearful of that one slip that might carry you over the edge followed by a half full bucket of paint will do that to ya.)
At the moment, the sun is attempting to break through the cloud cover. The temperatures are in the upper 70s after an overnight low close to 60 degrees. The humidity is close to 80%. T-storms are still a 40% probability for this evening.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) calls for a trip back to PA to see what's causing the Tundra to suffer the shimmies when I apply the brakes (dirty discs?) and to the Aerie to pick up the ATV--should there be no serious problems with the Tundra--as well as some supplies.
Wednesday I'll be heading back up to the Bolt Hole. The forecast is fro some T-storms on Wednesday followed by four days of sunny weather. I should be able to finish my roof painting on Thursday and Friday giving the coating a chance to cure before the next rain is expected on Monday.
Those are the plans at any rate. Subject to change as always.
At the moment, the sun is attempting to break through the cloud cover. The temperatures are in the upper 70s after an overnight low close to 60 degrees. The humidity is close to 80%. T-storms are still a 40% probability for this evening.
Tomorrow (Tuesday) calls for a trip back to PA to see what's causing the Tundra to suffer the shimmies when I apply the brakes (dirty discs?) and to the Aerie to pick up the ATV--should there be no serious problems with the Tundra--as well as some supplies.
Wednesday I'll be heading back up to the Bolt Hole. The forecast is fro some T-storms on Wednesday followed by four days of sunny weather. I should be able to finish my roof painting on Thursday and Friday giving the coating a chance to cure before the next rain is expected on Monday.
Those are the plans at any rate. Subject to change as always.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Aerie Report, June 13, 2011
I made it back to the Aerie in time for lunch. Not a difficult thing to do when you wake up at 4 freakin' AM! A combination of restless and aching legs from running around with the brush hog between rain showers on Sunday and pushing the lawn mower through heavy wet grass--between rain showers--on Saturday. That, and having a list of things I needed to do and pack before I left running through my head, got me going early.
I was on the road south by 7:30 AM. Traffic was light and, despite staying (mostly) at the speed limit and making one stop along the way, I got home around noon.
Crazy thing is that even though the radar maps showed there should have been considerable amount of rain at the Aerie there was only 0.02 inches in the rain gauge. Terry said her friends said it rained hard down in Mansfield but up here on the hill we got squat. Terry watered the garden last night and the zucchini and cukes are really starting to look good. Some of the onions started from sets have developed flower heads which I told Terry to cut off. We need them to put their energy into the bulbs not the flowers.
It was mostly cloudy this afternoon with just a few moments of sunshine. Then, around 8 PM a few darker clouds came out of the north and we got half an hour of pretty heavy rain. I'll selectively water a few shrubs tomorrow morning IF we don't get any more rain. They say there's a chance of some through noon on Tuesday. Then it will clear and we'll have a couple of nice days--until Friday. I'm glad I don't have to depend on the weekend for out door chores.
I'll be looking to get the ATV and/or tractor out to cut/haul firewood and move some stone about during the next few days. With the temperatures staying in the low to mid 70s I should get some good exercise. Got to be better than running around behind a mower and brush hog in the rain.
Terry has a bridal shower in New Jersey on Saturday, but one of her old smocking groups is meeting on Thursday night so she may be heading east early. She'll stay at her Mom's though Sunday and come back after church services and, probably, one of her Mom's Sunday dinners.
I was on the road south by 7:30 AM. Traffic was light and, despite staying (mostly) at the speed limit and making one stop along the way, I got home around noon.
Crazy thing is that even though the radar maps showed there should have been considerable amount of rain at the Aerie there was only 0.02 inches in the rain gauge. Terry said her friends said it rained hard down in Mansfield but up here on the hill we got squat. Terry watered the garden last night and the zucchini and cukes are really starting to look good. Some of the onions started from sets have developed flower heads which I told Terry to cut off. We need them to put their energy into the bulbs not the flowers.
It was mostly cloudy this afternoon with just a few moments of sunshine. Then, around 8 PM a few darker clouds came out of the north and we got half an hour of pretty heavy rain. I'll selectively water a few shrubs tomorrow morning IF we don't get any more rain. They say there's a chance of some through noon on Tuesday. Then it will clear and we'll have a couple of nice days--until Friday. I'm glad I don't have to depend on the weekend for out door chores.
I'll be looking to get the ATV and/or tractor out to cut/haul firewood and move some stone about during the next few days. With the temperatures staying in the low to mid 70s I should get some good exercise. Got to be better than running around behind a mower and brush hog in the rain.
Terry has a bridal shower in New Jersey on Saturday, but one of her old smocking groups is meeting on Thursday night so she may be heading east early. She'll stay at her Mom's though Sunday and come back after church services and, probably, one of her Mom's Sunday dinners.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Hitting the Road West
Terry and I will be heading to Milwaukee tomorrow morning. We've got two days to get there so we'll probably take the scenic route through PA. West on Route 6 until we hit Ohio. If we had more time it would be the scenic route through Michigan too. We've never been to the UP area. Another time. Anything to avoid Chicago's permanent construction zone on I-80/I-90.
Saturday is a wedding for Brian and Vicky. Terry's side of the family as it's her sister's boy getting hitched. Family and friends from Kansas, California, Oregon, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other points will gather in the couple's hometown for the event. They've been together for about four years now so it's about time! Both are CPA/numbers crunchers, so maybe they figured the math and determined it was to their benefit to officially unite. (That or Brian finally got it through his thick skull that he's not likely to do any better.)
Once we return, there's nothing on the calendar until the July Fourth weekend: another wedding--#2 of 4 this year. This one will be outside Portland, Maine. Still Terry's side of the family with cousin Joe's son tying the knot. David and Elizabeth now live together in the Pittsburgh area but her folks live around Portland, ME. Again, folks will come from all over the country to attend. He's a math whiz/teacher; she a special ed instructor(?). They've been together for nearly two years.
The weekend after the Labor Day weekend is yet another wedding: Danielle and Alex. She is the daughter of Terry's cousin Nancy (Joe's sister). Fresh out of med school and entering her internship. He (and here it gets a little shady) is either in the Navy or working with the Navy--on submarines. They'll get married in New Jersey. Then he goes on board ship, she goes into the hell of internship and they might get to see/speak to one another in three months--just in time for Christmas. Knowing her mom and dad, this could be a doozey! The only constraint being that there is a younger sister, and if you go all in on the first.... Then again, they didn't pay for college--scholarships, baby!
The final wedding this year (so far) occurs on Veterans' Day and involves my sister's daughter, Kristen and Rich, also in New Jersey. No big ceremony here. They stand before the Mayor on November 11 with only parents and siblings. Then have a celebratory reception on November 19th. Nice and simple.
Throw in several trips to and from the Aerie to the Bolt Hole, one SAGA convention for Terry in California, and clam bake in coastal Massachusetts, another brief trip (by Terry) to Dunkirk, NY for an EGA function, and there you have it. Sure hope the price of gas doesn't rise too much.
Saturday is a wedding for Brian and Vicky. Terry's side of the family as it's her sister's boy getting hitched. Family and friends from Kansas, California, Oregon, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other points will gather in the couple's hometown for the event. They've been together for about four years now so it's about time! Both are CPA/numbers crunchers, so maybe they figured the math and determined it was to their benefit to officially unite. (That or Brian finally got it through his thick skull that he's not likely to do any better.)
Once we return, there's nothing on the calendar until the July Fourth weekend: another wedding--#2 of 4 this year. This one will be outside Portland, Maine. Still Terry's side of the family with cousin Joe's son tying the knot. David and Elizabeth now live together in the Pittsburgh area but her folks live around Portland, ME. Again, folks will come from all over the country to attend. He's a math whiz/teacher; she a special ed instructor(?). They've been together for nearly two years.
The weekend after the Labor Day weekend is yet another wedding: Danielle and Alex. She is the daughter of Terry's cousin Nancy (Joe's sister). Fresh out of med school and entering her internship. He (and here it gets a little shady) is either in the Navy or working with the Navy--on submarines. They'll get married in New Jersey. Then he goes on board ship, she goes into the hell of internship and they might get to see/speak to one another in three months--just in time for Christmas. Knowing her mom and dad, this could be a doozey! The only constraint being that there is a younger sister, and if you go all in on the first.... Then again, they didn't pay for college--scholarships, baby!
The final wedding this year (so far) occurs on Veterans' Day and involves my sister's daughter, Kristen and Rich, also in New Jersey. No big ceremony here. They stand before the Mayor on November 11 with only parents and siblings. Then have a celebratory reception on November 19th. Nice and simple.
Throw in several trips to and from the Aerie to the Bolt Hole, one SAGA convention for Terry in California, and clam bake in coastal Massachusetts, another brief trip (by Terry) to Dunkirk, NY for an EGA function, and there you have it. Sure hope the price of gas doesn't rise too much.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Future Plans
I believe I'll take a ride on Tuesday to see if the Bolt Hole is still standing. I haven't heard a peep from my buddy Mark since he returned from taking a test down in Tennessee for a gas company job. (He did will on the test but they gave him and a bunch of others the "We'll call you" routine and sent them home.) And that was back in early January...I think. (Kinda fuzzy on just when.)
Any how...the weather is supposed to be moderating a bit even up that way and the overnight low--there--may only be around 15-20 degrees instead of 5-10 like the last few days. With just a wee chance of snow flurries in the offing. If all is well, I'll only spend the night and head home on Wednesday. If anything is seriously amiss....
I can't wait for this bloody snow to disappear! There are a dozen things that need to be done--Out. Side. Things like setting up a garden; building a pole barn/shed to store the tractor in; cutting, hauling and splitting firewood; (re)building a shed up at the Bolt Hole (one's got to be either rebuilt or demolished and replaced); building some doors for the BH barn--finally; cutting,hauling and splitting firewood at the BH; and building covered deer stands both at the Aerie and the BH.
And I'll have to get it all done around three weddings: one on Memorial Day weekend in Milwaukee, on the 4th of July weekend in Maine, and one the Friday after Labor Day in New Jersey. oh, and then there's the clam bake in Massachusetts on Labor Day--assuming Bruce and Sue extend an invitation. Plus, somehow I've got to squeeze in two or three days a week for bird walks in April and May and--or so I've promised myself--two days of fishing each week. Add the time I'll need to improve by archery and shooting skills (something I didn't get to do last summer because we were on the road for nearly three months) and I'd say I'm going to be busy.
And once September gets here, the college football season and hunting seasons collide. This year I'm hoping for a big improvement by my Scarlet Knights of Rutgers and in my deer harvest. (They only won 4 games last year. That was 4 more than the number of deer I killed and 2 more than the number I saw. As the saying goes, "Tough to do worse.")
So those are my plans, immediate and otherwise. Ya think I'm:
1-too ambitious?
2-taking a big chance letting God know what I want to do? (After all, they do say, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.")
Any how...the weather is supposed to be moderating a bit even up that way and the overnight low--there--may only be around 15-20 degrees instead of 5-10 like the last few days. With just a wee chance of snow flurries in the offing. If all is well, I'll only spend the night and head home on Wednesday. If anything is seriously amiss....
I can't wait for this bloody snow to disappear! There are a dozen things that need to be done--Out. Side. Things like setting up a garden; building a pole barn/shed to store the tractor in; cutting, hauling and splitting firewood; (re)building a shed up at the Bolt Hole (one's got to be either rebuilt or demolished and replaced); building some doors for the BH barn--finally; cutting,hauling and splitting firewood at the BH; and building covered deer stands both at the Aerie and the BH.
And I'll have to get it all done around three weddings: one on Memorial Day weekend in Milwaukee, on the 4th of July weekend in Maine, and one the Friday after Labor Day in New Jersey. oh, and then there's the clam bake in Massachusetts on Labor Day--assuming Bruce and Sue extend an invitation. Plus, somehow I've got to squeeze in two or three days a week for bird walks in April and May and--or so I've promised myself--two days of fishing each week. Add the time I'll need to improve by archery and shooting skills (something I didn't get to do last summer because we were on the road for nearly three months) and I'd say I'm going to be busy.
And once September gets here, the college football season and hunting seasons collide. This year I'm hoping for a big improvement by my Scarlet Knights of Rutgers and in my deer harvest. (They only won 4 games last year. That was 4 more than the number of deer I killed and 2 more than the number I saw. As the saying goes, "Tough to do worse.")
So those are my plans, immediate and otherwise. Ya think I'm:
1-too ambitious?
2-taking a big chance letting God know what I want to do? (After all, they do say, "If you want to hear God laugh, tell Him your plans.")
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Speaking of Lunatics...
So. I hear there was a total eclipse of the moon last night. Unfortunately, it was completely overcast here at the Aerie and not one bit of it was visible. Terry got up at 3 AM to confirm that the clouds we had at 11 PM were still obscuring the view.
Lots of pictures online today from folks who were luckier than we were. Here's a bunch of nice ones: The total lunar eclipse in pictures
Then Shadow cat started her infernal yowling at 4:00 AM and forced me to get out of bed to feed her and her partners in crime. (Clouds still obscured the view of the moon.) Then, when I put the tuna and egg down for the three of them to eat, Shadow turned her nose up at it and stalked away. She's not a fan of Wegmans' brand of cat food. Ah well, more for Chester who just loves tuna in any form. Julie was lucky enough to finish hers before Chester had finished both his and Shadow's helpings.
Not satisfied with having dragged me out of bed, Shadow did her usual thing of going back to the closed bedroom door and yowling until Terry also came down stairs. At 5:15 AM.
The most annoying thing of all is that Shadow is the most antisocial of the three cats. Once she's gotten you out of bed and has been fed, she goes off to sleep in her bed--or any conveniently empty chair or box--and ignores you the rest of the day. In contrast Chester and Julie are all over Terry like white on rice all day long.
Anybody want a mostly black, pussy cat. Slightly used.
Naturally, around noon the skies cleared and the temperature rose to a whopping 30 degrees F in the afternoon. Currently (around 8 PM) the temperatures have dropped back to the low 20s and the skies remain clear. Should get to the low teens tonight. As for the remainder of the week there will be similar temperatures through Sunday. With a slight chance of some snow flurry activity on Thursday and Sunday.
Terry's heading into New Jersey for Christmas tomorrow. She'll has a couple of dates with her lady friends from SAGA and EGA lined up. I'll head in on Friday to meet her at my sister's house for Christmas Eve. Then we'll both go to Mom's house to await the arrival of my son Rick and his wife Sandy, who are flying in from Portland, Oregon, very, very early Christmas Day. They can't stay long as Sandy must be back to work on Monday morning.
I'll head back to the Aerie early Sunday morning while Terry stays with her Mom and Jessica through Monday. Terry's cousin Joe and his wife Pat will be dropping over on Monday. Terry will be coming back to the Aerie either late Monday or early Tuesday. Depends upon the weather and when Joe and Pat show up.
Lots of pictures online today from folks who were luckier than we were. Here's a bunch of nice ones: The total lunar eclipse in pictures
Then Shadow cat started her infernal yowling at 4:00 AM and forced me to get out of bed to feed her and her partners in crime. (Clouds still obscured the view of the moon.) Then, when I put the tuna and egg down for the three of them to eat, Shadow turned her nose up at it and stalked away. She's not a fan of Wegmans' brand of cat food. Ah well, more for Chester who just loves tuna in any form. Julie was lucky enough to finish hers before Chester had finished both his and Shadow's helpings.
Not satisfied with having dragged me out of bed, Shadow did her usual thing of going back to the closed bedroom door and yowling until Terry also came down stairs. At 5:15 AM.
The most annoying thing of all is that Shadow is the most antisocial of the three cats. Once she's gotten you out of bed and has been fed, she goes off to sleep in her bed--or any conveniently empty chair or box--and ignores you the rest of the day. In contrast Chester and Julie are all over Terry like white on rice all day long.
Anybody want a mostly black, pussy cat. Slightly used.
Naturally, around noon the skies cleared and the temperature rose to a whopping 30 degrees F in the afternoon. Currently (around 8 PM) the temperatures have dropped back to the low 20s and the skies remain clear. Should get to the low teens tonight. As for the remainder of the week there will be similar temperatures through Sunday. With a slight chance of some snow flurry activity on Thursday and Sunday.
Terry's heading into New Jersey for Christmas tomorrow. She'll has a couple of dates with her lady friends from SAGA and EGA lined up. I'll head in on Friday to meet her at my sister's house for Christmas Eve. Then we'll both go to Mom's house to await the arrival of my son Rick and his wife Sandy, who are flying in from Portland, Oregon, very, very early Christmas Day. They can't stay long as Sandy must be back to work on Monday morning.
I'll head back to the Aerie early Sunday morning while Terry stays with her Mom and Jessica through Monday. Terry's cousin Joe and his wife Pat will be dropping over on Monday. Terry will be coming back to the Aerie either late Monday or early Tuesday. Depends upon the weather and when Joe and Pat show up.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Aerie Report, September 28, 2010
Yesterday was a gray and dreary day with lots of fog and a light rain that fell almost all the time.
Terry was racing home from the Norfolk, VA area hoping to beat the torrential rains that were on their way. Aside from getting hit by just a few when she had to change course from due north to one of the side vectors going around the D.C. beltway, she did so with less than an hour to spare. Her little Aveo was parked snugly in the garage when the downpour started.
It continued on and off for most of the night and through the AM hours. The wind changed direction somewhere along the line and the rain from the south was replaced by rain from the west! And the wind velocity kicked up a notch, too. The wind has been swirling around the hillside even when the windmills are staying pretty much aligned to the west southwest.
Things got a little screwy this afternoon as bands of torrential rain would be interspersed with clear blue sky and sunshine. If you closed your eyes for more than 15 minutes you could be sure of seeing completely different weather when you opened them.
Any way, that seems to have been settled for the time being. I'm pretty sure we recorded more than an inch of rain since midnight Sunday. While Wednesday is supposed to be mostly sunny, Thursday looks to be a repeat of the rainy weather.
With the forecasts currently being presented by weather.com and accuhunch, it looks like I'll be heading up to the Bolt Hole with the log splitter on Friday. I'll carry some circuit breakers and 12-2 electrical wire so if it rains, I'll be able to do some rewiring of old, canvas and tar wires.
I'll also have my muzzle loader with me and will pick up a NYS hunting license. Won't be cheap, what with me being considered a "non-resident" but.... I really think they should consider property owners "residents" for the purpose of hunting and fishing licenses. As it is I'm paying close to 6K in property taxes on a part time residence and putting virtually no pressure on schools, highways, fire, police, etc. needs of the area. Plus I drop an awful lot of $$$ into the local economy in the form of groceries, building materials, etc. And let us not speak of the sales and fuel taxes!
Terry was racing home from the Norfolk, VA area hoping to beat the torrential rains that were on their way. Aside from getting hit by just a few when she had to change course from due north to one of the side vectors going around the D.C. beltway, she did so with less than an hour to spare. Her little Aveo was parked snugly in the garage when the downpour started.
It continued on and off for most of the night and through the AM hours. The wind changed direction somewhere along the line and the rain from the south was replaced by rain from the west! And the wind velocity kicked up a notch, too. The wind has been swirling around the hillside even when the windmills are staying pretty much aligned to the west southwest.
Things got a little screwy this afternoon as bands of torrential rain would be interspersed with clear blue sky and sunshine. If you closed your eyes for more than 15 minutes you could be sure of seeing completely different weather when you opened them.
Any way, that seems to have been settled for the time being. I'm pretty sure we recorded more than an inch of rain since midnight Sunday. While Wednesday is supposed to be mostly sunny, Thursday looks to be a repeat of the rainy weather.
With the forecasts currently being presented by weather.com and accuhunch, it looks like I'll be heading up to the Bolt Hole with the log splitter on Friday. I'll carry some circuit breakers and 12-2 electrical wire so if it rains, I'll be able to do some rewiring of old, canvas and tar wires.
I'll also have my muzzle loader with me and will pick up a NYS hunting license. Won't be cheap, what with me being considered a "non-resident" but.... I really think they should consider property owners "residents" for the purpose of hunting and fishing licenses. As it is I'm paying close to 6K in property taxes on a part time residence and putting virtually no pressure on schools, highways, fire, police, etc. needs of the area. Plus I drop an awful lot of $$$ into the local economy in the form of groceries, building materials, etc. And let us not speak of the sales and fuel taxes!
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Aerie Report, June 1, 2010
The showers (quite heavy at times) continued for much of the morning and ended between noon and 1 PM. The sun then came out and the temperature climbed to near 80 degrees. At nightfall, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and, with the minds still blowing from the north quadrant, it should get very comfortable tonight.
I'll be heading north early tomorrow morning to the land of dial-up connections. Then early Thursday, I'll be bringing the trailer down to Ives Run Campground for a week. Check-in time is 4 PM so I'll have to time my arrival to around that hour.
******
Got most of the things I needed to get done finished today while waiting for Don and Adam. They plumb forgot to show up, however, so Terry gets to deal with them tomorrow afternoon--if they remember. The two of them have so much going on in their lives right now it isn't funny. They were both better off when we were building the Aerie and they had one job to focus on for nine months.
Anywho, I've made arrangements for all the bills to be paid either on-line, automatically, or via credit card so as long as we have email access we're okay. I'll just have to get into a routine for dealing with it. (Actually, there is one car loan that we have to pay with a coupon book. Setting it up to pay electronically would cost an extra $30 a month so we'll do it the old fashioned way. I wonder what they'll think when they get a payment postmarked from Fairbanks and another from Colorado Springs?) Terry will arrange to have the mail stopped and held until we get back.
We've got a reservation for the first weekend on the road (two nights in Volo, IL as we say hi! to our DIL's parents). Good thing I called today, too. The fella on the phone said they are booked for this weekend and had only one or two slots for the 11th and 12th.
Besides the actual tour with the Good Sam folks, these are the only reservations we've made so far. I like to think of it as maintaining flexibility. It wouldn't take a mechanical breakdown on my part to throw everything a kilter. A major accident or construction work could ruin my driving schedule enough that we would want to stop earlier than planned. I've tried to plot a course that will give us plenty of time (no more than 6 hours driving, for instance, and a time limit of from 9 AM to 4 PM) to get where we are going. I even put an extra day in the plans so we can do a little sightseeing or move on to get to Dawson Creek a day early. It's all dependent upon how we feel, what the roads are like, and how the weather behaves.
Yeah, I've--make that WE'VE--planned things out carefully, but a major road trip like this is like a military battle: once it has begun, you can throw the plans out the window. That's one of the reasons we opted to do the bulk of the trip (43 days) with a group that has a Wagon Master and Assistant. Not just the extras such as the meals, tours and shows that Good Sam has arranged, but the logistics of time, distance, and booking a parking space at the campground. Those days should be a snap. It's the fourteen days getting to Dawson Creek and the twenty days getting home that will be a bit of a task. (Although, the layovers in Portland with the kids Colorado Springs with some even bigger kids, will take some of the pressure off.)
Yes. I am rambling--a little. Call it nerves. Or anticipation. There are a million and one things going through my mind: Have I forgotten to do something here at the Aerie--or the Bolt Hole--that needs to get done? Have I packed all the gear I will need? Should I bring this, that, or the other; or will they be just so much extra weight? Are we ready for 75 days on the road?
Oh well, that's why we will have the trailer parked at Ives Run for six days for a shake down/refresher in camping. Just like when you were a little kid camping in the backyard, there's always the option of going inside if things aren't working out.
I'll be heading north early tomorrow morning to the land of dial-up connections. Then early Thursday, I'll be bringing the trailer down to Ives Run Campground for a week. Check-in time is 4 PM so I'll have to time my arrival to around that hour.
******
Got most of the things I needed to get done finished today while waiting for Don and Adam. They plumb forgot to show up, however, so Terry gets to deal with them tomorrow afternoon--if they remember. The two of them have so much going on in their lives right now it isn't funny. They were both better off when we were building the Aerie and they had one job to focus on for nine months.
Anywho, I've made arrangements for all the bills to be paid either on-line, automatically, or via credit card so as long as we have email access we're okay. I'll just have to get into a routine for dealing with it. (Actually, there is one car loan that we have to pay with a coupon book. Setting it up to pay electronically would cost an extra $30 a month so we'll do it the old fashioned way. I wonder what they'll think when they get a payment postmarked from Fairbanks and another from Colorado Springs?) Terry will arrange to have the mail stopped and held until we get back.
We've got a reservation for the first weekend on the road (two nights in Volo, IL as we say hi! to our DIL's parents). Good thing I called today, too. The fella on the phone said they are booked for this weekend and had only one or two slots for the 11th and 12th.
Besides the actual tour with the Good Sam folks, these are the only reservations we've made so far. I like to think of it as maintaining flexibility. It wouldn't take a mechanical breakdown on my part to throw everything a kilter. A major accident or construction work could ruin my driving schedule enough that we would want to stop earlier than planned. I've tried to plot a course that will give us plenty of time (no more than 6 hours driving, for instance, and a time limit of from 9 AM to 4 PM) to get where we are going. I even put an extra day in the plans so we can do a little sightseeing or move on to get to Dawson Creek a day early. It's all dependent upon how we feel, what the roads are like, and how the weather behaves.
Yeah, I've--make that WE'VE--planned things out carefully, but a major road trip like this is like a military battle: once it has begun, you can throw the plans out the window. That's one of the reasons we opted to do the bulk of the trip (43 days) with a group that has a Wagon Master and Assistant. Not just the extras such as the meals, tours and shows that Good Sam has arranged, but the logistics of time, distance, and booking a parking space at the campground. Those days should be a snap. It's the fourteen days getting to Dawson Creek and the twenty days getting home that will be a bit of a task. (Although, the layovers in Portland with the kids Colorado Springs with some even bigger kids, will take some of the pressure off.)
Yes. I am rambling--a little. Call it nerves. Or anticipation. There are a million and one things going through my mind: Have I forgotten to do something here at the Aerie--or the Bolt Hole--that needs to get done? Have I packed all the gear I will need? Should I bring this, that, or the other; or will they be just so much extra weight? Are we ready for 75 days on the road?
Oh well, that's why we will have the trailer parked at Ives Run for six days for a shake down/refresher in camping. Just like when you were a little kid camping in the backyard, there's always the option of going inside if things aren't working out.
Crops, Rain, Plans
With plans to be on the road for ten weeks or more, Terry and I were in a quandary as to what we could plant in the garden that could pretty much take care of itself. Zucchini, cucumbers, string beans...were all eliminated from our list since they would require frequent picking to get the good tasting small vegetables and not something the size of a baseball bat.
Then I thought of the Native Americans who would plant their corn, beans, winter squash and pumpkins on their inland farms and then head to the water to escape the deer flies, black flies, etc. and to fish. Corn we would not plant. The raccoons would enjoy it too much and our space is limited. Without the corn stalks for the beans to climb, we would skip the beans as well. Besides, I'm not much of one for shucking dry beans. But winter squash and pumpkins...you betcha!
Having made up our minds, we visited Agway to pick up some starter plants and some more top soil and composted cow manure. I wanted six more bags of top soil to finish covering the 8' x 16' raised bed. The cow manure would be mixed in where I would plant the squash and pumpkins. We bought three 3" pots of Burpee's butternut squash each pot having two healthy looking plants. They ripen in 75 days according to the tag; but whether that's from planting the seeds or planting the seedlings, is another matter. That fits our plans pretty well. As for pumpkins, we got a six-pack of Jack-o-lanterns; two seedlings per cell. They are supposed to mature in 110 days which would mean the end of September. Terry got two six-packs of marigolds to fill in a spot on the end of the onion bed and by the front door where most of the flowers are early spring/summer perennials.
I've never grown either butternut squash or pumpkins before so it will be an interesting experiment. Especially since I won't be here to watch over them.
******
After several weeks with little rain, we got some T-storms that managed to pass over the Aerie last night instead of either avoiding us or dissipating completely. They started just around 5 PM on Monday and got real serious during the night. The drone of the window fan in the bedroom kept me from waking up too often as the thunder rumbled, but a few lightening strikes were too close to be completely drowned out. And a brief power outage killed the fan for a moment, at which the lack of noise woke me up.
Once awake--at 4 AM, getting back to sleep became a problem. I dozed for an hour but then the birds started and it was all over.
At least I know that the newly planted veggies and flowers are well watered.
******
Today, I've a few phone calls to make and some banking to do before heading up to the Bolt Hole to get the trailer. Also, Don and Adam(?) will be coming over this morning to discuss final arrangements for the foundation stone work and log staining to be done while we are away as well as the babysitting of our cats.
******
Getting down to the wire! Just 7 days after today. We'll hit the road on the morning of Wednesday, June 9th.
Then I thought of the Native Americans who would plant their corn, beans, winter squash and pumpkins on their inland farms and then head to the water to escape the deer flies, black flies, etc. and to fish. Corn we would not plant. The raccoons would enjoy it too much and our space is limited. Without the corn stalks for the beans to climb, we would skip the beans as well. Besides, I'm not much of one for shucking dry beans. But winter squash and pumpkins...you betcha!
Having made up our minds, we visited Agway to pick up some starter plants and some more top soil and composted cow manure. I wanted six more bags of top soil to finish covering the 8' x 16' raised bed. The cow manure would be mixed in where I would plant the squash and pumpkins. We bought three 3" pots of Burpee's butternut squash each pot having two healthy looking plants. They ripen in 75 days according to the tag; but whether that's from planting the seeds or planting the seedlings, is another matter. That fits our plans pretty well. As for pumpkins, we got a six-pack of Jack-o-lanterns; two seedlings per cell. They are supposed to mature in 110 days which would mean the end of September. Terry got two six-packs of marigolds to fill in a spot on the end of the onion bed and by the front door where most of the flowers are early spring/summer perennials.
I've never grown either butternut squash or pumpkins before so it will be an interesting experiment. Especially since I won't be here to watch over them.
******
After several weeks with little rain, we got some T-storms that managed to pass over the Aerie last night instead of either avoiding us or dissipating completely. They started just around 5 PM on Monday and got real serious during the night. The drone of the window fan in the bedroom kept me from waking up too often as the thunder rumbled, but a few lightening strikes were too close to be completely drowned out. And a brief power outage killed the fan for a moment, at which the lack of noise woke me up.
Once awake--at 4 AM, getting back to sleep became a problem. I dozed for an hour but then the birds started and it was all over.
At least I know that the newly planted veggies and flowers are well watered.
******
Today, I've a few phone calls to make and some banking to do before heading up to the Bolt Hole to get the trailer. Also, Don and Adam(?) will be coming over this morning to discuss final arrangements for the foundation stone work and log staining to be done while we are away as well as the babysitting of our cats.
******
Getting down to the wire! Just 7 days after today. We'll hit the road on the morning of Wednesday, June 9th.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Aerie Report, May 29, 2010
A somewhat cooler yet still sunny day here at the Aerie as we start the Memorial Day weekend. The temperature only got up to 81 degrees this afternoon. They (weather.com and AccuHunch are still talking upper 80s for Sunday and Monday. If it gets that warm on Monday I may have to set out the old lawn sprinkler and put my chair beneath the spray.
******
Terry and I spent some time selecting and packing the clothes we want to take on our cross country adventure. We purchased some Rubber Maid bins that will fit nicely under the queen-sized bed in the trailer in which to place our "stuff". We each got three but so far I've only filled one while Terry has managed to fill two. I guess polo and T-shirts just don't take up much room. We thought we were going to a place that would be cooler (I mean Fairbanks, the Yukon, etc. they're w-a-a-a-a-y up north, right?), but after Rev. Paul's comment the other day, I checked the Fairbanks weather and--DAMN!--it was in the 80s there too! Good thing the trailer's AC was inspected and repaired. And that we will be visiting several glaciers along the coast--if they don't melt between now and then!
******
Otherwise, it was a quiet day today. Tomorrow we'll travel down near Jersey Shore, PA to visit Terry's cousin and my bud, Joe. He and his wife are moving out of New Jersey ti a home near I-80 between Williamsport and Jersey Shore. He wants to borrow my log splitter so we'll bring that down to him so he can play with it all he wants until September 1st when I'll want it back.
Absolutely no plans for Monday except for barbecuing some burgers and maybe some corn on the cob. Tuesday, June 1, we'll be getting into nail biting time. I'll be heading up to get the trailer and bringing it down here on Thursday for a six day test run and provisioning at Ives Run.
******
Terry and I spent some time selecting and packing the clothes we want to take on our cross country adventure. We purchased some Rubber Maid bins that will fit nicely under the queen-sized bed in the trailer in which to place our "stuff". We each got three but so far I've only filled one while Terry has managed to fill two. I guess polo and T-shirts just don't take up much room. We thought we were going to a place that would be cooler (I mean Fairbanks, the Yukon, etc. they're w-a-a-a-a-y up north, right?), but after Rev. Paul's comment the other day, I checked the Fairbanks weather and--DAMN!--it was in the 80s there too! Good thing the trailer's AC was inspected and repaired. And that we will be visiting several glaciers along the coast--if they don't melt between now and then!
******
Otherwise, it was a quiet day today. Tomorrow we'll travel down near Jersey Shore, PA to visit Terry's cousin and my bud, Joe. He and his wife are moving out of New Jersey ti a home near I-80 between Williamsport and Jersey Shore. He wants to borrow my log splitter so we'll bring that down to him so he can play with it all he wants until September 1st when I'll want it back.
Absolutely no plans for Monday except for barbecuing some burgers and maybe some corn on the cob. Tuesday, June 1, we'll be getting into nail biting time. I'll be heading up to get the trailer and bringing it down here on Thursday for a six day test run and provisioning at Ives Run.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Spring is coming!
It's the first official day of winter (The Solstice) and yet I've also received the first harbinger of spring. Newly arrived in today's mail was the 2010 Burpee Seed Catalog! It used to be that the catalog wouldn't arrive until the calanders had been changed. Now, like the holiday decorations in the store, they seem to have moved up a month or more. Still, it's nice to have all those lovely photos to look at even if the plants in my garden never, ever look that good.
Not that there's much we want or need to purchase this year. We've a long summer trip planned that will take us away from the Aerie between June 15th and September 1st and there won't be anyone around to tend the garden except for Mr. Groundhog and Mr. Rabbit. Terry and I have signed up for a Good Sam's Club Caraventure that will take us to Alaska.
Now all we have to do is find somewhere to park the kitties for the two and a half months. They do not travel well and crossing the Canadian border would require all sorts of extra paperwork. Not to mention the worry of their going on the lam the first time the trailer door is opened.
******
Meanwhile, it's overcast and cold at the Aerie again with light breezes just sufficient enough to turn the windmills. A "decorative" snow flurry or two (it's been nearly continuous) is slowly falling. No accumulation is predicted beyond a "dusting" of snow. Beats the heck out of a foot of the stuff like Terry had in Linden, NJ.
I'm supposed to go into NJ on Thursday for Christmas Eve at my sister's returning to the Aerie on Christmas Day. But, just like last year, ice is in the forecast for Christmas Day. AccuHunch this morning said up to 0.8 inches is possible. If it moves up I may have to forgo the journey just as I did last year. Snow I don't mind driving in, but ice is another thing altogether.
******
The birds are taking advantage of my largess in great numbers today. The chickadees; tufted titmice; white- and red-breasted nuthatches; juncos; blue jays; goldfinches; mourning doves; red-bellied, downy, and hairy woodpeckers are zooming in and out like jets at O'Hare. Unlike the jets, rather than circle the clearing in holding patterns they perch in the trees or cling to the tree trunks around the yard to await their chance at choice feeding spots or to hammer at purloined seeds . I find the activity of my feathered horde exhausting. I may have to follow the cats' example and grab some shuteye.
Not that there's much we want or need to purchase this year. We've a long summer trip planned that will take us away from the Aerie between June 15th and September 1st and there won't be anyone around to tend the garden except for Mr. Groundhog and Mr. Rabbit. Terry and I have signed up for a Good Sam's Club Caraventure that will take us to Alaska.
Now all we have to do is find somewhere to park the kitties for the two and a half months. They do not travel well and crossing the Canadian border would require all sorts of extra paperwork. Not to mention the worry of their going on the lam the first time the trailer door is opened.
******
Meanwhile, it's overcast and cold at the Aerie again with light breezes just sufficient enough to turn the windmills. A "decorative" snow flurry or two (it's been nearly continuous) is slowly falling. No accumulation is predicted beyond a "dusting" of snow. Beats the heck out of a foot of the stuff like Terry had in Linden, NJ.
I'm supposed to go into NJ on Thursday for Christmas Eve at my sister's returning to the Aerie on Christmas Day. But, just like last year, ice is in the forecast for Christmas Day. AccuHunch this morning said up to 0.8 inches is possible. If it moves up I may have to forgo the journey just as I did last year. Snow I don't mind driving in, but ice is another thing altogether.
******
The birds are taking advantage of my largess in great numbers today. The chickadees; tufted titmice; white- and red-breasted nuthatches; juncos; blue jays; goldfinches; mourning doves; red-bellied, downy, and hairy woodpeckers are zooming in and out like jets at O'Hare. Unlike the jets, rather than circle the clearing in holding patterns they perch in the trees or cling to the tree trunks around the yard to await their chance at choice feeding spots or to hammer at purloined seeds . I find the activity of my feathered horde exhausting. I may have to follow the cats' example and grab some shuteye.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Best laid plans...yada, yada.
Remember what I said about making God laugh, about the best laid plans, about thinking more than a day in advance with the winter season here on the eastern coast? (Well, maybe I didn't say anything about that last one...but I should have!)
The overnight low here at the Aerie was 8 degrees. That's positively balmy compared to the minus 12 degree low up near the Bolt Hole. At 8:30 AM the temps have risen to 11 degrees and minus 11 at each location.
Terry had intended to stick around here for the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday before driving into NJ. That was when then. Then--yesterday--was when the forecasters seemed to have the storm coming up from the Texas Gulf Coast shooting out to sea somewhere around Virginia. Now is a different story.
Apparently the storm wants to visit D.C. and Atlantic City. The result is it will hug the coast more and won't veer to sea until it has hit the Jersey shore. Fifty mile an hour gusts are possible along the coast. Six to ten inches of snow are possible for NYC and its immediate environs. Linden, NJ is close enough to both to get a walloping.
Terry will be leaving this afternoon for NJ. There, she can help Jessica shovel the driveway and walk. The Aerie will be amply defended by the three cats and I as we sit/lie in front of the fire. We should get anywhere from a dusting to an inch or two of fresh snow.
The overnight low here at the Aerie was 8 degrees. That's positively balmy compared to the minus 12 degree low up near the Bolt Hole. At 8:30 AM the temps have risen to 11 degrees and minus 11 at each location.
Terry had intended to stick around here for the Christmas Bird Count on Saturday before driving into NJ. That was when then. Then--yesterday--was when the forecasters seemed to have the storm coming up from the Texas Gulf Coast shooting out to sea somewhere around Virginia. Now is a different story.
Apparently the storm wants to visit D.C. and Atlantic City. The result is it will hug the coast more and won't veer to sea until it has hit the Jersey shore. Fifty mile an hour gusts are possible along the coast. Six to ten inches of snow are possible for NYC and its immediate environs. Linden, NJ is close enough to both to get a walloping.
Terry will be leaving this afternoon for NJ. There, she can help Jessica shovel the driveway and walk. The Aerie will be amply defended by the three cats and I as we sit/lie in front of the fire. We should get anywhere from a dusting to an inch or two of fresh snow.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Heading up north
I'll be heading up to the Bolt Hole bright and early tomorrow (Sunday) morning. The weather is supposed to deteriorate considerably on Monday and showers are being forecast for much of the week up there. Still, there are things to do both in the cabin and in the garage's back room.
If the weather breaks I might be able to go for a walk in the woods to see what winter has wrought. Regardless of what the weather is, I'll be on dial-up so don't expect many pictures!
If the weather breaks I might be able to go for a walk in the woods to see what winter has wrought. Regardless of what the weather is, I'll be on dial-up so don't expect many pictures!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Best made plans...
I will need to delay/postpone my travel up to the Bolt Hole. There's some banking business that Terry and I need to take care of on Friday. I might or might not get up there Friday evening (DST can come in useful occasionally).
On the other hand, I managed to get the Tundra cared for yesterday afternoon. It was the 15K mile oil change and inspection. Everything was just fine in the 28-point inspection that was performed so I'm good for the next 5K miles. That should take me to around the Summer Solstice on June 21. Hey, I've this long drive out to Eugene, OR coming up in May and that's good for about 5K all by itself.
BTW, I believe the weather honchos messed up on the amount of rain we were to get over night. No way did we get as much as the 1.25 inches or more they forecast. We did get some pretty strong winds, however. These came out of the south this morning but have switched to the northwest if the cloud movement is to e believed.
On the other hand, I managed to get the Tundra cared for yesterday afternoon. It was the 15K mile oil change and inspection. Everything was just fine in the 28-point inspection that was performed so I'm good for the next 5K miles. That should take me to around the Summer Solstice on June 21. Hey, I've this long drive out to Eugene, OR coming up in May and that's good for about 5K all by itself.
BTW, I believe the weather honchos messed up on the amount of rain we were to get over night. No way did we get as much as the 1.25 inches or more they forecast. We did get some pretty strong winds, however. These came out of the south this morning but have switched to the northwest if the cloud movement is to e believed.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Back to PA for a couple of days
Washed the dishes, vacuumed the cabin, drained the pipes and packed my gear in the truck this morning before driving back to the Aerie from the Bolt Hole. Along the way I took all my recyclable bottles and cans to WallyWorld where they have a redemption center. It's a good thing I did 'cause I needed the extra three bucks.
Gasoline prices have skyrocketed in the last week. Between Thursday and today the price jumped 20 cents a gallon on regular. I filled the truck up at the Oneida Service Plaza on the NY Thruway going up to the Bolt Hole on Thursday and then at the local Stewart's on the way home today. Both prices were affected by the NY State taxes so the difference between Thursday and today was a fair comparison.
All I can say is thank goodness the Toyota is giving me 18 miles to a gallon compared to the 14-15 I was getting with the Silverado on the same trip.
Tomorrow's election day and, while there's precious little to vote upon in this off-off-year, Terry and I will still go down to the polls to cast our votes. With no local television stations we have been spared some of the political commercials our friends north of the border in NY state have had to watch. (Well, actually we have had to watch them too, but at least we don't have to vote for anyone of those who have been politicing in those thirty-second sound bites.)
Later this week we'll go over to Wellsboro and check out the photography club. They have a speaker coming in to talk about the wolves of Yellowstone. Maybe he'll have some pretty pictures to illustrate his presentation.
Then, on Friday, the contractor is supposed to come put up some seamless gutters on the Aerie.
Gasoline prices have skyrocketed in the last week. Between Thursday and today the price jumped 20 cents a gallon on regular. I filled the truck up at the Oneida Service Plaza on the NY Thruway going up to the Bolt Hole on Thursday and then at the local Stewart's on the way home today. Both prices were affected by the NY State taxes so the difference between Thursday and today was a fair comparison.
All I can say is thank goodness the Toyota is giving me 18 miles to a gallon compared to the 14-15 I was getting with the Silverado on the same trip.
Tomorrow's election day and, while there's precious little to vote upon in this off-off-year, Terry and I will still go down to the polls to cast our votes. With no local television stations we have been spared some of the political commercials our friends north of the border in NY state have had to watch. (Well, actually we have had to watch them too, but at least we don't have to vote for anyone of those who have been politicing in those thirty-second sound bites.)
Later this week we'll go over to Wellsboro and check out the photography club. They have a speaker coming in to talk about the wolves of Yellowstone. Maybe he'll have some pretty pictures to illustrate his presentation.
Then, on Friday, the contractor is supposed to come put up some seamless gutters on the Aerie.
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Sweat equity
So, yeasterday morning I drove the four hours from the Aerie to the Bolt Hole in my lovely air conditioned truck. When I arrived I found that Mark had split and stacked one hell of a lot of firewood. There were two stacks approximately six feet hist and 24 feet long each containing split cherry, maple and beech. And that was just from the trees he cut down.
i changed into my work clothes and fired up the ATV to haul out some of the blocked up trunks I had cut. After three hours of hard labor, I was soaked. I had drunk two quarts of water and had probably sweated out that and more. I had made a sizable stack of blocks for myself but had lots more to block up and haul out. I called it a day knowing I would have to work a full 8 hours on Wednesday to get the rest out of the woods and up to the splitting area.
Wednesday morning dawned clear as could be and promised to be a scortcher. And it kept its promise. The forecast was for around 90 degrees and while it never got that hot (I don't think it broke 85) it was hot enough when your doing the kind of physical labor I was doing. All day long I was hoisting blocks of maple and beech that probably weighed in at around 50-75 pounds onto the back of the ATV and hauling them out of the woods. When I wasn't lifting, I was cutting. I had dropped two trunks that I hadn't gotten cut when Mark and I Were working together about two weeks ago and they had to be blocked up before I hauled them out. Again, I worked at a reasonable pace trying to take a 10 minute break every hour and drank lots of fluids. I even took a "siesta" to go and check the game cameras we have in the woods. i worked from 8 in the morning untiil 5:30 in the afternoon to finish the bulk of the job. All that's left are some limbs that are less than five inches in diameter and therefore need not be split. They are stacked tee-pee style against the trunks of trees to await another day.
Tomorrow I'll get the hydraulic splitter out and reduce the size of my blocks into burnable faggots of wood. As it promises to be another hot day, I will comfort myself with lots of water and the thought that when this wood goes into the wood burning stove it might be as low as -10 degrees outside.
Oh, BTW, Terry called this evening to say the stone and block for the retaining wall at the Aerie will be delivered tomorrow. And each one of those blocks weighs in at 85 pounds.
i changed into my work clothes and fired up the ATV to haul out some of the blocked up trunks I had cut. After three hours of hard labor, I was soaked. I had drunk two quarts of water and had probably sweated out that and more. I had made a sizable stack of blocks for myself but had lots more to block up and haul out. I called it a day knowing I would have to work a full 8 hours on Wednesday to get the rest out of the woods and up to the splitting area.
Wednesday morning dawned clear as could be and promised to be a scortcher. And it kept its promise. The forecast was for around 90 degrees and while it never got that hot (I don't think it broke 85) it was hot enough when your doing the kind of physical labor I was doing. All day long I was hoisting blocks of maple and beech that probably weighed in at around 50-75 pounds onto the back of the ATV and hauling them out of the woods. When I wasn't lifting, I was cutting. I had dropped two trunks that I hadn't gotten cut when Mark and I Were working together about two weeks ago and they had to be blocked up before I hauled them out. Again, I worked at a reasonable pace trying to take a 10 minute break every hour and drank lots of fluids. I even took a "siesta" to go and check the game cameras we have in the woods. i worked from 8 in the morning untiil 5:30 in the afternoon to finish the bulk of the job. All that's left are some limbs that are less than five inches in diameter and therefore need not be split. They are stacked tee-pee style against the trunks of trees to await another day.
Tomorrow I'll get the hydraulic splitter out and reduce the size of my blocks into burnable faggots of wood. As it promises to be another hot day, I will comfort myself with lots of water and the thought that when this wood goes into the wood burning stove it might be as low as -10 degrees outside.
Oh, BTW, Terry called this evening to say the stone and block for the retaining wall at the Aerie will be delivered tomorrow. And each one of those blocks weighs in at 85 pounds.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Best laid plans...
Well, I had that cup of coffee and made a list. Then went outside and started to burn some of the stumps left from clearing the land. I intended to start moving stones (flatties) around and breaking up the soil but the pyromaniac inside just grabbed control.
Luckily, there is enough slash from when the power company cleared the right of way that I could keep the fire small and have plenty of branches to feed it. But it did take all day to burn the two stumps down to lumps about the size of five gallon buckets. Since one was from a maple that was a good 9 inches in diameter and three feet long, I consider this acceptable. The root balls contain much clay earth and stone which acts as a great insulator and prevents the fire from consuming much. I need to knock that earth out before I can burn the remainder. But that's okay because that earth and some of the charcoal left from burning goes into the compost pile once it's cooled sufficiently. I'll need all I can get to break up the clay composition of the soil so i can plant flowers and vegetables next spring.
I'm off to the Bolt Hole early Tuesday morning for three days of toil. Most of that will be done hauling and splitting wood. Painting the roof will have to wait until I can purchase the materials. Maybe I can get some time in with the bow if my arms and back aren't too sore from hauling logs.
Luckily, there is enough slash from when the power company cleared the right of way that I could keep the fire small and have plenty of branches to feed it. But it did take all day to burn the two stumps down to lumps about the size of five gallon buckets. Since one was from a maple that was a good 9 inches in diameter and three feet long, I consider this acceptable. The root balls contain much clay earth and stone which acts as a great insulator and prevents the fire from consuming much. I need to knock that earth out before I can burn the remainder. But that's okay because that earth and some of the charcoal left from burning goes into the compost pile once it's cooled sufficiently. I'll need all I can get to break up the clay composition of the soil so i can plant flowers and vegetables next spring.
I'm off to the Bolt Hole early Tuesday morning for three days of toil. Most of that will be done hauling and splitting wood. Painting the roof will have to wait until I can purchase the materials. Maybe I can get some time in with the bow if my arms and back aren't too sore from hauling logs.
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