SEASON'S END-30 December 2005

It is now the end of December, 2005. We closed II down and secured it for the winter in mid November, then went to III for the final time there. Of course we couldn't just sit and relax and think about what all we had accomplished. Instead we went to work on the pond dam, clearing the trees we had already cut, and cut the larger trees on the dam down and into firewood.
We then burned the scrub left over from the trees.
Then we started to put things away not knowing if and when we would return. Herself secured the shack while I tended the mowers, 4-wheeler, and put tools away. It is a difficult time not knowing when we will get back, but it gives us something to look forward to.
I know that when Spring comes, we will need to finish the trails before everything turns green to avoid the ticks and also so we can see more than 15 feet in front of us. I also hope to build a couple of bridges across some ravines, mainly just to see if I can do it.
When the trails are done, our next project will be to complete the screen room, which shouldn't take to long, as we just have to install one more section of screen and a couple of doors.
After that, the projects will fall into place as we determine what we want to do next. Probably clear some more land and work on our drive way, and cut more trees, and mow, and work on the shack, and and and and and and more ands.
We hope to make it to either II and/or III this new years weekend. Maybe for only a day but who cares. Much better than watching football all weekend. So, if we make it to the cabins, perhaps there will be another tale to tell.
Until then
Boi

1 Year Anniversary

With Christmas behind us (and a fine one it was too with the children and bairns all gathered together under one roof) our thoughts turn to III. Our first real visit to the area was on New Years Day one year ago and my intention, and perhaps Himself's also, is to revisit III this coming New Years Day. Now our hopes will all hinge on the weather as everyone in Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri knows, if you don't like the weather today, just wait until tomorrow. It is sure to change.

It would be fun to visit III knee deep in snow. I've always wanted to learn to cross country ski, to ice skate and to try snow shoes but as of this moment I don't imagine there is any snow to be found in all of the 37 acres. If the weather is better than drizzly, if it is even half way decent, we will probably take a run to III. Anniversaries should be celebrated.

for the Splendor of the World . . .

The mild weather holds and Indian Summer takes your breath away. A weekend in the timber with temperatures in the 70's, oak trees showing all shades of red, yellow, brown and orange under bright blue skies refreshes the spirit and feeds the soul. We were blessed with that day last Saturday.

Himself and I cut "the West trail" on Saturday morning. We set to, upon arrival, and didn't stop until our company arrived. Beth brought Austin and Jake to spend the day and our first duty was to walk the Trail of the Well. The boys thought we must have walked about 17 miles but in reality it was only about one. One mile with many things to see, beauty all around and youthful exuberance running ahead, leading us up the trail. It was a good day.

the River Walk

I think this view is just lovely. The trail is headed east to the Sandy Creek. You can see one of our trailblazing marks on the closest tree. I told Himself that perhaps we should be making slash marks on the trees as the early woodsmen, or long riflemen, did. However, if we would have had to reclaim our trail looking for slash marks, we might never have found it. The orange fluorescent paint was much easier to see . . . the other side

Found "Treasure"

This is a photo of the old limestone well we found, while floundering through the timber on the river bottom. We were so excited! I want to get down in it, of course, to see if there are any artifacts but Himself is saying that we cannot for fear of collapse. I do think we can find some kind of a grappling hook or long handled tool, so that we can at least probe for treasure . . . the other side

Writers block over

We have gone to III this past weekend(october 15,16, and 17) Saturday we put all other projects aside and decided to finish our trail. First we had to find the river. I knew the way to the North fence boundry, so when we got there we split up. I went to the west and herself went to the east. Herself found the river, so we went back to where our previous trail ended, and forged into the heavy timber armed with loppers, chain saw, and mower. We headed mostly east, clearing as we went. After we cleared several yards, we came upon a piece of tin lying to the side. As herself was in the lead, she investigated and found an old well about 20ft deep and 5-6ft in diameter, lined with limestone rocks. After looking for awhile, we went ahead with the trail and came to a beautiful overlook to Sandy Creek. The creek is low this time of the year, but it looks interesting. I noticed just about every tree of age has poison ivy vines creeping up to the tree tops. One vine I noticed was approx. 5" in diameter. Eventually, we will attact the vines near the trail. On we went, cutting and clearing until we came to the SE border, where we we're going to have to start up a big hill. It was getting late, so decided to call it a day. Went back to the shack, cleaned up and had brots for supper.
We have since found out that limestone wells were built in the 1800's, as later wells were lined with tile. The well is in excellent condition for being over 100 and maybe 200 years old. It is empty, except for some branches and leaves. I am very curious to do further exploring in this area to see if we can find and indication of a cabin or house. To much poison ivy at this time.

We knew it was supposed to cool off that nite, as around 7:30PM the temperature had already dropped to the lower 50's. So we decided we would fire up the stove for the nite. I was in bed around 10:00. Around 12:30 I could feel the cold creeping, so got up and threw more logs into the fire. I checked the temperature outside, it was 48 degrees. Got up again at 3:30 to fire up the stove again, and the temp was 42 degrees. Got up again at 5:30 for good and got the coffee going. I know herself got up once to feed the fire, yet she claims twice. I am such a light sleeper that I hear every sound, so I have my doubts as to her having got up twice.
Sunday we got up and started up on the trail again. It was decided that we would start where we wanted the trail to begin and see if we could meet up where we had finished from the previous day. It must have been luck, or herself's compass reading ability, but we came out right where we wanted. We ended up with eight tenths of a mile of trail. The next time we will continue the trail to the west end of the property which should give us a minimum of 2 miles of trail. Keep in mind that this trail is going thru raw, heavy timber. It is hard work, but a feeling of accomplishment greets us when finished.
We have used the dc/ac converter for three weekends now. I estimate the lamp has been on for approx. 5 hours, and have filled the air mattress 3 - 4 times, and have not had to re-charge the battery yet. I know it will fail when we need it the most, but I need to have some kind of idea how long we can expect from the battery. Thanks again, Clint, for introducing our "cabin in the woods" to electricity.
Just to give credit where credit is due, herself forged the new trail, leading us and marking the way, clearing with the loppers, then I would follow up with the chain saw, followed by the mower. She did a truly fine job, and the trail is very scenic. Daniel Boone could not have forged a finer trail.
On Monday, we got up and herself started clearing brush from the lane where previous owner had cleared trees. She got 2 trailer loads, and only cleared about 25 yards. At that rate it will take approx. 500 more trailer loads, but its a start. While she was doing this, I took the marking paint and went and marked some trees so we could find the trail after all the leaves have fallen, covering the trail. She worked much harder than myself, but then she is much younger.
All for now.
Boi

October 1, 2005: The leaves are just beginning to show color.

The sounds of Silence

Himself has a block, a writers block. He has not made an entry for over a month. I have been silent, giving him space, but he still does not write. I think, then, the remedy is to take him to III. We will go to Too tomorrow evening. I imagine that we will winterize the cabin; lock her down for winter. Not that we won't go again this fall but at this time of year, you never know what Mother Nature has in store. So to protect against a freeze, snow or just plain cold temperatures, we will need to close her down. Then, Saturday morning, we will head to III. We hope to get out into that beautiful timber and a have a look see. Maybe cut some trails. Look around to see where we might situate a house in a year or two. We are taking an extra day and will stay until Monday. We are anxious; can't wait! Our weather forecasters are predicting a beautiful weekend. 70 degree highs. Lows in the mid 40s. A fire in the woodburner will feel good at night or first thing in the morning, to take the chill off but Himself shouldn't have to get up in the night to add firewood -- not if we go prepared. And we will.

I have faith that on our return, Himself just might have something to say. the other side

The lull before the storm

Saturday the pond was still and green and stagnant. It almost seemed that one could take a piece of chalk and write on the green, slate board surface.

Sunday morning we arose to thick, gray skies and drizzly rain and the look of the pond was fresher, clearer.

I like both ponds.

Fall fashions

From: http://www.conservation.state.mo.us/nathis/seasons/fall/
Kansas City Region: Fall colors are just starting to turn in most of the region, but the process will begin to accelerate with cool evening temperatures predicted for this week (lows in the 40's). Sumac, Virginia creeper, poison ivy and dogwood are starting to turn red. Hackberry, redbud, honey locust, elm, ash. hickory, and cottonwood are starting to show some yellow. There is good viewing of fall color in Swope Park, White Alloe Creek CA, Burr Oak Woods CA, Maple Woods NA, and Big Buffalo Creek CA. Highways 45 and 24 make excellent drives for fall color viewing. Many trees in the Sedalia area are beginning to show fall color. Most notable are walnut, ash, and sycamore with shades of yellow. Dated 9/29/2005

We are sitting on the porch at III. The skies are overcast, the wind gusty and occasional thunder rumbles around the edges. Rain drips and, falling on the tin roof, it sounds more than what it is. To the noise of a thunderstorm in the night and what sounded like pouring rain, we got up to not even a half-inch of rain in the gauge. There will be more rain this morning and we are more or less content to sit on the porch with our morning coffee and wait it out.

I take a stroll in my green, waterproof, shoes and sweatshirt, around the clearing. I am almost wishing I could be working, cutting brush and trimming back cedar trees but I remind myself that I wished for the thunderstorm and rain and I must be satisfied. We hear crows and blue jays scolding and an occasional wild turkey's gobble. There are other bird sounds that we cannot recognize, nor name. A gray squirrel runs through the clearing and disappears into the trees. Himself catches a glimpse of a deer bounding across the trail and into a thicket. The pond was moss green yesterday, stagnant and still, but the rain has brought it back to life with raindrops stirring the surface.

A fall shopping list:
Tarps for winter.
Snowshoes and
Cross-country skies.
Ice skates, perhaps.
A yellow, "no'eastern" rain hat
to allow for rainy walks;
to keep rain off the neck
Mud boots for Himself.


Yesterday we cleared more of this old pasture and cut up some of the bigger logs for firewood, thinking forward to winter. I cut back cedars to allow more sunlight for little hardwoods and Himself used the chain saw to move the clearing back and then mowed down the tall grass.

There is some color coming to the timber. Oaks are starting to turn brown or red, just around the edges. The few walnuts have thrown off their summer foliage and the fewer cottonwoods have changed to yellow and lightened their load of leaves. One large tree in the west, which I can’t identify, is standing out from its neighbors dressed in red and orange. The fall fashion parade has just begun, giving us a preview of the coming show . . . the other side

In the light of day

Himself is painting the untreated boards of the shade room. We have to paint untreated lumber so that next spring and summer the carpenter bees won't make a beeline for it. Treated lumber is supposed to deter the creatures but I'm not sure it does. The carpenter bees can drill right into a 2X4 or 4X4. Himself sits on the porch many a day and stands guard, armed with a can of superduper, projectile wasp spray. He can take out a carpenter bee at 40 paces and is the fastest gun in the west.

Meanwhile, the shade room is taking shape. It would have been screened in this past weekend but our favorite local lumberyard didn't have enough screen in stock. The wall to the left in the photo is open and now the insects fly in freely and sit on the screen and try to get out. Himself, the old softie, because we opted to use 4X4 treated lumber at the corners instead of cedar posts that I had planned, volunteered to erect a cedar post in the screen room for ambiance and support -- then embellished that with cross braces like in an old western movie. Now what more could a gal ask for . . . the other side

We have light!

Thanks, to Cousin Clint, we now have light at III. He kindly gifted us with a DC to AC converter and the first thing Himself did today upon arriving was to run an electrical wire and hook up an electrical outlet. We plugged a lamp in, turned on the converter and "Presto!" we have light.

Himself asked me what I thought about the light and I said, I don't know.

An electrical light is change. I guess I wonder what the next advancement will be here at III. Starting with Coleman lantern and stove, we have stepped up to cook on propane. We have a sink with a drain that runs outside (even if it is into a pail, which I carry to the garden to recycle the "gray" water) -- and now electricity! I have enjoyed roughing it here this summer, playing pioneer and, as I have said a time or two, practicing for the Second Great Depression which I was sure was inevitable when gas went up to $3.00 gallon; I thought that would squelch the economy and cause the market to crash. I was ** Prepared **!

I have learned things this summer, roughing it at III and coping with the drought at home. I have learned how much water I have wasted in the past. I have learned that I can use much less water and I have figured out ways to recycle the water. At home where I am catching the water off the roof (when it will rain) and here at III, I carry the gray water from the kitchen to the evergreen trees and the garden. Of course, I knew these things; learned as a child watching my folks and my grandparents, traits left over from the droughts of the 30s and habits of the Great Depression. Vegetable and fruit scraps always went to the chickens or to the garden and I remember dry times when the dishwater went to a flower or tree.

I also learned that I like to reuse, recycle, find a new use for an old object. For instance I want to use the cedar trunks that I have kept and cleaned up, removing the bark. At home, I like watering my flowers and vegetables, dipping the pail in the rain barrel. I do not always like carrying the peelings, the egg shells and the watermelon rinds to the garden, here or at home, but find that I do it much more often now and am glad that I am reducing the amount that has to go in the garbage bag and then to the landfill. I like finding just the thing at a flea market or garage sale, something I have needed or can use at III.

I have had fun roughing it with Himself out here at Shag III. We can do with much less than we have in Creston or even Shagbark Too. We are hardy, independent, can improvise and problem solve and we have fun while we do. So an electric bulb burning in our uninsulated hunting cabin? What do I think? I like it. It makes life easier. But even more, I like having fun and "making do" with Himself at III . . . the other side

Shaderoom, too

This is a shaderoom of a different nature. It used to be full of 1st year growth trees, tall grass and scrub. Now the sun streams in, dancing on the ground and twirling among the branches. Between me cutting the small trees, dead limbs out of bigger trees and all manner of other growing things and Himself mowing in there, we are creating a shady place for children to play. I envision the trees growing taller and sturdier with hand holds and branches to climb so that in a few years bairns will be able to play house and cowboys, climb trees, ride rocket ships, be washed up on desert islands and all sorts of imaginative pretend. . . . the other side

Nourishment

For months I planned the shade room. I sketched it out a dozen times, listed materials and calculated cost. I planned the shaderoom with an old-fashioned tin roof, cedar-trunk corner posts and a dirt floor. I planned on screening it in for a cool place to sit with my morning coffee, a shady place to serve breakfast or supper -- away from the heat of the day and the buzz of the bugs.

Himself, on the advice of those that know, talked me out of the cedar posts. They will rot and not last long. We should use treated 4 X 4 posts. Okay, I agree, but still planned the tin roof and the three, screened walls.

The day came to order the material and standing at the counter of the local lumberyard, (not a home center, mind you. a lumberyard) I am told, "You have to special order the galvanized tin; the tin is not stock material". Himself says, we may as well shingle it. "Shall we shingle it?" So, in the heat of the moment with the lumberman frazzled, tired and overworked and Himself just wanting to get the job started and done, in a matter of minutes we figure the shingles and the sheathing for the roof and idea of the tin roof ripples away.

Standing at the counter, I showed Himself the sketch I quickly drew, figuring three sheets of plywood to cover the 12 X 12 roof. It looked too good to be true; no cutting, just lay three sheets of plywood, alternate directions, up on the rafters. Look at this, I said, does this look right? Ok, he said and we recited the order, wrote the checkand hightailed it to III before the lumberman could change his mind about the delivery.

After an afternoon of hard and rewarding work setting the corner posts, it came time to sit and reflect on the afternoon's accomplishments, to admire our handiwork created from 4 X 4 posts, cement premix and pond water. You are going to be short plywood, he said, and I got my sketchpad and studied and pondered and reluctantly agreed that in those moments at the counter of the lumberyard, that while calculating our needs I did, indeed, short us on the sheathing for the roof.

So it was planned that I would pull the trailer to town the next morning, brave the wrath of the frazzled, tired and overworked lumberman and ask him to cut two sheets of plywood and "while you are at it, toss in another (60#) bundle of shingles" and, and "yes, I know you want to be out of here by noon." Himself would stay behind; he would cut and hang rafters so that upon my return we could, at full speed, prepare the roof and start to shingle.

And it was done. I pulled the trailer. I braved the wrath. I bought the material that would finish the roof of the shaderoom.

Himself executed nicely. He labored and sawed and drilled and corrected my architectural mistakes and because, in my calculations, I was south one foot there is a special corner in the shaderoom called "Nancy's corner". Because I believe that good comes of difficult situations, Nancy's corner will be commemorated. Perhaps it will be stained glass. Maybe there will be a child-sized door, a secret egress. Maybe it will just be painted differently than the rest of the cabin.

I enjoyed the planning of the shaderoom. I enjoyed the adventure of the "doing" and solving the problems and correcting the errors. I can rejoice in Nancy's corner because I dared to dream it and Himself and I dared to do it. . . . the other side

People need dreams, there's as much nourishment in 'em as food.

Dorothy Gilman

LABOR DAY LABOR - Sept 3,4, and 5 - 2005

Wow, I didn't think a Labor Day Holiday would be so busy. We stopped at II Thurs nite. Got up Friday and went to Princeton to place an order for the screen room. Can you deliver, we asked. Well, maybe, very busy, need to get done early, don't know, it would be late. Finally he said yes but late, maybe 2 or 3 in the PM. So placed our order and went on to III. I went to the neighbors and told him that the lumber yard would be delivering and where to place the materials. About 2:30 i decided to go up to the driveway and start mowing. No more than started up the lane and here comes a pickup with a big trailer loaded with our materials. Not only did he deliver right to the cabin, but he helped unload.
So we immediately started in on the screen room. We set the corner 4x4 pressure treated posts in concrete and made sure all were plum and true. Let them set overnite. Next morning, I started setting the roof trusses while, of course, "herself" went to town. There had been a slight mis-calculation on the amount of roof sheathing we would need so of course Nance went after the needed materials. Now, I am wondering, she had been planning this screen room ever since we started going down there. Spent hours measuring, planning, etc and still she came up 1 and 1/2 sheets of 4x8 plywood short. Was this planned to get her to town, as if she needed such a plan? Pretty suspicious to me. Anyway by the time she got back, all the roof trusses were installed. next step was to get the plywood up and tacked down. all went well till we got to the pieces Nance went to pick up. We had to have them cut in half so they could be hauled in the trailer. Anyway, it looked like the cuts were made in the design of a half moon. As we have no electricity i couldn't straigten out the cuts, so just slapped them on as is. Left a pretty good gap as i had to adjust for the circular cut. So, got the sheathing up, roof felt down, and shingled, in 2 days work. Not bad as the only power tool we had was a battery powered drill. Any cuts were done by hand. Now all thats left is to brace the roof and screen it in. After the screen room is done, i have a few more stumps to clear, then it will be onto the trails. It was truly a Labor Day Weekend.
And the screen room has a special corner, called "Nance's Corner". She will have to tell you about that, as I have been forbidden to even mention it. Ha . . . himself

August at III

We spent Saturday and Sunday at III (see his entry below). It was typical August weather and we did get some clearing done although it was really too humid to be doing much. We arrived Saturday morning, 8/20, and jumped right on to the hard jobs. Himself went to mowing and I went to town! I found a great thrift shop and checked out a couple of other shops in Bethany. I also filled the jeep with gas, which hurt, as I had to pay $2.57/gal. That is the most I have ever had to pay for gas in my entire life. I only record it here so that I can look back in 20 years and either say, "gee, we were still burning gas then?" or "wow! I have to pay $7.70/gal now -- that was cheap back in the olden days!" I wonder which it will be? Maybe we will be running our vehicles on soy bean oil in 2025???

While himself runs around playing commando or Rambo with the buzzing insects (we are ordering him a holster in which to carry his super-duper, wasp and hornet spray -- he's the fastest draw in the West!), I continue to make improvements. I carried a 1/2 ton of broken tile from the top of the drive to the wettest part of the driveway one weekend. Wait, to clarify, I dug them out of the brush, threw them into a trailer and carted them down the hill. No way could I have carried that much broken tile and be done already. Last weekend, I shoveled out the fire pit (2 trailer loads) and carted the ashes up to another place in the drive that has a low spot. Previously, I edged the sloping drive with cement block. I figure the blocks will allow water to run through but will hold the ashes that I have now carted up and dumped. Ashes are much easier to dig than the red, Missouri clay.

Now, to be fair, himself cooked gormet meals all weekend and maybe even washed the dishes. He also revved up the chain saw and cleared some more scrub and cut some trees. He sent me into the brush and tall grass (he really doesn't like the insects -- case you couldn't tell) to clear first year growth trees so he could mow that patch down. In addition to the cabin clearing being a fire break, by keeping it mowed we will cut down on the risk of ticks too.

So, all and all, we enjoy each and every weekend that we spend at III. We have so many plans for when it cools off, for Fall, that I don't suppose we can possibly get them all done. One project we do want to finish is to get the Shade Room up and roofed. That will make life simpler and more organized and we'll hang the hand tools in there and park the Mule and the lawn mowers there too. That will free up the front porch, now cluttered. The trails, too, are a priority for both of us. We can't wait to get some trails cut into the "deep" woods, down to the river. We disagree on which direction we need to go to get to the river -- but we will find it! And this fall we will walk in to where we want to eventually build our house and decide on the layout so that next summer we can get my barn (garage) built. We will probably put running water to it and have a stool and shower in a corner of the barn. Of course, that will mean a septic tank or leach field so there will be plenty to think about for next year. The planning is almost as much fun as the doing!

And so go our days at III . . . the other side

yellow jackets demise and other things

well, we went to Shag III last weekend 8/20/05 to complete my covert mission to search and destroy my terrorist yellow jacket nest. I waited till late afternoon to locate the nest, then marked it with spray paint so i could find it when it got dark.
about 8:30 I decided it was time, so donned my cammo gear, and my super flying insect killer that shoots a stream 50 feet, and headed out on my mission. I arrived at the nest at 8:32 P.M. and discovered a few of the yellow jackets we're on patrol. As they had not yet spotted me, i decided it was now or never. I let loose with one steady burst and totally doused the nest, walking toward it as I fired. One full can into the hole, then I ran like h___. Thats not heck, either.
I checked the next morning around 5:30 A.M. Did not see any activity, so let loose with another long burst directly into the hole. As of 11:30 A.M. there was no activity, so will assume the nest has been destroyed. I will keep my eye on it though. If i spot more, i will use gas on them this time.
I am getting my equipment gathered for a fall push on the 4-wheeler trails. I now have ammased 5, yes thats right, five chain saw blades, so when I start into the timber, I won't come out for awhile,
We have started pushing outwards from the driveway towards the timber line, clearing out small trees and scrubs and tall weeds. It will mean alot more mowing to keep it cleared, but this will be good to keep cleared for no better reason than a fire break if there ever happened to be a fire.
We seem to have cleared the herd of mice that were nesting inside and outside of the cabin. After putting about 20 boxes of d-con out, I have not seen any indications of mice in or around the cabin. I imagine when it gets colder they will be looking for a place to winter over, but they will only meet death. . . . himself

the battle goes on and on and on

We have come to find out that there will be a never ending supply of insects. Each type seems to have its own time of the year that it becomes a nuisance. I have battled the carpenter bees to a standstill, the ticks, I no longer just flick off. When i spot one crawling on me, I take a bic lighter and burn it off. I singe a few hairs, but why just flick the tick for him to attact later. I prefer to fry them. Now, the yellow jackets. I knew we had a nest, and i knew the general area where the nest was. I have never bothered them, nor provoked them in any way. However, they have attacked me for no reason. Just because I mowed over their nest is no reason, but they did. Now this nest is living on borrowed time. The next time we go down, I will wait till dark and mount a night attact. I will douse the nest with gasoline, then use some lighter fluid to make a trail from the gasoline, then i will ignite the nest. This will be a personnal attact as they have stung me several times. After 2 weeks, the stings still itch.
After visiting with my friend an co-worker Mr Ron M, I have finally convinced Nance to purchase some pressure treated lumber to use for the screen room instead of cedar trees. Although all the books and websites say cedar was used for fence posts, I will lean to the advice of Mr. Ron.
I am looking forward to this fall when the leaves have fallen and I can get started in ernest on my trails. There will be places for small bridges, and I am thinking that railroad ties my be the answer to bridge construction. There seem to be plenty around when I haven't had any use for them, but now that I do, well, we'll see.
All for now.
Boi

Peace of mind

Life is sweet, tender and complete
When you find the bluebird of happiness.
You will find perfect peace of mind
When you find the bluebird of happiness.

Our wildlife refuge houses a number of bluebirds -- or a few, very active bluebirds! I can't tell them apart so don't know if it the same birds all the time or many different ones. Whichever, they are pretty! When the sun glints off their backs, they sizzle! Bluebirds are songbirds and soon, I hope, I will know their song without seeing the bird.

ITS HOT!!!!!!!!!!

We went to Shag. II on July 15. It is a Friday and hotter than __ll. We did mow and because of the lack of rain, the grass hadn't grown much so we completed the job in record time. Of course the drive belt on my rider keeps coming off, and strangely enough it is always when I am going up the steepest part of a bank. So when the belt comes off, i go rolling down the hill backwards, as without the drive belt, the brakes alone won't stop the mower. So, full speed down the hill backwards, 95 degrees, and hoping to get the mower to stop under a shade tree. Well, that never happens either, so wherever the damm mower stops is where I get to put the drive belt back on, and its never in the shade. Anyway, I purchased new drive belts and installed them, so hopefully that will cure the problem.
Saturday: DEFIANCE. It happened in the first degree. I was shocked and MAD!!!!!All I wanted to do was get to SHAG III early while it was cool, but no. Someone had to prove how independent she was, so we lost about 3 hours.
Anyway, when we go to III, it was hot and humid. I mowed and by the time I was done, I was covered with dust and dirt. Nance watered the trees, but was taking breaks everytime I looked. The temperature inside the cabin was 97 degrees and climbed higher after we opened the windows. With no breeze to draw out the hot air, it was decided that we would go back to II and spend the nite. We could have stayed at III but when its to hot and dangerous to work its best to move on.
As there has been rain since we have been to either place there will be alot of mowing to do, and we have to go to K.C. for grandchildren's birthdays for awhile, so the pressure will be on.

Dog days: a period of stagnation or inactivity

This is a good way to spend a period of inactivity.

The brightest of the stars in Canis Major (the big dog) is Sirius, which also happens to be the brightest star in the night sky. In fact, it is so bright that the ancient Romans thought that the earth received heat from it.

according to http://wilstar.com/dogdays.htm

And now we have one theory on why the hot, humid summer days are called the dog days of summer.

Free falls and dog days

I peek in here, checking to see if Himself has posted; I haven't had time but I thought maybe he would have extra time at work. He hasn't been inspired, evidently, and since I am tired of seeing that tick in here when I bop in, I'll add a short note just to move the tick down the page.

We didn't get to Shag III this past weekend as we needed a weekend at home and because Iowa has been in the midst of a heat wave. 90 plus degree temperatures and terrific dew points result in + 100 heat indexes. (YOU look up the plural to index -- I don't know it and don't want to take the time to look it up!) Anyway, it was too bloomin' hot to be without electricity, he said. I did remind him that we come from pioneer stock but that, nor the call of the wild, would lure him away from the air conditioner.

As it was, it was good that we planned on being home as Dana took a free fall from a 20' ladder and now is laid up with an injured foot. He had to wait all weekend to see an orthopedic specialist today. He will have to ride to Des Moines tomorrow for a scan of the foot and then go back on Wednesday to consult with the specialist again. Meanwhile, he's surviving on ice packs and pain pills. Poor boy. Poor lucky boy, when you think what it might have been!

To help a little, we had the small Frey over, some. They are always good and offer plenty of free entertainment! We enjoyed every minute of their visits.

okay, the plural of index "can be spelled either indexes or indices" . . .
"Investopedia" says

A True Story. The End.

Female deer tick with dime for size comparison. (borrowed from http://www.ent.iastate.edu/imagegallery/ticks/iscapfwd.html)

Excerpt from Nance's letter, 7/05/05:

I did come home with a tick, tho. That part wasn’t good. Lanny tried to remove it for me but we didn’t have a very good pair of tweezers and he was hanging on for dear life (the tick, that is). So, today, I went to the doctor and had her remove the tick's head. The doc also gave me a one-day antiobiotic, just in case. Anyway, it’s all “behind” me now.

And after all that, I think that Himself is going to sue me for "pain and suffering". Says he has been traumatised!

Maddie Mae, secret agent

Her daddy calls her Agent 99 when she wears this outfit and I think she is adorable in it.

Madeline isn't into fishing yet but I'm sure she will be as much as Morghan and Jack love it. Another year, and we'll have Maddie's picture in here with her first fish and probably Gabrielle and Joey's too!

And PaPa. Someday, PaPa might catch his first fish and get his picture taken!

1st Visit, revisited

This photo was taken on our first visit to Shag III and believe it or not, the photo was taken on New Years Eve day 2004. Obviously, it was a mild, winter's day. Traci and Craig and the KC bairns met us there and we just hung out for a few hours. I have to admit that I enjoy it more in summer @ 90 degrees than in December but I am looking forward to fall and I would like to try to learn to snowshoe or cross country ski so I will like it in winter, too. And in winter, I won't have to worry about the ticks!

Mule

The "Mule" is another form of recreation at Shag III. Here is Craig, Gabrielle and Joey riding the Mule. Joe looks like he might be asleep in the photo; I don't think he is but more than one child has taken a nap while riding! All five of the bairns love the Mule now and fight over who's turn it is and beg and plead for rides. If the Mule isn't running, it is not unusual to find one or more babes just up and sitting on the thing. We don't dare leave the key in the ignition anymore as certain little children are very observant and know all about which things to push and which to turn and we don't want anyone under the age of 7 years driving yet.

The biggest fish to date

Tony caught this beauty (?) not too long after he dropped his line in. As far as I know, it was the biggest catch of the weekend.

Our pond

Our pond is muddy, not pretty at all. It's source is runoff down the red Missouri clay hills. Some day we may be able to clear and grass the natural waterway and clear the pond up some but for now, the brown pond does not keep the fisherman out.

Tony and Dana both caught some nice cats out of the pond (and they throw them back in to be caught again) and below are pictures of Morghan and Jack with their catches.

I have come to believe that no one is happier, more joyful, than an avid fisherman with a fish on the line. When I see that elation, that pure joy, I wish I were a fisherman.

And more fish! 

Jack Gibson Frey with his chub or his blue gill. 7/2005

There are fish in the pond! 

Morghan Grace with her nice blue gill (???) 7/2005

Watch out for the trees! 

Lanny may grumble about mowing but he enjoys it. If he didn't, he wouldn't be in this situation.

the LJ is back (Memorial Day Weekend) 2005

We had a great Memorial Day weekend at Shag III. I took the day "off" Friday and went to Shag II. I mowed all day getting the lake lots mowed and the cabin lots mowed. Then packed up and headed for Shag III. Although it was wet from all the rain, I drove the jeep in and unpacked. Then fired up the mower and started mowing all we had cleared. I don't remember what time it was, around 5:30 or so, Nance showed up. She had gotten off work early and headed to Shag III, BUT only after stopping in Bethany to shop. Anyway she brought a new grill, just a small one, but it will help in the cooking. Although cooking over a campfire is special, it sometimes takes to long for the coals to burn down, and setting a time for supper is difficult.
Saturday we got up and went to work. We installed the sink/stove combo out of the Leurene Lucille, so we now have running water and a inside stove to cook on if we need to.
Then I worked on a new trail to meet up with the one Nance had started and had come to a dead end when she came to a steep ravine. My trail started and ended up on the other side of the ravine where her trail ended. Although the ravine is steep on both sides, we decided it would be fine for the 4-wheeler. So now we have two major trails started, we now need to join them up, and will try to do so soon.
Nance also worked on putting a 2 foot high fence around her garden to keep the deer out. I'm still laughing at that.
Dana, Erica and the Small-Frey came down for the day. They we're spending the weekend at Shag II. I finally got to see Dana catch a fish. His luck usually isn't very good at fishing, but he came thru this time.
He also caught a few ticks, as did everyone, but that's life in the timber.

Weekend of June 4, 2005
I came to Shag III by myself as we had brought Granny along for a stay at Shag II.
I should say we did bring Granny to Shag III to visit as she had not been there before. After looking the place over and my dumping a mouse practically in her lap(which caused Granny to scream and kick) they left for Shag II and left me to fend for myself.
Storms were predicted for the nite, bad storms. I grilled my pork steak around 7:30 PM. I was about halfway done when in rolled the storms. The wind blew, lightning, and rain, with tornadoes all around. The tornadoes were spotted north and south of Shag III, so I spend some time wondering where I would go if one approached. My guess is it would have been to one of the deep ravines near the cabin. The storms finally ended and I thought I would have a good nites sleep, however, about 10:30 PM here comes the stupid mouse that I dumped on granny. He seen me and went back out, so I baited a trap and set it. A while later here he comes again, scurrrys along the wall, skids to a stop to check out the baited trap, and SNAP. Another one gone.
Slept good, got up next morning, made coffee and ate a roll, then went to work cutting more stumps.
Then packed up and Granny and Nance picked me up and we headed for home.
Now a word or two about the outrageous comments a certain male cousin has been making on our blog site. I want everyone to know this guy is old and senile, has not a clue as to what he is saying or talking about. If any of you ever get to meet him, I guarantee you will never forget him, although you probably will wish you could.
Actually, he is one of the most ornery people I have ever met. He actually could be a Hofmeister if he was a little better looking. I remember only good times with Clint. He made my life easier when I was stationed at Ft. Carson. He would take me motorcycle riding, sightseeing, and fed me well. For this I will always be grateful. But he still doesn't know what he's talking about.
We are heading to Shag III again this weekend, June 17. I again will take Fri. off and go mow at Shag II, then off to III. Hopefully things will dry out a little so the mowing will ease up.
Boi

Fences 

make good neighbors

Range Wars

The settlers and pioneers moved into the Midwest and beyond, building homes and barns and bringing their families and livestock. Soon, in order to keep safe what was theirs, they looked to fencing. It was the advent of the cheaper and available barbed wire that allowed them to fence in their fields and cattle and to define their territory. Soon they were planting orchards and gardens and fields of corn, outlined and defined by a fence.

With landowners building fences to protect crops and livestock, and those opposed fighting to keep their independence, violence occurred requiring laws to be passed making wire cutting a felony. After many deaths, and uncountable financial losses, the Fence Cutter Wars ended.

When we moved onto our homestead, LJ was called to deal with trees and brush, protect from insects and to fortify the cabin. One of the first things I had the need to do was plant garden and soon I had chives blooming, winter onions sprouted and now tomato plants set in. This inherent urge to feed the family and to provide a little beauty with a pretty flower or two has led me to this. This weekend I put a fence around the garden to keep out, as yet unknown, a creature that wanted only to dig what I had already dug and consequently destroyed my tri-color bean crop.

The fence is up -- the battle line drawn!

TRAIL'S END(START)

Weekend of 13 May 2005.
I have started the walking/4wheel trail thru the timber. I have started by walking a ways, then jump on the rider and start mowing a path. If a tree gets in the way, it trimmed with care. So far the going is pretty good except the next time I work on the trail, I will take my compass, as it appears I am wondering away from my goal of a view of the river that runs along the North side of our property. The way the trail meanders, one soon looses sense of direction as the trees are so dense even the sun position is sometimes lost. Anyway, the trail is now at a dead end as we have run into solid huge trees blocking the way. My intent is to go thru the trees doing as little damage as possible, hoping not to have to cut any down.
Weekend of May 28
This is Memorial Day weekend, a time to remember all our fallen relatives and friends.
I hope none are offended that we will be working at Shagbark III and will celebrate their memory on another week-end.
This will be our first full week-end at Shag III, and a 3 day week-end at that. It will be interesting to see if we can carry enough food and water in to last the 3 days. So far we have done well on previous weekends. Our goal is to eat whatever food we take in and have some water left over.
This weekend my goals are to build a frame for the propane stove we salvaged from the Leurene Lucille. Then we will have inside cooking if we need it, an option from the Coleman stove or the campfire.
My next goal is to mow again and to cut some stumps down to ground level where I mow.
The last goal is to work on the trail again.
Whatever time I have left will be spend relaxing(ha) and I might even try fishing the pond.
I will let you know how the weekend has been when we get back.
Boi

The Trail

Lanny has a calling. It is to cut a walking trail through our timber and he has begun! Last Saturday and Sunday he used the mower and the "loppers" and meandered over hill and through vale to start his trail. The next phase of the operation will be tougher as he will start to wend his way into the "big" timber. The trail will be spectacular when done.

When we are at III, we are childlike -- playing house and explorer,
pioneer and adventurer. It is a return for a few hours to the
pleasant, carefree days of our childhood.

I love being in the "big" timber. You can feel the air temperatures drop and there are all kinds of wondrous things to see; mosses and fungi, wild and native plants and standing and fallen trees of all sizes and shapes. I can't wait to explore the next leg of the trail.

the beginning 

THE FIRING OF THE STOVE

SATURDAY APRIL 30, 2005
WE DECIDED THAT NO MATTER HOW COLD IT GOT, WE WE'RE GOING TO STAY AT SHAG III. AND COLD IT GOT. WE FINISHED UP THE WORK AT SHAG II AND HEADED FOR III. I SPENT MOST OF THE AFTERNOON PLANTING MY NEW PINE TREES TO TAKE PLACE OF ALL THE CEDARS I WAS FORCED TO CUT DOWN. JOHANNA AND SAM CAME DOWN LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AND IMMEDIATELY NANCE, JOHANNA AND SAM HEADED FOR THE TIMBER TO EXPLORE. THEY CAME BACK ABOUT AN HOUR LATER AND WE HAD OUR SUPPER COOKED TO PERFECTION OVER THE CAMPFIRE.
AFTER SAM AND JOHANNA LEFT, I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO FIRE UP THE WOODBURNING COOKSTOVE TO SEE IF WE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. AROUND 11:00 PM IT WAS BEDTIME, SO I PUT ONE FINAL LOG ONTO THE FIRE. IT LASTED UNTIL ABOUT 1:30 AM. I WOKE UP AND IT WAS DARN COLD. I CHECKED THE FIRE, IT HAD PRETTY WELL DIED DOWN. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 42 DEGREES. SO I FIRED UP THE STOVE AGAIN, BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE WARMING THINGS UP. THEN I RAN OUT OF WOOD, SO LIKE A TRUE PIONEER, IT WAS OUT INTO THE COLDER COLD TO GET A FRESH SUPPLY. AND WHILE I WAS OUT AND ALREADY COLD, I DECIDED TO MAKE A TRIP TO THE OUTHOUSE. IT MADE ME IMAGINE WHAT THE PIONEERS WENT THRU WHEN THERE WAS A BLIZZARD OR 25 DEGREES BELOW ZERO.
GOT THE STOVE FIRED BACK UP AGAIN. IT WAS NOW ABOUT 4:00 AM. AND IT WAS STILL ONLY 52 DEGREES. SO I DECIDED TO SEE WHAT THE LITTLE STOVE WOULD DO, AND REALLY PILED ON THE WOOD. PRETTY SOON I HAD A ROARING FIRE AND SOON WARMED THE CABIN UP TO 67 DEGREES. OF COURSE IT WAS NOW 5:00 AM AND NO WAY COULD I GO BACK TO SLEEP NOW. BESIDES I NOW HAVE ANOTHER MOUSE MAKING THE MISTAKE OF PROVOKING ME FOR NO REASON. HE MOVES ALONG THE WALL TO THE DOOR AND JUST SITS THERE, PROBABLY WAITING FOR ME TO OPEN THE DOOR SO HE CAN GET OUT. NO WAY. I HERD HIM BACK TOWARDS ANOTHER WALL WHERE I KNOW THERE IS A MOUSE TRAP. SNAP!!! HE'S GONE.
NANCE FINALLY GETS UP AND HAS COFFEE, THEN WE HEAD OUT TO FINISH CLEARING UP THE GIGANTIC BRUSH PILE LEFT BY THE FORMER OWNERS. WE STOP FOR BREAKFAST, THEN FINISH UP THE PILE. IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD COMPARED TO WHEN WE STARTED.
I TOOK A WALK AND FOUND A NATURAL PATH FOR OUR NATURE WALK. IT ONLY GOES ABOUT 50FT BUT ITS A START. I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR THIS CHALLANGE, BUT ALSO NEED TO GET A STORAGE BUILDING STARTED. AM GETTING TIRED OF STORING THINGS ON THE PORCH.
NANCE DOESN'T KNOW IT YET BUT I AM CLAIMING THE REMAINDER OF THE FIREPLACE BLOCKS TO USE FOR A FOUNDATION FOR THE STORAGE BUILDING. I'M PRETTY SURE MY CLAIM WILL BE OVERTURNED, BUT WORTH A TRY.
LATER, BOI

It's a jungle out there! I think Hannah came out of this area with a stick in her hair. But look how green it is!  

Another night at Shag III

We spent Saturday night at the cabin and the temperature dropped to close to freezing. LJ fired up the wood stove and we snuggled down in the sleeping bags. It wasn't long, tho, before LJ felt the cold creeping in and was up to stoke the fire. Then he was up and down the rest of the night. Meanwhile, I had pulled my head in and was sleeping good! When I woke up about 6:00, the sun was up and the coffee made. Ah, no better way to start the day!

Because it was predicted that the wind would blow gale force later, we plunged in about 7:00 and started burning brush piles. Left by previous owners, these potential fire pyres were huge. One brush pile trespassing on my future garden spot was the size of a one-car garage. I had been working on it, with LJ's help, and this morning, we got the last of it carted off and burned. A major accomplishment!

LJ has started to plan and execute his nature trails. We envision about 5 miles of trails later on. When the grandbairns are staying with us and are getting underfoot, we'll tell them to run around the trail. Can't you picture that? I think the nature trails will be wonderful.

That's all from me. I want himself to tell the stories. I'll add the pictures.

Johanna, Sam and I hiked the timber and found some impressive trees -- both live trees and downed trees. Also found two morels and 1 gray and lots of other fungi and moss.  

A loo with a view! Looks pretty rickety, doesn't it? Except the door is nice and solid. 

The indoor kitchen. This cupboard looks pretty good for the shape it was in when I found it. 

The second kitchen 

THE OUTHOUSE AND OTHER THINGS

We had decided on the previous trip that one of our first projects would be to get a door onto the outhouse. Don't really know why except to keep the rain out, but anyway Nance the scavanger found an old solid wood door somewhere in Osceola. Rammed it into the car and brought it to Creston. The plan was to make it into a "Dutch" door. So, I cut the door in half and we hauled it back to Shag III. The door fit pretty good height wise but had to fill in the sides with a 2X4. Now we have an outhouse with a view.
Then it was time to get on with other projects. Nance worked inside the shack, hanging an old Cuppord, then painting it so we would have a place to put things.
While she was cleaning and arranging the shack, I went back to work clearing a few more trees, and cleaning up the piles we had already cut. The wind was blowing about 90 mph but everything was wet from 1 1/2 inches of rain, so started the brush piles downwind and everything burned pretty slowly. We finished clearing off the brush piled on the dam and a couple of other big brush piles, then it was time for me to mow for the first time. It was a challange as I could not take my eyes off of where I was mowing. The people who owned the land before us cleared trees but left stumps about the height of my mowing blades sticking up. Took about 2 hours, but got it done. So we got several small projects out of the way this weekend. This was April 15 and 16. We did not overnite this weekend as it was too cold, lows in the lower 30's. I would like to fire up the wood burning stove, but to many other projects to do first. Maybe next time.
Boi

FIRST NITE AT SHAGBARK III

Our first nite at Shagbark III was with much anticipation on my part, as I didn't know what to expect. We spent Friday nite at Shagbark II, Saturday, gathered up any tools and anything else we could think of and drove on to Shag III. It had rained and the road in was a mess, so we walked in to the shack, hooked up the trailer to the 4-wheeler and drove it back to where we left the jeep, loaded things into the trailer and 4-wheeled back to the shack.
After unpacking things into the shack, we went to work cutting trees off the dam and some in the clearing around the shack. We worked at this till about 6:00 PM and decided it was time to get ready for supper. We threw logs into the firepit and proceeded to let them burn down to nothing but coals. Nance wrapped potatoes and onions in foil and threw them into the coals. I put a grate and grill over the coals and threw on a steak. It used to be a steak for each of us but now we share one. Anyway, it was a delicious meal.
Then it was time to get the cabin ready to receive us for the nite. We pumped up the air mattress, got out the blankets and pillows, then went out to sit by the campfire for awhile. We didn't realize how dark it got until I turned out the Coleman lantern. Between the rain clouds, the stars were bright. A very enjoyable evening.
It was time for bed. We were dog tired from all the tree cutting, and as we are older folk now it creates a few more aches and pains.
I slept fairly good, but woke up several times to hear the sounds of the dark. There were many, most of which I did not recognize, except for the mouse that scurried by my head. He must have been checking out his "company" for the nite. (the mouse has since passed)
I woke up at first sign of lite, as usual, got up and went outside to check things out. I walked down by the pond and just stood looking and listening to the beauty of first lite and the noise of nothing but birds chirping. I think my dream has come true.
Nance finally got up so I fired up the 30 plus year old Coleman stove that we used when we first started camping years ago. Put the bacon and coffee on(no better smell than this first thing in the morning), then eggs while Nance made toast over the campfire. After breakfast, we started burning the branches we had cut from the downed trees. We worked at this till mid afternoon, then decided we better get packed up to head home. We parked Dad's rider on the porch and also the 4-wheeler, locked the shack up and headed for home.
Stay tuned for the OUTHOUSE saga.

LJ' S BLOG #2

As long as I can remember, my dream was to have my own land, but this land was to be in Alaska. I wanted a snug little cabin with a big fireplace, lots of trees, and water all around. But as I got older, I realized this particular dream would never come true. Mainly because as I got older, the cold weather, snow, and ice became an enemy. I almost dread winter anymore. I can hardly wait for the first snow, but after that I'm ready for Spring to be here. I thought my dream had partially came true when Nance and I purchased Shagbark II from Gramps and Granny. Life at the lakes was great. We worked hard, played hard, and ate good. But as we became more involved with the politics and people at the lake, I have become quite dismayed. Everyone seems to worry about what the next person is doing, what rules are being broken, and who can tattle to create the most havoc. Then we purchased the two additional lake lots right on the lake shore. I thought this might satisfy my dream, and it did for awhile. It kept us busy clearing the lots and my mind off the politics of the lake. But, as time went on, the lake people keep fueding over nothing in particular, new rules are made all the time that everyone breaks, so life at the lake is fast becoming a thing of the past for me. When there are few people at the lake, it is so quiet and peaceful. That's when I love it. On holidays, its a madhouse. People racing around on 4-wheelers, golf carts and anything else you can imagine. No peace and quiet.
So for some time Nance and I had been talking about some land away from everyone and everything. I had no idea of how and where to begin looking for that special land. So one day I just plugged in "Missouri Real Estate" on the google search engine and what popped up? 37 acres with a pond and rustic cabin, now known as "Shagbark III". I e-mailed the realtor to see if we could possibly look at the land. We could, and we did. We jumped into the jeep and off we went. I was kind of leery at first, as we followed the realtor to the property in his car. When we got there, he jumped out and wanted to ride the rest of the way with us as he didn't think his car could get back to where the cabin was. He was right. The jeep went right to it. It was kind of a cool day, but we and the realtor walked a good part of the land. Thru timber, scrub brush, across creeks, it was pretty wild land. The cabin(shack) was not to important to us. We wanted room to roam. Our dream now is a walking path combined with a 4-wheeler trail, complete with rustic bridges across some of the creeks and gulleys. It will truly be a challange. But there will be no people to argue with, no rules, just peace and quiet.
Before I go any further, I want to say something that needs to be said. I am the luckiest person in the world to have a wife like Nance. She is an adventurer like me. We have tried to rubber raft down the mighty Nodaway River when there was no water in the river, we have camped on the Continental Divide in a tent, we have gone on trails with the jeep that made us wonder what the hell we we're doing. She shares in all the work, helps mow, cut down trees and haul them away, and helps doing anything else that needs done. A true trooper. And what ever time is left, she works on her own dreams and projects. Tho some of the projects don't seem to get completed without some prodding on my part, her intentions are good.
How many women of this day and age would go out to a timber with no electricity, water, or telephone, have an outhouse for a bathroom, cook meals over a campstove or open fire, sleep on an air mattress with the mice and who knows what else running around, AND LOVE IT? Not many!!!!!!!!!
The next blog will be the first nite experience at the new shack.
Later
LJ

I learned a new word today. Canopy. Yes, of course, I know what canopy means but our neighbor today mentioned the canopy of the trees. I am not in the habit of talking about the canopy of the trees but I like the sound of it. I will learn to refer to the heavily timbered area as “the canopy”. I’ll tell Craig to look for the morels under the heaviest canopy. I’ll send the grandbabies to the timber – to the canopy – to look for acorns and creatures. I'll hike beneath the heavy canopy of the oaks.

The Swimming Hole by Tim Cox 

tree rebuttal

Cedar trees are not designed for climbing, swinging from vines or tree houses. A few small cedar trees might be meant for Christmas trees, a few larger ones for bird havens or a means for displaying outdoor lights. We have a surplus of cedars here at III. I sat at the cabin today and looked around for my future vegetable garden spot. I can not find it, as every whipstitch there is a cedar tree.

My mother, memory crippled by dementia, mourns the demise of the farmers who kept the cedar trees out of their pastures. It must have been a point of pride learned at her father's knee and later practiced at the side of the young farmer she married. I point out to her on our country jaunts that that are fewer farmers now, that farmers often work in town in addition to farming, farmers have less time and less need for the pasture but still she fusses about the cedar trees taking over the pastures and I, seemingly, have absorbed the lesson . . .

Let us just tuck the cedars around the edge of the cabin clearing. Let us free the oaks and hickories of the cedars hanging on their shirt tails. Give them room to breath, to grow. We have more than enough hardwood trees for tree houses, swinging ropes and cowboys here on the 37 acres of Shagbark III. I look forward to 10 year old boys and 12 year old girls that will tomorrow be running through this timber, playing hide and seek and learning the love of trees, timber and childhood freedoms from their PaPa.

Memory Overload

Any undue, incorrect user names and passwords were not intential but merely a matter of too many user names, too many passwords . . . and I welcome your entries.

. . . the other side

LJ's View(finally)

After many unsuccessful tries, i finally gained access to this site. I don't think the other side wanted my views published, so she kept giving me incorrect user names. After relentless pressure I was finally given the correct info.

As for trees, since childhood I have lived among the trees. They became hiding places from the always bloodthirsty Indians that we're always trying to take my scalp. They were places of refuge when trying to get away from nosey brothers. They provided tree house locations. They were places from where ropes could be hung from branches to play Tarzan. They provided green apples to eat whenever the desire would strike.

As I grew older, 11 to 13, the timber would become my second home(maybe my first). Any time I and my buddies got the chance, off we would go. We would walk for miles, with no water or food of any kind, and tear through the timber. The challanges were many. How to cross the river, why to cross the river, where to cross the river, and what to do if we did cross the river. And if we did cross the river, how would we get back.

In the winter, we would head for the timber to see how far we could walk on the ice before someone fell through. No one ever did, but it was a challange. We would build a huge fire to stay warm. Once the fire was going, we would all scatter for the timber to look for firewood to keep the fire going so we could get warm before we went back into the timber to look for more firewood. This cycle would go on for hours.

So, this should give you an idea of why I like all trees(exception: Locust) including Cedar trees. They are beautiful, especially in the winter time with snow on their limbs. I shall now make an executive decision, that only I can make, on the fate of the Cedar trees. NO Cedar tree will be cut down, no matter what size or shape, unless it is replaced with a Pine tree.
Stay tuned for the fireworks.

Cabin 

Sunday drive on Saturday

LJ and I went for a leisurely drive yesterday. We wanted to find the roads to get us to Shagbark. We wandered some hilly, curvy Missouri backroads that will be lovely in spring, summer and fall.

Previously, I wondered what sort of creatures we might encounter on this land of ours. One that I hadn't even thought about practically met us at the front gate. There was a nice size flock of wild turkeys. They were off in the trees but the sound of the jeep scattered the 15 or 20 turks and they didn't waste any time fading into the scenery. I couldn't get a hold of my camera before they were gone and even if I had, I'm sure I wouldn't have gotten a good picture of them. They dress in camaflouge.

We did spy a blue jay yesterday and saw, again, our cabin mouse -- tho his days are numbered. LJ has been called to battle and I will put my money on LJ. Mouse has a unique way of exiting the cabin. He runs up the screen and squeaks out through a gap at the top of the door. I get a bit excited watching a mouse run up a screen.

LJ and I again walked the timber. There are signs of spring -- some green, small shoots unidentifable by me, yet. And it is too early for Dutchman's britches or other early flowering plants. I imagine one of the first I will be able to identify will be the lowly dandelion but didn't even find him yesterday.

We sat on the front porch and tried to imagine how black it will be at night, without electricity to push back the dark. Being of the baby boomer generation, we don't remember a time without street lights and porch lights, only tales from our folks. We spent time at the lake, complaining that one of the first things lake new comers do, is to install a big, all night, bright security light. Now, will we decide to do the same at Shagbark? Or will we find the darkness comforting and familiar?

Shopping list: 2 milk pails
26-1/2" X 72" outhouse door
wash pan
journal
broom
mouse traps

'lil britches 

Promise of spring . . .

50 degrees today, and sunny! There is a hint of spring in the air. Winter had better get back down to business or I'm going to get used to this idea of spring. I fear it is too early for this lovely weather to last . . .

I want to get to Shagbark and have a look see. In late March to early April, I may find the dainty Dutchman's Britches that I've always wanted. I'll mark the spot so each spring I can be waiting there to catch and enjoy the first bloom. I will look for Bloodroot and later, Mayapples. If I am lucky, perhaps there are Dog Tooth violets and Jack in the Pulpit. What other native plants will I find nestled in the timber or entrenched in the meadow -- what native treasures will I be able to share with the grandloveys? What song of the bird will they learn to know, to awaken to each morning? Will they see deer? and fox? -- possum and squirrel?

While the earth is awakening and warming, the birds moving north, the buds swelling on the trees and shrubs, I feel the urge to begin my new nest.

February hike

LJ and I visited the property on Saturday. The temperature reached 60 degrees. Although it was a little breezy at the cabin, it was warm as we hiked through the timber. We tried to walk the fence lines but because the trees have no respect for a fence, it was a meandering sort of walk.

Now, we anxiously await spring and summer and look forward to seeing the timber and meadow decked out in leaves and grasses. It will be extremely shady in some areas as the moss grows all the way around the trees and not just on the north side. We didn't startle any deer nor other wildlife except in the cabin. I rattled the woodstove and out ran a plump, big mouse. He will need to find new housing, and soon, as I don't plan on sharing a one-room cabin with a mouse.

We hadn't been in the cabin before. It is just one room, uninsulated and not air tight. We will make it warm and homey and it will do just fine for weekends until we build a permanent home on this land.

1 room cabin 

Building castles

February 3, 2005: A January thaw has brought warm temperatures and sunny days to the Midwest. Saturday, LJ and I will take advantage of the lovely weather and explore our new property. We will walk the land again and we will see inside the cabin for the first time.

This will be a day to set some goals and draw dream castles; to discuss future plans and needs and wants. I'll take pictures and notes and LJ will just take pleasure. This will be the beginning of a great negotiating session. LJ has his thoughts and wants and needs -- and I have mine. The test will be in getting them to mesh, working out compromises and coming up with new ideas that please us both.

Punxsutawney Phil saw his own shadow and we will have six more weeks of winter (but if he hadn't seen his shadow, we would have an early spring and someone said an early spring in this area is mid March) so no matter how I look at it, Spring is six or seven weeks away. Too long! too far off. I want to carry rocks and cut brush, find wildflowers and discover trees and paths and critters and to spend days of hard labor helping LJ, sit in the shade, make a bench out of dead wood and rediscover nature through the eyes of my grandchildren. I am impatient and want to start now!

A Shagbark in early spring

This hickory is located at the property called Shagbark, too.

Cedar Trees

Nance: LJ and I have some differences of opinions, if you can believe that and this subject might be one of them. I think that the cedar trees should all be cut out. The area where the picture was taken, below, once must have been used for pasture and most of the trees growing up are cedar. I will want to do some clearing in this area for a garden some day so the cedars may as well go now. I'm sure that this post will generate some discussion with LJ. In fact, I hope that he will join in and post comments of his own. In anticipation of that, I will begin with this post to preface it with "Nance" and we will know in future posts just who is talking (or spouting off, as the case may be).

When the settlers started moving into Missouri and Iowa, most of the trees grew along the creeks and rivers. Forest fires on the prairies kept the trees limited and allowed the grasses and wild flowers to fill the rolling prairies. When the white men moved in they brought the cedars onto the homesites for windbreaks, fence posts and fire wood. When the family farm was 40 acres or 80, the farmer cleared his pastures of any volunteer trees so that the grasses would grow to feed his cattle. Driving the countryside nowadays, look at the pastures no longer being utilized. Cedar trees are taking over the unused pastures. Read this . . .

Kansas City Wildlands website (http://www.kcwildlands.org/feature6.htm): The eastern red cedar is the only native coniferous tree in our area and has many beneficial qualities as a source of food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. However, cedars are an invasive species in natural communities like prairies and glades, where regular fires would have eliminated these trees in pre-settlement times. [Cedars burn readily and cannot tolerate fire.] If allowed to dominate a prairie or glade, cedars shade large areas and also inhibit plant growth by the accumulation of the acidic leaf litter under them. In time, the biological diversity of these communities is destroyed as they become "cedar jungles."

So, on our little parcel of land, I want to encourage the hard woods and other large decidious trees but I would remove most of the cedars. Perhaps we should leave just enough that we can use one for a Christmas tree each year. I think that would be just about right!

The guys exploring the lay of the land at Shagbark III 

Shagbark, a tradition

My folks, back in the late '60s, built a home in the timber and called it "Shagbark" because of the large and distinctive shagbark hickory trees on the property. When they purchased a lot on a small private lake across the border, just into Missouri, and built a one-room vacation cabin there was a shagbark hickery again . . . and the cabin came to be called "Shagbark II" or Shagbark, too. The folks vacationed at the cabin throughout the '70s and into the '80s. When the mowing and upkeep got to be too much for them, LJ and I were delighted to buy the cabin and to maintain the Shagbark name. A shagbark hickory still shades the cabin and another on the property grows taller each year. We found and walked our 37 Missouri acres in the fall of the year. We are no tree experts but we believe we spotted a few shagbark hickories and so we will call this property Shagbark III.

Another infamous tree found in Missouri is the locust which has wicked, large thorns that grow up the trunk and off of every branch and limb. We have encountered many of those at the Lake and removed the smaller ones. The thorns will puncture the soul of your shoe and many a lawn mower tire has been ruined by one of those locust thorns. During our walks through the new timber, I did not see one locust tree!

In my first post, I said that I would call the new place Mt. Moriah -- which I still like -- and I may refer to it as Mt. Moriah to lessen any confusion when talking about Shagbark II and Shagbark III. But marriage is full of compromise and LJ preferred to continue the Shagbark tradition.

Unfortunately, Shagbark the original remains only in our memories and hearts as a large man-made lake swallowed up the lower acres and a bulldozer bared the land of the trees, scattered the bricks and boards of the house and the garage, the "print shop", the swinging bridge and even the grandkids tree house. I hope someday that I can recreate some of those things for my grandkids amongst the trees of Shagbark III.

40 acres and a barn

I have nagged LJ for several years that I wanted 40 acres and a barn. HE wants to get out of our home county due to rising taxes. Since we are both getting to that age where we think about (and yearn for) retiring, we had half heartedly been looking for property in Missouri. A couple of months ago we came across 37 acres of rolling hills, timber, pond and a primitive cabin. No barn, boohoo. After looking at the property we tried to make an offer on it but found that someone had beaten us to it. So we went on . . . a month down the road, the realtor called; the financing had fallen through on the first offer and did we want to entertain one. Did we ever! To cut to the chase, we closed on the property last Friday. We are now the owners (mortgage holders) of our retirement property! I will call the property Mt. Moriah because of it's proximity to the town of that name in northern Missouri. Mercer County.

Skip this unless you wonder where Mt. Moriah comes from: Mount Moriah (pronounced in Hebrew as moe-ree-yaw) in Jerusalem, now popularly known as the Temple Mount, has been a focal point of Bible History right from very early times. It was the place where Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac. It was the place where Solomon built the original Temple of God. It was the location of many of the events during the ministry of Jesus Christ, with the scene of His arrest on The Mount Of Olives on The Fateful Night just to the east, and His Crucifixion (see How Did Jesus Christ Die?) at Calvary just to the north.

The picture above was taken December 31, 2004.I have lots to learn about these blogs. Just fumbled my way through inserting the photo. I'll see how it goes from here . . .