Happy New Year

In January we will celebrate our second anniversary with Shagbark III. Time reallly does fly. I did think we would get down in December. We have had the weather for it but this month is just too busy with Christmas and family occasions. The good Lord willing and the weather holds, we'll be down in January. After all, we have visited the last two Januarys so I hope the trend holds.

THE YEAR IS OVER-6 DEC 2006

We have finally shut down both places. It has been a GREAT year. Many of our goals have been realized, with new ones taking shape for next year. One great step forward is we now have a ladder. I was really shocked that "herself" didn't decide to make it out of cedar, but this one we can fold up and store under the bed. We will need it when we finish insulating the cabin, and will no doubt find many more uses for it.
We have splurged, and purchased a "game" camera. This camera will attach itself to a tree or similar support, and is activated by motion and heat. Hopefully we will be able to see what kind of beasts walk our trails. Of course, this also may not be so good, depending on what kind of creatures show up. We have always been curious as to what prowls around after dark, as we have seen all kinds of tracks and signs of wildlife. There have been bobcat sightings, and bear tracks, so we will see.
The new 4-wheel trail is super, although it will not be a trail for unexperienced riders or passengers. It is the new bridge trail and it is difficult in places, as son Craig can testify to.
RWH, a visitor last summer, has notified us that he has purchased an outdoor shower for us and visitors to use at the timber. A true act of kindness and generosity on his part. I imagine after he seen our previous shower set up, that he recognized if he ever wanted to shower down here that maybe it was a little to rustic for him. Just Kidding, RWH. We really appreciate the gift and look forward to testing it.

This is a test

Himself is parking the mule in the "garage".

At least in the screen room,

it is somewhat protected from the weather.

III Tree

Last year after Christmas,
I picked up one of those scrawny,
artificial Christmas trees.
In decorating the house today,
I came across some old, old Christmas
tree ornaments I'd picked up at a garage sale.
Tin icicles, for goodness sakes,
and little tin bells with real clappers.
I put them all together and just loved it.
I think it reminds me of my childhood
and some not so perfect trees and
Mama's old ornaments that had seen better days
but went on the tree anyway.

When I asked Himself to admire the old-time tree,
he said "that should be down to III".
And it should!
Maybe next year . . .

Here kitty, kitty

Scratching Post

We found this tree on the pond trail. Something had used its claws and shredded the bark up about three or four feet. I wanted to think it was a bear as I have read that bears will do this but according to Mo's DNR there aren't too many black bears in northern Missouri yet. They are moving north though and the number of bears in Missouri has increased over the last few years along with bobcats and mountain lions. Black bears can be tan, blond, brown, red or black!!

The neighbor says that a male bobcat will scratch a tree like this, to mark his territory. The neighbors recently watched a good-sized bobcat cut through their property.

Himself and I will keep our eyes open. We will watch for prints, tracks and other signs of game. We are curious as to what creastures use our trails and timber when we are not there.

hhmmm. Wonder how a pair of night vision goggles would work . . .

Big ol' tree

River Bottom

Last visit, himself and I took the 4-wheeler off trail and through the trees of the river bottom. There is a lot of dead wood, trees down and some mighty fine living trees still towering above us. We can get through the area now that the shrubs, brush and poison oak and ivy are gone. Down on the bottom, we found where a huge old tree had fallen, probably years ago. It must have been 5 or 6 foot through and 75 - 80 feet tall. It looked as though there might have been two trunks or two large branches that split. One fell one way and one the other.

I will go back, next visit, and look around. I have been looking for the site of an old cabin. I think I should look in the area of the largest tree as any cabin builder/pioneer worth his salt would have planted a shade tree or encouraged one to grow. I will be able to traipse through the timber and poke and prod and not worry about the poison ivy/oak. I think that I shall find the remains of the old cabin someday!

Who am I kidding? That would be like finding a needle in a haystack as probably all that is left is a pile of chimney stones or maybe a metal hinge or something. It would take a miracle to find a fallen down cabin!

But then we did find the limestone well -- so maybe it is possible!