F i n d i n g M y W a y

Saturday, June 21st

Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Six, June 4, 2008

Wednesday was a fairly quiet day as far as pictures. However, Katelyn and I had a rather exciting morning.

The stream was still somewhat swollen from heavy and steady rains on Tuesday, so the incredible moisture trapped in the air made for this haunting foggy picture of the creek looking downstream.

A look down the foggy stream.

Katelyn gets credit for finding the snakes. On either side of the bridge by the falls, there are rock embankments held together with industrial strength chicken wire. The morning was sunny, and Katelyn noticed that the snakes were sunning themselves on the rocks.

Katelyn sees the snakes.

Snake on top of the rock.

After we saw the snakes, we walked on the south side of the waterfalls, and I had a whole new perspective on the creek. The first picture below shows just how much more water was flowing than before. If you compare it to other pictures in previous blog entries, you see a relatively dry middle. No such thing on Wednesday!

Also, can you see the rock bottom beneath the water? That give you an idea of how shallow and clear the water is at that point.

Swollen falls.

Rock bottom of the stream.

On the way back home, we saw three more amazing things.

First, I found my first centipede in nature. It was a curious yellow creature trying to cross the road. Once Katelyn got its attention, it curled up into a tight little ball for self-defense.

Secondly, I saw a tree with a large branch that had fallen off. The forest there is so rich in moisture and nutrients, that another seedling had taken root in the crevice left behind by the branch.

Finally, upon first glance, the third picture below merely shows a piece of driftwood sitting upon a rock in the middle of the creek. However, I know there is a story behind it. I know that rock fairly well, and I know that we did not put the driftwood on it. The water at the time of the picture was several inches below the driftwood. So, how did it get there? The creek had been so swollen from the rain, that the waves lapped it there, only to abandon it as the creek lowered.

Centipede

Seedling in the armpit of a tree. Just kidding, this is where a larger branch had fallen some time ago.

buck on 06.21.08 @ 06:50 PM EST [link]

Thursday, June 19th

Run What Ya Brung

I’m taking a break from talking about vacation tonight because we had our normal Thursday Night Bible Study. However, there are some nuggets that I want to share with you.

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Do you ever have dreams where you have possessions that you know are yours in the dream, but they look nothing like what you have in real life? You do not question this premise in the dream. What about locations? Are you ever in locations where it is evident in the dream where you are, but the real-life location is completely different?

I have dreams where I am either at Purdue University or the Zeta Psi house, and neither place looks remotely like the real thing. I just know that I am there, and the premise is not questioned. Purdue in my dreams is normally a lot more urban, like the university is located in a larger city, and the campus is less obvious compared to the surroundings. Zeta Psi in my dreams has almost an Escher-like quality to its interior architecture and layout.

Randy coined this concept very well: “built-in context of the dream”

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The truth is not always popular, especially when you do not actually possess it.

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I don’t know why this is a pet peeve of mine, but I become annoyed when people from one university cheer for the athletic teams for another university. My general feeling is “run what ya brung” and “dance with the one you took to the prom.” As a Boilermaker, I will always put Purdue on top of my cheer list, even for the obscure sports. I may take an interest in the success of Big Ten teams, or any other random team for whatever reason at any given moment (whatever is on TV at the time), but Purdue is always my Number One. I don’t actively root for or proudly display paraphernalia from other schools. I don’t cheer for Notre Dame in the fall, and Indiana in the Winter, if you get my drift.

However, I came across this quote from a blog interview in Boiled Sports – A Purdue-Centric Perspective on the World and World of Sports; the blog author is interviewing a fellow blogger who follows the University of Michigan.

BS: Do you have a college program other than your true love that you kind of have a guilty pleasure for? For example, despite all the haters, do you have a soft spot for Florida football or North Carolina basketball or something like that?

B, MGB: No, I think that sort of thing is reserved for fans of non alpha-dog teams. I've already got the team that can win big and has to win big for me to be happy.

If your team is not in a Bowl Conference Championship conference, your team probably does not get a whole lot of airtime, even on late night ESPN broadcasts. NCAA Division II and III teams, and NAIA teams don’t stand much of a chance at all. I guess I can then understand why you would want to cheer for Michigan if you attended Wayne State University.

However, if you are in a big conference, you are stuck, pal. If you are a Northwestern grad, you are stuck as a Wildcat for life. Sure, if North Carolina and Duke are playing in basketball, and you come over to my house to watch the game, we can cheer for whom we want, but you had better show up in Wildcat Purple, because I am not showing up in the blue of either the Tar Heels or the Blue Devils.

buck on 06.19.08 @ 10:56 PM EST [link]

Wednesday, June 18th

Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Five, June 3, 2008

Katelyn poses on a rock.

I slept in until 9 AM on Tuesday. I surprised myself a bit, but apparently I needed the rest.

After breakfast, Randy, Katelyn and I went back to the waterfall, and this time we walked back beyond the falls to where Heather and I had found them a couple of days previously. I’m amazed at what just twenty yards down a stream can do to change the scenery. I wore my boots, and that gave me sure footing through the ankle deep water in the creek.

The adventurers upstream from the falls.

We found “Randy’s Island,” and stopped to chat for a while about life and childrearing. Randy entertained Katelyn by making boats. They were nothing more than pieces of bark with ferns as “people” on them as passengers. We put them in the stream at random points just to see what would happen when – or if – they hit the mini-rapids, and eventually the falls. Although that is a lot of fun, you would be surprise how educational it is. Getting something to float downstream is not quite as easy as it sounds.

Randy and his boat.

Katelyn’s boat is off ready for adventure.

Recently, Randy’s father told him that if we had continued upstream for about twenty more minutes, we would have come across a brick chimney standing in the middle of the forest – a remnant of an old house or building. Randy said that it would be a great place to stay the night. So, we already have plans for Summer 2009.

Do you see the grass in the picture below? I find it amazing that weeds and grass can grow absolutely anywhere they are given a chance, even in an isolated dry spot in the middle of a stream.

Grass growing in the middle of the stream.

After lunch, Heather needed to head into town for some supplies. Randy, Dylan, Katelyn and I headed off to Job Corps Road looking for hiking and adventure. He knows the area from years of hunting, and took us to a high plateau area that is free of trees. We spent some time walking around, I schooled Dylan in the shot-put, and Randy and Dylan took turns throwing rocks at a dead standing tree. It was just nice to be out in the open.

The boys look for rocks to chuck at a standing dead tree.

Dylan chucks a rock.

We found another side road, and spent time hiking back along the old logging roads. We were amongst maples nad cherry and pines. All were tall and lush. The hiking was easy, and the exercise was great. Randy really knew where to take us.

Hiking through the woods.

We finally dead-ended, so Randy and Dylan took out their knives and started whittling down their hiking sticks. It was fun, it was something to do.

Dylan whittled on his hiking stick.

Super Katelyn and her monsterous hiking stick.

On the way back, Katelyn came upon a tiny frog, and befriended it immediately. It broke her heart when it was time to let it go, though. However, she was a brave little girl to set her first frog free. It would prepare her for what was yet to come in the afternoon.

Katelyn and the little frog.

Dylan whittled on his hiking stick.

Randy took us on another hike at one of his very favorite hunting spots. While he and Dylan were walking through high weeds, Katelyn transformed herself into a Fern Fairy of some sort. Again, Pennsylvania can spare a few ferns for the play of little girls.

Katelyn the Fern Fairy.

On our way back to the vehicle, we came across a really large frog. Katelyn was a really big girl, and let him go a few minutes later without fuss or a tear.

Katelyn and the big frog.

We enjoyed a dinner of BBQ sandwhiches and canned fruit. I spent much of the evening reading my book, and looking at antique contour maps of the area that Randy’s family have in the camp.

buck on 06.18.08 @ 09:52 PM EST [link]

Tuesday, June 17th

Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Four, June 2, 2008

Katelyn with a turkey feather stands upon a composite rock in the stream.

I’m glad I bundled up Sunday night, because I woke up to a 42-degree morning. I was comfortable, though, no doubt about that.

After breakfast and coffee, Katelyn and I walked to the falls down the road again. This time, I wanted to get more adventurous and go where she and Randy had gone previously.

Getting to the falls itself is a bit of a challenge, but Katelyn was able to do it without any issues. As long as she had her footing, the rest was just fine. We made it as far as a little niche in the hill right where the falls were.

The falls

Can you see the lone weeds growing up in the middle of the streaming water?

Katelyn rests in the little niche.

A look downstream from the niche.

After enjoying the roar of the water and the peace of the location, Katelyn and I walked back to camp. We had leftovers for lunch, and we all went off to the nearby Tionesta Creek for some fishing. Randy and Katelyn went off to have some fun, Dylan went in the other direction to find some good fishing. Heather and I sat under a tree and just read for a while.

There were tons of polywogs where we were sitting. They just lounged about on sunken driftwood.

This is a view downstream. Randy and Katelyn are sitting in the weeds. Can you see the house on top of the hill in the background?

Geese and goslings float along the creek.

Dylan did not catch anything this day. The carp just were not interested at all.

However, Heather made up for it that night by making some fantastic slow-cooked BBQ in a crock-pot. That made for a filling and satisfying dinner Katelyn and I took another evening walk back down towards the falls area, and we all ended the night with some quiet time in the living room. We had had a busy and active vacation up until that point, and we all just wanted to get in some quiet time and reading.

Plenty of vacation left, though!

buck on 06.17.08 @ 09:49 PM EST [link]

Pet Follies

At the beginning of the day, we were a pet-free family.

However, by 4:30 PM, we had two wild baby rabbits.

A few minutes after that, we had two dwarf hamsters instead.

Yet some time after that, we had two dwarf hamsters and one wild baby rabbit.

Within thirty minutes, we were back down to two dwarf hamsters.

However, to make this story complete, within two weeks, we will have two dwarf hamsters and one domesticated dwarf rabbit.

It’s been quite a tale of surprise and impulsive behavior today! Dylan found two baby rabbits today, and we had quite a debate over whether we should keep them or not. While I was at work, Heather took the kids to pick up a rabbit cage. However, the people at the pet store convinced Heather that keeping wild rabbits was a bad idea, so she bought hamsters for the kids as something of a consolation prize.

However, we talked ourselves back into keeping just one of them, and still bought a rabbit cage. Finally, we realized after we bought the cage that the wild rabbits would be susceptible to rabies . . . and we just decided that the bunnies - both of them - were better off going back into the wild. However, we did not want to return the rabbit cage. So, the pet store just down the road will be getting in a shipment of bunnies tomorrow and next week. And soon . . . we will have a bunny!

I took some pictures, but I am still missing my USB cord. Once I get a new one, I will share them with you.

buck on 06.17.08 @ 09:14 PM EST [link]

Monday, June 16th

Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Three, June 1, 2008

I made the mistake of not wearing sweats and a sweatshirt while I slept. I was warm under my blanket and in my tent, but any slight move that exposed me to the 40-ish temperature brought out mild annoyance. I was comfy, but trapped until I could not help but get up.

Well, coffee and breakfast helped me out. It prepared me for some fishing down at the waterfall rapids about half a mile down the road from the camp.

Any stream is just a stream without slate and rock rapids and waterfalls. The area down the road is a gorgeous, bubbly, and noisy (from rushing water) place for relaxation and fishing. Plus, it is ideal for photography!

Katelyn patiently fishes

This rock in the middle of the stream was more than large enough to sit upon . . . had any of us been brave enough to venture out to it.

This rock is large enough to support trees upon it.

Large rock across the stream

Dylan showed some daring in choosing his fishing spots. Take a look at how he inches out on the dead log to get the spot he wants. At some point during the morning, he jumped across the stream and made a comfy seat on a large rock.

Dylan inching out on the log to get the right spot.

Comfy rock fishing

Heather and I went across the other side of the bridge to see what Uncle Randy and Katelyn were doing. Randy took her to a two foot waterfall that featured a smooth and shallow pool ideal for walking through. Heather and I got some pictures from a distance.

A stunning view of the waterfall and hill in the background

Randy and Katelyn at the waterfall.

Randy and Katelyn fish under the bridge.

Katelyn fishing some more.

Heather found a rock that looked quite a bit like the head of a fox. She brought it home, and hopes to do something creative with it. I also saw the first of many caterpillars on my trip. It was crawling towards Heather, and I got a nice shot of it on the concrete bridge. I just don’t see caterpillars in Michigan.

Fox head rock

Catterpillar on the bridge.

Katelyn and I went back closer to camp, and putzed around on our own for a while. She continued to fish and play in the stream. I tried my hand at draining and then damming up again a tiny side tributary.

Heather, Katelyn, and I took a side trip to a local tourist trap, Twin Oaks, for some shopping and browsing around. I did not do a lot of looking around because my boots were so dirty and muddy, and I did not want to trash the carpet. I spent much our time there out in the gazebo trying to capture good photos of the bees buzzing around rhododendrons. I failed at that . . . the bees were just too quick.

After eating roast and carrots and potatoes for lunch, Randy and I took a long walk up the side road to see what was at the summit. There are a few other camps along the way, along with some natural gas pumps or outlets or wells or whatever they actually were. Some of the equipment was quite old, and the sheer history of it fascinated Randy.

Had we been driving and not hiking, we would have completely missed some antique gems along the way.

This is an old Fordson tractor. I’ve never heard of that brand name before. Take a look at the second picture below. Do you see the tree growing up between the wheels? How long do you think this tractor has been sitting there?

Fordson tractor

Been sitting a long long time.

We also found this old bulldozer too. I was never able to figure out what model it was. I guess it will be there next year when we visit again.

Bulldozer

Bulldozer.

The summit of the road held more surprises. There was an abandoned railroad and a very tiny village at the top. I found out later by looking at maps that there area actually two tiny villages nearby. More surprises to be explored at another time.

On our way back, we saw Heather, Dylan, and Katelyn fishing on a tiny stream, which is a tributary of the main creek by the camp. Dylan had already brought back two fish, and was looking for more. Although tiny in size, there are fish there, and Dylan was finding them! However, he only caught one that was worth keeping. We spent quite a bit of time there enjoying ourselves in a new surrounding.

Dylan’s trophy of the day

Creepy looking roots of a trees upon the rocks.

Dylan fishing

Katelyn goofing off.

A crawdad had attached itself to Dylan’s fishing line.

After dinner, the five of us took a drive up Job Corps Road. It’s a narrow and quiet road that leads up another hill and to a very large plateau filled with trees, wildlife, and natural gas wells. We were trying to look for deer, but only saw one! Well, the drive was fun anyway. It was good to get away from the camp and see other parts of the area.

I went to bed with the anticipation of another chilly night. This time I was prepared. I put on sweats and a sweatshirt before curling up underneath the stars.

Here is me taking a picture of me.

buck on 06.16.08 @ 10:11 PM EST [link]

Sunday, June 15th

Pennsylvania Vacation, Day Two, May 31, 2008

Randy, Dylan and Katelyn, the morning people

I woke up on Saturday morning to warmth and comfort. I felt exhilirated to have slept under the stars and the protection of the forest. I went inside, and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and coffee. Just before we went on a big hike up the hill, Randy made a makeshift swing for the kids.

Dylan on the makeshift swing

Our goal was the summit of the hill on which the camp resides. The house is about 1,350 feet above sea level, and the summit is approximately 1,750 feet above sea level. There is a fairly steep hill we had to conquer, and then we came to an old abandoned logging road, which meanders its way up the rest of the hill. Even the logging road is steep and brutal at times, but exhilarating at the same time.

Camp from behind; do you see my tent?

It’s fun to see the foliage and trees change as we ascended. Down near camp, the trees are mostly pines, and block out the sun. Therefore, the ground is mostly barren with lots of rotting leaves and sticks. However, there are patches in the forest that change from pine to other species, and the ground beneath them is rich in ferns. Look, Pennsylvania can spare a few ferns, so feel free to go and take some.

Katelyn the Conqueror

Hiking is a rare pleasure for me, and I drink it up as much as I can when I go. Still, like I said, it is exhausting, and tiring on everyone else as well! Check out the poopy-farted adventurers below.

Poopy-farted adventurers

Our secondary goal was to make the summit of the hill. The summit itself is an extremely large flat area with trees. It’s at least the size of ten football fields, and would make for an absolutely fantastic camping area for tons of people. Once you get up there, it’s really neat.

However, our primary goal was to see the rock formations just starting down the other side of the hill. There are boulders covered with moss and plants, and other boulders are stacked on top of one another. One formation has three stacked up. I was not comfortable climbing to the top because I could not find good footing, but I will just have to conquer that another day.

Rock City from a distance

Rock City up closer. My head comes up to the bottom of that second rock

More views of Rock City

Water-eroded rocks

Moss-covered rocks

The walk back down the hill was a relief. My shins hurt on the way up, and my calves hurt on the way back down, but I was not out of breath going downhill! We made it down just after noon, and enjoyed a lunch of burgers and dogs. Heather took Dylan into town, and bought him some fishing gear. This turned out to be a great investment, because he fished nearly every single day that we were there, and we all have plans to fish as a family this summer.

Dylan was successful on his first day out! He managed to catch a few trout, but only one was large enough to keep. Heather taught him how to gut and clean it, and he then cooked it up in a fire like a champ.

Dylan and his first keeper trout.

Katelyn got a fishing pole of her own. We did not think that she stood a chance of catching a fish. However, she had all the belief she needed, and stayed out there faithfully for quite a while before giving up.

Katelyn fishing

Dylan helps Katelyn to fish

After dinner, we put a very sleepy Katelyn to bed, and proceeded to light a satisfying bonfire in the back yard. There is something cathartic about watching embers float into the sky from a crackling fire in the dead of night. We also stuffed our faces with s’mores, no less. That helps too!

Here are a few more pictures from the day.

The side of the camp house

A view of the creek from the front porch

Katelyn on the swing

The creek and the bridge

Katelyn and the driftwood

buck on 06.15.08 @ 11:07 PM EST [link]

e-mail: ubuckone@earthlink.net

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