Tales From The Wood Booger: Special Event

Showing posts with label Special Event. Show all posts

Friday, August 11, 2023

Welcome To The Pack Jack!

It seems that when I talk about dogs, it seems it's always bad. Well, that has changed as a new member of the Wolfpack is here at St. Clair and his name is Jack.

He is a four-year-old Springer Spaniel mix. He's smaller than the Bax or Lester, so he's a junior member of the Wolfpack. He was at an English Springer Spaniel rescue in Florida because he was saved from being euthanized. Because he was a Springer mix his chance of being adopted was good...well until Terry showed my Dad Jack's profile, and they were on the way to the Sunshine State to get him. Jack loves his toys, taking walks, and barking. He is just a super cute dog. So, welcome to the Pack Jack!

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Carolina Mountain Club: A Story 100 Years In The Making

There never is a better time to celebrate than turning 100 years old. It was for this reason that we traveled to Asheville Sunday for the Centennial Anniversary of the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC).

This 100-year bash was held at the North Carolina Arboretum. In the history of the Club, I have only been a member for a very short time. The CMC is the oldest hiking organization in the Southern United States and has a long storied history beginning in 1923. Two years before it started the Southern Chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) formed in 1921. This lasted for two years before the Club reformed, with the blessing of the AMC, on July 16, 1923, as the CMC. With the idea of the Appalachian Trail (AT) being birthed around this time, the CMC would become officially involved with the AT when it absorbed the Carolina Appalachian Trail Club, which had formed in January of 1931, in December of the same year. Besides building a good bit of the AT in the south it also is involved with the starting (and maintaining) trails like the Art Loeb and Mountain-to-Sea. If you want more on the history of the CMC check out Danny Bernstein's book Carolina Mountain Club: One Hundred Years.

At the event, there were hikes, vendor booths, a pizza truck, free ice cream, and cupcakes. We also got to walk around the gardens and to Pete's getting to hike on a trail. I even got time to talk "shop" with Paul and others in the CMC.

A couple of other things I did in Asheville were going to REI and visiting a new donut place...Vortex Doughnuts. I had read this place was good and it lived up to the hype. Finally, I want to give a shout-out to Jemima at Laurel River Store (near Hot Springs) who made me a coffee after the official closing...thank you!

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Celebrating Lester Being Lester

Unfourtanly I usually do one of these blogs when a friend passes as was the case in October with Bax. However, this time I decided to celebrate Lester while the old feller is still with us. Lester had been coughing when he got excited. While serious we were hoping it was something like tracheal collapse (which is the most common diagnosis). This is what he was initially believed to be afflicted with. However, a few days after going to the vet he coughed up blood, so he went back and unfortunately, it wasn't good...Lester has lung cancer. But Lester is a fighter because back in September Lester had to have emergency surgery to have his spleen removed. The Vet didn't give much of a chance, maybe six weeks or so. Well, that was nine months ago. That is why I'm writing this now because I don't know how long Lester will be with us. See, unlike Bax, I haven't written a lot about the old boy. I don't have any cute videos of him playing with some chew toys because they're not his thing. I have no clips of Lester telling me he wants to hike, that wasn't him. I don't have a lot of pictures of him because he hates getting his picture taken. Forget the camera, Lester will either turn away or even growl. He even knows when you are using the phone. No, as I like to say "Lester being Lester."

Lester being Lester

I remember when Dad and Terry brought him home he was terrified of me. I always said someone who was my doppelganger must have been mean to him. I jokingly referred to myself as the Blanco Diablo. It took years (and lots of food) before he warmed up to and eventually liked me. I was patient with him because he has anxiety and I know a lot about that. Lester has to be the most unique dog I have ever known. Just recently Dad and Terry converted the backroom to a bedroom and moved the couch Letser slept on. Guess what Lester doesn't want anything to do with the couch or room. He now sleeps in the old den...he doesn't like change. But this is "Lester being Lester." While he seems standoffish, when he excepts you he loves to sit on you and be petted...that's "Lester being Lester." So, I'm not focusing on the now with Lester and not on how much time he has left. That's what I want to celebrate "Lester being Lester!"

Lester's couch at the Cabin

(T) The couch he once loved & (B) The Blanco Diablo & Lester

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

The Virginia Chainsaw Certification: Rated A

A couple of weeks back I finally did something I have wanted to do for some time, get my US Forest Service (USFS) Chainsaw Certification. I did this by being on the Governing Board of The Clinch Coalition (TCC) in Southwest Virginia. It is a two-day course with the first being classroom and the second in the field using a chainsaw. The classroom portion took place at the office of the Clinch Ranger District of the Jefferson National Forest in Norton, VA. The class was taught by Chuck Lane of the USFS. While I'm not a novice the class itself was mostly people with a lot more experience than myself. While long it was a good class and I learned a lot. I also got to try a new pizza place in Norton, Doughmakers.

Anyway, the main event was day two, and getting my hands on a chainsaw. We met in Norton and I rode with one of our evaluators over near Little Stony Falls between Coburn and Dungangon. It was an area burned in a forest fire so it had plenty of cuttable trees. When we got there they had to cut one of the trees out of the road. Once at the test site, we had to get ready to put on our PPE (Personal Protection Equipment). This entails chaps, a helmet, ear and eye protection, and gloves. Because I was going to get my chainsaw certification the USFS mandates PPEs. The fact is chainsaws are dangerous and I should have been using PPEs. Well, for today I borrowed most of my PPE from Uncle Sam, except gloves.

Because this was my first time getting certified the highest rating was a Sawyer A. I got evaluated on felling and bucking three trees. I will admit I have bucked plenty (that is cutting a downed tree) but I haven't felled many. While I got off to a rough start with instruction from my evaluator Chris, by the third tree I had it down. It showed because when I got my Sawyer Certification Card it had feller added. Oh, when we got back to Norton the trip wouldn't have been complete if this Wood Booger didn't head to the Woodbooger Grill. A Wood Booger has to eat...

Monday, May 16, 2022

I See A Blood Moon Arising!

Sunday night or this morning it was a matter of perspective for the viewing of a special Blood Moon. This is the only total Lunar Eclipse of the year for the part of the world I reside in. This total Lunar Eclipse was fully visible During a Lunar Eclipse, the Sun, Earth, and moon become closely aligned in the sky, and the bright moon slowly turns darker and changes its color as it drifts across the Earth’s shadow. Light-reflecting from the sun makes the moon appear to glow in a rusty orange or reddish color, which is why many astronomy experts and writers refer to this moon as a “Blood Moon.”

The eclipse started on Sunday night at 9:32 pm. with the full eclipse beginning about an hour later. It ended Monday morning at 12:53 am. It was definitely worth going out and observing it. I also tried to get photos, but the low light of the eclipse made it tough, but I got some.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

Bear Theft Chair...An Ode To My Crazy Creek

Well, I don't know if what happened to my Crazy Creek Portable Chair was a highlight or a lowlight, but it was one of the more memorable moments of my backpack at Rocky Fork State Park.

Since this is a blog in honor of my good old Crazy Creek Chair let me just talk a little about it. I acquired one back in the Summer of 2016 after I saw Will's (Skelton) on my first backpack out with the Sierra Club at Mount Rogers. I liked it so much I got one of my very own from REI. It had served me well on many backpacks, including five this year. While it served as a chair most of the time it did have to pull double duty. It has filled in as a sleeping pad, I have used it to protect my sleeping pad, served as a place to put my food, as a doormat for my tent, plus I rolled my tent poles in it and there is probably something else I am not thinking about. After five years it still performed its duties with no problems.

My chair: 1st time out in 2016 (L), 2017 (TL), 2020 (TR & B)

With that said, I started out my backpack to the Blockstand Backcountry Campsite last Friday. This hike was no different than any other. Since I was taking my Kelty Salaita 2 it came along. When I got to camp I put up my tent, put my sleeping stuff in it. When I decided to go on my day hike I decided to put my backpack in the bear box along with my food bag. The reason bears sometimes equate backpacks with food, but I left my chair out like I had many times before.

Under the log is the last time I saw my Crazy Creek (T). I should have put it in the box (B)

On my hike, I saw plenty of bear sign, including some really good bear tracks. So, when I got back and started getting my camp ready something was missing...my Crazy Creek Chair! So what happened to it? Well, really there are only two candidates for stealing my chair. The first would be another human. First I didn't pass or see anyone else up on the Blockstand Creek Trail. When I talked with Ranger Joe on my way out he agreed because the only people in this area are ones camping at Blockstand. Also, I had items in my tent that is more valuable than my Crazy Creek Chair.

This was all at camp

So, that leaves a bear. I know they are in the area and then when looking for my chair I noticed a yellow jacket nest that had been dug up not too far from my camp. Then talk with Ranger Joe I mentioned where I keep my chair. I hooked it to the outside bottom,m of my bag which means I sweat on it. He said that they are attached to the salt so he agreed it was most likely a bear. Well, I forgot it could have been a Squatch...but Wood Boogers don't do that to each other.

That is where a carried it

Suspect #1

Anyway, while Pete got a good laugh I was sad because it was such a great chair...you will be missed. So, if you go to Rocky Fork and see a bear lounging in a chair, tell him the Wood Booger says hi.

Sunday, August 15, 2021

Reunion Weekend In St. Clair

This weekend here in St. Clair we hosted a family reunion for Terry's family. The Frye-Phillips-Hall Reunion was over three days, including a "Thanksgiving Dinner" on Friday and the main part of the festivities was Saturday.

Friday...

...& Saturday

There was great food, mostly provided by a food truck...Kurbside Grillin,' some singing and great times. While this Wood Booger didn't know many who came, I did by late Saturday.

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Whether "Buck" Or "Thunder" This Orange Moon Was Super

While not a Supermoon this weekend the night sky was still illuminated by the July Full Moon. Know as the "Buck Moon" or "Thunder Moon" it was still big and bright. Because of the haze of smoke from western wildflowers that have made daytime views limited.

2021 Supermoons: (T) Pink-April, (BL) Flower-May & (BR) Strawberry-June

Smoke made the views Haze on White House Cliffs

It was a good thing that it was full Friday and Saturday as I was camping in tree cover at Rocky Fork on Thursday night (more to come). When I got to see it there was an orange hue on it and is was a beautiful full moon...

Friday, February 5, 2021

Hopefully A Colder Winter Means Better Maple Sap

In East Tennessee, the start of the last month of February can mean snow, but for the last five years for me, it is tapping maple trees.

If you thought that they only did this in the Northeast or Canada and as I have said...no. I mean that is why the visitor center in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is named for that part of the park called Sugarlands. The UPS guy came while I was tapping and ask what I did with the maple sap and I said "make syrup" and he replied, "you can do that?"

For this sixth season, I now call the big maple trees that I tap here at St. Clair my Tennessee Tap. That is because I tapped a tree at the Cabin last year (and will again this year) and it is where I got most of my sap. Anyway, once I tapped I did get good news as the wood out of the holes of both trees was most. Then when I put the taps in they started to drip sap immediately which is what you want to see. From this point, it is a waiting game, more to come...

Friday, January 1, 2021

Yule 2020

It is the start of the New Year and that means Yule 2020 has come to an end. So, it is time to look back at some of my favorite photos of the holiday season. While I did make merry, it was tempered by the raging COVID-19 Pandemic. Because of coronavirus, I did things where I didn't have a lot of contact with people. I did drive-thru the lights in Greeneville and Rogersville. Besides our main tree here at St. Clair, I had three up. A mini tree, a real tree I used last year in the house was now my deck tree and a new multi-colored lit artificial tree inside. Oh, and I finally got an ornament that I have wanted, one of the Krampus. However, the biggest surprise of the season was that beautiful Christmas Day Snow! So here are pictures from Yule 2020...enjoy!

Tannenbaums (Xmas Trees)