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stickbowcrafter
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# Posted: 14 Jun 2014 01:56pm
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Looking good! Copperhead!
-Brian
My property tour
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VC_fan
Member
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# Posted: 15 Jun 2014 05:37pm
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Thanks for reminding us they're around. In the ~15 years I've been messing around in the county I've seen one copperhead. He was maybe 18" long and living in a pile of rotting lumber, living off the ant nest that was there - right where he belonged.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 18 Aug 2014 01:34pm
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It has been a while since I've posted here, despite many weekend trips over the summer. Things will slow down a bit now that the kids are back in school.
I got an email from an old neighbor who's mother was bitten by a copperhead! Not the same one I saved, different state. Thank goodness I'm off the hook.
We recently added a few more birdhouses, with the philosophy that it is a common hiding place for security/game cameras, so keep the bad guys worrying. Worst that can happen is we get birds, right? Wrong.
My son (who made the birdhouse as a scout project) yelled for me and saw the new birdhouse occupant. A mouse! It climbs 12' or so up the tree and into the birdhouse. I saw the tail hanging out, and in a few moments it was peeking out the hole and chattering at us. Nervy. I plan to put some flashing around the tree so that we might get bird occupants instead.
Ohio deer season starts late September, so finally got my act together to fix the deer feeder. The motor refuse to turn under power despite being able to spin freely. I found a replacement motor online and fixed it right up. Last visit we put it back in place, filled it and tested it. Within hours the crows found the fresh corn. Should I call it a crow feeder? They get more corn than the deer.
Another project was to add burglar-resistant NPR (radio) to the porta-potti. How to make undesireable for a burglar? Find a radio that is missing the antenna and solder a wire in it's place. Radio must look old and worn. Nothing modern or desireable looking. Found the perfect candidate. Currently (no pun intended) it runs off a 9 volt battery, but I have some old solar lamp cells that will become the power supply. Mama will have to confine her potty trips to daylight hours if she wants NPR.
Still adding capstones to our new patio retaining wall. Much easier to sit at picnic table on a flat surface! My son gathered lots of firewood for the firering and we had a nice late evening fire last weekend. Too bad it was cloudy as the Perseid meteor shower is usually pretty good from a dark site such as Vinton County.
Soon the leaves will be turning...
Mouse watch
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Repaired deer feeder
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Radio a burglar would not want
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Watchman guards patio area
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VC_fan
Member
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# Posted: 18 Aug 2014 07:25pm
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Glad to hear you're having fun. I was down last weekend (which I usually don't do that much in the summer) and actually woke up freezing in the middle of the night. Ohio in August? I'll take this year's August.
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VC_YamahaRider
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# Posted: 9 Feb 2015 08:52pm
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I am new to this site and I am a Vinton County property owner as well. I bought 30+ acres a couple of years ago and just a couple of weeks ago started the construction of a 18x24 cabin with loft. I will do my best to update everyone with pictures. I will start a new thread for my build.
SE Ohio, I found it interesting to read your thread and learn that there are some things to do in Vinton County.
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 10 Feb 2015 01:01pm
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Yamaha (can I call you that?), welcome aboard.
Sorry I haven't posted much on my "blog" of late. Many trips, but always very busy before, during and after. We were just down this last weekend for a 3-dayer as there was no school on Friday.
At some point we should get a group of us together at one of the McArthur pizza joints. Would be fun to compare notes, etc.
My "fun" last weekend was splitting firewood for upcoming boy scout troop visit. I split it, but they'll get to move it! Maybe I could get them to do some other manual labor? 
Good news this trip- No indoor mice!
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VC_YamahaRider
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# Posted: 10 Feb 2015 05:49pm
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Yes you can call me Yamaha.
I think meeting up would be a good idea.
I am at a point with our cabin construction of waiting until the ground thaws so we can dig, by hand, down far enough to put the gravel base down for concrete. This past weekend we built the walls in my barn where I live which is Northeast Columbus. The foundation is in but need to get concrete poured before the walls go up so they aren't in the way when we do the bull floating (spelling???).
I will soon have some pictures posted once I have time to create a separate thread for my build.
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walk54
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2015 03:40pm
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Hello fellow Ohioans, I have a cabin on 11ac of wooded ravines in Waterloo Twp. Athens county. My southern property line is the Vinton Co. line. There is so much to do in this part of the state, I can't see how anyone could be bored. We live west of Columbus so it's a beautiful hour and a half drive. Far enough away to feel "away" yet close enough to visit whenever we want.
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Smawgunner
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# Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:46pm
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We're also in athens Walk54 and in columbus. I totally get what you're saying! I'm there almost every weekend!
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:29pm
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Walk54, welcome aboard!
I'm not far away in Vinton County. We too have not run out of things to do, even besides cabin maintenance  Also of Columbus, not a bad drive.
This time of year can be interesting in southeast Ohio, trying to figure out how to drive from point A to point B with so many roads underwater due to snowmelt and rain. My wife has yet to volunteer to walk out in front to gauge water depth...
Hope to head down this weekend, as I've missed being there all of frigid snow-packed February.
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VC_YamahaRider
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:58pm
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I am also a part-time Vinton County resident and live just east of Columbus. Takes me 1 hour and 45 min to get to our property.
SE Ohio - you mentioned that there are roads under water.
I am now a little concerned that I will have trouble pulling my camper down there this weekend. We are going down to start on the cabin again now that the snow has melted and the ground has started to thaw. I have not been down there since the last weekend in January so I am anxious. I have missed being down there as well. I am trying to determine whether I should just rent a spot at the Lake Alma campground in Hamden to park my camper. My driveway getting up to my place will most likely be to soft to get my camper pulled in.
Anybody know of another campground in the area? I am close to Lake Rupert.
This weekend we will be getting the foundation ready for the concrete floor.
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buckybuck
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# Posted: 11 Mar 2015 10:31pm
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My place is a couple of miles north of Lake Rupert. I don't think there's any campgrounds closer than Lake Alma. Next closest I know of are those around Zaleski and the Hocking Hills area, and those are a lot farther away than Lake Alma.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 12:01pm
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Back from a refreshing if soggy cabin weekend. The snow was mainly melted, only the occasional remnant from snow plows (county does a GREAT job of keeping the rural roads clear in my area). It was raining when I arrived on Friday, still raining through Saturday's breakfast. The sun came out later, and wow, what a difference it made!
Cabin path was muddy despite gravel. Note to self, pour more gravel next trip.
There were a few roads underwater, but main roads were open though water lapped at the edges of some. Still ice on lakes and ponds.
Nice part was we could hear the running water of the sometimes-dry creek and the numerous wet-weather waterfalls.
Was sad to leave come Sunday 
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Smawgunner
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 02:40pm
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Yup, was down there on Sunday in Athens county and it could not have been a nicer day. Did NOT want to come home.
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walk54
Member
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# Posted: 17 Mar 2015 04:03pm
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From Columbus it's actually faster for me to avoid the winding state routes from Logan and Nelsonville and go 33 to Athens then west on 50to Albany. Not as nice a drive though.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 18 Mar 2015 03:05pm
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Walk 54, I'll have to try your suggested route as I'm not far off 50.
I did see in Columbus paper that the Amanda Ohio stoplight-intersection with 33 is being upgraded to a limited-access highway type intersection, completion in 2017. Dirt has already started moving. That light can add a half hour to my trip! Glad it will go away.
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VC_YamahaRider
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2015 12:46pm
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I went down this past weekend as well and made good progress on the cabin foundation. It is pretty much ready for concrete so as long as the weather stays dry next week, I am hoping to poor concrete next Saturday.
The only problem is that we discovered a sink hole in the driveway over top of a culvert. We think that the covert has rusted through and as the water runs through it, the dirt is washing away creating voids above it. Now I am worried that we can't get a concrete truck past that point. I am heading down this weekend to tie up a few things on the foundation and look into what we can do to fix the sink hole issue.
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Smawgunner
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2015 03:09pm
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Nice VC. That'll turn out great!
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 19 Mar 2015 03:18pm
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VC, looks like you are off to a good start! Good luck with the sinkhole.
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 7 Apr 2015 10:53am
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Just back from a nice cabin visit. Didn't get everything scratched off my list, but I never do.
We had a pile of gravel left over from the patio project, so we got to work. Winter left our once-graveled footpath a muddy mess. My helper (on spring break) and I carted many loads of gravel and distributed along pathway, shoring up with timbers occasionally. Result- No muddy boots! Just the occasional bit of gravel tracked in. Went crazy and poured gravel pad by firewood shed, too. Much improved! Now my wife can bring in firewood (yeah, right...)
While we were at it, split and stacked some more firewood. I'm a bit obsessed with having the woodshed full. Will probably start another woodpile by the firepit and obsess on keeping it full, too.
Indoors we had no mice in traps this time. I noticed that the mouse poison stations left by the previous owner in dark hard-to-reach recesses looked empty. I think our harsh (by local standard) winter made the more discerning mice less picky and they used it all up. I won't replace the poison, and am glad to have it gone.
Area around deer feeder was stripped of vegetation due to harsh winter, I'm sure. If I ever need clear an area of scrub, I'll just put up a deer feeder right before winter
Spring cleaning was accomplished with cooperation from weather (most days). Moved mattress, pillows and much furniture outdoors for airing. We washed sheets and such by hand with rainwater from our barrels. Line dried in the sun and breeze. Ahhh... Fresh bedding.
My son found the local metal recycler in town (McArthur) and decided to make some money. We hiked along the roads nearby, scavenging many a can. Some were older ones where the pull-tab comes completely off and leaves a tear-shaped hole. We saved the undented "antiques" and crushed the others. We even found some old steel cans! We hit a few rural party spots and filled a large trash bag. After estimated 8 hours combined effort plus a few gallons of my gasoline, he got his payoff at the recycler; $7. 
Hated to return home... Oh well.
Muddy cabin path
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Gravel guy works for food
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Fresh gravel and no mud
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End of muddy firewood treks
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 8 May 2015 10:35am
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Another busy weekend.
Trip down on Friday PM is always hectic with stop and go traffic, even on the interstate! Once one gets on the highway, there is one traffic light that backs up traffic for miles, but they are working on an interchange to eliminate this bottleneck. Construction will make it worse before it gets better...
One cabin improvement is our off-grid doorbell. Found an old bell and bolted it to a tree at top of our driveway. Next guest who uses it will give me time to have on more than underwear
Will also put up a notebox, stocked with pen and paper. This'll go by the bell tree. This'll have the added benefit of making it appear someone is living there. Might need to hide a game camera to view box as it'll likely attract the curious, both honest and dishonest.
Another nice upgrade was a bench swing, at sacrifice of several kids swings. Picture shows a bum found it moments after installation! Actually, not technically a bum, just a teenager. I may have to check definition at dictionary.com
Planted our "crops". Found impatien seeds and veggie seeds at dollar store, 4 packages for $1. That's cheap deer feed! Our hostas planted last year are coming up around patio area, so everything is looking good this spring. With a little luck, the animals will spare us some lettuce and spinach for our burgers.
Good news is that water barrels didn't split despite being full when it got down to ~-20 F in Feb. Our January is usually the worst of the Ohio winter, and it wasn't too bad. I had previously drained about a third of each plastic barrel. So Feb has to be better than Jan, right? I reconnected the barrels to the downspout so I'd have plenty of water. Got plenty of water in Feb, but it froze solid and stayed that way until April, it seemed. Anyhoo, next year I won't bother worrying about the barrels splitting.
More projects await next trip!
Off grid doorbell
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Notebox
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Bum finds bench swing
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Full water barrels survived hard freeze
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 24 Aug 2015 02:23pm
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I haven't written in a while due to laziness, time for an update.
Had an absolutely beautiful weekend at the cabin, nice temps, low humidity. Was a shame to schedule anything but relaxation!
Upon arrival, found that our mouse friends still have us listed as a bed and breakfast. A few decided to use our accidentally-left-filled sink as a swimming hole. UGH! I had to put on rubber gloves to open the drain, as well as scoop out the offenders. Too bad they died as I wish they could have given us a poor review on the mouse version of Yelp.com (I managed to keep the carnage hidden from my kids, otherwise they'd never use the sink again!)
This led to a diversionary project of seeking mouse entry points. I stopped up two probables and one possible. It was kind of fun cutting and shaping tapered plugs to fit each gap. I put a bit of carpenters glue on each one before tapping it into place. I'm a bit more confident of the inner wall defenses, but I know they are still getting inside the walls from outside somewhere, despite screening on the undersides of floor joists. I'm still considering installing sheathing over the screening to make it all a bit tighter.
Managed to re-hang deer feeder with wire rope/clothesline replacing synthetic fiber rope. Replaced yet another deer feeder motor at the same time. Refilled with corn; at least the crows and squirrels will be happy!
A cabin neighbor was a no-show this weekend. Poor guy has 5 more workdays until retirement, and didn't want to drive 2.5 hours for a short weekend when soon he can come for a week at a time! I sent him a text to let him know the dancing girls that showed up were disappointed. He doesn't believe my texts anymore, especially since the 4/1/2015 text about the guys in the moving truck loading up all his stuff.
In another thread, I mentioned how my cabin clothes often get me mistaken for someone needing financial assistance. One recent night we attended an outdoor show (Tecumseh!, fellow Ohioans) and again I didn't dress up too much. Though I had showered, I hadn't shaved for a few days and the clothes were a bit rough. The folks next to us had placed their belongings in an empty seat between us. They eyed me suspiciously, and kept checking their belongs, and finally they moved to some other seats. I swear I was wearing deodorant!
We recently found another old cemetery in the state forest. Three burials. One marker was down and broken with pieces missing. Using a small probe, we were able to poke around and found the missing pieces a few inches underground. I've been on ancestry.com looking for a descendent to give me permission to epoxy the marker back together and reset it. So far I've contacted 4 people with this ancestor and no takers. I've also been in touch with the Ohio division of forestry to see about some basic cemetery maintenance as required by Ohio code. They are slow to respond, and need frequent reminders.
Some of my old solar path lamps are getting a bit hazed over and don't charge well as a result. I found that a bit of rubbing compound clears them up in a jiffy, resulting in much more light-on time. The batteries still have good life on 'em. I think toothpaste would work in polishing the lenses if you don't keep rubbing compound handy...
Another recent improvement is a canoe rack. This allows me to pull the vehicle up next to the rack and just slide the canoes over one end at a time. A heavy canoe can be a bit of an awkward load, and difficult for one person to pick up. Now I can slide the boats off or back on in moments without help, and I won't be driving around with a boat or boats on top all during our stay. Racks were made with pressure treated 4x4's and 2x6's.
Canoe racks
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Solar lamps before
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Lamps after polishing
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Grave marker in forest
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 30 Nov 2015 11:02am
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About time to document a cabin trip. It's been hit or miss, but mostly miss...
Got the whole gang to cabin for a nice warm Thanksgiving! Of course my near-teenager complained, but we managed to duct-tape him and bring him along.
Another son did a great job of constructing our guest quarters! He diligently gathered downed limbs and cut a few overcrowded saplings to help construct. A long sapling was lashed between two trees and the limbs laid across it tent-style. Leaves covered the sticks and gravel was poured inside with minimal help from parents. His brothers were jealous.
Weather was mostly warm and dry, with temps in upper 50's most mornings. We had our hot morning beverage outdoors on the picnic table. The boys enjoyed a minimal-dish breakfast, with hot water poured into an oatmeal packet and consumed by spoon. No bowl-mess, and the paper packet was easy to clean up as they had a fire going.
Thanksgiving main meal was in evening after a day of hiking and cabin chores. Foil-coated potatoes were buried under hot coals, and more hot coals per placed on and under the parchment paper-lined dutch oven to cook green bean casserole. More coals cooked the steaks. When casserole was done we transferred it via liner into a bowl, and refilled oven with "dump cake/dutch oven cobbler" (two cans peach pie filling, one box dry yellow cake mix on top). Once we were done eating dinner, dessert was ready. Kids favorite cabin meal so far!
Rain started Friday night, still a drizzle going Saturday morning, but not enough to stop our outdoor activities. After breakfast we hiked a five mile loop with the boys and didn't have to get out our ponchos. It didn't start raining in earnest until after we returned from hike. We had a nice lunch and the boys got out the DVD player while mom and dad read on the covered porch while the rain fell.
Sad part is we headed home Sunday morning as all the deer hunters started to arrive for Monday's gun season. Kids have to be in school, etc. Sigh...
Guest quarters
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Breakfast outdoors
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 3 Jan 2016 01:20pm
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Just back from visiting cabin with my 9 year old for a week! A great adventure.
Came down with idea of hunting 2 Day "Bonus" Deer Gun Season with my trusty old Hawkens muzzleloader. Only part that wasn't trusty was my packing- Went to load up the night before, and... no caps, no powder, no bullets! Did not set alarm, chose to sleep in. In morning heard a radio spot for "...all your firearm needs..." and called 'em. They didn't have all my needs, but knew of a place in the next county that did. So off to Bidwell, OH to a bait shop that happens to sell shooting supplies, paid the bill, and walked out to my car. Something seemed odd, what was it? Oh yeah, the guy didn't put the lead bullets in the too-light bag! Got the bullets and headed to the shack.
Geared up, loaded up, and off to tree-stand land. A few minutes later two does come down the hillside, look across at me, and run off. Sigh. Sat in different stand next day. Nothing. No mess, no cleanup.
Prior to arrival for the week, my burglars had visited. They popped off one window screen hoping for unlocked window. No luck there, but they didn't replace screen either. I thought "maybe I got them on video this time", so I went to check the game camera up high in the tree. It was gone. Sigh. Off to sheriff's office to fill out a report.
The menu was an important part of the trip. Steaks on the grill, and green bean casserole in the Dutch oven. The oven was lined with parchment paper, so we were able to move the casserole to a bowl upon completion, and insert a new liner for Dutch oven cobbler (two cans pie filling with one box of cake mix poured on top, either dry or mixed with water). While we ate, the cobber baked. Nice bit of dessert after a long day of chores and a big meal!
A great milestone - Months now without mice! May 2016 be the year without mice. See photo of plugged gap by ceiling joist. The "plug" was a bit of pine cut with coping saw and tapered to pound into gap.
My oldest often recluses in the loft, and leans way over the rail, raising his mother's stress level. A new higher rail was added. He'll be disappointed.
Got new higher wattage solar panel installed. My Harbor Freight solar setup is now like George Washington's "original ax, only the handle and ax-head have been replaced". I replaced the controller with a Morningstar unit, but saved the HF unit for its USB output (phone charging). Now the old 45 watt panel (3 x 15 watts) has been replaced with 100 watt single panel. This should help the golf cart batteries last a bit longer than the 2 years with the original setup.
Weather was quite warm compared to last year. Above freezing each day! Getting dark early didn't help much with projects, but we played some board games stayed up for the New Year, a first time for my 9 year old.
It was sad to come home... Wished we had more time for hiking!
Cobbler ingredients
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Old kit Hawken rifle
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Mouse gap plugged
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Extra loft rail added
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 28 Jun 2016 12:24pm
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Looks like Vinton Co Ohio will stay a "food desert" for a while longer, if not permanently. Just have to pack more carefully...
http://www.vintoncourier.com/news/grocery-store-deal-in-vinton-county-falls-through/a rticle_eb26f3ba-fcb8-5ae2-a704-371e63bfb7de.html
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SE Ohio
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# Posted: 8 Jul 2016 04:51pm
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Mentioned my most recent burglar encounter in another thread. Was a bummer having to spend money and especially cabin time on a no good bum. Need to purchase tar and feathers, but he'd probably steal that too!
We picked a lot of blackberries this time. Many more will be ripe soon. Had visions of berries on ice cream, but ran out of time to make it (we have hand crank ice cream maker).
Did find time to carve a sign. Used my only chisel to carve lettering, painted 2x6 stock white, and filled in letters with sharpie. Don't know how long it'll hold up. Paint was thick with age and recommended not thinning, so I thinned it anyway : )
Repainted our bench pieces at home, and reassembled at cabin. I think it was only 2-3 years old but the Harbor Freight finish was almost completely off the wood and the cast ends were rusting. The Rustoleum paint seems to hold up well on the metal parts, some of my bench ends are looking good after 10 years. Cannot get that life out of the painted wooden slats.
Had to do some serious mowing! Driveway was overgrown. Probably polished the underside of the vehicle pretty well...
Enjoyed the McArthur fireworks. Now at a new location, park at the high school! I bet it took two minutes to clear the parking lot when the show was over. Small town.
Was sad to go home... So many things we wanted to do.
Burglars broke window but stole nothing
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Harbor Freight bench repainted
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Blackberries were ripe
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New sign
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VC_YamahaRider
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2016 08:30am
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My wife and I have been wondering about the blackberries down there. We were going to go down this weekend to check on them but didn't make it. We have a 200yd path that has blackberries bushes on both sides. I hope they are still coming on this upcoming weekend. It seems every year we miss them.
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 20 Aug 2016 01:36pm - Edited by: SE Ohio
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VC_Yamaha,
Were you successful in your blackberry quest?
Visited recently- Saw only a few blackberries left.
Much progress on the bridge over Raccoon Creek to the old Moonville train tunnel- Planks about 50% down and expected to be completed by month's end, and dedicated in October (close to Halloween, as the tunnel is allegedly haunted...)
Had a number of trees blown down across my driveway and patio area. Was hot sweaty mosquito-swatting work! Good news is I have enough firewood drying for winter 2017/2018! At least this time no trees hit the porta-pottie!
Installed my replacement window (see break-ins/cabin security thread). Fits nice and tight.
Kids spent a lot of time at the lake, as it was hot/humid. Also liked the library (air conditioned + wifi!) and the home-made hand-cranked ice cream. It's all in the planning... Only wish there had been more blackberries.
The boys found a soda machine in the "big city" of Zaleski that has US $.50 "Ski" sodas in cans. They consumed many of these kiddie "cold ones".
Totally missed the raspberries this year. Did not get a single one.
Peaches and apples (not at cabin) have done well this year, with cooked apples from our "at home" tree added as ice cream topping. The kids were wary about these fruit toppings at first since the conventional ice cream places don't offer 'em.
Life is good at the cabin- Now the kids are back in school.
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VC_YamahaRider
Member
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# Posted: 22 Aug 2016 01:24pm
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Blackberries are all dried up now but the weekend of July 16th, we picked 3 gallons of them. There were a bunch of green and red ones still to ripen. If we could have been there the whole week and following weekend (July 18 - July 24) we would have probably picked another 5 - 8 gallons but just couldn't make it down there.
What lake and library do you visit? We usually take the kids to Lake Alma to swim when it is hot during our cabin visits.
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SE Ohio
Member
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# Posted: 23 Aug 2016 02:36pm - Edited by: SE Ohio
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VC_
We go to nearby Lake Hope when it is "clear" and Lake Snowden when there is an algae bloom (sometimes in late summer). Hope was clear last visit. Have not been to Alma but I've heard it's nice.
Library is Herb Wescoat in McArthur. Lots of vacant computer terminals generally, we tend to go right after breakfast so that might help. Also free wifi. Mullins Pizza and Lake Hope Lodge also have free wifi.
Did you get any wind damage from July storm?
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