Maggie May

Maggie May
Maggie May

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Bears in the Woodpile

We had one slightly rainy day, but the last couple of days have been absolutely perfect.  Makes me feel at total peace with the world.  I have been sewing on an Easter dress and loving life.  We went out on the rifle range this morning with our buddies, Jane and Bill.  Had a blast out there shooting; however, I learned that my pistol kicks back and hurts my hand.  After a morning of shooting targets, we all enjoyed another meal at Square Meal.  Promise, no more falling off the diet wagon for a while.

Speaking of diets.  Billy has lost five pounds.  I know now why his diet was successful.  First he chopped and split the wood and stacked it up neatly by the motor home.  A few days later a bear came along and scattered the wood everywhere.  After that, Billy compulsively stacked the wood neatly between two pine trees, and stated that he didn't think the bear could knock that down.  Wrong again, and I have the pictures to prove it!  I am waiting to see if he will neatly stack the wood up again.

We said a short goodbye to our friends Jane and Bill today.  They are leaving the Forest to stay near Orlando for a bit.  They too have tickets to see Reba at the Plant City Strawberry festival, so will be meeting up with them again soon.  Our next week is filled with classes and Billy has a VA appointment in Tampa.  We take a full day class of First Aid and CPR, and then a day of Defensive Driving class.  We plan to drive to Tampa for Billy's appointment on Tuesday, and spend Tuesday night with Marianne and Kevin before returning to the Forest!  Life Is Good Today!  I started to say that I was "fixin" to take Maggie out to check her peemail, but she is the only dog around here.  I won't let her approach the bear scat!


Firewood stacked neatly .
Bears Play Pick up Sticks

Firewood stacked and wedged between two pine trees this time!

Bears had a buffet of grubs once again.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Yearling Trail and More Whoopie Pies!

On Thursday, January 12th Billy and I went over to the OHV Center to ride the ATV.  We went out on the Violet Trail with tools to cut and clean up any fallen trees or branches from the high winds we have had.  We ran into Kathy and JC working on the trail.  JC had already cut down I believe three trees.  Later we ran into Bill and Jane.  As the picture depicts, they were dead tired and sweaty from cutting trees and bushes.

Sunday found us traveling to Jan and Al's for lunch once again with Bill and Jane, and of course some more "Sweet Jane's Whoopie Pies"  (http://www.sweetjaneswhoopiepies.com/).  Whoopie pies are considered a New England phenomenon and a Pennsylvania Amish) tradition.  They're one of Maine's best known and loved comfort foods.  These treats are more like a cake than a pie or a cookie, as they are generously sized and go great with a tall glass of milk.  Whoopie Pies are a baked cake like a cookie with a creamy frosting spread between two of the layers.  Around 1930 the Amish women first made the wonderful treats from leftover cake batter.  According to Amish legend, when children would find these treats in their lunch bags, they would shout "Whoopie."  Needless to say Billy shouted "whoopie these pies sure are good" throughout the evening!

Monday was MLK day so we went with Jane and Bill to hike the Yearling Trail (http://floridanature.wordpress.com/2009/03/21/the-yearling-trail-a-visit-with-jody-another-time/)   We hiked through a young sand pine forest and saw Calvin Long's cattle dip.  After another 1.4 miles we came upon the remains of his homestead that is hidden by trees.  Then we hiked to a gigantic sinkhole, a seep spring where water dripped off pure limestone walls in the bottom of the sinkhole into catch basins which provided a trickle of water for the settlers.  Dogwoods are growing along the steep slope, and it was the first time that I have seen hickory trees and "hicker" nuts in years.  We walked on and saw the OLD cemetery where the Long family are buried.  Afterwards we were tired and hungry so stopped off at Square Meal for a lunch of hamburgers!  Man, this diet that we are on is GREAT!

We had planned to launch a surprise attack on North Georgia and Caroline, Brandon, and the Paradise family until we found out that they were all sharing the flu.  No thank you, we will have to visit another time.  So on Tuesday we drove to Panama City to pickup our boat.  It was grand to see the old neighborhood again and visit with the neighbors.  I have a much better appreciation for our forest's natural habitats now and really enjoyed seeing the growth and hearing the many birds.  Our house and yard looked great from the outside, and the ducks remembered me until Maggie remembered they were there and chased them all away from us.  Friday evening we went to our favorite restaurant, Rodeo's, with our neighbors DeVaughn and Melva, and Bruce and Fran.  Afterwards Billy and I spent the night at Tyndall Air Force Base in base housing on Beacon Beach (where we put the boat in to go to the Gulf of Mexico).  We were appointed a three bedroom, two bathroom, and four large screen TV's house for much less than the price quoted to stay in a motel for the night.  The receptionist told us that it was the "distinguished visitor space" so we tried to act as distinguished as possible.  We are glad to be home in The Forest and Life Is Good Today!.
Jimmy working hard in the OHV Center

Caught Jane and Bill "Working" in the Forest.  Really, they were taking a break from sweaty hard work!
DeVaughn, Fran, Melva, Bruce and Billy at Rodeos! 

Monday, January 9, 2012

Our Hunters are beginning to leave the Forest this past weekend

When we thought it couldn't be quieter in the forest, most of our hunters packed up and left until next year.  We are left with two campers for a while, and the third will be leaving this coming weekend.  After walking the campground on Saturday Billy and I took a ride on the dirt roads again.  Of course our ride over dirt roads conveniently ended at Wilderness RV Estates where we were told is a restaurant named Jan and Al's.  We stopped in for dinner, and it was every bit what we expected.  We left with a belly full of dinner and Jane's famous Whoopie Pie.  More about the Whoopie Pies in another post.

On Sunday Jane and Bill Berry from the OHV Center stopped by for a visit.  Naturally after swapping tales for a few hours around the campground we loaded up and went to Jan and Al's for Sunday Brunch.  Afterwards we road the dirt roads some more and saw the 50 or so "Rainbows" (http://flrainbow.org/Ocala/) that are beginning to gather.  I must say that it is the first time someone has thrown the old hippie peace sign to me in a long time.

Riding the dirt roads in the truck.
                                                          Maggie likes her new Burrow Bed

Today Billy and I donned our ATV gear and road the purple trail trail today.  Wow!  Saw lots of animal tracks and beautiful scenery.  Closing quickly so we can watch the Alabama/LSU game on the TV.  Life Is Good Today!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Frost in The Forest

The thermometer plunged below freezing last night, and Billy had to get up to the alarm clock early this morning to help out on the OHV Trails.  He spent the day out on the trails with his chain saw while Maggie and I held the fort down in Shanty pond.  Ever since Billy took the chain saw class he has been splitting dead logs here in Shanty Pond for firewood.  Like a proud Boy Scout he stacked his firewood up into a neat stack beside the motor home.  We just returned from Bass Champions (Beat The Clock) restaurant to find our firewood all askew.  Guess the black bear was hungry for all those little bugs that were hiding under the bark.  The bear picture is a bear Billy saw on the road today while he was driving back from the OHV Center.  The hunters are beginning to leave Shanty Pond, and we fear that by the weekend we will be the only campers back here.

I have been reading Stephen King's new book about Kennedy's assassination, and I must say that it is the best book I have read in a long time.  So I will leave you now and curl up under the blankie with my good book, and a cup of hot chocolate.  Billy and I together have gone on a diet beginning this year.  Only trouble is I got my blood lab work back today, and my liver has straightened out.  Had to go "off the wagon" and celebrate at Bass Champions tonight.  Tomorrow is another day; however "Life is Good Today!"
The bear kicked over Billy's "sand castle"
Bear on Forest Road 11 today.