Benjamin Scribner's Blog, page 15

This week’s news. Summer is coming to an end.

Early this week again, because I am in town with decent internet. Enjoy.

 

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

We have quietly slipped into August once again.

Summer is coming to an end. Tina is getting ready to go back to work driving a school bus. Teachers are finalizing lesson plans for the coming school year, and children are hoping for a few more sunny days, pushing their limits with frazzled parents before classes start again.

Up on the mountain, firewood is still the priority, early mornings are spent finding, hauling, cutting and stacking for the coming of old man winter.

I’m getting quite a lot done this year, a woodshed built, and now I’m building an attached shop that will encompasse the old truck body that we have been using as storage.

I turned the old truck body 90° and moved it further away from the woodshed, giving me seventeen feet in between for a nice small shop and a place to store the water trailer, wheelbarrow and other things that don’t really like being buried under winters snow.

My tools, such as the table saw, chop saw and other power tools will now reside in a dry place, instead of sitting on the porch where rain and snow can attack them.

Huckleberry season is at its peak, and the pickers have been swarming the mountain like locusts, hoping to get gallons of berries before the season ends in another week and the berries wither in the heat, food for only bears, chipmunks and other creatures of the woods.

Early in the week, Tina and I were invited to the camp of one of the old loggers. He and his wife own a stretch of land on the St. Joe river. They park an RV there during the summer months and spend weekends sitting in the chilly water of the river. We had a great day with them, even had a young moose cross the river above us, then make its way downstream to within a few hundred feet and watch the goings-on.

The days have been dry and hot, everyone is hoping for rain. The local forestry station has raised the fire danger to extremely high, and unless we get some rain soon, it will go higher.

They have once again banned anyone from using a chainsaw after a certain time of day, which is why I try and do my cutting in the brush very early, saving the cutting to length for the stove for my driveway, which is dirt, and sparks won’t start any fires.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

The weeks news. Seabees

Early this week to make up for being late last week.

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

I was a Seebee during my second time around in the Navy reserves. The Navy said I hadn’t seen a torpedo in many years, but I had been driving a rig, therefore, Seebee it was going to be.

Now Seebees have a reputation for being the world’s best scroungers, they will beg, borrow, or most likely steel what they need to get the job done. I am no exception.

I haunt the websites where free stuff can be found and jump on anything there I can use to improve my life up here on the mountain.

A few weeks ago it was metal roofing that came off a rather large shop. Early last week it was two nice work benches for a shop.

This week it was around $600 dollars in used lumber, most of it still usable. I now have quite the lumber yard here to complete the building of my small shop. Any lumber left over will be donated to Allen or the new folks that are moving into a piece of land between us.

Yes, there is a new couple moving in, and unlike the folks that have tried, and failed, in the past, these folks want to learn from my mistakes and do the right thing.

They aren’t moving in until next spring, but are currently doing what they can to improve their place to be ready for winter when they do move.

They stopped by here the other day and introduced themselves. They are our ages, and don’t want to cause any undo hardships for those of us that live here already. They asked a lot of goid questions and got a lot of good information from us. They seem like a fun couple and will be a big asset up here next year.

They plan on putting tracks on one of the jeeps they own and using it to get up and down. Also, they will be adding a plow to it to knock the snow drifts down. There’s a real bad drift that happens every year between my cabin and theirs, Allen has spent many days breaking through it at times, and it has held him up from going into town more than once, so a jeep with a plow will make life much easier for him.

I’m getting lots of projects done around here this summer, some I planned, others just happened. At this rate I will only have one major project to do next summer, rainwater storage.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

The weeks news. A little about huckleberry pickers.

A little late again this week. been busy.

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Finally got the woodshed built, then decided to add a shed to store the UTV during the summer, and my water trailer plus a few other things during the winter.

Huckleberries are getting ripe, and people are making the yearly trek up the mountain hunting the berries. In some places, a gallon of them bring in $50. This makes some folks spend far too much time in the woods. Others are set up to pick strictly for commercial use, and have been caught picking on private probably, much to the displeasure of the land owner. Some of the pickers act like it’s a right to pick where they please, regardless of property rights. They believe that since they have picked there long before anyone owned it, they can still pick there.

I started hauling in the winters supply of firewood early this year. It’s getting harder to find. I’m hoping next year to have a pellet stove, three tons of pellets is far easier to handle than five cords of wood. And a whole lot easier to find.

Down at My Kitchen, the old loggers have been either fishing, or talking about fishing. I haven’t seen much of them lately.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

This week’s news. Firewood hunting.

A little late last week or a little early this week folks, It has been a busy few weeks, lately, and I haven’t been around reliable Internet.

Well, it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Firewood gathering is now in full swing around here. I decided to start early this year to beat the folks that start coming up next month hunting for it. I was picking through the slash piles that the logging company had left behind. But those that I can get to have been burned. Such a waste.

However, above the road, up the hill from where those piles were, they did leave quite a bit of wood laying on the ground. It cannot be seen from the road, so most people ignore it and move on. I decided to take a hike up and found enough wood for the coming winter and probably another.

This is, by far, the easiest wood to get, just cut to length and roll it down to the road, load it and head home. We managed to load a truckload in less than an hour.

I’m also building a woodshed this year. I’ve been here four years now and have had to fight with snow building up on top of my firewood every winter. This year I will have dry and easy access to the firewood.

I haven’t been in town long enough this past week to check in with the old loggers. Not sure what everyone is up to down there these days.

The wife planted a few tomato plants in big pots earlier this spring, so far two of them look like they will be giving us fresh tomatoes soon. The third is growing, but nothing is blooming on it at all, we are still hopeful.

Temperatures have been all over this week, sometimes hitting the triple digits, and then dropping into much cooler temperatures at night. Some nights we leave the windows open, hoping for some cool breeze, others we are covering up with blankets to stay comfortable.

That’s life in the great Northwest.

Well, that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

The week’s news. The woodshed build

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

We managed to finish the hardwood flooring in the living room this week. It really looks nice and changes the look of our little home.

Started building a woodshed, using mostly logs I have found around the mountain.

Temperatures are rising, making outdoor work difficult at times. I’ve had to slow down a bit due to the heat.

Later this month I hope to start gathering firewood. That will be an early morning project, while it’s still cool enough out. I can wait to cut and split until fall if I have to.

I haven’t been in town much lately, so not sure what the old loggers are up to these days, probably fishing, or honey do lists from their wives.

Allen hasn’t been seen much, he has started his firewood hunting as well, so has been staying close to home.

We have stopped by when Tina gets in a baking mood, delivering fresh baked banana bread or brownies, usually leaving them at his door since he is out hunting wood.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

This week’s news

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

A few thunderstorms have moved through thus past week, giving us some much needed rain and slightly cooler temperatures.

We have been busy staining and sealing old tongue and groove flooring that came out of a 1930’s house last summer. We planed it, and now staining it and installing it.

Moved the “new” snowmobile into the snowmobile shed this week, I was tired of it being in my way every time I turned around.

This machine replaces the one that was wreaked earlier this year. Hopefully there will be no need to use it, but up here, anything goes.

I hauled home some large logs from my buddy Jim’s place. They were blown down two years ago during the bad wind storm we had. He doesn’t burn wood so they were just going to rot.

I am hoping to have them cut into slabs and nail them up on the bedroom walls to give it the look of a log cabin. Time will tell if I can get it done this year.

An elk past my front door this past week, though I have often heard them, and seen sign of them, I have never seen one. It was a treat to watch him walk past.

I haven’t seen mamma moose or her calf in a while. I think they might not like all the traffic thst has been up and down the mountain this year and have moved on to safer places.

I haven’t seen much of the Old loggers lately, we have been pretty busy around here. But I have run into a few of them in my travels to town for supplies, we say hi and move on. I guess we’re all pretty busy with this nice weather.

We have been wanting a guest cabin up here, since our cabin is just the one bedroom. Anyone coming to visit has to stay in town at night.

As luck would have it, I found a thirty foot travel trailer someone in town was giving away. After looking it over, I decided it didn’t need much work to make it a comfortable cabin and hauled it home. It wasn’t easy. There is a reason my old 5th wheel was given away after I was done taking what I wanted out of it. Hauling anything that heavy up an old logging road is a challenge. One I do not wish to repeat any time soon.

But it is here now and next spring, we will bring it up close to the woodshed and begin its transformation into a comfortable guest cabin.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

The weeks news

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Tina’s carpal tunnel surgery was this week, and I was trying to get a lot done before I lost my helper.

Not much in the way writing or editing got done this week, and I’m not sure how much will get done next week.

A group of people here in town want to have a real shooting range, with safty officers, decent facilities, a building for training, and an overall safe place for people to go and shoot. Right now, most folks go to an old dump outside of town. No safty, or any control.

I somehow found myself on the board of directors for this project and today we all went to look at a piece of ground for the proposed range. This should be interesting as it progresses. I will keep everyone posted as things develop.

Our sheriff was gone for training for the week. Something for all the sheriffs in the state. I guess it’s a yearly thing. So no new stories from him this week.

It seems the more I try to get accomplished around the cabin, the more turns up that needs doing. So far, a woodshed has been added to the list of things that must get done before the snow flys again.

Now that I am down to just me, this, plus getting in enough firewood for the season, will be a challenge.

I had an elk walk past the cabin this morning. First one I have seen around in the almost four years I have lived here.

They must have damn good hearing, because I said something, from inside the cabin, and the elk immediately looked up at me and started moving faster. Sure wish I had had my camera close, and had kept my mouth shut.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

The weeks news, summer break

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

It’s the last week of school and kids are looking forward to summer break, so are the teachers, bus drivers and others that work in the school system.

Parents are packing for summer vacations, heading off to another state to some attraction or another, getting away from town if only for a week or two before going back to work.

Down at My Kitchen, the old loggers have been talking about the fishing, a few haven’t been showing up for morning coffee, instead choosing to head out before the sun comes up for their favorite fishing hole.

Up here, I’ve been puttering around with the front wall, putting T1-11 up around the windows and reusing the old trim.

The gal that owns the land next to mine made her first trip up this sumner last weekend, hauling in some lumber for a project on her small cabin.

Her cabin was once my back bedroom, an 8X12 chicken coop that the previous owner and builder had hauled in from somewhere and stuck on the back of the original cabin.

When I built the new addition, I pulled it off with Larry’s help and drug it down to my lower lot where the gal saw it and bought it from me to use as her weekend cabin.

She’s made quite a few improvements to it over the last couple of years, but it will most likely be torn down when she decides to build a more permanent place in a few years.

Now it’s a good weekend cabin, just enough room for bunk beds and some shelves.

I don’t know what she added last weekend, haven’t been over there since she left on Sunday.

It looks like thunderstorms are moving through today, so I won’t get much done outside, but I have plenty to do inside, so will stay busy.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

Memorial day weekend

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

It’s memorial day weekend, a time to reflect on those that gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Flags are at half mast this weekend, and smaller ones decorate the Graves of those that served here in this small town.

I’m sort of an inactive member of the local American Legion here in town, so last week I was called upon to be part of the honor guard for two funerals of former service members thst had passed. It is my honor to serve in the honor guard, and the families of the passed are more than great full of our services.

I’ve been busy around the cabin lately, the temperature has gone from needing a fire to blazing hot in just a few days. It’s been nice being able to start my summer projects.

Down  at My Kitchen, the old loggers have been making sure I’m taking notes for my next book whenever they start on a rather funny story. Even the sheriff chimes in, making sure I heard it.

Kinda funny being included in this. Now that they know I’m a writer.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.

This week’s news and jet boat racing.

Well it’s been another quiet week up here on the mountain, my little slice of heaven.

Mother nature can’t seem to make up her mind this week. First warm temperatures and some sun, to rain, then four inches of snow yesterday morning. Thankfully by noon it had mostly melted off.

Down at My Kitchen, they were closed for a day this week to spruce up the place a little before the upcoming jet boat races this weekend.

Their closing left the old loggers with no place to go for their morning coffee or pontificating, since no other establishment opens before seven.

My Kitchen was open again the following morning, sporting a fresh coat of paint on the walls, new carpet on the floor, plus new ceiling tiles. The roof had had a leak over the winter that stained the old ones, so after a new roof was installed earlier this month, the owner had decided that he needed to make some changes.

The annual jet boat races start this Friday. This race draws racers from all over the world, I heard last year there was one from New Zealand. It also draws a lot of spectators, so I’m hoping my book signing will be a sellout.

I’ll be in town tomorrow setting things up at Always Grounded, a shop that provides great coffee ( the flavored kind) scones, homemade danish and, occasionally, muffins. They also have couches to relax on while you surf the Web, or hold a conversation with a friend or two.

I’ve been puttering around the cabin, trying to get started on a few projects I want finished before the next winter hits. That’s what we do up here, prepare for the following winter. Summer is short, and the growing season is shorter at this elevation, so the drive to get outside is strong this time of year.

Equipment must be readied, firewood found, hauled, cut,split and stacked. Any work on the cabin must be started and finished in the time we have before the fall rains hit and the temperature drops again, and once more we are leaving the pickup at the bottom of the mountain.

My summer plans have me very busy, my disability has me moving slowly, so it will be another race with mother nature once again before she ushers in old man winter once more.

Well that’s all the news for the week. Bye for now.