Photos A Walk in Nature

[315]

The company I work for has been closed all week. I was hoping to have all sorts of outdoor adventures, and post about them here, but it didn’t work out.

WARNING!!! Rambling off-topic content begins here.

My wife and I have been working hard the past couple of years to keep my parents (both 84 and failing) in their own home, but we have known for a while that we were just one incident away from all that falling apart. That incident happened this week.

Sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning early, my dad fell over in the bedroom upstairs, and the lady who helps them during the day found him just lying there. He wasn’t hurt, but the reason for his weakness was pneumonia. The paramedics had to come and get him down the narrow staircase and into an ambulance.

My mother has dementia, and frets horribly if my father isn’t in her sight at all times. We tried to care for her in our home for a couple of days, but we didn’t really sleep at all - it was clear we needed professional help.

Thankfully we had already been dealing with an agency that helps find nursing and assisted living care, so I called them, and they found a really nice residential care facility and my mother is safely there now.

Dad gets discharged to a rehab center tomorrow, and then I have a couple of weeks to find a permanent arrangement for both of them together. So far everything has played out much better than I always imagined this sad but inevitable event would - I’m hoping that trend continues.

Anyway, now I’m sick with something my exhausted self must have picked up at the hospital or somewhere. If I survive tomorrow, I may have Sunday or Monday morning to get out to the canal for a walk and some outdoor therapy, before it’s back to work Tuesday.

Thanks for listening.

I went through that this past spring and summer with my Dad. He’s in a nursing home now and doing great but it was exhausting to be sure. Trust me, taking a little break and getting outside will help clear your head tremendously. Hope everything gets resolved soon.

 

[Just Tom.]

Been there. Its hard. All you can do is the best you can. Prayers

^ Of course my friend ! ^

I pray that a suitable facility can be found soon so your parents can be together and for strength for you as you help them in this difficult transition in life

Prayers for all of you.
Hope you heal quickly.

I pray that things go well for you and your folks as you seek to honor them with a suitable living situation

I wish you AND your parents all the best during this difficult time. Sadly this is the process of life. I hope you are all blessed with peace and grace and dignity in the time ahead.

I went through that this past spring and summer with my Dad. He’s in a nursing home now and doing great but it was exhausting to be sure. Trust me, taking a little break and getting outside will help clear your head tremendously. Hope everything gets resolved soon.

Thanks, guys.

 

[DirtDawg]

The company I work for has been closed all week. I was hoping to have all sorts of outdoor adventures, and post about them here, but it didn’t work out.

WARNING!!! Rambling off-topic content begins here.

My wife and I have been working hard the past couple of years to keep my parents (both 84 and failing) in their own home, but we have known for a while that we were just one incident away from all that falling apart. That incident happened this week.

Sometime Monday night or Tuesday morning early, my dad fell over in the bedroom upstairs, and the lady who helps them during the day found him just lying there. He wasn’t hurt, but the reason for his weakness was pneumonia. The paramedics had to come and get him down the narrow staircase and into an ambulance.

My mother has dementia, and frets horribly if my father isn’t in her sight at all times. We tried to care for her in our home for a couple of days, but we didn’t really sleep at all - it was clear we needed professional help.

Thankfully we had already been dealing with an agency that helps find nursing and assisted living care, so I called them, and they found a really nice residential care facility and my mother is safely there now.

Dad gets discharged to a rehab center tomorrow, and then I have a couple of weeks to find a permanent arrangement for both of them together. So far everything has played out much better than I always imagined this sad but inevitable event would - I’m hoping that trend continues.

Anyway, now I’m sick with something my exhausted self must have picked up at the hospital or somewhere. If I survive tomorrow, I may have Sunday or Monday morning to get out to the canal for a walk and some outdoor therapy, before it’s back to work Tuesday.

Thanks for listening.

I truly hope you get to feeling better soon Tom. Prayers for you and your family are being offered. May you all be blessed with healing and comfort at this time.

 

[Hatchet_Jack]

Hatchet_Jack - do I recall reading that you are a fan of the French and Indian War? You may enjoy my posts from this fall about visiting a restored fort which dates to that era:



Here are pictures of the inside:

My Spanish knife can trace its origins to France, I believe:

I think this image came from this website somewhere, possibly:
https://www.lecouteau.info

Time to go feed my parent’s cat, then wait for a call from the hospital…

Yes very much so I love that period. Its a dream to visit some of those historic sites and walk the trails, thanks for posting this up.

From memory (which is poor these days having small children) Fort Frederick itself didn't see any large military actions in the F&I war but is still fascinating.

There was a really good article by Ken Hamilton regarding jambette knives but the website has since been taken down. I myself had a gentleman from PA make a boucheron and siamois knife based off excavated examples for me. The boucheron has skinned and butchered quite a few game. The siamois was more traditionally just a handy friction folder for odd jobs or food and I use it as such.

That's a beautiful knife you have too my friend.

 

[DirtDawg]

I just returned from a walk in nature - an Urban Hike of sorts. 40°F, sunny, and a hint of a breeze made for a pleasant investigation of urban treelines, hidden ponds, and the like. I'm enjoying a hot chocolate right now, but will likely head back down to the workshop in a bit. I have a few projects in progress at present.

You may see now why I seem to have "axe envy". After viewing redsparrow's image of that fine looking stacked leather job yesterday, I decided to set the hiking/saunter stick aside, let the Barlow soak a while, and try to spiff up my old Plumb hand-axe/hatchet (terminology dependent on who you are talking to).


I think you will agree with me that I've used and abused this poor thing just about enough since about 1970-72, or so (if memory serves me correctly).


And that it's about time for a bit of TLC. This old Plumb (I know it's a Plumb because I purchased it new) has cut firedwood/kindling, cleared brush and trees, stripped asphalt shingles/roofing, and just about anything else a tool like this can be called upon to do, over the past 50years or so, with the exception of dressing game that is.


Now, why on earth would I have wrapped that handle with electrical tape? There had to be a good reason.


Oh wait, now I remember. Maybe I'll just clean that crack out and fill it with a bit of epoxy this time around.


And since the handle is in generally good, useable condition, I believe I'll leave some remnants of that Plumb, signature red color for old time's sake. I'm thinking I'll likely invest in some Tung Oil or Boiled Linseed Oil for this little project though. Maybe some red colored epoxy, a Poor-man's Permabond of sorts - thinking...


Not as nice as some out there, but then, I'm not restoring, I'm refreshing. And just like the Matterhorn and the Prov. Cutlery Co. Barlow, it may never be pretty, but it should end up serviceable at least.


This one will go afield with me in the spring. It might take that long to get all of the rust out of the blade wells.


You guys be safe out there. Watch out for rogue Chipmunks.

 

[Just Tom.]

That's a beautiful knife you have too my friend.

Thanks!
It’s actually a very inexpensive (+/-$20USD) Pallares with a plastic handle. I did rebuild one in olive wood, but with a non-traditional handle shape. I wanted to make something more hand-filling to take advantage of the fact that the blade is excellent for woodworking.

If you can get them cheaply in Australia, they might make good raw materials for you.

 

[gentleman_edc]

I got out for a walk this afternoon. Nothing special, but it's above freezing, so you take what you can get.
View attachment 2439767

View attachment 2439768

Somebody did a good job on the carving.

Maybe it was this critter.View attachment 2439774

 

[CelloDan]

Happy New Year

 

[RayseM]

And to you Dan and my fellow woods walkers All the best for a great 2024.

 

[Just Tom.]

I managed to get a short 2-1/2 hour walk in today. The cold drizzle started just as I got back to my car.

 

[DirtDawg]

I managed to get a short 2-1/2 hour walk in today. The cold drizzle started just as I got back to my car.

You certainly have a scenic place to walk in nature Tom. Your two trail partners look pretty content together, even if one is a long way from home.
Two questions: How does that Barlow compare to the USA made ones? And, is that a freshly found stick, or did you take that one out with you?

 

[Just Tom.]

You certainly have a scenic place to walk in nature Tom.

The trail I took runs basically along Muddy Branch, which feeds into the Potomac near Pennyfield lock. It’s not as remote as it looks in the pictures, but between the federally managed C&O canal park, the county-owned stream valley park, and the adjacent state-managed public hunting area, it is a fairly large area.

How does that Barlow compare to the USA made ones?

I don’t have a USA-made version of the Imperial Barlow to compare it to, but the Imperial Ireland is a a nice little knife for what it is. The bolsters are hollow stamped steel, and the handles are very cheap-feeling hollow plastic. The action is just fine, though, and the blades are thin and slicey carbon steel. I bought it NOS for very little money. I like it but haven’t really used it - it’s just too small for my hands and typical needs.

And, is that a freshly found stick, or did you take that one out with you?

The stick is a new find. Some sort of mystery wood - I cut it from a large fallen limb I passed by. At first I thought it was too rotten to keep, since it sawed off so easily with the SAK-sized saw I had on the Mikov knife I was carrying on my belt, but it actually flexes pretty well and has a nice ring to it when tapped on, so I took it home with me. I also found a large black or maybe red oak that had fallen across the trail, and cut a suitable piece from that. It is very heavy and dense, and still a little green, so I will let it dry some before doing anything with it.

The Mikov:

I actually DID see a pileated woodpecker yesterday, and a pair of raptors I didn’t recognize, and which made odd screeching calls…

 

[DirtDawg]

The trail I took runs basically along Muddy Branch, which feeds into the Potomac near Pennyfield lock. It’s not as remote as it looks in the pictures, but between the federally managed C&O canal park, the county-owned stream valley park, and the adjacent state-managed public hunting area, it is a fairly large area.

I don’t have a USA-made version of the Imperial Barlow to compare it to, but the Imperial Ireland is a a nice little knife for what it is. The bolsters are hollow stamped steel, and the handles are very cheap-feeling hollow plastic. The action is just fine, though, and the blades are thin and slicey carbon steel. I bought it NOS for very little money. I like it but haven’t really used it - it’s just too small for my hands and typical needs.

The stick is a new find. Some sort of mystery wood - I cut it from a large fallen limb I passed by. At first I thought it was too rotten to keep, since it sawed off so easily with the SAK-sized saw I had on the Mikov knife I was carrying on my belt, but it actually flexes pretty well and has a nice ring to it when tapped on, so I took it home with me. I also found a large black or maybe red oak that had fallen across the trail, and cut a suitable piece from that. It is very heavy and dense, and still a little green, so I will let it dry some before doing anything with it.

The Mikov:

I actually DID see a pileated woodpecker yesterday, and a pair of raptors I didn’t recognize, and which made odd screeching calls…

Thanks for responding. I look forward to seeing those sticks.

Raptors with odd screeching calls?? Did they sound like what is heard on TV and in the movies when they show a Bald Eagle? Were they circling overhead as they crossed the sky? Did they look anything like this? Was one larger than the other? If so, they were very likely Red-tailed Hawks. Hollywood uses the screech of the Red-tailed hawk when they show a Bald Eagle soaring, just to add drama. Search Red-tailed Hawk in the All About Birds web-site and click on "Sounds".

I see Woody Woodpecker is checking out your woodpile.
Note: Please pardon the image quality. I was recovering from a heart ablation at the time and had a weight restriction imposed. I was unable to tote my large lens on that day, and had to settle for 300mm max.



Of course, my Elk scaled Buck 112 was on my hip at the time too.

 

[Just Tom.]

Search Red-tailed Hawk in the All About Birds web-site and click on "Sounds".

I didn’t get the best look at them, but red-tailed hawks are very common here, and I am familiar with their typical call. It’s possible they make a variety of vocalizations, though, I suppose. It sounded more like squawking in staccato tones. Hopefully this evening I can spend some time on the site you recommend and come up with a match. Thanks!

 

[mbkr]

I didn’t get the best look at them, but red-tailed hawks are very common here, and I am familiar with their typical call. It’s possible they make a variety of vocalizations, though, I suppose. It sounded more like squawking in staccato tones. Hopefully this evening I can spend some time on the site you recommend and come up with a match. Thanks!

Eastern Screech Owls? They don't really screech, but have a variety of songs that aren't the typical "who". More trilling than screeching though.
Might be their mating season. Just a thought, I'm generally terrible at bird identification.

 

[Just Tom.]

Eastern Screech Owls? They don't really screech, but have a variety of songs that aren't the typical "who". More trilling than screeching though.
Might be their mating season. Just a thought, I'm generally terrible at bird identification.

Interesting thought. I did get a good enough look at them to rule out any species of owl, though.

 

[Just Tom.]

Search Red-tailed Hawk in the All About Birds web-site and click on "Sounds".

I’m going to go with Cooper’s Hawk. Definitely had wings that were dark on the back, it was long, tan, and skinny from underneath, found them in a mature forest, a common bird, and that call. There were two of them going at it at the same time, it was quite a cacophany.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk

 

[DirtDawg]

I’m going to go with Cooper’s Hawk. Definitely had wings that were dark on the back, it was long, tan, and skinny from underneath, found them in a mature forest, a common bird, and that call. There were two of them going at it at the same time, it was quite a cacophany.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk

I've spotted and photographed Cooper's Hawks before, but I confess, I've never heard their sound/s. I wonder what they will be changing their name to.

 

[mbkr]

I’m going to go with Cooper’s Hawk. Definitely had wings that were dark on the back, it was long, tan, and skinny from underneath, found them in a mature forest, a common bird, and that call. There were two of them going at it at the same time, it was quite a cacophany.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Coopers_Hawk

I never would have identified that sound with a hawk. That allbirds website is pretty cool

 

[DirtDawg]

I never would have identified that sound with a hawk. That allbirds website is pretty cool

All About Birds is my go-to site. I too, was amazed to read about the Red-tailed sound being associated with the Bald Eagle. However, we have a pair of Red-tailed hawks in our neighborhood, and they announce themselves quite vocally at times. It's almost as if they're yelling down at me from above, saying "Hey Frank, we're up here" "Pay attention". I still haven't located their nest though.