If you are going to spew flour all over the place it is sometimes best to bake shirtless. Of course, the sweat pants still get covered in flour.

The Utica Observer Dispatch published my article on attending the Leave No Trace Master Educator’s course.

Class teaches respect for nature
Whether you are a hiker, canoeist, hunter, fisherman, snowmobiler or skier, if you’re reading a GO! column, you probably have an appreciation for the outdoors and the natural environment.

For many years I wrote journals. In the past few years the journals have been supplanted by the blog. I wanted to capture my blog entries similar to the journals so I printed my pictures and blog entries. I contact Staples about binding the book. For $10 they made a hard cover binding with a custom cover. I wasn’t too creative about the cover, but overall I am happy with the product.

Eric has been wearing out his favorite games and websites (Disney & Noggin) on the old laptop. I had a wireless antenna that can be seen duct taped onto the laptop port so his computer can be ‘lugged’ around the house. He uses a combination of touch pad and mouse – which ever is easier depending on the activity. Notice the tongue of concentration.

Of course he got started much earlier…..

The basic write up from our Murphy’s Lake outing was published in the GO! section of the Utica OD today although without the pictures.

Utica OD Winter Camping Article

Interesting that you should ask.  The ponds have been full all summer and the recent wet weather has kept them overflowing, but through the outlets and not overflowing the banks.  All fall we have had constant flocks of geese landing for an overnight stay during their migration.  The new grass around the larger pond has been trimmed by their nibbling until it looks like a putting green.  I just hope it comes back OK next spring.

The cold water has killed the algae growth that started in the large pond. The fish have largely gone inactive with the colder water.  I have tried feeding the fish a few times, most recently last evening, with little response.

The pilgrim has his hat.

And Kathryn has made a French Apple Pie.

Seven members of WinterCampers.com did a pre-season overnight at the Murphy Lake leanto as a thru-hike; coming in from Pumpkin Hollow Road (3.8 miles), staying at Murphy Lake and hiking out (3.6 miles) to the Creek Road trail head on Sunday morning. We had nice weather with only a few snow flakes in the air.

Trail conditions varied from muddy to wet to full running water. The most treacherous portions of the trail were the slime covered corduroy logs and wet bridge boards. Upon reaching the Murphy’s Lake we had to choose a side to traverse and we picked the wrong side of the lake. We had to bushwhack to skirt a large flooded bog that probably added 45 minutes to our hike.

Upon reaching the leanto we donned warmer gear and had a rousing session of StopLight!

At night we did a cook off between two cook groups with the steak, onions and peppers fajitas coming in 2nd to the multi-course meal of appetizers (10 year old sharp cheese, smoked salmon on crackers with mustard sauce), salad with sun dried tomatoes/feta cheese and choice of 2 dressings, creamy potato soup, chocolate pudding followed by some Merlot.

Chris and Matt load up on fajitas while Mark stirs the soup.

Although the temperatures dropped quickly Saturday afternoon the overnight temperatures remained in the mid-30s and Sunday morning was in the low 40s.

Upon emerging at the trail head our return home was delayed by a dead battery in Sparky’s van. After 30 minutes of diagnostics Sparky and Chris lashed on sneakers and jogged back (via roads) to our vehicles at the Pumpkin Hollow trail head. Within an hour they returned from their 7 mile jog, we jumped Sparky’s van and were headed home. Having a couple of serious runners along was a real plus.

We have had some chipmunks around our house living off the bird feeder.  They have tunneled through the flower bed and under the deck.  I put out a Hava-hart live trap and have caught a chipmunk every morning for the past 3 days. I have relocated them to the Watson Hollow Road cemetery which I pass on my way into work.  I have read that relocated animals don’t have a high survival rate due to pre-established territories by others in their species.  But the chipmunk survival has to be better than that of the mice I catch in the house.