Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[svk]

I think it's more about them actually experiencing it rather than remembering how to do it. Once they've done some projects like that, it builds confidence that they can do it again or other projects, even if they don't remember everything.
He's fortunate to have you to take the time and build him up in this way, that's what more parents should be doing .

Absolutely agree.

My dad wasn’t really a hands-on type of person when it came to fixing things, but we spent an awful lot of time together hunting and fishing. I had some other great mentors, including my grandpa and a couple of family friends who were immensely helpful in learning how to cobble old stuff together.

 

[MustangMike]

I've attached some Revolutionary War history of the Bear Mtn area. Hessian Lake is the long thin lake in my 3rd picture, above the Hudson at the base of Bear Mtn.

It is rumored that it turned red with blood after the skirmish. Also, Anthony Wayne was also known as "Mad Anthony Wayne" as they thought he was crazy attacking the British in the middle of the night, which turned out to be a very successful tactic. There is a lake and swimming area in Bear Mountain State Park named after him.

Constitution Marsh is in my first picture. It was used to store munitions during WW II. They say it is no longer used for that, but it is fenced off and you are not allowed in there. (It is said to be a bird sanctuary). As a kid, I remember the Mothball Fleet being moored there. They were WW II ships that were not in service, but a few of them were returned to service during the Vietnam war. The remainder were later scrapped.

https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=47833
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson_River_Reserve_Fleet

 

[JimR]

At the risk of sounding old, our days of finding Ash trees like that are likely behind us. I've cut several nice dead ones (30" +/-) into firewood over the past few years.

The Ash on my upstate property is still alive, but that area was logged in the past and if you find one over 20" it is a big one. But since it is woods, they are straight and tall.

NYC-DEP owns the adjacent watershed land next to the Cannonsville Reservoir and they hired an outfit to come in and cut down all their Ash trees, and they just left them there! Talk about government waste!

My trees are higher up, and it is the cold that gives them some protection, so we will see if they can beat this stuff.

We took down a 36" Ash when we cleared our land for the house back in 73. Over at the farm I removed a 5 footer that was out in the open in front of the house. The trunk went up only about 10 - 12 feet before spreading out with huge branches. We still have some good sized ones but they are dying at the base of the trees.

 

[Be Stihl]

How about…Crack Spackle?

Is that what Hunter was using?

 

[JimR]

Is that what Hunter was using?

Joe took too much and fried his brain.

 

[JimR]

Today's haul from our small Blackberry patch. The pan is 12" x 17". This is our 3rd haul so far this year. I'm guessing there is another 3 trays to ripen up.

 

[Philbert]

Turned 71 today

Happy Birthday!

Philbert

 

[.358 win]

Does anybody else have a lot of wasps/hornets this year? I’ve had more big nests than I’ve ever had.

Also, the raid brand hornet killer is no longer any good! Usually if you give it a good soaking everything inside dies and not so anymore. The one nest I had to spray twice and another three times, and I even knocked it down the second time and some residual wasps rebuilt it. I changed over to a foaming brand of spray, and that stuff really knocks them down.

The one under the corrugated metal took three attempts, and the one under the brown shed took two.
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I was told wasps eat spiders, and not a danger to upright bi-peds.. can even find half dead spiders in a nest meant to fed hatched young. Was it a crock of bs? The blue ones are said to be the serious insect killers.

 

[svk]

I was told wasps eat spiders, and not a danger to upright bi-peds.. can even find half dead spiders in a nest meant to fed hatched young. Was it a crock of bs? The blue ones are said to be the serious insect killers.

I’ve seen the white face wasps take bugs numerous times. Never spiders though, but not saying it doesn’t happen.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I was told wasps eat spiders, and not a danger to upright bi-peds.. can even find half dead spiders in a nest meant to fed hatched young. Was it a crock of bs? The blue ones are said to be the serious insect killers.

They sting the spider paralyzing it, then they drag it to a hole they have and lay eggs into the spider. The eggs hatch and the larva eat the paralyzed spider (that's still alive) until they become grown into wasp.

I never bother any of them, and they don't bother me.

SR

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I was told wasps eat spiders, and not a danger to upright bi-peds.. can even find half dead spiders in a nest meant to fed hatched young. Was it a crock of bs? The blue ones are said to be the serious insect killers.

Tarantula Wasp , 3” wing span, 2”+ body, 1/2” stinger. Pretty to look at but don’t get stung by one.

 

[bob kern]

Black paper wasp are indeed effective bug control. I give them their space.

 

[singinwoodwackr]

Tarantula Wasp , 3” wing span, 2”+ body, 1/2” stinger. Pretty to look at but don’t get stung by one.

I had a wasp and bee collection as a kid. Had a male and a female

 

[JimR]

Those white faced hornets are the worst SOB for getting stung by. I think the most tame ones are the orange colored wasps or hornets that burrow into the ground to make a nest. We spent a good part of the weekend working in our yard and mulching. There were 4 holes in the ground near where we were working. The bees didn't care that we were within a few feet of them. We even covered over their nests with mulch. They just uncovered the holes.

 

[svk]

Those white faced hornets are the worst SOB for getting stung by. I think the most tame ones are the orange colored wasps or hornets that burrow into the ground to make a nest. We spent a good part of the weekend working in our yard and mulching. There were 4 holes in the ground near where we were working. The bees didn't care that we were within a few feet of them. We even covered over their nests with mulch. They just uncovered the holes.

Agreed. They won’t bother you unless you’re very close to their nest and usually making noise as well. But when they nail you, you know it!

 

[GrizG]

My father's vehicles don't get used much (he's 89). I borrowed his pickup last week to work on the rail trail. Upon getting in the truck I was stung on my left pinky and thumb by wasps... Turns out there were two nests on the door pillars. Upon further inspection I found 5 more wasp nests on the truck... 2 on the passenger door pillars and 3 under the hood. Spraying them was easy as once the doors and hood were open they were fully visible. I think there is one between the bed walls but haven't been able to locate it yet. There was also a huge yellow jacket nest in the front passenger side wheel well of his van. It was wrapped around the suspension and steering components. It took 3 attacks of spray and a stick over three days to fully get rid of that nest.

In my life I've had 4 instances where I was swarm attacked by ground nest based yellow jackets. The last time was so bad I couldn't count the stings as there were stings on top of stings on my hands, neck, face, stomach and chest... I nearly passed out. Benadryl helped me regain my senses and ability to breathe but man did that hurt. I've taken to dumping about a cup of denatured alcohol in the ground nests and igniting them. The burn lasts a long time and wipes out the whole nest. Also, after being swam stung there is something satisfying about watching returning yellow jackets fly into the invisible flame and fall out of the air broiled.

 

[svk]

That is scary! I think the most I was stung was 7 or 8 times by a nest that was hidden in a rotten birch log. I was being swarmed by deer flies so I didn't hear the din of yellowjackets coming until it was too late.

 

[GrizG]

That is scary! I think the most I was stung was 7 or 8 times by a nest that was hidden in a rotten birch log. I was being swarmed by deer flies so I didn't hear the din of yellowjackets coming until it was too late.

"Playing" in the weeds and woods my entire life has exposed me to some things that I'd preferred to have not experienced.

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

logging can be big down here in Big City. this yesterday as we drove to grocery... only a few blocks from us. headed up to Sawdust Man's... is my guess! ~

 

[Backyard Lumberjack]

it is really hot down here. hottest day other day, matched record last set in... 1964!

so hot!

yesterday tv weather's main man did vid of his Cold water coming out of his kitchen faucet... with temps.... over 100f! (and to think some thot i was kidding! 'no need to turn on the hot water if hot is needed!'

and another main guy who does weather on the tv, same station... we was HI 117 yesterday. more today... said

"been here 23 years and have never seen the HI at 117!"