Through the Eyes of a Child

[intothenew]

We visited a local city park yesterday. At the entrance, A Bulldog from the 150th.

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We left home on a bowl of oatmeal and a banana. I promised them a half day hike, breakfast for lunch, and a "real" playground.

At the trail head

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BB couldn't stop looking at the bat poster.

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The path is dotted with interpretive signs. I make sure we ID each plant.

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It wasn't very hard to find.

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An easy trail.

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A few breaks.

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As promised, I got working on lunch while they scrambled around the playground.

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I had a bit of wood in the truck for just such an occasion.

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A little bit of prep work

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And we're off

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They get a train ride while I tend the fire.

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While they finish the lap, I put on some ugly biscuits.

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Maybe they're ugly, but they sure smell good.

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I keep em' hot in another pot on the flue while we deal with the meat and eggs.

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Butter and honey round things out.

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On the way home I take them to a cabin of one of the first white settlers in the area.

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And you just can't go to town without a run to Tractor Supply, I needed to pick up BD some gloves. They had a few animals on display.

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It was just a wonderful day.

[crashdive123]

Looks like another great day of fun for the wee ones and you.

[intothenew]

And they start bouncing around like worms on hot rocks. We got the packs in pretty good shape yesterday. Snacks for the road time is tied to them.

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First thing in the truck, we're making headway.

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We clean the camper, and stock. Before supper, I give them each a copy of the National Park workbook. I had little idea just how much that would consume them. Although BD won't be with us next weekend, he was just as enthusiastic. I'm gonna try to get him a badge in absentia.

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They colored, they giggled, they twisted an eyebrow..........it was a wonderful thing to watch.

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And the art work wouldn't stop there. I gave each a canvas shower bag and ask them to sign it.

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JMA test drives a wooby.

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This morning, it's "dressed" rehearsal for shower house protocol.

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[hunter63]

Very cool, Dad, keep them coming......

[crashdive123]

Looking forward to meeting you and the varmints.

[intothenew]

The plan is:

I pick them up right when school lets out Friday. The bunk house is loaded. We make it to Hungry Mother Park for Friday evening. They cook my supper. :-)

Into Cumberland about 11:00 A.M. Check in with a handshake or two. I then have to take them to the visitors center for a few hours, and the lookout. We get a campsite for the bunkhouse. Walk in to the group campground as if we'd made the trek all the way from WV, we'll enter from the West. KY cooks their supper, chicken tenders sealed the deal. :-)

Tell a bunch of lies before, during, and after all of the above.

[intothenew]

All vermin deserve a den. This has been two months in the making. An old friend texts me five minutes before showing, a GP small with poles and stakes.

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It's been in a barn loft for nearly twenty years, I'm sure it needs some love. If memory serves us both, it has a vestibule also. I pay the adult beverage as agreed. I won't sleep tonight. I'll think of the laughs that were, and the giggles to come.

[intothenew]

I got to take a few more days of vacation this week, and decided to spend some time cleaning up the Den. I set it up in the yard for a shower.

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It cleaned up well.

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That took the better part of the day to set it up and clean it. I finished the day by burning some brush to clear a wintering spot.

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Today, it was grade and ditch an area to set it, tear down and move.

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I had some mechanized help.

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I laid some pine needles down on the fresh grade in an attempt to keep things dry and clean. I'll sweep them up, fire hazard, after erection.

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Hillbilly crane.

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I got a new liner this week, and installed it today. No pics from inside, I'll try that tomorrow.

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BD helps me some after school, he is more than willing to man the long gun.

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BD swept the needles out and we put the cots inside. Tomorrow it's the stove, cold front's coming Saturday.

[intothenew]

It's ready for habitation. First, some safety items.

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Wood is in, and a fire built.

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I spent the day yesterday patching, ditching, and covering about 2/3rds of it with a tarp. It still needs a complete waterproofing job, the materials won't be here until next week. I hope I'm ready for the storm, I guess this is a good test.

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[intothenew]

Seems like the Varmint Lodge is a hit, we'll get to that in the coming weeks/months.

Each has been through an overhaul of their FAK lately, here and here. Their kits are morphing, as they should, to reflect the personality of each.

JMA and BB gathered a PSK from out of their kit, and an adder or two.

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Here is JMA's open and closed. We had to sew the belt for take up, Martha had it at the machine when the pics were taken.

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BB reminds me that Rabbit trapping is open, I beg off for at least two weeks.

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Some lab work

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And a simple supper in the lodge after a long day of tending deer stands.

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[intothenew]

Or, The Anniversary Party

Or, more appropriately, Thanksgiving.

This is near to our one year anniversary on this forum. I take the time to thank this forum, as a whole, for the wealth of information and help that resides here. I hope that we have shown our thanks through the preceding posts in this thread, and by the limited input elsewhere. Thank you, one and all.

I am thankful, most of all, for the time I have spent with the varmints this year. To celebrate that, I am allowed their presence the rest of this week. BD is in the house now. There is one more day of school for all three, and I pick up BB and JMA this evening. I have promised them a laid back hedonistic week. BD and I went through a little bit of prep in the lodge yesterday.

He's been dying to use the hatchet. Red Top, meet Red Top.

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They are envisioning muffins and brownies and such. I envision casseroles and basting and such.

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Our humble abode should be filled with laughter shortly.

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[hunter63]

Great job.....lucky kids....
Thanks for posting

[intothenew]

It's seems like it was 24 now, we had a blast. Time, it passes too fast.

We, of course, start in the lab. Duel varmints at the controls.

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Off to the lodge for the night. BB gets some hatchet time.

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While JMA worries over the recipe/grocery lists.

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I took them out for breakfast first morning, and we brought back the stores for the week. Load the mule for the final assault.

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[intothenew]

First on the list.

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Second on the list

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Third on the list

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Closely followed by

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[intothenew]

LR

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Scatter

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Another feral bites the dust.

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Snares

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LOL

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[intothenew]

Bench building

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Shelter builds

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[BENESSE]

That bench is the cat's meow.
Well done, all around, and you sir, are a genius at engaging the kids in the most constructive and fun way.

[intothenew]

In preparation for this,

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There was this

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And this

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[intothenew]

The week was not without trials and tribulations though. A cameo by one of their third cousins (K1) was the first need for the FAK.

Velocity accompanied by a high friction coefficient was the assessment.

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The next incident, BB took a lick. Potential energy via an elevated mass, accompanied by insufficient digit strength and low coefficient of friction led to kinetic energy and ultimately momentum turned to impulse. All I could do was my best MaMaw impersonation, it seemed to help.

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No picture of the next one, but BD got a small slice on an index finger. Improper form stowing a hinged single edge tool.

JMA took a headache one evening. A small dose of Ibuprofen took care of matters. Assessment, on my part, is the result of horrible arrangements and bad acoustics from this thing.

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Sheesh, what these kids listen to today.

And then there was the "pie". It gets a post to itself, kinda, sorta.

[intothenew]

There was lots of this.

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More than I expected of this.

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This was on par.

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And it didn't seem like they could get enough of this.

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