from our mountain

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Mon May 24, 2010 8:55 am

Yesterday, Sunday was wondrous. First, there is a glorified logging road that leads off our mountain and meanders through what SL has appropriately named the "enchanted forest." I had to go out to the store yesterday morning and took the "trail" through the forest. As I rounded a turn I was just awed by what I saw. The early morning sun filtering through the trees and into a light layer of fog that still settled in the trees. I drove into what I can only describe as a shower of diamond laced sunbeams. It was the second most naturally amazing thing I have ever seen. The first was several years ago driving into literally the end of a rainbow, the inside of the car just glowed with all the colors of the rainbow.

But I digress, around another turn, I caught some movement at the side of the road, so I stopped, backed up and there was this huge snapping turtle righting himself after what I assumed was a somewhat unpleasant slide down a clay embankment. I put on a pair of work gloves that I keep in the truck, picked him up being very aware of the business end of this monster that weighted a good 15 pounds and moved him to the other side of the road and down a grassy embankment toward a little stream, thinking that is where he wanted to go. He was strong as a bull and quite healthy as they have a very unpleasant odor about them too.

To continue, one of our forum members was in town so we invited her to come to our home for dinner. I picked her up and decided to bring her home via the "enchanted forest" route. Now this is about ten hours later and there at the base of the clay embankment was the snapper, trying to get up it and having no luck at all. I stopped and again I picked it up and moved it down the road about ten yards or so to a small grassy ravine so it would have more luck getting back into the woods for whatever reason. As we were aiding the turtle, two turkeys crossed the road about twenty yards away.

All in all we had a great day!

Love,

Virginia

Anita · Post by **Anita** » Mon May 24, 2010 11:20 am

I love the description, Virginia--I feel like I'm right there. Your Samaritan work with the turtle was a good thing, too. Hope you and our other sister had a good time.

Leeza · Post by **Leeza** » Mon May 24, 2010 11:48 am

Virginia, enjoyed your discription of the day.

I could tell ou are still a city girl living in the country. A country girl would have a least thought about inviting the turtle for dinner.

Leeza

Bernice · Post by **Bernice** » Mon May 24, 2010 7:40 pm

Ever humble, Virginia left out the deer, the ground hog, the woodpecker, the kitten, and the hummingbird, not to mention her unparalleled culinary masterwork. Yes, it was definitely a glorious day, one which I will never forget.

We're old friends (friends first, and old second), but after several years, it was such a privilege and an honor to finally meet them face to face, and be treated better than royalty.

Just between you and me, the Museum of Trans(portation) was really just my feeble excuse to be in-town, though I also enjoyed the museum.

Hugs,

Bernice

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Mon May 24, 2010 8:19 pm

Bernice, you are such a sweetheart! SL and I thank you so much for accepting our invitation and we are glad you enjoyed yourself. You know you (and any other of our sisters here) are more than welcome to visit us anytime you are near our mountain!

Thanks again Bernice, it was such a pleasure to meet you and we hope for you good luck and all the best!

Love you all!

Virginia

Absaroka · Post by **Absaroka** » Wed May 26, 2010 7:02 am

Glad you two had fun and thanks for the enchanted forest description Virginia.

Now I have a new metaphor. As stubborn as a snapping turtle climbing a hill. Say something I can use it about.....

Carol Ann · Post by **Carol Ann** » Wed May 26, 2010 12:50 pm

Ah Virginia my love,
I know and fully understand the beauty you take about. Very early in the morning a walk in the woods will just over come you to the things Mother Nature has given us.

Now around here the rangers tells us not to move a turtle but if you have to always point it in the same direction it was going. Right now this time of year as the weather is getting very warm they are going out of their winter sleep and looking for water, watch out for the new little ones as they haven't got any wood smarts yet

.

On a side note, snakes are also coming out, enjoy my sister. Hay hi SL, cooking any critter stew tonight

SilverLady(SO) · Post by **SilverLady(SO)** » Thu May 27, 2010 7:28 am

Hi, Carol Ann -

I agree, we sure do love the view and especially our "enchanted forest" . . . it's absolutely awesome!!

The only "critter stew" I'll ever cook up - or eat - involves meats coming cows, pigs, rabbits, lambs, deer, buffalo, moose, chicken, duck, goose, turkey, grilled 'gator, and then the seafood variety (swordfish, cod, whitefish, tuna, haddock, halibut, etc.).

If Virginia wants to cook or eat any foods involving turtles, snakes, or other critters, well, she's on her own, 'cuz this GG won't be involved with it!

Big Hugs, Girlfriend!!

- SL

Virginia · Post by **Virginia** » Thu May 27, 2010 4:44 pm

........and if I told her what was on the pizza that she devoured the other night

This girl can cook........................a lot of different things!

Love and cook on ladies!

Virginia

Carol Ann · Post by **Carol Ann** » Fri May 28, 2010 8:22 am

A little off the beaten path , I warned you'al about summer and critter coming out. Well yesterday I killed my first copperhead coming out of the wood pile. Big boy to, about 30" long. My house cleaning lady liked to freaked out as she wants nothing to do with snakes of any kind.

Lydia · Post by **Lydia** » Fri May 28, 2010 10:37 am

Copperheads are great rat catchers, but otherwise nasty.

When I was young and foolish, I collected copperheads for zoo exhibits. That was in Garret County - a chunk of Maryland that hangs over into W. Va. Copperhead heaven.

Hugs,

Lydia

Post by **DonnaT** » Fri May 28, 2010 12:36 pm

Carol Ann wrote:My house cleaning lady liked to freaked out . . .

I thought you were the house cleaning lady!?

Anita · Post by **Anita** » Fri May 28, 2010 4:35 pm

That was in Garret County - a chunk of Maryland that hangs over into W. Va. Copperhead heaven.

That is a ways from Baltimore and civilization, Lydia--I just looked it up.
I walked right past a Copperhead on a trail in Kentucky--I looked back, and there was his head, poking out into the path. The people behind me all stopped, at that point. I don't remember how we cleared the snake out; we didn't kill it. This was 1960, at a state park.

Virginia--
That pizza might have still been moving when you attempted to pick it up?

SilverLady(SO) · Post by **SilverLady(SO)** » Sat May 29, 2010 11:52 pm

Yes, we do have Copperheads in our area, luckily I've yet to see one near the house - Anita would have heard me if I had!!

Virginia wrote:........and if I told her what was on the pizza that she devoured the other night

You know it's not nice to fool SilverLady!

As 'Maude' (the late Bea Arthur) always said: "God will get you for that!"

. . . but I love you anyway!!

- SL

Bernice · Post by **Bernice** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 1:16 am

26 years ago, on one of my very rare en-femme motorcycle adventures to the state park alone mid-day on a weekday (I was unemployed then also) I encountered about a five or six foot copperhead snake on the sidewalk to the lake's swimming area. I had no desire to be closer than about thirty feet from this critter. Fortunately, there was also a liberal supply of hedgeapples on the ground, so I merely went bowling for snakes. The first strike was enough to encourage the critter to slither away.

Hugs,

Bernice