Introducing Deb - She's Making Her Dream Come True

I would like to introduce you to Deb. She and I are very similar in some ways. Deb has decided to make her own dream of living in the country true. She took the huge first step and has purchased her own piece of land.

The country road approaching her land

Congratulations Deb on taking that step! And congratulations on finding such a glorious piece of Almost Heaven, West Virginia!

This weekend I spent time at The Shack. On Saturday I went by Deb's land. I am thrilled for her. Absolutely thrilled. She and I "met" on social media. On Twitter. Someone had asked a question like "If money were no object...." and my answer was something like "Build The Shack and buy the adjacent lot". Deb commented to me that she's been looking at land in West Virginia, from east to west and some places further south. She definitely has actively house-hunted for longer than I had and in many more parts of the state. Coincidentally, she had looked in the same area that The Shack is located. Deb was serious about choosing the place of her dreams. For both of us, that dream includes being more rural than our current urban/suburban locations. For both of us, that includes a place that allows chickens and is large enough for a garden.

Anyway, as usual, I've rambled. 

Saturday I went to see her land. She gave me the tour and it was breath-taking. I'm so happy for her.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

The existing hint of a driveway.
Note: the photo does not adequately show the steep incline.

Up the steep "driveway" and down the hill is a hidden pond.
A wonderful, glorious pond!

I instantly fell in love with the pond.

Deb and her pond.

Neither of us know why this rock looks like this.
But it is interesting.

Back down the hill where holes are being dug for the gate.

Digging holes on ridges in WV feels (to me) like trying to widen
the grand canyon using a teaspoon. It's not easy. Fortunately, her cousin is
helping her get things started.

Deb's country road.

This piece of land is amazing. I look forward to watching her progress in turning this bare land into the home of her dreams.

October 2019 Autumn Colors

Country roads, take me home. Rt. 50.

Late October in Almost Heaven, West Virginia is a wonderful time of year. The scenery during my camping trip last weekend was breath-taking. I could not stop looking at the sights around me.    

I don't recall last year's autumn colors being as vibrant this year. Ms. Judy (my realtor) agreed with me. She said that last year was too dry. The beginning of this October was super dry also, but apparently the rains came in time to create this beautiful autumn canvas.

Isn't Mother Nature the most talented artist?

I love the many moods of the ridges. Bright morning sunshine burning off the thick fog - exposing the colors of the leaves.

By the way, I won't hold it against you if you find yourself singing as you look at these. In fact, let me just link the song here and we can both sing along. 

Wow. I love that John Denver cover. Such a beautiful voice she has. Her name is Emily Joy. I've never heard of her before and as soon as I finish posting my picture, I'm going to listen to more of her music.

Meanwhile, these are my country roads and almost heaven photos. 

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My woods. The view from the back deck. At first I thought there was a fire burning - the orange and gold leaves were so bright.

US Route 50 runs from Maryland to California. I drive a portion of it to get to The Shack. It is a gorgeous, scenic route. Especially in the autumn.

There's not many things that make me as happy as dirt roads in the fall (outside of my kids and grandkids of course). 

The leaves were falling like snowflakes (sorry for shooting photos through the dirty windshield).

The winding road leading to Fort Mill. 

I believe this is Mill Creek. I know that it runs along Rt 50 and runs into the South Branch. 

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If you ever had a chance to drive through northeastern West Virginia during peak autumn colors, you should do it. It's gorgeous scenery and plenty of beautiful mountain highways. 

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Travel: Seneca Rocks, West Virginia

The view from the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center. 

This past week I hiked the Seneca Rocks trail. I didn't give up and I made it to the top! It was a glorious feeling of accomplishment and a wonderful adventure in a beautiful setting. It was beautiful and you can be sure I'll go back. 

Due to the time of day (nearly noon), getting wet, and the haze from the heat of the day, my photos don't do justice to the beauty of the area. 

What the Seneca Rocks Trail IS:

• Seneca Rocks is an unincorporated community in Pendleton County, West Virginia (at the intersection of route 33 and route 55)
• Seneca Rocks is a rock formation located within the Monongahela National Forest. 
• The hiking trail can be accessed from the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center or the Homestead Site and Picnic area.
• The hiking trail is 1.3 miles and climbs over 700 feet
• The trail is a wide, maintained, path of uphill and switchbacks.
• There are occasional benches and two sets of stairs in one particularly steep location
• The observation deck is near the top of the rock formation and is cantilevered over the land below. The views of the area below are beautiful.

What the Seneca Rocks Trail and Observation Deck Is Not:

• The observation deck is not at the top of the rocks, as I had hoped.
• The view is not of the rocks, as I had hoped. I had hoped for a glimpse of rock climbers. The "view" is the same view you would have from the rocks of the valley and ridges below. 
• If you are a serious hiker and prefer difficult trails, this is not what you are looking for. The difficulty on this trail is the climb. Otherwise, it is like a stroll on a wide, civilized gravel path. 

My Experience at Seneca Rocks

I felt a little rushed as I had left the dogs alone at The Shack and I was concerned they'd get too hot with only the windows open (instead of the doors hanging wide open like they do when I'm there).  I hadn't really planned on taking this hike during this trip to The Shack. But there's no time like the present, right? So off I went. I'm glad I did. But next time I'll be better prepared with my backpack, binoculars, and a picnic lunch.

My GPS didn't pull up "Seneca Rocks" but it did pull up the nearby town of Macksville. The winding two lane highway offered beautiful views for the 1 1/2 hours I drove from The Shack.

When I arrived, I found there were two parking areas, and initially I was confused. There was the Discovery Center parking area and the Picnic area at the Sites Homestead. However, both areas are connected by a bridge and a path. 

The Discovery Center provided a bench and a wonderful view of the rocks. Were it not for feeling rushed, I would have sat for awhile. The Discovery Center offered a continuously running movie, excellent bathrooms, a gift shop, and some information about the rocks and about invasive plant species in the area. 

The Sites Homestead and picnic area provided a parking lot, covered picnic area, a rustic park bathroom, and the old homestead house and garden area. 

The Sites Homestead and gardens

The hiking path started up and over a bridge. Initially, the path was flatish, and I thought to myself, "at this amount of rise, it's going to take all day to get to the top". Well... I spoke to myself too soon. The climb began. I had to take frequent breaks. And there seemed to be far more switchbacks than shown on the map. 

During one of my breaks, on a bench in a switchback trying to catch a breeze, hikers coming down the hill encouraged me. "It's not very far now", "you've got this", and "only two more switchbacks".  They were right, two more turns and I was at the observation tower.

Note: if you make the hike, know that if I can do it, you can too. Just go slow and steady, drink water, and take frequent breaks if you need to.  If you get to the bench in the switchback you are getting close. When you get to the stone "wall" in the switchback, you have completed your last turn. The deck is just ahead. 

As soon as I arrived, the breezy day turned to a brief but torrential rain. I welcomed the cooling and powerful rain. 

I hate selfies - but was so proud to be at the top

Which reminds me, in the West Virginia ridges I have learned that you can't see the weather coming. Brief rain showers can pop up very quickly. If there is any chance of rain in the forecast, it would be good to pack a rain poncho when hiking. 

Would I recommend this hike to anyone who likes the great outdoors. YES! The river at the bottom, the view at the top, and the wooded area in between is a peaceful and beautiful place. Bird watchers would have plenty to see (I could hear the variety of birds chirping but can't identify birds by song). 

Location of the observation deck

Related Links:

I took many photos. I have posted those photos here if you would like to see them. 

Monongahela National Forest and Seneca Rocks website; including the hiking trail map  (I still feel like there were far more than three switchbacks. Whew!)

Seneca Rocks Discovery Center and the Sites Homestead. I was pleased to learn that tours of the Sites Homestead are available through the Discovery Center. I hope to include a tour as a part of my next trip to Seneca Rocks.


*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.

Travel: My Seneca Rocks Hike in Photos

Seneca Rocks, West Virginia is a small community in West Virginia and a rock formation with both a rich history and a current popular tourist attraction. I have wanted to hike the Seneca Rocks trail since first driving past the site a few years ago. 

I am very happy to share that I made the hike this past week. You can find the written version on my post here.  But in this post I am going to do the "show" portion of my Seneca Rocks show-n-tell.

Note: The introduction photo/historical marker is provided courtesy of wikimedia commons via CC-BY-SA-4.0 Famartin. All other photos are my own. 

Seneca Rocks Discovery Center Area

There are two separate parking areas. One is at the Seneca Rocks Discovery Center and the other is the Sites Homestead and picnic area. Both are connected by a short trail and a bridge. These photos are from the Discovery Center area.

Sites Homestead and Picnic Area at Seneca Rocks

The Sites Homestead and Picnic area is the parking area closest to the trail head. A bridge crosses a river and the trail to the top begins. 

The picnic area includes a small covered pavilion, a rustic restroom, and the historic Sites Homestead and gardens. From this vantage point, the observation deck at the top of the trail can be seen. 

Seneca Rocks Trail

The trail heading up. At first it began almost flat. A deceiving portion of very easy trail. To experienced hikers, the entire trail would be considered easy as it is a wide and well-maintained trail. But it was challenging to me.

When I arrived at these stairs, I nearly gave up. I was hot and the trees had stifled any breeze. I pushed myself and made it to the top of the MANY stairs. And I sat on that rock for a good bit of time to rest. 

This is the top of the trail. There is a large sign just beyond this point that warns of the dangers to hikers who continue past this point. Deaths have occurred by the casual hikers not heeding the warnings. As tempting as it was to start climbing the rocks, I opted to remain on solid ground. I did not want to become famous for being the Gramma that fell off Seneca Rocks.

Yes, it rained as soon as I got to the top. But the rain was cooling and brief.

The walk down was faster than the climb up. But by then I was so relieved to arrive at the river... which meant I was only a few more steps away from the bathroom and then the cushioned seat of my Jeep. 

As I exited the area, I took one more look back. What a wonderful adventure this was. 

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.

Bent River Woodworks in Capon Bridge, West Virginia

I found a treasure during my travels just the other day. During this most recent camping trip I finally visited a wonderful little store that I've been eyeing in Capon Bridge, West Virginia. I have driven past this store every time I make the drive up to my land but I have never stopped because I am on the road well before or after normal business hours. This most recent trip was cut short. I was sad to leave early, but that meant I was finally driving past during normal shop hours. Let me introduce you to Bent River Woodworks in Capon Bridge, West Virginia.

Bent River Woodworks - Capon Bridge, West Virginia

Capon Bridge is a small town in West Virginia on highway 50.  As I am driving to my West Virginia land (from Baltimore) I find myself on this beautiful two-lane highway. At one point, after climbing in elevation, I begin the curving descent before suddenly entering a small town called Capon Bridge. There is a bridge and it crosses a river and lush valley just before the road begins it's ascent out of town. 

There on the right, I have always admired a large brick building with handmade rustic wooden furniture in the front. Even though my new home will be small (well under 800 square feet) I have always wanted to stop and take a better look at this beautiful furniture made of logs and branches. Although, I did not expect to find anything that I'd be able to incorporate into my small home after it is built.

Bent River Woodworks Furniture

This log furniture is rustic and elegant at the same time. I'm not at all sure how they do it, but they do. Perhaps it is how they finish the furniture. There is a ginormous "throne" outside, large enough to seat two people comfortably (sorry, I did not remember to take a photo of it). When I went inside, I found gorgeous tables, chairs, and benches. 

This light-colored bench was one of my favorite pieces of furniture. The size is perfect for a smaller home or deck. I am not a woodworking expert so I'll likely use the wrong terminology, but I love the "chunkiness" and how solid the piece is. The color of the wood and the shine of the finish is gorgeous.

This table was AMAZING. I love the tree trunk legs and the varying colors of the table. If the photo enlarges sufficiently, maybe you will be able to see the carve dips of the table edge and chair backs.  I loved that little addition. A smaller version of this is exactly what I've been imagining for my tiny dining area.

a cropped photo of a chair back for detail

Bent River Woodworks Chainsaw Carvings

Each trip past the store, I have noticed more chainsaw carved critters. I have always been drawn to things such as totems (they have one inside) and chainsaw carvings. So I was thrilled to stop and take a closer look at what they create.  

Ken, one of the chainsaw artists, was there and was very helpful and pleasant. He explained that this bear cub is part of different sections of an item. I adore this baby cub and as I mentioned, I want one lounging on my deck at some point. 

The details and finish are visually pleasing. Ken said that they do quite a bit of custom work.  Rather than ramble on, trying to explain how wonderful these carvings are, I'll just add some photographs.

Even though I did not think this store would have suitable furniture for my new place, I find that I was wrong. Not only could they (and would they) custom make something sized to fit my needs, they also make the exact type of chainsaw carvings that I've admired and added to my wish list years ago. Yes, at the risk of being redundant, I really want one of those baby bear statues lounging on my deck. And am happy to find ones that are carved in the more realistic style that I prefer. 

Related Bent River Woodworks and Capon Bridge Links:

For more photos and information, be sure to check out their Bent River Woodworks facebook page. 

They also have a website and on that website you'll find a photo of the store (pre-awning days) and that beautiful, ginormous, wooden throne.  Check it out here. 

*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you. I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you. 

Moultrie Camera Update - At The Shack

It had been months since I've visited The Shack and I missed it oh so much. There were many, many reasons I wanted to spend the last few days of December 2016 camping there, but the Moultrie Game Camera was one of those reasons.  It had been so long since the last time I checked it. I couldn't wait to see what had been caught on this wonderful little game camera up until the time that the batteries went dead - because after so much time the batteries had to be dead. Right? Wrong.

The Moultrie Game Camera Update

I purchased my game camera in the spring of 2016.  You can read the full review of the camera here. At that time, I found it easy to use and reliable at taking good photos of the wildlife and domestic dogs who were visiting my place on the ridge.  I highly recommended this game camera to one and all who were looking for a camera for wildlife, security, and similar purposes.

However, at that time, I did not know exactly how impressive this camera was!  You see, I last visited The Shack in the end of August/beginning of September. The camera was re-positioned on September 2nd.  I was not able to return until the end of December.  I thought surely the camera batteries would have expired by then. But they had not!

This little camera has taken some amazing photos from April to December 2016 on one set of batteries. In fact, the camera continued to take photos as I opened it up in order to turn it off on December 28th.

My only irritation with the camera has been some user error.  If you aim this at blowing tree limbs or the tops of tall weeds, you will end up with many, many photos of leaves blowing in the wind. However, aimed well, this camera takes great photos.  With a lot as steep as mine, it's not always easy to aim it away from the blowing flora.  But when I aim it away from the leaves, I am amazed at what visits my little bit of land.

Wildlife Visitors at The Shack

Dogs, cats (domestic), and deer have been the frequent visitors to my little camping cabin in West Virginia. I was thrilled to see what I would find on the camera during this trip. I hope you enjoy viewing my wildlife visitors and the changing seasons as much as I did.

Whether using a game camera for hunting purposes, security purposes, or just to watch what is going on outside, I highly recommend the Moultrie. What great fun to see what is happening outside when you are not there. And when nature is going about it's business without humans present.  

My dream is to someday build a little gazebo or viewing deck under the crest of the hill (where my "yard" meets my woods) so that I can view this clearing which is invisible from my little shack deck. It will take some planning because I would want to build in a way that has low impact on the woods and wildlife but allows me to watch this activity in person. Until then, I'll just watch remotely via this wonderful little device.





*This article may contain affiliate links. If you shop via one of the affiliate links, I may earn a small commission - at no additional cost to you.  I am very appreciative of every reader who visits my articles. Thank you.