Weekend in the Woods & #SpreadTheKindness Link Up On the Edge #662
We spent last weekend at a cabin in the woods in the Pennsylvania wilds. It is becoming an annual summer getaway where we unplug and spend some time communing with nature and each other. Potter County, Pennsylvania, is a rural county with approximately 16,000 residents living within its 1,082 square mile (2,800 km2) area.
To give you some perspective of how rural this place is, my town of Watertown, New York, has about 26,000 residents living within its 9.3 square mile (24 km2) area, and our entire county (Jefferson), which is also considered quite rural, has 116,000 people occupying 1,857 square miles (4,810 km2). New York City is home to 8.8 million residents in 300.46 square miles (778.2 km2) and London houses just under 9 million people in its 606.96 square miles (1,572.03 km2). So Potter County is just about as remote and rural as we can get in this part of the world.
We rented an adorable little A-frame cabin through airbnb and it was perfect for our family of four plus my in-laws. It was located on a dirt road with a dead end that had one vacant house across the street and a few more a bit further down the road. We could hear a few folks riding around on ATVs, but other than that all the sounds we could hear were nature. Animals from a nearby farm could be heard echoing through the hills and the sounds of all the wildlife could be heard clear as can be. It was really nice to eliminate all the noise pollution for a few days.
I didn’t take any photos of the inside of our cabin except for the picture collages on the walls because they were cracking me up. It was a mixture of actual photos and the ones that come in the frames with some hanging sideways. And the bear carpet is worthy of a mention because we all tripped over that damn bear image thinking it was our black cat, Dave, curled up on the floor!
Speaking of bears, I had an imaginary encounter with one while we were in the woods. I was sitting outside on the deck on our final afternoon there while everyone else was inside taking a nap. I was quietly reading my book when I heard a very low growl coming from directly behind me. I literally froze in place while I listened, completely convinced that there was indeed a bear lurking behind me (and between me and the door to the cabin).
I quickly began recollecting what my brother-in-law told me the previous day about black bears in this part of the country. He said they are rather timid and eat mostly vegetation which is plentiful and keeps them from becoming aggressive. Basically, they are more afraid of us than we should be of them. This information, however, did not make me feel less afraid, but it did help me keep my shit together while I slowly turned my head to see exactly what I was dealing with.
Without moving any other part of my body, I slowly turned my head to catch a glimpse out of the corner of my eye…
There was no bear. But there was a rather large hummingbird hovering right behind my head! I was in such a heightened state of awareness and anxiety in that moment that when I saw the hummingbird, I burst out laughing, and then had a crazy adrenaline rush which left me out of breath for a few moments and made my heart race for a few moments more. At least now I know how I would react if I encountered a bear in the woods!
Hummingbirds and bears aside, I did see lots of deer and a field swarming with beautiful yellow butterflies that kept me company all weekend long!
Butterflies have long been considered a sign from a deceased loved one and ever since Jeff’s grandmother passed away she has come to me in the form of butterflies. Butterflies were kind of our thing, so it makes sense. Also, the weekend was a special family reunion of sorts so I was unsurprised that Nanny would make her presence known. And she did it in the most beautiful way. These butterflies put on an amazing show of aerial acrobatics unlike anything I have ever seen butterflies do. And I knew it was her from the very first one that buzzed my head when I stepped out of the car upon arrival at the property.
Over the past few months, my father’s spirit has been abundantly around me as well. He makes himself known by leaving me pennies in odd places and sending shooting stars as hello waves from beyond. My maternal grandfather sends cardinals and leaves four leaf clovers in fields of grass for me to find. And when I find them, they literally jump out of the grass at me. The last time I found a four leaf clover was on July 24, 2014. In fact, I found three that day and I saved them in packing tape and they still hang on my refrigerator as a reminder that Grampy’s good luck is always with us!
All of these “signs from heaven” got my kids talking about what signs we would leave for each other after we die. Archie and I decided on avocados and hats, Ralph and I chose axolotls and pearls, and Jeff and I picked mushrooms and bowties. Then I spotted a mushroom in the yard that really looked like it needed a bowtie, so I made one out of a candy wrapper!
On our last day in Potter County, we visited the Austin Dam which was a concrete gravity damn built in 1909 to serve the Bayless Pulp and Paper Mill. On September 30, 1911, the dam failed in a catastrophic way sending a wall of water cascading into the valley below killing 78 of the approximately 3000 people who were in the town of Austin on that fateful day. The madam of the town’s brothel is credited with saving many lives as she saw the dam break and quickly alerted residents to evacuate.
The paper mill and the dam were rebuilt but a fire claimed the mill in 1933 and the second dam failed again in 1942 and was never rebuilt. The remains of the first dam still stand in what is now Austin Dam Memorial Park.
On the drive back home, we stopped to eat at Billy Schu’s Food Grill, an awesome little small town eatery in Hornell, New York. It was off the beaten path but so worth the adventure! The food and staff were equally wonderful and I got a good chuckle out of the signs in their bathroom, too.
And that is all I have to share about our weekend in the woods. I think I shall leave you with this message…
Please do not flush paper towels, sanitary products, tissues and wipes, kittens and puppies, hopes and dreams, yours or mine or anyone else’s.
Do you believe in signs from heaven? Have you ever encountered a bear? Or a hummingbird? Are you guilty of flushing inappropriate things down toilets?
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Shelbee
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shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
22 Comments
Food nutters
The cabin looks awesome! Thank you for hosting, and have a beautiful weekend.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much! I hope you have an amazing weekend ahead!
xoxo
Shelbee
Lizzie
Thanks for the feature, Shelbee! It looks like a fun weekend! Such a stunning cabin for a getaway too!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Lizzie! I hope you are well and enjoying your summer, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Valerie h Hansen
Hi Shelbee
Looks like great family time in the woods, love that A Frame cabin house–awesome!! I especially love the black kitty …*I am a CAT FIEND ha ha!
xo
Valerie
http://www.mapleleopard.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Aww, thanks so much, Valerie! I love my kitties! So much that I was careful not to even step on that darn black bear carpet because it looked like my kitty! Hahaha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Di
What a great family vacation! The scenery is beautiful, and the cabin is so cute. When I was 10 years old, on a family vacation, I ran off after a bear cub in my excitement to see one so close, to take it’s picture. This was in Yellowstone National Park. I will never, ever live that incident down! Luckily, the frantic parental yelling brought me back to my senses! Thanks for sharing and enjoy your weekend!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Di! Oh my goodness, you must have nearly given your parents heart attacks running after the bear! In Yellowstone nonetheless! Thank you for sharing that story with me. It really gave me a good chuckle. I am glad you didn’t catch the bear and more glad that it (or its mama) didn’t catch you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
That sounds like such a wonderful little getaway into nature! I love it.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Joanne! It really was a wonderfully relaxing weekend getaway!
xoxo
Shelbee
Marsha Banks
I really thought you were going to say it was Jeff making the growling noise not a hummingbird. So glad it wasn’t a bear! There have been times I’ve gotten a whiff of a smell associated with a loved one who has passed. And, I’ve called on my mom for help at times (she usually gives it). I do think our loved ones watch over us. I’m so glad you have all these reminders. And, I love the way you, Jeff, and the boys will remind each other…especially the axolotls and pearls! Thanks for the link party! I hope your weekend is fantastic!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Hehehe, thanks so much, Marsha! Oh, my father comes around with all the smells! Cigarettes, dirty tires, and diesel fuel is what I smell when he is near! I sometimes will even hear the very clear sound of a lighter clicking right before I smell it. It is a strange combination of aromas but he was a 4 pack a day cigarette smoking truck driver and that is exactly what he smelled like…cigarettes, dirty tires, and diesel fuel. While that may seem like a displeasing scent, it just gives me all the feelings of comfort that my father is watching over me. I often call upon both of my parents for help and they usually both give it when I need it the most! I have been listening to Signs: The Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson on Audible and it is really fascinating. This is where we got the idea to choose our signs! I hope you are having a most wonderful weekend, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
Oh yes, that cabin looks exactly as I would have imagined. What a beautiful place. Haha, and what a bear story. Want to hear all about the family gathering! Enjoy your weekend.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Nancy! We need to schedule our next Zoom so I can tell you all about it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Johnson
Well I don’t think I would ever confuse a hummingbird with a bear growl they can be very disarming when you hear one as they sound like a 1000 bees. It sounds like a wonderful vacation.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Amy! They really do sound like 1000 bees! And I have never heard a bear growl before so I had no idea! LOL
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
Wow! That is remote. What an amazing time! Those sideways photos are hilarious. 🤣 And yes, I can see how the bear rug looked like Dave the cat. I don’t believe in signs from heaven, but sometimes I wish I did. Yours are lovely. We often have had hummingbird bird feeders, so do see a lot of hummingbirds. Dan has had them buzz him like you describe. I personally have not had any bear encounters, although they are frequently reported here. However Dan has. He was riding on the Blue Ridge Parkway and came upon a bear in the middle of the road. Being on his motorcycle, he just stopped and waited for it to leave, which it eventually did.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Michelle! I literally tripped over my feet at least a dozen times thinking my cat was lying on that darn carpet! Jeff encountered a bear on his motorcycle many years ago (long before I met him). The bear came charging out of the woods and plowed right into him. It resulted in a massive head trauma for Jeff that required a Life Flight to the hospital but the bear was apparently fine. Jeff is fine, too. Now!
xoxo
Shelbee
Michelle
OMG! That had to have been so terrifying. And what a horrible injury. It’s so lucky Jeff survived. So many don’t. Sounds like he almost didn’t.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
He will have to tell you the story in October. He’s a pretty funny story teller!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Wow, what a very beautiful place. I would love to stay there. Very cool. And you are looking very sporty there at the camp. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Patrick, thanks so much! It really was a beautifully peaceful place. If you ever travel to the east coast, please let me know!
xoxo
Shelbee