Forest Hike | Mosquitoes and More

Simple Yet Essential - The Fire Kit

It took thousands of years for Humans to discover the art of fire making. Now we have the ability to create fire whenever we choose to. 

When hiking or camping, always carry a means to light a fire, be that a lighter, a match or a flint and steel. 

Fire is the one thing that Humans require that no other species does. Learn how to create a fire in all weather and your good to go. 

Happy wandering

The Humble Porcupine

The porcupine is a woodland mammal which loves to spend its days high up in a tree minding its own business. 

You will often find them on a narrow branch huddled in a ball. 

Porcupines are not a prolific mammal. 

The gestation period is lengthy - up to 250 days.

The female gives birth to a single offspring anytime between April and August. The little ones are born with quills!

The young are weaned after 3 to 4 months. 

I watched a female porcupine give birth several years ago and it was truly fascinating. The baby was born with a layer of skin around it which protected the mother. Once born, the mom opened up the "baggie of skin" and the little ones quills popped up and started to dry out and harden up.  

These gentle animals will do you no harm as long as you don't get too close to them. They can't run and they can't shoot their quills; however, they will swish their tail around as a warning to stay clear. 

If you should get a quill in your skin, do not cut the tip off as recommended by many misinformed people. It will do nothing to ease in the removal of the quill. 

Quills have scales on the business end which swell when they enter flesh. The only way to remove them is to endure the pain and pull them out. Quills also have a nasty tendency to work their way into your body as you move. Get them out as soon as you can, disinfect the wounded area and chock it up to experience. 

These docile creatures are slow, near sighted and absolutely the masters of chill. 

Happy Hiking  

 

What's This Beaver Doing?

  It's a special moment when a forest wanderer gets a chance to watch wildlife without influencing their behavior. 

Recently, as I was returning from a wander through the woods, I was able to witness a beaver as it groomed itself. I am sure the pond keeper knew I was there but he didn't see me as a threat and allowed me to hang out and film him.

I filmed for over an hour and have condensed the footage to six minutes. 

Come along and watch as this much maligned woodland creature calmly goes about oiling his coat prior to a days work. 

Spring is Coming

 Spring is on it's way! The Sun is climbing higher in the sky and pulling the blanket of snow off the slumbering forest floor. 

Soon, the sound of spring peepers will fill the air and the dance of life will be in full swing within the green embrace of the wilderness. 

Clay Pot Heater | Does it Work?

Clay Pot Heaters are comprised of four or more clay planting pots separated by washers and nuts forming a multilayered unit. 

The idea behind these heaters is heat absorption then dispersion via radiant heat. The space between the pots captures the heat of the candles which then heats up the clay. The clay then radiates this stored heat into the surrounding air. 

I have watched several YouTube videos of this heater and found myself compelled to test the idea out. 

This post highlights my conclusion about the viability of the so called "Clay Pot Heater."  

Firewood and a Woodland Lunch | A Perfect Day

 Collecting firewood for the homestead is heavy work; however, when you couple it with an outdoor fire and a warm bowl of soup, it makes for a perfect day. 

Working alone in the forest frees the mind and lets you de-stress from the confusion of society. Hence the term "No BS" in the title of the video. 

Come along for the ride and check out the sights and sounds of a homestead cookout and workout.