Feral Cats

Beautiful couple of days by the river, albeit a bit cold.  On Sunday we split into two groups of two for our weekly walk.  Our younger son and I walked the CSX tracks, while my wife took our other son for a hike to neighboring properties.  Seeing a big freight train up close running at full throttle is exhilarating.

We rendezvoused at the green bridge where we were met by a pack of feral cats.  After enjoying our gifted beef jerky, the smallest cat proceeded to lunge through the air at one of the boys.

The weekly visits are slowly becoming bi-weekly with winter upon us.  During this trip we returned the mower to storage following its first annual service in years.  Later we cracked some walnuts, made a fire, planted some plum saplings, and lit firecrackers.

Paw Paw

Following a semi-traditional Thanksgiving of roasted pork instead of turkey, our family journeyed to the property late on Friday.

On Saturday our seven year-old committed to climbing Cacapon Mountain and invited me along.  We parked on Power House Road and entered the woods at power line easement.  For more than an hour we hiked, climbed, and clawed our way up the 800 foot incline.  At the halfway mark we stopped near five large power poles to split a Cliff bar and rest.  The scenery was wonderful, offering a view of the town of Cacapon to the west and the Potomac river basin to the east.  The trip was made even more enjoyable by the handheld radio which allowed us to talk with mommy and brother every thirty minutes.  Wisely we agreed to save the other cereal bar, just in case, and to descend without going up and further. We will be back to conquer the rest of the mountain!

Seldom do I have an opportunity to drink fresh rainwater from naturally occuring falls, yet this weekend I did it twice in two days.  At the end of our hike we discovered an outcropping of rocks at the trail head with a small seasonal waterfall where we refilled our Nalgene bottle.  The second time would be on Sunday.

After the hike we skunked around the railroad tracks near the green bridge, then radioed "base camp" to see if they wanted us to bring chicken wings from the deli.  Naturally that offer received an affirmative response.

On Sunday we made a spontaneous journey to the Paw Paw Tunnel, an historic attraction some thirty minutes away, by car.  The 3,100 foot tunnel, which was built by hand around 1840, allowed boats to circumnavigate the Potomac River before it was made obsolete in the 1920s.   The walk is a unique experience through the near pitch black passage with only light at the end for what seems like an eternity.  On the far side we heated Beef Stew using the backpacking stove.  The fact that we had only one spoon made the two servings seem more than adequate for the four of us.  (I nearly fell over when our four year-old ate all his peas and carrots, and said it was the best meal he'd ever had!)

Before walking back through the tunnel we filled our Nalgene bottle again, this time with rainwater that exited the woods down the rock face above the tunnel.

The rest of the weekend was spent in a sort of relaxing fashion.  The boys flew paper parachutes and helicopters from the loft.  We cracked butternuts, baked bread, fried fish, shared mean bean soup, and drank "mountain dew" rainwater tea.  Mommy said she felt as though she were convalescing at an independent living facility.  I guess that is the point, afterall.

Autumn Color

Got off to a late start Saturday after doing the necessary chores at home.  (Owning a vacation home clarifies the reasons to not have a vacation home.)

We hauled some 300 lb. of salt with us to feed the cabin's water softener this winter.  I'm fairly sure that shipping salt everywhere, and carrying it up two flights of stairs, is not a sustainable system.  I have yet to discover the alternative, but I am convinced there must be one.

On Sunday morning, my wife and eldest son walked to the green bridge, the same destination he and I sought two weeks ago.  He even managed on the return walk to survive a slide down the same hill he and I stopped at.


While they were hiking, my younger son demonstrated how Stomp Rockets can be used to strike at bird nests.  I offered him a dollar if he could land one in a trash can, but he soon changed the bet to pay himself a dollar if he could land a rocket on the roof of the cabin.

Later Mommy made an emergency trip to the drug store while the rest of us played archery.  Fortunately she returned with Chinese food in time to save the family again.

Many goals were accomplished during our short visit.  No fewer than ten black walnuts were planted in hopes of growing trees.  We planted a patch of Jerusalem Artichokes--an edible, native tubor that is neither from Jerusalem, nor an artichoke--in hopes of harvesting them next fall.  A new shelf was installed in the shed for drying walnuts (or, in our case this year, butternuts).

Mommy made spaghetti on Saturday and we ate at Weavers's of Hancock on the way out Sunday.

Pictured above, Cliff Bar seasonal flavors include gingerbread and pumpkin spice.  Mommy thought about buying them, and Daddy did!

No Cacapon

We stayed home this weekend.  All weekend.

Closed down the vegetable garden, an annual effort of the heart.  Sunday morning was started with breakfast at Bob Evans, a ritual now.  Harvested the remaining potatoes and Jerusalem artichoke.  The latter is neither from Jerusalem, nor an artichoke.  It is a tuber, deciduous to Maryland, cooks like a potato and easy to grow.

Next weekend we will be lucky if we get one day at 1033 Clarion.  There is still much to do around they yard.  Which is good.

First CRMPOA Meeting

Thankfully we got a full autumn weekend by the river this week, Friday to Sunday evening.  Better still, the time-change provided an extra hour of sleep (or of raking leaves, depending).

Saturday was the semi-annual meeting of the Property Owners Association, and our first such event.  The group met at 11:00 at the church in the middle of town followed by a social luncheon hosted by one of the members.  At the business meeting they decided, among other things, to build a hand-rail at the common area, give $200 to a local food bank, and participate in the July 4th parade next year.  We had an opportunity to introduce ourselves and got to meet many of our friendly neighbors.

They are a varied and eclectic bunch: some young, others old; some retired, some semi-retired; many weekenders, like ourselves, and some full-timers; some liberals and some conservatives; all good people.  I'm undecided on which topic of conversation I enjoyed the most.  There was the discussion of Spence, a deceased resident whose spirit apparently inhabits the subdivision now.  Then there was talk about one of the neighborhood artist/authors whose first fiction book set in New Orleans is too racy to repeat.  Finally, there was one gentleman who sadly reported his rocks were being stolen.  I'd kindly offer him my rocks, but it was all too sensitive.

Sunday was a treat too.  As a family with two kids, so often my attention is split between the boys and we end up doing most everything as a group.  Today, however, my elder son and I hiked to the green bridge and back by ourselves.  Later we climbed around the closets outcropping of rocks, some of the oldest in the world, I am told.  The whole thing was joyous.

The menu this weekend included bacon and egg sandwiches, baked ham, cabbage soup, steaks on the stove, boiled potatoes, salad, rice, and hot dogs and hamburgers over the open flame.  The shower was hot, the beer was cold, and the kids were singing and playing.  It is almost hard to imagine life getting any better.

Pictured above, with Halloween behind us, the jack-o-lanterns are becoming restless.

Early Snow

Our decision to go to the property late Saturday was partially based on curiosity.  Snow late this week was the earliest in the season our family has seen snow ever.  We were curious what the property looked like after an early snow.  What we found was very impressive.  Many trees still had colorful leaves which contrasted nicely to the white now.  And, our jack-o-lanterns survived without aggression by squirrel, deer, or bear.

Sunday I walked for the first time to the nearby deli, about a mile away.  It was a good walk dotted with points of interest like a tree fallen in the river, another tree laying on a sagging power line, and a friendly neighbor asking whether our cable TV was out.  I easily convinced him that we do not have cable, but was not so successful at diagnosing his cable trouble.

The family enjoyed a spaghetti dinner before returning late on Sunday.

Take Me Home, Country Roads

Got another late start, arriving at 9:30 PM so the boys could attend a dance-theme birthday party beforehand.  Our ritual of singing Take Me Home, Country Roads during the drive has been enhanced now that we are accompanied by the disk playing on the car stereo.  The song is so addictive, I'm afraid we are going to have to limit to two hours per day the amount of time the kids listen to it, along with TV and video games.

Sunday was an action-packed day that began with a "secret mission" to deliver eggs to the neighbors.  The morning air was brisk.  A round of eggie sandwiches from the dozen we kept for ourselves was followed by a couple hours of raking in the yard.  The autumn leaves were deposited in a small area designated for next year's vegetable plot.  We'll leave it up to Mother Nature and the leaves to kill the grass there.  Hopefully the bugs and snakes don't retaliate.

Into the slow cooker went a batch of potato soup, the kind grandma made when I was a kid.  Spuds and onions from our home garden, combined with corn, milk and bacon.  A family walk through the neighborhood gave the soup time to consummate as we worked up an appetite.  Along the way we met Corbin and his young dog, an athletic husky with enchanting blue-gray eyes.

After lunch I replaced the mower's battery before slipping away for a scenic drive down real country roads to enjoy the fall colors.  We built a campfire for no particular reason, and spent a good thirty minutes shelling three walnuts with a pair of pliers.  Our youngest took me on a Power Ranger "scavenger hunt" along the riverbank to the "magical staircase".  Just the kind of agenda I like.

After dinner we left drove home which, of course, gave us another opportunity to listen a few more times to Take Me Home, Country Roads.

Pictured above is an autumn scene from Ridersville, WV.

Update on the Bear

The Department of Natural Resources reviewed our photo of the bear and gave this response:

Yes, that is a rather large bear.  I have camped in many areas where bears are habituated to humans and never had a problem.  Be aware that a bear of that size has been a nuisance in your area for much of the summer and this may be the same bear.  If people camp on your property, make sure absolutely no food, including snacks, are kept in the tent.  I would also recommend making sure all trash, bird feeders, pet foods, and BBQ grills are kept inside.  With hunting seasons now being open, this bear should start to make itself scarce.

Bear on Film

Thanks to Nick, our gracious neighbor, for providing the above image of our local bear captured about a week ago at 1:30 AM via Nick's automatic nature cam.  Initial reports were that the bear was "about as big as a trash can."   Upon closer inspection it appears that the bear has the trashcan beat, sitting down.  Maybe our concerns about tent camping are not completely unfounded.

We returned to our vacation home Saturday after spending the morning doing house chores, and visiting with family.  Funny how having a vacation home throws a wrench in normal housework.  At least we found that newborn cousin "Alex" was oblivious to chores, vacation homes, and almost everything else.  Baby and family are doing well.

Saturday night daddy fell asleep early in response to a lingerly cold, so he cannot report what really went on that evening in the cabin.  Clearly the kids stayed up longer because they kept waking him up.

On Sunday the kids enjoyed carving pumpkins, hunting bugs, and collecting walnuts.  We built our first daytime campfire.  Daddy mowed the yard for the second time, this time with Dee Dee, Nick's aging John Deere.  Nothing that a new battery, fresh breaks, and a better drive-belt won't fix.  Sadly we had to leave Sunday night and return to our normal lives.

Apple Butter Festival

Ten-, 20-, 30-, 40-...100-percent there!  Bedtime, first...and last..chapter of Bad Kitty.

Theraflu and Halls.

Nine o'clock watched parade, ten o'clock ate blueberry pancakes, eleven o'clock gathered walnuts, noontime ate peanut-butter  and honey sandwiches.

Unloaded half a cord of firewood, set up tent, discovered a vandalized fallen sapling.

Cousins arrived late, stew by the fire, talent show by candlelight, learned that the sapling was fallen by vandal beavers.

Bedtime stories, sick cousin coughing, thinking about bear, shivering in hammock.

Children's Tylenol.

Last fire log, last crying kid, too damn cold, going inside.

Breakfast by the fire: cornbread, eggs, bacon, peaches, and apples.

Hide-n-seek inside and out, raked leaves, played Stomp Rocket, built a rake, raked more leaves.

Weekend almost over.  Wait!  Kayak trips up the river.  No, wait!  Canoe and raft trip to the green bridge.

Coloring with crayons, baked chicken, Grandma's bread, doing dishes, waiting for laundry.
Sleeping on the way home, Black and Blue Berry Life Water with Pizza Goldfish.  Fifty hours away from mommy.

First October Weekend

Last weekend was the first weekend that nobody went into the water above their ankles.  The cooler temperatures, however, did not discourage anyone from enjoying the river and the autumn color.  We arrived late on Saturday after completing many chores at our neglected first home.

On Sunday morning we made our first river journey by canoe.  Our large aluminum vessel is adequate for parents fore and after, with kids hanging on in the middle.  The river was not so much high as it was fast-moving.  Mommy and daddy made a quick (and wise) last-minute decision to take portage at the shelf.  After a potty break in the weeds and a canoe-drag to the other side, we were on our way again.

Thanks, Nick, for the shuttle back to pick up the car.

Liquid Propane

Having a wood-burning stove or fireplace was high on my wish list for a vacation home.  My rationale was, if I am spending the winter in a remote location, I would prefer the safety of a renewable and sustainable source of heat, in case of a power outage, and especially in these times of economic uncertainty.

As it turns out, our place does not have a wood burner, but does have a liquid propane fireplace to supplement the electric heat pump.  (Alternately, the electrical panel is configured to use a generator, if and when we get one.)

While propane is not forever renewable or sustainable, it may satisfy our needs, and it does offer some advantages over wood.  The system has a 250 gallon capacity, so it is not likely to run out without warning.  In case of a blackout we would have days if not weeks to come up with another heat source.  Propane is delivered more easily than firewood which has to be sourced, cut, dried and carried.  As a bonus, the same system runs an instant hot-water heater.  (And the fireplace has a remote control.)

Last week we refilled the tank for about $3 per gallon.  It took seventy gallons, and we have begun to monitor our usage as the seasons turn cooler.

Grandma and Grandpa visited this weekend, bringing along my Uncle and Aunt with them.  (Uncle Calvin headed straight from the car to the river, barely noticing the family and house along the way.)

Mommy enjoyed reading, Calvin enjoyed kayaking, Grandpa enjoyed fishing, and everybody enjoyed the $0.69 pot pies from Sav-A-Lot.  The kids took their grandparents down the river for a short rafting trip.  The water was cold, but not cold enough to keep a couple of us from continuing on down the river a bit.  Grandpa spent the better part of the day rigging up a pulley system to deliver his bags from the driveway up to the deck.  I shucked some walnuts in the dark resulting in severe hand stains.  Oh, and one of the adirondack chairs collapsed and had to be sacrificed to the fire ring.

DSL and Fried Green Tomatoes

Somehow subconsciously I left my work credentials at our vacation home this weekend.  Of course this gave me a perfect excuse to return and "work from home" at the cabin on Tuesday.  The DSL Internet connection was installed last week but had a minor connectivity issue.  To my amazement, the telephone guy met me here after work to resolve it.  This is my first blog post from on site.

With the Internet connection established, my attention turned to eating dinner.  Thankfully September is the time of year that many amateur farmers are discouraged by all the green tomatoes that will surely die on the vine with onset of cooler temperatures.  Being from the south I am eager to put those babies to work!  Tonight I scored a lovely organic tomato of the green variety from our neighbor, Nick.  Dredge in beaten egg and cracker crumbs--tonight I used rye crackers and corn flakes--and fry in bacon grease.  (I had to use up the bacon.)  As Alton Brown would call it: Good eats!

As much fun as it is bach'n it for a night, I miss the family.  Which is a good sign.  Miss you guys!

Pictured above, Cacapon River from Power House Road. 

River Chub

The river chub and fall fish are two of the larges species of minnows.  Although the two look very similar, I think the river chub was the first fish I caught on the river, above.

Most fisherman say the chub is not suitable for the table, but we enjoyed this fish pan-fried in bacon grease with a dash of Chinese cooking wine.

We have enjoyed too a couple of small-mouth bass.  At least that is what I think they were.  All were caught on Rapalla lures.

Four Feet

Following Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, the river was up to six feet this week as reported by www.CacaponInstitute.org.  Thanks, Nick, for sharing the link.

By our visit Saturday the river had settled down to four feet, but was still daunting when compared to its serene clarity just one week before.  The water temperature changed too, dropping almost ten degrees to around 70 degrees F.  It is obvious now why we had been warned of the potential danger posed to the unsuspecting.  Nevertheless, we could not spend another beautiful weekend by the water without unleashing the inner-tubes.

The longer of two trips on the first day took us from the Low Water Bridge back home in just over an hour.  The same route the week before took over two and a half hours!

Joining us for the adventure was our guest, Paul, who fared well for his first time in a kayak.  The trip was not without a reasonable amount of peril, however.  One child left at home his life-jacket, causing  Paul to nobly give up his.  The raging river managed to capsize the kayak, pinning Paul to a tree at the put in.  Five minutes downstream the turbulence of a man-made shelf attempted to swallow the boys' rubber boat, resulting in their father losing his car keys during the rescue.  If asked, the onlooking walnut trees would probably have described the end as a sort of crash landing given that the kayak capsized again and we overshot the take out by about 200 feet.  But fortune was ours, no one was injured, and a good time was had by all.  We even recovered the car keys floating along nearby in their protective plastic baggie.  (We had overshot the take out on the day's first trip, but apparently had not learned anything from it.)

Momma would join us later that day after working a few extra hours to help pay for her vacation home.  She accompanied us for the final river trip, a quick jaunt from the common area to home.  At the put in we met Evelyn, a neighbor who enjoys bird-watching and lives "at a fork in the road" nearby.  Chatting with her gave me chance to adjust to the chilly water once again.

It was possibly the biggest weekend of cooking yet: egg sandwiches, a pair of roasted chickens, Daddy's Mean Bean Soup, cheeseburgers, chicken soup, pasta salad, and freshly baked bread.  Oh, yeah, and one more pan-fried river fish, probably a bass.  Naturally the kids tried to talk us into keeping the fish as a pet before their father decapitated and disemboweled it.

Pictured above, like most normal boys their age, our kids enjoy frog catching and reading Harry Potter, respectively.  The younger one sports a shiner self-inflicted by a mean old armchair.

Labor Day Weekend

My wife's mother and sister joined her for a ladies' retreat this weekend.  The kids enjoyed two days of tubing on the river, despite the occassional rain shower.  In other adventures, our youngest son claimed to have been "bitten by a fish" although his parents were a bit sceptical.  The same day, mommy encountered a black snake with yellow stipes coiled and ready to attack.  Daddy joined the festivities a day later after doing some chores around the house.  The weekend ended with an awesome meat soup with homegrown long gourd, accompanied by grilled chicken drumsticks.  Sadly it had to end.

Stilt Foundation

While we were awaiting move-in I had a very interesting conversation by telephone with Thurman Whisner the engineer who designed the stilt foundation of our vacation home.  He expressed conviction that the home would never flood despite its location in the floodplain, and offered the names of several local contractors who might help us, should a need arise.  (He also accurately predicted that Roy, the self-proclaimed groundskeeper, would stop by at every opportunity, which has been the case.)

It is believed that the cabin was raised to its current location in the winter of 2006-07.  Below is a transcript of Whisner's letter (dated Decemberr 2004) attached to the FEMA Flood Certificate of December 2006.

As per the request of the owner, Dee Cole, of existing 20 FT x 24 FT Cabin on Lot #25 in Cacapon River Meadows Subdivision, I, Thurman Whisner, PE/PS, completed an elevation survey to determine the actual 100-Year Base Flood Elevation with respect to the existing ground elevations near the existing Cabin location on her property and to set a Benchmark Elevation (EL 441) at top of railroad spike in an upstream forked tree.  Both the bottom main first floor and the second floor (loft area) of the existing Cabin are well below the 100 Year Base Flood Elevation (BFE) at EL454 within Flood Zone AE.

The existing Cabin on Lot #25 has had a history of damage during past major floods with deck damage and was actually washed off the foundation during the 1985 Flood.  The Cabin was reset onto a new 8”X8” treated posts (railroad ties) foundation and new decks were built after several major storms.  Thus, the existing Cabin on Lot #25 at the present elevation and on the existing foundation is likely to be inundated by any major flood along the Cacapon River, possibly causing some (future) flood damage to the Cabin.

This fact was brought more apparent to existing owner, Dee Cole, whom witnessed first hand a near miss & devastation of a major ice flow along Cacapon River this past spring.  That is the reason why the owner, Dee Cole, requested that I design a new Foundation that would withstand any major flood, especially during a spring flood with major ice flow and debris flow. 

This proposed new Foundation will be constructed along upstream side of existing Cabin and will consist of the following:

·         Steel support beam framing system at 2 FT depth bearing and

·         Anchored to six 20”diameter reinforced concrete columns at 10 FT height above

·         3 FT concrete pedestals of various heights and

·         All bearing on a reinforced concrete spread footing on 2 FT diameter X 5 FT depth concrete caissons.

·         The top W8x31# steel support beams (4 total) @ 40 FT each shall be installed under the existing 20 FT x 24 FT cabin on top of two W18X50# Lift Beans each @ 30 FT length and 2x10 treated sill plates shall be bolted to top flange of W8x31# Beams.

The cabin shall then be lifted by a 120 Ton Crane and set on top of the above proposed new Foundation with the top of steel set at the 100 Year Base Flood EL454.

Thurman W. Whisner, PE/PS

WV PE #7816 & PS #1589

Hurricane Irene

The last segment of our vacation was cut short by Irene, a Category 1 hurricane that skirted the coast from Norfolk, Virginia to New York City and beyond.  We left for home on Saturday evening to ride out the weather with the chickens.  The drive back was rainy, although we were spared the brunt of the storm, the worst of which passed in the night.

Before leaving there was time for a lunch of baked beans, cornbread, and grilled steak, followed by an afternoon snack of two bacon-fried fresh fish from the river, our first catch.  John the Plumber stopped during the rain to attempt to fix the leaky shared well, and both commodes.

Pictured above was our night of dancing to Aerosmith's Sweet Emotion and Madonna's Vogue.  We'll be back soon, Clarion.

Low-Water Bridge to Clarion Lane

This week saw our first days and nights together as a family in the cottage.  We did all the typical vacation stuff, like playing in the river, grilling hamburgers, sitting by the campfire, and watching the stars.  Our two aging dogs accompanied us, although the collie preferred to stay downstairs.  A good time was had by all.

After a quick visit to Bob's Tire we embarked on our first tubing adventure.  The journey from Low-Water Bridge to Clarion Lane lasted just over two and half hours.  Coincidentally, earlier this summer on our very first house-hunting trip, we had been rerouted when Power House Road was closed at the Low-Water Bridge.  Our joint memory was that the bridge was completely gone, however, we found the bridge in tact this week.

A local fellow, a burly home-builder, and his teenage daughter kept us company for the first quarter mile.   They must have been walking home when the earthquake struck.  We were oblivious to the 5.8 magnitude quake from our vantage point on the water.  Being that the river is lowest in late summer, the only thing we felt were the "butt rocks" as my sons like to call the shallow rapids.

On the following day the cousins joined us for a one night stay.  Back to Bob's for more tubes and seven of us floated from the common area to somewhere near the farmhouse.  We would have gone longer but I misinterpreted the take-out so we had to walk home from our neighbor Chuck's place at 873 Clarion.

Neighbors Nick and Rachel were especially kind to us.  They surprised our youngest son with a gift in the form of a river frog.  Nick showed me how to fix the shared well with a stepladder.  They even lent us a "cup of Internet" so somebody could check her e-mail.

Yes, this is the stuff that memories are made of.  Mommy used her novel to test the property's many lovely sitting spots.  Daddy got a bait trap ($6) and his first West Virginia fishing license ($53).  The kids spent hours playing with Beyblades, building electronic circuits, and watching fish.  The wildlife is abundant.  Sitings included deer, groundhogs, squirrels, a blue crane, crayfish, butterflies, hornets, and a bazillion spiders.  No sign of the bear yet, but we did hear the wild turkey at nightfall.

Tonight we are back home for the second of two quick visits to care for our chickens.

Day Two

Drove there and back in one evening, this the day after settlement.  It is a good sign: Willingness to spend almost four hours on the road for but one hour there.

Delivered a load of non-essentials in our tiny 5x8 trailer.  The picnic table, kayak, several sleeping bags, tent, cooler, folding chairs, some emergency supplies.  Clearly it was an excuse to experience a very brief solace at the end of a workday.

Arrived home in time to put the chickens away and finish Monster Blood.

Settlement Day

We moved the closing up as early as possible to make the most of the remaining days of summer.  All went well except that we had to hurry home after dropping off some groceries and staples.  Fantasies of staying here indefinitely.

During the final walk-through, the seller was cordial and answered all of our questions.  She even went out of her way to gift us a bag of purple Iris in time for autumn planting.  How do we control the radiant heat?  How do we winterize the plumbing?  How do we operate the carport lighting?  What precautions should we take when it floods?  And what about bears?

We learned several interesting trivia.  The spiral staircase was custom-built in Hagerstown.  The original fireplace was centered on the wall to the left of its current location.  The accent lights in the entryway were designed to illuminate artwork on the wall before an extra closet was added at the last minute.  The cabin was gutted and completely remodeled several years ago.  She decided against installing the elevator.  "An interesting project," she called it.

And the property is infested with moles.

The attorney's office can be accurately described as stately and distinguished, their namesake etched proudly in a large black marble tombstone rising up from the front lawn.  Did we bring the check?  Would we like a pen?  Do we have insurance?  Has the electricity service been transferred?  Does the deed convey the common area?  We were out in less than an hour with plenty of time for handshakes and chitchat.

Quick trip back to the property to unload and take two photos.  Mommy was the first to use the microwave and the facilities.  We'll be back soon.

Homemade Emergency Water Filter

Prior to moving in I am spending my weekends gathering camping equipment and sundries for the new place.  Being somewhat of a remote location, it is essential to have the basics on hand.  The current economic turmoil has heightened my sense of preparedness.  Becoming prepared is a way to cope with the uncertainty of a collapsing dollar.  A vacation home can serve as a supply cache and base camp.  In the worst-case scenario, our family may take refuge there indefinitely.

High on most survival lists is a safe and adequate source of water.  Many emergency situations can render a public water supply inaccessible.  Electric well pumps become inoperable in the most temporary of blackouts. Fortunately, the river near our property offers an abundant supply if its water can be made potable.  Sunshine and boiling are methods for making water safe, but they take time and, in the latter case, energy.

I saw recently a post on SurvivalBlog.com about making an emergency filter for pond water.  Here I document my adaptation of their design and explain how it differs.  This project costs only about $15 using two 5-gallon buckets, a short section of 3" dia. PVC drainpipe, 2-3 lb. active charcoal, and about 400 cotton balls.  I'm going to assume you can find sand and rocks.  An optional lid for one of the buckets can be used to store the device neatly until it gets used. A large paper filter, like one used in a coffee machine, is not required but further increases the effectiveness of this device.

Active charcoal is sometimes called activated, or active, carbon.  It is said to be active because its tiny particles have an amazingly large surface area that cause it to trap impurities.  One site says that a mere 10 grams has the surface area of a football field.  Active charcoal can be purchased in the aquarium section of big box stores, or on-line from aquarium suppliers.

The only tools required to construct this filter are a jigsaw or hacksaw, a 1/8" drill, tape measure, and marker.  Cut a piece of scrap PVC drainpipe to a length of about five inches.  Set the pipe in one of the buckets vertically so that one opening of the pipe rests against the bucket and the other is up.  Set the second bucket inside the first on top of the pipe.  Draw a line around the second bucket using the top edge of the first bucket as a guide.  In other words, you need to cut down the inner bucket to fit completely inside the outer one.

If you have a lid, you will need to cut the inner bucket a half-inch shorter so the lid does not conflict.  Cut down the inner bucket and test the fit.  Discard the top section of the inner bucket.

Use the drill to make holes in the pipe and both buckets.  In the outer (taller) bucket, drill about 20 drain holes in the bottom, near the center.  In the pipe, drill about 20 holes along the edge of either opening.  (The opening in the pipe with these holes goes down when the filter is assembled.)

Finally, drill holes in the bottom of the inner (shorter) bucket, but not in the center.  Instead, place the pipe against the center of the shorter bucket as a guide, and drill the holes halfway between the pipe and the outside edge of the bucket.  The holes should make a big circular pattern about one-third of the radius of the bucket.

To assemble the filter, lay the pipe in the center of the taller bucket with the hole side down.  Stuff cotton around the pipe to hold it in place.  The cotton should come up roughly half the height of the pipe.  Pour active charcoal on top of the cotton, filling it no higher than the top of the drain pipe.  Insert the shorter bucket into the taller bucket so that it rests on top of the pipe and charcoal.  Fill the inner bucket one third with sand, followed by one third with pebbles, and finally topped with gravel.  If you have a coffee filter, leave a small depression in the layer of gravel.  Place the coffee filter on top to form a shallow dish shape in the center.

To operate, position the filter on top of a catch-basin or large pot.  Pour pond water into the top, about a gallon at a time until you get used to the flow rate.  If I get really bored some weekend I may build a stand for the filter so the pot fits beneath.

When not in use, dry out the parts; put duct tape over the drain holes to keep dirt and bugs out; store a fresh supply of cotton and charcoal inside; and cover with the lid.

The original design called for multiple layers of rocks, charcoal, and cotton, each about one inch thick, whereas my design has only one layer of each.  The problem I have with the repeating layers design is that it becomes difficult to visually check the charcoal, and to replace the charcoal and cotton.  It would be hard to separate the charcoal and cotton from the rocks if they were in multiple layers.  In my design you just remove the inner bucket.  If there is a benefit to having repeating layers I would argue that the same effect can be had by running the water through my design several times.  Of course, if you have any concerns about the quality of water that comes out, boil the water before consuming.

Have fun building the filter and using it.  Hopefully we will never be forced to use it.

Home Inspection Day

In Norse mythology, Loki is a god who is sometimes helpful and sometimes mischievous.  Loki is also the name of our new-found neighbors' dog, a black lab dalmatian mix.  We introduced ourselves when Nick and Noki were tending the family garden waiting for Rachael to come home.  They were very friendly, showing us around the woods to the water.  It gives us peace of mind knowing we have full-time residents as neighbors.

The day of home inspection had a different rhythm than the rest of the day-trips my wife and I had taken to look at properties this summer.  We left home leisurely and hung around afterward to walk in the water without feeling pressure to leave.  The service at Earthdog Cafe was slow and the food was good, as usual.  We would enjoy ourselves here.

Tim, the home inspector, arrived before us, but did not know the combination of the lock-box.  LeeAnne, the real estate agent, arrived in short order to save us all.  We had been forewarned that, Roy, a local handyman, the kind who prides himself on caring for all the vacation homes in the region, would arrive to welcome us to the neighborhood and to offer his services, of course.  He showed up on time too and parked himself on a chair in the living room for the duration.

A home inspection is intended to uncover issues and defects that might dissuade a potential buyer from getting in over his head.  Nothing too noteworthy was uncovered during ours.  A section of flashing was not properly protecting a sheet of sub-flooring.  Some carriage bolts were absent on the stairs and in the shed.  A set of light fixtures were not rated for exterior use and could not be made to turn on.  The controls for the radiant floor heat were elusive.

Our only significant concern was the deck which appeared to be in desperate need of sealant.  To our surprise, turned out that Roy had been contracted by the owner to reseal the deck.  It may not happen quickly, but it sounded like there was a slim chance it would get done before our move-in.  Maybe if the god Loki was looking out for us.

Riverfront Lots

The very first listing I inquired about was a three-acre lot on River Road for $9000.  Nine thousand bucks was a substantial amount of money back in the days of my youth.  After inflation, it is not much money anymore.  Inflation is a tax caused by the Federal Reserve.  But, I digress.

Discovering that listing was exciting.  I queried co-workers to see if anyone wanted to go in halves on our own private campsite.  I spoke with a friend who knows the tree business about whether it may be suitable for growing.  I still think it was a bargain.  It could nearly be bought with a credit card and paid off before summer.  That I had no idea what to do with it did not matter.  Owning farmland looked better to me than owning cash.

The land was nearly on the Potomac River too.  True, there was a large right of way between it and the river.  Oh, and did I mention, the railroad runs through it.  How interesting it would have been to have, on our imagined camping trips, trains pass by.  Maybe I could hobo a train from my hometown to the property.  Maybe the train would become a means of escape.  I would have been content sitting by the tracks in a lawn chair and watching the trains pass.

Back to reality.

I learned from the listing agent that there are problems unique to owning riverfront property.  The state has a moratorium on all new wells and septic systems within the floodplain.  Any land that did not get a well and septic last year is not likely to have one until the ban is lifted.  Landowners in a floodplain are subjected to many laws about land use, including how structures are designed and built.  I'm not saying I would never own land in a floodplain.  Doing so seems consistent with my libertarian core values.  It's just that one must take into account the implications when government is involved.

Property Hunting

The idea of buying vacation property began as a way to dump dollars.  We had already converted rainy day cash into the obvious hedges against inflation.  Taking a modest loan now while interest rates were still historically low, and while the real estate market was down, seemed like a reasonable method of building equity over the next few years.  The notion of owing interest to the banksters does not bode well with me, but if we were lucky--and we had been lucky thus far during this great recession--we would pay it all back quickly.


Owning a piece of land in another state serves several purposes.  My boys could enjoy camping there anytime, we might someday add a trailer or build a vacation home there, we could sell the property when the kids go to college, or use it for retirement.  It was similar to a tactic my own father had employed with a small lot in Ocala, Florida. In the very worst scenario, having some property in another state might offer refuge if the pending Zombie Apocalypse ever materializes in our hometown.  At least in my head.


My wife was quick to come on board with the idea.  Our family had vacationed in the area at least four times.  In fact, it is likely that our youngest child was conceived on the first trip.  My wife is more the cabin camper than the tent camper, so my dream of owning a large parcel of land soon became our dream of owning a cabin or chalet.  I would have to stick to stick to my guns and insist on one with a wood stove.  Wood stoves will offer a sustainable means of heating and cooking during the Apocalypse.


I insisted too that the property be at least larger than a postage stamp and have few restrictions, if any.  I was not about to leave my primary residence in suburbia for a vacation destination with fewer freedoms.  That would grate on my libertarian side.  And who knew when economic conditions would compel us to hunt, forage, and grow food.


So began the search.  A great deal of credit must be given to the websites Zillow, Realtor.com, Sawbuck and Trulia, with extra praise to iPhone application of the latter.  From the comfort of home--often the comfort of our bed--we browsed hundreds of listings.  Over the summer we drove to the area five times to see more than two dozen places in person.  We saw big places, small places, high ones and low ones, old and new, dry and dank.


The experience brought us closer, at least my wife and myself.  Twice the kids came along.  I'm not sure they ever understood "hunting for a house".  From their perspective we kept finding houses and then looking again.  One son had the chance to test the roll of emergency toilet paper from the survival pack in my vehicle.  He returned with us two weeks later only to discover a bee hive at home home.  The other son finally admitted that it didn't really matter what the dwelling was like so long as he could play in the river.  Thankfully their grandmothers babysat during the other trips.


My wife favored properties with amenities and a view.  We narrowed in on homes with a scenic overlook or a water feature.  Since we had made the "mistake" of once vacationing on the river, and because scenic overlooks typically mean treacherous mountain roads, we began to narrow the search to places on the river, or with deeded river access.  Structures with expansive windows, modern appliances, and easy access to town began to bubble up the list fast.  If it were up to me, we'd have been fine buying a parcel for a tent in the middle of nowhere.