Lots to do! I started the weekend out by playing guitar for various bands at the Maple Grove Campground near Brick Church, Pennsylvania. Saturday, May 26th, was once again was music oriented. I had the opportunity to see a dear friend, Paul Eckenrode and his wife Sherene. I met Paul and his wife over fifteen years ago at this very same camground. Paul, who is a Free Methodist minister, and I became instant friends. He sings country-style gospel music and I, as a lead guitar player filled in on a number of occasions. I hadn’t seen Paul and Sherene for about six years now and I was happy to be able to musically participate with him once again. 
Memorial Day found family getting together for a visit and cook out. In the past, I had attended the Elderton Memorial Day Parade dressed in 18th century attire. The parade, apparently has fallen wayside for I haven’t heard anything about it recently. I hang a flag out every Memorial Day, both the observed day and the originally attended day of May 30th. This is a small token of respect for those brave heroes who have fallen for our country, America.
Mountain laurel-Pennsylvania’s state flower.
I headed for the Allegheny River on Tuesday morning to try my luck with fishing. (May 29th) I had some worms left over from my northern Pennsylvania excursions earlier this month. I had a blast catching native brook trout near Kettle Creek.
Snapping Turtle
I saw male and female mallards as I walked along the river’s bank. Two female mallards each had a brood of young ducklings. The males flew off as the females lured the little ones fast along her side. I saw 31 geese flying in a half a V formation too. I thought this to be odd at this time of the year.
Fishing was interesting. Some fish, I believe were suckers would nibble at the worms, but never would bite hard enough for me to launch a rearward rod movement to catch them. I did, however, catch one channel catfish. The fish was about one foot long. While fishing I had the opportunity to observe a rather large beaver eating vegetation on the island south of the Lock Number 7 Dam at Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
The Allegheny River
Today, May 30th, a friend Larry Delaney and I took a 13 (or so)mile bike ride from Templeton to Rimer, Pennsylvania. On our trip we saw several squirrels, a lot of young chipmunks and two deer. We, also, were blessed to see some beautiful Pennsylvania river landscape. Earlier, I removed a snapping turtle from near a road. The turtle would have surely been run over by a vehicle if he continued on its path. Strangely, the unappreciate, turtle didn’t like being carried. The entire time I was traveling towards swamp lands to release it, the mouth was opened wanting to take a chunk of flesh from my thigh.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 
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