I captured some minnows and went early to catch hundreds of fish on the Allegheny River at Lock Number Seven at Kittanning, PA. I didn’t catch hundreds of fish in fact in the two hours I did not have a bite. Yes, I was skunked!
Interestingly, a Great Blue Heron flew past and settled below the dam to catch some fish. I noticed the bird catch and devour three fish up to about a foot in length.
Since I spent time watching my rod tip for movement, it is quite possible the heron may have ingested more than three fish. I am thinking of trading my rod and reel for a long sharp beak!
Eventually, I quit and walked the shoreline to see what I could find. I found a fisherman’s net. As to be expected by me, I did search for early summer wetland wildflowers along the river’s edge. I took photos and I included the Pickeral Flower above.
Close to a month ago, I was setting on my deck when I gazed upon the back forty and saw a hen turkey walking about the yard. She stopped at the bird feeding station and filled up on spilled over seeds. The interesting part of this event is that the hen is still around. I have seen her a number of times in the back yard landscaping and bird feeder.
I do not know if she is nesting among my landscaping since it appears as a natural woodland area even having Skunk Cabbage that I planted years ago. I have watched for poults and haven’t seen any.
Yesterday I walked down the lower deck to the yard and startled her at about ten feet. She was feeding behind lots of flowers and ornamental grass by the bird feeder. She moved away into other thick areas. I continued my movement to the fire pit. In a short time, she appeared again and walked across the yard unafraid of my presence and back to the bird feeder. I circled around to return to the house, and she continued feeding.
I hope to soon see some poults, but I do not know if she has nested at all. Time will tell.
Laurie and I stopped into Kittanning on June 10 to see and listen to Ricky Skaggs and his band called, Kentucky Thunder. As expected, the area was packed with others intent on listening to this man and his group of superb musicians.
One aspect at attending such an event is seeing old friends and acquaintances. I had the opportunities talking to many such people.
Ricky Skaggs, primarily, leans towards bluegrass style music but he does country and gospel music, as well. Laurie and I, both, enjoy such music.
My father, Allen Kenneth Smail was born on June 4, 1923, in a home along what is known as Mutton Hollow in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. This may have been the home of a midwife of the times for the Smail family residence was just north and east of the present-day Cherry Run Intersection. This home was only a mile and half or so from the Smail Home. (As I type this the old homestead is no more. The state has dozed it all over while changing that intersection.)
My dad went to the McIntosh School just east of their home. The old school is still standing. later he went to Elderton High School where he graduated as valedictorian in the spring of 1941.
Old McIntosh School
In December of 1941 he was in a car at what was then Reedy’s store. This store was a hundred or so yards past the McIntosh School. Here he heard on the radio of the Pearl Harbor attack. In 1942, my dad was drafted and would be involved on the European Theater until the fall of 1945 as a corporal. During the Battle of the Bulge of 1944, my father was at a gasoline depot in Belgium. His order was to blow the depot up if the Germans approached. He was to go up with the explosion if necessary! he told me he could hear the shooting in the distance before the Germans were stopped! He served as military police and had a German Shepherd dog named Wolf. the dog was trained to attack on command.
Upon his return he began working again at the Schenley Distillers in Schenley, PA. He had worked there a short time prior to the draft.
My dad married Ruth Elizabeth Yount in 1953. I was the firstborn on July 19, 1955 and my sister Ruthie Elaine was hatched on July 11, 1958.
My dad blessed me in so many ways. He instilled in me a love of nature…hunting, fishing, trapping, hiking…hunting morel mushrooms and Indian arrowheads. He gave to me an interest in history especially Indian history as well as World War 2 history.
My father was a man of integrity; honest and a quiet man and well-liked by all. I hope I possess some of his traits so others can see him through my actions.
He left his job in 1983 when the Schenley Distillery closed down for good, and he began to fish and hunt more. As to what happens to us all, he began to have health issues as he aged.
Allen Smail died on Father’s Day, June 20, 1999. I still miss him dearly!!!!!
My dad would have been 100 years old on June 4, 2023.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 