I was enroute to paint the mural mentioned in last entry. My usual way to travel to this area is to cut across very rural roads through the Quehanna Wild Area. This early morning was to not be any different.
The roads do not have any winter maintenance, but that didn’t deter the jeep. We began the travel! Most of the roads were passable with fresh snow over existing ice, but the snow gave traction. However, there were a few areas where I hoped to not meet anybody else doing the same as me.
I entered the Caledonia Pike where a little maintenance had occurred. I would see one vehicle on the short section I traveled, and it was an eighteen-wheeler. What the heck! I exited and would drive along the Medix Run. No problems.
Upon reaching my destination at Driftwood, Pennsylvania, I smiled for the entire back of the jeep was white with snow.
While staying in Driftwood and the traveling about later I would see two flocks of turkeys, two deer, squirrels, a groundhog walking on frozen snow and about thirty elk. The first day at the Driftwood Senior Center I would watch seven elk feeding and bedding for over two hours. the second evening I watched three elk wandering around eventually crossing the railroad track.
The time arrived to leave the center for the mural was complete, so I travel around looking for photo opportunities. I would park wherever I could and walk around to take photos of the mountains and creek…beautiful country.
Interesting ice formationDent’s Run
I traveled up and along Dent’s Run until the road was nothing but ice. I elected to turn around rather than hance a mishap.
Last autumn I received a message from Linda Burrows of Driftwood, Pennsylvania. She is the director of the Driftwood Senior center. Within the message was a question; asking if I might be interested in painting a mural at the center. At first, I was not sure if I wished to take on such an endeavor, after all the largest painting I had ever completed was on a forty-eight-inch panel and that was painted horizontally.
The art was to depict a tree known often as a Memorial Tree. Names of past members can be placed on the limbs as a permanent memorial. Linda wanted a more realistic tree on her wall with some scenery. Traditionally, memorial trees are often done as a silhouette. The mural was to be memorial in honor of a man who had helped much within the center and was loved by all. His name; Wayne Johnson. I would paint an image of Wayne fishing a native trout stream.
I would ask some questions and eventually agreed to do the art. I tried to figure out my needs to paint such a large piece. The wall area is seven by seven.
I messaged her with a very rough sketch for the art and she agreed that was along the line as to what she was thinking.
Linda was gracious when I said I would attempt the project but needed to wait until 2022 for hunting seasons were coming to reality and we had holidays to contend with. Weather would play a part, too.
After a very cold start to the year a break was reported and the trip to Driftwood was on. I was on site for several days. I was blessed to meet some very nice senior citizens. I even begged them with an offer several times. the offer was for someone to pose nude…there were no volunteers, but some laughing with comments.
I worked long hours on the project working from around ten A.M. the first day for almost twelve hours. I cleaned up and tried to sleep and after about two hours of sleep total, I arose and began at two thirty in the morning through the day until around six thirty. I cleaned up and laid my head down to sleep at eight o’clock and was out immediately.
One aspect of this task that I hadn’t planned for was the pain of lifting my arm overhead and climbing a small ladder and painting from the floor. I was aching a lot, but I stayed true and ignored all pains the best I could.
I woke up the following morning a little after four and began to finish up followed by removing all the necessary items to do the job. I swept and mopped the floor since I had time before people began rising around nine.
Linda arrived followed shortly by the wife of Wayne. When the two came away from the art I could see tears in the eyes. Of course, I had some mist, too.
Leaving the center was sad for me, for I truly enjoyed those in attendance. salt of the earth kinds of people! This country needs more people like the Driftwood Senior Center patrons.
As a plus for the painting, I saw seven elk the first evening and three on the second evening while walking outside for breaks. I would see many more after leaving the site.
Thank you all at the Driftwood Senior center for their kindness. The address is: Driftwood Senior center; 7806 Bridge Street; Driftwood, PA 15832. The phone is: 814-546-2331.
If interested in seeing the art contact Linda at the center for hours and details.
In recent days I completed my seventh CD entitled, ” COUNTRY CLASSICS FOR BOB.” I began planning for this venture last summer, I believe.
Bob Miller is my stepfather. He has had some bad issues to deal with in recent years. In December of 2018, he was within inches of being killed in a freak woodland incident. A tree fell grazing hm and breaking his ankle. He still has hardware in his leg from that time.
The following spring in 2019 another issue came to be and by early summer it was confirmed he had cancer. We were told the cancer was terminal. However, here it is in early 2022, and Bob is still with us. He has been taking chemo seems like forever. The treatment makes Bob weak and frail, but he is able to still keep functioning.
Bob has always loved country music, so I decided to do classic country music as a form of dedication. He loves the music and sings along with it.
Bob’s first fall gobbler. I was honored to have called the bird in to range.
The song selection features country songs performed by the likes of: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash; Ray price; Charley Pride; Eddy Arnold; Mel Tillis and others.
All the instruments involved in this CD along with vocals and harmony vocals were completed by myself. You’ll hear the sounds of acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, mandolins, keyboards, strings, drums, trumpets and piano. The songs have anywhere from eight to twelve individual tracks combined into one song, so it is easily to see a lot of time is involved with the making of a CD.
Those interested with obtaining a CD can get one with a ten-dollar donation to pick up. Add another five dollars if to mail. My address is: 481 Butler Road, Kittanning, PA 16201.
Very recently I decided to paint a Cardinal. I sketched the image on a gessoed panel I had leaning against a wall. A short break when I began slapping the paint. The idea of including Dogwood blossoms came as an afterthought.
I have included a few “progress” photos.
The sketch on a prepared panel.Two hours in the “slapping paint” process.
The last month has had a share of cold weather. Temperatures have been cold and very recently those temps have dropped into the single digits and even below zero. Strong winds have been the norm very often further increasing the cold weather into a Big Freeze!
Today the single digit numbers quickly moved into the twenty degrees and at 22 degrees I decided to head off for a walk. To further add to the comfort the winds were ceased.
Many deer tracks
Armed with my camera, I began the hike to see what wildlife I would see and what other wintry things I would observe. Deer tracks were everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The snow depth of nine or ten inches and the cold had forced the deer to move a lot searching for food. Interestingly I would only see a few deer throughout my travels.
Much of the water was frozen over with the exceptions of the faster moving water. Here I watched for Bald Eagles and various species of waterfowl. The species I witnessed this day are as follows: Canada geese, mallards, Black Ducks; Common Mergansers and the Redhead Duck. I do not see many Redhead Ducks in my area.
Female Common MerganserRedhead DuckCanada Goose tracks
Of course, I saw a lot of small bird life. I saw six or more Eastern Bluebirds. One female allowed for a few photos. The males were not as easy to approach close. the few that did always seemed to be among brush thus not allowing a good pic.
Very recently I received a copy of the Conservation Lantern. I was very surprised to see an acrylic painting of mine called, “Screech Owl and Chickadees”. The Conservation Lantern is a seasonal publication from the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen Clubs and Pennsylvania Wildlife Federation. The website is: http://www.pfsc.org.
Earlier this year they used a Bald Eagle painting on their cover.
I have a tradition from many years of supplying the local wildlife at the house with some grub. I take the ribcages from my harvested deer and place within tree limbs. I stand in amazement just how quickly the backyard wildlife takes advantage of this fresh supply of meat.
Red-shouldered Hawk
Yesterday, I harvested a deer. early this morning at dawn I carried the ribcage to the back yard. Within several minutes I began hearing crows in the trees announcing breakfast. However, before long a Red-shouldered Hawk was photographed upon the carcass. Later the crows began devouring. I spent time in Butler and upon arriving home a Red-tailed Hawk was eating his fill.
I have seen a Cooper’s Hawk several times after birds at the feeder.
Many species of small birds enjoy eating from this food source over the winter.
A Christmas Open House was celebrated at the Armstrong County Historical Museum and Genealogical Society on November 28. The old building looked good with the various Christmas decorations.
Members of the 62nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Living History family worked hard to decorate and allow all of the visitors to feel the season in a Victorian-style. The men and ladies of the group were dressed in period Civil War era clothing.
Cookies and drink were free to those in attendance.
Many visitors arrived to see the museum and what is offered to observe.
the museum is located at: 300 North McKean Street in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
November 29, 2021 was the third day of Pennsylvania’s annual deer season. I had hunted the first day but only saw five doe. I often hunt only for buck deer on the first day. This year was no different. I didn’t hunt the second day.
This third morning was a beautiful time afield spreading peace and solitude all over. The heavy snow on a calm morning made for a great stress relief. With so much going on I sure utilized the mood.
I sat for a time before beginning to sneak around searching for a deer. This day I had decided if I had an opportunity on a nice size doe I would harvest some meat. As I ventured slowly around, I would see a number of deer feeding or bedded. Some were small and others were not satisfactorily identified.
I came close to a posted border line where I could see across a hollow. The landowner had timbered his property allowing for this opening through the woods. I could see a nice-size deer and I immediately felt the deer was a buck. I scoped the deer and just before he walked among some thicker brush, I could see a decent rack of antlers.
I could not go after this deer because of the posted property, but I knew from experience the deer on that side of the hollow sometimes work down slope and come across the hollow. If it worked, I could possibly see this deer on the property I was hunting. However, this could take an hour or so.
I turned to work my plan when I saw a deer about forty-five yards or so. I scoped and didn’t see any antlers and I could tell by the head the deer was not this year’s fawn. I shot!
The deer took off and I knew I couldn’t have missed so I quickly took up the trail. After about thirty yards I noticed blood. The trail increased until I found the downed deer. It had short “horns” and judging that fact and the size I knew this would have been last year’s deer. Both antlers looked as if they had been broken off about inch above the hair line of the skull.
The drag would be somewhere close to a half a mile. I took my time and rested often. I am not as young as I used to be so I decided taking some time would be the best way to do this task.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 