Larry A. Smail's Blog

Black Oak Down

July 18, 2023 by larrysmailart

Laurie and I were arriving home on July 12 around five when I noticed something was amiss. The huge Black Oak tree living on the front yard was down! The driveway was completely covered with the tree, so I had to come in from the road onto the yard.

After the initial shock wore off I gathered my little chain saw and began to clear a way to get to teh garage. This was a big job, and I completed this task in the following morning with a charged battery for the saw.

We were extremely fortunate with no part of the tree hitting the house and deck. The satellite dish was missed, also. My rail fence across the drive had one post knocked off level but no breakage. I do have various damages that will need replaced, but the fact of nothing major sure is a great thought.

I called the insurance company and a couple of tree crews and settled on one outfit. It took three days for the oak to be removed and cleanup.

Interestingly, I counted the rings the best I could and came up with 158 to 160 growth rings. This tree’s growth began around 1863 or so at the time of the Civil War! Once the stump was cut close to ground level I measured the base at six feet- four inches.

I always liked the old tree and will miss the shade it provided. Acorns were forming on the limbs. The tree man said he could evidence of a disease around the roots. This was what caused the decay at base level. The rest of the tree was sound solid wood.

The driveway is under this mess.

Posted in Historical, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Skunked On the River

June 30, 2023 by larrysmailart

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.

Native Rhododendron

Posted in Fishing, Wildflowers, Wildlife | Leave a Comment »

The Turkey

June 30, 2023 by larrysmailart

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.

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Ricky Skaggs Concert

June 12, 2023 by larrysmailart

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.

Posted in Music | 1 Comment »

Some Photos

June 7, 2023 by larrysmailart

I caught this little one thinking it was safe by remaining still.

I waited for over an hour waiting for this Box Turtle to come out of its shell to play with me.

Scarlet Tanager

Female Scarlet Tanager

Gall

Fire Pink

Common Grackle

Wild Columbine

Yellowthroat Warbler

Wild Geranium

Jack-In-The-Pulpit

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildlife | Leave a Comment »

A Century For My Father…1923 to 2023!

June 3, 2023 by larrysmailart

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.

Posted in My Family | 2 Comments »

Hen Turkey At Home!

May 28, 2023 by larrysmailart

Yes, this is my back yard landscaping!

I have hunted few hours this spring gobbler season. The mornings I hunted were short due to coughing. However, I almost closed the deal twice on the few times I hunted. Both times were thwarted by the interference of real hens. The one time I had the shotgun leveled across my knee expecting to see that gobbler at any moment.

That story goes along well with this story. Recently, I was setting on the back deck when I noticed a hen turkey walking around the back yard. The bird walked about casually sometimes in the grassy areas and other times amongst my natural landscaping. I crept inside and called Laurie to see the turkey. She was visible for around an hour. I thought this viewing sure was interesting. I wondered if she may be nesting here. I did get plenty of photos of her.

Today she reappeared again in the yard. She stayed close in a grassy area, and I wondered what the attraction was with that spot. Eventually she wondered off stopping at the creek for a drink.

I looked around and didn’t see any poults or eggs, but I am convinced she must have a nest , possibly among the Skunk Cabbage and wetland vegetation across the creek. I will be watching for baby turkeys.

Posted in Misc. Nature, Wildlife | Leave a Comment »

Should I have Shot?

May 15, 2023 by larrysmailart

I stood in the cool, breezy twilight listening for gobble talk, but failed to hear any gossip. I became chilled at times for I was dressed light anticipating the warmer temperatures predicted for later in the morning. While standing and listening I was surprised to see a Coyote pass by at about thirty-five yards.

Eventually, I began circling about listening and calling.

I was shocked to see the gobbler, at first. The bird never gobbled and was coming close to me. The bird was about thirty feet distance at the closest. He scratched the leaf litter feeding and would occasionally go into a partial strut. The big debate was circling amidst my thoughts. Do I fill a tag? With all the asthma issues I had been struggling with, that thought seemed strong at times. I elected to shoot the legal gobbler with the camera. I shot him about twenty times with the Nikon.

The yearling JAKE sported a sharply, curled four, maybe five-inch beard. The beard is hard to see in the photos. I am happy I didn’t shoot the gobbler with the 870 shotgun.

I moved farther south and was disappointed once I reached the top. Acres and acres of the woodlands had been timbered out. I could not see this from the road for the steep hillside wasn’t cut. I called around anyway until I decided to head home for I had some commitments later. I found a turkey egg. I saw about six or seven deer. I found a couple of morels but I didn’t pick them.

Yikes… I am beginning to have the scratchy eyes. Are the allergies coming next? I know it will hit soon and more meds will be needed.

Wild Turkey Egg

Posted in 2023 Pennsylvania Spring Gobbler Season | Leave a Comment »

Two Weeks of the Pennsylvania Spring Gobbler Season and Asthma Has Kicked My Butt!

May 12, 2023 by larrysmailart

Yes, my butt has been kicked! The first morning of the 2023 Pennsylvania Spring Gobbler Season had me calling a longbeard and two Jakes off the roost. Unfortunately, the scenario of the area did not allow a shot to be had. The birds went below me and within a Safety Zone area. That was all right for I had plenty of days to hunt not knowing what the following day had in store for me.

Sunday the asthma hit hard! I coughed, choked became extremely exhausted due to the expelled energy to cough so hard and not having much sleep. It is a scary thing to cough and choke so hard you can’t get your breath. So, I hunted very little. I did try a couple of mid-morning hours but failed. Coughing uncontrollably and gobbler hunting doesn’t make for a scene with much success.

I finally had a doctor appointment and was put on steroids. I am improving, thankfully. This morning I watched the sunrise and heard two gobblers, but both were not near to me at all, however, I was enjoying the morning with little coughing.

One humorous story of the morning was an encounter with a flock of, at least, ten gunieas. The noisy birds’ home is the landowner’s sons home but they travel all around the fields. I tried to put a legal beard on some but failed to do so.