Monday, June 07, 2010

Forest Living Can Be Addicting!!



The path to our forest

This is a photo of the elderberries on the left side and the blackberries on the right side framing our path that goes to our forest. The forest surrounds our homestead. The Ludlow Creek State Forest surrounds our forest. The forest came right up to our house almost when we first moved here in 1999. When we sat outside at night we would get nervous about sounds coming from the woods. Oh, what could it be out there in the darkest dark of the forest?

 The path goes on deeper into our forest here

After a few months of living here and exploring the forest ourselves with our dog, Nikita, we learned that we were pretty safe. In all the time we have lived here we have never had a bear show up in our yard. My husband hit one with the car back in 2001, but not near our house. Ten miles away in the town of Greene, NY. He was on his way to his job at IBM, and it was dark because he worked the night shift. The bear came out of nowhere. He did not have a chance to avoid it. A cop came and had to shoot it. Very sad, and my husband felt bad because he could hear it whimpering in pain. He was a big one too. 

The way out of the forest to our yard

In the winter we have deer sleep out here in the forest. They must feel safe because we are not hunters. Our dog, Nikita is very gentle. She is a hunter as far as catching a woodchuck or two, rabbits being her favorites. Once she got a squirrel but she don't eat them. Just doesn't care for squirrels I guess. She gave it to my husband but he didn't do too good with that one. I will say that Nikita loves venison but she doesn't go after the deer herself. She does what she is told. Most of the venison she gets is from a hunter gutting a deer at the creek near our house. She gets a whiff of it and knows it is there. One year it was in the water near our bridge, I can't remember how exactly, but we hung a line down there and hooked it some way to get it for her.

The forest gets darker the farther in you go

Living surrounded by deep forest without neighbors has been good for us. It gives you a feeling that cannot be explained, knowing that you are the only one here. When we first moved here I was scared, because my husband worked at nights and I'd be here alone. No neighbors. Nobody but me in this huge area of the state forest. Now, after all these years..............this is where I feel the safest! If nobody came down my road ever, I'd probably feel even safer!!!

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

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