Mason

Now that the Oxford County commissioners have settled the issue of maintenance of Tyler Road in Mason, logging has begun in earnest on national forest land near the end of that road. I hear mechanical harvesting machines running up the Pleasant River valley before daylight in the mornings, and logging trucks make several trips daily with their huge loads of logs. The thing is, the road plowing and truck traffic have ruined the cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on Tyler Road for this winter, but who cares about those activities?

Have you noticed how hard the snow is now that it is cold again after the January thaw and heavy rain of last week? You can drive motor vehicles on top of the snow, it is so hard! Last Sunday afternoon, I decided to try out my plastic sled on the hill at “the farm.” It was so hard and fast, I dared not sit up on the sled to come down from the top. I got “bucked off” the sled the first time I tried it! However, by lying prostrate upon the sled, I was able to steer and really whistled down the hill. It was so fast that I had to really hang on, and was only barely able to make the big turn at the foot of the hill to safely come around and cross the frog pond without hitting something hard – like trees, bushes, the blueberry fence or the brook ditch.

Then, I tried to get somebody to join me and try the sled. No takers! Nephews Rupert and Dan refused, complaining that they were “too old.” Even 16-year-old great-great nephew Sam turned down the opportunity to ride my sled! What is this younger generation coming to? Shiloh was my only company. He loved racing me down the hill, and surprisingly, he kept right on my tail, even as fat as he is. Of course, being a male (even fixed) dog, he still tried to “take advantage” while I was on the sled! Bad dog!

Niece Elsie is in Myrtle Beach, S.C., accompanying her granddaughter Madison, who is suffering some serious health issues and is in the hospital there recovering from surgery. Our prayers are with Madison and her family, hoping for a speedy and complete recovery.

I have been busy logging, trying to get a truckload of hardwood saw logs while the snow is hard. Do you know how much firewood you end up with when you put the rest of the tree that’s not suitable for saw logs into firewood? I have a huge pile of tree limbs, hollow and rotten hearted logs, big knots and crooked pieces. I’ll be busy all next summer working all that stuff into firewood!