Gary's Schaefferstown, Bradford and Sullivan Co, weather, and other interesting stuff Blog

2011-03-08T16:24:00.009-05:00

By popular demand, more insects in amber...

These are gnats and midges, probably extinct species,
but then again, I not up on my Eocine insects.

I continue to be amazed at the detail which is preserved here,
right down to the microscopic hairs on the wings and antennae.

The New Microscope

2011-02-28T15:11:00.033-05:00

Got a new microscope from E-bay today, with a digital camera, no less!

Here are some of the first efforts with the camera. Enjoy!!

This is a fly in amber from our amber collection. Please note the compound eyes staring back at you from 45 million years ago. Spooky, if you think about it!

Here's a moth. It's a bit deeper inside the piece of amber, so the image is a bit more washed out.

This is a bark louse.

The magnification is about 40 times. This guy is so small it's hard to see in the amber without magnification.

And here's a video of a Copepod from the bottom of our aquarium.
A fairly common critter, but cool to watch.

A visit to Barclay

2010-08-04T16:04:00.007-04:00

While spending a couple days at the cabin, we decided to see if we could find the locally famous ghost town of Barclay. Barclay was a coal boom town from about 1860 to 1901 when a flood destroyed much of the infrastructure used to gar the coal or market. Also, by that time, most of the east to mine coal had played out and Bradford County coal mining was on the wane.

While nothing remains of the town, except a couple apple trees and some foundations, if you know where to look. The cemintary is still there, and in remarkablly good shape. While it is unmaintained, it is located on State Game Land offers some protection.

Check out some of our pictures here:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Gary.N3HCP/Barclay#

Embracing my internal redneck!

2010-05-02T11:01:00.004-04:00

Admit it to your self. There's a bit of the redneck in all of us. Being in northern PA has a tendency to bring this trait to the surface. In Overton Township pick up trucks are like opinions...everybody has one!!

After several months of preparation, our 2006 Dodge Dakota was finally ready to tackle the back roads and jeep trails on Bradford and Sullivan Counties. We've tuned it up, had the transmission serviced, installed a 55 watt back-up light (ever try to back around a narrow dirt road with a 6 foot drop on each side, in the dark?? I have!), bull bars with a skid plate, and, of course, KC Daylighter off road lights.

Last week I got to try it out! Very cool!! It handles the rough, rutty, mussy roads with ease and the lights are remarkable! They don't call them "daylighters" for nothing! Can't wait for the next trip north :)

Address comes camp

2010-05-02T10:55:00.003-04:00

As part of the Bradford County 9-1-1 system improvements, most places, including seasonal residents, are getting street addresses. We are now 89 Junk's Pond Road, Overton township. Now all we need is indoor plumbing...

Snowey weekend at camp

2010-03-08T23:25:00.002-05:00

When I arrived at camp Friday there was about2 to 3 feet of snow in the Woods ans 3 to 4 foot piles in front of the driveways from the township plows. To be fair, there are all seasonal cabins and most owners stay away in the winter...but not me! The gentlemen who lives down the road was kind enough to plow our driveway. All in all, a relaxing weekend!

Up and running!

2010-03-04T17:41:00.001-05:00

The new weather station is up and running. My wife and I were able to get the remote sensor unit up on the pole on the garage without breaking anything (well, she did slip on the snow, but nothing broken!!). The new unit is smaller and lighter then the old one, so installation was not too bad. Now the data is once again reliable so the guys at NOAA won't disown my station!!

Comming soon to a weather station near you!

2010-03-02T23:15:00.002-05:00

The weather station her at Radio Free Schaefferstown has been having some technical problems over the fast few months. As is so often the case, it turns out to be more cost effective to replace the whole system that to try to repair it.

The new system will be a Weather Vue from Davis instruments. After it's installed it should interface with the existing computer and data transmission systems with no further upgrades.

If all goes well, the new system should be on line sometime Thursday...I hope!!

http://www.vantagevue.com/

Welcome to March

2010-03-01T09:11:00.003-05:00

Well, to say February was crazy would be an understatement! Schaefferstown has been snow covered for most of the month, and cold and windy to boot!!

Due to some construction on the offices at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, the venue where we normally hold the funeral services was closed and we were forced to use a back-up facility. Unlike the usual place, the back-up place is much more unprotected so cold and wind are much more of a factor. And it can get mighty windy out there!!

So far, the snow has kept us away from Bradford County most of the year, so far. Hoping to remedy that situation this weekend!!

Winter Cabin Trip

2010-01-04T18:01:00.005-05:00

We went to the cabin on Wednesday, December for New Year's. The weather was interesting, to say the least! After the first day, the temperature stayed mostly below 20 degrees, with some stiff wind. We had some snow every day, including Monday, when we headed home. We never got officially "snowed in", but it was fun, never-the-less.

The two pictures from the Trail Cam show a small bear and an Eastern Flying Squirrel (look close on top of the stump...he's about the size of a chipmunk) that came to have a snack. The trail cam took 662 pictures, mostly Gray Squirrels, over about a week and a half!

Web site updates.

2009-12-07T17:31:00.003-05:00

I spent most of the day updating the web site. A bunch of new stuff has been added to the main page and a new page has been added just for the Bradford County weather data. Check it out!!
http://www.n3hcp.com
http://www.n3hcp.com/new_albany.htm

The gas rush in Bradford County

2009-11-30T23:45:00.002-05:00

During a recent trip to the wilds of Bradford County PA we say a number of operating gas wells and even more drill rigs. 7000 feed below is the ground, the Marcellus Shale underlies much of the Appalachian Basin. The gas wells are being drilled 6000 to 7000 feed down and then up to 6 wells from each hole are drilled horizontally 4000 feet or more into the shale.

The wells are springing up across Bradford County like mushrooms after a spring rain, and producing a number in instant millionaires in the bargain. Think "The Beverly Hillbillies" To my great dismay, we are not among them.

A cold day at the Gap

2009-11-30T17:41:00.003-05:00

Today my fellow Honor Guard members from VFW Post 23 were privileged to provide military honors for the funerals of seven veterans. Today's weather was cold, wet, and windy...looks like it's time for the winter uniforms! The picture is from a funeral a few weeks ago when the weather was a bit nicer!

Regardless of the weather, it is an honor and a privilege to be able to help provide the military honors at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery.

Schaefferstown weather is back!!

2009-11-30T17:37:00.002-05:00

Yes...it's true!! The weather station at Radio Free Schaefferstown is back on the air, and the Internet!! We actually have two weather stations up and running...one at home and one at the cabin. The links are available at Http://www.n3hcp.com Enjoy!!

Fall get-away

2009-10-04T19:42:00.005-04:00

Well, we just returned from a week long trip the the Herkimer area in up-state New York. The weather was, to say the least, interesting. At sometime during the week we had sun, rain, fog, snow (yes...I said snow), and just about anything in between!! We did get to do some serious "leaf peeping" in the mountains and got some pictures. I was also able to spend a day in a rock quarry looking for the famous Herkimer Diamonds.

http://www.herkimerdiamond.com/mining.html

I'm trying "Flickr" as a place to upload and share pictures, so here's the address:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/n3hcp/sets/72157622392227051/

In case you didn't believe me about the snow...

Cabin upgrades.

2009-09-09T17:45:00.004-04:00

We've had some major upgrades to the cabin in the last couple weeks. The worn out, old, sliding doors have been replaced with shiny new french doors. We can finally go in and out through the front door without straining a muscle pushing it open!

We also installed a new composting toilet. That long walk down the path, especially at night, was getting a little old.

Bear in the back yard

2009-07-28T09:10:00.002-04:00

Here's a picture taken by our trail-cam about 50 yards behind the cabin, in the woods. Maybe he was looking for the outhouse!!

Long time, no post.

2009-07-23T00:23:00.003-04:00

The schedule has been a bit full here of late. We just returned from a trip to Eastern Canada and Maine. While in Maine we were able to visit what's left of Loring Air Force Base where I was stationed in the early '70s. Mostly, it a ghost town. The picture of the fire plug kinda say it all.

We also had a close encounter with a moose while in Maine. That's not actually that unusual in that part of Maine, but coming face to face with 800 pounds of cow moose is an interesting experience, to say the least.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-26T15:50:00.005-04:00

We were fortunate enough to be able to spend the weekend at the cabin and were honored to entertain guests!! Some of our camping/geocaching friends spent Saturday afternoon with us, enjoying the piece and relative quite (is was a holiday weekend, after all, and the 4-wheelers were out and about) of Bradford County.

We also had a few visits from some of the neighbors who live there all year...

Ready for visitors

2009-05-16T17:32:00.004-04:00

OK...now that we have the cabin shaped up a bit, it's time to show it off. If you would like to visit the cabin, we are ready to welcome you to beautiful Bradford County. We had given some thought to an "open cabin" or "cabin warming" sort of thing, but the distances involved and every-body's bust schedules, that just seems out of the question.

So, anyone who might like to take a drive in the country and visit us, just send us an e-mail (at the address below) and let us know some dates and we will check our all-too-full calendar and see if we can come up with a mutually workable time. Unfortunately, we still don't have provisions for over night guest yet, but the cabin is only about three hours from Lebanon County, so it makes a good day trip!!

We have set up a special e-mail account just for cabin related stuff. It's:
overton.cabin@yahoo.com

New furniture at the cabin!!

2009-05-13T16:56:00.007-04:00

Well, new to us furniture, anyway. We would like to thank our cabin-neighbors, with the help of their daughter, for the kind donation and delivery, no less, of a chair and reclining love-seat. With these additions, the interior furnishing is finally complete!

The new bushes planted last month appear healthy, and we have no serious damage from the winter storms. After almost a year we have made the place our own, and it is now very comfortable (we have satellite TV, after all).

Easter at the cabin

2009-04-13T15:35:00.005-04:00

We decided to spend this Easter at the cabin. The nights were a bit cool, but the days were sunny and nice. We were able to attend services at the New Albany Methodist Church in nearby, you guessed it,...New Albany!!! We also took the opportunity to plant a few bushes in front of the cabin to help hide the large empty under the building caused by the almost 45 degree slope upon which it was built.

Yet more pictures have been added to the web site at http://n3hcp.com/Cabin_pictures3.htm

Curb appeal.

2009-03-23T18:43:00.003-04:00

With the completion of the painting of the new steps and deck posts, the outside repairs at the cabin are complete. We may be adding a little landscaping this summer, but for the most part, this is as good as it's likely to get any time soon. It's been a lot of time and work, but at last we will be able to just go up and relax!!

Where's Mike Rowe when you need him???

2009-03-23T18:32:00.003-04:00

This past weekend we got into all the stuff we've been putting off at the cabin. There was a little carpentry work, but the real "dirty jobs" came with cleaning and painting the inside of the out-house and cleaning parts of the loft that likely haven't been touched since the place was built. As with any place in the woods, mice are always an issue. There was plenty of old insulation that had been used by them for nesting. Hopefully, our efforts to seal the cracks and the judicious use of other rodent control measures will put an end to that problem, for the most part.

Spring is near!!

2009-03-09T18:38:00.008-04:00

This afternoon this robin was singing in our larch tree. Can spring be far behind??

The storm is over.

2009-03-02T17:09:00.005-05:00

So,here in Schaefferstown we ended up with about 6 inches of loose, powdery, dry snow. The blowing and drifting made accurate measurement impossible.

Living in the country with farmers for neighbors has its advantages. This picture is how our driveway was cleared...nice!!
(The garage and old truck are my neighbor's. We share the driveway.)

Here comes the snow.

2009-03-02T09:34:00.002-05:00

It looks like we are getting a bit more wrap-around snow then expected from this coastal storm. It's starting to look like a good old fashioned Nor'easter! We here at Radio Free Schaefferstown already have between 4 and 5 inches with snow falling at the rate of at least an inch an hour.

Back from the cold north.

2009-03-01T12:40:00.010-05:00

Well, I'm back from the cold reaches of Bradford County. Two full days of work accomplished most of the projects that were planned, plus some unexpected repairs. It seems whoever mounted the kitchen cabinets on the wall was unaware of the advisability of finding a stud. As a result, one was mounted with nice big lag screws into nothing but the wall board. No realizing this, I foolishly stored some stuff in said cabinet, thereby exceeding its rather low capacity. On Friday, while opening it, the top came loose, placing the cabinet at a precarious angle and allowing much of the stuff stored therein to slide out!! With very little trouble wall studs were located and the cabinet remounted. Makes me wonder how many other interesting surprises await us. Well, at least it keeps the project interesting!!

The weather Thursday was fairly warm and sunny. Friday was around 48 degrees with showers all day. Saturday morning the temperature plummeted to 17 degrees with light snow flurries.

The camp weather station is back on the air at:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=N3HCP-3

Leaving for camp.

2009-02-25T07:38:00.003-05:00

I'll be leaving for the cabin in a few minutes. One of the first projects will be to get the weather station back on the air. Watch for it at:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=N3HCP-3

The weather this week, and other stuff.

2009-02-23T23:52:00.002-05:00

It looks like the weather may warm up a bit over the vest few days. I may get a chance to go to camp in Bradford County for a little cabin maintenance. For one thing, the last time we were there it seems I inadvertently turned off the weather reporting station...probbaly by bumping the radio controlled with a bag of potato chips (you had to be there)!

On another front, a classmate of mine from the ELCO class of '67 has put together a video using photos from our yearbook and audio from recordings made at the time. A true blast from the past!! Even if you don't know anyone from the class, the video is still worth a look, just because of how well it is done. Here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuhX77KjGMA
Enjoy!!

A wintery mess for this week.

2009-02-16T09:28:00.002-05:00

After a couple nice, if cool, days Monday and the first half of Tuesday, look out for a bit of a mess for the rest of the week. Wednesday into Thursday looks to be the messiest time with the usual snow, sleet, freezing rain, rain scenario likely. Another storm system looks poised to come in over the weekend, although that one may be more of a problem for the northern half of PA. We'll see...

Nice weather for February.

2009-02-11T23:24:00.002-05:00

With the coming of record warm weather for February and the resulting snow melt, we decided a short trip to camp was in order. While the temperatures in Bradford County weren't a warm as Schaefferstown, it was enough to get rid of a good deal of the snow. Some areas went form snow packs in excess of 12 inches to nothing in less then a week! Wednesday morning the warm air and the melting snow conspired to produce a nice layer of ground fog.

After the cold front crosses the area tonight, it looked like it's back to reality! Oh, well...

Cabin Fever

2009-02-05T02:07:00.000-05:00

Yes,I have cabin fever. I need to get to the cabin in the worst way...but the weather's not with me. As near as I am able to tell, the roads to the cabin are passable, with 4WD. There is somewhere between 8 and 12 inches of snow and ice on the ground making the lane into the cabin a bit of a challenge, to say the least. I can deal with the cold if I could get there, but that's not looking good for the next couple weeks. Come on Spring!!!

Two weeks without power?

2009-01-29T13:25:00.005-05:00

Yep...some places hit by yesterday's ice storm could be without power of two weeks or more.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28873371/

Missed again.

2009-01-28T13:15:00.002-05:00

Once again what could have been a decent snow storm has turned into a wet, cold mess. As has been the norm this winter, and to quite an extent, the past few winters, we were tight on the rain/snow line. Last evening we got a couple inches of snow. By morning, it had changes to ice pellets and freezing rain. By noon on Wednesday the surface temperature had risen above freezing so what little ice accumulation there was is melting fast. Oh, weel, maybe next time...

Two days in Bradford Co.

2009-01-24T23:30:00.002-05:00

N3HCP decides to take advantage of the two warmest days in over a month to visit the cabin and do a little work. The coal stove got a work out, and with a little help from a kerosene heater, was able to maintain a 50 degree difference between inside and outside. There was about 8 inches of snow on the ground. It's truly amazing how quiet it is out in the woods with fresh snow on the ground to absorb the sound...especially at night! The temperature there tonight is below zero, so it good I came home when I did!!

The colderst weather so far.

2009-01-15T00:31:00.003-05:00

It looks like we are in for the coldest weather so far this winter, and maybe the coldest we will see this season. Right now here at Radio Free Schaefferstown it's 19 degrees and dropping. The wind is holding at about 5 to 7 MPH. I'll be sure to report the coldest temperature we see here...stay tuned!

Another shameless "commercial" ---Encore Presentation

2009-01-10T00:03:00.003-05:00

Here's the link:

Gary's Schaefferstown, Bradford and Sullivan Co, weather, and other interesting stuff Blog: Another shameless "commercial"...#links

For those of you who have seen this before, yes this is a repeat post. Hay, if it's good enough for NBC to run repeats, why not me?

Anyway, take a look. The food bank where we volunteer has fallen on the same hard times as all the rest of us. The number of clients we are called on to serve is up. At the same time donations are mostly down. We continue to receive much of our help from the local churches and we offer them our deepest thanks. At the same time some of our biggest commercial sponsors have found it necessary to cut back. The stores are more careful how much bread they bake every day, leaving less and less day-old bread for us. Other suppliers have likewise had to cut back.

The bottom line is WE NEED YOUR HELP!! If you support us at Lebanon County Christian Ministries, of some other food bank or pantry, please consider helping us out. When you buy your groceries, just add a couple cans of soup, a can of Spam (Yea..I love that stuff), or any other nonperishable stuff and get it to us. Thanks so much, from all of us!!!

Snow for the weekend?

2009-01-08T23:34:00.002-05:00

It looks like we may be in for the first real snow of the winter on Saturday. The current predication models (Thursday evening) look like about 3/4 of an inch of liquid precipitation. If that's all snow we could be looking at 7 to 8 inches. We'll see.

Ice storm!

2009-01-05T23:35:00.002-05:00

Things are coming together to provide Central PA with another ice storm. The exact track of the storm is still a bit up in the are, but as much as a half inch or more accumulation of ice is possible. power outages are also a real possibility.

We all have out generators checked out and fueled up...right???

Yet another blog!

2009-01-01T10:53:00.004-05:00

I'm playing around with a new blog. It is, as always, a work in progress so suggestions and comments are welcome. Check it out at
http://prepare-now.blogspot.com/

Thanks

Happy New Year!

2009-01-01T00:03:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year to all you bloggers out there!!

Cold and windy to welcome the new year.

2008-12-31T12:56:00.002-05:00

On the back side of the cold front that came through here this morning we are seeing temperatures drop through to 30s and winds in excess of 40 MPH. Sustained winds are now in the low 20s. On the bright side, we are seeing a little sun for a change!!

Earthquake!!!

2008-12-27T14:06:00.004-05:00

Yep...we felt it here in Schaefferstown. There was a 3.4 magnitude earthquake at 12:04 (0504UT) this morning just north of Salunga, Lancaster County, about 15 air-miles from here. We were both still up when it happened. My response was "what was that?" (I has in idea it was a tremor.) Catwoman's response was "Now what!!" It shook enough to move jig-saw puzzle pieces around on the table and slide a few things off storage shelves, but that's about it.

Ice comes to Schaefferstown.

2008-12-19T19:32:00.002-05:00

Well, today's rain turned out to be mostly of the freezing variety. The power blinked off three times, so far, but only for a few minutes. Looking at the forecasts for the coming week, this probably won't be the last frozen precipitation we'll be seeing!!

Web page additions

2008-12-16T21:45:00.002-05:00

We have added a new web page with, you guessed it, cabin pictures!! Some have been posted here, some are new. The new page is:
http://n3hcp.com/Cabin_pictures2.htm

Just a reminder, the main web page is:
http://n3hcp.com/

Ice storm in Bradford Co.

2008-12-16T00:28:00.011-05:00

So I decided that since the weather looked warmer for Monday, 12/15, that would be a good time for a quick work trip to the cabin. I went up Sunday after Church and breakfast at Risser's Restaurant. I expected to see snow at least part of the way up based on NOAA's Interactive Snow Information. There was a little snow in the higher elevations, but very little...until Sullivan County. From Sonestown north on Rt.220 as far as I went there was anywhere from 2 to 6 or 8 inches of snow and up to a half inch, or more, of ice on everything. The dirt road to the cabin had been plowed and treated, but was still an "interesting" drive.

When I finally arrived, the trees, under the weight of the ice, blocked the driveway! The first order of business was to clear the ice to get the car in. I really didn't want to haul 50 pound bags of coal over 100+ feet of icy driveway. Second order of business (after calling home , of course) was to shovel a path to the privy! This was the first attempt to stay at the cabin under true winter conditions. The temperature when I got there was 34 degrees outside...28 inside!! By 11:00 PM the cabin was a comfortable 72 degrees. After banking the fire for the night, I lost only 4 degrees overnight.

By Monday morning the ice was gone from the trees, along with a fair number of branches and power lines. The initial plan had been to stay 2 nights, but after studying the updated weather forecasts for Monday night and Tuesday, we decided a strategic withdrawal on Monday afternoon was in order. Even so, the dirt roads that had been snow the day before were ice by noon on Monday.

It was a strange trip and a good learning experience. Now I know how to open the cabin under winter conditions and be able to hole up there, if necessary. Kinda cool, realty!

As a side note, although the power to the area had been out for most of a day just after the storm, Sullivan County Rural Electric did a commendable job getting it back and keeping it on under difficult, icy, conditions. The power remained on for the time I was there, but I was prepared to do without it. While the TV was nice to have, I did have a gook book and gas lights to see by. A coal stove requires no electricity and provided warmth, hot water, heat for cooking and a pleasant, warm glow.

Most of the food didn't require refrigeration and what did would have survived for several days in an unheated part of the cabin. A zero degree L.L. Bean sleeping bag provided all the night time warmth one could want without electric heaters or blankets.

Don't say I didn't warn you!

2008-12-13T00:56:00.005-05:00

Yesterdays little snow and ice storm put some one and a quarter million people out of power from Pennsylvania to Maine. Some will be out for several days. There are already reports of fights over gas and other resources.

There is no reason that anyone in the affected area should have been caught with their pants down. This was called a good 48 to 72 hours ahead, but all most of the people did was make the obligatory bread and milk run to the corner store (fat lot of good that did).

It's either the head-in-the-sand it can't happen to me mind set, or they think the government will rush to the rescue. Yea-right...the government...that's the ticket!!

After a couple days in their dark, cold houses eating nothing but take-out from the Chinese place down the block (who had the foresight to have a generator and plenty of gas), or worse, stuck in some refugee shelter in the local high school gym with 2 or 3 hundred other unwashed families, there will be calls for investigations into why the power went out in the first place and why it wasn't back before Desperate Housewives was on!

Meanwhile, the few that were truly prepared are comfortably watching all this unfold on their satellite equipped TVs with a nice cold beer and a fresh bowl of microwave popcorn.
We've been on both sides of this type of situation and we seem to like the second solution best.

How about you???

First real winter storm...are we ready??

2008-12-11T00:18:00.006-05:00

The next day or so could bring the first ice/snow/freezing rain storm of the season. While this looks to be a relatively minor event, it brings up the important question...are we ready for a really big one?

Most of us can remember at least a couple times when winter storms have left us in the dark. Sometimes for a few hours, sometimes for a few days, sometimes longer. Just last year in December we here at Radio Free Schaefferstown were without power for about 3 days. We were able to continue to operate with very little disruption. Battery and generator power kept us on the air, and kept the freezer, refrigerator, furnace, TV, and yes, the DirecTV satellite receiver running.

It would be unrealistic to believe this sort of thing won't happen again...it will. I believe that everyone should be prepared for winter storms, or worse. In an effort to help others become more informed and prepared for emergencies, weather related or otherwise, I offer the following web links. Some are government links, some are discussion groups. Some are more useful then other, some take a somewhat more pessimistic outlook, and some are down right paranoid, but interesting, non the less.

Take a look, it's interesting at least, and life saving at most!!

http://www.ready.gov/

http://www.fema.gov/index.shtm

http://www.survivalistboards.com/

http://www.survivalblog.com/

http://www.thereadystore.com/freeze-dried-foods/individual-items Long term storage food. This stuff will keep 25 years!!

http://beprepared.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1228973666

I have lots more good emergency/survival info. Anybody interested in more info, just send an e-mail. Always ready to help!!

Welcome to winter!

2008-11-21T23:57:00.002-05:00

All of a sudden it's winter in PA!! Most areas got at least a little snow in the last day. Here in Schaefferstown we received about 3 inches of lake-effect snow. The temperatures took a nose dive too, resulting in highway freeze-ups and the inevitable rash of accidents.

Right now, it looks like we can expect a slight warm up toward the end of the weekend, followed by another cold snap Monday into Tuesday. There is some indication of a blocking pattern developing that would keep the cold air around for at least several days later in the week. We'll see...and, oh ya...let's be careful out there!

Closed for the season. The reason? It's freezin!!

2008-11-18T10:55:00.006-05:00

On Monday I went to the cabin to check out the recently completed repairs and additions and to close up the cabin for winter. While I was there the temperature was in the 30s and there were a couple snow squalls, just enough to let me know winter has arrived! The weather station continues to function, showing temperature, wind speed, and rainfall. It's available at

http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=N3HCP-3

I have to give a plug for BGE Construction from Dushore. Ben and J.R. did a remarkable job, especially in light of the awful condition the porch roof was in at the beginning! That new roof will be there long after we're not! Thanks, guys!!

Winter comes to Bradford County

2008-11-04T15:17:00.008-05:00

Last Tuesday, October 28, the northern counties of Pennsylvania had something of a freak snowstorm. Some areas received 6 inches plus. By the time we arrived Saturday evening all but some small patches in the woods were gone.

We spent three nights in the cold north woods (the temperature at the cabin runs, on average 6 to 10 degrees lower then Schaefferstown and a least a couple degrees lower then surrounding reporting stations). It's location allows cooler air to drift down from the nearby mountains on nights with little or no wind. It's also 1600 feet higher on elevation. As a general rule, you can reduce the temperature by 3 degrees for every 1000 foot increase in elevation.

I'm not so sure about these slippers in the woods during hunting season!!

The guys from BGE Construction in Dushore have started the next round of cabin enhancements.
A new set of steps have been added and repairs to the long-neglected porch roof are underway!

Yet more work at the cabin

2008-10-22T11:15:00.002-04:00

I just got back from 4 days at the the cabin. Some additional electrical work was needed, and a couple jack posts were installed to firm up the floor. Some minor changes to the weather station were made to improve temperature reliability. Al in all, a productive trip. The nights are starting to get a bit cool. Sunday night it got down into the mid twenties. I was burning about 50 pounds of coal a day to maintain a temperature inside of around 70 degrees. The lack of insulation and drafty construction are beginning to rear their ugly heads. These are issues that will be addressed in the future, but for now it can make for chilly nights, but, then again, that's all part of the cabin experience. A cool evening, a roaring fire, a movie on DirecTV, a bowl of popcorn, and a fuzzy blanket...what more could anyone ask??

Fall in the Endless Mountains

2008-10-10T18:59:00.005-04:00

If you've never experienced fall in the Endless Mountains region of northern PA, you owe it to yourself to do so. The peak foliage color usually occurs dating the first two weeks in October, more or less. Because of the extreme variation of the local micro-climates, peak color tends to happen at different times in areas only a few miles apart. We saw areas with very little color next to areas where many of the leaves have already fallen. Here's a video with some pictures from our trip last weekend...enjoy!!

Cabin video

2008-09-28T20:18:00.003-04:00

OK...I admit I never knew about Microsoft Movie Maker. My brother (http://ourwellsfamilynews.blogspot.com/) introduced me to it. So, like a kid with a new toy, I immediately produced a video...and here it is!!

Enjoy!!

PA fall foliage

2008-09-20T09:26:00.004-04:00

Have you ever been to the northern part of the State in the fall to see the fall leaves? No?? You should!! There are any number of places one can travel to look at the leaves. One, of course, is The Grand Canyon of PA, http://www.visittiogapa.com/canyon.html.

Our favorite, as you might guess, is in Sullivan County at Worlds End State Park, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/worldsend.aspx Be sure to travel both to High Knob and Canyon Vista. Stop by the park office for a map, or down load one from the web site.

This years Flaming Foliage Festival in Forksville, http://www.thesullivanconnection.com/events.html only a couple miles from the park, will be Oct. 4 and 5. Free admission!! Try the french fries!! We will be at the cabin that weekend and will definitely visit all of the places I mentioned...hope to see you at one of them!!

Bradford County Weather Now on-line!

2008-09-18T12:33:00.002-04:00

Yes...it's true! You can now check out the weather in southern Bradford County form the comfort of your computer! We installed an old weather station and APRS radio set-up (the apprentice has been in mothballs for at least 7 or 8 years) at the cabin. It checks limited weather parameters every 10 minutes and broadcast then, via ham radio, into the APRS radio network. The radio traffic is then picked up and sent to the web for all to see. The link is:
http://www.findu.com/cgi-bin/wxpage.cgi?call=N3HCP-3
The perimeters recorded are temperature, wind speed, and rain since midnight. Because this is a very old weather station, some things don't work as they should. The wind direction part of the anemometer has failed, and the rain gauge only reports in .1 inch increments. The system expects .01 inch, so the reading from the station needs to be multiplied by 10 to get the correct rain fall amount. It is my hope that this set-up will survive long enough to prove that a weather station at the cabin is a viable idea. Hopefully I will be able to improve it later.

Northern PA weather

2008-09-10T17:44:00.002-04:00

We just got back from a camping trip to World's End with our friends from Myerstown. As usual, the nights were a bit on the cool side. Wednesday morning it was down in the 40's. Part of the problem is that the camp ground is in a Vally near the Loyalsock Creek. on calm, clear nights not only do we get the normal heat loss to the dark sky, but all the cold air from the surrounding hills drains into the valley. Add to that, there was rain on Tuesday do we had evaporative cooling to add into the mix. Put it all together and we were glad we had a heater in the camper!!

Labor Day Weekend

2008-08-21T10:48:00.004-04:00

Catwoman and I will be heading to the cabin for Labor Day. This will be the first trip that does not include clean up, repair, or painting. I won't be surprised if some of that happens, and we might need to mow the lawn, but it's not the primary purpose of the trip. We plan to sit on the deck and enjoy the wilderness. (This in no way precludes the odd trip to Dushore the stimulate the local economy at Pam's Restaurant, the Jolly Trolley, or the Sub-Way at the Pump 'n Pantry.) Anyone who feels the need for a road trip, feel free to drop by. For obvious reasons, I'm not posting the location of the cabin on the Web, so e-mail us for directions.

The Late, Great Miss Ebony

2008-08-19T13:04:00.004-04:00

It is with great sadness the I report the death, this morning, of our beloved Miss Ebony. The last of out three black cats, she was just shy of her 21st birthday. She has suffered from kidney failure, very common in older cats, for about three years. With the help of modern veterinary medicine, she was able to enjoy a good quality of life until the end. She will be sorely missed.

Trash total

2008-08-17T14:08:00.002-04:00

We got the invoice from the trash hauler who provided the roll-off for our cabin clean up. The weight of trash hauled away by them was 1280 pounds. Combined with the pick-up truck loads we hauled home, we estimate the final weight of trash we disposed of to be about 1800 pounds!

Some updates..

2008-08-13T14:30:00.003-04:00

We just got back from another couple days at the retreat. After a bit more painting and a conversation with a local contractor, we've now done about all we can do by ourselves to bring the cabin up to snuff. It's cosmetically much improved, the leftover "stuff" is gone, and we added window treatments. We are now able to go for a few days without taking tools and wondering what to do next.

Due to technical issues, the cabin web site has been moved to a new page at:

http://n3hcp.com/cabin.htm

When you look at the pictures remember two important things...first, this is, and will remain for some time, a work in progress. And second, this is a cabin in the woods, not a cottage. It's "rustic" to say the least...or, if you prefer, "cabin chic".

Yet more clean-up!!

2008-08-09T11:36:00.004-04:00

Last week we went to the cabin on Tuesday for some more painting and clean-up. This time we had a 12 cubic yard roll-off dumpster to help us out. It looks to us like this cabin was, at one time, a true hunting camp. The number of mattresses and the amount and type of other stuff points to that, so there was a lot of stuff of get rid of. It took us less then half a day to fill the dumpster up! I had to actually go inside (yea, I know...dumpster diving) to pack the junk as tight as we could in order to get it in. We put 10 pieces of bedding, an old TV, several radios, a bread maker, a deep fryer, and old gas grill, and a whole bunch of other stuff in. We also replaced the out house door, so the old door was also in there. Now, at last, the place is starting to shape up. A little more painting, some porch roof work, and we will be done for this season. There's much more to do, but we can now use in in reasonable comfort, devoid of all the junk!

A few days at the cabin

2008-07-29T17:37:00.003-04:00

So we went up to the cabin last Thursday to do a little painting, clean-up, and just watch the Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. When we arrived we realized we had been the victims of a theft! A 20 pound propane tank, better then half empty, an old, cracked, bird feeder, and a bottle of hand sanitizer from the outhouse were missing. Stealing from an outhouse...how pathetic is that!!

Otherwise, it was a good and productive trip. It was cool enough to have a fire in the mew stove a couple evenings. Very cool indeed!!

Today we ordered a dumpster from the local trash hauler so we can complete the clean-up. The only really important thing left after that will be to repair the porch roof. We're getting there!

Blogging from Canada!

2008-07-08T11:06:00.002-04:00

Well, here we are in Prince Edward Ialand, Canada. Here at the visitor's center they have computers for the public to use, so we'll take the opertunity to blog from Canada! For the first time in years we have had no rain for the entire trip!!
Got ot get off this computer, so Greetings From Canada!!!

Cabin update...

2008-06-28T17:07:00.003-04:00

Ms. Nettie and I were at the cabin last week. There were a number of firsts in a couple of days. It was the first night Ms. Nettie spent at the cabin. The beds consist of an old frame with a piece of 3/4 inch plywood and a very old mattress inside a plastic mattress bag. Sleeping is done in a sleeping bag, thus eliminating the need for sheets and blankets. She said it was the best night's sleep she's had in weeks! With no Moon it's very dark there in the hills and the silence is defining!! The very definition of "getting away from it all".

In the morning we had our first cooked breakfast, bacon and eggs, of course (how cool is that?). Later that morning the chimney guy came and was able to repair the thimble between the stove and chimney so the new stove can be used.

We are beginning to put our own touches on the place, making it "ours".

New pictures have been added to the cabin web site at: http://www.n3hcp.com/pictures_form_the_cabin.htm

Stay tuned!

Cabin update and Bradford Co. weather.

2008-06-16T23:36:00.002-04:00

Well, it was time to start clean-up and to do some electrical work at our cabin. After three days the cabin is now usable, although much remains to be done.

It's amazing how the weather only 120 miles north varies from here in Lebanon County. The days are almost as warm, but the nights are a good deal cooler. A good window fan is all that's needed most of the time to keep the cabin comfortable, or even down right cool at night.

While exploring the surrounding woods I found several large piles of bear scat. This answers the question once and for all about bears and body functions in the woods...well you know, they do. On Sunday evening a large black bear (Ursus americanus) walked across the side and front yards.

There are pictures, but to avoid unnecessary band with here I have posted them on my web site. Check them out at:

http://www.n3hcp.com/pictures_form_the_cabin.htm

Weather may warm up...finally!!

2008-05-21T23:27:00.002-04:00

Well, it looks like the upper level low and the omega block that have plagued us for the last week or more may finally be poised to depart. With any luck, Friday should show some improvement and the weekend looks down right pleasant! There might be a bit of rain mid week and the following weekend (so what else is new), but for the most part the weather is looking a bit more seasonable.

A blast from the past.

2008-05-18T12:56:00.003-04:00

I just heard from an old colleague from my Air Force days. It's hard to believe that was over 35 years ago!! Seems like yesterday. It's also amazing to realize how much things have changed over that time. Back in those days we were always on the alert for those pesky Russian Bear bombers sneaking over the North Pole. We always had a couple birds on the ready line to go up and save the day!

My nephew Keith is now following in my foot steps and is serving in the Air Force...but with a twist. Instead of freezing important body parts off in the wilds of northern Maine with only moose for company, he is stationed in warm, sunny Italy. Oh, well, I must console myself with the fact that I served back when men were men and airplanes were held together with bailing wire and spit...and we kept them in the air!

You Can follow Keith's exploits on my brother's blog at http://ourwellsfamilynews.blogspot.com/
Enjoy!!

"Survivalist" explained

2008-05-13T10:27:00.002-04:00

I have had some feed back on my use of the term "survivalist" in a the "Back to nature..." blog entry. Unfortunately, the word has come to have some negative connotations in the last few years. For many people the term conjures up images of camouflage wearing para-military types running around the deep woods of the western US preparing for some apocalyptic future there paranoia has conjured up. Let me assure you, I am not one of them.

The term, as it applies to me and others like me, refers to something a whole lot more main stream. We believe that it is only good common sense to be prepared to survive any of a number of disasters, both natural and man made, that can and do occur every day. One need look no further then New Orleans for a prime example.

There is a very good article on Wikipedia that I refer you to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivalism

Hope this clears up the confusion, and, oh yea...how prepaired are you???

So this is Spring??

2008-05-12T18:23:00.006-04:00

N3HCP and Catwoman decided it was time for another camping outing. To take advantage of KOA's "free night" promotion, we needed to go the weekend of May 10. We decided, some time ago, that Watkins Glen would be a good destination. Unfortunately, I came down with what might just be the worst case of the flu since 1918. But, being the determined individual I am, we pressed on. The weather was, of course, cold. We managed to do some walking, Geocaching, and visit the Watkins Glen Gorge to view the falls. The temperature was in the high 30's or 40's at night. We were lucky in that we only had a little rain on Monday morning before heading home.

Through it all, I was, as always, stoic, never letting my terrible flu symptoms interfere with my day. Oddly, Catwoman seems to have a different take on that matter. She has been heard to use words like "wuss", "wimp", and "needy". Well, in all honesty, my extremely high fever may have colored my perception of the facts.

At least the weather seems to be ready to warm up a bit. I don't know about anyone else, but I am more then ready for Summer!!

Back to nature...

2008-05-03T09:20:00.003-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. N3HCP have bought a cabin in a secluded areas of northern Pennsylvania. There is electrical and phone service, but no water or sewer on the 2.5 acres the cabin sits on. So, in the future we will be able to report on weather and other interesting happenings both here in Schaefferstown, but at the undisclosed location of the cabin. Undisclosed location?? You bet. As an unabashed survivalist, the cabin is not only our get away spot, but also our bug-out retreat. As such, the location needs to be kept secret from all but a trusted few. Call me paranoid, but when TEOWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it) comes, you're on your own! While urbanites are fighting over food scraps in the streets, we will be warm and comfy somewhere in the wilds of up-state PA.

Not much to blog about.

2008-04-16T09:17:00.002-04:00

As any of you who still look here from time to time have noticed, there hasn't been much activity here lately. Spring has brought boring weather and camping season is upon us, leaving little time for blogging. Don't despair! While blog entries may be fewer, I do intend to report any interesting weather, any interesting happenings here in Sha-town, and I will report on our camping exploits, so stay tuned...

Yet more cold, wet weather!

2008-03-25T23:33:00.003-04:00

OK...I've consulted the Oracle of Schaefferstown, second only to the one at Delphi, and here's the scoop: It seems we can't get out of this cold, wet pattern, and the next week will be no exception. Wednesday should be OK for the most part, albeit cool. After that, it's down hill again. A stationary front will set up right over our heads and act as a conduit for a series of weak storms. We could be looking at 2 inches of total rain by Saturday. At least the temperature should be warm enough to keep it all liquid in the southern part of the state. As always, timing is everything. Hopefully, the front will be lifting out of the area Saturday as dryer air builds in. Saturday afternoon and Sunday should be dry and in the 50s, but look out for next week...yet again!

A cold weekend in Sullivan County

2008-03-17T15:37:00.006-04:00

Well, cabin fever had finally taken it's toll here at Radio Free Schaefferstown. In a effort to cure this Cabin Fever attack, we decided it was time for a get-away trip. So, this past weekend we took the pop-up camper out of its winter rest and headed north. After about 2 to 3 seconds of discussion, it was detected that World's End State Park in Sullivan County would be the destination. (World's End is one of the few State Parks to keep it's camp ground open all year.)
On Saturday morning we awoke to a surprise...snow! OK, so snow in Sullivan County shouldn't be a surprise, but it was cool, non-the-less.
On Sunday we discovered that the camper needed a bit of repair, never underestimate the value of a good multi-tool!
Monday morning the temperature was 20 degrees at 7:30 and had only warmed to the low 30s when we were packing up to leave. All things considered, an interesting, if chilly, trip. The camper's heater and good L.L. Bean sleeping bags kept us toasty during the cold nights.
Since we didn't feel like cooking, we are now able to recommend all the restaurants between Forksville and Dushore as fine eating establishments, including The Forksville General Store, Molyneux's Diner, The Jolly Trolley in Dushore, and Pam's, also in Dushore. We needed to support the local economy, after all.

It's a rainy night in PA

2008-03-05T01:01:00.002-05:00

As I sit here I can hear the heavy rain against the window. The wind speed has been topping 20MPH and has been as high as 33 in the last hour. Looking at the radar, there is more to come! I'm glad I don't need to be out tonight and I also hope the power stays on! Folks, it's ugly out there!!

Hardware failure at the weather station

2008-02-23T19:16:00.002-05:00

The Davis weather station here at N3HCP has, after many years of continual service, finally failed. To be precise, the computer interface has failed. I still have access to the data, but can't post it on the web.

Friday's storm

2008-02-21T08:38:00.002-05:00

It looks like another winter mess for the area from late Thursday or early Friday into Saturday morning. The question right now is how bad this thing will get. Best bet now is for a couple inches of snow over the area followed by sleet and freezing rain, maybe turning back to snow before ending. That said, the potential exists for several inches of snow, so keep those shovels handy! Ice accumulations could be a quarter inch or more. High pressure will build in for the weekend, but look out for yet more snow for the first of the week.

Snow for Wednesday?

2008-02-19T23:12:00.002-05:00

Yep...looks that way. A clipper system looks poised to slide just south of us on Wednesday bringing an inch or two of snow to the area. The good news is that there is enough cold air in place to keep this on all snow. The storm for the weekend is a bit less certain. Forecast models can't agree, but some precipitation is almost a sure thing. The amount and type are "up in the air" (pun intended) for now.

Here we go again.

2008-02-11T10:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like we are in for yet another wintry mess for Tuesday. A low pressure area will be in southern Ohio by Tuesday morning and track east bringing the usual snow-sleet-freezing rain-rain scenario to the area. Accumulations are still up in the air, but a couple inches of snow followed by 1/2 inch of ice seems likely. Oh, joy!!

"Storm" update!

2008-02-10T12:20:00.000-05:00

What I thought was sleet last night during the thunder storm turned out, under closer examination in the bright light of day, to bee hail! The hail stones were about 2-3mm in size. Yes, I know, by definition hail must be at least 5mm in diameter, but, at least here in Schaefferstown, little round, layered balls of ice that fell from the sky during a thunder storm are hail. So say we all!

Strange day...

2008-02-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

This was a strange day, especially for February. We started out with a snow squall this morning, followed by temperatures in the 40's and then a thunder shower in the evening, with sleet, no less!
As for the next few days, cold is the word. Temperatures will be back to, or even below, normal. Sunday will be windy with the chance of a few snow squalls.

News Flash!!!

2008-02-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

Union Canal Unie (sp?) failed to see his shadow this morning in Myerstown. As a result, we are told, Spring is just around the corner...stay tuned!

Will the Groundhog see his shadow?

2008-02-01T18:51:00.000-05:00

Who knows! It seems the groundhog's eye sight has little or nothing to do with the actual weather on Feb. 2. So, where, you ask, did this Groundhog Day stuff come from anyway? Good question. It depends on who you ask. It is interesting, however, that Groundhog day is also Candlemas Day. It also marks the mid point of meteorological winter. thus the old Scottish poem:

As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and snow
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop

Said another way, you may have heard that "half your wood and half your hay should remain on Candlemas Day".

So, if he sees his shadow or not...Happy Candlemas Day!

That was a rainy day!

2008-02-01T18:35:00.000-05:00

Schaefferstown received 2.47 inches of rain up until 6:00 PM. The official weather station at Harrisburg had a little less, but still set a record for the day. Aren't we glad the temperature warmed up and most of it was liquid and we didn't have over 2 inches of ice!

Boring...still!

2008-01-28T23:21:00.000-05:00

Can the weather get any more boring for January? It's not all that cold, there's no snow, there's just nothing to talk about. The next week of so looks like more of the same. I suppose that's good for the heating bills and snow removal costs, but, come on, it's January! As the days get longer and the angle of the sun continues to increase the chances for real winter weather continues to dwindle. Oh, well, spring is just around the corner anyway. Soon time to "un-winterize" the campers and hit the road!!!

As the storm winds down...

2008-01-17T23:31:00.000-05:00

Today's storm brought a bit more snow then I expected. The surface temperature was lower so the snow "stuck" as soon as it started. We ended up with 2 inches of snow before the change over around sunset. The total liquid was .36 inches.
Looking down the road, the coming cold front will be here sometime around 3:00 AM. The air behind this cold front isn't all that cold, so the big change will be a shift in the wind to the west with speeds in the 20 to 30 MPH range. There may be a couple snow showers through Saturday until the next front comes by. That one is colder, so watch out for some of the coldest air of the season through at least the middle of next week.

Last minute storm update

2008-01-17T09:22:00.000-05:00

It now looks like the "storm" will start out here as a bit of snow this afternoon. It's already snowing above us, but dry air near the surface is preventing the snow from reaching the ground.
I expect to see a change over to ice pellets and freezing rain this evening and overnight with maybe a half inch or so before it all ends tomorrow morning. Colder air will follow for the second half of the weekend.

The rest of the week...

2008-01-15T21:18:00.000-05:00

So, you ask, what about the storm coming this way for the later part of the week? Will we finally get some snow? The short answer looks like "no". Yet again we are near the infamous rain/snow line and, although colder arctic air is headed this way for the weekend, it won't be here in time for the precipitation event later this week. Look for mostly (or maybe even all) rain late Thursday into Friday with much cooler but dry weather for the weekend. This mat herald a change to more seasonable temperatures further down the line, we'll see!

Another shameless "commercial"...

2008-01-15T21:09:00.000-05:00

Having just returned from a Council of Delegates meeting for Lebanon County Christian Ministries, it seems like a good time for another "word from our sponsor". I looked at the last such post and, since I did such a good job on that one, there seems to be little hope of improving on it now...so here's a re-post:

OK, it's not the sponsor, but here's the commercial anyway. I'm talking about Lebanon County Christian Ministries, now and hereafter referred to as LCCM. Among other services, LCCM operates the local food ban, where both my wife and I volunteer. Check out the web site at http://www.lccm.us/ .
The food bank is always in need of donations...nonperishable food, personal care items, paper products, anything you buy every week at the grocery store. We will gladly accept contributions from individuals as well as churches, businesses, anyone who wants to give.
Readers in other areas, don't despair. Most places have some sort of food bank to which you can donate. Just pick up a few extra items the next time you go grocery shopping and drop them off. It will be appreciated!

The coming storm...

2008-01-13T10:57:00.000-05:00

After looking at the computer guidance for the next 24 hours or so, here's the current thinking about the storm for this evening. The precipitation should begin as snow or a rain/snow mix early this evening, changing to all snow later in the evening. Total liquid equivalent could be as much as an inch. If that were to be all snow it could be about 10 inches of snow...don't hold your breath. Given the warm temperatures expected this afternoon, even if the precip start as snow, much of it will melt on contact for the first couple hours.

So, best guess right now...look for precip to start early this evening as a mix, changing to all snow later. Look for snow showers to continue on and off through most of Monday with total snow accumulations around 1-3 inches.

The weekend...

2008-01-11T17:00:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like the snow Sunday into Monday will pass us by. The coastal areas up into New England may benefit from this storm, but not us. The temperatures should be cooler then what we've seen over the last week or so, but still above average for this time of year. Next week could bring a return of more seasonable temperatures and, again, the possibility of a bit of snow. Stay tuned...

So, how DO you feel about snow?

2008-01-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

In the absence of any real snow so far this year, and remembering the many snow deprived winters we've had recently, it seemed like a good time for a "Snow Poll". Go to the right side of the page and take part in our poll. Feel free to leave a comment below. If your answer isn't listed in the poll, let me know...I'll add it! Thanks!!!

Cabin Fever!

2008-01-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Now the the current run of unseasonably warm weather is drawing to a close, I guess it's a little late to issue a Cabin Fever Alert. My excuse is simple, I have been suffering from the above mentioned ailment. First of all, after almost 10 months of aggravation from the broken leg, the doctor has declared me healed. Hallelujah! As a result of that, the abbreviated camping season last year, the recent acquisition of a Buick Rainier to use as a tow vehicle for our small pup-up camper, and the need to prepare said vehicle for towing, we have been taking advantage of the warm weather to begin preparing for this summer. I am happy to report the both Buick and Fleetwood Cobalt camper are now ready. Indeed, the rig was taken to the Dutchway parking lot (the most level area around) to adjust the hitch and check the brakes. All went well! Now the Cabin Fever has really set in. We are soooo ready for spring and the first camping trips! Hopefully, a blast of cold arctic air will bring us back to our senses!
Speaking of which, right now the potential exists for some colder air and maybe even some snow to come to the area late in the weekend or early next week, but I'm not holding my breath. The forecast models have been wrong more then right about cold air this winter so far. The theory of persistence teaches us to expect the current trends to continue and give way to colder air only grudgingly. We'll see!

And a Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T10:37:00.000-05:00

Well, at least we did get some snow here last night. After receiving over a half inch of rain and ice pellets, about a half inch of snow fell just after midnight. Not the 2 to 4 I was looking for, but snow never the less!

As for the upcoming week, it looks mostly fair and colder. Look for a few snow squalls toward morning Tuesday, then clearing and colder as a massive high pressure system moves into the area Thursday. Temperatures should be below the 30 year averages by the end of the week. Stay warm!

What's that bright ball in the sky??

2007-12-29T14:46:00.000-05:00

Finally, a bit of sun..if only short lived. I'm looking for the good weather to hold through part of Sunday. Sunday evening into Monday could bring our first chance for some real snow this season. The potential exists for 2 to 4 inches. As usual, the exact track of the storm and the temperatures at the time will determine the outcome.

Merry Christmas to all....

2007-12-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

and to all a good night!!!

White Christmas??

2007-12-22T09:17:00.000-05:00

No, I don't think so. The upcoming weeks looks a bit unsettled. A series of fronts and pressure areas will be marching across the area next week bringing everything but snow. Sunday looks cool and damp. Monday should start the clearing trend. As for the rest of the week, how many ways can you say partly cloudy, chance of showers?

Back on the air after the storm.

2007-12-17T23:25:00.000-05:00

Finally, we have all our services back. Schaefferstown lost power, cable, and phone service as a result of Sunday's ice storm. Luckily, the direct impact to our immediate area was relatively low. A few smaller branches came down along with 2 antennas here at N3HCP, Radio Free Schaefferstown. Several hours with surface temperatures above freezing at the start of the storm helped hold ice accumulation down to about 1/4 inch. Other parts of Lebanon county weren't as luckily.

Power was out for 27 hours from early Sunday until Monday morning...a relatively short time, all things considered. We were able to keep ourselves comfortable and keep the satellite TV going with the use of the back-up generator.

Here we go again...

2007-12-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

Yet another "too close to call" storm. The timing looks pretty well set. The Storm should arrive early Saturday evening and wind up sometime Sunday afternoon. Areas north and west will get mostly snow, south and east, less snow, more ice and just rain. As so often seems to happen, southern Lebanon County is right on the edge. With the sub tropical air bring carried north by the remains of Tropical Storm Olga, my thinking is Schaefferstown will be more on the rain/freezing rain side of the line. Time will tell...