Thursday, December 31, 2009

SNOW & NO CACHE

SNOW 09'
MORE SNOW 09'10:00am What we woke up to this morning! With all this guess there will be no cach'in today. Oh well just as well I need to be working on my check list for traveling. Slowly getting in all checked off. Got mail forward done yesterday so I can get my bills and pay them while gone....goody goody!
I did get a few put on hold since I will not be here to use them. My brother and neighbors will be watching my home while I'm gone nice peeps. I think I will be posting on and off during the day instead of doing it all at night. See how that works out. All for now

Monday, December 28, 2009

A NANO GEOCACHE FIND

1ST NANO FINDIn the mess above is a nano geocache...my first one...I found this a few weeks ago and with the good hint it was not to hard...the nano was not as big as my thumb nail...can you believe that!!
I put it back before I took the pic...it was nasty day and I did not want to jump the ditch again
so just took this one pic. The name of the cache is Amish Pike.
We woke up to 4 in of snow this morning , went for Maggie's short walk... to cold even for her...
Had our breakfast cleaned up then I went to WM to exchange some T-shirts I got to take to FL
wrong size. Can't wait to ware those babies!!! Still working on getting ready, put my Waste Management on hold today, have a bunch of things cant do till last couple days, so will get on with more packing. Going to my sisters tonite for dinner her family will be getting together for their Christmas. Started to snow again so no caching for me today..
Check out my other blog http://redapplejunction.blogspot.com/ I will have a couple more Christmas pic's on there
Happy Cach'n
G&M

Friday, December 25, 2009

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

OUR TREE
MAGGIES STOCKING

WHATS IN HERE!!


A DINGO BONE!!



IT'S MINE!!!



THANKS MAMA!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS !! to one and all. Here is a pi c of our tree this year. A little on the Charlie Brown side , no ornaments only few lites. Since I am leaving next weekend I did not want a lot of stuff to put away. I have that tree and some vintage red cellophane wreaths in a few windows that were my mothers and a Nativity that my DD painted for me a few yrs ago. You can see it on my other blog http://redapplejunction.blogspot.com/ Right now we are having freezing rain so I will hold of going to son's home for a little while. Then come home put on ham, and going to roast some vegies potatoes, butternut squash, onions , parsnips. Toss with salt, pepper and EVOO. Roast at 400 for at least an hr. Mmmmmm good. I might try a geocache on the way home..will have to see what weather is like. All for now
Have a wonderful day.
Blessings to all.
G&M




Thursday, December 24, 2009

COOKIES & GEOCACH'IN

COOKIE DOUGH
BAKED COOKIES
COOKIES READY TO GO

Yesterday got up walk and routine things done , we went to Pet Supply Plus to get Maggie's
3 month supply of food and chew stix, ready for our trip. Thought we would do a few caches while we were down in that area. We have found the few we have around home. So went looking at an Eat & Park that we haven't found after 3 tries and bunches of mugglers.
This time we found it, no mugglers I think everyone was last min. shopping and not eating! Went on down the street to second one DNF I think it was buried under snow pile. Next was at the place of the GTG we went to on Sun. found that one , next was in a small park not far away found that one. Next was across from hospital, on a chain link fence, found that one also so it was 4 out of 5 not bad. Up to 59 finds so far. I don't have any pic got my camera out and dead batteries! UGH!!! I think my new charger is not working I will check it out and take it back next week if thats the problem. Came home and made sugar cut out cookies and cornflake krispy wreaths. the
wreaths are like rice krispy treats only made with cornflakes. That took the rest of the day. I did get some pic's of those so I posted them.
About 10 days and counting !!!! for heading south. Might look for some Christmas movies on TV tonite and watch. Will be going to son's home tomorrow then cooking a ham for any company that might come by. That's all for now
Happy Cach'n
G&M

Monday, December 21, 2009

PATH TAG & GEOCACHE GTG

1ST PATH TAG
BBQ QUSADILLAS

1ST GEOCACHE GTG
Got up early to snow about 4 in total so far, not much as snow goes in NWPA. Went for Maggies walk, she still likes to run and jump in snow..also for some reason when we run across other paw prints in the snow she has to sniff each and everyone, I don't know maybe they smell different in the snow...as I don't see her doing this with no snow. Anyway got back had oats and toast, cleaned up some and got ready to go to my fist geocache get together. It was held at http://www.quakersteakandlube.com/ in Sharon Pa. Had a nice time, met new peeps, ate good food BBQ Chicken Qusadillas Mmmmmmmmmmm good, I also took my brother along (hes not into caching yet) he had their famous wings, he said he didn't realize how big geocaching was. I can't seem to get anyone in my family interested in caching with me. I learned a few new things about caching while there, and received my first path tag also something new to me. The first pic I posted is the one I received from Voyageurs60 a nice geocaching couple from Pittsburgh. You trade or just give to fellow cachers and then got to pathtag.com to register that you have received it. Some others I met were Purple-KV, KFOOX they were the hosts, some others were KerBear,
ChickadeeCurzi, rhelt100, along with others I cant remember on first time visit. Anyway had a good time and hope to go to other GTG in the future. Didn't get good pics was too dark but if you click on to enlarge it shows up a little better. I think today we will make cut out cookies will update and show ya pics tomorrow. Till then all for now
G&M


Saturday, December 19, 2009

SNOW & SCHOOL CACHE

SCHOOL CACHE
HINT RECYCLE
We got up at first light with small amount of snow...about 2 in. When Maggie first goes out in the snow she loves it....she jumps and runs like a puppy ...until she gets cold...then she stands there with one paw up looking at me...."please mama pick me up "last year for the 10 and below days I got her "boots" and she wore them with out complaint...I think she knew they were keeping her feet from freezing to the side walk. As the day wore on it kept snowing (not like the coast area was getting) and I was getting antsy...so we went out to a new geocache...very local only a few blocks away...fifth grade class doing a project ...hiding a geocach....It was a cool hide no pun lol
here are a couple pic . Later went to WM think I might make some cut out cookies so needed to get some flour. Ate early dinner and now playing on computer and Maggie curled up in her bed.
Going to a meet and greet geocache get together....maybe I will find some caching buddies to hook up with. Let you know how it goes.
that's all for now
G&M

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

COLD - HOMELESS TROLLS

HOMELESS TROLLS CACHE
Another cold snowy day....will be glad when in the sunshine state! Was only high of 25 today so no caching today again. Just as well I have a few things to get done and ready for Christmas and still checking my list of things for getting on the road. Sure wish I had my motor home ....maybe next yr. A house across the street from me sold last week so things are moving some what maybe next yr when I get the house done for sale ...it will be picking up some more. When my 2 kids were little I crochet granny sq. and made them Christmas stocking and when they got married made some for the spouses and then the grandkids. So now the first GS is engaged and my DD wanted me to make one for his girl. She is an avid Steeler fan (as is my GS and his mom and dad) so she wanted me to make a black and gold stocking. So I finished that today. Did a load of laundry and had to take it to launder mat too dry. My 43 yr old dryer got a gas leak in it this yr so it is done, and I am not buying a new one at this time. Made fried rice for dinner and now me and Maggie are going to keep warm and watch some tv tonite. I posted a pic of the Homeless Trolls geocache I found it about a month ago. My GPS took me on the road that the new bridge is on and I got out and looked ...no way was I going to hike down there and walk up the creek so I waited till I figured out a better way. The better way ....the old road bed...duh...lol
So finally found the cache and there was one travel bug left so I took it to take along on my trip south. The pic I posted is look thru the woods from the new bridge at the old bridge when the leaves are on the trees and green growth of summer is up you can hardly see it. Well thats all for now.
Happy Caching
G&M

Sunday, December 13, 2009

FREEZING RAIN & OLD CACHE

SHENANGO CACHE
RUSTY BRIDGE

PB COOKIES! When we went out first thing this morning there was freezing rain all over sidewalks and road! Slip'n and slid'n but we made it. It was like that all morning then rain all the rest of the day. So no geocach'n today. The rusty bridge pic's are of a cache I went in search of last week. It is a multi and the bridge is the first cache. Found that one ok, but the others were going to take us back in the woods and it was deer hunting here so we opt out of that one. Will do it another time.
The name of the cache is Shenango Star, can you figure it out? Hint about the shenango part
the Shenango River is close by. The PB cookie pic is my first batch of Christmas cookies, its a start not sure how many I will make. Got my shopping all done. 21 days and still counting! Can't think of much else today really lazy slow day with the gloomy rain and all. Guess thats all
Happy Caching!
G&M



Friday, December 11, 2009

COLD & LOWES CACHE

LOWES CACHE Got up to another cold day 16 this morning! We went for our walk....very short then back home to our morning routine. We only went out today for Maggie's walks....did get a few peeks of sunshine. Worked on packing more stuff to sell this spring, had to put new screws on the toilet seat
ugh! then worked on the computer some. Watched the Steelers lose last nite another ugh!
I think I will change the name of this blog a little so I can use it for my travels as well as geocaching. Since no caching today here is a pic of a Lowe's cache I found a while back...the cache is in the pic, do you see it?? It is neat, I would have had a problem with it if it hadn't been for the kid next door he works there and gave me a hint. Well that's all for now...not much going on this cold winter day
Happy Caching
G&M

Thursday, December 10, 2009

COLD MAGGIE'S NEW COAT & PET SHOP

PET STORE CACHE MAGGIE'S NEW COAT

WOW Got up usual time and got a shock....only 19 out side ....but out we went anyway! Note in the pic of Maggie the wind blowing her ears and tail. Even Maggie does not like the cold weather....she does her business and heads back home. Now for Maggie to do this is something else ....as she loves to be out side and will stand there and beg when I say lets go home....she stops and stands there looking at me....till I tell her ok one more time and she knows that to mean a little more walking!! She is so smart. Anyway there is a pic of her in the new Steeler coat I made for her this week. Just in time I would say! If you click on the pic's you can see a close up.
Needless to say we did not go geocaching today. There is one not to far that I want to go and get I didn't go this summer because it is an old very grown over cemetery it is very small and some of the logs said it had lot of poison ivy, so thought I would wait till everything was lost to frost and I could see better. But too cold today for that. So here is the Pet Shop cache I went to the other day. The cache is in the pic but if I showed it close up it would give it away. It is a quick cache and dash as they say.
Well now 24 days and counting......woooopeee with this weather it can be toooooo soon, I am getting things ready to go...started a check list of things to get done and pack....I CAN'T WAIT!
Sunshine and warm weather!! I know it can be cold there this time of year but not like Western Pa...that's for sure.....that's all for now
Happy Caching
G&M

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

CACHES THUNDER RAIN & HAIL

CACH'N BUGGY?
CEMETRY POND

GEO-MAGGIE CACH'N DOG


DRIV'N ME BUGGY HAIL



DRIV'N ME BUGGY
Early up for me & Maggie got our stuff done and ready to go out the door at 10 am.
Had a lot to do, had to unload truck in order to go to Volant and get my stuff out of the
store I sell in. I am going to be to busy and won't be able to keep up. So did that and on the
way home went round about way doing some caching on the way to the AAA. Joined that and got
a good deal the $100 package was on sale for $82 ...so got that one and all the maps and material for my trip....when I added it all up I got back over half my 82$ all ready. Great Deal!!
The first pic is a Amish Buggy going up the road. See alot of those around western Pa. The first cache I stopped at a cemetery cache and dash , you can see Maggie on the search lol. And the first time I seen a pond in a cemetery in that pic and the one with buggy you can see how black the sky was getting. That's not blue sky! It was starting to thunder so we got out of there. The next cache was about 2 mi. away and I was hoping that we would make it before it rained. Thunder was getting bad and was dark and wind was awful....started to spit rain while looking for Driv'n Me Buggy cache we finally found it was in need of repair but didn't have stuff to do it with me. Ran back to truck and jumped in just as it started to hail...if you in large the one pic you might see it on the truck . So that was the end of cach'n for the day. See lot of wind damage on the way home. Got home unloaded truck sun was out a bit...fixed gen so's chicken and rice for dinner. Took Maggie out for her walk and now about 6 pm its snowing!! What a day ...but it was fun!
Happy Caching
G&M


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

THE TRAIN AND THE BRICK WALL




Up to our routine yesterday ..... then thought we might go out and do some caching...but was just too cold and snowy for maggie....haha... So thought I would show some more of what I have found.
The above pic's are two caches that it took me months to find. They both are very close to home and were some of the first caches I looked for. I started at the end of July and didn't find them till Oct. I checked on these too many times to count sometimes several times a day (remember I'm retired) They were giving me fits. The brick was is an old Bilo store that went out of business maybe 20 yrs ago. The cache is on the wall in the pic but I can't show you the pic of cache because it would give it away. But I did have to have a clue on this one in order to find it. And when I did find it it was something that I did not see in all the times I was there. And looking at the pic you can see there is not much there.
In the train pic ...this is a historical train park that has lots of neat hiding places. When I set my
GPS on this one it took me to one side of the parking lot when I got out and checked the co-ords it was not at all what the web site said...so walking across to the opposite side of the lot ...the co-ords were right on...I still have yet to figure this out as it still does the same thing to this day no matter what direction I approached the parking lot....anyway I ended up having to ask for a hint on this one also. Wish I had more exciting caching adventures to tell you about....maybe on my trip south I can come up with some! 27 days and counting!!!
Happy Caching
G&M

Monday, December 7, 2009

GEOCACHE WALKING STICK

STICKS TO PICK FROM
HANDLE

FINISHED WALKING STICK Well it ended up with three branches to pick from. Two of them were a little too big around for my hand, would do good for mans large hand. The one I picked had to be cut down so did that then sawed off the little nubs where smaller branches were. That done I sanded the heck out of it, and drilled a hole in the top. All the time I was holding it were my hand would be so I would get everything in line. With all the prep work done I then varnished it with water base varnish.
Many, many , many coats. I plan on being on the look out for a better stick to make another one, this is just a make do till then. I will put marine varnish on the new one. I put a elictric lime green shoe string thru the hole with a bead on it, instead of a leather one. So I could find it when putting it down in the woods to check out caches. The end result I am pretty happy with. To bad
the weather has been so cold that I haven't tried it out yet. Well thats all for now .
HAPPY CACHING
G&M
.



Wednesday, December 2, 2009

DEC 2 CACHING AND FUN

HORIZON CACHE AREA
HORIZON CACHE


Got up at 6:30 to our daily routine, maggie walk, daily devotions, breakfast of oatmeal and toast.
The got ready for the day, went to vets get maggie flea&tick med. looked for a couple caches. The first one looked like it was in someones yard..I am not real keen on those yet..so left it. Next went driving along Shenango River past the lake. Found one on a bridge was simple bridge find and I forgot to take a pic. Went on our way to the next one on another river road, as we were driving along I noticed that the state had been doing alot of brush cutting (I have been looking for a walking stick but to many $$) I got out to take a look and seen some large branches that would make great walking sticks. So I walked up the road a ways and found 4 nice ones, so I am going to make my own. I will post pic's when done. So on to the next cache. When I got there I was on an old small bridge that had been by past and new one built many many years ago. I was a multi and this was the first leg of it. Well it went on deeper in to woods and this is hunting season here in PA and I have no orange to ware, not sure I would go anyway, so didn't look for the other 4 caches in this multi. Will save it for another time. Again forgot pic. I just got this new camera and keep forgetting I have it! So I will show you pic's of a previous find This is a typical guard rail cache Well thats all for now
Happy Caching
G&M