Here it is October 14,2009 and our unit..Central Penn... is heading for Little Buffalo State Park. This is our annual Conservation Work project. This weekend there is a Fall Harvest Fest here at the Shoafs Mill with Apple Butter Making and Apple cider Demostrations thru out the Mill. We even made CornMeal and bagged it in 2lb bags to sell.
There are 8 Airstreams here, JoAnn & Felix Olshefski, Joan & Bill Bucher, Ken & Audrey Landvater, Milt & Theresa Davis, Steve & Linda Koreny, Carl & Jackie Light, Al & Jackie Chase(member at large,they may join our unit) and of course me ..Dennis "Obie" Ober. We arrived wed thru friday to camp and have fun together. Rain..Rain..Rain.. Thats all it did this week. There were 3 members coming that cancelled due to sickness, I don't blame them since it was Raining and damp all week. Lou Jacobs eneded up in the Hospital with puenomia(?) and we kept in touch with him all week, he had help set up this week and was upset that he wasn't there!!! Get Well Soon Lou!! and Take Care!!
We cleaned the dust bunnies off the mill walls and ceilings, women cleaned the windows & got the mill in shape for the weekend festival. One day the Rangers even made us Meatball subs for lunch. They were very glad to have us there for the week to help their shorthanded staff. In exchange we got one more rally in for the year and it was Free Camping, how can you beat that!!
Back at camp JoAnn O. made a turkey supper with all the fixins' and we brought the side dishes. Rain..Rain..Rain.. Did I say Rain? The Rangers left us use a banquet hall thursday nite to stay dry and enjoy our supper. We even fed him "Ben" A whole counter 20 feet long was filled with food, we didn't starve thats for sure!! Then we sat around to stay dry for a while. We did have campfires all week but It was Tough staying dry and warm.
On Saturday we headed over to the mill for the festival..Rain all day..the crowd was so thin..less than 50 attended. I think the volunteers out numbered the visitors!!! Sat nite we went to a local resturant in New Bloomfield (Curves Resturant) for a Dry Place to eat. We filled up the one side of the resturant..15 of us!! We all ordered our meals and enjoyed the meal. There was NO Fire Tonight...Rain!! Again !!! For a Rainy Week we sure kept our spirits up!! and had a lot of fun..There are No Bad Days when Camping!!
We helped again on sunday at the Mill...what is that glow in the sky!! Ah the Sun is peeking out and it is finally drying out. The Mill begins to get lots of visitors after lunch...here they come!!! We made all the apple cider and sold out of the corn meal 2 lb. bags $3.00/each. They had music both days however it was held indoors at the little building with a wood stove to take the chill off. The folk singers were great and entertaining.
I had to leave on sunday so I left early about 2pm for home, the Lights left also. The rest stayed till monday, We sure had a lot of fun and relaxing time this week and everyone pulled together to make it a Sucess. We were evn invited back next year to help for the 4th time... We'll be BACK!! See you down the road!! Obie