The Amazing Franklin

This weekend we found ourselves staying home for a few reasons. One was that Franklin, our 6 year old Red Eared Slider, has been very needy. She gets something like wander lust a couple of times a year and refuses to stay calmly in her 50 gallon kidney bean shaped tank. During these times I worry about her a lot because she also starts refusing to eat. After a week of her not eating, I get really stressed.

This week her wander lust set in and for the first time she was finally large enough to get out of the tank by herself. We can't leave her out on her own when she gets in this mood because she will sometimes flip over and not easily be able to right herself. Turtles can die of twisted bowels when they get flipped so we try to watch her as she walks all over the place.

We know that she is getting toward the end of her period of needing to roam when she finds a place in the house she likes to dig and tread with her back feet. I have always wondered if she is pretending to dig a hole to lay eggs. The only time she had ever laid an egg was far removed from her wandering spells, in her own tank.

She had been digging a bit by the front and back doors this time. It was the first time she ever got like this in weather that allowed me to let her outside. She walked across the back porch, into the grass in the back yard and within 2 minutes started to dig a hole.


She dug for a couple of hours as RGBisMe and I took turns watching her. As unsettled as she had been all week, we felt allowing her to dig until she had her fill was the best. I had to take a break in the house for a minute and when I came to the back door I saw she was taking a little rest with her one foot in what was at that time a hole, 3" x 2" on the surface and about 6" deep.

I was shocked to see her move her foot to the side and start to lay an egg. I called to RGBisMe who had been watching her while walking the kitten nearby. He came over and said, "She is laying another!" Franklin just kept laying eggs until I saw that the hole might easily fill. I started playing turtle midwife and catching them, putting them to the side so she would not feel like the hole was full. My concern was that she lay all she needed to so she would not become egg bound.


Franklin laid at least 13 eggs and took another hour to cover them and tamp them down until she was satisfied. One exhausted turtle slowly started to walk away from the area that was just a little patch of brown grass, you almost couldn't tell she had dug it at all.

We took her back to her tank and because her float bladder had been filled to buoy her when she was filled with eggs, she bobbed on the surface like a cork. We offered her some food but had to let out a lot of air before she could swim down to get it. She was ravenous and ate huge portions of avacado, watermellon and scrambled egg.

I welcome any and all suggestions how to build her a place to dig if this happens at a time during the colder months. A few key ingredients to a perfect spot must include: grass/ carpet like surface, something like sand to dig down into about 8" - 12", it has to fit in our house in the winter, Franklin has to access it from the floor.

30 Years Later

What did Cyclonic get me to do that no one else could? Not family nor boyfriends nor all of the fates combined could get me to cave in to watching the iconic Star Wars until today. For years I stubbornly refused to not only avoid it in the theaters but liked to smugly shock people that I had escaped all of the many times the movie was on television during the holidays. Cyclonic did what noone else ever had the guts to do, he handed me his copy of Star Wars and said, "Watch it." If he cared enough to remember my bragging about not seeing it, for him I would watch it, and I LIKED IT!

With years of hype about the movie making me determined to avoid seeing it, it did get me into trouble a few times. It caused a few arguments with lesser friends, made me clueless as to what my family was talking about and made me wonder what all of the merchandise on the store shelves was all about. My junior year in high school found me at an apathetic loss for what to write for a paper in English class. My sister had been doing some writing in her spare time and it wasn't too bad. I snatched up her idea, copying most of her lines verbatim. The paper was part of a project in class where it's grade was determined by classmates. The girl who graded mine turned to my best friend and said, "This is Star Wars! Why did she write that?" My friend honestly told her, "She has never seen the movie." I think I got a "C" on the paper.

It was so odd to watch a film for the first time yet to recognize every character and reference. First the Storm Troopers talking with their dark lord Darth Vadar about the Death Star and watching Princess Leia (Carrie looks like a young Debbie Reynolds!) shoot to defend herself. All 30 years since it's debut, my thoughts on it follow.

I never realized just how young the Luke Skywalker character was meant to be against the desert-like backdrop of the late 1970's imagined outer space. When the little holographic image of the princess appears and pleads to Obi-Wan Kenobi, my main hope was that Luke could get together with him and start to learn to flesh out the the young space farmer he portrayed. It reminded me of a scene out of Oklahoma and was sad when he didn't break into song about a bright golden haze on the droid as he looked out onto the 2 setting suns.

The sand people really spooked me and their attack on C-3PO made me think of the poor Scarecrow from the Wizard of OZ who was torn apart. I was grateful Luke could put him back together. Earlier this week, I devoured the final book in the Harry Potter series and kept wondering as I read if J.K. Rowling was going to pull a "Luke, I am your father," moment. Star Wars is a huge part of how people in our society make reference to things. It made me feel badly that I had waited so long to watch Star Wars that special scenes in the film have become so characterized that I couldn't appreciate them solely as the meaningful moments they were intended to be. Thanks to all of the You-tube videos of the Star Wars kid, I couldn't be impressed with Luke's rite of passage receiving his futuristic samurai sword. I cracked up every time I saw a lightsaber.

Even after years of up to date Disney graphics the space port where Obi-Wan and Luke meet Chewbacca and Han is still visually well done. The scene holds up well more than a quarter of a century after it's introduction to celluloid. The bar was, years later, well echoed by Quark's in Star Trek's DS9. Colorful characters must have been a real feast for the eyes and I am envious of those who innocently saw it the year it came out. They, however, did not have the pleasure of being reminded just how handsome Harrison Ford has been for oh so many years. If you are a fan and never saw The Conversation, make sure to see it.

I was shocked that I had built Jabba into a much bigger Hut than he actually was. Never having seen the character but hearing people make reference to him, I used his name in describing a nearby mountain. He is only an overgrown slug.

Before their escape from the Death Star, the masked Darth Vader meets hooded Obi-Wan. Maybe it was that their light sabers looking like wands but no, it was Obi-Wan allowing himself to be struck down that put to mind Dumbledoor stepping down to allow Harry's battling Voldemort. Young blood taking on the centuries old theme of good vs evil.

I admire this movie for representing the diversity of the universe. Not only in races but species and the many languages. It was a bold thing to suggest, I can't say that I have seen any other movie that has succeeded in pulling it off to this extent.

Cyclonic was right, I am grateful for hearing the origins of many of those great lines that have been the spice of our conversations for years. It is one thing to hear people quote them but the aplomb with which they are delivered by the characters is priceless. I might not remember all of the great lines and scenes as the die hards, just remember that I have only seen Star Wars... ONCE.

Trail Magic

I had always heard through-hikers speak of trail magic when hiking long distance on PCT, AT, even the MST. I am happy to report that it can happen on even shorter trails.

A month ago, Janila, Cylconic, Pink Panther and I tackled a few miles while finding letterboxes on a series of trails south of Ithaca. The letterboxes were a great group of called the Twelve Moons of Shindagin Hollow. It was a good hike and I took my Bob Weber hand carved hiking stick I had purchased at the Camal general store in Pine Creek Valley. I usually do not carry a stick but I didn't know what I was getting into. About two miles into the hike I told Cyclonic, "I am going to forget this."

Say it and it is so. Just finishing the last mile and 2 boxes, I turned to Janila and said, "I left my stick at one of the boxes." She was aghast and said, "We will go back!" I felt my feet throbbing and said, "We will not." I intended to contact the owner of the boxes and let her know I had lost it. By the time I remembered to do so, 2 other letterboxers had completed the same hike. I wrote to them with no luck. Something either Angsaidso or Cars replied to me convinced me that it was long gone. They mentioned how many mountain bikers were in the area. I was certain my stick had found a new home and wished it well.

While chatting online with Cyclonic this afternoon, he mentioned that the Bibliochicks had just contacted him about a stick they found while hiking Shindagin Hollow. They had contacted Angsaidso and Cars who said another boxer was looking for a hand carved stick they had lost!! One thing lead to another and, my stick seems to be in the hands of the wonderful Bibliochicks. It looks like I will be reunited with my stick in September at the Knoebel's gathering. Bless the Bibliochicks and good trail magic!

Summertime

In some ways, yesterday felt like a good old summer day from my youth. I was sitting around, enjoying a soda and laughing with friends. Yesterday's remarkable letterboxes, exceptional company, and scorching heat came to an end and our friends are planning to return home. Maybe that is why it makes me feel like summer itself is drawing to a close. The impending closings of all of PA state parks over a budget impasse certainly enhanced the feeling. Today, all non essential state employees are furloughed until the budget it passed.

It was an iced coffee that got us onto the road and energized us the whole way to Watervillle. We had our wits about us enough to tell the 3rd base side from the 1st base side of the ball field this time and we were able to to find jbzfarm's Pine Creek #8. Another masterful carving in a town where we spent many pleasant hours today. Supposedly the final in it's series, we will always hope for more.

Along a trail in Little Pine State Park, Mososo Kruppe made it possible for RGBisMe and and me to be able to see our first Bald Eagle's nest as well as a couple of mature Bald Eagles and their fledglings. A rolling hike also lead us on a hunt for a couple of mythical beasts, Harpy Hag and Agropelter. The hike and clues to these boxes were just right and if we hadn't been distracted by chatting, we might have correctly counted the number blazed trees. After realizing our mistake, the hunt went off without a hitch and two swank images now adorn our log books. These fearsome critters are in our central PA woods but their classy log books, locations and images are worth the fright.

It is always good to find letterboxes planted by people whose influences are at least slightly foreign to our own. It is one way to become inspired. Mososo Kruppe have the tradition of including generous first finder prizes. We have been lucky enough to have been treated to a PA Wilds pin that reflects a minimum donation to Pennsylvania Parks and Forests foundation, a gift certificate to a local restaurant, a bison figurine and a special card allowing us access to their multi leveled personal traveler It could be your Lucky Day!

The above mentioned personal traveler is a great idea. With a roll of a 20-sided die, you also roll your fate. Each number on the die represents either a good or bad luck icon. Each encounter with Mososo Kruppe allows a letterboxer another chance to roll for better luck or at least a new stamp from this collection. Between RGBisMe and myself we have 11 of the stamps, not bad for living hundreds of miles away from them! We know a new roll is a much coveted thing amongst some of their letterboxing acquaintances so I had to push my "luck" as it were. Every time we talked away the evening hours, closing down a couple of restaurants during their visit, I would ask if it counted for a new roll since it was after midnight. My trying to wheedle another roll was all in jest but the game is much fun for a PT!

Don't be sad Mososo Kruppe, I am sure that owl died of natural causes. There is a slight chance we won't see our friends for a while. Even with Dobsonflies (AUGH!), Hellgrammites and the promise of a chance encounter with Antlions here in PA, they have wonderful things ahead for them at home. Wedding plans, lessons plans and boxing plans are greeting their return. A big old empty space in our hearts and no state parks to hike in is going to drive us south, I swear.

More tom-foolery below!

Peace and Freedom

We spent the morning of Independence Day seeking a letterbox in a very peaceful area. RGBisMe and I did not know what to expect. We hadn't even heard of ADDA before. We went assuming it was their first attempt to plant perhaps without even finding a box first. I have yet to hear back from them so a lot is still unknown.

After we parked, what we found a network of gravel and dirt trails that snaked up and around some Huntingdon woodland. The area is owned or well maintained by Juniata College. The walk was not long nor difficult and we enjoyed seeing a small rabbit feasting on black raspberries. We walked a gentle assent on a gravel road that turn up and into a peaceful meadow on a hill top. It offered peeks at our typical rolling central PA mountains and a little country side.

The highlight of the trip is the hilltop chapel. Crafted from 53 granite stones that are set into a depression, the circle demands respect and reverence. We could imagine many sacred events that could or have taken place on this spot. Having the freedom in this country to worship in our own way is not something we take lightly. Visiting this spot on July 4th meant a lot to us and we are grateful to live in a country that defends the right to allow many religions coexist within it.

The letterbox was tastefully hidden well away from the sacred area. It was off trail just enough to be hidden from passers-by yet not so far that you felt like your were bush whacking. We took the box back to the ring to stamp into it. It seems like it was crafted, in part, by a younger person. The choice of simple hand carved image was, in our opinion, perfect. It is an image we will look upon and remember the complete journey to the area.

We give Peace Chapel letterbox a high recommendation. Thank you ADDA.

The Return of Mososo Kruppe!

No, it's not a new and improved laundry detergent nor powerful foreign car. Remember!? Up from Georgia, it's the sweetest letterboxing couple we know, Mososo Kruppe. RGBisMe and I have spent some wonderful times this week with these exceptional folks. How many people do you know who bring rats with them when they come and visit your house!? We had the honor of exchanging with Loki and Thor, shirt rats extraordinaire! They charmed us by snuggling and running around as we chatted with Mososo Kruppe. These rats don't have fleas nor lice but somehow we were left with cooties after their visit!

Great conversationalists, Mososo Kruppe shared with us their many letterboxing escapades. Witty tales interspersed with peeks at their great stamp carvings and found stamp images. We share a lot of the same values, opinions, tastes and slightly twisted sense of humor. We have serious plans in the works to kidnap and force them to live in our area.

We had a perfect afternoon of hiking Nittany Mountain yesterday. Just a slight afternoon chill for July allowed me to keep the sweat to a minimum yet keep up with these strong hikers. They once told me Nittany gave them trouble! They took the climb at a steady pace and I was ready to stop and stamp for a bit. I was glad to have brought my latest PT with me in my pack.

We did the white loop and they easily snagged 6 boxes. Using their crafty wiles, they also determined I can't shut my mouth about my own boxes. I think they will soon be returning to the mountain.

Although RGBisMe was not able to hike with us yesterday, he did join us later for a meal at Otto's. We chatted the evening away, learning more about each other's letterboxing styles and personal tastes. I can speak for both RGBisMe and myself by saying we are glad to know Mososo Kruppe better and are happy to call them friends. We hope the letterboxing community from Georgia realizes how lucky they are... until we lure them away! How can we tempt you?

FV4S 2007

Music was key in bringing a bunch of good friends together to relive a part of their childhood. I could be talking about myself, Tracdc, DaBralady & RGBisMe or I could mean the original Jersey Boys, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons The four of us youngsters spent the months leading up to this date musing on whether or not comedian Stewie Stone would lead off the show, the act would have changed much or if Frankie would still hit the high notes. Jokes about Geritol and needing a pre-show nap were good naturedly shared.

It was to be was my sixth time to see FV4S in concert. Their concert I saw in Radio City Music Hall, circa 1979, was billed as their "last concert" but I have since seen them twice since.

After tailgating in the lot of JR's grill, we had a nice supper and rocked through Delaware Water Gap to the Mountain Laurel Center in Bushkill, PA. It was a terrific venue. We had great seats under the roofed area but the pleasant breeze came in from the extended lawn to the back.

The manager of the performing arts center introduced the lead act of... STEWIE STONE! I cracked up as the same lousy comedian, albeit grayed and heavier, schlepped his way onto the stage told his tasteless ethnic jokes. Added to his repertoire were jokes on his prostate and something about dribbling like "lawn sprinkler." Did I mention that the four of us were on the younger end of the audience? There were probably 10 kids younger than us in the whole crowd and they were fans of the new Jersey Boys show on Broadway.

An exciting video montage and light show got everyone to peak excitement as the instrumentalists took their places on the stage. The show opened with what I felt was a poor choice in songs, Grease. Four leather clad hotties ran out to posture as doo-wop singers during the opening trumpet fanfare. They stood in front of their microphones, looking all of 20 years old as dear old Frankie Valli took the stage. Puffy faced and droopy eyed, Frankie slowly made it to center stage. I hoped his voice would not give away his 73 years as much as his appearance did.

You might not be able to tell just how highly I think of Frankie Valli. I had been belting his songs all week and have had them ALL memorized for over 30 years. So when I saw what looked like Frankie's lips were not quite in synch with a helium induced voice I was hearing, I was dismayed and a little confused. I could forgive him for not singing full out but pre-recording? After a post concert discussion, we all agreed that one of the doo-wops (Jim Carey look-a-like, Brian from LA) must have been a back-up falsetto until Frankie warmed up.

The doo-wops, or his "kids" as Frankie later called them, lost their leather jackets and sported dress jackets over charcoal t-shirts to match Frakie's attire. Although the costumes did not sparkle, the light-show, musicians and cheap Vegas choreography gave us plenty to distract us from Frankie's needing to warm up during the typical opening song of Our Day will Come, and the tinkling piano starting off Save It for Me. By the time he made it to Carol King's I've Got You Under My Skin, he in full belt and winning my heart back. He seemed to then start to visible relax and warm up to the crowd.

Many of the orchestrations were quiet odd and I didn't recognize Dawn at first. His first solo song of the evening was 1974's My Eyes Adored You. Nicely into the show by know, Frankie sounded like he was 30 years younger. We were excited to learn of a new album being released October 2 under the Universal Motown label, Romancing the 60's. He shared that it will consist of a lot of songs he always enjoyed from the 50s and 60s that other singers had covered and went on to sing Call Me. What the song lacked in lyrics, Frankie made up for in style.

Swearin' to God came next allowing for a few instrumental solos from the all male band lead by Robi Robinson on keyboards. After the brief vocal break, Frankie treated us to the Everly Brothers' Let it Be Me and the staccato syncopation of Rose of Spanish Harlem.

The old time favorite of Stay showed that Frankie could still charm us with that dear falsetto. It was during this that the doo-wops were so distracting with their background gesticulations that I joined in with them. Tracdc and DaBraLady were mortified and took to holding my arms down at intervals during the rest of the show. I didn't mind the Jersey Boys choreography being interjected into the begging of Who Loves You but most of their cheesy moves looked like a caricature of what anyone would expect to see a back up singer do. It was too much.

December 1963, Oh What a Night whipped the over 50 crowd into a geriatric frenzy. A venerable mosh pit at the front of the stage was greeted with grins and handshakes from Frankie. Next came his monologue with Robi's contrived keyboard in the background. I am sure this gives him somewhat of a vocal break but I would rather have had an intermission than listen to his preaching us on supporting the troops. I love your voice man, but save the politics.

The audience got to test the volume of their belt as Frankie encouraged us to sing out, Mel Gibson style, in the middle of Can't Take My Eyes Off of You. I have to thank the popularity of Jersey Boys for finally breaking apart what had in his 1970s tours been an abbreviated medley of Sherry, Walk Like a Man and Big Girls Don't Cry. We got to enjoy all three of these favorites, sung full out, in their entirety! Priceless!

The show wrapped up with a short section of Bye Bye Baby (Baby Goodbye). As they bowed and waved, instrumental strains of what used to be their closing number, Let's Hang On, played and the exited the stage. The cheering crowd was quickly appeased with the encore of Rag Doll. Then, there it was, that beginning chord that used to bring DaBraLady and me to tears, "There ain't no good in our goodbyin'..." Although he didn't have the lungs for an extended belt as he did in the 70s, Frankie hung on until the end of Let's Hang On.

I sure don't hope this blog came across as too harsh on the old guy. I had a blast, laughing and singing and clapping. I enjoyed what the show had to offer and knew it would not be the same as what I had experienced in my youth. I think I will always remember Frankie Valli as a man who loves to entertain and I was glad to have him feel he could give of himself again.


For those of you letterboxers who felt this was a waste of time reading, here is the back cover to a hard to find album that has my favorite order of FV4S songs.

New Central PA Letterboxes

Maga11 and I were all excited to see so many new letterboxes introduced over the last couple of weeks. Business took us the direction of one. Although Toolman Luke did not join us, we still kind of considered it a Fortnightly Foray.

We navigated surely because we had taken photos in the suspect area last year. There is an amazing old mill not too far from the letterbox. Maga11 was not able to get enough information from the remaining structure to make a decent drawing however.

This box took some figurin' and plottin' and even a bit of climin' but it was so worth it. The location was something that you have to personally experience. All of your hard work will pay off when you see the beauty of the area and the craftsmanship that reflects where you are in the stamp image itself. You will be blown away! Thank you mystery box creators! I will be taking RGBisMe back as soon as his schedule allows.

When Worlds Collide

What happens when my trip to see Ravenboy perform in coincides with letterboxing with Sheba and Cyclonic!? The best of both worlds !!

RGBisMe and I took off Friday to see Ravenboy perform in Romeo and Juliet. We knew that Herman Cornejo was recovering from an injury so there was a chance Ravenboy was to take over on of the solos Mercutio usually dances. We had to see that. As we waited to take Ravenboy to supper, we played our favorite game of "name the dancer" as a few of the 90 odd dancers from ABT walked in and out of the Met. We fail to name probably 90% of the women correctly but know most all of the men. Many are Ravenboy's friends he has grown up with. The other's... well let's just say they are very attractive men and I remember their names. I actually got to speak to Mr. Cornejo as he entered the theater. I said, "Hi." and he responded, "Hello." Arron will give me the hairy eyeball me for even sharing that.

A supper with the boy was just what this mom needed. We laughed over Harry's Burritos and were dismayed that they had taken down the portrait of Chairman Mao. We all agreed that when the special lighted portrait of Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin and the riding crop goes, we aren't going back.

We asked Ravenboy where to look for him in the performance. He said he would not be performing the Mercutio solo because Herman was being replaced by Carlos Lopez for the entire Mercutio role. He rebuffed me for crying in disappointment and asked what we would like to see him do on stage during the busy market seen. I challenged him to lick the giant side of beef that one of the "extras" was standing near and pretending to sell.

This was the most humorous R&J we have ever been too. We had binoculars so we pretty much just watched our son. This was really wrong of us because we missed a lot of what was going on in the story and we were laughing during serious parts. "Laugh at what?" you might ask. Ravenboy not only licked the fake beef, he plucked the tail of a fake chicken and calmly walked over to "cough" the tail feather out into a group of dancers milling around in the back of the market place. Please do note that there are over 30 dancers on the stage at this time and no one, except their goofy parents are watching them. The main dancers are all doing grand things in the foreground and the background stuff, if done with a subtle touch just blend in. More tom-foolery included Sascha Radetsky, who danced the role of Tybalt, tackling Arron to the ground just to entertain us as we found out later. These guys are great. I am not a huge fan of ballet but I am a great fan of these young dancers.

We returned to Ravenboy's house and after some thrilling subway parkour, we gave him an early birthday gift. He has needed a new desk chair and we got him one similar to the Herman Miller style. He likes it very much.

It was surprising that any of us woke up in time to make it to meet Cyclonic and Sheba because we had been talking until 3AM. We grabbed some Starbucks and sat watching our Peggy's Park letterbox from a distance. We saw them come into the park and zero in the the box but, they didn't see us. We didn't want to make a ruckus and allowed them to grab the box to stamp up. It was at that point they looked over their shoulders and saw us watching. We all had a good laugh and commended them on their retrieval technique which we will use in the future.

Introductions and exchanges were made. I was honestly in heaven having so many of my favorite people around me. We all walked down to the Halloween Adventure letterbox and Ravenboy grabbed a subway to work (2 shows that day). It was at that letterbox we realized our happy party had walked away and left all of the clues to the boxes way back in Peggy's Park. Back we went if more boxing was to be had. We all hoped the papers hadn't blown around. I wasn't looking forward to rooting in the trash for them either. There, on the bench where we had been was an older fellow sitting by his bicycle. He was avidly studying a packet of white papers. The CLUES! Cyclonic politely told him he had left them there by mistake and the fellow handed them over with a confused look. I wonder what Miss Moon might think of Cyclonic's new letterboxing recruitment technique, posting clues in urban parks? Interesting.

Uptown was next with Imagine and Spook Central boxes. The day was a beautiful summer day and walking in this area so well known to me with these boxers was great. We chatted and visited while searching and stamping. Oh, did I mention we didn't log one find? A couple of Clueties found themselves our way and good times were plentiful. This is why our "F' count usually means pretty much nothing even after hours of boxing. It is more about the artistry, area and the folks for us.

After parting ways and telling Sheba to make sure Cyclonic didn't get too carried away at the Mermaid Parade, we went back to The Met to meet up with 50 other friends of ours. A bus trip from State College had come to watch the matinee performance of R&J. Between visiting with them and having a small picnic before Ravenboy had to go back for his evening show, I was beat! Gimme more days like this one!!

A Virtual Dose of Doxy

As a teen, did you ever hear that you are supposed to leave your zits alone? "Don't pick at them or pop them as they might spread." Well I had a virtual big festering zit that I just had to pop no matter how much it hurt or how satisfying it was to do it. I don't want it to spread and I don't want it to come back so I am taking an appropriate dose of virtual Doxycycline.

I need my letterboxing friends and family to stay that. I don't want to split people into those who agree with me and those who don't. Nor do I want to start a $|-|1† /_ 1$†. Life is just too short to alienate a bunch of people who enjoy this wonderful and odd past time. There are enough people in my life who don't really get the thrill of what I am doing.

Past is past and I want to box on. Join me?

By any Means Necessary

To say I am disappointed is an understatement. Not since I have geocached with a local competitive group have I felt compelled to kick myself over being angry and having to chant, "It's Just a Game" as a calming mantra. Letterboxing is filled with wonderfully creative people and their ideas. When a competitive edge of having to find every box they know exists or being hell bent on being first finders is introduced, I start to become disillusioned and dismayed.

Over the past couple of years it has been an extremely rare occurrence to have someone push what I felt was a letterboxing limit. The game is played differently by each player and surprisingly it does not lead to anarchy. It makes a wonderful mix of ideas and choices. It is when I feel someone's creation has been violated that I perceive a line has been crossed. Not everyone is going to agree on when that line is crossed nor what a personal violation is so I am going to try to make it clear what I, personally, feel is crossing the line. I think it might help to check out the link to By any means necessary.

One of the first times I can remember feeling the line was crossed was when a letterboxing couple at an event took my table box from me as I was trying to clean the stamp. I had turned away to walk a few steps from a remote corner of the pavilion to wash off the inks and looked back and find the rest of the box was gone. I spent 5 minutes looking around the 70 or so people to reunite the stamp with the box and log. I tried to keep it light and said, "You are going to need this," as I returned the stamp to the box. Was it necessary to take the opened box from behind my back? I was 10 feet away, visibly washing the stamp. In my opinion, a quick, "Are you done with this one?" would have been a much more ethical way of logging this box.

Different event, same couple. One distracted me with chit chat as the other started physically rummaging through my bag. I had printed off a specific number of clues to a "day of" box I had hidden which included the price of admission attached each set of clues. The letterboxer I was speaking to had already received a copy and the rummager was absconding with copies I had set aside for others who had singed up. I caught them walking away with them and said, "No no! you folks already have these!" I was shocked, felt violated and i retrospect, they were stealing admission tickets from me. Was that necessary? The same couple later took clues we had to a limited time box off of our picnic table at our campsite. I saw them walking away with them as we returned from sharing breakfast with other letterboxers. I just shook my head and thought maybe this couple was the one bad apple in letterboxing.

Sadly, I learned that others could sometimes have the attitude of using "any means". I am all a fan of Reverse engineering in almost any way, I learn how to plant betterboxes® with the knowledge. Threatening to call in favors from other letterboxers to gain WOM clues is pushing a limit. Rules I had set up to gain the WOM clues to some unique letterboxes were being bypassed. Why? For the "find"? To show they could do it? Sure you can, but why? I had access to the clues set up a certain way for a reason. What is wrong with playing the game the way the placer intends it? I found I was disappointed by a few more letterboxers who felt it was necessary to use means of threats to accessing these clues by calling in favors.

This paragraph of my blog has been removed and amended 6/26/07 thanks to to a sincere amendment of setting things right. Do as ye will, harm ye no one.

Rooting through bags, logging WOM boxes that are limited for specific reasons, digging up clues by plugging in box titles to the end of URLs are probably a means that 90% of letterboxers never use. Of the 10% of those who do it have, 9% have the decorum to know you don't seek those boxes or at least you don't log them.

I am not sure where I am going with this. I think I just wanted it to be clear as to when I feel lines have been crossed so it is clear in the future. If my way of playing the game is too rigid in your opinions, please don't seek my letterboxes. I think there are plenty of others who can understand this point of view so I will continue enjoying letterboxing and chant my calming mantra...
"itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame,itsjustagame..."

Spikes Opening Night

Reviewed by DaBraLady
It was a beautiful night for baseball as the sun set over Happy Valley. Our seats were just to the left of home plate and offered an amazing view of Mount Nittany.

The Williamsport Crosscutters just became the NY-Penn League affiliate of the Phillies this year, while the Spikes just became affiliated with the Pirates. Ironically the Crosscutters were the Pirates farm team last year, so many of this years Spikes were last years Crosscutters.

The game started out a bit slowly, but the atmosphere at the ballpark was wonderful. The standouts of the teams became apparent very quickly. D'arby Myers in centerfield for the 'Cutters went 3 for 4. At 6' 3" and 170, the long and lanky 18 year old had a nice swing and moved well in the outfield. The 'Cutters first baseman, Mike Durant was an intimidating figure at the plate. His 6' 5" 230 lb. frame belied the fact that he is only 20 years old! He smacked a beautiful homerun in the 8th inning giving the 'Cutters an insurance run. Relief pitcher Brian Schlitter really brought some heat. After being a little wild at first, settled down nicely to get the save. He averaged over 90 mph with his fastball.

The Spike's Justin Byler went 3 for 4, but he got little help from his teammates. They left too many men in scoring position, including a bases loaded opportunity late in the game. Relief pitcher, Ronald Uvideo, clocked a fast ball at 99 mph.

The 'Cutters won the game 2 to 0.

We had a wonderful time and enjoyed a nice fireworks display after the game. It was a bit disconcerting to realize how young these kids are. The oldest was born in 1982! The youngest in 1989! Damn, I could have been their mother!

Finger Lakes

A weekend hiking the area around Seneca and Cayuga Lakes offered up beautiful scenery, excellent hiking and some great letterboxing opportunities. This area is one of my all time favorites and RGBisMe and try to make it up at least once a year. It had been a few years since we did more that just hike the gorge trail at Watkins Glen, we were mostly focused on geocaching then but remember being disappointed that the letterbox hybrid in or near the park didn't really have a stamp that seemed to go with it. Sacajawea Stumper had an airplane stamp. We were confused and thought maybe we didn't understand the clues or area. As it turns out, what we didn't understand that many geocachers just didn't get letterboxing.


Janila and I were paired for the weekend and I have to thank her for driving my sorry butt every inch of the way. I did not offer to drive once and I am sure she was glad for that, HA! I did get way into her gps mapping program. When it has sat lock that little baby is one sweet piece of helpful navigational equipment. I felt weird without of of my paper maps so I was constantly tucking one off to the side, just in case we lost sat lock. Yeah, I bogarted all the park maps Jan, I promise to make you copies and send them your way.

The boxes we found in the Finger Lakes area were all really sweet but a real feather in my cap was the Finger Lakes Mystery box. I had intended on seeking it last year but either time or finances did not allow. To have all of the clues in order and find this box was so sweet. I think Jan laughed a few times at my broad grin over supper. Supper was another victory. We made it just in time for eating at Seneca Lodge and I had my favorite veggie Sunburger!!

The next morning offered up some more really great letterboxes. It was an honor to find a couple Cock o' the Trail letterboxes. I had been reading about them for years and to stamp into one that had been designed in 2001 was very special. Sugar Hill and Watkins Glen Centennial were both in places I was glad to have visited. I had been quite close to the latter seeking a geocache years ago but the Finger Lakes Trail hadn't taken me that far up the gorge. I was glad to have this letterbox take me to the area. It was a little dark so the photos will not do the area justice. Jan is all blurry because she was a speed demon and had her Coke already. I neglected getting my morning tea and my shutter finger was slow.


Meeting so many wonder people at the 2007 Finger Lakes Gathering was the best. I missed having RGBisMe along but these warm and witty people kept me smiling and enthralled. Janila and I boxed for hours in this lovely park with some new and old friends. Hiking along with Lock Wench, Party Pig, Phoenix, BibliochickMS and Tamsyn we overcame the challenges of graffitied snag ("DON'T SAY IT OUT LOUD!") and marvey marking after Pig's pigments. My favorite quote of the whole weekend came from Party Pig. After letterboxing as the above mentioned group for well over an hour and having made exchanges hours before that, he turns to Janila after she made a witty comment and says, "Who are you?!!"

Although we weren't able to get The Pirates Wife, I had the chance to eat at the most famous vegetarian Moosewood Restaurant. Poor Cyclonic and Pink Panther were shooed from joining the small table with Janila, Tamsyn and myself but I later found them at a very merry table ("I want to sit at the Kiddy Table") near the bar. The poor service far outweighed the good eats and I have no desire to return. Bummer.


Next day was a landmark for Janila. After a few false starts (my bad) Cyclonic and Pink Panther nudged us on in the right direction and then we got some momentum. Somewhere in Shindagin Hollow, amidst those 13 boxes and a brief rain shower, Janila stamped into her 1,000 letterbox. Cheers and a nice little rest for our team of 4 as Jan posed with her golden box of malted milk balls and drink of choice. That series of boxes had Jan grinning over her prime rib back at Seneca Lodge and I guess I had to chuckle at her a few times. Life was good.

I did plant a box while in the area. It was a Hazlitt Red Cat wine themed box and I cannot yet find the clues. I swear I was not drinking Red Cat, have never boxed while intoxicated. I am wondering if I should just say, "It's out there, somewhere." Cyclonic and Pink Panther will be first finders, for sure. ;)

Pennsylvania was calling so we enjoyed a wonderful new series of Williamsport area letterboxes on the way home. The 4Rhines have put out some really supurb fishing themed boxes, Stonefly's Fishing Adventures. You will enjoy the locations, clues and and marvel at the detail of the stamps. The long weekend was over all too soon. Thank you to everyone for making this trip possible.

Mountain Springs & River Valleys

What a fun day Maga11 and I had letterboxing through the mountains and river valleys. The day started early and we had a drizzle filled drive to the east. We chatted about the local strawberries being sold then saw an Indigo Bunting along the road. As we traveled along the same route and Maga11 was able to log into 3 new letterboxes. She was first finder for one near Hartelton.

We sought a few near Lewisburg and although we weren't always successful we enjoyed the area that each and every letterbox took us too. Visiting, laughing and enjoying the area as the weather just kept getting nicer as the day progressed. Springs and creeks, mountain and rivers; we traveled quite a bit today.

I loved sharing a neat grocery outlet, Wenger's in Mifflinburg, with Maga11. They have some amazing deals on different items. Although we couldn't take advantage of the frozen food, we grabbed some snacks for the trip. Although I turned my nose up at the idea at first, I enjoyed the sponge cake and ate it along the river.

After a very tastey lunch, I found it really odd to be checking out the areas where the missing DA had last been seen 3 or so years ago. Maga11 said there was a show that had 3 different psychics taking them to this same view above the river. They all concurred that he had been taken there. Beautiful area, strange story but there are many strange things that happen when Maga11 and I get together.

Bring on June

The month of May has had it's ups and downs. I thank all of my dear family and friends for their support during the stressful time leading up to yesterday's court date. I don't know if I can say it went well. How can anything so ridiculous go well? I will say that my original complaint was upheld and the fine that was initially $25.00 ended up having added court fees bringing it to close to $80.00. Such a foolish thing to do just to try to fight the system? target anger at a specific person? As far as I could tell, he is paying the fine and not appealing to county court. Maybe the first smart thing he has done. It was my words that sealed his fate. The magistrate zeroed in on my carefully mentioning the tenet initially introduced his girlfriend to me as his sister as he wanted to sneak her in to a one person apartment saying they had family trouble. The magistrate tore him apart for starting out with a lie and that no one will ever know when to believe him or not when he starts off lying. That was the crux of the whole situation and I was glad to have the magistrate be so intuitive.

Back to the good stuff. My visit to NYC to see both of Ravenboy's performances as the Bronze Idol were real highlights that helped me through. Between that and his very kind and soothing words, my son has been so very dear to me this month. He gave me a call yesterday during his rehearsal just to lend me support. His whispered tones of, "everything is going to be fine," assured me as did the reminder, "but a little sage, salt and carbon never hurt anyone." I love my son. He knows just what to say.

During that busy weekend we visited him, he made time to eat a meal with us at Ollie's Noodle House. Tracdc and Maga11 were able to come along on this trip. We all missed having Dabralady there, she only came to the Thursday performance but she was there is spirit. We had a lot of laughs over tofu and mei fun (no, that's MY fun) and got to meet Arika and Amy, great friends of Ravenboy.

This past weekend a nice crew of letterboxers was able to get together and bend elbows at Otto's. I was very proud that I caught up on all of the personal travelers that I needed. It was so much fun not being able to get up from the table and move around as we were forced to pass log books and secretly write answers to PT clues on slips of paper. It felt like passing notes! The 4Rhines brought Cookie Monster along who rightly demanded that we be re-seated out of the loud bar section. Archaeobirder and Litchick took time out of their busy wedding plans to come out and share their generous smiles. Long distance travelers included the effervescence Lotus and Leafcutters. I will say that it is Leafcutters' humor that got me through the weekend. Just as I would start to dwell on my upcoming court appearance, he would say something that would just crack me up. My cheeks hurt so badly from smiling and laughing with these folks. We finally got to meet Thick or Thin who is an exemplary boxer and geocacher from Chalfont, PA. It was great to see MsBeachys (what a smile!) Wanting Snow and XS Baggage (I can't believe that was you!!) again. They pointed out what I think is an error in my clues to We All Live Upstream #474 clues and I will check on that today.

Sweetest of all was seeing Cyclonic and Sheba. These dear folks traveled from so far and did some of the most strenuous hiking in the area. I was so distracted and things started to fall apart as the Memorial Day weekend wore on. We had hoped to hike with them a bit on Nittany but RGBisMe needed to leave town for most of the morning and afternoon, his mom has not been well. I have to say I was turning into an irrational nervous wreck worrying about my 10am court appearance. I didn't want to burden them with this information so this is my apology to everyone to whom I seemed distracted and inhospitable. Your kindness was so much appreciated and got me through a rough spot.

Something that we got slipped in through the cracks that make me smile in retrospect, I checked on my Tubin' @ Poe letterbox. No one has found it since August when it was planted.I am proud it has weathered so well. The trip down Penn's Creek is better earlier in the summer and it is so ready for a first finder.

Memorable Mini Meet

A group of awesome letterboxers are going to be in the State College area this weekend. We are getting together at Otto's for some good times and I have posted it as an event on Atlas Quest. I hope you can make it!

Click here to see details for
Memorable Mini Meet

A Lifetime Highlight

Words can not clearly explain how much seeing my son perform his dream role at The Met meant to me this past week. The opera house itself is glorious and I am always in awe when I go. I find that I mentally pinch myself and say aloud, "Our son works here!" to RGBisMe.

Although it will shock some of you, I am not a big ballet fan. I am a fan of my son. Through the years I have become quite knowledgable on ballet and technique. La Bayadere is a good ballet and I enjoyed it twice this week. What surprised me both performances was the cheers and applause that were showered upon my son.

I am sharing a video made of his first performance of La Bayadere's Bronze Idol. His friends (seen briefly before the music starts)filmed it from the wing. The curtain does not open until just after he raises his arms so you also see him preparing to perform behind a closed curtain. I am so proud, words fail me.


(the audio comes across a hair fast for some reason on these links, his musicality on the originals is perfect)

Bold & Stylish

Arron Scott pictured above

In today's New York Times:
Arron Scott was a bold and stylish Bronze Idol.





Below is a video of his dress rehearsal. It is an "MPG" file through photobucket.