Started writing down my memories

[paoliguy]

I would love to read them. This is REAL history, it's common folks doing ordinary things that form our history and remind who we are (or who we should be).

[JW_Halverson]

We grow up thinking history is something that happened somewhere else to someone else.  Glad you realize you are utterly made up of history.

[Stoker]

A wonderful idea and gift.. I hardly knew my grand parents.. They lived in Holland.. Only meeting them a couple of times.. A few memories and stories are all I have.. Back in '78 I went over to visit.. Opa took me for ice cream.. We are sitting on a bench enjoying the day at the park.. A young lady walked by and caught my eye.. Opa tapped me with his elbow looked at me winked and in broken English '' Pretty girl '' smiled.. Passed 4 years later..
Thanks Leroy

[BrianS]

Picture of the trail marker tree

[BrianS]

Here is another short story. Just something that happened that has stuck in my head.
Mighty mouse
As with most cabins, Our Poverty Hill camp has had mice from time to time. Come fall and winter field mice like to get into things. Spring and summer they nest outdoors for the most part. We stay atop of the little rodents by setting traps and such. Never have we been infested with great numbers but the little buggers manage to get in the strangest places and sometimes startle you where you least expect them.
It was late in Deer season and we were staying in the cabin. Upon arrival a fire in the old wood stove was the first item of business. A layer of crumbled up newspapers and an armful of small dry kindling was lit. The fire was burning furiously for several minutes before We opened up the front door of the old box stove to add some larger pieces of firewood. When the door was opened a mouse ran out of the stove and down Karl’s arm! Both of us were surprised to say the least. We chased that poor little mouse around the inside of the cabin until finally dispatching it with an axe.

[BrianS]

One last story.
The deer that came with its own drag rope
Next to Opening Day, Thanksgiving morning is one of the best firearm deer hunting days.  I had applied for a deer management tag (doe tag) for 9M where Poverty Hill is located and was hunting with my Remington 870 Wingmaster with a smoothbore rifle sight barrel on a rainy Thanksgiving morning. Although I had heard some shots from other Hunters on Poverty Hill, I had not seen a deer all morning. It was close to the time to leave the woods to go  for Thanksgiving Dinner at Mom and Dad’s house when I spotted a lone deer walking at a fast pace uphill a bit from me. It was a big doe and there was something reddish dangling by its front quarter. I thought perhaps it had a injury, took aim and shot one time. The doe jumped straight up and only went a few yards before dying. I rushed up to the doe and discovered what I had thought was a injured leg was actually a faded “hunter orange” strap attached to a frayed rope tied around the deer’s neck! I checked the deer and it had just my shot in it and I had watched it drop. I skinned it out and I could find no evidence of a healed over wound. How that strap got on that deer is a mystery.  I replaced the rope and still carry that faded orange deer drag and use the same 870 shotgun during firearm season. There have been many other deer taken since that Thanksgiving but none that came with a drag rope!

[Del the cat]

Great stories.
Love that pic of the tree 
Del

[Zuma]

Great stuff
I was lucky enough to get a few of my stories
published in the Indian Artifact Mag years ago.
Forty years ago when talking to older folks,
about trees that look like yours-- They said
that the Indians would fashion them that way
for chairs/benches along their trails??
Zuma

[BrianS]

Zuma,
Thanks for the info.
I did a bit of research on the Great Lakes Trail tree Society website and this is what their website said about trail marker trees.
Trail Marker Trees are trees that were shaped into a specific form by man to be easily recognized and then used to aid in land and/or water navigation as well as to mark significant Native American sites. These trees would help guide Native Americans along the safest route in their journeys and would direct them in finding a variety of natural resources necessary for their way of life.
The Trail Trees are most commonly formed from trees in the hardwood family (i.e. Oak, Maple, and Elm) because of their flexibility while young and their longevity after being formed. I also learned that some trail marker trees were formed by non Native Americans. Their website is quite interesting.
Regardless of the unknown (Native or Non Native) person who formed it or what it marked it is very special to me.
Take care,
Brian

[Buffalogobbler]

Awesome tree Brian and it's a good thing that your little piece of Poverty Hill has a good land steward who recognizes that trees' importance to history and cares for it.

Kevin