The Rattlesnake Hill Wildlife Management Area is a 5,100 acre upland tract, situated approximately eight miles west of Dansville, New York. Roughly two-thirds of the area lies in southern Livingston County, while the remaining third lies in northern Allegany County. The tract was purchased in the 1930’s under the Federal Resettlement Administration and is one of several such areas turned over to DEC for development as a wildlife management area.
The area is appropriately named after the Timber Rattlesnake, which may be occasionally found in the more remote sections of the “Hill”.
The area offers an interesting blend of upland habitats such as mature woodland, overgrown fields, conifer plantations, old growth apple orchards and open meadows.
The area is inhabited by a variety of game species and is open to public hunting. The white-tailed deer, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, grey squirrel, cottontail rabbit and woodcock are found on the area. An occasional snowshoe hare may be observed adjacent to thick creek bottom brush or conifer plantation habitats.
A number of small marsh units have been developed and provide limited hunting for waterfowl. Some of the area’s furbearing species such as mink, beaver and raccoon may be occasionally viewed at these marsh units.
One of the most pompous things that American governments like to do is describe its actions as the actions of “the people”. This has bothered me for a long time.
While America does host elections and public participation is an important part of American government, it’s a serious misnomer to claim the actions of the government are the actions of the people, especially the body politics of a whole. Those who choose and are allowed to vote in our country set the guard rails for how both legislators and government employees act but citizens as a whole have very little say in the day to day operations of government. They can protest against the actions of their government and put elected officials on notice that they may be voted out of office but ultimately have very little say in the day operations of government.
Even American Democracy isn’t necessarily cracked up to what it claims to be at times. American elections are almost a choice between a Democrat and a Republican. There are primaries but they are only open to party members. And even if you have a candidate you like who becomes elected to office he or she is just a compromise. Your unlikely to agree with all of their views. And elections are full of rules and regulations that bend the will of the voters, so things are much less democratic then one might think.
I am not saying we should get rid of democracy, but I do think the actions of the state are not the actions of its people but are the result of actions of the many bureaucrats and the regulations they promulgate both formally and through practice.
Getting into my forties I really could not have dreamed that my shopping list would include things like kale, Greek yogurt and chia seeds. But I really have learned to like healthier options, the fullness and greater energy I have since I’ve lost weight and feel so much better. It’s fun to experiment with new foods and learn what healthy eating really tastes like.
I was listening to the radio tonight, thinking I really don’t understand the purpose of border walls or limits on immigration. It seems silly, if not an outright failure of mankind, that people aren’t allowed to roam and cross from one part of the world to another.
There is no wall or even a clear cut between New York State and Pennsylvania, just a sign along the road that informs you are crossing into a different state. Both states have their own laws and policies – certain activities that are totally lawful in one state can result in thousands in fines and years of incarceration by just crossing that imaginary line shown on maps. But you are free to travel between the states or even relocate to a different state if you should so choose.
Rather than building a wall with Mexico, the United States should work closely with Mexico to tear down the remaining differences. People should be free to cross the border without restriction, there shouldn’t be tariffs or restrictions on the movement of goods and people. While each country may have their own laws, let them compete for people and jobs – and let the best country win.
Why is Quebec and New York or Texas and Mexico so much different than New York and Pennsylvania? Sure, there is a needs for extradition in some matters and concerns with industrial pollution crossing borders, but people crossing borders in search of a better life should not be discouraged. Competition will improve all states, make them improve their laws and policies to increase their competiveness.
Ultimately I think the goal of leaders should be to tear down walls and bring forward market forces. To work together cooperatively to bring forth innovation and freedom of movement without delay or cost to the economy. Existing walls and border crossing delays hurt all, by delaying the movement of goods and services, needlessly wasting away potential economic growth.
I love how Pennsylvania Parks are all free to use. Hard-working families shouldn’t have to dig into their pockets for a day at the beach or picnicking in a scenic gorge. Many don’t necessarily have the $7-8 to go to the park.
I find lately I’ve been staying up later and later. This is a problem because I’ve continued to get up fairly early in the morning, with the early sunrises and my alarm ⏰.
My excuses for staying up late…
The sun doesn’t set until late and I want to see the stars or have a fire after dark
The evenings are mild and I want to sit out back and enjoy the fresh air before going into my stuffy bedroom
I get myself down some rat hole on my phone, learning about some random thing on the internet
I get watching some YouTube videos I previously downloaded
I don’t have to get up early because I’m working remotely
If I’m exhausted at work the next day nobody will know unless of course there is a Zoom meeting
It was a nice weekend, spent camping up at Cole Hill, cooling off in the Switz Kill and riding trail and road at Partridge Run. But it came and went much too quickly. Four work days, and then it’s off for summer vacation, leaving bright and early on Friday, before the morning rush hour.
Stayed overnight at my parents house on Sunday night. 🏕 Slept in the back of my truck, after the previous night hammock camping up at Cole Hill. Ended up sleeping in my bathing suit, because somehow I managed to misplace my change of clothes I packed from camping. 👕 The only thing I can think of is they got mixed in with the dirty clothes and got washed. I don’t think I left them up at the State Forest and I can’t find them anywhere in my truck. 😕
Spent a while down at the swimming hole — maybe just waterfalls, 🏊♀️ cooling off after taking down Camp in the Switz Kill along Old Partridge Run Road which was nice. Rode trail for a while at Partridge Run, 🚲 it’s nice they’ve restored the deck on the bridge there, to the full width as a motor vehicle bridge but it seems unlikely they will ever fully restore it.
It was nice to see the family, 👨👩👧 but boy oh boy were those eggs greasy this morning they made up. I felt like I was drinking vegetable oil straight out of the bottle — I swear three-quarters of the eggs were lardy goulda cheese 🧀 with one half of an egg white, and a sprinkle of spinanch. 🍳 Certainly not may way of cooking, but it’s good to enjoy what my parents still offer when I still can. Some of their recipes will forever be gone upon their passing. 😞 I am in my forties now, my parents 75 and 77 respectively, so I know I won’t be with them forever. Burgers 🍔 the previous night which also were quite greasy.
Then of course their biggest excitement of the day is trash pickup. 🗑 Last year my dad finally broke down and let mom sign up when they decided it was too difficult to drive things to the transfer station, and you’re not supposed to be burning stuff anymore. 🔥 Not that rednecks ever pass up on a good bonfire. Every Sunday, it’s all they want to talk about and when the trash man comes their excited. 🗑 I don’t know, I like the old way of doing things.