February/March 2015 by Pocono Magazines

February/March 2015

The Pocono Mountains' Magazine

Complimentary

Pocono Magazines, LLC

Pocono Magazines

Pocono Living Magazine and Pocono

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Larry R. Sebring

Family Magazine, two

CREATIVE DIRECTOR/EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Barbara McMahon

regional publications

ASSISTANT CREATIVE DIRECTOR Jane Cumberland

filled with articles, features and photography exploring and capturing

WEB DESIGN/DIGITAL ISSUES Graphicus Design, LLC

the real Pocono Mountains living experience. Our publications

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Amanda Belanger Devesh Ramdeo CONSULTANTS Dr. Jonathan A. Goldner, DO, FCCP, FCCM Suzanne F. McCool, M.C. Commissioner PHOTOGRAPHY & ART Veronica Murray Andrei Protsouk Doug McNeill Lisa Newberry James Chesnick James Smeltz Marlana Holsten Matt Siptroth William McKee Barbara Lewis Linda Zak Nancy Tully Eric Goins Vinzon Lee CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Roseanne Bottone Dr. Jonathan Goldner Kathy Dubin-Uhler Pete Pappalardo Amy Leiser Suzanne McCool

can be found at

ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVE Linda Zak/484-264-7915

many locations

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Mandy Cunard

throughout the Pocono

Proud Members of

Mountains region, and are available by subscription.

JACOB STROUD atershed A W

ciation sso

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CORPORATION

The information published in this magazine is believed to be accurate, but in some instances, may represent opinion or judgment. The publication’s providers do not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of amy of the information and shall not be held liable for any loss or damage, directly or indirectly, by or from the information. ©2015 Pocono Magazines. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be copied, reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

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On the cover… Local artist Jim Smeltz found a piece of Americana and created this acrylic painting of “Dorothy’s Barn” in Brodheadsville. The barn, with the faded Kentucky Club Pipe Tobacco advertisement, is visible to travelers proceeding East on Route 209 towards Sciota. Years ago when these advertisements were painted on barns, it was usually done through a barter arrangement. The tobacco company would offer to paint the entire barn for the farmer, while painting their advertisement on one side, in exchange for the farmer providing the advertising space to the tobacco company. Sometimes the farmer would make the tobacco company throw in a lifetime supply of pipe tobacco just to seal the deal. These old timers knew how to do more than just plant corn!

The story of the painting entitled Dorothy's Barn by the Artist, JIM SMELTZ Every painting has a story. A number of years ago I was doing an art show at Stroud Mall and a fellow artist took notice how many “Dorothy’s Barn” prints I had sold. He said: “You should go out there and give her a big kiss.” The next week I ventured out to Brodheadsville and knocked on Dorothy’s door. She answered and I introduced myself and gave her a print of her barn. Tears came to her eyes and she said: “A lot of people stop and take pictures of the barn, but no one ever came by and showed me a picture of it.” She invited me in for coffee and homemade cookies and two hours later we were going through her old photo albums. I heard about the history of the farm and stories of the family. Once there was an advertisement for a flour company painted on the side of the barn. She was so proud of the aerial photos done in the 1940s of the farm. I said thank you and good bye and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Later she showed up at many of my art shows and we would always have a nice visit. Dorothy is gone now, but our favorite barn still lives on.

For anyone who would like to purchase prints of “Dorothy’s Barn," you may contact Jim Smeltz at 570-424-1764 or email at: JSmeltz@entermail.net .

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 3

Pocono Living Magazine

2015 PHOTO CONTEST YOUR PHOTOS COULD BE SEEN by more than 25,000 readers when you enter them into Pocono Living Magazine’s Annual Photo Contest. The contest is open to anyone who doesn’t earn a living as a professional photographer. You may enter up to 15 images, but only photographs that are representative of the Pocono Mountains. Individual photos should be emailed to pmags@ptd. net. Groups of photos too large to send via email may be uploaded to Hightail.com or Dropbox.com. (.jpg or .tif high resolution files only)

ENTER YOUR BEST SHOTS

Winning photos will appear in the October/November 2015 issue of Pocono Living Magazine.

RULES OF THE CONTEST

PRIZES AWARDED:

3. Enter electronic files by email to: pmags@ptd.net or via Hightail or Dropbox.

1st Place: Total of $150.00 in Gift Cards from local participating merchant sponsors. 2nd Place: Total of $100.00 in Gift Cards from local participating merchant sponsors. 3rd Place: Total of $50.00 in Gift Cards from local participating merchant sponsors. Honorable Mentions: One year subscription to Pocono Living & Pocono Family Magazines.

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1. Contest open to amateur photographers only. 2. Contest opens February 1, 2015 and closes September 1, 2015.

4. Include a reference number for each photo and a brief description of the location where the photograph was taken and when. Please include your contact information (phone number & email address) with the submission. 5. Each entrant may submit up to a total of 15 photographs. 6. Entered photos must have been taken recently, from January 2012 to present, and must be of a scene or subject found in the Pocono Mountains. Historic Sites, Water, Wildlife, Landscapes preferred.

7. Judging will take place in September 2015 and winners will be notified at that time. Winners will be asked to provide story information about the photo at that time for publishing in the October/ November issue of Pocono Living Magazine. 8. Entrants will retain all rights to their photography, but agree that Pocono Magazines, LLC may use their photos from time to time in the magazines that they publish provided proper credit is given to each photographer. Questions? Email the editor at: pmags@ptd.net

February/March 2015

What’s Inside 6 Bear Beginnings

by William M. Williams, PGC

14 Ice Becomes an Industry

by Amy Leiser

18 A Valentine's Day Love Story

by Roseanne Bottone

24 Ice Fishing Hot Spots 28 Cold Weather Tips for Pets 32 A Triumphant Return

by Brian Hardiman

41 The Poconos Outdoors 44 Cuttin' Ice on Big Beaver Lake

by Boots McCoy

JAMES CHESNICK FEBRUARY/MARCH FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 2015 POCONO POCONO LIVING LIVING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE©© 55

Bear Beginnings BLACK BEAR CUB JOE KOSACK/PGC 6 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Dead of winter brings cubs to life BY WILLIAM M. WILLIAMS PA GAME COMMISSION NE REGION INFORMATION AND EDUCATION SUPERVISOR

FEMALE BLACK BEAR stirs just long enough to give birth to her cubs in the pitch darkness of an excavated den. Weighing no more than a can of soda and covered in fine, black fur, one cub cries out as a storm rages outside. The newborn bear, only 9 inches long, has rudimentary ear buds and will not open its eyes for another six weeks. An innate ability to seek out heat stimulates it to crawl clumsily through a black forest of hair toward the sow’s breast where it begins to nurse. Two littermates soon follow and join in the feeding. The three hum contentedly. Scenes such as this will play out unseen under the frozen landscape of Pennsylvania throughout much of the month of January. Nature sees that bear cubs are given an optimal chance of survival. Female black bears breed every two years, with the peak of mating season taking place from mid-June through mid-July when dominate males search for receptive sows. Males fight one another for the opportunity to breed and many will mate with multiple females. While eggs are fertilized immediately, only tiny balls of cells called “blastocysts” will develop initially. These bear embryos are about the size of pinheads and will float freely in the sow’s uterus for the next several months.

A newborn bear cub enters the world with eyes closed. PGC Photo

Changes in the amount of daylight during late October and early November trigger hormonal changes in the sow, causing the blastocysts to attach to the uterine wall in a process called delayed implantation, and growth begins again. Delayed implantation postpones investment in a pregnancy until after the critical fall foraging period as the bears gorge on autumnal food. It results in the synchronized births of thousands of black bear cubs born in Pennsylvania each year, in the safety of protective dens.

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 7

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BE AR B EGIN NIN GS

or implantation to be successful, the female needs to weigh at least 110 pounds by late fall. If fat reserves are poor because of unexpected food shortages, cub survival during hibernation could be compromised, in which case blastocysts may be aborted, freeing the female to breed again the following summer. When the factor of decreased food availability outweighs the amount of energy a bear is forced to expend finding adequate nutrition, bears seek out areas protected from the elements and slow down their metabolism. Pregnant females typically den first, followed by females with cubs from the previous winter and juveniles of both sexes. Adult males are the last group to den, sometimes remaining active into January. Because some pregnant females typically begin denning in early November, prior to Pennsylvania’s bear-hunting season, they are afforded additional protection. Pregnant females also tend to select sheltered dens more so than other bears. Seventy-nine percent of pregnant female dens studied in northeast Pennsylvania were rock cavities, brush piles, or excavations. Conversely, ground nests and open brush piles are more typical of males. Most dens, regardless of type, are lined with dry leaves, grass, broken twigs, or some other material collected by the bear. Bear dens are seldom reused. The question of whether a bear is considered a hibernator may be largely a matter of semantics. The body temperature of a denning bear decreases from about 100 degrees F to 88 degrees F, which is different from almost all other hibernators (such as bats and groundhogs) with body temperatures that drop to nearambient temperatures. The heart rate of a bear will decrease from around 40

beats per minute to only 8 to 10 beats per minute. Although bears appear lethargic during hibernation, they are easily aroused and capable of fleeing. Females will groom and nurse their cubs daily despite their own body remaining in a physiological state of hibernation. They also protect the cubs from winter’s elements by hunching over them, but unless disturbed, will not step out of the den despite the activity involved with caring for cubs. Bears do not eat, drink, defecate, or urinate while hibernating. They live off of a layer of fat built up prior to hibernation. Waste products that are produced through metabolism are recycled, with toxic urea being broken down into nitrogen that is used by bears to build protein, which allows them to maintain muscle mass and organ tissues. Despite this incredible biological adaptation, a lactating female may lose up to 40 percent of body weight during hibernation but remain in relatively good condition. Although a hibernating bear drinks no water, it does not become dehydrated and maintains almost perfect water balance after several months. Biologists have long acknowledged that studying hibernating bears may be useful in helping us understand, and eventually cure, renal disorders and a host of other human ailments.

“In NE Pennsylvania, the average litter size is three cubs, with older females producing larger litters.”

PA black bear cubs are born during the first three weeks of January and weigh 8 to 10 ounces. USF&W Photo

Black bear cubs in Pennsylvania are born during the first three weeks of January and grow rapidly. Bear milk has a fat content of similar to whipped cream and is high in calcium and iron. In northeastern Pennsylvania, the average litter size is three cubs, with older females producing larger litters. Litters of two are about as common as litters of four. Bears over 9 years of age are the ones most likely to have litters of five. Sex ratios within litters are typically equal.

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BE AR B EGIN NIN GS

number of female black bears in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northeast Region are captured by Wildlife Conservation Officers and fitted with radio collars each summer. The dens used by these bears are visited by Game Commission biologists in early spring, before the female and young emerge. The sow is anesthetized and biological data is collected from both the sow and her cubs including body weight, vital signs, and overall health conditions. Understanding aspects of reproduction, such as average litter size, the age when females begin producing cubs, and the interval length between consecutive litters are critical to monitoring the health of Pennsylvania’s bear resource.

“There are eight radio-collared sows denning in Pike and Monroe counties this year.” Knowing the location of hibernating lactating bears has the additional benefit of offering a suitable location to place displaced cubs. If a sow with cubs is killed by a motor vehicle in early spring, a small window of opportunity exists to place these cubs - one cub per den - with surrogate sows that still are in hibernation. The sow rarely recognizes the extra member of her litter and feeds the new addition as one of her own. There are eight radio-collared sows denning in Pike and Monroe counties this year; three with last year’s cubs and five expected to bear young. Anyone who finds a hibernating bear should report the location to a Game Commission Region Office. They should also leave the area to avoid disturbing the bear. Some bears are sensitive to disturbance during hibernation, and might abandon the den and any cubs present.

Bear cubs leave the den at about 3 months of age and will be weaned at 7 months. PGC Photo

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It is mid-April when our three bears emerge from the darkness of their den and view their surroundings for the fist time. They weigh between 7 and 10 pounds as they bounce and tumble over each other. The sow looks on with quiet resignation. She will soon begin the task of teaching her young how to find food, climb trees, and avoid danger. The four of them will den together once more and, in the following summer when the urge to breed wells up in the sow again, the three young bears will venture off on their own. P FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 11

THE CONCRETE RAILROAD BRIDGE OVER THE SAMBO CREEK IN EAST STROUDSBURG VERONICA MURRAY

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 13

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Ice Becomes an Industry in Poconos BY AMY LEISER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MONROE COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION WWW.MCHA-PA.ORG

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14 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

NE HUNDRED YEARS AGO, Monroe County was a leader in northeastern Pennsylvania’s ice production and distribution business. The ice was initially harvested from our lakes for use locally by both residents and resorts catering to tourists. As demand for ice grew, Monroe County ice companies began to transport their ice to areas outside Monroe County including New York and Philadelphia. Although it hasn’t been so this year, the freezing winter temperatures of the Poconos guaranteed a large crop of ice and provided employment to hundreds of local citizens throughout northeastern Pennsylvania. Harvesting ice was hard, cold work. Beginning in January, or even December if the weather had been cold enough, laborers flocked to the frozen lakes looking for employment. In particular, many farmers were able to earn a little extra income by harvesting ice. Harvesting ice from lakes was not as simple as chipping away at the sheet. First, the lake had to be prepared, by plowing away any snow, then scraping the ice to a smooth surface with large, horse-drawn planes. Next, the boundary of the area to be harvested was scored into the ice with a hand cutter. The boundary had to be marked carefully, as all of the blocks needed to be the same size to make storing the blocks easier and more efficient. After the boundary was marked, a worker with a horse-drawn “cutter” would score a checkerboard pattern in the harvesting area. The cutter, which resembled a strange mix of a child’s sleigh and an oldfashioned plow, had two runners. One runner was a guide

plane, with which the cutter operator would carefully follow the boundary line. The other runner was an actual cutter, that carved a two-inch deep groove into the ice. The cutter operator would then turn his horse and make the next pass, scoring one line at a time. The runners on the cutter were exactly forty-four inches apart. By the time the cutter operator was finished, the lake had been scored into a grid-work of 44x44 inch blocks. After the layout was complete, another horse-drawn sleigh was used. This tool, an all iron ice plow, had adjustable blades on three runners and was used to retrace the grid, scoring the ice to within four inches of the bottom of the ice sheet. As the ice was now too weak to hold the weight of horses, the final step in the process was cutting through the ice blocks by hand with long-bladed saws. Workers would saw off very large sections of the sheet, then ride them as they were floated or pulled across the ice toward the ice house. As they approached the ice house, the men would break the large sections into their 44 inch squares with a series wedgelike of bars.

Poponoming Ice Company was established at Saylor’s Lake, employed 30 men with 20 teams of horses, and was capable of storing 30,000 tons of ice. Interestingly, the ice houses were eventually torn down, and the lumber was used to build cottages along the lake front. Trout Lake and Mountain Springs Lake in Reeders boasted a storage capacity of 130,000 tons of ice. The Tunkhannock Ice Company on Stillwater Lake built a 10-room storage house and could house 31,000 tons of ice. The American Ice Company housed 57,000 tons of ice on the shores of Lake Naomi. By the end of the 1930s, modern electric refrigerators replaced the ice boxes. Ice could be made at home easily, and eventually there was no need for ice to be harvested from frozen Monroe County lakes. The ice harvesting tradition still continues today. The Coolbaugh Township Historical Association, in conjunction with the Leonard family, schedules yearly ice harvests on Mill Pond #1 in Tobyhanna. For information on this year’s event, contact Bill Leonard at 570-894-4761 or bleonard@ verizon.net. P

Monroe County boasted many lakes and thus many ice companies. While local merchants had been cutting and distributing ice since the 1880s, it was the Pocono Mountain Ice Company that turned local ice into industry. In 1893, investors from Easton established the Pocono Ice Company in Pocono Pines. These investors initially devoted $30,000 into the new company and built an ice house capable of storing 104,000 tons of ice. By 1900, the Pocono Ice Company was so successful, the promise of profit drew more companies to the area. The Pocono Ice Company rapidly became the largest with ice plants in both Tobyhanna and Gouldsboro.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 15

THE INDIAN HEAD ON THE SIDE OF MOUNT TAMMANY (THE NEW JERSEY SIDE OF THE DELAWARE WATER GAP) JAMES CHESNICK

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LOOKING UP AT MOUNT TAMMANY ON THE NEW JERSEY SIDE OF THE DELAWARE WATER GAP JAMES CHESNICK

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 17

A Valentine’s Day

Love Story BY

ROSEANNE BOTTONE

Dedicated to Maybelle December 1934 – January 1983

IGARETTES ROLLED UP in his shirtsleeve, leaning against the bus stop signpost, ankles crossed, looking cool in a way only a confident, green-eyed 16 year-old boy knows how to do. His heart pounds like the pistons of a racecar as he watches her approach; she, a shimmering apparition slowly rising from the pavement on that unseasonably hot September morning. The statuesque 5’10”, buxom “doll” was a breathtaking sight. Movie star gorgeous. An auburn beauty the likes of Lana Turner. A sweet smile and an even sweeter disposition. And he, the quintessential “tall, dark and handsome.” An Italian boy from the Bronx. She was 15 years old and lived around the corner. The year; 1949. The place; Tremont Avenue. My parents’ first meeting. At 80 years old, my father’s recollection of his youth is spotty now; He remembers some details with great clarity and others are fuzzy. Their romance unfolded as they rode the bus to the subway station. Trains whisked away a couple of kids in opposite directions to their respective high schools. They waved goodbye, daydreamed, and longed for one another. Each morning they met, they talked, they laughed and they flirted. Tony asked Maybelle out on a date. Destiny unfolded. May and Tony listened to Vic Damone sing You’re Breaking My Heart on the Jukebox at the local drug store. The Andrew sisters’ sang I Can Dream, Can’t I? They sat at the counter sipping ice-cream floats and looked at each other when they talked. Date night was at a movie theater; they passed popcorn back and forth and watched Bette Davis and Anne Baxter in All About Eve on a big screen. They held hands, stole kisses, and discussed plot and acting talent at great length afterwards. As if their lives depended on it. My life depended on it. Tony and May fell in love. 18 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 19

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A VAL EN TINE'S DAY L OV E S TO RY

Tony joined the Navy. The Postal Service was the only means of communication for the lovesick teenagers. May saved the letters Tony sent from the U.S. Naval Training Center in Bainbridge, Maryland. On June 18, 1952 he began, “Dear Honey, …these two weeks without you seem like two years.” He shared ordinary details of his life. “After we’re through drilling and finished with classes we have to wash our clothes, swab the barracks, shave, and a million other things…The chow they feed us is very good…Somebody got a radio and I hear all the ball scores - the Yanks are doing alright…The watches just told us it’s a half hour to taps - that means sleep. So now I’ll have to say goodbye. I’ll write again as soon as possible.” He ended his letter with, “I love you and miss you and I still say 3 years is too long.” He had proposed marriage and they’d wait to tie the knot until his military service was over. “Love forever, Tony.” I’m holding Tony’s letter; a letter written by the young man who would become my father. He wrote to Maybelle before zip codes, when a first class stamp cost 3 cents. I feel the paper in my hand and imagine her reading his endearing sentiments for the first time. I am grateful my parents met before our electronic marvels turned writing into droll, cursory notes full of smiley faces and shortcuts. Before twitter, Facebook and chat apps. Before love letters disappeared with the press of a “delete” button. My father said, “I was out at sea during the Korean war. I remember smoking cigarettes at the railing on my ship (the USS Hornet) and singing to myself because I was missing your mother.” The young, lonely sailor sang Nat King Cole’s “Pretend,”

Pretend you’re happy when you’re blue It isn’t very hard to do And you’ll find happiness without an end Whenever you pretend...

…You’ll find a love you can share One you can call your own Just close your eyes, she’ll be there You’ll never be alone

n Saturday, the 6th of November 1954, Maybelle walked down the aisle of St. Benedict’s Church in the Bronx to meet her groom at the altar. She wore a wedding gown her mother had sewn for her. Father Giles officiated. He asked Tony, “How do you know you’re in love?” Tony answered, “I have no idea.” Father Giles said, “That’s the right answer.” The couple rented a walkup apartment on Phillips Avenue. Their set of bedroom furniture came with a very large and heavy mirror that was to be attached to the dresser. Maybelle’s mother insisted it remain laid out on top of the bed until their wedding day. Within six years Tony and May were the parents of three children. They packed up me and my brothers and moved us out to the suburbs; in 1960, they bought a 3 bedroom, 1 ½ bath ranch house on the “GI Bill” for $13,000 on Long Island. Dad became a NY City Police Officer and, later, a Firefighter. Mom worked in administration in our local school district. We had a joyful family life. Maybelle died of heart failure a week after her 48th birthday. She and Tony were on a getaway with friends at a resort. On her last night, they took advantage of a balmy winter’s eve and strolled the hotel gardens together. They enjoyed dinner and laughed uproariously at a comedy show. Later, when she was in distress, Tony and his firefighter friends immediately administered CPR, but there was no saving her. My father prefers to remember the day he looked up and saw Maybelle, the stunning beauty, smiling at him for the first time. “It so long ago,” he said. “It all feels like it was someone else’s life.” P

Roseanne Bottone is a regulatory compliance training instructor, former Peace Corps Volunteer, cancer survivor, grandmother, MBA, and freelance writer. She travels the country teaching business people about environmental and transportation safety regulations, and is a newspaper columnist. She’s a homeowner in East Stroudsburg and lives with her daughter, grandchildren, two cats and a Rottweiler.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 21

Enjoy all of the great stories and spectacular photographs that appear in each issue of

Pocono Living on your Mac, PC, iPad or smartphone

Subscribe for free at: www.poconomagazines.com 22 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEÂŠ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

FROZEN CREEK VINZON LEE

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 23

Ice Fishing “Hot Spots”

PHOTOS: PAUL CIOCA, freeimages.com

in the Poconos

CE FISHING is probably the oldest winter sport in the Poconos. Perhaps the reason is because there are many lakes in the Poconos suitable for Ice Fishing. Years ago many lakes were created when streams were dammed for the Ice Harvesting Industry. Huge blocks of ice were cut from the frozen lakes and shipped by railroad cars to Philadelphia and New York. Once that industry declined with electric refrigeration, the lakes were prime for Ice Fishing. The sport can be as simple as a few tip-ups, some buckets and a sled, to as deluxe as a fully outfitted, heated “Ice Shanty” with wet bar and satellite T.V. (Remember the movie, “Grumpy Old Men” with Jack Lemmon & Walter Matthau?) If you have never experienced the sport, it is certainly worth investing a few dollars for the minimal gear you will need to have some great winter fun. It’s all about

24 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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the tug on the line, or the flag springing up, and then finding your surprise catch on the end of the line. And, even if you leave at the end of the day with only a few fish, it is really: “The chase that matters, and not the catch”! Here are few choice public lakes to enjoy this winter sport:

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Tobyhanna Lake – Tobyhanna State Park, Tobyhanna, Pa Gouldsboro Lake – Gouldsboro State Park, Gouldsboro, Pa Hidden Lake – Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Bushkill, Pa Beltsville Lake – Beltsville State Park, Lehighton, Pa

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RRRR…IT’S COLD OUTSIDE! The following guidelines will help you protect your companion animals when the mercury dips.

■ Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed. Cats who are allowed to stray are exposed to infectious diseases, including rabies, from other cats, dogs and wildlife. ■ During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. When the motor is started, the cat can be injured or killed by the fan belt. If there are outdoor cats in your area, bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine to give the cat a chance to escape. ■ Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice, especially during a snowstorm—dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. More dogs are lost during the winter than during any other season, so make sure yours always wears ID tags.

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■ Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. When you bathe your dog in the colder months, be sure to completely dry him before taking him out for a walk. Own a short-haired breed? Consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear. ■ Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can act as a refrigerator in the winter, holding in the cold and causing the animal to freeze to death.

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■ Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs, and may be difficult to housebreak during the winter. If your puppy appears to be sensitive to the weather, you may opt to paper-train him inside. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take him outdoors only to relieve himself. ■ Does your dog spend a lot of time engaged in outdoor activities? Increase his supply of food, particularly protein, to keep him—and his fur—in tip-top shape. ■ Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol. Visit the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center more information. ■ Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect. P

Cold Weather Tips for Pets COURTESY OF ASPCA

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 29

BRINKER'S MILL, ON THE MCMICHAEL CREEK IN SCIOTA VINZON LEE

30 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 31

A Triumphant

BALD EAGLES WILLIAM McKEE

32 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Return by BRIAN HARDIMAN

WAS BEGINNING to have my doubts as I stood there in the cold and snow. We had been waiting and watching in this one spot for over twenty minutes but still nothing. Furiously wiggling my toes and fingers did little to thwart the numbness setting in. A quick scan of the now restless group showed others stomping their feet and huddling together in a losing effort to stay warm. At least I’m not the only one suffering, I thought to myself. And then it happened…I don’t remember who was the first to see it and call out, but suddenly all eyes were on the spectacular sight that appeared almost magically before us. Frozen extremities were quickly forgotten and the conversation about last weekend’s party abruptly ended. An adult bald eagle, with wings pumping slowly, passed by the hushed group of onlookers at eye level, held its course down the river, and disappeared, like a vision, around the bend. It was simply awesome. This eagle sighting occurred in the Poconos on a field trip in February, 1984, when I was a student in Dr. Larry Rymon’s Ornithology class at East Stroudsburg University, and it was the very first bald eagle that I (and most of the class) had ever seen in the wild. It is one that will be forever etched in my mind. Standing on the banks of a remote section of the Delaware River that day was in itself exhilarating and memorable -- snow was falling and the flakes accentuated the green of the towering hemlocks around us. There were no traffic noises to be heard, only the soothing sounds of the rushing water below us. Yes it was cold, but the thrill and anticipation of possibly seeing a bald eagle trumped any hardship. Besides, Dr. Rymon said this was the best place to see a bald eagle, and everyone knew that Doc (as he was affectionately called by his students) had the bird gods on his side. After we actually did see that eagle (just as Doc had predicted), his legendary status only grew.

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VERONICA MURRAY

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 35

Auto Services

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Ken’s Auto Service Center Quality Repair

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A TRIUM P H A NT R E T U R N

agle sightings back in 1984 were an uncommon event. At that time there was only a very small wintering population in the Poconos and no nesting eagles at all. Today, because of the increase of the local wintering and nesting populations, you don’t need a legend like Doc Rymon to find bald eagles. You just need to know when and where to go. The best time to see bald eagles in the Poconos is during the nonbreeding winter months when the small resident population is supplemented by wintering birds that are forced south to our area by the frozen waters up north. The eagle numbers are highest at this time and visibility is best with the lack of foliage. Wintering eagles start moving into our area in December, with peak numbers usually seen in January and February. These numbers drop off in March as the eagles disperse and move back north.

overhead on their large, flat planklike wings. A really lucky observer may even see an eagle snagging a fish from the river or picking a duck off the water’s surface or from midair. Eagles are opportunistic and will take other prey as well. I once saw an eagle carrying a gray squirrel in its talons, and another time while leading an eagle field trip, my group and I watched an eagle grab a muskrat from the river, fly off with it low across the water with the muskrat’s tail dragging, and land on a rock where it ate the animal. Bald eagles are also scavengers and my groups, on more than one occasion, have seen multiple eagles feeding on a winter-killed deer.

“To many the bald eagle symbolizes courage, freedom, and wilderness.”

To many the bald eagle symbolizes courage, freedom, and wilderness. It was selected by Congress in 1782 as the national symbol of the United States, despite the objections of Ben Franklin who felt the bald eagle

Among the best places to see bald eagles is along the Delaware River. Even in the coldest winters, stretches of the Delaware will have open water that provides fishing and other foraging opportunities for these birds. Locations in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area (DWGNRA) offer excellent chances to see bald eagles. This 70,000 acre National Park Service site has outstanding eagle habitat that meets the needs of wintering and nesting birds. The river provides food, and the stands of large deciduous and coniferous trees provide perches for foraging and roosting and sites for nesting. Some of the best viewing areas in DWGNRA are the river access sites at Smithfield Beach, Bushkill, Dingmans Ferry, and Milford. Eagles can often be seen perched at river’s edge or soaring

BRIAN HARDIMAN

A TR IUM PHAN T R E TUR N

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possessed poor moral character (reflected in its behavior of pirating food from other species) and was a poor choice next to Franklin’s own wild turkey. In my humble opinion, I believe the appropriate choice was made. Eagles are birds of strength, beauty, and size, and different species have been chosen as the national symbols of countries around the world. The bald eagle is the only eagle species found exclusively on the North American continent, and it would be difficult to imagine any other bird, wild turkey or otherwise, as our national symbol. Majestic and regal, an adult bald eagle is unmistakable with its striking white head and tail contrasting against the dark brown body. This adult plumage is attained at about five years of age. Immature birds, on the other hand, are basically brown throughout with varying degrees of white mottling depending on age. Bald eagles are impressive birds in terms of size—they can stand thirty inches from head to tail with wingspans reaching seven feet. The weight of these birds can range from about eight to fourteen pounds, with females larger than males (the sexes, otherwise, are similar in appearance). Once on the brink of extinction throughout most of its range, the bald eagle

has made a remarkable comeback. Habitat loss, human persecution, and especially DDT contamination all played a role in eagle populations plummeting. At the time of European settlement, there was an estimated 100,000 bald eagles in North America. By 1963, less than 500 nesting pairs were known to occur in the contiguous United States. The bald eagle would soon be designated as an endangered species at the federal and state levels. A number of factors were responsible for the recovery of our national symbol. The banning of DDT was crucial in this turnaround, as well as protection of the species and its habitat provided under state and federal Endangered Species Acts. Increased education efforts to reduce human persecution and the improvement of water quality were also boons to the eagle population. Another major contributor to the bald eagle recovery were reintroduction programs implemented by various states including Pennsylvania. These efforts gave the population a jumpstart in areas where historically eagles once nested. Combined, these recovery efforts have produced dramatic results. As recently as 1980, there were only three known eagle nests in the state of Pennsylvania. Today the state’s nesting population is well over 100 pairs, with a number of these

VERONICA MURRAY

“The bald eagle has made a remarkable comeback.”

birds nesting right here in the Poconos. Other states have experienced similar increases. As a result, in 2007 the bald eagle was removed from the federal list of endangered and threatened species. However, it is still afforded federal protection by the Bald Eagle Protection Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, as well as being protected by endangered species laws at the state level. Once only a rare winter sight in the Poconos, now it is not surprising to see a bald eagle any day of the year in our area. Their presence is a testament to the outstanding quality of our natural environment here in the Poconos. Looking back on that day along the Delaware when I saw my first bald eagle with Doc and my classmates, I never imagined that 25 years later the bald eagle would make the triumphant return that it has. In that time I have seen literally hundreds of bald eagles, and every one is special, but I’ll never forget that first one. P FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINE© 39

Dining in the Poconos

Angels Cafe` &

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n Saturday, Feb 7 & 14 INTERMEDIATE FLY-TYING COURSE 9AM-12pm. A two week course taught by former PA State Champion Fly Tyer Scott Cesari. Kettle Creek EE Center, Call Will Daskal to register by Feb 4 610-381-6188. See the website for more information: www.mcconservation.org.

n Sunday, Feb 7 NATURE'S VIEW - 11am-1pm. Art show opening featuring the Photo Club of the Older Adult Learning Center. Kettle Creek EE Center, 570-629-3061, or www.mcconservation.org.

n Sunday, Feb 8 WINTER WATERFALLS - 9:30am-12pm. This is a great time of year to enjoy the waterfalls. Dress warmly, wear sturdy boots, and bring a camera! Call to reserve a seat in van, Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570828-2319, or www.peec.org. PUBLIC BOG WALK - 1pm. Join an Environmental Educator at the Bog parking lot on Cherry Lane Road for this journey into the Bog environment. Pre-register with the Kettle Creek EE Center, 570-629-3061, or www. mcconservation.org.

n Tuesday, Feb 10 TREE TAPPING DAY - We invite people of all ages to join us beginning at 10am as we tap trees in the Meesing sugar bush outside of Marshalls Creek. The event is weather permitting and we suggest you pre-register with the Kettle Creek EE Center, 570-629-3061, or www.mcconservation.org.

n Friday, Feb 13 EAGLE WATCH - 8:30am-5:30pm. Join Environmental Educator Brian Hardiman onthis field trip to the upper Delaware River in search of the spectacular Bald Eagle.Pre-registration is required. Kettle Creek EE Center, 570-629-3061, or www.mcconservation.org.

CEDAR WAXWINGS VERONICA MURRAY

The Poconos Outdoors n Saturday, Feb 21

n Saturday, Feb 28

n Sunday, Mar 15

BIRDS OF THE BRODHEAD - 9am-11am. Where in the Watershed Hike #12. Join Pocono Avian Center and Jackie and Darryl Speicher for a winter birding exploration of the diverse habitats at ForEvergreen Preserve on Cherry Lane Road off Rte 191 at Analomink. Brodhead Watershed Association and Pocono Heritage Land Trust. 570-839-1120 or 570-424-1514. www.brodheadwatershed.org or www.phlt.org

"RETAIN THE RAIN II" - 11am-1pm. Rain barrels beautifully painted by local artists as part of a water education project. Kettle Creek EE Center, 570629-3061, or www.mcconservation.org.

THE "EASY DOES IT" HIKE - 1pm-3pm. Enjoy a nice leisurely walk through the woods. Join us for easy hikes, slow paces and interpretive natural history. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570-828-2319, or www.peec.org.

n Sunday, Feb 22 WILDERNESS SKILLS - 10am-12pm. Learn a variety of outdoor survival skills, ranging from fire building and camping preparedness to tracking and stalking animals. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570-828-2319, or www.peec.org.

INTRODUCTION TO SNOWSHOEING 1pm-3pm. Learn the basics of snow shoes and enjoy a winter stomp through the woods. No experience necessary - we provide the equipment and teach you everything you need to now. Register early, Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570828-2319, or www.peec.org.

n Saturday, Mar 7 SPRING WATERFALLS - 1pm-3pm. This is a great time of year to enjoy the waterfalls. Dress warmly, wear sturdy boots, and bring a camera! Call to reserve a seat in van, Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570-828-2319, or www.peec.org.

FIELDSTONE FARM WALK WITH DON MILLER - 1pm-5pm. Where in the Watershed Hike #13. Join environmentalist Don Miller for a walk at the PHLT's Fieldstone Farm just north of the Kurmes Nature Preserve. This is a beautiful property with a great view (all the way to the Kittatinny Ridge and Shawnee,) a touch of history and large value as an environmental protection zone.Brodhead Watershed Association and Pocono Heritage Land Trust. 570-839-1120 or 570-424-1514. www.brodheadwatershed.org or www.phlt.org

n Sunday, Mar 29 TUMBLING WATERS HIKE - 1pm-4pm. Join us for an interpretive hike on our Tumbling Waters Trail. This 3 mile loop features a beautiful waterfall and a scenic overlook of the Delaware River Valley. Pocono Environmental Education Center, 570-828-2319, or www.peec.org.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEÂŠ 41

THE YEISLEY/PEARCE LOG CABIN MARLANA HOLSTEN Construction of the Marshalls Creek Bypass in 2004 required that the Yeisley/Pearce Log Cabin (built in 1795) be relocated or demolished. Sam, Nancy and Linda Dailey (Pearce family descendants) donated the cabin to Smithfield Township. The cabin was moved on July 30, 2004 and is seen in this photograph situated at its new home in "Waterfront Park," which is adjacent to the Smithfield Township Municipal Center on Red Fox Road.

42 POCONO LIVING MAGAZINEÂŠ FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

CONTENT: STATEPOINT | PHOTOS: iSTOCK

My cousin Jake “Madman” Mc Coy shows up with the homemade wooden sleds we need for dragging the ice blocks across the lake. The county sheriff lets him out of jail on work release every year at this time so he can help out. I don’t want to tell ya what he’s doing time for, but he doesn’t have the nickname “Madman” for nothing.

CUTTIN’ ICE ON BIG BEAVER LAKE By Boots Mc Coy Hi Folks … how’s it been goin’? Right now, I want to tell ya all about how we cut ice here on Big Beaver Lake. ‘Round about the mid of January each year, the lake is frozen thick with ice. We keep an eye on it, drilling holes every few days to check, and when the ice is 10 inches thick we start to harvest it. Ya see, up here on the lake in the mountains, we ain’t got no electricity to run refrigerators and such, and we really don’t want none. We depend on no one to keep our way of life how we want it, and it suits us just fine. But, if we want to keep our perishables cold in the summer months, and have our moonshine whisky “on the rocks”, we need to fill our ice houses come winter. All of my kin who live here on the Mc Coy lands around the lake pitch in to help each year. So on the day we figured to start cutting the ice, they all show up at my cabin at the crack of dawn for a hearty breakfast of flapjacks, bacon, eggs, beans, home-fries and coffee before setting out on the lake for the day. Each man brings something that we will need to get the ice in. Sasquatch Sam Mc Coy, from over in Dead Man’s Swamp, brings his team of draft horses. He has them trained good to work on the ice. This might be because he kind of looks, acts and smells like a horse himself, and that’s why we make him live in the swamp. 44 POCONO POCONO LIVING LIVING MAGAZINE MAGAZINE©© FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015

Ole uncle Clyde “Crazy” Crapper brings the big 36” buzz saw rig. It’s jury-rigged and bolted up on a sled, then powered by a straight 6 cylinder engine taken from a ’55 Chevy. It cuts through the ice licketey-split and makes the work go fast. Rumor has it that Clyde stole the engine right out of his ex-wife’s car one night when he was half-drunk on some of my moonshine. Hatchet Jack Mc Coy, from over in the hollow where the lake dumps into the Brodhead Creek, brings the spikes, hooks and tongs needed to lift the cut ice out of the lake. He’s the family blacksmith and is known to make some really weird axes, knifes and hatches, hence the name “Hatchet Jack”. His sister was crazy Clyde’s wife so folks think he might have been in on the theft of the engine from her Chevy too. But, most folk in the family don’t really care. They know what my moonshine can do to a man and never liked Clyde’s wife anyway. Some say she drove him crazy and that’s why today folks call him Crazy Clyde. We start the cutting in the center of the lake where the ice is the thickest. Marking off parallel lines about 18 inches apart. We first cut the length of the run, and then cut those lengths perpendicular into blocks about 24 inches apart. The buzz saw is mounted on the sled, lowered slowly into the ice, and pulled forward by Sasquatch’s team of horses. As each run is finished, the blocks are pulled out of the trench by hand using the spikes and tongs and dragged onto a low sled. These blocks are heavy and it takes two guys to get them onto the sled. When the sled is fully loaded, the horses drag it to the ice house on the edge of the lake.

The ice house is made out of cedar logs, stacked tight and chinked well. With the ice inside and slowly evaporating all summer long, it’s always damp inside and the cedar logs won’t rot like other woods. We also built it in the shade of big old white pines to help keep it cool in the summer. We pack the ice in sawdust we saved from getting our firewood cut in the fall. It makes good insulation, and if everything is done right, the ice will keep well into August or September. Each man who has helped get the ice in can take some from the house whenever he needs it. And, we do let Crazy Clyde’s ex-wife have some ice since she can’t drive her car to the store anymore. When the ice goes to each man’s cabin, it is kept in the bottom of an old fashioned oak ice box with brass hardware. These have galvanized steel shelves and several doors to get inside without losing to much cold air. On a hot summer day in August, there’s nothing better that getting the ice pick and chipping off some chunks of crystal clear blue lake ice, filling your glass with ice and lemonade, and watching the sun set while rocking on the front porch of the cabin.

Barrett Paradise Friendly Library Cresco, PA 570-595-7171 www.barrettlibrary.org

Pocono Mountain Public Library Tobyhanna, PA 570-894-8860 www.poconomountpl.org

Clymer Library Pocono Pines, PA 570-646-0826 www.clymerlibrary.org

Western Pocono Community Library Brodheadsville, PA 570-992-7934 www.wpcl.lib.pa.us

Eastern Monroe Public Library Branches Hughes Library (main branch) Stroudsburg, PA 570-421-0800 www.monroepl.org Pocono Township Branch Tannersville, PA 570-629-5858 Smithfield Branch Marshalls Creek, PA 570-223-1881 Bookmobile 570-421-0880 x49

Well folks … it’s time to go. I have to go make some more moonshine. But thanks for stoppin’ by, and remember: “If you’re lucky enough to live in the mountains, you’re lucky enough”.

Boots

Illustrations by Bruce Hutchison Boots McCoy is a Pocono native and lives in a log cabin deep in the woods of Canadensis with his dog, “Ginger.” He spends most of his time hunting and fishing, but sometimes when he gets into the homemade whisky from his still, he takes naps that last for three days and nights.