spring Archives - Opossum Creek Retreat

Fools me, April

Every time! I am so gullible! The spring flowers pop out like these beauties I found while driving along in The New River Gorge National Park over the weekend.

And then one afternoon it is so hot I turn on the AC in my car and boom my mind, body and soul are falling all over themselves to get in summer mode.

And then it freezes and snows, and I walk out the door barefoot, and it feels like my feet just had the bottom layer ripped off them. And my mind, body and sole are confused: WHAT HAPPENED? How do I get my feet unstuck from the ground? I am afraid to move; it hurts! I have to move; it hurts! Where did I put my ski gear?

Anyway, I have learned how to help fix this cruel joke called April. I need some relief from this, and thought you might, too. My recipe for getting back at April (Not you, April; the month of April). All through April you would really get into this type of weekend.

MIND: It is tax time, and this weekend, you could use a getaway.
BODY: take a stroll on some of the 70 miles of trails, get a massage in the cabin, or soak for too long in the HOT TUB.
SOUL: Surrounded by nature and eating really good food in Fayetteville, WV and doing all of the above, the soul knows what to do.

We can only offer this until the 20th, because we are full after that until mid-May, because some folks have figured out just how OSSUM this time of year is here. One group is a Bird Banding Class and the other is the New River Birding and Nature Festival, which has a couple of spots still open.

Choose the package and take ⅓ off— yep, 33% off— because we are about ⅓ of the way into 2016.

Thanks, April. I needed that.

Bird Nerds Descend On West Virginia (And I Love It)

They came. They saw. They birded.

And they were like a flock wreaking havoc. Lucky us.

Hundreds of Birding and Nature enthusiasts swarmed over The New River Gorge in West Virginia last week (my home sweet home). They were traversing the areas rural roads by the bus load, searching out rare and elusive species of Birds and plants to add to their “life lists”. People crossed borders (legally) to join the mayhem, and some flew almost as far as the birds did to get here.

With several groups arriving from as far away as California and Washington State on the West Coast, Canada to the north and Alabama to the south. That’s almost (but not quite) as far as some of the birds for the fest traveled.

It all gets captured in the look on the face of bear hunters, when they come flying around the corner and see a bunch of people in the road looking thru binoculars into the tree tops. That’s what this blog needs a picture of. Once they got there 4 wheeler under control and asked a few questions like:

Are you lost?
Did your bus breakdown?
Just what exactly are you all looking at?

The Local Bear Hunters offer up advice on back roads and secret spots for hunting Mushrooms. It’s strange to see so many people out in these parts, but we like a lot of the same things. That’s why it’s a festival, I guess.

“We simply love it when those bird people show up. They spend lots of money! And, y’know, they’re great people, too,” a local business owner told me. “They had to start calling ahead because we are not ready for a flock of people all at once this time of year [Ha! Flock. Get it?]. They make our week.”

And that’s one of the big reasons we started this event. We wanted to help fill up some otherwise slow time in our tourism calendar. Plus it truly is world class birding and botany. Plus, it’s as much fun as I have all year. Plus, most of the folks that come feel the same way.

Next year will be the ninth year for the event and organizers are already at work to make it better than ever. We felt it needed to be a sustainable event, something that could outlive us. We’re not there yet but it’s getting better and better each year.

But don’t take my word for it (actually, though, you should. I’m an expert on my own opinions, usually). Here’s the word on the New River Bird And Nature Fest from around the interwebs:

Here’s what our friend Vickie Henderson had to say about waterfalls and warblers.
Guide Jeffrey Gordon talks about the Swainson’s Warbler at the festival.
The awesome Bill Thompson III aka Bill of the Birds talks about why he always comes back to the New River at his Bird Watcher’s Digest blog.
Here’s the rundown for learning to see a bird at littleorangeguy’s blog.
There’s an awesome photo essay at Mark S. Garland’s blog.
Julie Zickefoose gives us a mention on her blog post about Chet, the New River Birding And Nature Fest’s unofficial (official?) greeter.
Susan Williams takes another step to break birder stereotypes (and succeeds).
Finally, Bill Hilton Jr. gives a rundown on why we’re one of Birdwatcher’s Digest top events.

Did we miss anyone? Please, add a link in the comments if so. And, yeah, it sounds pretty cool, huh? It was.

If you want to put it on your calendar for next year (and you should), here’s where you can find us on facebook. Until then, see you in the woods.

5 Simple Steps To Get Into Bird Watching In The New River Gorge

When I signed on here at Opossum Creek Retreat I had no idea what I was in store for. Sure, I knew what the job was. I learned Geoff’s techniques. But there was so much more. You know, stuff that would only be revealed as time went on. Jedi stuff.

One of the things that were new to me was the New River Nature and Birding Festival. I had heard of the festival from when I worked with Dave Pollard at the County Courthouse, but I never really got more than an overview.

Since Opossum Creek hosted this festival I found myself smack dab in the middle of it. So the romance began. Aw yeah.

I was amazed at how the birding guides were able to identify birds by their calls. This seemed an almost supernatural ability to me. Lynn Pollard was one of the first to introduce me to the art of birding by ear. She’s able to ID over ninety species by ear- incomprehensible to me!

I was introduced to many top birders from all over the states who showed me birds that I would have never imagined in this area. But the New River Gorge area is a main thoroughfare for Neo Tropical migrant birds looking for work (Ha! I joke.) So this might be the place to see all kinds of North American birds. Birds that come here to nest. Birds that inhabit the area for the summer. Birds that just pass through on their way to their nesting grounds farther north.

Here are the five things that helped me get familiar with birding. But a word of caution: I spend stupid amounts of time outside looking for birds I can’t see, or can’t hear, or both. Now that I know these tips, I can never go back to my pre-birding life. You’ve been warned.

1- Get to know a birding enthusiast. Geoff and most of the people you will meet at the NRB&N festival are very excited to turn new people on to the “sport”. I say sport in parenthesis because, while many of the birds you will encounter will definitely give you a run for your money while trying to get a good look at them, a lot of times you’re not moving much at all. Some of the wood warblers are especially secretive; their thick habitat can be a challenge.

2- Get yourself a decent pair of optics. Some of the birds you will be trying to find are small and elusive or they won’t let you get too close. A good pair of binos are essential.

3- A good field guide is also important. Look for something that’s not too big and that’s well illustrated. You’ll want to carry it with you while out hiking or even in your back yard. Peterson’s and Sibley’s are my favorites. A word of caution; don’t get so into the book that you stop looking at the bird. I’ve learned to watch the bird for as long as it will let me or until I feel I have all the visual information I need to make a proper ID. The book will always be there to look at. The bird will not.

4- Get out there! Birding is a great hobby because you can do it anywhere from your office to the wilds of your area. Whether you’re in the city or way out in the country, birds are there.

5- Get a friend into it. Having someone to bird with is even more fun. Share your newfound activity with a friend or family member that you want to spend inordinate amounts of time with.

Birding also raises awareness of our environment and why we should protect it. It is also another excuse to get outside if you need one. If you haven’t already, give it a try. Checkout Birdwatcher’s Digest. Also, take a look at the Beginning Birdwatchers Book. Perfect for kids, this one’s got 19 pages stickers, too!

Okay, Geoff and I play with the stickers. But it’s a good book, I promise!

The First 5 Flowers You’ll See In The New River Gorge

Full disclosure: One of them’s not even a flower. Check out the list below if you feel like skipping ahead.

First, a little background…

I can remember the neighborhood gang of kids and I would all get together and escape to the nearest woodlot any chance we could. Being in the suburbs of Philly, there weren’t vast expanses of forest like there are here in Wild Wonderful West Virginia. The gang and I (probably because of me) were always trying to figure out what kind of tree we were looking at or what kind of animal made that hole or… well you get the idea. The point is my curiosity for the things of nature was always there, and has never waned.

After spending a few years with Jim McCormac during the New River Nature and Birding Festival, my curiosity and intrigue was called to a new level. Jim is a botanist and all around nature guy who can spout the genus and species of almost anything you might encounter out there. The great thing about Jim is his child-like enthusiasm. It’s hard for me to imagine anyone who is even slightly interested in the outdoors not being encouraged to learn more when you’re around him.

Last year on Jims recommendation I purchased Newcombs guide to Wildflowers. It is a great book once you learn to navigate it. Here are my favorite first five:

Coltsfoot – Tussilago fafara

This one is native to Europe but is considered one of our own. The flower resembles a dandelion.

Ramps – Allium tricoccum (comes from the old anglic word rampion meaning leek)

May Apple – Podophyllum peltatum. Forms fruit in late April early May. That’s probably where the name comes from.

Trillium – grandiflorum. This plant has three leaves and three Sepals. Hence the name.

Virginia Bluebells – Mertensia Virginica. Better catch this one while you can. The whole plant is gone by late spring.

How To Accidently Get Into The Cabin Rental Business

15 years is a long time. I know, because I am old.

After the first 10 years of building the business and the cabins from the ground up, I started to notice I was not being as good a host as I once was. Go figure- I was burned out!

The Ruffed Grouse. He just laughs at us.

I’m not complaining. I just noticed it, and it was effecting my interactions with guests. I knew I had to make some changes. Either hire more people to clean and do maintenance, or hire a secretary, or hire a reservationist, or all of the above and go crazy. (Some say crazier, but that’s another story.)

“Now I’m not a highly metaphysical man but I know that you can bump into someone”… Lyrics by ??? I can’t remember the tune (post a comment if you know it), but it seems appropriate, because that’s how I met Keith.

Sometimes if you are paying attention and open to it, really good things will happen. I had been invited to go grouse hunting with a couple of regulars and a new guy (no grouse were harmed. Maybe scared, but not harmed). As the day wore on and we were riding out, I commented that I needed a “Mini Me”, someone who was a Jack of all trades…

And the new guy on the hunt said, “I’ll do it.” Just like that: “I’ll do it.”

Really?

Sure.

But you don’t know what it involves.

That’s okay I’ll learn.

Really?

Sure.

Really?

We met for lunch a few days later and Keith started shadowing me. Keith saved my sanity and maybe the business. Most of you who have called in the past five years have talked to him and know why I am so grateful. He pretty much runs the place know and I just sit in my office and get fatter.

So when you call and talk to Keith, know that he can help save your sanity too just by making your vacation planning easy and relaxing. Fun, if you want to know the truth.

It’s been a great five years. Thanks, Keith, for all you do.

Family Trips And Tips- Skiing For Spring Break

Let’s do some word association. Here’s a list of words, and you say what comes to mind:

Snow
Hot Chocolate
Roaring Fireplace
Snuggly Sweaters
Cabin Lodge
Vacation

If you said spring break, you’re right. If you said anything else, you’re not right. Didn’t know we were grading, did you? Anyway, we’re not fans of the beach for spring break (obviously).

Here are 5 tips to plan the easiest family ski vacation ever:

-Size your gear online or over the phone so it’s ready when you get there. You can take all the hassle out of getting fit when you just walk into the rental shop, grab your gear, and walk out.

-Talk to the ski school. It’s always easy to find, and the folks there are friendly and helpful (usually). It’s always a good idea to take a ski lesson, at least on day one.

-Brown bag it. Resort food is overpriced and yucky. Your food is priced just right and yummy. Way easier when you stay in a cabin because of the kitchen factor.

-Take it easy. Sports vacations aren’t about how much you do or how big you go; they’re about how much fun you can have. The kids will be a lot happier with a ski instructor who tells them what to do so you don’t have to.

-Have an backup plan. If the weather goes sour, or something out of the ordinary happens, you should be able to pack up and head on to the next activity without skipping a beat. Here’s a whole rainy day itinerary.

Close to us, WinterPlace Ski Resort has 1 more day of skiing (this Saturday, March 28). A little further away is Snowshoe, and they’ll be open a few more weeks. Timberline also closes this weekend. Wherever you go, take your family and get your spring ski on!