Small Pines RV Homesteading in the Adirondacks

There’s one decent section of our property that I have zoned as construction free.

No scrap wood piles will be put there, no dumpsters will be rolled over it, and the plants are to be protected from the house tear-down at all costs. It’s far enough in back and to the side of the house that we can keep it clean with minimal effort. Originally, the neighbors thought I was nuts – planting grass, building beds, and tending plants. But now they get it. It’s a nice little corner – a place that can remain nice no matter how messy the demolition gets. This area was originally a Tag Alder tangle thirty feet deep. Over the course of a few years of vacations and this Summer’s efforts, we’re finally on the way to having a neat little Alpine garden. The “good” trees are growing nicely, the birds love it, and the carriage sure doesn’t hurt. 

I spent most of my lazy (seemingly) Autumn yesterday working on the planting bed, and well … that walk to the post office must have really gotten that Fall feeling in my bones. When I returned, I made a twig scarecrow. I had wanted to do this for a while, and I got to thinking that I want a family of them up on the little hillock for Halloween. So, I figured that if I make one every so often, I’ll be all set. (His name is Mister Twiggy Hands, by the way.) 

In case you’re interested – Take a small log, whittle of the bark for the head area. Cut off and save a piece of your log for the hat. (You could really do some cool hats by finding freaky shaped logs.) His nose is the stub of a small branch, and his eyes are just little 1/2 inch snips of small branches, tacked on with finishing nails. I put the arms of with screws. The tie and hat brim I snipped out of tin. I drilled a short hole in the hat, brim, and head to attach the hat with a small branch (or you could use a dowel). I’d say I made him beginning to end in about an hour.

Happy whittlin’!