It has been an interesting weekend. I am sitting here gathering my thoughts as one of my pocket panthers, Kalamazoo, is wandering across my lap and up and down from my shoulders. Yesterday morning I helped out at a VE session, grading tests for aspiring hams. I have been a VE (volunteer examiner) for several years and do it as a way of paying back the radio service. Basically it involves proctoring the exams and grading them. You have to know the paperwork involved and it helps to be part of a well coordinated team. Anyway, I assisted with a test session yesterday morning and then we, my long suffering wyfe and myself set out for the ATV lot above Pine Grove Furnace in Michaux State Forest. I pulled the car into the lot and saw a mini van sitting near where I usually park with a familiar person sitting behind it. W3AND, Andrew, was there working on rounding out his activation. He was using FT8 and was only needing a couple contacts, He invited me to park next to him and get set up. Since I was working SSB, there would be no interference issues. I got set up and he finished with 13 contacts. We spoke for a couple minutes and he departed. I started calling CQ on 40M and made 10 contacts within 32 minutes. I switched antennae and worked 7 more on 20M for a total of 17 in less than an hour. We called that a success and went on to other things. Today, June 9th, we set out for breakfast at the Newville Diner (notice a re-occurring theme here?) and drove to Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park US-1336. It has been years since I have set foot in this park, decades actually. It is a very beautiful little park. It was my first time activating here and I had good results. In less than an hour we logged 19 stations, mostly on 40M but some on 17M. I am really impressed with the results we are having with the “Hamstick” style antennae. A friendly Park Ranger stopped by and said hello. We also spent a bit of time wandering around and exploring the park. My wyfe uses an app on her phone to identify bird songs and she “heard” American Robins, Red-Eyed Vireos and Acadian Flycatchers. All in all it was a good time. Namaste until next time, kiddos.