Early morning wildlife spotting from the deck of our home. I've got the two essential tools in hand, binoculars and coffee!
While searching Airbnb for a location close to Ben we spotted Kennerdell. Kennerdell is a little off the beaten path. Which given these crazy times is just the way we like it. To get to this small, very serene, unincorporated riverfront village located in Venango County you'll probably need a GPS or a real good sense of direction. If you do find it, you'll be really glad that you did. It's definitely a slice of paradise along the Allegheny River.
Geese coming in for a landing. In addition to geese we've also spotted deer, a river otter, rabbits and numerous birds.
According to information I've read about the history of the area it was a trade stop along the Allegheny River prior to the War of 1812. Barges loaded with wool, coal, timber as well as produce from local farms were shipped down the river to Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh). In 1853 Richard Kennerdell purchased a wool mill located along one of the tributaries of the Allegheny. By 1865 the area which would later become Kennerdell not only had a mill but also a blacksmith shop, sawmill, gristmill, church, school and general store. The mill closed following Kennerdell's death in 1873, however he and his families legacy continues to live on today in this remote area of Western Pennsylvania.
The Kennerdell Overlook
For the next four weeks we'll be calling Kennerdell home. We're staying at a place overlooking the clear, easy flowing water of the Allegheny as it makes it's 325 mile journey towards Pittsburgh. There it will join the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River which flows into the Mississippi River and on to the Gulf of Mexico. In this neck of the woods the river twists and turns along the route. It's overall flow is in a Southwesterly direction, although in front of where we are staying the flow is northward.
While here, there will be plenty of hiking on the extensive trail system, exploring the area, my daily whipping at Scrabble, frequent visits with Ben and plenty of sitting quietly and watching the river go by. For some people, this laidback lifestyle would make their head explode. For us, we've mastered the fine art of nothingness. In Kennerdell we're looking forward to further perfecting this skill.
..........instead we saw this. Not much rain up here at this time of year!
