I am at the local hole-in-the-wall testing a theory on permissions. I was kind of hoping that if I struck up a conversation about metal detecting that it would blossom into this epic discussion and earn me some permissions. Not so much. I am sitting at an empty bar with my laptop writing this post. My chosen topic of the day is 'mentors in metal detecting'. I can not stress my appreciation for my mentors. Everything I've learned and written about here in my blog has been courtesy of my mentors. A lot of people are under the impression that this is an independent and antisocial hobby....

I love old homes. I love everything about them. I love the stone-work, the wood-work, the brick-work, the shutters, the doors, the door-knobs, the windows, the window-panes, the fancy molding, the spindles on the porches. What more can I say? I absolutely love old homes. Not to mention, I have this horrible habit of purchasing architectural elements from old homes. It must be some sort of compulsion, because I just can't help myself. In my garage at this very moment, I have four old doors, three old chandeliers, a handful of glass doorknobs, some swirly-pane windows... As a matter of fact,...

A lot of my permissions are discovered just by driving around. I will pick my son up from daycare and we will set off on our epic adventures. I call them adventures, but really we just drive around on unfamiliar roads looking for places that could produce historical relics. It might sounds silly, but we have a lot of fun. This is actually how I got permission for the 1765 mill property. (Pictured to the Right.) My other permissions are found on the internet. If I have a township that I am focusing on, I will Google "TOWN" history. I read up on what Wikipedia has to say, then I will typically...

I had a horrible day at my real job. So, I checked out and braved the snow... I wish it was worth it. An hour later, I was sitting at the local pub with a plate full of nachos and pint of Miller Lite... two pints of Miller Lite. Someone had suggested on my previous post that the snow sometimes insulates the ground and keeps it from freezing. That was not the case at Pine Grove Furnace today. I headed straight for the beach, thinking that the sand would be loose... I was stabbing at it with my screwdriver for a good five minutes before I gave up. The good news is that I relieved most of my frustration. Then,...

As soon as the snow on the ground begins to thaw, we get hit with another inch or two. I am so ready for this winter to be over--especially seeing as how I just got a lead on a swimming hole. If you read my blog, you know that I am new to the hobby of metal detecting. Not new to the hobby of historical recovery, but new to the hobby of metal detecting. With that being said, I've never had the pleasure of searching a swimming hole. From what I can read on all the metal detecting forums, swimming holes are a big deal. Anyway, this all started when I received a comment on one of my social...

Winter is my enemy. I see others in the hobby posting pictures of themselves in the snow and I'm over here sipping my coffee by the fire thinking... "I need to be more dedicated." Then I remember the four inches of snow on the ground and I get another cup of coffee and retreat to my spot by the fire. My last hunt of the year was in December. I acquired permission from the owner of the local pool (est. 1920s) which was a popular picnicking spot even before the pool. The property includes a section of creek and some old trees. It also borders the Appalachian Trail, which I had no idea when...

My family thinks I'm nuts. After all, I am only twenty-six. When they envision a metal detecting hobbyists, they envision some retiree in his early sixties sweeping the beach for spare change. Perhaps in some past life, I was a sixty-something retiree because the prospect of metal detecting is probably the most exciting idea I've had of late--apart from putting my kids in daycare for two more days a week. That was pretty revolutionary. I have been labeled an old soul by strangers, friends, and family.What can I say? I like old stuff. My family playfully suggests that my house is more like...