Some women enjoy weeding their flower beds and poking around in their vegetable gardens. I prefer digging for treasure. I reap more reward from pulling a two-hundred-year-old coin from the ground than I do a carrot. Don't get me wrong, carrots are tasty and all... but can you display them in a shadow box and brag to all your facebook friends? Well... I guess that depends on your facebook friends. If I started posting carrots in the metal detecting groups, I might lose a few of those friends. I guess through writing my blog and sharing my perspective, I've sort of been launched into the spotlight....

This is not my typical post. This is a compilation of tips and tricks I've learned about metal detecting... with a lot of help from my readers and my detecting family along the way. My goal in writing this post is to hep beginners and perhaps teach others a thing or two as well. - The Right Machine -  The right machine is important. Whether you're just starting out or looking to upgrade, you need a metal detector with the right features. I purchased my first (ACE 250)... and second (AT Pro) metal detector through Robert Wyatt at Quality Metal Detectors. Robert goes above and beyond. I encourage...

This weekend was epic--my husband hates when I use that word, but I would be robbing the experience if I used any lesser word. Allow me to begin with the story of Daniel Kaufman. Mr. Kaufman was an abolitionist icon--if you will--and those who supported slavery attempted to make an example of him in order to deter others from helping slaves find freedom. If your happen to drive through the quaint town of Boiling Springs, you will see a large brick home with a historical marker. The marker reads: "Daniel Kaufman: An Underground Railroad agent from 1835 to 1847, when he was sued by a Maryland...

Last week, I upgraded from my charming Garrett Ace 250 to the powerful AT Pro. He arrived last Thursday--tucked snuggly in his box with all his accessories--and spent his first couple days sitting on the granite counter-top mocking me. I fought the urge to take him out for a swing, but at the same time... I knew there was no one to watch the kids this weekend and I would only be setting myself up for disappointment. If I so much as peeked at him, there was no way I could restrain myself. I considered taking both kids with me--1.5 year old and a 4 year old--but figured that might be pressing...

Believe it our not, but I am a girly girl. I freak out at the sight of bugs, I hate dirt under my nails, and I never leave the house without slathering on my makeup and teasing my hair like it was still 1965. Admittedly, I'm not your typical metal detecting hobbyist but I'm slowly learning to navigate this hobby--with a little feminine flare I might add. As you could probably imagine, being a woman in this hobby does have its advantages... but is certainly not without its disadvantages. This morning I posed a question in Women Diggers--a female diggers group on Facebook. I asked the ladies...

I may have jumped the gun a little on Spring. The forecast is calling for another coating of snow on Friday--and I use the term 'coating' in the hopes that the suggestion will manifest and we'll only see a coating of the white stuff. Fortunately, Saturday is expected to bring temperatures in the sixties... so maybe I'll still be able to hit my permissions by Sunday. My chosen topic for this post is Respecting the Fellow Digger--something that has really been weighing on me recently. As you know, I write a lot about respecting and appreciating the property owners who grant us permission, but I've...

A few weeks ago, I wrote a story about how I obtained permission for a house that was instrumental in leading over a thousand slaves to their freedom--The Wright House. This weekend, I had the opportunity to stand beside that very pile of rubble and contemplate everything that the home had stood for. I must admit, the whole experience was a bit surreal. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PinFhc1dorA I think that everyone has a different motive for digging and--as I've mentioned before--my motive is to recover that buried shred of history that can connect me to the past. Before I bought my metal...

As I left my house this morning--without my winter coat--I couldn't help but delight in the sound of birds singing in the trees. The snow is finally melting. The sun is finally shining. Spring is here, my friends. Spring is FINALLY here. One of the greatest signs of the changing season--in a my opinion, anyway--is to see people emerging from their homes. Everyone is so eager to finally shake those winter blues and taste the fresh air--this is the perfect opportunity for hobbyists to seek permissions without knocking on doors and catching people at an inopportune time. I witnessed this...

Spring is almost here! I wrote a post recently about my upcoming permissions and how they are the only way I have kept sane this winter. Join me at the seventeen hundreds mill for a preview of what you have to look forward to: Make sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel for future videos.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1CuU2pAnng

I've got the winter blues. Officially. I'm staring out my window as more white stuff falls from the sky. Granted, Pennsylvania winters are mild compared to what I was used to in New England--I guess we could be getting three feet instead of a mere six inches... but I'm bitter just the same. I had grand aspirations for this week. I wanted to get out there and hit my permissions. It's supposed to be March, after all. The earth is supposed to be thawing but between the snow and freezing rain this week, I've been a complete wreck of a shut-in--with my five dogs and two kids. I guess it could be worse......