PDA

View Full Version : Water-witching . . . such fun.



zoesmom
05-21-2010, 05:03 PM
Just water-witched my new backyard . . . to find out where the septic tank/fields are . . . so that we can sink our propane tank . . . and thus get some fencing up soon . . . and thus put me that much closer to adopting a new furbaby or two. Pretty cool. The witching actually worked. Have some sweet doggies bookmarked from petfinder and am getting impatient for some new companionship. I don't know why I ever imagined I could live without at least one dog in my life (if you remember that discussion we had a couple years ago about our age and dogs) :) But still, missing my Zo immensely. Sometimes, it just hits me out of the blue - like a ton of bricks - and a memory flashes into my consciousness. If only I could roll back the hands of time and just spend one or two more special days with her. Of course, then I'd wish for one or two more and on and on. Sue

BestBuddy
05-21-2010, 06:57 PM
The water-witching sounds interesting.

I know what you mean about just one more day, then we'd want another and another.;)

I like the sound of fencing for a new four legged family member.:D

I am one who could never be without a dog....wish I could keep them all forever but that is not the way of the world.

Jenny

zoesmom
05-21-2010, 07:22 PM
Well, Jenny, we're actually out in the boonies, on the edge of a 30,000 acre nature conservancy area. Real woodsy and hilly, with 3 rivers and even a lake nearby. It's a resort-type area called Coosawattee River Resort - with many year round residents but also with lots of second/vacation homes. So the population, I'm sure, will go up in the summer. Coosawattee is really a pretty area - not quite in the GA mountains, but in the foothills. We're about equal distance between Atlanta and Chattanooga. And the town - Ellijay - is Georgia's apple capital, so it will be nice around here in the fall during the apple harvest. On a clear day, we can see panoramas of the north GA, Carolina mountains from a lot of the roads around Ellijay. Lots of deer and bear and who knows what else in the area. A herd of deer come foraging thru the back of our property almost every evening - 7 or 8 of them. That's another reason for a fence, I guess, since Dave wants to garden (been there, done that myself, so now it's his turn!)

But our new house also sits close to one of the main roads running thru our neighborhood and it carries a lot of traffic (well, not alot except by rural neighborhood standards.) So we had already planned to fence in the whole back and side yard for Zoe. Now it will be for some other furbaby, I guess. Am so missing my Zoe walks tho and so will probably head down by the river to hike with my new furry friends, once I get them. Also, there's a nice dog park about a mile from the house, right alongside the river. Sue

PS-Here's a link with 39 pictures from our general area - posted by visitors. Scroll down and click on "Photos" on the left to see them all. (ignore the first couple pics and the older people. I have no idea who they are, other than the ones who posted the pics.) Looks like the CRRA website has has recently switched to videos and doesn't have that many good pictures:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g34929-d645566-Reviews-Coosawattee_River_Resort-Ellijay_Georgia.html.

Harley PoMMom
05-21-2010, 08:38 PM
What was the water-witching done with...wood or rods? If wood, what kind? Did yous do it yourselves? I always found water-witching so fascinating!

Oh Sue, where you live sounds beautiful. I have a small deer herd here too but no bears...thankfully!

Yep, I agree with Jenny:



I like the sound of fencing for a new four legged family member.:D

Jenny

With much love and big hugs,
Lori

BestBuddy
05-21-2010, 09:39 PM
Oh Sue,

I just googled your area and it looks so nice. So nice to watch the deer but not so great for the garden I suppose. All things in their own time...settle in and get that fence and see what you can put in it.:D

Jenny

zoesmom
05-21-2010, 11:14 PM
Jenny,
No . . . deer not good for gardens@! But fun to watch. Sometimes, they stop and stare back at me. Will probably drive a good dog crazy NUTS!

Lori,
I did some quick research and saw that fruit trees, willows and witchhazel are the best branches for dowsing. In fact, my gr-grandfather used to witch wells with peach tree branches and then he'd dig the wells for his customers, blasting thru the rock with dynamite and cutting thru the earth with horse-drawn augers (back in the 1800's in central IL). That's when he was also teaching at country schools and farming. :eek: But I digress. .. .

We don't have any of those kinds of trees - just lots of pines and hardwoods. So I decided to try some coat hangars after watching an online video of an English guy using those. Took two, removed the cardboard, unwound the top and then bent them into a right angle (very imperfect with several kinks still in them, in fact) and just held them loosely in my hands. They should cross, directly in front of you, when you are over water. We only had a rough idea of where the septic field was. So I started walking perpendicular across where I thought the lines were, and sure enough, they moved. They crossed as I passed over the first line and then uncrossed as I kept walking.. Kept going and they crossed again as I walked over the second line. We knew there were two long fields or lines. So then I turned and walked down one of the supposed lines, to see how long it was and they stayed crossed until I got near a tree stump - which is probably where they end. Going to try and divine the actual tank itself tomorrow. Sue

Harley PoMMom
05-21-2010, 11:54 PM
OMGosh!!! You know women usually do not possess this very special gift/skill!!! YOU, my dear Sue, are one very, very, special Dowser! ;):D

That is so cool that your great-grandfather used to witch wells.

I tried it many times...I don't have the gift/skill. :(

Love and hugs,
Lori

zoesmom
05-22-2010, 12:11 AM
Hmmmm- I just kind of assumed that I could do it - or that anybody could do it, for that matter. I do know a lot of people don't believe in it. But I never heard the thing about 'men only'.

Gosh . . . maybe I'm really "A Boy Named Sue." :):p;):):D:rolleyes::eek: Sue

mytil
05-22-2010, 06:30 AM
Wow, what a beautiful place to live Sue; especially in the fall and winter (non-tourist season). ;)

Now, I think also this coat hanger technique is used to find spirits too. In my travels, came across an inn keeper who showed me the ghosts in his inn that way -- even let me find them. (good thing he did this as we were checking out or else hubby would not have stayed) :)

Great story too about your gr-grandfather...and we all think we work hard?

Terry

Dollydog
05-22-2010, 09:34 AM
Hi Sue,
Your new place sounds like an awesome spot to live! I remember that discussion about having another dog.....how did we ever think we could manage without one? One month without a dog and I knew that I couldn't do it ;) :p

My father-in-law had the gift of finding water for people on their land and I can't remember if anyone else in the family has that gift. I think he used an apple branch but will ask my husband when he gets home from golfing. When he first told me (a city girl) about it I thought it was the most amazing gift....we all need water!

Can hardly wait to hear who comes to play in your fenced area and walk down by the river with you! Will have to post this weekend about who has come to live at our house!!
Jo-Ann

zoesmom
05-22-2010, 12:33 PM
Terry - I did come across some of those websites, telling how it is used for finding various other "things." :eek:

Jo-Ann - Can't wait to hear more about your new addition! Don't keep us in suspense too much longer, okay? :D

Will upload a couple pics of our new house in my albums here (later, when I get upstairs to my home pc.) I didn't know how long it would be before the 'call' hit me. I feel like I'm there now. Ready for another, but just wanting to get that fence up first. You can't walk on the roads here (too narrow and twisty-turny and dark, dark at night.) So that means any future furry friends will have to go out in the yard at night to go potty. And that means we need a fence first. Dave's coming home in a week for a week, so hope to get that fence thing going then. Hopefully, it'll go up sometime in June. And then the serious search can begin. Will probably start with two new buddies, but have a feeling I may end up with 3 or even 4. It's so nice to have some space to spread out - unlike in CA where land was so limited.

labblab
05-22-2010, 01:00 PM
Oh Sue, I'm so jealous of you being up there near the mountains! I'm so tired of being trapped in the burbs with all the TRAFFIC and congestion...:(

If you're ever headed down GA400 and want to grab a bite and gab, let me know. :)

I'm totally intrigued by the water-witching. I had no earthly idea that it actually works. :eek:

And I'm also totally intrigued by Jo-Ann's "hint" and also thrilled by the liklihood that you'll soon be a fur-mom once again. ;) ;)

Marianne

zoesmom
05-22-2010, 05:44 PM
If you're ever headed down GA400 and want to grab a bite and gab, let me know. :)
Will do! Would love to meet Peg and Luna sometime.


I'm totally intrigued by the water-witching. I had no earthly idea that it actually works. :eek:

It did work - at least for me. Gonna make Dave try it when he gets here and see if it works for him!


And I'm also totally intrigued by Jo-Ann's "hint" and also thrilled by the liklihood that you'll soon be a fur-mom once again. ;) ;)

I know . . . Jo-Ann's been hinting now for awhile. Can't wait to hear more. I've bookmarked quite a few adoptable dogs in north GA. Several are from Angels Among Us rescue there in Alpharetta (Naomi, Dodger, Ellie May, and Bella, among others.) Are you familiar with that group at all? We actually have 3 local rescue groups right here in Ellijay. Also, do you know of or have you heard anything about the Lab Rescue group in Cumming? Anyway, maybe I can use you for one my references on future adoption applications? Sue

labblab
05-22-2010, 06:47 PM
I hang my head in total shame that I have not been involved in, nor am I knowledgeable about the local rescue groups. Maybe that's something that can change now that you're here to encourage me. :o

And NATCH!!!!!!!!!! No question but that you can use me as a reference. ;) :) :)

Marianne

Dollydog
05-23-2010, 09:26 AM
Hi Sue,
My husband, Bob, has the gift of water-witching....he's inherited that gift from his dad.
Now I'm off to post all about the "hint"....it's been quite a journey. :D
Jo-Ann