Storm Update with pictures

After last night, winds have picked up...items from the northern shore of the Albemarle have made it down to our side...I am considering starting a "Lost and Found" for this storm...on the list now:

22' section of pier
"I'm Retired, so leave me alone" trucker hat.
Expired Cormorant
Two pink beach balls
Numerous crab pot buoys, two are 10 feet up in the trees

Never have I been so impressed by nature's fury. Those that question the importance of wetlands, I invite you to come down and enjoy the view and work that our on-site wetlands are doing...they are quite a sponge! The normal shoreline has extended up to 200 yards in some places. Local farmers have said that this is the most water they have EVER SEEN!

Here are some pictures of our pier and wetlands...

The picture below is on a "Good Day"


















You can see the over wash through the runners on the pier...
















Here's a little furious wave action...
















You can see where there was some pier...





















And here's where the pier ended up...

















Some wetland overwash...people should really pick up before a storm!

































This is what was in Hertford, now in Bulls Bay...





















The waters have finally receded from the top of our Interpretive Boardwalk

















This will be a storm that is talked about for quite some time....and now it's Ida, not Lee Scripture who will determine our tasks for some time now. The cleanup will begin as soon as the "mess-up" concludes.

"Walking sideways"

The last 48 hours here have entailed an impressive show of weather...and "Ida" just sounds like a wimpy name...on my excursions yesterday, I found wyself fording "road rivers". Some of the places around here, like Cross Landing and Deep Creek, are so deep in water, that crossing these roads should only be done with extreme care. I have been in coastal North Carolina for 3.5 years, and had yet to see a true storm. We have had some odd snows, some blowing nor'easters, but nothing like this. Field are underwater, ditches are full of water and cars, and some houses look like islands.

I have discovered that walking sideways is the best way to stay perfectly upright in these types of storms. Yesterday morning, the electricity went out, but returned around 2:00 pm. It is certain to go out today. The gusts are up to around 50, but a steady gust hangs in there at 25 miles an hour. My cup of coffee is currntly whitecapping, just like the toilets in the bathroom. We have sustained no damage, but some of the trees have finally buckled. A storm like this gets rid of those dead and dying trees, and creates new habitat on the ground for rabbits, squirrels, quail, and snakes.

Hopefully it will not destroy any human habitat, though some "beach boxes" have washed into the ocean. The storm should break tomorrow. This storm put a damper on all of those bear hunts that many of friends had planned on doing, too. I am not sure what these does for tomorrow's waterfowl opener, but water never hurt a duck. Every piece of land is wet or under water. Ducks should be everywhere, but howling winds, especially those coming from the north can only inspire waterfowl to draft on these winds and head towards calmer waters. Boaters on the southsides of Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds should be VERY CAUTIOUS. If I go, it will be because the water is off the roads, but that doesn't look like it's gonna happen. I do not want my boat to float of the trailer while its on the highway.

Nevertheless, stay inside if you can and Enjoy the day...

Showcasing Johnny Spencer's Shooting Skills

It's mid-November, which means that the leaves have fallen, turkeys are sweating, and Johnny Spencer hosts his annual EWWN meeting...they have a little oyster roast and then the group strolls over to shoot skeet at our 5-Stand. Normally, a group that comes here to shoot isn't overly-noteworthy. What makes Johnny so noteworthy is his ability to show up, talk about his shooting prowess, and find lots of empty air with "Ol' Betsy"...

I have gone afield with Johnny, and find him to be a "fair-to0-middlin" marksman, in fact, he's pretty good. He also claims to be the best Swan Caller on the peninsula, but that's another story. Today, Johnny will have the opportunity to revisit his fate on the dreaded, difficult, and demanding 5-Stand. The 5-Stand is a flurry of clay action, with targets being thrown from machines in all directions...shooters get 5 clays from 5 locations, for a total of 25 total targets...A score of 20 is good. A score of 15 is generally what my personal tally adds up, unfortunately. Yesterday I shot an 18...Nevertheless, Johnny will be able to face his Water Works foes, tournament-style. Good Luck, and thrower number 5 is moving at about 65 miles per hour!

Tonight, the Program Staff and I will visit Plymouth for the first annual "Goodbye You Crazy Hippies, Let's Eat Some Greasy Pizza" celebration. This season's staff looked strangely similar to the Spring Staff. They have done a wonderful job, and proved their versatility by pitching in at virtually every position at the Center, something few can say...So tonight we have decided to go with two different pizzas, one with Stuffed Crust (since I have never had it), sliced tomato and mushrooms...the other pizza will have peppers and ham on it which is TOTALLY GROSS.

Also today, my dad is having his first (and only, I hope) old man surgery...he swears he's getting old, but that's probably long gone...

Tomorrow, Lee and I will journey to Raleighwood, North Carolina to do a display of our Military Programs, which are probably some of the most expansive in the country...when you take into account our Family Camp for Wounded Veterans, our Specialty Camp for dependents with disabilities, and our Operation Purple Camps (for kids whose parents are deployed), it totals up to an impressive reach of campers...

I have to wear a suit...

Enjoy the day...

Yankees Win...

The New York Yankees won another World Series las tnight...that makes 27 for the franchise's history. I haven't even lived 27 years. According to the locals here, Yankees can be found everywhere. They talk funny...apparently, but so do I and I am not a Yankee, thank goodness I think.

The Tyrrell County Ducks Unlimited Banquet is fast approaching. Tickets can be purchased at the door if you really can't make up your mind just yet. But here are some reasons to go ahead and buy a ticket (or two).

You love waterfowl.
You love the smell of the swamp, no matter how bad it smells.
You love to see waterfowl in those swamps, no matter how early, cold, and/or wet it maybe.
You would love to have your lineage enjoy the same sights and smells of the swamp.

Over 90% of Ducks Unlimited's funds pour directly into wetland conservation - and in some cases - restoration. The Atlantic Flyway, once a storied locale for migrating waterfowl, is now only the "cradle" of waterfowling. It's where it began, and where it could end first. Draining lands for development has eliminated millions of acres for staging, wintering, migrating, and resident waterfowl. If ducks don't have any places to land, they'll just go to anothr flyway - until it dries up, too.

Another good way to save waterfowling is through the procurement of a Duck Stamp. Not only do over 98% of Migratory Waterfowl Stamp funds go directly into land purchases, they also make great collectors items and works of art. I buy two every year, one to use and lose, and another to use and save. This year, the Longtailed Duck is the centerpiece of the Duck Stamp. All huntable waterfowl species have now been used on the cover of the Duck Stamp. A dog even served as the "model" for one Duck Stamp back in the 1950's. And yes, their have also been "fake" ducks to serve as the "model"...this year's stamp has a live Longatiled Duck sitting with a wooden decoy.

Since the Stamp Program began, over 1.5 million stamps have been purchased in North Carolina. Waterfowl Hunters musy but these stamps to legally hunt. Hunters should buy 2 a year if they want to hunt years from now...the Duck Stamp's prices have not adjusted to the skyrocketing land values...

"Birders" - or birdwatchers - also buy some stamps. The $15 dollar price tag is well worth it. Some money raised from Duck Stamp purchases have directly benefited North Carolina habitats.

Currituck NWR, Cedar Island NWR, Great Dismal Swamp NWR, Mackay Island NWR, Mattamuskeet NWR, Pea Island NWR, Pocosin Lakes NWR, Roanoke NWR, and Swanquarter NWR are all regional National Wildlife Refuges that were funded partly with Duck Stamp funds. These are great places for birders to enjoy, usually for FREE. Hunters can also take part in some regulated hunting opportunities at some of these locations.

Ducks Unlimited dollars are used to supplement these wonderful habitats with conservation plans and tools. Pumps, food crops, and other things are funded partly through Ducks Unlimited. The J. Morgan Fuch Waterfowl Impoundment is a Ducks Unlimited Project. It is also the best place for a waterfowler to spot pintails, mallards, teal, and swans if drawn for coveted permit.

Everyone should buy atleast one Duck Stamp in their lifetime...their addicting to collect. Duck Stamps are not only a great collector's investment, but also an investment in protecting our marshes, waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors...

Enjoy the Day...

The Clouds have lifted...

And then there was sunshine....After a weekend and Monday full of mist and cool temps, the sky has broken and the sun has passed through. The seasonal temps will be around for quite some time, too. Tyrrell County is beautiful this time of year...The cypress trees have shed their feathery leaves, the poplars and swamp maples are ablaze in orange, red, and yellows, and the wildlife is on the move. The North Carolina Eastern Whitetail Deer season is in full force, and hunters are everywhere - and so are the deer. The Eastern Bear Season is just a few days a way - I hope those that enjoy chasing the bruins get their fill - bear hunting is not for me. But I like that bears are hunted - as it is a great management tool. Our black bear population is one of the densest in the world. The bears are also very healthy, as the weaker bears are generally the ones that are harvested by hunters.

The Eastern Bear Season runs from November 9-14 and December 14-26. Only about three weeks - but that is plenty of time for hunters to find a bear and harvest the animal...they also have time to cook it, which, to me, is a fabulous idea. Bear meat, when cooked properly is very good. Often, it has to be boiled (and that STINKS), but that makes it more tender and less gamy. Folks from all over the country come tou our neck of the woods for a crack at a truly massive bruin. Bears range from 80-800 pounds, but the normal bear is about 200. Of all the bears my buddies have taken, they have all been between 400-600 lbs. MASSIVE! The North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission intensively manages for bears, and harvest records are kept. You can read reports on bears at their website (link here).

There are some important things to know about black bears before you go fearin' 'em. Learn these facts, quiz your buddy (or your enemy), and then call them dumb when they miss all of the questions!

1) A Female bear is called a SOW.
2) The world's heaviest wild bear ever harvested was taken in CRAVEN COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA.
3) Black Bears are only black...FALSE, THEY COME IN BLONDE, CINNAMON, BROWN, AND BLACK WITH A WHITE CHEST BLAZE.
4) Bears once lived in every state except HAWAII.
5) Bears can sprint at 35 MPH.

Now - here is a good bear recipe...

Two 3 pound rocks
1 old rope
large boiler
Ten Pounds of Bear meat

Fill boiler half way, bring to boil.
Place rope, rocks, and meat in boiling water, reduce heat and cover.
Cook for 2 weeks.
Throw out bear meat, enjoy ropes and rocks with cocktail sauce.

Just kidding, but that's an old joke about bear...here's a legitimate recipe that I like:
Three pounds of ground bear meat
Three cans of Fench Onion Soup
Three eggs
1.5 Cups of Oatmeal
One 10 can of mushrooms
Quarter cp of Ketchup
A little (or a lot) garlic powder
Black Pepper to taste

Just mix it all together and cook at 350 for about 2.5 hours...you can also use swan or snow goose in this recipe!

Enjoy the feast...

Community Fun day....

Community Fun Day has come and gone...turnout was good, but could have had more if it weren't for Halloween...But there were lots of new faces here to enjoy the facility.

All of the staff embers did an excellent job at their activities...Archery was very popular, so props to AJ for doing such a good job. The Climbing Wall was also very popular. Crafts was run by our very own Sara Biggs, but she partnered with Marsha Cady - Troop Leader and HGSIC of Girl Scouts Colonial Coast Manteo.

The hot dog cookout was pretty amazing, but topping that was the homemade ice cream...There were enough leftovers for the staff to enjoy an impromptu ice cream party at the Staff House afterwards.

Concurrent to Community Fun Day, Auburn played a football game against Ole Miss. The Auburn team elected to show up and compete for the first time in abot a month - and pulled out an impressive victory over Ole Miss. Auburn even scored more points against Ole Miss than in-state rival Alabama...so Bama needs to be ready...

The weather has turned sour, too. In the twelve hours after 3:00 pm on saturday there was a 30 degree drop in temperature...so the good weather held out for Fun Day, but arrived just in time to push migrating waterfowl into our neighborhood. Swans are definietly on the move, especially around Northampton, Hertford, and Bertie Counties...another good north west wind will push 'em on down our way.

This week will be quiet around the Center...this weekend we are hosting a large Christian Men's Retreat. November is traditionally a slow month, but it gives us the chance to catch our breath and prepare for all of the upcoming Holiday parties...

Enjoy the day...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN...BOOOOOO

TOmorrow is the big day....a big pagan holiday, but not only for pagans - kids, too...and some childish adults.

These are some rules for trick or treating that mush be adhered to if you want me to be your friend on Sunday morning...

1) Only trick or treater's under 10 years of age are allowable.
2) Just a mask is not a costume...show some effort, and don't hide your face...
3) Do not toilet paper my yard...it is a great waste - unless you are my mom, who recovers the toilet paper and USES IT!! That is the truth....
4) Do not eat candy without letting your parents inspect it (but don't let them pick out their favorites)...
5) Do not dress up as a food item. I detest these costumes...dress scary, or scarier than regular days.
6) Always carry a flashlight and walk with your parents or another responsible adult that your parents approve of...
7) Eggs are breakfast food, not Halloween tricks.
8) Ignore the Purple Man
9) Stay out of graveyards
10) Save some candy for me!

Halloween is supposed to be a scary holiday...I am particularly scared of the night between the hours of 11:30 pm-1:30 am and from 2:45-3:30...outside of those hours I am totally OK. Not sure why, but 3:00 am is just plain freaky.

I continued my tradition of dressing up as a fellow staff member for Halloween today...here's the historical facts of my costume...
2007- I dressed as Becky Ingalls
2008 - I dressed as Terri the Housekeeper - I wore Lime green cutoff "Daisy Dukes", a blood drive t-shirt, and white tennis shoes, and walked around saying things like "HOIDE CAINTY", "CHURL CAINTY", and "BAIT TOIME."
2009 - Today I fashioned myself as Charles Midgette...I cut my flowing beard into a goatee, wore some glasses, combed my hair, tight blue jeans, staff hoodie, and carabiner with 100 keys attached. He will strangle before the day is over.

I never dress up as anything else other than staff members..and it helps that they are are very scary. Lee always dresses up as a pirate, and on Halloween he dresses up as a cowboy....but he may not even know that it is Halloween.

Last night, me, Joe, Stephanie, and Sara went to Trick or Treat Under the Sea at the aquarium at Roanoke Island...We had an awesome time showing the costumed kiddies "fish" for goldfish crackers...the kids enjoyed it as much as we did, I'm sure...

Tomorrow is Community Fun Day...please come out and see us...activities are from 10-3...lunch is served, too.

Enjoy the day!

Advisory Boards Meeting Today

The Big Wigs will be intoday...albeit none of them where a wigm and none of them are big, either. Not sure what;s on the docket, but I am sure we will discuss Community Fun Day, our new recreation hall, maybe a bit about summer camp, and probably Dock of the Bay.

Yes, this means I wore a shirt with a collar and buttons.

Yesterday, after work, I spent some time in the deer stand (actually sitting in a shallow ditch in the middle of a beanfield). Deer were ready to move yesterday, especially since the rain and wind ceased for a bit. I saw 8 deer, most of them does and yearlings. Watching deer is a lot of fun...if they don't know you are there - because if they know you are there, they will leave. But if they don't know your watching, well just think of what you do when you think nobody is watching...like scratching.

This morning, the atmosphere was totally steamy and the temperature was a blistering 75 degrees. For the record, that's to durn hot form the last week of October. According to the weathermen and weatherwomen, the winter forescast calls for colder than average in lieu of El Nino, or as I like to call it, El Neeno. I love a cold winter...winter is a season of attrition, but of rebirth. Leaves, mosquitoes, and songbirds dissapear with the natural promise to return, and usually i droves.

According to "Thirtyfoot Terri", the swan migration is finally on...she had 3 swans in her field yesterday. Swans are fun to watch because they are the size of those tiny kit planes that beginner pilots like to build...swans will devastate a wheat field, though...if you google "swan migration" you can find a website that lets you track individual swans on their migration from tundral Alaska all the way to places like Kilkenny, Engelhard, Roper, and Pantego. Swans must love country livin' because those places are certainly in the country, if not past it a little bit.

DO NOT FORGET about Community Fun Day on the 31st...think summer camp mixed with weenie roast, but with parents...it'll be fun!

Enjoy the day...

Certifiable, Community Fun Day

As I mentioned last week, The Eastern 4-H Center hosted the 2009 Fall Shooting Sports Training...of which I and Casper (we're both Nationally certified instructors - along with Lee) successfully graduated out first group of volunteers. We had an incredible time with archery...and it was good to see volunteers wanting certifications from the EASTERN part of North Carolina, so that they can effectively run and manage their clubs.

The weather has been a little poor around here...humidity is through the rough and temperatures are in the annoying range - to warm for a jacket, but too cold for only a short sleeve shirt.

This weekend will be our 3rd annual Community Fun Day! We have loads of activities including Rock Climbing, Archery, Horseshoes, Volleyball, Putt-Putt, and Arts and Crafts...we also have games for the tiny children and the parents - Bingo!

Community Fun Day is a tricky event for me...I have to bring in staff that are trained by me (or Lee)...most of the staff are away to college to get more knowledge. Alas, many love and adore me, so they return to volunteer. They really love meeting the locals...

The weekend will be awesome - we'll also have ice cream, a weenie roast, good weather, and fall foliage, which - by the way - is the best I have ever seen it down here on the coast...Oh yeah - the whole thing won't cost you a dime to attend...but children must be accompanied by an adult...and no pets...

Most of the Center staff will be here, too - so it is a good chance to put a face with a name of the folks I like to blog about.

The Tyrrell County DU Banquet is coming soon, too - it's the weekend after this...there are only two more days to buy tickets, though - and I have some. Tickets are $40 for a single or $55 for a couple. There will be loads of auction items...and you'll probably hear the patrons talking about our Camp Canvasback program. You should only support Ducks Unlimited if you enjoy hearing geese and swans honking in the sky every autumn or enjoy seeing migratory waterfowl like ducks at Lake Mattamuskeet. Ducks Unlimited funds go to purchase conservation lands that protect not only waterfowl, but shorebirds, eagles, and alligators - as well as the wetlands, migration routes, and wintering areas (about 1/2 of the Atlantic Flyway's waterfowl winter in north Carolina) the need to survive.

Enjoy the day...

Marie's Final Days

As I have metntioned on this blog before, program staff are a very unique brand of human. While upright in stature, like other humans, virtually everything else is different.

One of our own will be joining, what some program staff would call, the corporate world. While Marie never set out to be a camp staffer, she turned out to be pretty decent. Not only was she eager to learn about challenge course, she is also good at writing lesson plans, teaching, and even Food Service. Marie has many talents, and she is taking them with her, away from the Eastern 4-H Center, and to Fayetteville, NC to become a teacher. She is all grown up now.

We have enjoyed teasing her about the name of her apartment...it's whispering pine cove valley or peaceful lake creek or something stupid that is conjured up by some real estate developer who believes that you can name a place and then it becomes its name...

If that were the case, the Eastern 4-H Center would be called "Bay Shore Farms" or "Albemarle Pocosin"...and for those who have spent a summer here, it might be called "Valley of the Yellow Fly".

Anyway, Marie is going to be a "Panther" at her new school. The rest of us wish her well as she departs.

Last night Program Joe prepared Pumpkin Chilli (which tasted like regular chilli) and Pumpkin Mousse (for which I would walk a hundred miles to eat again). Good stuff Joey!

This weekend, The Eastern 4-H Center is hosting the 2009 4-H Shooting Sports Workshop...We have a lot of folks signed up and I am sure it will be fun!

Enjoy the day...

Food Service Lifestyle

Lately, I, along with Charles and Lee, have spent extended time in the kitchen, in the absence of a Food Service Supervisor. Charles supervises the Elderly Nutrition Program, I supervise general food service, and Lee screams at the Charles and I. Nevertheless, it is a part of our Center that I have always wanted to learn more about, and lately, have done so.

A commercial kitchen is made up of food, stainless steel, and heating elements. I am a fan of all of these things, especially in unison. I am a sucker for efficiency, and prefer not to waste food, time, or energy. Scheduling the cooks and servers is no big deal - I schedule a staff of 35 throughout our summer camp program, so I can keep up a schedule for 8 kitchen staff, at least I have so far. The biggest challenge is to ensure to customers that our food is hot, tasty, and nutritional - and to prevent any and all food waste. Our general rule is to prepare enough per guest, plus 10% - this is in the event of burning or any other food prep disaster. Well, I also learned that burning food can ruin a pot or pan and must be cleaned, then you have to have soap, or at least order some soap to clean the pot or pan with ...

I have also been able to learn about menu planning. Despite Lee's propensity for self-induced meat poisoning, he does a good job of putting starches, greens, and meats on a plate at the same time in a manner that "goes good together". Unfortunately, my refined tastebuds and whirlwind dining experiences go beyond our tasty soul food offerings, so Lee doesn't like my ideas of boutique pork with yukon mash and wilted arugala. When I tell most folks that I am truly a good cook, they laugh or assume I am talking about "grilling" instead of cooking. Personally, and my friends will tell you, that while I am a good "griller", that I only view the smoker (I make the world's best pork shoulder) and grill (my hamburgers truly taste like Kobe) as tools or methods of delivery. I don't like cooking, I like the food. I don't do spicy, spicy isn't a flavor. Spicy doesn't mean hot either...cinnamon is a spice. I also like preparing stuff for my friends when I know that they don't prefer certain foods - and telling them it is something else, watch them enjoy it, and them tell them the truth.

I really like preparing things that are out of the ordinary...pork loin with sweet potato, pecan and marshmallow stuffing is a favorite. The visual effects of white goo in a savory meat dish send most people running, but you have to keep an open mind...and an open mouth.

Nevertheless, my dishes, known by "normal" folks around here, are called weird. Maybe I'm ahead of my time...

Enjoy the day...

P.S. tonight is Program Joe's night to cook...it is either pumpkin themed, pumkin inspired, or pumpkin flavored, but all three are different.

Enjoy the day (again)...

Fall's First Frost

I woke up this morning, only to find the Eastern 4-H Center shrouded in frost...which means that flowers and other plants will began to die. As macabre as it may sound, it's only the natural process of things. Flowers die with the promise of a return - if it's a perennial, anyway. There are some things you can do to prolong the lives of your garden variety annuals and perennials. Cover them with warm fabric, newspaper, or a tarp. This will keep the dew from settling directly on them and it will prevent the air from freezing the droplets, which is death to many plants.

This morning on the news, a Jacksonville roadside stand reported a Mum Thief. The only person who would steal flowers, is the kind of person who would steal them and give them to his mother, which is double-bad. So if your a mom, and you have been getting Mums everyday for a month, please turn in your son.

Nevertheless, there are still additional things you can do to keep your plants toasty for a few more weeks...

1) When you cover your plants, do so during the day - and use a dark cloth to absorb the heat, and to trap the heat underneath.

2) I have never seen a frost in a hurricane...water can't settle if the wind is blowing, so try putting an electric fan around you plants...if it isn't raining outside.

3) If you have potted plants, the roots are susceptible, too. A frost freezes the cells in the plant, so warm the potted plant with a mink coat. If you don't have a "Mink", use bubble wrap or something less chic.

4) You could just go ahead and pour warm water on your plants...as the water evaporates around the plant, it will keep the air temperature above freezing (right around the plant). However, if the temp is below 25 degrees, you are only murdering your plants.

Since I currently file Single Status on my tax forms, I also have no garden. There are several reasons for this...the plants at the grocery store rarely freeze. This is where I pick my plants. I can also pretend that the produce department at Food Lion is my own private, yet cooperative garden that I share with others, and pay to retrieve my food.

Personally I like a good frost. It begins to eliminate several parasitic insects that live within mammals, especially squirrels. Mosquitoes also fall back quite a bit with the first frost. This winter is expected to be rather brutal which is good for mosquito elimination. Last year's cold winter really bit into the biting fly population, for which my forehead is grateful. Other animals, not including humans, like frost, too. Frost will weigh down seeds, dropping them to the ground. They are much more accessible for ducks, songbirds, and deer. These vegetarians are then fattened for the carnivores of the swamp like the fox, red wolf, and bear.

You can control the world (actually just your garden), with a little research. Frost is natural, and Mother Nature has a plan for everything...and she always wins, too!

Enjoy the day...

Last Week, This Week...and maybe beyond

The mercury in out thermometers is closer to the bottom than the top - and I, for one, welcome the drop in temperatures. Sure it's cold(er), but you can always do something about that...just put on more clothes. If it's hot, well, there's only so much you can do.

The weekend saw a visit from the Albemarle Emmaus group...I did my dities in the kitchen and we did our best to deliver tasty meals to all.

This week, we have the "Quilter's", Morth Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission, and and Advisory Board, with a weekend visit from East Carolina Students and the North Carolina State Shooting Sports Training...of which I will be teaching in...

Over the weekend, I took Callie for a ride through Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge...it was a drive I had never taken - we went from Frying Pan to Lake Phelps...we didn't see any bears, but we did see "evidence" as Callie called it - big, stinky piles of evidence. We also saw a couple of tiny deer, about 50 wood ducks, and -I swear it to be true - an albino Mourning Dove. Nobody will ever believe me, but it was like seeing a bigfoot or a UFO. It happened, whether I wanted it to or not. I almost wish I hadn't seen it, because when I tell folks I saw it, they think I am a lunatic. I maybe a lunatic, but I'm a lunatic that saw a pure white dove...no glare, nothing...WHITE!

The temperatures will elevate throughout the week, slowing the waterfowl migration...good thing - the season isn't in right now...the ducks need to wait for the season...

Also - I should get my vehicle back soon. The collision mechanics are taking their sweet time and I am stuck with a rental not worth buying.

Also - Auburn got beat in football by Kentucky over the weekend...I hate to grip about 20 year old kids, but Auburn's 20 year old kids are more talented, physically fit, and nicer than Kentucky's 20 year old kids. Auburn should have won, and won handily. Next week is LSU - their good, and we had better be - the game is in Baton Rouge, LA - AKA Death Valley AKA "The place where dreams die"...

Enjoy the day...

As the holiday seasons approach, most of us start to get those feelings of wanting to be with family and tradition. In a world were everyone is running around, trying to keep up with a schedule, it can be difficult to plan activities for the entire family or maybe even for the entire classroom. Here are a couple of activities that can be done without much expense or planning at all.

When I was little we would always play kickball at our family get together. Kickball became a familiar tradition that each of us looked forward to even as we became older. In school, teachers could arrange a semester kickball or volleyball tournament for their grade. At my old middle school at the end of each year we would have a volleyball tournament, students against teachers. The school still does this tradition every year and the students love trying to beat their teachers.
State parks, such as Pettigrew State Park are great places for families to explore together. Children would enjoy biking or hiking through the trails that are provided. Camping is a great way for families to form a tradition and become closer. There are several places for picnics as well as fishing or canoeing. When I was about seven or eight my family started canoeing together. We lived close to Merchants Millpond in Gates County, NC and we would pick a Saturday a few times a year and go canoeing for an hour or two in the Millpond. We always had a great time and it gave us a chance to use a familiar resource that was just a few minutes down the road.

These activities are just a small amount of the number of things families can do together. As Halloween approaches, there are many fall festivals, haunted houses, ghost tours, and many more things that children love to go to that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Look for more ideas next week.

Have a great day!

O'er the weekend...

This past weekend was fll of excitement for the crew at the Eastern 4-H Center...a lavish 200-guest wedding, parade, and Scuppernong River Festival kayak clinic kept most of us busy. Also, the first "split" of North Carolina Waterfowl season closed...

It all started Friday night with the Spear/Adams Wedding...with an autumnal theme, the place was decorated really well - probably the best I have ever seen it, but I have a soft spot for burnt orange, cool temperatures, and pumpkins. Props to the wedding party for a great job.

Since part of my duties recently have revovlved around Food Service Personnel supervision, I was able to be around and help cook (yep, with a hair net...) the prime rib, crab cakes, and other less important stuff like beans and rolls. Turned out to be pretty awesome - Marie and Stephanie, part of the program staff, waited tables and did a marvelous job, proving that anyone, especially tiny Stephanie, if possible, can see over the edge of the table to deliver food and drink.

Saturday, Lee, Casper, and I went on a waterfowl hunt at the Lantern Acres Gameland...the impoundment had no water, lots of briars, and some ducks. There were a few million short of a billion mosquitoes in there, though.

After the hunt, we paraded, along with others, down Main Street in Columbia at the Scuppernong River Festival. We passed out candy to Great grandparents, grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren, and yes - great grandchildren. We also pushed our Community Fun Day (October 31st)...hopefully to have a record turnout.

Afterwards, my crew split to the Visitor Center to unload out boat trailer and create a small flotilla of paddlecraft...parking was pretty miserable, so we had quite a walk with the boats, pfd's, and paddles. Nevertheless, a crowd gathered, we taught novices how to paddle and reminded established canoeists about how to remain safe in the windy waters.

Soon enough, I began jockeying back to the 4-H Center to ensure that meal service was underway. On the menu was a beef tenderloin carving station, a mashed potato bar, pork loin, etc., etc. I also peeked in on the Auburn - Arkansas game which was going the way of Arkansas and not the way of me and my Auburn Tigers.

I returned to town for the back half of the kayaking/canoeing clinic, only to require Joseph to hail me a funnel cake...and he came up in the clutch. Jo-Jo brought back the "Caramel Delight" funnel cake...a deep fried tendril of pancake batter, coavered in confectioner's sugar and heavy caramel...we all ate the masterpiece and wore the remnants on our staff shirts...

Eventually we loaded all of the boats back on the trailer...what a gruelling attempt...

I made it back to the Center, just in time to ensure the buffet was enroute. The wedding party and guests gobbled up dinner and hung out for a while...

Everything went really well over the weekend...next weekend we have the Albemarle Women's Emmaus Walk. The action may never yields at the Eastern 4-H Center...

Enjoy the Day...