I'm getting ridiculous on the Top 10's, but its my blog. One of the most politically, socially remote areas of the country actually has a lot to hide from the general public found in the major metro-s of this country. The fact that Eastern NC is inaccessible in all points, except for the beach, make all of these places a little more great...
10) Barbecue...before someone amputates my face for not putting this at Numero Uno please remember that barbecue is only a small percentage of our eastern diet. Nevertheless it is some good stuff! Whole hog barbecue is what dreams are made of...and eastern NC folks can make dreams come true - and lot's do so on the weekends!
9) Backroads - There are few better places in the state that have better backroads than the eastern portions. Mountain backroads are cool, but they are full of slow driving folks. The hairpins scare a lot of folks. Or backroads are built ip in swamps, so you can see plenty of wildlife. And the roads are nice and flat and you can still meet the speed limit.
8) Fresh seafood - beats barbecue hands down! And you pretty much have to eat seafood fresh, otherwise it tastes like it smells and it smells like seafood in Nebraska. Nebraska doesn't have an ocean - not in last 100 million years anyway. While I still haven't caught on to eating a steamed oyster, I can slurp down raw ones by the dozens. In my home state, we get them pretty fresh, too - and my dad imparted up on me a propensity for eating the "sea boogers", as I once heard them called.
7) Small town festivals - based on yesterday's blog, you could probably tell that I enjoy a little festival. The State Fair is fun - fun with 100,000 of your closest friends. Nope, I like mine with 2,000 folks. Lines are shorter, crowds smaller, and parades quirkier. In Eastern NC, there's the Collard Festival, Swamp Festival, River Fest, Edenton Music & Water Festival, and tons more in every tiny dot on our maps. The probability of encountering someone you know is high, as well as meeting someone attending as a "homecoming" who has great stories of how things used to be....
6) Brackish Water - Only the Chesapeake boasts more brackish water than North Carolina's coast. Brackish waters teem with fish of both fresh and salt water - as well as brackish only fish. Even in our bracksh rivers and streams I have encountered pods of porpoises in areas where the river is literally less than 50 yards wide. I have also seen jellyfish in these tiny rivers.
5) Water Access - This tags right on to number six. Having brackish water is no good if you can't find a place to put your boat in! Ramps, slides, and ditches, whether professionally constructed or histrically constructed make our waterways very accessible. The only downside to this - other folks are catching on...
4) Big Cities - Greenville, Wilmington, Jacksonville, Goldsboro, Kinston - all of these places are really big cities by my standards. Yet, they still maintain a smallish-town feeling. While each of them have their "issues", cities like Wilmington are some of the most beautiful in the world. Most of the cities are built on rivers, which makes water access and water views easy and spectacular, respectively. These cities are home to major universities and professional sports teams, all which provide citizens with something extra. Smaller towns like "little" Washington are often nearby and are steeped in history and tradition - and you can tour more than one city in the day. The big cities also house some of our bravest women and men in military bases.
3) Hurricanes - Most would put hurricanes in a bottom 10. And while they are destructive, they can also bring a region out of a drought, freshen up the waters, freshen up the soils, and help stave of forest fires. They can also open or close inlets from the ocean to the sounds, but when this happens ecosystems can change, usually for the good. Sure they put us humans at a disadvantage for a couple of days, but the positive environmental impact of these storms far outweighs a few thousand downed trees (which provide habitat for rabbit and quail), flooded roads, and muddy yards.
2) Fishing - I hate to fish. But everybody else loves it. There are few better places to meet a creel than Eastern North Carolina. Charter fishing on the coast is big business and big fun (for everyone but me). My unbiased reportings allow me to put this as # 2. Go buy a license, catch a fish, clean a fish, cook a fish, eat the fish - and say that all that time and effort isn't worth it. The few fish I have been lucky enough to false hook and cook up have been well-worth the trouble...
1) The Far East - Not China and Japan, but the extreme edge of our region - the Atlantic Ocean! If the beach isn't the most important part of our region, then I am not sure I am qualified to construct a Top 10. The beach draws lucky folks from all over the world. They spend their money in our satellite towns (or bloc towns, as I like to call them). They eat and enjoy our food. They visit our history and cultural museums. They come back, year in and year out.
Enjoy the day...
December 17, 2009
December 16, 2009
Top 10 in Tyrrell County (other than the Eastern 4-H Center) for 2009
I really love a good "top 10"...and they are especially important at the end of the year, when everyone is counting down to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, and all of the other holidays. Anyway - these were the top 10 things to see/do/or eat in Tyrrell County for 2009...
10) Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge - this place is great! Most National Wildlife Refuges are in very remote places - and they don't even have a Visitor's Center...but PLNWR does! The interpretive programs, static displays, and visitor center itself are some of the best in the refuge system. The management there is nice, knowledgeable, and works a lot...Tyrrell County should be proud of this place...PLNWR is famous for winter waterfowl and black bears - but is of special importance thanks to the Red Wolf Reintroduction. Also - this "museum" is one of two in Columbia...Columbia boasts one of the highest densities of museums in the world - 1 to every 400 people!
9) Frying Pan - Yeah it's a cooking device, but its also a place on the Tyrrell County map...and everybody should take visiting family members to the road sign and snap a photo. "The Pan" as most folks call it is a quiet lettle neighborhood down HWY 94. Some of the flattest land in the Milky Way is located in Frying Pan. It is a great way to see wildlife, agriculture, and dirt. The Frying Pan is actually named after a body of water off of the Alligator River - it's virtually a pocosin lake connected to the Alligator River by a small river or "handle". If you ever explore the water itself, be wary of putting in at the Wildlife Resource Boat Ramp...it's laced with trees and stumps...the ditch opens up to the lake - this place is awful to navigate because of what seems like a Giant Sequoia lodged right across the ditch. Be careful, or just wait for Wildlife Resources to fix the problem ;)
8) Ben Franklin Store - I think it's the oldest privately owned Ben Franklin in the country. It's a great place to buy "party shirts", trinkets, snacks, sewing materials, postcards, virtually everything else that Food Lion does not have...the ladies working the counter are very nice, too. I had never heard of a Ben Franklin Store beforeI moved to Tyrrell County, and while I wasn't missing anything in principle, I was missing the charm of this little store in downtown Columbia...and when you are at Ben Franklin, you are walking (or running) distance from two pretty good restaurants (Mike's and Crossroads), a pharmacy, the Red Wolf Coalition, and the town docks.
7) Scuppernong River - At one time, the Scuppernong was probably the artery of life into the heart of Tyrrell County. Large canals leading off of the river lead into old farms where food, animals, and yes - humans, were shipped into and out of the area. The Scuppernong River now has its own festival every October with food, street dancing, a parade, and kayak lessons. The Scuppernong is a "deep" river. Up to 20 feet in some places, the only thing deep about the Scuppernong is the mud on the bottom. Where I grew up, folks wanted riverfront real estate. The Scuppernong River, instead houses only mosquitoes, giant snapping turtles, and an alligator or six. By the way - many people have deliberated over the amount (if any) of alligators living in Tyrrell County. I have seen 30 or so in my 3.5 years. They are here...and they were here long before a human ever stepped into the waters of Tyrrell County.
6) Highway 94 - If you were going "somewhere else" this highway would be the most boring stretch of pavement on the planet. There's nothing to see, except the horizon. But that's what make this place a North Carolina Scenic Byway. In the spring the fields are filled with tractors. In the summer you'll find corn. In the fall, you'll find tractors - again. In the winter - swans, by the thousands. There's also a stretch of dwarf pocosin swamp that is some of the most primeval land I have ever seen. It gives me the willies imaging what it would be like amongst it all.
5) Town festivals - Rivertown Christmas and the Scuppernong River Festival are as charming as any small town festival. Rivertown Christmas features a floatilla of lighted boats...and if it's seasonably cold outside, expect the event to be truly seasonal. The Scuppernong River Festival is essentially a County Fair, featuring vendors, parades, and food - fried food like fried chicken, fried twinkies, fried butter, etc.
4) Food Lion - more or less by default, procuring groceries 5 years ago involved a half-day's trip to town. Food Lion is pretty comprehensive, though. They have enough items for me to get what I need and make impulse purchases. And Glady's, who usually works Aisle 2 is as sweet a lady as I have ever met.
3) Swamp Mud - If you haven't ever smelled this stuff (and you have if you live here), find a swamp (just walk 10 feet in any direction), reach your hand into the mud, retrieve it, sniff it. If you are lucky, you'll do this in the shade of an Atlantic White Cedar - one of the rarest tree species in the world. They are found in a few places on the planet, with eastern North Carolina being one of the best places to find it.
2) Mosquitoes - they draw more blood than th 15 or so blood drives held in theis county annually. They are thicker only in Hyde County. If you want to see them without being toted off, come here. All sizes and shapes will destroy your epidermis on a nightly basis. That buzz you hearon a summer's night is the millions of mosquitoes. They are attracted to the Carbon Dioxide emissions from your mouth...there's no escaping. men are less susceptible, thanks to the hair on their legs - as the follicles act as an early detection system...ladies get mutilated because they shave their legs...it's just a fact of life...
1) The Albemarle Sound - The northern boundary of the county provides recreation and sustenance not only to Tyrrellineans, but to folks abroad. Blue crabs and blue waters make this a great place to spend the summer, or other seasons - especially if you like to recreational fish. Rockfish - or Stripers - frequest these waters year-round but the migration in fall and winter make it a great place to land a monster "rock". Diving ducks roost by the thousand in late winter, and recreational boaters roost by the hundreds. The clear waters are accessible about every 10 miles of shoreline on both sides, making it as accessible as any water in America.
Enjoy the day...
10) Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge - this place is great! Most National Wildlife Refuges are in very remote places - and they don't even have a Visitor's Center...but PLNWR does! The interpretive programs, static displays, and visitor center itself are some of the best in the refuge system. The management there is nice, knowledgeable, and works a lot...Tyrrell County should be proud of this place...PLNWR is famous for winter waterfowl and black bears - but is of special importance thanks to the Red Wolf Reintroduction. Also - this "museum" is one of two in Columbia...Columbia boasts one of the highest densities of museums in the world - 1 to every 400 people!
9) Frying Pan - Yeah it's a cooking device, but its also a place on the Tyrrell County map...and everybody should take visiting family members to the road sign and snap a photo. "The Pan" as most folks call it is a quiet lettle neighborhood down HWY 94. Some of the flattest land in the Milky Way is located in Frying Pan. It is a great way to see wildlife, agriculture, and dirt. The Frying Pan is actually named after a body of water off of the Alligator River - it's virtually a pocosin lake connected to the Alligator River by a small river or "handle". If you ever explore the water itself, be wary of putting in at the Wildlife Resource Boat Ramp...it's laced with trees and stumps...the ditch opens up to the lake - this place is awful to navigate because of what seems like a Giant Sequoia lodged right across the ditch. Be careful, or just wait for Wildlife Resources to fix the problem ;)
8) Ben Franklin Store - I think it's the oldest privately owned Ben Franklin in the country. It's a great place to buy "party shirts", trinkets, snacks, sewing materials, postcards, virtually everything else that Food Lion does not have...the ladies working the counter are very nice, too. I had never heard of a Ben Franklin Store beforeI moved to Tyrrell County, and while I wasn't missing anything in principle, I was missing the charm of this little store in downtown Columbia...and when you are at Ben Franklin, you are walking (or running) distance from two pretty good restaurants (Mike's and Crossroads), a pharmacy, the Red Wolf Coalition, and the town docks.
7) Scuppernong River - At one time, the Scuppernong was probably the artery of life into the heart of Tyrrell County. Large canals leading off of the river lead into old farms where food, animals, and yes - humans, were shipped into and out of the area. The Scuppernong River now has its own festival every October with food, street dancing, a parade, and kayak lessons. The Scuppernong is a "deep" river. Up to 20 feet in some places, the only thing deep about the Scuppernong is the mud on the bottom. Where I grew up, folks wanted riverfront real estate. The Scuppernong River, instead houses only mosquitoes, giant snapping turtles, and an alligator or six. By the way - many people have deliberated over the amount (if any) of alligators living in Tyrrell County. I have seen 30 or so in my 3.5 years. They are here...and they were here long before a human ever stepped into the waters of Tyrrell County.
6) Highway 94 - If you were going "somewhere else" this highway would be the most boring stretch of pavement on the planet. There's nothing to see, except the horizon. But that's what make this place a North Carolina Scenic Byway. In the spring the fields are filled with tractors. In the summer you'll find corn. In the fall, you'll find tractors - again. In the winter - swans, by the thousands. There's also a stretch of dwarf pocosin swamp that is some of the most primeval land I have ever seen. It gives me the willies imaging what it would be like amongst it all.
5) Town festivals - Rivertown Christmas and the Scuppernong River Festival are as charming as any small town festival. Rivertown Christmas features a floatilla of lighted boats...and if it's seasonably cold outside, expect the event to be truly seasonal. The Scuppernong River Festival is essentially a County Fair, featuring vendors, parades, and food - fried food like fried chicken, fried twinkies, fried butter, etc.
4) Food Lion - more or less by default, procuring groceries 5 years ago involved a half-day's trip to town. Food Lion is pretty comprehensive, though. They have enough items for me to get what I need and make impulse purchases. And Glady's, who usually works Aisle 2 is as sweet a lady as I have ever met.
3) Swamp Mud - If you haven't ever smelled this stuff (and you have if you live here), find a swamp (just walk 10 feet in any direction), reach your hand into the mud, retrieve it, sniff it. If you are lucky, you'll do this in the shade of an Atlantic White Cedar - one of the rarest tree species in the world. They are found in a few places on the planet, with eastern North Carolina being one of the best places to find it.
2) Mosquitoes - they draw more blood than th 15 or so blood drives held in theis county annually. They are thicker only in Hyde County. If you want to see them without being toted off, come here. All sizes and shapes will destroy your epidermis on a nightly basis. That buzz you hearon a summer's night is the millions of mosquitoes. They are attracted to the Carbon Dioxide emissions from your mouth...there's no escaping. men are less susceptible, thanks to the hair on their legs - as the follicles act as an early detection system...ladies get mutilated because they shave their legs...it's just a fact of life...
1) The Albemarle Sound - The northern boundary of the county provides recreation and sustenance not only to Tyrrellineans, but to folks abroad. Blue crabs and blue waters make this a great place to spend the summer, or other seasons - especially if you like to recreational fish. Rockfish - or Stripers - frequest these waters year-round but the migration in fall and winter make it a great place to land a monster "rock". Diving ducks roost by the thousand in late winter, and recreational boaters roost by the hundreds. The clear waters are accessible about every 10 miles of shoreline on both sides, making it as accessible as any water in America.
Enjoy the day...
December 15, 2009
Top Eastern 4-H Center stories for 2009
The year is screeching to a close at the Eastern 4-H Center. I wanted to take today's opportunity to outline some of the biggest stories that happened either at or to the Eastern 4-H Center. While everyday is important, some events just supersede all others. Here they are:
5) The Wedding Show...Yep - we did one. It turned out pretty good, too. Lots of vendors came from all over the region to peddle their wares. DJ's, photographers, cake makers, and rental companies showed up to showcase their items. Most people around here think that most people get married at the Outer Banks. Not so fast my friends - many people, like me, would prefer a quiet soundside wedding (if a wedding at all, in my case) as opposed to a sandy, salty beach wedding. You can look down the beach on any given Saturday and see several different weddings taking place. Nevertheless, the Center "marries" lots of folks, and we took the opportunity to show off to folks who are thinking about getting married. There is nary a free weekend - weddings take up a lot of our weekends, and we are proud to be a place of importance in a couple's life!
4) Relay for Life - The Center played the host of 2009's Relay for Life. Not just that night sticks out in my mind, though. All of the fundraising and events leading up to that really cool night were the best. Our Pancake Breakfast and Sausage -n- biscuit fundraiser was so much fun! I ate a lot of pancakes, but not as many as Lee. Sara made virtually all of them - like 1000 pancakes! The biscuit fundraiser started out really early and I remember putting out the parking cones at 4:00 am in the pouring down rain...the fundraiser was held in concurrence with the northeast shooting sports tournament...so the whole day was really busy, but it was one of my favorite days ever at the Center that didn't involve Summer Camp. Our team, "Camp Relay", also got the award for best Team Theme. It was cool to have nearly all of the Summer Staff show up at the Relay event itself to liven up the crowd in the middle of the night. And while I walked for 2 hours straight on a treadmill (It was thundering and lightening outside), I was able to catch-up on my Operation Purple Camp curriculum reading.
3) Moving into the Electronic Age - 2009 was a very impressive year concerning "green" practices. Almost 100% of our in-house paperwork became "electrocuted". Rental Agreements and such are now all done by email...our newsletter, "Eastern Echoes", became an electronic document that was emailed instead "snail mailed."If we could only get our monthly calendars to be put in electronic format...We also started this little blog, created a camper email address for parents, and allowed people to sign-up for camp or make donations via the internet. The Beginning of "On Line Registration" is one of my proudest days...at that point we got seriously serious in becoming the premier place for a child to spend a summers' week.
2) Dock of the Bay - biggest DOB ever. "funnest" DOB ever. greatest "DOB ever. We raised lots of money to help send children to camp. We also made a lot of new friends, had a great auction, even better food, and a PERFECT time.
1) Summer Camp numbers - Summer 2009 was tremendous. Highlights include: 10 weeks of camp, strengthening of our healthy lifestyle camp "Takeoff 4-Health", two weeks of Operation Purple Camp", "slammed" weeks of 4-H Camp, huge numbers in Camp Canvasback/Marine Scince & Sailing/Cloverbud, and our first ever camp for children with special needs - Camp Kid Courage. We also maintained our American Camp Association...BY PASSING EVERY APPLICABLE STANDARD! LESS THAN 1% OF ALL CAMPS CAN CLAIM THIS!!!!!!
That's my top 5...the biggest news story for 2010 will be the new Recreation Hall...no doubt.
Enjoy the day...
5) The Wedding Show...Yep - we did one. It turned out pretty good, too. Lots of vendors came from all over the region to peddle their wares. DJ's, photographers, cake makers, and rental companies showed up to showcase their items. Most people around here think that most people get married at the Outer Banks. Not so fast my friends - many people, like me, would prefer a quiet soundside wedding (if a wedding at all, in my case) as opposed to a sandy, salty beach wedding. You can look down the beach on any given Saturday and see several different weddings taking place. Nevertheless, the Center "marries" lots of folks, and we took the opportunity to show off to folks who are thinking about getting married. There is nary a free weekend - weddings take up a lot of our weekends, and we are proud to be a place of importance in a couple's life!
4) Relay for Life - The Center played the host of 2009's Relay for Life. Not just that night sticks out in my mind, though. All of the fundraising and events leading up to that really cool night were the best. Our Pancake Breakfast and Sausage -n- biscuit fundraiser was so much fun! I ate a lot of pancakes, but not as many as Lee. Sara made virtually all of them - like 1000 pancakes! The biscuit fundraiser started out really early and I remember putting out the parking cones at 4:00 am in the pouring down rain...the fundraiser was held in concurrence with the northeast shooting sports tournament...so the whole day was really busy, but it was one of my favorite days ever at the Center that didn't involve Summer Camp. Our team, "Camp Relay", also got the award for best Team Theme. It was cool to have nearly all of the Summer Staff show up at the Relay event itself to liven up the crowd in the middle of the night. And while I walked for 2 hours straight on a treadmill (It was thundering and lightening outside), I was able to catch-up on my Operation Purple Camp curriculum reading.
3) Moving into the Electronic Age - 2009 was a very impressive year concerning "green" practices. Almost 100% of our in-house paperwork became "electrocuted". Rental Agreements and such are now all done by email...our newsletter, "Eastern Echoes", became an electronic document that was emailed instead "snail mailed."If we could only get our monthly calendars to be put in electronic format...We also started this little blog, created a camper email address for parents, and allowed people to sign-up for camp or make donations via the internet. The Beginning of "On Line Registration" is one of my proudest days...at that point we got seriously serious in becoming the premier place for a child to spend a summers' week.
2) Dock of the Bay - biggest DOB ever. "funnest" DOB ever. greatest "DOB ever. We raised lots of money to help send children to camp. We also made a lot of new friends, had a great auction, even better food, and a PERFECT time.
1) Summer Camp numbers - Summer 2009 was tremendous. Highlights include: 10 weeks of camp, strengthening of our healthy lifestyle camp "Takeoff 4-Health", two weeks of Operation Purple Camp", "slammed" weeks of 4-H Camp, huge numbers in Camp Canvasback/Marine Scince & Sailing/Cloverbud, and our first ever camp for children with special needs - Camp Kid Courage. We also maintained our American Camp Association...BY PASSING EVERY APPLICABLE STANDARD! LESS THAN 1% OF ALL CAMPS CAN CLAIM THIS!!!!!!
That's my top 5...the biggest news story for 2010 will be the new Recreation Hall...no doubt.
Enjoy the day...
December 9, 2009
Terri's FIFTY!
Our glamorous Terri, Lady of the Solvents, turns 50. That's not as old as she thins it is, but let's get serious - it's still pretty dern old. In Keeping with tradition, I have written a birthday poem for Terri.
Terri, Terri,
not contrary.
Works real hard,
cooks with lard
Her hair fraps,
as she sets "mise" traps.
Hates finger prints,
they make her rinse.
Chocolate and biscuits
make her throw fits.
She makes an action plan,
to conquer every man.
Pretty and sweet,
a better woman is tough to meet.
Her husband is Glen,
I feel sorry for him.
The end...
Terri is a blessing to know. She is a perfect fit or this place, because she, like everyone else, is a pleasure to be around. Terri has always watched after me, given me advice, and given me a tough time when she needed to...
Happy Birthday Terri!
Enjoy the day...
Terri, Terri,
not contrary.
Works real hard,
cooks with lard
Her hair fraps,
as she sets "mise" traps.
Hates finger prints,
they make her rinse.
Chocolate and biscuits
make her throw fits.
She makes an action plan,
to conquer every man.
Pretty and sweet,
a better woman is tough to meet.
Her husband is Glen,
I feel sorry for him.
The end...
Terri is a blessing to know. She is a perfect fit or this place, because she, like everyone else, is a pleasure to be around. Terri has always watched after me, given me advice, and given me a tough time when she needed to...
Happy Birthday Terri!
Enjoy the day...
December 8, 2009
What to wear to a Holiday Party at the Eastern 4-H Center?
Holiday wardrobes are culturally important to Americans. Everyone who is anyone at your party will judge you based on what you do, say, and wear. With that being said, do not "wear" a garment, that "Says" or "Does" anything. I used to have a shirt (when I was 7) that would talk if you hugged me. It creeped out everyone, including me. I think my dad had a tie that talked or sang, and while cute only the very first time the garment is activated, everyone will hear it outside of the bathroom door when you accidentally engage the device.
Let's start with colors. Fall '09 colors that appeared on runways and racks across the world were earthy oranges, deep browns, and robust reds and blues - with metallic and chromatic options, too. Obviously, I didn't fall for any of this, as the color of my standard wardrobe tends to favor, khaki, khaki, and khaki - and maybe olive and brown. Nevertheless, my colors - or the runway colors will gain you any street cred at a holiday party near you. You absolutely must wear red and greens, and maybe genuine fake gold accoutrements. If you have a shirt with a screen-printed reindeer (with a small bell for the nose) - go ahead and just do it...this shirt is barely acceptable, but will get you a beatdown in July. Pants could match - I'm probably the only dude with a both green and red britches (deep in my closet), and when I get the chance to wear'em - I must do so. Belts are optional, since I am planning on looking stupid, yet festive. Some people even like to wear holiday scarves, but they are only relevant if they are in plaids, or if they are made of Santa's Beard. Speaking of Santa - if you are going to wear a Santa hat - make sure it is red - not multi-colored or green - and it has to have the fuzzy orb at the top - NO BELLS!
Now - the shape of your clothes is not that important, unless you try to use the clothing to accent your form. Generally - clothes should be frumpy. This will hide your midsection throughout the holiday gorging. Pants should be constricting in the waist, as this will also support the weight of that leftover turkey leg that you ate on the way to the Turkey Dinner. I also like thick sweaters because they also help to hide the shape of the cookies on your hips. Turtlenecks can also hide that triple chin you hope to gain throughout the feasting. Pants should should be "relaxed-fit", right? Plenty of room through the hips and thighs, and tapered below the knee, so that bottoms of the pants do not cover your elf shoes. And, if they are not tapered (say "bootcut), the snow on the ground cannot enter the tops of your shoes - which would prevent you from feeling the "seasonal" chill.
These are a couple of examples of Holiday-wear: 2 are perfect, 2 are entirely wrong...which category do you fall into?
Don't mess this up, you'll have to wait another year for redemption!
Enjoy the day...
Let's start with colors. Fall '09 colors that appeared on runways and racks across the world were earthy oranges, deep browns, and robust reds and blues - with metallic and chromatic options, too. Obviously, I didn't fall for any of this, as the color of my standard wardrobe tends to favor, khaki, khaki, and khaki - and maybe olive and brown. Nevertheless, my colors - or the runway colors will gain you any street cred at a holiday party near you. You absolutely must wear red and greens, and maybe genuine fake gold accoutrements. If you have a shirt with a screen-printed reindeer (with a small bell for the nose) - go ahead and just do it...this shirt is barely acceptable, but will get you a beatdown in July. Pants could match - I'm probably the only dude with a both green and red britches (deep in my closet), and when I get the chance to wear'em - I must do so. Belts are optional, since I am planning on looking stupid, yet festive. Some people even like to wear holiday scarves, but they are only relevant if they are in plaids, or if they are made of Santa's Beard. Speaking of Santa - if you are going to wear a Santa hat - make sure it is red - not multi-colored or green - and it has to have the fuzzy orb at the top - NO BELLS!
Now - the shape of your clothes is not that important, unless you try to use the clothing to accent your form. Generally - clothes should be frumpy. This will hide your midsection throughout the holiday gorging. Pants should be constricting in the waist, as this will also support the weight of that leftover turkey leg that you ate on the way to the Turkey Dinner. I also like thick sweaters because they also help to hide the shape of the cookies on your hips. Turtlenecks can also hide that triple chin you hope to gain throughout the feasting. Pants should should be "relaxed-fit", right? Plenty of room through the hips and thighs, and tapered below the knee, so that bottoms of the pants do not cover your elf shoes. And, if they are not tapered (say "bootcut), the snow on the ground cannot enter the tops of your shoes - which would prevent you from feeling the "seasonal" chill.
These are a couple of examples of Holiday-wear: 2 are perfect, 2 are entirely wrong...which category do you fall into?
Don't mess this up, you'll have to wait another year for redemption!
Enjoy the day...
December 7, 2009
Holiday Party allegedly "GREAT!"
This weekend the Eastern 4-H Center hosted it's first Holiday Party of the year. I heard it was "Great", but I have not confirmed that, though. There is a high likelihood that it truly was very good - but "great"? Great means Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan, Sweet Potato pie...but a party?
This was the menu...pork loin, roasted beef, mashed red skin potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, salad, and assorted cobblers...the menu does sound very good. It had to be cooked very well. Jillie Swain was the check du jour/weekend. Alright - I will concede that the food was probably great, but what about the rest of the evening - decorations, ambiance, etc.
Well, the tree is 8 feet tall with shimmery red and gold decorations, and when lit, it looks better than the Rockefeller Center's gargantuan fir. So it MIGHT have been great but were there other decorations? Well, the candlelit floral arrangements at each table added to decor and ambiance, so they knock out two birds with one stone. There was some holiday music being pumped through the sound system, this wold have added to the ambiance. Maybe the whole shi-bang was great...Good job to the Kitchen Crew, along with Lee and Charles who pitched in to get everything done as I gallivanted the greater-Raleigh area for my girlfriends birthday.
Speaking of - I nearly tanked the entire thing...Callie loves the Angus Barn at Christmas...the place is very pretty, but I thought she just wanted a nice restaurant...When I couldn't get a prime reservation I nearly selected a different location that she has been not-so-subtle about. This critical error was avoided, so my life was spared...I also got her a new coffee pot that does everything a lady-on-the-go would ever want. It does everything but drive her car to work.
North Carolina's Second Split of Waterfowl season ended Saturday at Sunset...I was able to take in a quick hunt before heading west. Now, waterfowler's should take advantage of the sea duck season. Be very careful and read regulations carefully so that you can avoid a rendezvous with some of N.C.'s renowned game wardens...And if you bag any of these unique ducks, tell somebody and get the word out...more research needs to be done on sea ducks...while they are very revalent in the open waters of our coast, little is know about their breeding habitat. More desire from hunters will equal more research from nerds.
Alabama and Texas are headed for a faceoff in Pasadena for a shot at the National Champioship of college football. Alabama slapped Florida around while Texas barely slipped by Nebraska. Auburn is headed to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida - they'll play the "mighty" Northwestern Wildcats. Auburn should show up to play...Traditional powers like Auburn, unfortunately, have a history of "not showing up" to play teams like Northwestern. Auburn needs to show up and show out.
My Christmas shopping is nearly done. So is my credit limit.
Throughout the week, the Center will be hosting more holiday parties, and this weekend, we'll have two at the same time! I'll be on site to be in charge.
Enjoy the day...
This was the menu...pork loin, roasted beef, mashed red skin potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, salad, and assorted cobblers...the menu does sound very good. It had to be cooked very well. Jillie Swain was the check du jour/weekend. Alright - I will concede that the food was probably great, but what about the rest of the evening - decorations, ambiance, etc.
Well, the tree is 8 feet tall with shimmery red and gold decorations, and when lit, it looks better than the Rockefeller Center's gargantuan fir. So it MIGHT have been great but were there other decorations? Well, the candlelit floral arrangements at each table added to decor and ambiance, so they knock out two birds with one stone. There was some holiday music being pumped through the sound system, this wold have added to the ambiance. Maybe the whole shi-bang was great...Good job to the Kitchen Crew, along with Lee and Charles who pitched in to get everything done as I gallivanted the greater-Raleigh area for my girlfriends birthday.
Speaking of - I nearly tanked the entire thing...Callie loves the Angus Barn at Christmas...the place is very pretty, but I thought she just wanted a nice restaurant...When I couldn't get a prime reservation I nearly selected a different location that she has been not-so-subtle about. This critical error was avoided, so my life was spared...I also got her a new coffee pot that does everything a lady-on-the-go would ever want. It does everything but drive her car to work.
North Carolina's Second Split of Waterfowl season ended Saturday at Sunset...I was able to take in a quick hunt before heading west. Now, waterfowler's should take advantage of the sea duck season. Be very careful and read regulations carefully so that you can avoid a rendezvous with some of N.C.'s renowned game wardens...And if you bag any of these unique ducks, tell somebody and get the word out...more research needs to be done on sea ducks...while they are very revalent in the open waters of our coast, little is know about their breeding habitat. More desire from hunters will equal more research from nerds.
Alabama and Texas are headed for a faceoff in Pasadena for a shot at the National Champioship of college football. Alabama slapped Florida around while Texas barely slipped by Nebraska. Auburn is headed to the Outback Bowl in Tampa, Florida - they'll play the "mighty" Northwestern Wildcats. Auburn should show up to play...Traditional powers like Auburn, unfortunately, have a history of "not showing up" to play teams like Northwestern. Auburn needs to show up and show out.
My Christmas shopping is nearly done. So is my credit limit.
Throughout the week, the Center will be hosting more holiday parties, and this weekend, we'll have two at the same time! I'll be on site to be in charge.
Enjoy the day...
December 3, 2009
Holiday Cuts (of meat)
Like every holiday season, the Eastern 4-H Center hosts Christmas parties for a variety of organizations. These groups have the option of selecting their menu...which generally includes several different meat options...pork, beef, and chicken. Today, I will talk about those certain cuts that we serve, and why they are good...
First, let's look at the Chicken. Yard Bird is a great holiday option - it's lean, plain tasting (it can be seasoned in a variety of ways), and easy to cook. One could fry it, bake it grill it, sear it - basically anything. The Center offers up baked chicken during the holidays...it's generally dry-marinated in our secret spices (rhymes with fault and mepper), and then baked at 350...we cook "8 way chicken" - two breasts, two wings, two thighs, two legs - not whole chicken. Personally, when I prepare chicken for friends, I like to cook whole fryers (gutsenall, too)- I start with a dry rub that includes chilli, cumin, paprika, salt, and brown sugar...it sits in the rub for a day. I sear the outsides in a hot skillet to make the skin crispy, then I finish it in the oven (in a roasting pan) at about 250 - I cook it until the internal temp of the thigh bone is around 170. Let it sit for a while before you slice - the juices have to solidify. I serve it with green beans and rice, but the Center offers everything from a "friendly" veggie medley to sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, salad, and even collards.
Pork is also an option...I like pork becuae it has a real "taste." Everyone knows what pork tastes like, because it doesn't "taste like chicken." The Center offers up an "Herb baked pork loin" with gravy on the side. Thin medallions of hog are the best way, and few would argue that there is a better cut from swine. And since North Carolina is renowned for it's pork, there is no better way to support our livestock heritage. The loin is lean by pork standards, so it tends to dry out...we'll sear it to lock in juices and complete it in a 350 degree oven until the internal temp is 170. Cook it under cover of foil! Reserve the juices for a tasty gravy, too. Christmas at my parents' house might include smoked ribs, which are second to none - including famous BBQ joints like Dreamland's and The Rendezvous. I like to make loin for special occasions and I prepare it a lot like the Center. I tried to smoke a pork loin one time...don't waste your time...it comes out tasting like Canadian-style bacon. That's ok, if you like CSB. I don't. I do like to smoke Boston Butts (which is actually a shoulder of pork)...I like to baste it with vinegar, honey and cayenne. Thanks to commercialization hog production has been ramped up, but unfortunately, flavor has been lost. "Heritage" or "boutique" pork products fascinate me. These hogs are part of a long line of hogs that have been unchanged by mass production. Berkshire and Gloucester Old Spot....these breeds are tough to find and you'll have to procure them from local farmers if available...you can also find them on the internet. Their meats are darker and usually a little leaner.
Now - the perennial favorite - BEEF! "It's what's for dinner", if you would like anyway. The Eastern 4-H Center offers beef in two ways of the holiday... Prime Rib and Ribeye Steaks - well, and roast, too. Since Roast beef is boring, I will make you read about it here, or just skip to the next paragraph to avoid it all together. The Center's Roast beef is procured from the "eye of round" - which comes from the hind quarter. We slow dry rub the round, then roast, cool, and slice...gravy on the side. Horseradish sauce is also a good accompaniment, but we generally don't offer that. I like roast cooked pink, but the Center cooks until completely done. It's VERY GOOD.
The Center also offers patrons the opportunity to select Ribeye or Prime Rib for the main entree of the holiday party. Prime rib is my favorite of the two - it has good flavor and is a little easier to prepare for friends. Ribeyes are meant for manly-men and womanly-women who like their beef! We grill steaks based on request, so please order them medium, as this is the universally-known best way to enjoy a steak. I know some people in this office who would eat a steak that had not been grilled at all. I just like mine warmed a little on the top, but for some that is tough to handle. Urban legends state that many restaurants will serve less then prime or choice cuts to those customers who desire "well-done" steaks. We would never do that, and we order only "USDA Prime" and "USDA Choice". We dont't offer Kobe or Wagyu - those are Japanese cattle that are farmed to make fatty, buttery, exceptionally flavored cuts of meat...they are also about $30 a pound, which is the main reason we don't order it or offer it. By the way, there are several different grades that are given to cuts of meat by the USDA...I have displayed them below - the best and most flavorful grades are listed first!
(1)Prime - top-notch...only about 2% of all beef receives this grade.
(2)Choice - over 50% of all beef obtain this grade...this is the most common available in sit-down restaurants and other food service operations that offer "steak." The difference between Choice and Prime is the fat content...Prime has more fat or "marbling".
(3) Select - this is what you may find in the grocery store at the bargain counter...just less juicy than Choice.
(4) Standard - Blahhh...they use this in prisons and schools, I think.
(5) Commercial - This can be found in very low-end restaurants or very high-end dog foods.
(6) Utility - Dog food, plain and simple
(7) Cutter - Bad dog food, plain and simple.
(8) Canner - I don't know about this...I think canner is short for "garbage canner."
Anyway, the Prime Rib is the entire rib roast that is roasted in an oven and served with horseradish cream. The Ribeye is a sliced portion of the rib roast that is individually sliced then grilled.
Other good cuts to enjoy around the holidays (but that are not served by the Center) are the Filet Mignon and the Chateau Briand. I prefer the filet, mainly because of its accessibility. Chateau briand is tough to find around here, though it does have exceptional flavor and tenderness. London Broil is a favorite of one of our summer staff members, and I like it, too.
That's it about meat...well, we also do fried shrimp with Prime Rib or Ribeye - just let Nikki, our Reservationist know when you book...her number is 252.797.4800 ext 224!
Enjoy the day...
First, let's look at the Chicken. Yard Bird is a great holiday option - it's lean, plain tasting (it can be seasoned in a variety of ways), and easy to cook. One could fry it, bake it grill it, sear it - basically anything. The Center offers up baked chicken during the holidays...it's generally dry-marinated in our secret spices (rhymes with fault and mepper), and then baked at 350...we cook "8 way chicken" - two breasts, two wings, two thighs, two legs - not whole chicken. Personally, when I prepare chicken for friends, I like to cook whole fryers (gutsenall, too)- I start with a dry rub that includes chilli, cumin, paprika, salt, and brown sugar...it sits in the rub for a day. I sear the outsides in a hot skillet to make the skin crispy, then I finish it in the oven (in a roasting pan) at about 250 - I cook it until the internal temp of the thigh bone is around 170. Let it sit for a while before you slice - the juices have to solidify. I serve it with green beans and rice, but the Center offers everything from a "friendly" veggie medley to sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, salad, and even collards.
Pork is also an option...I like pork becuae it has a real "taste." Everyone knows what pork tastes like, because it doesn't "taste like chicken." The Center offers up an "Herb baked pork loin" with gravy on the side. Thin medallions of hog are the best way, and few would argue that there is a better cut from swine. And since North Carolina is renowned for it's pork, there is no better way to support our livestock heritage. The loin is lean by pork standards, so it tends to dry out...we'll sear it to lock in juices and complete it in a 350 degree oven until the internal temp is 170. Cook it under cover of foil! Reserve the juices for a tasty gravy, too. Christmas at my parents' house might include smoked ribs, which are second to none - including famous BBQ joints like Dreamland's and The Rendezvous. I like to make loin for special occasions and I prepare it a lot like the Center. I tried to smoke a pork loin one time...don't waste your time...it comes out tasting like Canadian-style bacon. That's ok, if you like CSB. I don't. I do like to smoke Boston Butts (which is actually a shoulder of pork)...I like to baste it with vinegar, honey and cayenne. Thanks to commercialization hog production has been ramped up, but unfortunately, flavor has been lost. "Heritage" or "boutique" pork products fascinate me. These hogs are part of a long line of hogs that have been unchanged by mass production. Berkshire and Gloucester Old Spot....these breeds are tough to find and you'll have to procure them from local farmers if available...you can also find them on the internet. Their meats are darker and usually a little leaner.
Now - the perennial favorite - BEEF! "It's what's for dinner", if you would like anyway. The Eastern 4-H Center offers beef in two ways of the holiday... Prime Rib and Ribeye Steaks - well, and roast, too. Since Roast beef is boring, I will make you read about it here, or just skip to the next paragraph to avoid it all together. The Center's Roast beef is procured from the "eye of round" - which comes from the hind quarter. We slow dry rub the round, then roast, cool, and slice...gravy on the side. Horseradish sauce is also a good accompaniment, but we generally don't offer that. I like roast cooked pink, but the Center cooks until completely done. It's VERY GOOD.
(1)Prime - top-notch...only about 2% of all beef receives this grade.
(2)Choice - over 50% of all beef obtain this grade...this is the most common available in sit-down restaurants and other food service operations that offer "steak." The difference between Choice and Prime is the fat content...Prime has more fat or "marbling".
(3) Select - this is what you may find in the grocery store at the bargain counter...just less juicy than Choice.
(4) Standard - Blahhh...they use this in prisons and schools, I think.
(5) Commercial - This can be found in very low-end restaurants or very high-end dog foods.
(6) Utility - Dog food, plain and simple
(7) Cutter - Bad dog food, plain and simple.
(8) Canner - I don't know about this...I think canner is short for "garbage canner."
Anyway, the Prime Rib is the entire rib roast that is roasted in an oven and served with horseradish cream. The Ribeye is a sliced portion of the rib roast that is individually sliced then grilled.
Other good cuts to enjoy around the holidays (but that are not served by the Center) are the Filet Mignon and the Chateau Briand. I prefer the filet, mainly because of its accessibility. Chateau briand is tough to find around here, though it does have exceptional flavor and tenderness. London Broil is a favorite of one of our summer staff members, and I like it, too.
That's it about meat...well, we also do fried shrimp with Prime Rib or Ribeye - just let Nikki, our Reservationist know when you book...her number is 252.797.4800 ext 224!
Enjoy the day...
December 2, 2009
Winter?
Yesterday I stepped outside around 4:00 am...I was surprised to feel the ice cold wind chill...my ears turned red from embarrassment from exposure. Nevertheless, is Winter here to stay? Temperatures today have warmed to 50 degrees with a south wind. Mother Nature - please make up your mind. How are we supposed to get into the holiday spirit when we are getting out the sunscreen?
Yesterday, the "women-folk" in the office decorated our Christmas Tree - errr holiday tree. They will decorate the other tree today. I wish I knew how to decorate, but the ability to adorn escapes me. My idea of decorating is cleaning up - so I'm a terrible decorator. But, as much as I don't enjoy decorating, I do like to see decorations. I am a staunch traditionalist in virtually every facet. I like white lights, not multi-color. Popcorn and cranberries suits me fine, and it smells delicious. Red ribbons are good, too. With a star on top...of a real tree.
Neverhteless, some people like to decorate their entire yard. This is done for two reasons: Excitement to plug indoor lighting to outdoor sources and to mark territories. It's like putting up a festive fence...and good fences make good neighbors, right? My parents' neighbor has a fence, but it's to keep the neighbor in, not my parents out.
New principles have been established when decorating a yard. A yard is comsidered incomplete without a blow-up Santa Klaus riding in a car. The fairy-tale of Santa is about to be lost with children, but I suppose they can always look up the "origins" on the internet. Kids will soon find out that Santa doesn't exist because he does not have a facebook page...sure their are "groups", but no person. Santa should madernize. Back to yards - decorators must also place lights around old cars in their yards...and make loops around the tires. The light-up icicles are finally being phased out...I can only imagine how messy they are to uncoil. Anyway, icicles in the east are as common as zebras. But if you have a zebra, please put a wreath around it's neck.
Decorating the front door, to me, is nice! I like a piney-cedary wreath! Decorators should also decorate the interior of their homes, and everyone should have a tree...otherwise Santa can't visit, right? Candles in the window are not a good idea, but they look good. Playing holiday background music is always fun, but annoying after you hear "feliz navidad" for the eleventeenth time. Even if you don't enjoy decorations/decorating - do it for kids...
Enjoy the day...
Yesterday, the "women-folk" in the office decorated our Christmas Tree - errr holiday tree. They will decorate the other tree today. I wish I knew how to decorate, but the ability to adorn escapes me. My idea of decorating is cleaning up - so I'm a terrible decorator. But, as much as I don't enjoy decorating, I do like to see decorations. I am a staunch traditionalist in virtually every facet. I like white lights, not multi-color. Popcorn and cranberries suits me fine, and it smells delicious. Red ribbons are good, too. With a star on top...of a real tree.
Neverhteless, some people like to decorate their entire yard. This is done for two reasons: Excitement to plug indoor lighting to outdoor sources and to mark territories. It's like putting up a festive fence...and good fences make good neighbors, right? My parents' neighbor has a fence, but it's to keep the neighbor in, not my parents out.
New principles have been established when decorating a yard. A yard is comsidered incomplete without a blow-up Santa Klaus riding in a car. The fairy-tale of Santa is about to be lost with children, but I suppose they can always look up the "origins" on the internet. Kids will soon find out that Santa doesn't exist because he does not have a facebook page...sure their are "groups", but no person. Santa should madernize. Back to yards - decorators must also place lights around old cars in their yards...and make loops around the tires. The light-up icicles are finally being phased out...I can only imagine how messy they are to uncoil. Anyway, icicles in the east are as common as zebras. But if you have a zebra, please put a wreath around it's neck.
Decorating the front door, to me, is nice! I like a piney-cedary wreath! Decorators should also decorate the interior of their homes, and everyone should have a tree...otherwise Santa can't visit, right? Candles in the window are not a good idea, but they look good. Playing holiday background music is always fun, but annoying after you hear "feliz navidad" for the eleventeenth time. Even if you don't enjoy decorations/decorating - do it for kids...
Enjoy the day...
December 1, 2009
Don't get run over by a (rein)deer...
Or anything else for that matter. Wildlife activity is on the rise, as is human activity. Lots of different things have folks on the go. Holidays, shopping, wildlife watching, and a variety of other endeavors can put animals in front of a vehicle at a highway near you! I to have been the victim of a roadside collision with wildlife...and pets. They all had just one lane to go, but I beat them to it apparently. Nevertheless, I hope they rest in peace and not in pieces...that was wrong.
How can you, the avid reader avoid wildlife? Well, you can just not drive, at all, ever. You could drive really slow, but I have hit deer at less than 5 miles per hour - but fortunately this only scares the deer AND you. Since Tyrrell County has only about 50 miles of primary highway and hundreds of miles of secondary, country roads, encounters with wildlife are not only likely, but certain. Everything from frogs to rabbits, bear, and especially deer.
From roughly October until February deer are in their mating (dating) season...bucks generally only get one girlfriend per year, and will stop at nothing (except your bumper) to find her. When a female deer comes in to estrus, every buck in town is in hot pursuit of her...they are as ready to breed as she is...so anyway, all of the bucks will give chase. And like any other self-respecting lady - she plays "hard to get." Bucks will chase her through swamps, fields, rivers, yards, and unfortunately highways. If you are travelling on any road during the aforementioned months and you happen to spot a doe on the go, proceed with caution, because there is a high likelihood that something is in hot pursuit. Always drive slow when driving at night, especially around dusk and dawn...be very weary around ditch crossings that intersect your artery of travel...these corridors are natural highways for deer.
So let's pretend you have had a smear with a deer...what next?
Stop the vehicle (if it isn't stopped already) on the shoulder of the road if possible, but anywhere out of the highway will do just fine.
Check for personal and passenger injuries, and apply first aid up to your level of training - until the EMT's arrive...they will not show up unless you dial 911, though!
Take a picture of your vehicle and make sure to include closeups with animal hair. If possible take a picture of the deer (but not with the deer).
Call the highway patrol and let them do a report.
You might have to call a wrecker, but let the highway patrol decide for you.
Do not attempt to dispatch the deer, which is illegal.
Do not load the deer into your truk and drive off, either. In Alabama, where I grew up, I have seen many people do this very thing, only to go home, dress the animal, eat it, and in some cases have it taxidermied.
Call your insurance company...set up a meeting to discuss the police report and share all of the pictures you took with your agent. Most insurace agencies are good to work with, some are not.
Get your car fixed.
Drive slow from here on out, but have your insurace company on speed dial.
If you follow these instructions, you can just breathe easy until the next "go-round".
Bears are a tremendous problem, as they are large and are the same color as dark pavement and moonless nights. I have only seen one bear that had been struck by a car, but neither car nor bear were spared in the rendezvous. I have seen lots of bears piddling roadside at prior roadkill, though - so be careful!
Roads are dangerous places for animals, especially possums, since they apparently live there. Nevertheless, roads impede natural animal migrations (such as elk), but also block natural travel corridors that interfere with predator - prey interaction...U.S. 64 has under-road bear crossings to prevent collisions. South Florida utilizes man-made "land bridges" to keep the Florida Panther safe when encountering a road. These multi-million dollar projects save lots of animals and money (for insurance agencies and purchasers). Drive slow and enjoy the drive.
Enjoy the day...
How can you, the avid reader avoid wildlife? Well, you can just not drive, at all, ever. You could drive really slow, but I have hit deer at less than 5 miles per hour - but fortunately this only scares the deer AND you. Since Tyrrell County has only about 50 miles of primary highway and hundreds of miles of secondary, country roads, encounters with wildlife are not only likely, but certain. Everything from frogs to rabbits, bear, and especially deer.
From roughly October until February deer are in their mating (dating) season...bucks generally only get one girlfriend per year, and will stop at nothing (except your bumper) to find her. When a female deer comes in to estrus, every buck in town is in hot pursuit of her...they are as ready to breed as she is...so anyway, all of the bucks will give chase. And like any other self-respecting lady - she plays "hard to get." Bucks will chase her through swamps, fields, rivers, yards, and unfortunately highways. If you are travelling on any road during the aforementioned months and you happen to spot a doe on the go, proceed with caution, because there is a high likelihood that something is in hot pursuit. Always drive slow when driving at night, especially around dusk and dawn...be very weary around ditch crossings that intersect your artery of travel...these corridors are natural highways for deer.
So let's pretend you have had a smear with a deer...what next?
Stop the vehicle (if it isn't stopped already) on the shoulder of the road if possible, but anywhere out of the highway will do just fine.
Check for personal and passenger injuries, and apply first aid up to your level of training - until the EMT's arrive...they will not show up unless you dial 911, though!
Take a picture of your vehicle and make sure to include closeups with animal hair. If possible take a picture of the deer (but not with the deer).
Call the highway patrol and let them do a report.
You might have to call a wrecker, but let the highway patrol decide for you.
Do not attempt to dispatch the deer, which is illegal.
Do not load the deer into your truk and drive off, either. In Alabama, where I grew up, I have seen many people do this very thing, only to go home, dress the animal, eat it, and in some cases have it taxidermied.
Call your insurance company...set up a meeting to discuss the police report and share all of the pictures you took with your agent. Most insurace agencies are good to work with, some are not.
Get your car fixed.
Drive slow from here on out, but have your insurace company on speed dial.
If you follow these instructions, you can just breathe easy until the next "go-round".
Bears are a tremendous problem, as they are large and are the same color as dark pavement and moonless nights. I have only seen one bear that had been struck by a car, but neither car nor bear were spared in the rendezvous. I have seen lots of bears piddling roadside at prior roadkill, though - so be careful!
Roads are dangerous places for animals, especially possums, since they apparently live there. Nevertheless, roads impede natural animal migrations (such as elk), but also block natural travel corridors that interfere with predator - prey interaction...U.S. 64 has under-road bear crossings to prevent collisions. South Florida utilizes man-made "land bridges" to keep the Florida Panther safe when encountering a road. These multi-million dollar projects save lots of animals and money (for insurance agencies and purchasers). Drive slow and enjoy the drive.
Enjoy the day...
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