Finished

I finally did it...I finished all 6 seasons of Dawson's Creek. So what! I'm sentimental...maybe because I interact with so many children makes me this way. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it is the best teen drama of all time...even better than One Tree Hill...just don't hold my guiltiest pleasure against me, please!

Cold air and flurries blew in today...wind chills near 25 degrees make me yearn for warm, tropical breezes enjoyed in the summer. Those winds fill the sails of our camp's sailboats, and offer a challenge to our canoers and kayakers. Cold air now only fills our leaky office drafts and barren facial skin - but I enjoy that, too. North Carolina truly has 4 seasons, all with varying degrees of comfort. The east has blustery cold winters, mild springs and falls, and HOT summers. The major pasttime of the winter in the east appears to be thinking. Thinking about the summer. Crab boats have to be repaired, as do the pots and lines and buoys found on and under them..most of this is well underway, if not completed. As soon as March warms up, expect to see those boats about.

The Conservation Order on snow geese in about to lift. When most folks here "conservation order", they think moratorium on snow goose harvest. Think the opposite. Snow geese are "conserved" by additional hunting efforts. Snow geese are interesting birds...they flock by the 1000's, not pairs or tens or hundreds. They are eating their nesting grounds to pieces, sharing diseases, and booming the fox population...when the birds "check themselves", the foxes will then gorge on the remaining, before they, too, die. So go and harvest a snow goose or 20. It'll do the environment some good. Snow goose tastes like truck stop steak, so it's not bad, as long as it's fried and gravy-smothered.

Enjot the day...

Snow...again

Rumor has it that snow maybe on its way for Thursday...not sure if it'll be a whole lot, though. The Winter Olympics are starting to wind-up. This breaks my little heart. But I can wait for London in 2012...

I'd really love to go to an Olympic event...had my chance in1996 in Atlanta when the Soccer was played at Legion Field in Birmingham...but I am bored with Soccer and detest Legion Field for a variety of reasons.

Southern Insurance is visiting today for a meeting...there gonna eat baked potato and chilli for lunch - perfect for a cold day!

Next week we have the Quilter's and Emmaus coming by...after that the month is filled with an additional Emmaus, NC State's Opening Doors Program, UNC Nurse's Retreat, Hall Fletcher Elementary, Beaufort Youth at Work, another Quilting group, Harvest Church Retreat, and a few others...it'll be totally busy. My time will be split in my office and Food Service...we'll be serving up some tasty meals! The program groups that are coming in will be treated to my very own facilitation...I hate to brag but I am probably one of the best around...but that's because Lee trained and honed me...he's good, too!

Anyway, stay bundled up for the next few days...the Ides of March are just around the corner...it'll be boating weather after that!

Enjoy the day...

Medal Count/Breather Week

Congratulations, America...you are the greatest country in the world, at the Olympics, anyway- there's proof of that! America leads the medal count and it could be a wire-to-wire win...if the teams/competitors can keep going strong. Nobody expected it, especially the Canadians, eh?

Pocosin Arts has come and gone...rumor has it that they had a nice retreat. The weather was great - to good for a "Cabin Fever Reliever", but it appeared to me that they took plenty of time to hang out in the out of doors. There were some pretty magnificent items in their gallery - and most could be tied to the the northeastern/pocoson culture...

Also, the weekend saw visitors from Benson - Envirothon came our way. These students spent all day Saturday around Lake Mattamuskeet looking for ducks, swans, and geese...I am confident that they saw plenty of swans. They are still around - but'll soon head back to Alaska. The Snow Geese were on the move Friday afternoon. There are 4 migratory flyways in the country (Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Pacific). Obviously we are in the Atlantic flyway, and the Eastern 4-H Center, since it's on the water and all, is virtually at the epicenter of the flyway...so we see lots of high flyers - about 10,000 snows flew over in wavy "v's"...they sound like little lap dogs when the fly over... Hope Envirothon saw some of those things. Snow geese are overly abundant. They are literally eating themselves out of house and hme in their nesting ground above the arctic circle.

This week we get a slight breather before March-November madness. I'll be using the week to plan out my summer staffing (I hope), plan meals and schedules for the kitchen (I hope), and trying to relax in the evenings (I hope). Congratulations to the Columbia high School Ducks Unlimited Committee - their banquet was nice - and run mostly by students.

Enjoy the day...

Catch Phrases

Lately, the 4-H Center has been frenzied with activity - Pocosin Arts is a good warm up for the "really busy" season...my time is plit between the Kitchen, Spring Programs, and Summer Camp preparations - so it's tough to say where my loyalties lie, but those who know me know right where they lie...

Last night, laying in bed with heart palpitations from a night of excitement in the Kitchen, I laid there, first counting sheep - that helps sometimes...however last night I couldn't visualize sheep jumping over a picturesque fence. Instead I was trying to count them as they all ran around a stock yard in New Zealand, a cluttered mess...I am really looking forward to 4-H Livestock Show season - which is just around the corner. I digress.

So, I started thinking of catchphrases, or slogans...its a good way to calm me down and encourage me to laugh away the stress - and laughing in the dark is always fun...here's some I came up with:

The Eastern 4-H Center - "Come see us near the edge of the continent."

Animal Testing - "Really mean, especially the math portion."

Corndogs and Jelly Beans - "Vegetables of tomorrow."

Summer Camp Staff - "Like herding cats with a blindfold."

The Olympics - "Too lazy to do them every year."

Charles Midgette - "The Eastern 4-H Center's most complete male."

Cooking - "Animals don't do it, why should we."

Obviously, I laughed hysterically at my own jokes last night. You, reader, have undoubtedly done the same.

This weekend, the Columbia High School Ducks Unlimited Banquet is being held at Tyrrell Hall - I'll pay homage. I hope it's barbecue, fried chicken, beans, boiled potatoes (which I had never liked until moving here), and hush puppies...

Enjoy the day...

Today is busy

I am gonna be busy today...I hope I have enough time to use the copying machine as a panini press around mid-day.

Pocosin Arts is coming in today - so we are wrapped up for the weekend...

Enjoy the day...

Winter Olympics

Probably the best thing to ever happen - the Olympic Games - are taking place. To bad for me, I can't remember when the Winter and Summer games were held in the same year...but I like the current format. Splitting them, which fixes my Olympic fix, over two years is totally the way to go! It's tough to decide which games I enjoy the most, but the Winter games are clearly more intimate and easier to follow for a superfan, like me.

And while the games are being held in Canada, America's Hat, isn't a surefire way to doom American hopefuls from the medal stand. As of right now, the American's actually lead the medal count - a pretty amazing feat when you consider that over 1/2 of our country rarely sees any snow. And the places that do see snow, they are so far out in the sticks that few people actually live there. When watching the games, though, it seems that most Americans train in Salt Lake City...I, on the other hand have always considered myself an "East Coast" guy, and would never want to go and spend time in the Pacific Time Zone. I would prefer Lake Placid, where there have been several Winter games, and apparently, a forty foot alligator. When skating on a frozen lake, Apolo Ohno would certainly operate faster, knowing that there might be a giant lizard beneath his blades. The Great Salt Lake? Nothing there, except for snow geese, which are nice, but certainly not deadly to humans.

I especially look forward to the curling portion of the games. I have never curled, nor do I want to do so. I would not look serious in those shoes they wear. It seems that there is a curling club in the Triangle, though...I might have to check that out.

Other sports that are really cool to watch are the speed skating. They appear to be going fast, but not trying too hard. The short track race, the one the Koreans tanked, was as much drama as my brain could withstand. Two Americans, Ohno was one of them, held on after the Koreans let go. It just seems that if you compete in a sport, you should be panting and sweating afterwards. They train for years for one race that ends in just over two minutes. It's like saving all your money just to visit the moond for a minute. It puzzles me why this appears to be a good investment of time, but I don't have the sponsorships and loyalties to afford me much time to think about it any longer.

Moguls skiing also looks fun, if not bad on the legs. Ski jumping is plain ridiculous - humans, without wings, skiing downill to a frozen ramp, propel themselves nearly the length of an American football field. The Biathlon - skiing and shooting...nope. I would have never put that activity together at camp, that is for certain.

The Winter athletes are also a little cooler, literally and figuratively, than the summer athletes. The summer athletes are all muscular and serious. The winter folks - nah. They all have dreadlocks, ponytails, and the like...and nary a muscle. They are just plain adrenaline junkies - which leads to more death-defying stunts. Shaun White's double cork looks much cooler than Usain Bolt's footrace, but that Jamaican sure is fast.

Anyway - that's my irrelevant erspective on the Olympics...

Cabin Fever arrives tomorrow, then Souther Insurance, followed by the Quilter's...then the floodgates open!

Enjoy the day...

Cupid is gone...

Valentine's Day came and went...one of my favorite sounds is the "whooshing" of a holiday as flies by on my calendar. I avoided unavoidable disasters and embarrassments over the weeknd - so mark one up for the home team. I spent the weekend in Raleigh, where we enjoyed about 2 inches of snow for about 2 hours...that's the best kind of snow. Yet, still people went out to by MEB's (Millk, Eggs, Bread) for no immediate or apparent reason.

Cupid, in his diaper and what not, probably got a bit cold in the snow...but that's OK. Over the weekend, I picked up a book for the first time in quite some time. Well, a book that didn't involve work or waterfowl, anyway..."Kitchen Confidential". I can't believe I had never read this book before. And while I am still reading it, I look forward to ending it soon. Bourdain recounts his early endeavors into the kitchen in a way that at times is graphic, but is always honest. If you are a patron that walks in, looks for the Health Department score, then do not pick up this read. But if you do, just remember, it is for entertainment purposes only.

This week, The Eastern 4-H Center will play host to Pocosin Arts' Cabin Fever Reliever. There will be lots of painting and crafts (not really crafts, but excellent work). They'll be here from Wednesday through Sunday.

Also this weekend, Columbia High School is hsting it's high school Ducks Unlimited Banquet...the "school chapter" is one of the first in the country...

The weather this week appears to be dry after tonight's rain...maybe some of these yards can dry out in the sun...

Enjoy the day...

Back in town

Last night at around 9:15 I arrived back in Tyrrell County...Lee and I faced few travel impediments, despite the record amounts of snowfall in Baltimore and D.C. Operation Purple Training was great - we are even better prepared to serve ANY of our states 120,000 military youth.

The big story, other than the training was the snow...several of the attendees are still there at Sandy Cove Ministries awaiting there departing flights...the folks at Sandy Cove were extremely accommodating. If you are ever in Maryland, please stop by...it is truly a spectacular place.

I have included some pictures f the snow...pretty impressive - Oh yeah, Happy belated birthday to my lawyer/sister...even lawyers are living people with birthdays!!!!



























































Enjoy the day...

SNOW!!!

When Lee and I arrived at the National Military Family Association's Operation Purple Camp sponsored by the Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation's Director Training in Maryland, we witnessed about 20 inches of snow covering the ground...travel to the area was tough, mainly because of snow plows...tomorrow's departure is sure to be tough, as we are currently right in the middle of an additional two feet of expected snow fall. The training is really good, but the snow really adds to the beauty of the entire experience...Sandy Cove Ministries (the location of the training) is at the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay...the area is really beautiful!

Nevertheless, we have another full day - we are both excited, but nervous about the snowfall. Please think about us as we travel tomorrow!

Enjoy the day...

Out for the week

Youth Waterfowl Day was this past weekend...It turned out that I was able to take someone...Drew and I went to the Futch Impoundment...he is a great wingshooter and really knows how to "stay still" - He bagged 3 ringnecks and a gadwall. Unfortunately, he let a widgeon slip by, and I misled him on a beautiful redhead that would not decoy...we did have pintail put down in the decoys, a first for me, but Drew was unloaded - we both watched the pintail leave in a hurried flight - tooooo bad.

Im out for the week, well out of the blog for the week. Lee and I are travelling to the snwy north east, North East, Maryland to be exact - that's the name of the town...they have 30 inches of snow and will get several more inches on Wednesday...

We will be attending training for Operation Purple Camp - the brainchild of the National Military Families Association...we have been before, but since the program is rapidly evolving, we need to be back in school. Operation Purple Camp is a neat experience for children whose parent are deployed to war. We have two weeks of "OPC" along with some other "special" camps for injured vets and military children with disabilities...I'll try and give a complete wrap-up when I return...

Also - by all accounts, the North Carolina Volunteer Leaders' Conference was a success. This annual soire is held to honor the volunteers of 4-H - the lifeblood - for a job well done! They deserve it, and more!

Enjoy the week...

Are we the best?

Lately, the Eastern 4-H Center has experienced an increase in traffic...local visitors, school groups, retreats, church retreats, and summer campers... But why?

I have several reasons in my tiny head, but I'll leave that up to our wonderful guests to decide why this place seems to tbe the ticket for school groups, field trips, retreats, and summer camp.

Most states have some type of 4-H Camp or 4-H Camping system...States like Georgia have several camps...there system is designed a lot like ours. Rock Eagle, near Eatonton, is gigantic. I heard that over 1000 people can overnight there. That's nice, but I don't know if i want to hang out with 1000 of my closest friends. Nevertheless, they have some pretty amazing programs...Another Georgia 4-H Camp is located on Tybee Island...that would be a pretty neat place, too.

West Virginia has Jackson's Mill 4-H Camp. It's near a town called Weston. To get there you have to go down several dirt roads, turn at the third mountain, swim the stream, and park - not really. But it, like everything else in West Virginia can be tricky to locate, especially for us flatlanders. Nevertheless, once you arrive, prepared to be blown away. The southern Alleghenny Mountains serve as the backdrop to this place. It's all the birthplace of Stonewall Jackson, who might have fought in a war or two. Jackson's Mill is massive, with the ability to overnight several hundred guests...and while it is pretty primitive in most of the cabins, some housing is pretty comfortable...food isn't bad either, but they can't seem to get a handle on grits. It's also the oldest 4-H Camp in the country. It is the most "traditional", in my mind - and I have enjoyed a couple of visits there.

The Alabama 4-H Center is where I grew up at camp. Like most 4-H Camps, it's got some impressive scenery. The main lodge also overlooks the Coosa River, which is the Alabama equivalent of the Mighty Mississippi. The Alabama 4-H Center is a relatively new facility...it, to me, tends to be suited more towards retreats, and not so much summer camp...but the additions of the cottages will certainly enable them to serve larger camping groups. They do have a pretty impressive EE program, as well as a good teambuilding program. The hotel-style rooms are exactly that...they have rooms with TV. At Camp. BOOOOO! Actually, I was lcky enough to post up in one of those rooms in my childhood. I enjoyed the TV, but I enjoyed bragging about it to the other campers. I won a State 4-H Forestry Judging Team Championship at theat facility. My name was even on a plaque on the wall in the lodge (it was, anyway). I even know about the secret glass bottle in the big fireplace!

The Eastern 4-H Center is a hybrid of all of these places. Like Rock Eagle, we are pretty renowned in these parts...and while 1000 people can't spend the night here, we can comfortably accomodate over 200 people. Our Stronghold in this region on sumer camp, and our ability to serve large numbers of diverse populations, is akin to Rock Eagle's.

Much like Jackson's Mill, the Eastern 4-H Center can be tough to find. But it is certainly a treasure...it may be the east's best kept secret, but rest assured, that secret is being shared...Like the rich tradition of Camp at Jackson's Mill, we have our own rich tradition, though it is young. Jackson's Mill is the end-all-be-all of 4-H Camping in West Virginia...could that be in our plans? That's up to our guests...

And like the Alabama 4-H Center, our exterior seems more befitting of a top-notch corporate retreat with world-class teambuilding opportunities...at a great price. However, a deeper look exposes all of the kid-friendly and kid-conducive programs and activities we have...The Alabama 4-H Center overlooks a mile wide strech of the Coosa River....the Eastern 4-H Center offers one of the best water views in the country...13 miles across the beautiful Albemarle Sound. We are surrounded by raw and natural pocosin swamp on one side, and beautiful soundside homes to the the other...in a community that supports us at every chance.

Are we the best? I don't know...but we are a combination of several of the "other" best...

Enjoy the day...

One for now, One for Later

Warm yellow light splashed across my room, followed by the suppressed nudge of my dad. "You want to go", he said. Did my "Alarm Clock" ask me if I wanted to wakeup?! Well, since it didn't require me to rise, I chose to go ahead and put my feet on the floor. The cold wooden floor sped my steps to fireplace in the living room, where the clothes I had lain out the previous night warmed and waited. "How does this work?" I would wander, then just watch as the man of the house put on a clinic. Wool socks first, then the longjohns...now it makes sense. Camo pants, a thermal shirt, then a flannel - and a dark coat this very morning rounded out my uniform. Oh yeah - I needed the charcoal handwarmer - but I was certain dad had that ready and waiting in the pickup. He always did. All I had to do was make it to the truck...and brush my teeth. He made it easy for me to make up my mind about leaving the warm house for the cold outdoors to chase deer, doves, or turkeys. It was deer this morning.

Nevertheless, I topped off my uniform, which by now had started to smell a little like bacon and eggs. Yuck! He knew I wouldn't eat them, but had not neglected to lower the cereal and procure the milk. I would eat my Cap'n Crunch. He would eat livestock. I knew better - I was 9 years old. The plates and bowls hit the bottom of the sink. The cooler, empty, was put in the back of the truck. Our weapons, his a Remington, mine, the equally accurate Daisy BB gun, were placed in the gun rack in the back window of the Chevrolet. We had business to do, I thought. I was taking part in a rich and strong tradition. Hunting and being a man, or atleast emulating one, were my self-imposed marching orders. The Chevrolet rattled and sputtered, but the 305 screamed to power...the brake was released and after loading up the hounds, we departed the driveway, east bound.

Our drive to the Hatchett Creek Hunting Club generally lasted about 30 minutes, give or take. This particular morning, he asked about my school work in Mrs. Carter's 4th Grade classroom...he also teased me about my "girlfriend". The travel and conversation were interrupted only by deer crossing the road and a stop at Magic Mart, in downtown Rockford. He got coffee, I got 2 sodas. One for now, one for later, I thought. He would suggest a couple of snacks, one for now and one for later. I always obliged. Slim Jim and Doritos - That's what everyone else ate. After the provisions were secured, dad would help me load up in the truck. The weight of my treats, coupled with the bulk of my outfit required a little help getting in the truck. My feet, covered with suede workboots, barely met the floor board - so a little help was a both needed, and today, appreciated.

The 3 mile windy road was red with taillights. The hunting club had lots of members, some as youg as me, but most the age of my dad. The CB radio came to life...nicknames - call names - blasted from the speaker. I always wanted one. I now know that you earn those, not ask for them. As we pulled in to the lot, other parties, similar to our own were planning hunts, feeding dogs, lying and laughing. Dad could participate handily at those tasks. The other men would acknowledge me, and it felt welcoming. This was one of my favorite parts of the day. The old building were hunting stations were assigned was marked and carved with the names and initials of hunters from another era. The dates under them made me felt like I had already missed a whole lot - and I had to catchup.

Once we were assigned a hunting location, dad always grabbed a couple of maps, and this morning was no different. One for me, and one for me to take home...he didn't need one - he had hunted those hills for years. As we parked the truck, I would crack open soda # 1. He would tell me where the wind was coming and where exactly we would sit. During or after the brief exchange, we would exit the cab and make our way to the dog box. The plothounds in the back were ready to go, and so were we...Once the word came over the CB, we released the dogs, not to see them for a couple more hours.

We crept into the hardwood forest off of Bentley Barn Road. I liked Bentley Barn Road - it was muddy and rough. Nevertheless, as we walked slowly, we found a pair of trees, one for me, and one for him. Dad loaded the Remington with buckshot. He watched me, and trained me, on properly loading my BB gun. "Don't ever point that thang at anything you ain't gone shoot" he'd say...and "Keep the durn safety on, until right before you shoot". Eventually, we had both loaded up, and we waited. This particular morning, animals were on the move. Every 10 minutes or so, leaves would rattle up and down the "holler", and we would wait steadily. One doe, two beagles. I was dissapointed. I wanted the "Big One" to stroll through.

After about 30 minutes, the charcoal handwarmers showed up...he knew my hands were cold. And my feet - he unlaced the boots and rubbed my tiny feet until they were warm. I felt better. And my soda can was beginning to run dry. After an hour or so, we had given up on the hunt. It was time for hoop cheese and potted meat...but he pulled out a can of sardines. I tried my first and last sardine of my life that morning. But I'll never forget it. I uncapped my final soda to wash out the taste. We loaded up and went after the hounds. We took it slow, and he told me stories of past hunts, and their subsequent successes and failures, but they all sounded fun. I desperately wanted stories of my own. Today, I am slowly building a catalog of stories...some from my hunts with dad, and some of my own with my friends.

The CB radio rang out, and we were alerted that our dogs had been captured and secured at the club' kennel. They weren't going anywhere, but we where. We rode some other roads, all of which were muddy and rough. I would follow along with my map...one road I never went down was the Charcoal Pit Road...I have always wandered - maybe that's were they put new members...maybe there aren't any deer...or maybe there were, because the deer certainly weren't on the Bentley Barn Road.

After a couple of hours and an empty Dorito's bag, dad and I returned to the headquarters and pulled our dogs away. It was time for us to head home. And I was glad. And he knew it.

I remember nearly every hunt I went on with dad. I didn't know it at the time, but he was teaching me life lessons...sometimes on purpose, and sometimes, not. He never made me go, but made it worth my effort if I did go. I learned that killing a deer wasn't the best thing that happens on a hunt, though it appears to be the immediate goal. Generally, it was the bookends of a hunt that made the hunt. The anticiption beforehand was matched only the anticipation for the next hunt...which set in on the way home. Anticipation is the sweetest form of agony. It is tough to wait. I was just glad to be apart of a big tradition, never realizing that me and him were building his own traditions and memories, and beginning mine.

Youth Waterfowl Day is just around the corner. Lots of kids will go afield for the first time. All of these children are going with the expectation of filling a bag limit. I just hope they all go home with a filling of memories. Those that can offer their time, should. Take someone. If no adult ever took a kid hunting, would there be anymore hunters? Hunters are the most giving to their hobby. They pay taxes on their sporting goods and licenses that protect and enhance future habitat. This habitat is enjoyed by hunters for only about two months out of the year, but birders, boaters, and hikers reap the benefits of protected land throughout the year. Hunters also learn about life and death, and achieve a healthy respect for both. If you can recruit a new hunter you've got one for now, and hopefully, one for later...

Enjoy the day...

Valentine's Day Expectations

Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I know that as excited as every woman is, her companion is congruently disappointed. Valentine's Day is two things...a "Hallmark" Holiday and a set-up.

I would rather discuss how this is a set-up for disaster than the commercialization of a cold day in mid-winter.
Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day for L-O-V-E. Men are expected to express this adoration through cut vegetation and milk chocolate shaped organs. This is never enough. These items are just to cliche. And no woman wants a cliche man, right? Men will go above and beyond to locate the most beautiful flowers and richest candies to surprise and satisfy a lady, when what the lady really wants is a surprise. Chocolate covered hearts and chocolate filled hearts will only add to their calorie count in the New Year's resolution workout routine, right? That's the answer that I have been given for many Valentine's Day...which brings me to my next point - do not ask them what they want...

For years I have been the image of practicality. If a lady wants something, I want to make sure I understand what it is...that way we have a good understanding before we have misunderstanding. Chocolate filled hearts? Is that a beef heart from the grocers freezer stuffed with chocolate ganache? Or is it a Russell Stover double cocoa supreme? I want to be absolutely clear when I must provide these gifts. Which brings me to my next point - I MUST provide these gifts...

Do not be that guy that doesn't provide your gal pal with a Valentine's token of affection...even if she insists. I have made this mistake, too. Anyway, all of her friends will inquire about your Valentine's offerings...she would rather bag on your non-effort than make up an elaborate tale of your profession of love from a top the nearest building in front of the whole town. Get something. Chocolate. Or with petals. Not peddles. Or paddles. Which brings me to my final point...gifts that shouldn't be given:

1) Diamonds or an engagement ring. THAT is cliche.
2) White chocolate. It has none of the "benefits" or milk or dark chocolate. It's just oil and sugar.
3) A Happy Meal...even if Mickey D's is her fave...
4) Anything with a cord. My dad always said women needed nice things. Nice dishwasher, nice irons, nice brooms. I agree, but not for this occasion.
5) A Health Club gift certificate. There may be 1 in 1000 ladies who would enjoy this...tough odds.

Now, obviously I wouldn't write this in a serious tone...Valentine's Day is the official day to profess your admiration. Women and men alike deserve to be honored on this day. Men often complain about the holiday because of the pressure to adequately exhibit their fixation. It's a tough holiday to live up to, especially on a yearly basis. Does getting the same gift year after year prove that your love has not grown? Should you increase in effort and greenbacks on an annual basis?

I have found that my girly-friend just likes it if I can remember the date...which is probably the case for %99 of us - so just relax.

Enjoy the day...

Iced over...

This weekend was pretty exciting...lots of snow, followed by lots of freezing rain, followed by a little Saturday night snow...the white stuff received an icy layer on top, which is sure to keep the "snow" around until Tuesday morning.

This was also the last weekend for NC waterfowl season...I heard a lot of good reports and I had a good day, too.
Next weekend is youth Waterfowl Day...I am taking a buddy - he's never been before, but I have a nice place picked out. If he is able to shoot well, he'll get a full bag.

In case anybody else out there is going - the adult must have all of the applicable licenses and stamps. The youth does not have to have any of that, though. the adult also must stay within "voice command", too. ADULTS CANNOT HUNT!!! Only help.

My computer has been telling me for the last 3 hours that I have an unrecognized device in my USP port...I couldn't agree more...I don't see anything...just wish it would quit popping up...

Tomorrow is Groundhog's Day. This doesn't mean that you should eat a Groundhog. PETA has suggested theat Punxsatawney Phil should get a reprieve...I think PETA should get a life.

Enjoy the day...