Hailey's first harvest....

Hailey decided she wanted to start hunting this year. She has been going target practicing with me for several years. I use to take her hunting when she 2 or 3 years old, before she realized she didn't like it....she would be fishing!! We would have an extra pair of binoculars, an extra gun(not that she could shoot) a blanket, crayons and coloring books, baby dolls, snacks, drinks, flash cards....anything you could imagine. She would get tired or really just bored beyond her years. We would get ready to leave and she would be too tired to walk back.......so, here we go, I would carry her out on my shoulders and everything else tuck under my arms, around my neck, in each hand, a backpack clenched in my teeth......I looked like an elephant and she was the Queen of Huntingland. Well, this year she decided she wanted to start hunting...Garrett decided he wanted to hunt also. I tried to take turns with each one of them and even once I took both of them. Picture this, a 4 ft by 4 ft stand, 12 feet off the ground, two kids and me, along with everything and then some. They had the Nintendos playing against one another....at times made so much noise, I couldn't think, they even shook the stand a couple of times. I started reading my book and we just enjoyed the afternoon together.....really close together. They had fun and that is what is important.

Garrett and I had gone to a stand that I have had a great deal of success in harvesting a deer. Late in the afternoon, 3 came into the food plot and with his excitement, moving to get a better look, they saw us. The last thing we saw was their white tails going away from us.....ha. We listed that hunt as a success..... sicne we finally saw something together.This is them, with Garrett acting crazy......

I took Hailey a few days later to the same stand. We were sitting there.....it was getting late.....I call it "Prime Time"....this is when you will see the most deer.....a bunny rabbit hopped out and I told Hailey where it was. After a few minutes, she tapped my leg, took her hand and acted as if she was pulling a trigger. I explained to her that this was "Prime Time" and that if she shoots, we will not see a deer. She said OK....well about 2 minutes later, she is tapping my leg wanting to shoot. I told her go ahead.

She lifted the gun and shouldered it, flipped the safety off.....and I could feel her shaking from excitement, nerves....heart pounding.....the end of barrel was dancing everywhere, she couldn't hold it still. I placed my hand on her back, leaned over and told her to just relax..."Yea, right Daddy"....I told her to keep the rabbit in the sights, don't even think about shooting..after a little while, she calmed down...as much as possible...she squeezed the trigger and hit her target. We hugged, high-fived and I let her know how proud I was of her.

She was still so excited!! She had a huge proud smile on her face....that girl knows she can smile. We talked for a little while, and she told me, "Daddy, you were right. I even didn't feel it(the gun) kick". It was a boost of confidence that she gained that afternoon. When we got home, she had to tell Garrett about the hunt and of course, we had to take pictures. They are already talking about next season.

We do eat what we harvest and the children are taught to respect and enjoy nature with all of its beauty.

Our Valentine's Day....

Lee Laurie and I went to Porches in Wesson, MS. They open for lunch Monday through Friday and Sunday. They only open at night on special occasions. Lee mentioned that she would like to go and that is the only hint I needed. I called Wednesday and made reservations. It was very beautiful. It is an old Victorian style house. You can go to Lee Laurie's blog, A Southern Rose, to see more pictures. It made my night, seeing the smile on her face, hearing the excitement in her voice, snapping pictures of everything....... The restuarant has a real comfortable feeling.....the feeling a place has or doesn't. The food was delicious.....the employees and other guest was all nice. We met a couple there in the restaurant and after visiting with them, Lee was offered a job....ha.

This is the glass rose trinket box I gave to her for Valentine's. She loves any kind of stuff like this...see the pink rose.

The room where we ate our dinner was probably the old dining room in the house. Our waiter snapped this picture of us. The short door on the left side of the picture, we think is where they kept their china and linen.....back in the day.

These are camellias that Hailey picked for Ms Lee. When we say them, Hailey just had to pick Ms Lee a couple. She is a sweet loving girl......she always thinks of other people.

This little lady dates back to the 60's. She is a little bell......Lee can ring it when she needs me to get her something....when she is blogging.. Don't laugh, she has already used it.....for real. Also, she is holding a pink rose.

This is the small vase that I got for Lee....and yes one of the roses are pink......you guessed it, she loves pink and she loves roses. I bought all of these one day when I was "thrifting" on my lunch break. She has taught me so well. She also got a dozen of white roses.

I want to thank Lee Laurie for a wonderful Valentines!!

Saturday early morning bad news.........

When most people was wishing family, friends....love ones Happy Valentines Day....Saturday morning......I was getting bad news. The first call I received was early.......too early...I didn't answer it....they left a message on my voice mail. When I checked it a couple of hours later, it was a friends wife....not him......and she was in tears....trembling voice....they had went out to eat Friday night....were on their way home and was in a head on collision.....he was killed...... she wasn't hurt(Thursday night, on the way to mom's house, it was her birthday, Lee Laurie and I passed a wreck on the interstate and when we saw the truck, or what use to be a truck, I told her "that's bad". Well, it was a friend of my sister's, he was pronounced dead on the scene.) Getting back to yesterday Pickett(I always called him by his last name) was a good friend of mine. We met about a year ago at the bank, he was my "Repo Man". In just a short span of time we became good friends. He carried on non-sense like me. He told me not long ago that he considered me one of his good friends and that he liked me. I told him, that he was the kind of friend that...if I was on the side of road...anywhere....at 2:00 in the morning....and I needed him....that his dumb ass would come help me.....he said "you know it". He saw pictures of Lee in my office, but wasn't sure if she really existed....ha. He and his wife, Anita Carol, took Lee Laurie, Cole, Garrett and myself out to eat one Friday night about 3 or 4 weeks ago. We had a good time...talked, laughed, learned a little bit about each other and ate way too much! Lee liked him and his wife, they are like us....just down to earth everyday common folk....The last two days of his life he texted me......just to say "morning", they came by the bank Friday afternoon just say hey, he also invited us to go fishing to Lake Washington on March the 13th with his whole family......instead we will go to his visitation tonight and the funeral tomorrow.

Then I got a call from Larry.....he is the old fart that I make the bowls and pens with. Larry has been a really good friend to me. He stood true to me through the good times and the bad times......through my divorce he was always there to listen and offer advice.....and whatever else I have encountered over the last several years......he has helped in so many ways that I can not remember all of them. well, he was at the Baptist hospital in Jackson, he had had heart surgery and he should get to come home today. I immediately asked him was there anything around the house he needed me to do, but there wasn't. He then told me that his cancer was back......he was diagnosed with lung cancer several years ago...and had the lung removed. Now his other lung.....yep his only lung has cancer now....however he was in good spirits and carrying on his normal non-sense(I can't mention it in on the blog...ha). He has a wonderful wife, Amelia. I love to pick on her too. It is so easy to push her buttons....if you know which ones.....whew....she will get feisty quick......she will also tell you just how it is. I like people that are straight forward....no beating around the bush.....I told him to call me when he gets home and we would come visit. I will have to give him a hard time....no mercy.....

I wasn't going to do a this blog.....because I just wouldn't open up like this. However, after reading Nita's blog from Red Tin Heart, it inspired me too......the title of her blog is We are not Replaceable....she also wrote....

We make more of a difference in life than we know...
You make more of a difference in life than you know...

WE ARE NOT REPLACEABLE!!!!

As the tears are flowing down my face uncontrollable.....I know that I am blessed by God....giving me the family and friends that I have which I love dearly....giving me a "second chance" at love.....I am grateful for everything he has given me.....you see these tears are not just tears of sadness......but tears of......thankfulness.....happiness....love.....

OK....on my next blog, you will see that my best friend, Lee Laurie, helped me to have a wonderful day in spite of everything.....she is my true friend......and I am so blessed to have her as a friend, I love her!

Spring is coming....

This past weekend was so wonderful. The sun was out, the temperature was just right, the breeze was just right......it was a wonderful weekend. I spent most of my weekend outside.....however, we were able to finish watching a movie and started another one. It usually takes us a couple of nights to watch one.

The new puppy loves to chew and drag stuff in the yard that he finds somewhere. So, I was trying to get things put up, cleaned.....and playing with all the dogs, Black dog, Baby, Blue and Sassy. My friend, Lee Laurie of A Southern Rose was babysitting her grandson, Jason, and I helped her with him. He is a handsome little man. Visit her post...she put some pictures of him on there.

The plum trees and the daffodils must not believe the ole German superstition about the groundhog or they miss seeing it on the news! Ha. Mother nature knows..... We have several plums trees that have started budding out and blooming. I love daffodils. We call them "old folk flowers" because you will see them around ole home places. They grow along the roadside also. I was in the backyard working, lunch was cooking on the stove, it's aroma was awesome and as I was going up the steps to the patio......I had the strongest memory of being at my Maw Maw Zachs as a little kid....I guess I could call it a feeling.....I had a lot of fun times there.

As I get older, I appreciate things more, God's beauty of the outdoors, family, friends...love ones....the little things. I often say, take care of the little things and the big things will fall into place.

I will put more pictures of flowers in time......

Pond fishing.....at the Honey Hole

I took Hailey and Garrett fishing at a friends pond. I hate for the kids to stay inside and watch, tv or play games when it is a pretty day.

About the first 20 minutes, it was boring for them. They weren't getting any bites. Hailey got the first white perch and after that it was on!! They kept me so busy, baiting hooks, taking fish off, untangling lines.....etc. Garrett would catch one.....then Hailey...... The wind starting blowing hard and the sky started getting dark, you could feel the moisture in the air. I looked out across the field and saw the rain coming, I gathered things up and loaded them in the truck. While I was at the truck, I heard both kids screaming, "Daddy!" "Mr. Stevie!". Expecting the worst, I turned around and Hailey's rod was bent over double. She had hung a good fish. After several minutes at coaching her and telling her she can do it, about a 4 pound catfish came to the surface, saw us and went back down. I don't know which one was happier or more nervous....Hailey or Garrett. I got Hailey to walk to the bank and we were able to land the fish. All together, they caught a couple of bream, about 14 white perch and 1 catfish. They had a great time!! They helped clean, cook and eat them!! The very next day, they were asking to go back.

We have caught a bunch of fish out of this ole pond. It is a "honey hole". This spring we will have some new pics!!

First Blog Award....The Manly Blog Award....

Thank you Deanna....where did you find that picture of me? Ha. This is my first award. You also gave Lee Laurie her first award! Yup...I am kinda hooked on blogging....just have to limit my time on the computer or I will never get anything done...ha..know what I mean? Thank you again, I always say that "I am a lucky man"....I think your husband is "a lucky man also".

If any of you female bloggers have some male bloggers....I would be interested in viewing their blogs.

Thanks

Can't keep them home forever.......

The Saturday night before Cole was going to leave and move off to North MS, I had a small accident and I broke the wing on this Angel. Sorry Babe. I told Lee it gave me a thought for my blog. I know she was wondering what did the two have in common......well.....to me a lot...... When I saw the Angel with the broken wing, unable to fly anymore......I remembered back to when I was young and growing up out in the country, I would help my Paw Paw clip the feathers on one wing of each chicken to keep it from being able to fly....thus keeping it safe in the chicken pen.....keeping the dogs, fox, 'possums, coons.......even kept us from chasing them. He knew exactly where they were at all times......

Well, I thought of Cole....and Lee not wanting him to go......wanted him to stay here....go to school here.....work here.......keeping him close and keeping him safe. However, our lives are not that simple....we have to let go and watch them grow up......make their own choices......and always let them know how much they are loved, that we are here for them, that in the real world, life can be hard, their will be bumps, detours, and potholes and even dead ends....that nothing worthwhile is easy, it takes hard work, determination and lots of will power to succeed in life. Set your goals high, write them down...put a time frame on them.......review them regularly.

Cole giving us the peace sign......his age group says "Peace Out" instead of bye.....I use to say still do sometimes....."See ya round town" and here in our small town....you will see them 'round town!! I didn't think Cole should go and didn't want him to go, but he is determined, strong willed and knows that we are here for him. With our prayers and God beside him, he will be OK.

Love ya man.

This is us acting up, long arms make it possible to take your own picture....ha!!

Special findings......

Sorry about the pictures not being too clear. In all my days, this is the first wasp nest that I have seen that was built on an old wasp nest. Luckily, there weren't any wasp on either one. HA.

These are some sheds that I have found over the years. Each year male deer will shed their horns and sometimes you will be lucky and find one in the woods. I have been told that little critters like mice/rats, squirrels.....will gnaw on them. I also have found bones that were gnawed on and I have a few more antlers in storage...."in a box" that I have found.

When you find some sheds like these, you get excited and look forward to next year!!