Doggage

Jack sent this good old “sign”… Which prompted me to reply with a recent pic of Princess Pook, AKA Ataika, the queen of Kazakhstan and points west. At eleven she can still jump a fence or catch a rabbit, and is currently in heat, driving the boy crazy.  But then, her mother gave birth to …

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Season

 This year a combination of utterly un – concentrated doves (because of widespread abundant rain and food), and deadlines, have delayed my opening day. Not so Carlos in Laramie– Blue grouse AND Snipe. I feel unemployed… Some years I have actually started on Opening day..

Update

I can only say things are GOOD- not “perfect”, whatever that means. In the morning I often feel “normal”, i.e., how I feel I remember from 6 – plus years ago; I often hit a wall by 5 PM. It is not bad, and getting better as we learn how to adjust my machine… I …

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Oliver Sacks– 1933 – 2015; RIP

Tom McIntyre just let me know that Oliver Sacks has died at 82, from a recurrence of his melanoma. I wrote back, instantly: “A great man; a Martian, as he characterized his friend Temple Grandin, but a GREAT Martian, and great writer- scientist. I have read nearly all his books, picking up the autobiography when …

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“A simple linear gesture..”

LC Smith Field Grade Featherweight– an honest Yankee double, finished. Nothing has cleaner lines. This 6 1/4 pound, 28″ 12 bore from, probably, the twenties, is a perfectly balanced gun.    

GunSMITHery…

I went and traded for two American Classics the other day at Ron’s, two old favorites, LC Smiths. “Elsies” have certain inherent problems– their sidelocks, insufficiently supported by bearing surfaces, have a tendency to crack their wood under pressure- but I LIKE them for reasons not entirely rational (but what reasons for passions like guns …

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The Hounds

The book is done, at 44,000- plus words– I like it, very much, and hope not to have to rewrite it. As it is a very personal book it may seem quirky to some, but I hope the editors can use their judgment and let it stand, more or less as is, with its melancholy …

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KA- BOOM!

Tina Garfield captured this shot of one of our powerful summer storms last week: Going in for “programming” tomorrow, after which I expect my life will improve A LOT. Hope so, anyway… and all reports are good…