I woke late this morning, failing to “spring forward” per our ludicrous, federally mandated altering of Earth’s rotation. All was dark beyond the window, a month’s progress into the present season erased literally overnight. “Ay, Lord,” might one of Wendell Berry’s creatures say, “It just ain’t natural!” My whippet’s scheduled hysterectomy (today) was no coincidence. …
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Book Review
The last Wolf HawkerThe Eagle Falconry of Friedrich Remmler By Martin HollinsheadThe Fernhill Press, 2006109 pages, hardcover, b&w photos Order here Falconers’ debts are hard to repay. We owe our mentors for their good example, and their mentors too, back as far as you can go. We begin to return these gifts by practicing competent …
Working with large animals
I should say “larger animals,” humans being large animals relative to some… just not to these. Reid forwarded this LAT story on a California state review of SeaWorld’s orca show, recently in the news for the near-drowning of a trainer by a whale during a live performance. From the story: The report, released Tuesday, follows …
More Zumbo
My first thought: “I can’t afford to comment here lest Steve lose points by association with the likes of me.” Second thought: “Steve is in no danger of losing credibility in the gun club.” Third thought: “Maybe this Zumbo guy had the same thought?” I don’t hunt with a gun. I own two: both .22s …
Dog Pics
Just for fun. A new one of granddog Nemrah, from Lash and Ky, courtesy Monica Stoner east of the mountains…. And an amazing pic of coursing borzois in Cal from the always amazing camera of Herb Wells.
Bill Wise, 1938- 2007
Pictured: Bill Wise and Floyd Mansell My friend (and a personal hero) Bill Wise, of Harrington Delaware, died on the 24th of February. I wrote about him a bit here. After breaking his neck in a surfing accident in 1965 he went on to live a life more adventurous than that of most people who …
The Zumbo Flap
First, read Tam here for the background: “On Friday evening, a gunwriter who was apparently tired of his 42-year career put his word processor in his mouth and pulled the trigger.” Old hunting writer Jim Zumbo called semiauto rifles “terrorist guns”, and said they should be banned. Dumb, and ignorant. As anyone who knows me …
Doom and Gloom
American this time, and maybe too slight and early to blog. But I was reading James Lileks this morning and came to a mention of what Minneapolis grade school kids would like for us all. “…the other day when I went to read a book in her [his daughter’s] class I noted the exhibit outside …
Dad’s B -17
Reid’s post below on the weather vane reminded me of a sketch he and Matt and other visitors have seen in my library. In 1941 my father was a scholarship student at the Museum School of Fine Arts in Boston. A year later he was a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps, a bombardier …
Reid Moving Update
I told you all back in mid-December that Connie and I are moving to Denver and at that time gave our ETA as sometime in January. We made a house hunting trip in December but couldn’t come up with anything. In the subsequent weeks our attempts to continue looking were interrupted by the holidays, the …