jdmidwest

We set out in the blind yesterday until the rain was about 30 minutes away. Nothing moving anyway, 80 on Friday and dropped to 50 overnite. Ran the game cameras and got back to the house about the time it really started. From then, it never let up. Rain and wind. 8 does came out behind the house in the field yesterday around 4 as we were going to make our way back out. We watched them for about an hour in the rain waiting for a buck to step out. They worked their way off into the treeline. Hopped in truck and went to the upper end of the farm to watch a big field. Another 2 does and a fawn was all till dark. Rain all day today, did not even go out. Nothing moving either. Did see a nice buck with a doe in a field on way back to town about dark.

We had walnuts, tree rats been cutting since August. Dropped the last round a few weeks ago and all gone now. Not seen any acorns here. Persimmons loaded up this year.

Looks like the fertilizer around my oak trees this time of year.

Just saw a commercial, they make them pee proof and period proof, let the liquids fly. About puked up my supper watching the pigs advertising those.

Down south, it was goofy too. Spring splits failed to make a queen. I pulled honey as usual on first of July and did 3 more splits. They failed to make a queen. Overall, my 3 hives made about 15 gallons of dark honey. We had a wet spring, cold and late frosts. Then it turned off dry and we were at the border of the severe drought. Then came the August floods and greened up here. My hive are still pretty heavy going into the winter. We had a good golden rod bloom here to get them thru. The one swarm that my Hundred year old buddy caught at his place is doing fine at the farm in its double deep 8 frame hive. Going into winter with 4 hives. No losses this year since spring.

Probably because the twig and berries were in a bunch. Better luck next time.....

Not missed yet, still fully alive and well. His garden is ready to plant next spring, and he is planning to be there. Hang in there Oneshot, only 30 more year to go.

All I saw was a guy on a ledge. This may have led to suicide. But my poor slow internet at home will not let me watch video, just the pic at the start.

What was water temp up there today? Truman was still in the mid 70's 2 weeks ago.

Bass boat with a jet motor on it. Best of both worlds. My home waters is ruled by jet boats. The stump filled shallow water of Lake Wappappello requires them unless you know the channels. Jets can go almost anywhere like an airboat.

Why do people want to stand out on a ledge like that? That weathered fractured rock under them.

Not sure if its the tomato juice or all the work put into it. I am 60 and I think he could keep up with me any day.

I would not trade any of my many years of floating streams in canoes and yaks for one jet boat ride. But my buddies have swelled beyond the kayak stage. And the streams are choked with floaters more so now than in my glory days. I can take a jet powered boat up thru a bunch of floater bs and fish behind them or in front of them all day and be happy. And do it from one access point.

20 years ago this summer, I started a new career with a company that was 3rd gen family. I was friends with the third gen for several years before. That founding member, Ray was an avid gardener and beekeeper. Had a little gunsmith operation for years also. He was the Grandfather I did not get to enjoy because mine went too quickly. He lived next to the shop, so I would see him most every day until we moved to a new location 4 years ago. Thru the years, I watched the sons take away his ladder when he was trying to prune trees at 85. I watched him cuss when he found out that his new pacemaker prevented him from using gas powered equipment like a chainsaw. He bought an electric one, because you never knew when you need to cut a limb. I started bees with his mentorship. I built hives according to his plans he had drew up for hives. We have been keeping bees together since I started in 2012. We would go to the local club meeting, share our ideas, and work our bees together. The summer of 2022, Ray caught a case of the covid around honey pulling time. He finally agreed for me to take his supers off because of his weak condition. This summer, he has fully recovered, but he was willing to let me assist him in pulling off the heavy honey supers. He keeps 4 hives most of the time, down from 18 before I met him. And, honey robbing season is in the heat of the summer and those suckers are heavy. He runs 10 frame supers and they weigh 45-50 lbs of dead weight. Today was the Hundred Year anniversary of his birth. His day consisted of getting up, pulling the old tomato plants out of his garden. He grows a juice tomato and cans at least 53 quarts each year so he has enough to drink every day. He then run his rear tine tiller up and down the rows tilling in the chicken manure from under his coop that he wheelbarrowed over this morning. Fired up his Kubota, rototilled the rest with it. Then had lunch, a nap, drove his self to the Elks a few miles away. Had his 2 beers, drove home. I met up with him after I got off work, he was eating a fine supper of fried fish and fried fries chasing it down with sweet tea. We visited for over an hour. He is happy that his garden is ready to plant next spring. I think he will be there to do it. BTW, his garden is about a half of an acre.

Not always, I had had to dig a few out of the tail pipe.

And, this time of year, leaves are a beech with the big vacuum cleaner on the back. Especially on my little 25 hp Merc that I have on for the restricted waters like 11 pt. I have a stick steer setup, I drive from the front. Its like flying a plane at the tree line watching for stumps, snags, and rocks. When the jet unit kisses the stream bed, it sucks up rocks into those grates and they disrupt the vortex into the impeller. You loose power, have to pull over and work those rocks out.

I use the same bar to bend them back. Mine are far from straight in a line, but good up and down as not to disrupt the flow. I should probably get some new ones, but may just upgrade to a Tohatsu instead. That Merc has some hours on it.

Big harbor freight prybar.

Mine are more wavy than straight. I always bend them out to get the big rocks out.

What did the deer bite on, all I see is it swimming away after you released it?

Fished it as front came in yesterday morning up from Long Shoals. Started biting on whacky worm and lizard baits around 9 am. Coves with rocks in timber. Front rolled in and wind kicked up hi for a while then calmed back down some. Pulled off at 2 for lunch then down to Berry Bend till dark. Several green sunfish and 1 short bass along the cliffs and cove. Did not see much shad action and buddies electronics were acting up. Lake temp 69.

My lack of reports this year have been a result of a lack of good fishing opportunities this year. Lots of time on the farm next to the dead holes of Clearwater Lake and Wappappello. Low waters on 11 pt and Current River. Nasty water on the Black River. Low river waters on the TN rivers also and the Lakes have not been generating there either and producing current for the tailwaters or lake. Just still water all over. And hot.

Nice setup there. Never knew you had a production facility stashed away down there.

The tech in the treatment room for Radiation therapy played the "Burning Ring of Fire" on my first dose. There I lay, strapped down in a mask at the head, instructed to drop my legs if something went wrong as a signal, Lights flashing all around, and that fking song going thru my ears.... I had a come apart and we reset the tunes for the future treatments. But, I still listen to his songs. Grew up with them. But I ended the treatment with Buck Cherry "Crazy Beech" 6 weeks later in style....

Hybrids will be fun. There is a big cool down coming.