jdmidwest

I hike many MDC areas in the spring looking for mushrooms. If there is a turkey season open, it will be after hunting hours. Most areas have roads thru them and its a good place to see wildlife. But you know me, I am always packing when I am hiking around, I will return fire. Many times in the past while wading creeks, I have had gunfire aimed close. Most have just been shooting off bridges at stuff or target practicing on private property. A few quick shots in the air usually puts an end to it. One time, it was just fireworks, but I stopped them. Most people just wonder around life aimlessly oblivious to anyone else in there surrounding. That hiker should have obeyed the signs in the area and avoided it. When you are on MDC lands, you have to abide by the rules of use for the area. Active hunting season requires an advised hunter orange when not actively pursuing a bird for anyone. Not mandatory like deer season, but advised.

Did anyone bring up the hunter harassment law yet? If trails were clearly posted that a hunt was going on and the hiker interfered with the hunt, the hiker could be charged.

Picked a quart of strawberries and tossed another quote. Wet weather, slugs, and pill bugs are ruining them faster than they ripen in the perpetual darkness. Fresh salads. Sugar peas are blooming and waist high. Green beans are starting to vine. Maters are still under the cold frame covers and doing fine. I had been using them for moisture management, but the cold nites are a good reason too. Bee hives are up to 5 now, 2 bought and 3 caught swarms.

Building up overseas for the attacks from Iran since we lost our backbone.

Maybe they have been caught so many time their teeth have been ripped out. The had to become vegans, hence the flavor.

Good tasting fish does not need brined, sauted, smoked, or capered. A little butter for cooking and maybe a little lemon to cut the fishy taste for those that don't like fish.

Those were empty boxes, the area where I store them.

Fresh swarm this afternoon. Another hive. Some of my Feral Bees have come home to roost.

But then there is the argument that alcohol is necessary to deal with society today. The special interest minority groups that want to make the world like their tainted way. The insane perversion that everyone wants to see how stupid we can be on TV or the Net. The lack of ethics and morals that have polluted society. So many people thinking that everyone owes them something for nothing and the lack of drive to succeed on your own power. The reliance on the Government to give you all you need to survive instead of finding ways to lessen the Government and make individuals pull the own weight. It could really drive someone to drink.

Thats something that you don't see much anymore. Tobacco growers. Back in the 80's in West Kentucky, there were fields of it everywhere and barns for drying. They are all gone now.

Its a good thought. But my mind has been changed by the commercial keeper that supplied me with my refresh bees this spring. Many beekeepers are thinking like us and avoiding the treatment. Its mites are spreading to the wild and other beekeepers. His thoughts are we all should treat and maybe make things stronger. He also mentioned the genetics and keeping a good genetic profile in your hives. He has selected his genetics and breeds for mite biting to cripple the pests. You have to keep bringing a fresh queen into the hive every few years to keep the genetic trait strong in your hives. If you let them replace the queen naturally and they breed with the local drones, the genetic traits get watered down. The queen bee only lives for a few years, breeds one time and lays off the sperm till she dies. They select several of her offspring to be a new queen, it flies out and either breeds with one of the original breed drone males or a feral male of another strain. The traits change and the genetics break down. Just like any other livestock breeder, you have to manage your genetics. I am still going to run without chemicals this year, but am doing stuff to treat the bees naturally against the pests. I am going to monitor them more and play with them again. Its pretty easy with only 2 hives again, was a PITA with 10 or more. Could not even fathom thousands like the commercial keeper.

European Honey bees were brought over on the Mayflower and are not native. Native bees are smaller and not honey builders. Or Mason or Bumble Bees which are larger. Mason bees are a pest, bumble bees are getting scarce. European Honey bees flourished and spread well. The swarming from beekeepers kept them going and spreading thru the USA as they moved west. But, the beekeepers brought mites in and the African Hive Beetles. The same scourges that plague the beekeeper have spread to the feral bees in the wild. But they are there. I have hives out at the farm, but all of my domestic bees died this winter. The hives are getting picked clean by the swarm hives out of my bees that are out there in the wild now.

Snowflakes draw flies, so stands to reason. They are all full of Fbook s it

My salary flatlined years ago.

Look at the price of groceries lately, going up and up.

Yep. No super rooster tails anywhere. Its my river spinner bait.

Turmoil in the middle east has picked up. Biden is pandering to Iran again like they did during Obummer admin. Israel and Iran are on the brink of war because of our perceived lack of support for them again. Climate change reform always affects our oil production and makes OPEC stronger.

That's the petro shortage caused by the Cold Snap down south. Went to buy fertilize for the field at the farm, none to be found. Nitrates and Urea shortage. People are on a spending spree like I have never seen. And retail is cashing in on it. And manufacturing too. Its a total sh t show right now. And the only thing to blame is the Covid.

The government is pumping trillions of dollars into the economy and interest rates are nil. And people are spending it like its going out of style. They don't care what it costs. The fortunate many that sit around collecting it have decided that they don't need to work. They can draw unlimited unemployment, forgo their rent, take their stimulus checks for themselves and kids, and sit around spending on worthless crap. Meanwhile, the jobs they had remain unfilled, production is down. Low income factory workers, field hands, laborers, lumber yard workers, and many other employees are hard to find. Many imports from China have been stalled, along with imports from other companies. Latest excuses, the hard freeze down south a few months back. Costs are going up and the government is helping cover it for now. Those that are working are making more than they ever did, the economy is strong, pumped up by all the spending. Bubble soon to burst.

Just tried to buy a pair of Danner boots to replace my old ones that the Gore Tex liner finally broke down on after 10+ years with my Grandson. My feet got soaked turkey hunting yesterday and his wally world cheapy yellow faux leather boots was keeping his feet dry. Its been a scavenger hunt for 2 days. New Sharptails on the way.

Does Motorguide have a Friction Screw on all of their models? I need to tone down my old Bill Dance 36 lber. Its loose as a goose.

Big bottleneck in everything due to Corona fiasco and labor/trucking shortages. My products are an extra 4 weeks out now and 21% higher than last year. And people are spending money like crazy. Tracker dealer in Hot Springs only had boats on show room floor to sell Easter weekend. No stock outside. Pretty sad how the industries have been crippled. Boat shortages started last summer when everyone moved back outside.

Beekeeping keeps getting tougher. My new nuc has failed to produce an egg in the last week. Something had happened to the queen before I picked it up in transport from Mississippi. Going to pick up another queen tomorrow in the snow.

Did anyone notice how big that smallie was? Look at the size of the tail, it was 19" but had the biggest tail I have seen on a smallie. Fought like a tank.

Nice bird. Taking the Grandkid this weekend after the snowfall.