The Mind Thus Wanders

These are some of the things I have put together when I was supposed to be doing more productive things.

Sketch of mallard vs math homework.

Poems instead of math lecture or other classes:

Oh Great One

Today brings no changes from the benevolent 

Confusion floods the mind of the minions

Without isolated thought and herculean concentration

My mind thus wanders to things more endearing

Institutions

As I astray from the topic at hand

I find myself looking for greater demand

No slurry of drugs or stimulation of will

can bring me back to this drone for never to thrill

Ben's Bird

Wake up call; 4 am

crawl out of bed 4:30

Put on boots and warm the call

drive to the place, get right to the tree

Cardinals call, a shiver chills

This is one of those mornings

that produces great thrill

Twilight comes, not a sound alike 

you swear he here

you can feel his plight

Unpredictability keeps this wise bird alive

He could fly down left or right he may go

which ever he chooses, it's his last cottonwood dive

He hits the ground hard, with throat deep in sound

My iron fires true

His dirt nap on the ground

The thrill I just felt will be copied by none

My body thus trembles

for this battle was nature; man against one

I  must now pay homage to the beast I have taken

This is not just a kill

The entire experience never forsaken

I earned this bird with great power and pride

The spring gobbler is wary

This hunt, will never be denied

Nerves of Butter

I wait in silent exile my nerves are forever shot

Sleep does not come easy my face both cold and hot

I have got to get back out into my true element

It's been a tough spring, and the forest's scent

The sound of the cardinal is a pure song in my ear

Just a few more days of hell, the end is almost here

And then I will feel the dirt, soft beneath my feet

In amongst the trees again, you and I shall meet

The Ghost

The relentless rain pounds over the tin

I wait for it to cease, the process we begin

The smell in the air brings back memories so true

The last time I experienced this, it was just me and you

I crest the hill to see deep hardwoods abound

Within them he sleeps for never to be found

The fog now rolls in making it harder to see

It is your move now, I live in the trees

I see you glide through those rain soaked oak leaves

Before I can react, my heart truly believes

I finally have seen you and now it is my chance

Instead, you shall walk, you throw me a glance

You will die on your own terms and not by my hand

This moment forever only God shall understand

Stay Tuned

Saturday April 23rd

Got up early and got to Big Marsh to see if I could find a bird there. Got in my spot, waited for first light and began calling to find a bird. Nothing. I picked up decoys and walked around for awhile and calling every 50 yards. Nothing. I got back to the car, relocated to across the road. Walked around there for about an hour. Found an arrow, shot it into a boxelder and continued on. Nothing. Pulled the loop and went to the shoot to see if I could catch a fish. Seeing a trend. Nothing. Went home and helped Dad with firewood, and worked on man cave. Finished the table for the living room as well, and fletched arrows for Dad. Productive day but still tired from it. Also finished Michael Parker's turkey fan. Pictures to come.

Stay Tuned

Friday April 22nd

Got back to Dike from school and blasted off to the Shell Rock Bend public. I needed to get out and evening turkey hunts are not unheard of. The creek at the bottom was flooded but I managed to hop it anyway. I set myself under a cedar for about 15 minutes and had no vibe. I walked the cornfield edge and planted myself underneath the lone cedar in the fence-line. I cut shooting lanes and stuck the shoots into a mini blind. At this point it started to rain. Not a down pour but a soaking, cold, rain. I called periodically but nothing was going to respond. I saw three jakes across the field which slowly made their way across. Three hens came out of an opening about 25 yards to my left and had no idea I was there. Two gobblers came out to the NW. Now there are turkeys everywhere. I then hear this grunting, spitting noise behind me. Where the turkeys came out 5 bucks came out and quartered right in front of me. All were had sprouted there new antlers. For the next 20 minutes or so they proceed to literally prance around the field. To quote Dad, "they just spent the last few months trying not to die. It's great have spring." About a half hour or so another buck came out to my left but at no more than 5-10 yards from me. He picked me out right away and about jumped out of his skin when he smelled my decoys. Turkeys continue to filter in the field and swirl around just never coming close enough to even try a hail-mary shot.  At this point I was tired and soaked so I got up and left. Great evening out.

Stay Tuned

Rachel Strikes Again

Rachel has been taken this class that involves the cooking and perfecting the styles related to pasta. Well, because of this she has decided to practice her work on me! Tonight it was a cream based sauce that involved a sauteed white onion, cubed ham, fresh peas, and cream. The kicker was she put nutmeg in it. This was served over al dente penne. It was Spectacular!

We finished off our dinner with a little angel food cake with homemade whipped cream and strawberries and brandy. Awesome Awesome.


Stay Tuned

4/11/11 Turkey Opener

Went out this afternoon to Boone to just get out in the woods and my bow turkey tag gave me an excuse. It was more of just a woods walk than anything as it was hot and windy. I busted one deer off of a ridge but encountered no turkeys. It was nice to have a break and get out for a change and I ended my outing by checking out Nick and Lisa's house. Nick showed me around and then we headed back to the apartment for some sustenance.


Stay Tuned

Kayak Afternoon

After the experience of Michael Parker's turkey, we cleaned the bird and bribed Dad into making us breakfast. Michael stated "the only thing better than shooting a turkey is the breakfast afterward." This was all it took for Dad to whip up some eggs, hash-browns, and toast. It was spectacular! After breakfast we collected our things and spent the rest of the day in boats. Michael and Dad took the freighter canoe and Uncle Al and I took the kayaks. We got to see ducks and geese, and fished a few of the back-waters. We stopped at one backwater and Dad built a fire in which we roasted brats. It couldn't have been any better. Michael managed to catch his first pike but it made it back to the water before pictures could be taken. It was a tranquil day that was wonderful to be shared by the four of us.

Youth Season Gobbler

I had the privilege of taking out the neighbor kid, Michael Parker, on another youth season turkey hunt. As we had done the previous year, we shot his gun the night before to make sure it was patterning well and then tried sleeping before the hunt. Got up at 4 am to make sure all of my stuff was collected but ended up pacing for half and hour. I texted Michael and he was doing the same so I picked him up a little early. We got to our spot and there was another truck there. I talked to the guys and they said they had been hunting there for 25 years before the guy sold it and it became public. I asked where he was going so I did not screw up his hunt and he said it really did not matter because it is still public. He was a nice guy, but I couldn't get past the Berry Blast Skoal and the every other word F-bomb.
We headed out to our spot and slowly made our way into the woods, set out the decoys and had just settled in when we heard the thunderous gobbling about 200 yards behind us...Back where the other guys were going to be...We then heard another single gobbler in a stand of timber we had past when we walked in. We doubled back and stopped in the lane because he was right in front of us still gobbling in his roost tree. We set decoys and waited. We heard when he lit down below us and he eventually crossed the river. We crawled our way towards the river edge and could see him strutting back and forth on the opposite river bank. Game Over.
We headed back in the direction of where we started and made our way to the far corner of the corn field. We set out our decoys and waited for about half an hour. I would yelp with my mouth call every now and then but found myself drifting into nap phase. I snapped out of it and conversed with Michael about our options. We had decided to get up and leave and I was in the process of standing up when I glance to my left and there was a longbeard in the field making his way towards us. I clucked and yelped and even threw in some purrs but he was having nothing to do with us. I was thinking about getting up to move again when I looked right again and even closer was another longbeard. This guy was committed. If you can visualize pulling a bird in like it was on a string it was this one. Never gobbled once but was the classic bird. He strutted and drummed the entire way and stopped only to peck at a few pieces of corn. When he finally closed the distance to 25 yards I told Michael to take the shot...nothing. "I can't see his head there is a corn stalk in the way" "Just shoot anyway is is RIGHT HERE" " I can't see his head there is a cornBLAM!" Dirt nap turkey. I did the usual jump up and try to beat the wad to the bird but it was over without a chase. He walked up to me and said "Well that went well". I laughed and he reminded me that this ended much better than his previous years bird in which Nick and I chased it down because the shot was marginal. It was time for pictures so we took our time and set up some great shots:

After taking in the field pictures we headed over to the famed stump where we had taking his turkey pictures the previous year.

As we walked out he kept asking what had just happened here. It all happened so fast but yet was in slow motion. It was a great morning in the woods and we got the chance to share it. We got back home and had to get some wood pile pictures and and Uncle Al got in on some turkey picture action. 

This was just the mornings events.



Stay tuned.