Christmas Eve Deer Hunt!

Going out this morning with "Ole Betsy"!  Made this rifle, (45 cal) from a kit in the early 80's (1980's not 1880's).  Cooler this AM...15 degrees! I only have a antlerless tag so maybe an ole Mossy Horn won't come by and tempt me!!

12/19/1963

Forty Eight years ago today, I discovered America!  I so appreciate my Mom and Dad that raised me in the fear of God.  Also my grandparents that showed me the way to live.  And...while I'm giving thanks...My big brother Ralph, that knew how to "push" my buttons and therefore helped perfect my aim with rocks!  BTW...this is me at 15 months

Norman Brown, Esq.

 My good friend, Norman Brown, expounding on the correct procedures to perform a Polaris (north star) observation (circa 1820).  I was able to visit with Norman quite a bit at our surveyors rendevous (our job was baking the biscuits...in a dutch oven) and, as always, I learn something new.  Such as...How "Popeye" got his name....

The beard is real...he has not shaved since 1962!  Norman is one of the premier historians of the original General Land Office surveys in Missouri.  He served as the Chief of Field Surveys at the Missouri Land Survey for many years and has instructed a whole gaggle of young surveyors the fine art of surveying with compass and chain!!

Don't try this at home!

Our draftsman, Chris Webster, is a "Seinfeld" junkie.  (Almost) everything I mention he says "oh, there's a Seinfeld about that". Although I have no TV, I have learned quite a bit about this comedy show from his commentary.  One episode included a sketch about broccoli dipped in chocolate...so...we were working in Sedalia, MO...ate at Golden Corral...they had a chocolate fountain...and broccoli...there was a double-dog dare.........the result cannot be detailed in a public forum.....  Just kidding! Chris said it was perfectly, totally, absolutely AWFUL!!!! 

Rendezvous 2011

Robert Ross, Missouri State Land Survey, Cadastral Section Chief, expounding on the proper way to prepare a corner registration document.  Location is Fishwater Creek, northeast of Salem, MO in Dent County.

Mississippi PLS 3228!!!

It's official!   I passed my Mississippi Professional Land Surveyors exam!  To God be the Glory!

"Roadrunner" Ralph

My brother Ralph killed a coyote during the deer season.  One less varmint to prey on the calves and fawns...Beep Beep!

View from the deer stand

My view from the "road corner" stand...complete with 30-30 Winchester Model 94 barrel in the foreground!  Anson killed his deer from this stand and I saw a big six-point here this morning (couldn't shoot him... only have an antlerless tag left)

Son-in-law's first deer!

Well...at 7:00am this morning my son-in-law, Anson Miller killed his first deer!  He thought it was a doe but when we got to examining it we found it was a button-buck.  For a young man that has never really been hunting, he came through like a trooper!  He field-dressed it (with detailed instructions and very little help), skinned it out (likewise with more help) and quartered it up (mostly me!).  We will package it tomorrow.  He is now qualified to give the Ozark Deer Season (ODS) greeting...

"Git-che-a-deer"

 

Crazy Squirrels!

Just one of the 17,537 squirrels around my deer stand this morning....

9 Point Buck - 1982

After a hiatus of around twenty year, I am going to the "deer woods" tomorrow.  My son-in-law, Anson, is really hyped about going since this is is first year.  He is an Indiana native and just never got in to the hunting thing...until this year!!  My brother has leased land north of his house and we've been invited to hunt (and hopefully kill) some deer!

A little background...My Dad, Brother and Grandpa Riggs used to hunt together every year.  Deer season was a national holiday at the Riggs household!  The first day of deer season in 1985 my Dad didn't go out - can't really remember the excuse but that was a little odd.  When we got back home in the middle of the day there was a note on the table that Mom had taken him to the hospital.  That night he had a massive heart attack and three weeks later, December 8, he passed away.

I went out for a couple-a-three years after that but it just wasn't the same.  One morning, sitting on my deer stand, freezing my bohunkus off, I said to myself, "Self!...this has ceased to be fun and enjoyable"...So...I walked out of the woods and have only been back with my blackpowder rifle a time or two.

This is a picture of a nine-point I killed in 1982, hunting with Popo (Grandpa Riggs)...which is another story all in itself!!!

Cadastral Monument in El Dorado Springs, MO

Yours truly in El Dorado Springs, Missouri at a memorial commemorating two cadastral surveyors that worked with the General Land Office (GLO) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  It has almost 200 name of people from the El Dorado Springs area that worked for these two entities.  I was working on a project in the city and tied to a benchmark located in the far background.  I noticed the memorial and had Chris take this picture.

Set in top of monument

Confederate Battery Above The Mississippi River

This Confederate cannon is one of many on the bluffs above the Mississippi River.  They kept Union supplies from being shipped from the north to supply the troops.

Ulysses S. Grant Monument - Vicksburg, MS

While I was in Vicksburg Mississippi taking my Mississippi Land Surveyors Exam, I visited the Vicksburg National Military Park.  This park commemorates the Battle of Vicksburg by Union forces led by U.S. Grant, from May 19, 1863 to July 4, 1863.  I am somewhat of a history buff so anytime I can "walk where they walked" I do.

This monument of Grant is at the  site of his headquarters during the battle and ensuing siege.

Abe's BBQ - Clarksdale,MS

This place was recommended to me.  The BBQ was OK but nothing to write home about.

How Bout' Them Cotton Pillows??!!!

SDC Sand Sculpture

This sand sculpture at Silver Dollar City was absolutely amazing!  This is just one part of it showing a lumberjack and a buffalo.

Headin' West!

Great show!

SDC!

Tab & Anson waiting to get in the Opera House at Silver Dollar City!

David and Goliath!

Your's truly with Brother Juan Carlos, the national director of OBI Guatemala.  This was taken at the OBI Holiness Convocation in Neosho, Missouri.  He really couldn't believe that Tabitha's Dad was taller than she was!  The only way this picture could be better was to have my brother Ralph (6'6") on the other side of Brother Carlos!

Old Swimming Hole

This is where my Dad taught Ralph and I to swim. He took us out in the middle and let go...it was sink or swim!  This is the old bridge across Eleven Point, east of Peace Valley, Missouri .

The Cuisine at Berry Manor Inn

Mike, Cheryl and their staff were totally awesome!  I have stayed in several B&B's but BMI was above and beyond the best!  The food...When we arrived it was early afternoon and we just had to eat at Wasses Hotdogs and after touring the town we had the dining experience of our lives at Conte's.  After we arrived back at the BMI we relaxed for awhile in the common room.  There were all kinds of coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, milk and....

BLUEBERRY PIE!

AND

CHERRY PIE!

The "Pie Moms" keep the common room pantries filled with HOMEMADE pies!  Janet (Mike's Mom) and Ally (Cheryl's Mom) are world famous and they should be!!  Anytime, day or night you can savor a slice of baked delight!  As I have already said...these folks take care of you!

First Morning Breakfast....

POACHED PEAR

And the second morning....

Glazed french toast with sausage links.... and (not shown) Blueberry Juice!

This my friends, was breakfast fit for royalty!!!

Berry Manor Inn B&B

We sailed back to the mainland from Monhegan Island, picked up our rental and drove to the Berry Manor Inn- Bed and Breakfast.  This four star AAA rated inn was epitome of luxury!  The picture below is the main house where breakfast is served, and most of the rooms are located

Our room, #12, was located in the Carriage House, shown below.  I have also included one picture from the BerryManorInn website.  You can also visit their facebook page, FB-BerryManorInn  Cheryl and Mike made us feel like part of the family! If you EVER get the chance, stay at this inn!

Carriage House

Monhegan Island - "The Wild Side"

More than half of Monhegan Island is designated as "Wildlands" which is basically wilderness and un-developed coastline.  I was able to spend most of one morning and a late evening exploring and it was a fantastic experience! I felt like Winslow Homer, Herman Melville and John Masefield all morphed into one...  Hope you enjoy the video and pictures...

Seagulls on the rock

The blue object in the foreground is trash, such as lobster traps and buoys

Wreck of the D.T. Sheridan.  Grounded on the rocks in a dense fog, November 5, 1948, while towing barges

Yours truly exploring the wreck

The trails were pretty rough

A boardwalk across a bog

South end of Monhegan

While I was standing at this spot I kept hearing a bell which I thought was perhaps on a ship but I finally figured out it was on a buoy out of sight in the fog (BTW...my camera has a time delay so I could take a self photo!)

The highlight of my island visit...getting to see some wild seals

I could hear these seals grunting and barking so I tried to get as close as I could.  They were really wild because when I tried to get closer they all slid off the rocks and disappeared.

Food for Thought

I had thoroughly checked out Monhegan Island on the web (I thought) so when we set sail all we took with us to eat was a couple of snacks.  According to the research I had done, there were a couple of restaurants open and a couple of stores that sold groceries.  We arrived on the island with our Cheezits and snackmix to find only a small store called "Carina" open for business!  Our Tribler Cottage Apartment had all the facilities to cook but I really don't care for fried Cheezits!  "Carina" had a deli and made clam chowder so we did eat there but we knew we would need to fix a couple of meals at our apartment.  So...we put together a grocery list and went shopping!

Please realize that everything has to be shipped by boat to the island so there is a CONSIDERABLE markup!

1 red apple - $1.25

Small jar (8 oz.) peanut butter - $4.25

Loaf of bread - $4.00

This isn't all we got but it was over $25 for our small bag!  Carina Grocery

It was cool to cold on the island so when we FINALLY got our apartment warmed up we cooked up a real good supper.  Our apartment, The "Bayberry" was quaint but nice.  It was a storm-weathered old house with uneven floors, a cluttered but comfortable common room and the owners apartment on the top level.  It seemed that everyone on the island was used to the cold because every place we went in was chilly!  Needless to say, our little gas heater ran full blast for two days! Tribler Cottage

I loved our stay on Monhegan...although for Tami's sake I wished it was warm and sunny.  I guess my natural bent toward melancholy and reading lots of books about the sea made me right at home in the surroundings.  "In our land the works of the Lord are not obscured by what the hands of men have made....Rock and waste of sea and the high sweep of the sky - winds and rain and sunlight and flying clouds - great hills, mysterious distances, flaming sunsets, the still, vast darkness of night! These are the mighty works of the Lord, and of none other - unspoiled and unobscured.  In them He proclaims Himself. They who have not known before that the heavens and the earth are the handiwork of God, here discover it: and perceive the Presence and the Power, and are ashamed and overawed." Norman Duncan - "Doctor Luke of the Labrador"

Wednesday Lunch

Wednesday Supper