I'm Always Mentally on Vacation

Award of Excellence

The annual Duke Hunnicutt Poultry Institutes Award of Excellence for 2014.

A dedicated individual engaged fine outdoor cooking. Here we see his footman tending to the dinner fire.

A typical supper for this individual. Built from potatoes, chicken, and fire.

After the fire roasting and required resting.

And this years winner is.......Phfrankie Bondo.

Over the years, what were nimble fingers have become swollen, wrinkled, sausages.

And so, a ring size up last week was a great relief. It identifies me as taken, and it is much more comfortable and noticeable.

This is Way Cool

This is a still from the drone video over our tailgate setup.

We have been at capacity more than once this year.

A Busy Friday

I have this little shed down in my pasture. The roof is good but the wind break walls had seen their better day.

It is about 40 years old so say what you will, it is still standing and it survived hurricane Hugo.

Got it all stripped down.

It's really pretty down here.

We burnt the scrapes.

So far it's looking good.

And Suddenly, It Is Winter

Just like that. Gone are sunlight and warm balmy days.

Tomorrow, 48 degrees, rain, howling wind, and an hour of sun lost to the stroke of a pen.

This will be the first sanctioned Evelyn Wilson weekend in a while, and we are planning to enjoy it.

Game day

Busting my ass to get it done. Damn the NFL for scheduling two home games just four days apart.

My SF Giants won the big series last night. I'm sure glad I adopted that team.

November 2 Deadline

You have until November 2, 2014, to submit your entry into the Duke Hunnicutt Poultry Institute's Award of Excellence.

If you think you have what it takes, then let us know. Anything poultry goes.

The winner will be announced Monday.

Gas Station Pound Cake

Having said I don't care for sweets, let me point out that pound cake is an exception.

I have been blessed with homemade pound cake of late, with all the tailgating and fresh supply at farmers markets.

On St. Croix, most any gas station has homemade pound cake by the slice beside the cash register. It usually good. I always pick up a slice.

Sliced Pizza

What the hell is wrong with people?

This is not how to slice a pizza.

Donuts

In North Carolina we have Krispy Kreme donuts based out of Winston Salem. Folks lap up the sugary fried rings.

Personally, I don't care for them. In fact, I rarely eat sweets. I guess my wine intake covers my sugar needs and I'm not about to give up wine for a donut.

However, there are Hostess Sweet Sixteens.

Powdery sugar goodness in a bite size ring. Careful that you inhale the powdered sugar when you cram it in your mouth.

Maybe twice a year I'll pick up a bag and have a few. I'm overdue.

Well, the Game Sucked, But the Food Was Fantastic

I Could Use One of These

Imagine a leisurely trip to the west coast, Europe, or down island. I could pack up steamer trunks of stuff, animals, and great foods and wine to enjoy at my final destination.

People would look up and know it was me. Imagine sunsets and sunrises. The steady drone of the props.

Fitness Trainer

Today I got a workout from a fitness trainer. She was a little bitty woman. Not enough fat on her to fry a humming bird's egg. She kicked my ass.

Shit I am hurting and it's only been four hours.

Amazing how soft I've gotten.

Am I going to pay for this? I mean $?

To be decided. I need it.

A Realization

I awoke this morning and realized that radishes were no more part of my life. I love a radish, but at some point the crunchy veggie escaped my grocery list.

The radish never met the rock star status of other veggies like onions, garlic, celery, or green peppers. The radish stood on its own and was eaten raw. I salted mine.

So noble is the radish that it is served at fine restaurants like The Palm as a pre meal snack along with gherkin pickles.

When I used to have a vegetable garden, the radish was my only root vegetable.

Today, when I replenish my Gatorade stock, I promise dear root that you will come home with me.

Rock and Roll Week

"A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you're talking real money". - attributed to Everette Dirksen.

Yeah....we had a drone

Big Deal

Hidden under all the shitty news this week was a giant crack in the TV game as we know it.

First, HBO announced that they will offer stand alone programming next year to anyone who wants it. You can soon drop cable or Direct TV and stream HBO.

Second, CBS did the same.

Third, Apple introduced new video technology that blows away high definition, and buries the already invented next generation 4 K. Apple has managed to cram an astounding number of pixels in a flat panel that renders video with incredible clarity. They are releasing this technology today on their new monitor.

The TV world will never be the same. Connect the dots.

Taxes

Us folks that actually pay income taxes have a bad habit of filing an extension on April 15, we then toss the IRS some money, and deal with the reality on October 15.

October 15 passed and I am numb. It was the worst ever. I went from flush with cash to damn near insolvent.

At least I didn't have to borrow money to help those on the public dole.

Shit, that hurt. I could have paid cash for a one bedroom condo on St Croix.

And I don't feel the least bit warm and fuzzy, nor patriotic. I'm a sucker.

It's Goofy To Me

To see grown men with real jobs in a business setting wearing a hat backwards, pulled over their ears, and down to their eyebrows.

This hairy adolescent works at Tech Crunch and apparently shoots videos in the rafters of his attic.

This Would Be Fun

From my friend Jeff Williams. Former cruiser and dive buddy living on St Simons Island.

We Did Moms 90th on the Road

Egg Color Adjustment

Although not quite as apparent in this photo, the egg to the right is a darker brown in color than the egg on the left.

The color adjustment can be made by first locating the hens that need color enhancement. The brow dye can then be loaded at the dye nozzle center and above the cloaca.

On hens prior to 2006, the color adjustment screw can be found to the right of the cloaca. In 2007 the adjustment screw was moved to left of the cloaca to meet international standards.

Simply turn the color adjusting screw to the right to increase color tone. Your eggs will now turn out even tone.

Funny Things

A fat guy walking on gravel bare footed.

Sharing an old funny story with an old friends.

Hell, I still laugh at farts.

Any animal with a sense of humor.

The rhino scene on Ace Ventura...google it.

My dogs.....Georgie this morning in my truck. Look at that tongue.

It Was Loverly Day

Temperatures in the upper fifties and a clear blue sky.

Damn good burgers with what ever you want on them.

Slap on the cheese and we'd blow torch it for you.

We saved a spot for Sebastian.

Wash all down with a cold beer.

That's Racin'

A local NASCAR reference meaning boys will be boys, but that has nothing to do with me.

In the normal world, a human heart should have a textbook rate of 70 beats per minute. Mine has always run a bit rich at 80 beats per minute.

Likewise, a text book blood pressure is 120/80.

For years I, like my soon to be 90 year old independent living mother, have had hypertension issues that require drugs to control blood pressure to a near normal level.

About every 4 ½ years, the body decides to upset the apple cart and my blood pressure goes on the rise until a new cocktail of drugs is found. I mean I've been rocking 180/110 for quite a few weeks now.

Thursday, well Thursday my heart rate decided to join in and I was banging out a constant beat of 118 per minute.

It was all quite disturbing. I was at my desk and I felt like an out of control motor with a stuck accelerator. I hooked up a bp heart rate monitor from my desk and even I was shocked.

I called the doctor, got worked in within the hour, and was put on some well needed beta blockers. Within hours I had readings in normal range.

Readings continue to be normal, and no side effects of sluggishness like in the past. I guess my body was finally ready for this class of drug.

I now take beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics for blood pressure.

While I read later that my episode was not really dangerous, and not really indicative of any disease beyond hypertension, it was a startling admission that this 58 year old is getting older.

I guess I'll quit bitching about $2000 a month plus health care insurance costs.