Spring Fever

(Original Post 4/2010  Yes, I have been slacking on my blog. Thank you for noticing!)

I love spring. This morning I am writing from my deck on a beautiful day when I would normally be at work (all the sweeter). In a few weeks I'll be in Michigan sitting a blind with my Dad hopefully with the same fabulous weather. Yup, going turkey hunting for the first time. Actually hunting for the first time. Not sure how I'll like it, but I'm always up for trying new things. So, borrowed some arrows (Thanks, Ron!) and bought some broadheads and now need to get my bow set up because I'm shooting about 2 feet over normal.

It's interesting to see the different reactions of people when they hear about what I am up to. "Never pictured you a shotgunner." Uh, I'm not. This is way more elegant. To barely disguised, "You're really going to kill something? On purpose?"  Let's tackle that one for sec, shall we? I am not opposed to responsible hunting of anything you plan on putting in the freezer. Folks, if you knew where your steak and bacon really came from, you would stop eating it, I promise you. Feel free to disagree or post on this. Would be interested to hear what ya'll have to say on the subject as it gets lots of hackles up.

Interestingly, I did get permission from Ben to change my mind at the last minute, which I thought was pretty cool. I'm not really out to prove anything by attempting this.

So, why the heck am I doing this? Well, to spend some time with my Dad who loves hunting and loves to teach.  When I emailed him that I wanted to do this, he called me immediately and said, "Are you serious, or are you just fooling around?"

Off to the city to get my nails and hair did for tonight's wedding. Will be a nice comparison between glammed up and camo'd up. Giddy up. :)

The Perfect Day

Let me first explain that March in this neck of the woods is normally cold, clammy, windy and nasty. Last Thursday was a magnificent 80 degrees, sunny and beautiful. The kind of day where you open the sunroof and let your winter-white skin feel some heat. And it's hard to concentrate if you have a desk job. Escape is pretty much all you can think about. Lucky me, I had made arrangements to meet Jim Robeson, master saddler, at his shop for some instruction in leatherworking. And yes, the windows were wide open and the radio was loud all the way there.

First of all, the entire building smells like birthday cake from the bakery downstairs. Even the ladies room. Jim works upstairs in an organized and full shop. A very nice person, he took a couple hours out of his day to teach me some sorely needed sewing techniques as well as some proper edge finishing how-to and threw in some sage business advice garnered from his 40+ years of experience in the custom saddle business. He also competes with high powered rifles at 1000 yard distance.  Makes the 20 yards we shoot with our fancy bows and arrows seem mighty short.

What does this have to do with archery, you ask? Quivers, my friend. But more on that a bit later.