Welcome, 2014!

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Hooded Mergansers

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year! Thank you for the visits, comments, and support during 2013!

Wait, what? It's 2011?

Yeah, okay, so I'm finally off my lazy rear and making an appearance in the new year. I love holiday breaks and they always go by so stinkin' fast! Christmas was great and I got some very cool things thanks to my beautiful better half who always comes up with awesome gift ideas. It was a white Christmas to boot which doesn't always happen here in Kentucky. 


One thing I did NOT do was make New Year's resolutions. I'm just not a resolutions kinda guy. If I can't start, stop, or change something that needs to be started, stopped, or changed at the time, waiting for the new year to make a resolution won't work for me. I applaud those people who do make resolutions and follow through with them, but that's just not me. For that matter, I'm not a bucket list kinda guy, either. If I wrote down everything I truly wanted to do before leaving this earth, my list would be so long as to become unfulfillable and, therefore, disappointing. Plus, a bucket list would have me thinking too much about the future instead of living for today. Again, I admire those who create and fulfill a bucket list, but resolutions and bucket lists just don't fit with my philosophy. 


There are some things happening this year that I'm very excited about! The first is that my best friend and his family are moving to Kentucky. We've been best bud's since high school and college. We were able to get together for a visit during the holidays for the first time in four years. Rather than being ten hours apart like we have been the past few years, we'll be less than two hours apart once they get moved this summer. It'll be great to get out and do some hunting and fishing again! 


Another exciting development is that I've been asked to be a partner on a bass fishing tournament team. We'll be fishing five tournaments starting in April. If we accumulate enough points we can then go to the regional. Over the holidays I cleaned all of my rifles and shotguns and got them stored back in the safe. With all of the firearms hunting seasons now over, I've started getting into the fishing mindset, especially now that I'll be participating in these tournaments. A few days ago I brought all of my tackle and lures inside to sort through them. I have enough plastic baits to start a tackle shop. The living room floor was literally covered. I also stripped the line off all of my reels and will be cleaning them prior to putting on new line. I'm really looking forward to fishing with the element of competition added! Normally, I fish strictly for recreation so this will be something new. 


My daughter will be old enough this year that I can get her started shooting. I'm a firm believer in teaching kids strict firearms safety at a young age. She asked me all last fall when she was going to be able to go hunting with me. Before we step in the woods, I want her to have a solid foundation not only in safety, but also in shooting. I'm very excited about spending time with her on the range and in the woods! I've never tried to persuade her one way or the other regarding hunting or firearms, so for her to ask me to do this makes this father happy! 


I do appreciate all of you who follow my meager blog. I certainly didn't expect to have this many folks hanging around here in such a short time. I'm working on some new stuff, although I can't promise all of it will be of interest to some of you. I realize not all of my blog followers are hunters or anglers. Your comments are very much appreciated and I want to thank all of you who have taken the time to visit over the past five or six months! 


Here's to wishing you a wonderful 2011!