ADVERTISEMENT

D-League

Disney changed everything and most people think for the worst.

I had a close friend, Larry Sharp whose family owned a very large ranch in Polk County. They sold out and moved the entire ranch operation to Alabama. This was in the mid 1970's. I remember going over there and watching the government inspect each cow and mark them to allow them to cross state lines. It was a huge operation that took several weeks.

Disney has ruined a lot more than it has helped by a long ways
 
More Tonto
tonto-national-monument-picture-id511952729

4202085_orig.jpg

dscf1731.jpg
 
I had heard a couple of years ago that they way the anti-gun lobby would try to get at gun owners was through limiting the ammunition market, since they can't do anything about gun ownership. The person that told me was a rep from a gun manufacturer. He said that the guy that started Progressive Insurance, and Liberty Mutual, was a big anti-gun person and had bought some companies that manufacture ammo.
Most of your large insurance companies are very liberal and anti-gun. My local gun shop owner is on our County Board and he said the same thing about ammunition. It is getting harder to come by. Another thing they are doing against the small business gun shops is refusing to grant them loans. The big banks are behind this. They are also very liberal. In fact you will find few big business that are not very liberal. All are "WOKE".

Fortunately we can still get good supplies of ammo in my area but that could change over night and probably will. Another way they get you is making it very very hard to buy lead and black powder. I have two black powder rifles and plenty materials on hand but I haven't bought any in about 7 years. I don't fire them much anymore.
 
In the same vein, I have a Coast Guard story. I spent about 8 months at Tan My Radar Station, north of Hue and pretty close to the DMZ. The CG didn't have a security force, so they sent us there. At the time it was state of the art radar. Those guys were getting re-up bonuses of 16 and 20 thousand dollars. As a comparison, as a cop, they offered me 300 bucks and choice of my next assignment. Shows what a dummy with a gun is worth, I guess. Anyhow, they took good care of those guys and since we were there, we got to partake. Best military food I ever had anywhere.
Best military food I ever had anywhere a toss-up. US Navy at Rota Spain was pretty doggone good. Stopped there between Balad AB on the way to Fort Campbell in 2005. Rhein-Main Airbase, now closed, also great.

Army food? I served 20 years with the Big Green Machine. Best was probably Fort Belvoir, VA. They really took care of those folks.
 
Best military food I ever had anywhere a toss-up. US Navy at Rota Spain was pretty doggone good. Stopped there between Balad AB on the way to Fort Campbell in 2005. Rhein-Main Airbase, now closed, also great.

Army food? I served 20 years with the Big Green Machine. Best was probably Fort Belvoir, VA. They really took care of those folks.
Best U.S. Army dinner was at Ft. Sherman Panama on the beach after completing the Jungle Training Course. Lobster, Crab, Steaks, and a host of other culinary delights. They knew how to throw a graduation party.

Second best was a Belgian NCO promotions party where the promoted had just finished a year long school on how to become an NCO. Another graduation party. Among the regular cuisine they had shark, octopus, calamari, steak, scallops, etc...Boos was on the house too. We had a good time that night.
 
Here are a couple pictures of doves in my gutter. This gutter can be seen going to the guest place out back. Doves apparently are not very selective in where they nest!
193624081_3995353413913546_817969604684924313_n.jpg
193348333_3995353430580211_8518900663426100397_n.jpg
That pair of babies will be gone in just a day or so.....they leave the nest before they can fly very good......they picked a good spot.......the high end of the gutter......
 
That pair of babies will be gone in just a day or so.....they leave the nest before they can fly very good......they picked a good spot.......the high end of the gutter......
Several years ago in Mayfield there was an old building in the downtown area. It was covered with pigeons. There were so many pigeons there (and in surrounding buildings) that the city occasionally organized people with shotguns trying to get rid of them. It was originally a Pennys I think, and when they closed and the building was eventually sold, it was torn down. The pigeons dispersed to many areas, including to my place of business and I'm several miles from the spot they came from. There's probably 6 to 10 at different times in different parts of the building under porches and etc. They are kind of a pain because they nest in areas where I load customers or load my own van for deliveries and they crap a lot. There are quite a few feral cats in the area and they get one now and then, but not very often.
 
Several years ago in Mayfield there was an old building in the downtown area. It was covered with pigeons. There were so many pigeons there (and in surrounding buildings) that the city occasionally organized people with shotguns trying to get rid of them. It was originally a Pennys I think, and when they closed and the building was eventually sold, it was torn down. The pigeons dispersed to many areas, including to my place of business and I'm several miles from the spot they came from. There's probably 6 to 10 at different times in different parts of the building under porches and etc. They are kind of a pain because they nest in areas where I load customers or load my own van for deliveries and they crap a lot. There are quite a few feral cats in the area and they get one now and then, but not very often.
They used to shoot them off the courthouse as they flew around it if I remember right?
 
Good Memorial Day morning from the Nature Coast.

I woke up to the smell of burning woods and a thick cloud of smoke coming from the swamp. They are doing a controlled burn for fire prevention. This occurs two or three times a year right before the rainy season starts. By burning off the undergrowth we do not become California.

It is 69° and mostly sunny with a 2% chance of rain. We should hit 85° by midafternoon. Should be a great day to grill out and hit the pool. They say we will have record crowds at the beaches and boating on the Gulf. More tourists than ever. The word is out.

Today is a day to honor and remember. I know we all have someone in the family or extended family who made the ultimate sacrifice. For those we are grateful and will never forget them.

Trust all have a great day and I will take my steak very rare.

Vintage-Memorial-Day-postcard.jpg
.
 
Cool again this morning in the Buckeye State, but quickly getting up to the low 70s.
No plans today in that we usually do our Memorial Day grilling, activities on the Sunday of. So today will most likely be a day of yard/garden work. Ground should be dry in the garden....been since Friday that its rained.

Was thinking of Sawnee's post above...
I know we all have someone in the family or extended family who made the ultimate sacrifice.
....and fortunately I can't think of any in my family history. I'm sure there's some. From WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam (recent history) ... can't think of any. In fact in WWII, I had probably 8-10 uncles, on both sides of the family...and my Dad...who went off to war and came home safe. I'm sure both grand parents were thankful/grateful for their prayers being answered.
Do know of a couple ancient relatives who died in the Revolutionary War.

Y'all have a great Memorial holiday.
 
Happy Memorial Day to everyone.....I didn't have anyone who got killed in the wars...........a lot who served but none who payed the ultimate price.........grand kids are coming today to see if they can splash the water out of our 18 x 36 pool.......I would fill it up every day if they was here just to watch them..........there is nothing that compares to having happy children around laughing and playing........
 
Too much. It was nearly $4,000 for the house and shop, but it is the good stuff and they replaced two gutters and a few down spouts.
Like most two/three story houses, we've got gutters I can't to even with the biggest Little Giant they make that I've got out in the garage. Plus I'm getting too old to try to get up there to clean out gutters.
So I've thought of those type gutters/gutter protection/etc......but dang!
 
It is 50.3°F and sunny today.

Yesterday Sherry and I made our rounds for "Decoration Day" as dad called it. We went to four different cemeteries to take flowers for our parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandparents and worst of all my grandson. It was cool but perfect sunny weather.

You all have a wonderful day.
 
Up here they advertise Leaf Guard all the time on the TV station I watch mostly (METV). The gutter that has the roll over type top where the leaves are supposed to just go over the top and drop to the ground while the rainwater rolls into the gutter. Their commercials seem to me to be the kind of product where the salesman gets in your house...gives you the sales pitch...and then puts the high pressure squeeze on you to sign on the dotted line. Couple years interest free, free Lowes card (or something), will give you $500 for old gutters, etc, etc.
Don't know anyone who has bought them, but I would imagine they're more than what Bert paid.
 
It is 50.3°F and sunny today.

Yesterday Sherry and I made our rounds for "Decoration Day" as dad called it. We went to four different cemeteries to take flowers for our parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandparents and worst of all my grandson. It was cool but perfect sunny weather.

You all have a wonderful day.
My brother and I were talking about that yesterday. My Mom and Dad's grave is fairly close to where he lives and he decorated them Saturday. We were talking about how fewer and fewer people seem to do that....and that the younger generations probably don't even know about it.
I can remember as a kid going to a cemetery in S. Ky. Memorial Day weekend and the place was full of people doing what you did yesterday. Today...not so much.
 
Up here they advertise Leaf Guard all the time on the TV station I watch mostly (METV). The gutter that has the roll over type top where the leaves are supposed to just go over the top and drop to the ground while the rainwater rolls into the gutter. Their commercials seem to me to be the kind of product where the salesman gets in your house...gives you the sales pitch...and then puts the high pressure squeeze on you to sign on the dotted line. Couple years interest free, free Lowes card (or something), will give you $500 for old gutters, etc, etc.
Don't know anyone who has bought them, but I would imagine they're more than what Bert paid.
If'n you are handy they are very easy to install.......The best place to by gutter gaurds is at an aluminum siding dealer.........just slide them up under the shingle........(not the starter course) and put two screws in the front of them.......The ones I installed are aluminum with tiny holes in it.......they work pretty good except you need splash guards in the corners where there is a valley........which I have never gotten around to.....(it's only been 8 yrs..)
 
If'n you are handy they are very easy to install.......The best place to by gutter gaurds is at an aluminum siding dealer.........just slide them up under the shingle........(not the starter course) and put two screws in the front of them.......The ones I installed are aluminum with tiny holes in it.......they work pretty good except you need splash guards in the corners where there is a valley........which I have never gotten around to.....(it's only been 8 yrs..)
You don't get much less "unhandy" than me.
 
Good Memorial Day morning from the Nature Coast.

I woke up to the smell of burning woods and a thick cloud of smoke coming from the swamp. They are doing a controlled burn for fire prevention. This occurs two or three times a year right before the rainy season starts. By burning off the undergrowth we do not become California.

It is 69° and mostly sunny with a 2% chance of rain. We should hit 85° by midafternoon. Should be a great day to grill out and hit the pool. They say we will have record crowds at the beaches and boating on the Gulf. More tourists than ever. The word is out.

Today is a day to honor and remember. I know we all have someone in the family or extended family who made the ultimate sacrifice. For those we are grateful and will never forget them.

Trust all have a great day and I will take my steak very rare.

Vintage-Memorial-Day-postcard.jpg
.
Now more than ever we need to remember and appreciate the brave men and women that sacrificed their lives to protect the freedoms we so dearly cherish. Freedom should never be taken for granted.
 
It is 50.3°F and sunny today.

Yesterday Sherry and I made our rounds for "Decoration Day" as dad called it. We went to four different cemeteries to take flowers for our parents, sister, brother-in-law, grandparents and worst of all my grandson. It was cool but perfect sunny weather.

You all have a wonderful day.
Hey, Bert. Slight change in itinerary. I plan on arriving up there around 2 pm on Saturday, July 10th. My original plan may have been July 9. I can't remember dates I gave y'all during our visits last month. At any rate, looking forward to seeing y'all again.
 
My brother and I were talking about that yesterday. My Mom and Dad's grave is fairly close to where he lives and he decorated them Saturday. We were talking about how fewer and fewer people seem to do that....and that the younger generations probably don't even know about it.
I can remember as a kid going to a cemetery in S. Ky. Memorial Day weekend and the place was full of people doing what you did yesterday. Today...not so much.
Decorations Day was a huge event when I was young. We had large families and many uncles and aunts would travel thousands of miles to meet at the gravesite of loved ones who had passed. From California, Arizona and of course Ohio where most had to gone to seek work. Some from Michigan also. It was the one day everyone tried to be together.

Daddy's roots were Pike County, KY and that is where we all went. The cemetery and church graveyards would be full of people and every grave had a flower on it. The people made sure of it.

I doubt if many do that anymore. In fact I was appalled listening to the radio this morning. Someone was interviewing people about the meaning of Memorial Day and only about 20% knew. Some admitted they didn't care and some said America's wars were to spread Imperialism. Now where did they get that idea?
 
Decorations Day was a huge event when I was young. We had large families and many uncles and aunts would travel thousands of miles to meet at the gravesite of loved ones who had passed. From California, Arizona and of course Ohio where most had to gone to seek work. Some from Michigan also. It was the one day everyone tried to be together.

Daddy's roots were Pike County, KY and that is where we all went. The cemetery and church graveyards would be full of people and every grave had a flower on it. The people made sure of it.

I doubt if many do that anymore. In fact I was appalled listening to the radio this morning. Someone was interviewing people about the meaning of Memorial Day and only about 20% knew. Some admitted they didn't care and some said America's wars were to spread Imperialism. Now where did they get that idea?
The tradition is still going on in Southern Kentucky. We had a lot of company yesterday and we went during church hours for less traffic. We spend a lot of money on Memorial Day weekend, not on flowers, but a lot of money for the cemeteries. We give $500 to each of the cemeteries as they have little sources of revenue to mow and keep things up. I give even more to Smiths Grove Cemetery as that is my big project.

It costs $800 (it is that low because it is competitively bid) to mow the Smiths Grove Cemetery. Over the course of the year that ends up being a lot of money. If you can afford to donate to your families cemeteries please do. They usually need it.

I am really proud of the changes that have happened at Smiths Grove. I think that it is a sign of loving the folks that went before you. I will bore you with one of my pictures made just after we reworked the chapel:

CEM2147660_135593037810.jpg
 
Good morning D-League. I hope everyone has an enjoyable Memorial Day.

It was my honor to get to know many impressive military people during my run as a conflict zone reporter. Some I remember today: Men like Lt. Comdr Scott Speicher, who I met on the USS Saratoga shortly before Operation Desert Storm. A few weeks after I met him in 1991 he was shot down over Baghdad. His body wasn't recovered for nearly 20 years.

And men like Lt. Col. Terry Crowe, who I met in Tal Afar Iraq in 2005. He had the thankless job of trying to train Iraqi soldiers, and that got him killed in an ambush. (I wrote this short piece about his death for the Houston Chronicle if anyone is interested. The format is a little choppy but should be readable - keep scrolling...)

And also Major Megan McClung, who was as Gung Ho as any Marine in Ramadi in 2006. I met her earlier in the year. She was later killed escorting journalists covering the war.

On that note, I knew quite a few journalists, some well enough to call them friend, who were killed in war zones or badly injured and still dealing with that. I don't want to take away from the military sacrifices today, but those men (and one woman) are missed as well.
 
The tradition is still going on in Southern Kentucky. We had a lot of company yesterday and we went during church hours for less traffic. We spend a lot of money on Memorial Day weekend, not on flowers, but a lot of money for the cemeteries. We give $500 to each of the cemeteries as they have little sources of revenue to mow and keep things up. I give even more to Smiths Grove Cemetery as that is my big project.
It costs $800 (it is that low because it is competitively bid) to mow the Smiths Grove Cemetery. Over the course of the year that ends up being a lot of money. If you can afford to donate to your families cemeteries please do. They usually need it.
I am really proud of the changes that have happened at Smiths Grove. I think that it is a sign of loving the folks that went before you. I will bore you with one of my pictures made just after we reworked the chapel:
CEM2147660_135593037810.jpg
Beautiful Bert, thanks for sharing. That is the America I love.
 
Last edited:
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT