From A Chef's Perspective .....

My name is Brian. I am an avid hunter, fisherman, outdoorsman & conservationist. I am also a Chef.  I caught the cooking bug early in life, and am passionate about it and passionate about the people that I cater to.  My life is always on the go. Whether it’s pushing out a dinner party of 200 people or stalking the elusive redfish on the flats of North Florida or in the back country of the Florida Keys at ‘safe light’.

I have been fortunate in my career to have mentors that not only push you to do the best and be the best, but also teach you sometimes you just have to stop and smell the roses. 

While in Culinary School, I had an Instructor, that pointed out, the first day of class; “Some of you will become chefs, and some of you won’t, you have to realize that when most of the world is partying, celebrating, etc. You are working.” Yes, it’s true. I can’t begin to tally all of the Valentines Days, Easter’s, Mother’s Day & Christmas’s that I have spent with a 10 burner gas range to my front and a never-ending pile of order tickets, and a crazed expeditor barking orders and demands to my back.  People ask, why? My reply, it's passion, it’s the look on happy faces, watching the fruits of my labor and the satisfaction of guests enjoying themselves.  Just to do it again the next shift. 

I have worked in some of the most prestigious establishments in the US.  From Rhode Island to Pennsylvania to Louisiana to where I am proud to now call home, Northwest Florida.  In the past 9 years, I have worked at two great dining establishments in Tallahassee.  These two restaurants, have kept me on my toes and ahead of the status quo. But Tallahassee and its beauty have taught me to "stop and smell the roses" and I can’t think of a better place to live, work, raise a family as well as enjoy myself through fishing, hunting and just being outdoors.

I first was introduced to William Lamb at Cypress Restaurant about 7 years ago.  The owners David and Elizabeth Gwynn rotated the wares of local artists on their walls.  Some of these art pieces were abstract, and some were simple and to the point.  The ones that I really connected with was the art of William Lamb.  His pieces spoke to me.  They were detailed pieces of the species that I like to catch, like the Silver King Tarpon, or chase after the briar busting Bobwhite Quail.  What also spoke to me was the Wm Lamb & Son philosophy, “So take time and enjoy the moment.  Most of us just can’t walk away from the hectic life we live, but there is no reason we can’t take a break from it from time to time.  Let me give your mind a break and recharge your batteries.”

People ask me frequently…"Chef, What do you like to eat?” My reply is simple.  “Other people’s food.”  I don’t mean to sound sarcastic.  I like the comforts of a home cooked meal, whether it is by my beautiful Christine, friends or family.  A meal where, I can enjoy the simple things in life, the conversation and the slow pace.  Not a meal, or shall I say sustenance, that is usually eaten on the go, cold and sometimes over a trashcan, where most of it will end up, because us chefs are pulled in different directions at all times, just something simple. 

I will share a recipe with you.  This is not one of mine out of my playbook, but one that is made for me by my beautiful better half, Christine.  She is a native of Alabama, she likes to cook and entertain just like myself.  She has the southern spirit and a warming heart.  She also has the taste for good food, whether it is out or at our home. So when I need to “take a break & recharge my batteries”…  She prepares one of my favorites:

Grilled Chicken Thighs and White Alabama BBQ Sauce

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 lb.)

Preparation

    1. Combine first 7 ingredients until blended. Rinse chicken, and pat dry; rub seasoning mixture over chicken. Place chicken in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and chill 4 hours.

    2. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Remove chicken from bag, discarding bag.

    3. Grill chicken, covered with grill lid, 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 180°. Serve with White Barbecue Sauce.

White Alabama BBQ Sauce

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons horseradish

Preparation

Stir together mayonnaise, vinegar, minced garlic, pepper, mustard, sugar, salt, and horseradish until blended. Cover and chill 2 to 4 hours. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Enjoy and go recharge those batteries .... 

Brian Knepper

Executive Chef of the Governors Club
Contributing Blogger to Wm Lamb & Son

A Southern Man, His Tools & His Gadgets

Guns, Fly Reels, Knives, Tools, Buckles, & Barware: These are just few of my favorite things......

Growing up in the Free State of Jones County in Mississippi, I have always had a love for various tools and widgets that I found in my father's workshop.  Our family is in the metal business and has been since 1911, so the sheer amount of REAL tools at my father's work benches were mind boggling as a child.  Hammers, wrenches, blacksmith tools that had been passed on to him and that were at least 3 generations old before I got my hands on them, these are the epitome of heritage.  We are talking about tools that were made by hand at the turn of the century. You can see the various forge marks on these handmade tools.  Somebody actually made these things.  Blood, Sweat, and Tears went into this stuff and someone way back then gave a serious damn about what they were creating.

I think (or know) that this is why I have this crazy urge to discover new metal contraptions & tools.  Gadgets that can stand the test of time and can be handed down from generation to generation; this is what I  am enthralled with.  While a lot of folks define a gadget as some small tool or appliance that has sense of novelty to it, I see them in a bit broader spectrum. Hunting, Fishing, Cooking, Drinking:  all of these have their gadgets & tools.  Here are just some of my favorites (wifey, if you are reading this, any of these would make a great Christmas Present!)

Have you seen what Caesar Guerini is doing with their O/U shot guns? Look at their Evo line. My gracious, this thing just drips craftsmanship.

Or what about the made in the USA fly reels from Hatch? I'll Take a 7wt on a Sage One 9'6" rod and the Reds & Specks will have no hope.

Or this Damascus kitchen knife, done by Chris Williams, yes, please.

Even simple items, like taking an old railroad spike and doing a little blacksmithing to make it into a bottle opener.

While the original ones are very hard to find, Garrett-Wade has very nice reproductions of the famed H.D. Smith Perfect Handle drivers. These were standard issue to all of the tank crews in WWII.

 

And, I have got to at least point out one of my favorites of late, The Tarpon Scale Buckle, done by none other than Mr. Lamb himself.

If it's metal and both craftsmanship and design come into play, then it is definitely going to peak my interest. 

During Thanksgiving this year, we traveled to Blowing Rock, NC for Turkey Day with my wife's family.  My seven year old son and I escaped one morning to go do a little fly fishing. Being 7, he is just starting to figure out the art of fly casting (of course, at 41, I  am still trying to figure out the art of slinging a bug). As we were talking & fishing, the discussion of course went to all of the gadgets that one has to carry for fly fishing.  My son was enthralled by each and every one of these items draped on my vest.  I marveled at how a 7 year old could think a simple pair of Abel line nippers were such a cool thing, but then I remembered back to my dad's shop and how cool those Blacksmith hammers were.  Some things don't change......

 

YSR,

Trent Mulloy
Laurel, Mississippi
www.LMFco.com
Ironmonger * Sewanee Alumni * GSP owner

The Southern Gentlemen

 

Much has been made in the past 20 years on Southern culture and life.  I got news for Foxworthy and the rest.  We are not rednecks.

The true Southern Gentlemen is as follows:
A devout man of faith. First and foremost our people (either Jewish, Catholic, or Protestant) are religious people. He prays often for his family, his employees or his boss even, and his community. He regularly attends church. He may not be a theologian but he knows what he believes and it effects his life and his practices. He’s involved and he cares about those in his church.

Full of love. He loves his wife and children. He cares deeply for them. Is involved with them and shows his affection thru his interactions with them. He goes to his girl's dance rehearsals etc. The boys baseball and football games. All the various activities children have in their lives he does his best to be at and to show his support. He stands by and cherishes his wife. He is faithful and loving. Kind and caring. He helps in any way he can.

He’s an outdoors man. Now not all fall into this category but most of us Southerners have a deep connection to the land. We love it. We love to be outside. We fish and hunt. Garden. Walk. Hike. We love nature. Most of us dream of one day owning our own version of Tara. Land to love and nurture and that will provide for our family. We hunt because we love the sound of the woods in the early morning. Gobblers on the roost in the spring and deer walking thru the leaves in November. Hunting is passed down thru the generations. Father to child, grandfather to grandchild, uncles and best friends. The hunter/gatherer lifestyle is a way to connect to our forefathers. To the grand idea of the early South.

He smells of gun oil, tobacco, and brown liquor. Guns are a part of our daily lives. We think about them, dream on them, have strong family connections to them. We hunt with our Grandfathers rifle. It connects our day to his. Our adventures to those of his youth. Guns have history, place and meaning. A Southern Gentlemen may often smoke a pipe or cigars. In the old days maybe Bull Durham roll your own cigarettes. The scent clinging to his clothes and in his study. He occasionally enjoys a nip or two from a good bottle of bourbon or whiskey. Nothing is finer than a bourbon on the porch on a sunny Sunday afternoon. He might even have a little shine laying around somewhere… It’s good for the soul you know.

He is well dressed. This does not mean the most expensive clothes or accessories. This means he dresses appropriately for where he is. A Southern Gentlemen does not go out to dinner in a sleeveless t-shirt or cutoffs. He isn’t at church in ragged jeans and beat up clothes. Even if poor he wears a sport coat over his overalls to church. He sees his attire as his way of being respectful to those he comes in contact with. He carries with him a handkerchief and a pocket knife (maybe one his grandfather or dad gave him long ago). He is usually known to wear one particular item. For instance I knew a man when I was young who if you went to see him at his house in the middle of the day unexpected he had on an ascot… For me it’s a bow tie. For some it’s a fedora or a panama hat. It’s part of his attire and he wears it well. It is his signature. We are eclectic and eccentric people.

He has a sense of history and place. He may not live in the town of his birth anymore but he identifies strongly with it. He is proudly from there. Social Circle for me was a great place to grow up. Again I find myself living in a small southern town. Someplace where the lady at the post office knows my name and helps with my mail. We connect strongly to our home states and the history they contain. There is no need to re-invent the South as some have done. We are proud of the people we come from no matter what. The soldiers, the statesmen, the lawyers, the preachers, and the crooks and moonshiners. The bible salesman and the fortune teller in my case… They make up who we are today. The stories, the places they lived and died. Fought and loved. Tamed and wandered. We love where we are from.

The Southern Gentlemen is becoming a thing of the past. Kept alive by only a few. You can find them on Sunday’s in the local church. Sitting quietly with their families. Everyone neatly dressed and in line. He’s loved by those who take the time to get to know him. Respected and admired. A pillar of the community.

This to set the record straight as to who we are. This is who I want to be when I grow up. These fine men are the men whom I admire and who I am proud to be from.

James Pressley
Eatonton, Georgia
Father, Husband and Southern Gentleman
Contributing Blogger

A Harvest for the Soul

I'm not sure there is a better time of year throughout the South, than late November through mid December.  This time of year around my stomping grounds, the Ducks start getting thick, the Pheasant are starting to poke around, the Geese are flying overhead, and you just know that soon they'll be landing out in that stand of winter-wheat you've been working on.

All year long we've been prepping for this time of year and once it hits, it hits hard and it hits fast.  There is a ton of fun to be had out in the field this time of year, but most importantly to me there is a lot of time to be spent with friends and family.

Leading up to these hunting seasons, the work has been hard.  The daily grind has been all-consuming, and honestly, you haven't had that much to time to share with anyone else besides your immediate family.   When you reach this time of year though, things start to make a change for the better.  Old traditions begin to renew all over again.   Plans are made, gear is checked and rigs are outfitted to get back out there one more time.  Whether it's in a duck blind by your favorite hole, or walking a beautifully managed stand of Plains Bluestem, this is the time of year when you realize what is important .... when you realize again, just how good this time of year is for your heart and for your soul.

I truly believe that the Good Lord has graciously provided all of this for us .... a harvest of unlimited facets.  A harvest of game.  A harvest of time spent with the ones you love.  A harvest of knowledge.  A harvest of memories .... and most importantly, a harvest of blessings.

Get out there.... it's time to bring 'em in.

Ryon Atwood
Panhandle Prep
www.panhandleprep.com
Contributing Blogger

Yes.... the Word is Collaboration ....

One of the things that separates Wm Lamb & Son from so many other companies is that we have original designs .... we have the artwork, we are the artist.  For this reason we have been so blessed to collaborate with some of the best companies and the greatest folks we have met out there in this crazy world we live in as entrepenuers.   We don't want to compete with our friends .... we want to work with them when we can and with this in mind we have produced some truly amazing products !! 

 

 

 The GSP fabric design is one of our favorites and teaming up with Hudson Sutler out of New York was a perfect fit for us.  We are all about quality and Hudson Sutler bags are heavy canvas old school bags (you know we love old school) that are Made in America, not to mention great guys.  Yes, that's right, we love the New Yorkers too!   Collaborating with them and putting our GSP lining in four different color schemes made these bags just pop!  The Thomaville has already sold out and the The Apalachicola and St. Simons are headed that way soon (the bags were just released on November 1st).   The fourth color scheme hasnt been released yet.  Head on over to www.hudsonsutler.com and check out the Wm Lamb & Son Collection before they are gone.  

 

 

 

So, we, like so much of the South, feel in love with a little company up in Boston, The Old Try.  Yes, they are located up North but they are Southern born and Southern at heart and good folk, as Micah would say.   Everything they do is on an old letterpress and individually numbered and, as we love, old school.  When we found them we knew we had to be a part of what they were and when we saw their Manners Print we knew we had to have it a part of what we are.   Nothing says Wm Lamb & Son quite like the Manners Print.  The Old Try agreed to print red and black prints exclusively for us, and we hope this is only the beginning of things to come between The Old Try and Wm Lamb & Son.  These are available straight thru www.wmlambandson.com

 

So we have to say teaming up with the true, original, and first "Southern" Company has been an amazing experience.  We met the Southern Proper folks first at the opening of Five Mile Club in Athens, Georgia this time last year.  By Christmas we had agreed to collaborate on a tie collection for the Fall.   A month later we had the designs ready and by June we were doing a photo shoot together on some South Georgia Plantations for the Wm Lamb & Son Fall Collection.   We can tell you without a doubt, Southern Proper isnt just a great company that creates a beautiful, quality product, but they are truly good people and we are so blessed to be able to call them our close friends.   The Wm Lamb & Son Collection is available in both neck ties and bow ties at  www.southernproper.com  The Fall 2012 theme is the South Georgia Plantation .... and yes, there is so much more to come from this collaboration, this friendship ......

   

 

Yes, it's what started it all .... a chance meeting (Wm wearing the Hunt Scene pants of course) at the Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston in 2011 with K. Cooper Ray, The Social Primer and our world was completely opened up.  Within 7 months of the Expo, Wm's first design, The Hunt Scene fabric was debuted in the Social Primer Tailgate Blazer with Brooks Brothers.  Yes, that's right, one chance meeting and we are in Brooks Brothers AND have made yet another great friend.  Cooper is definitely a one of a kind that is taking it upon himself to educate young men in how to dress and how to act like a true Southern Gentleman.   The Tailgate Blazer is sold exclusively by Brooks Brothers, 2011 Fall blazer (very limited sizes left) has the Hunt Scene lining, 2012 Fall blazer is available in red and in navy and features the WLS Foxhunt lining, www.brooksbrothers.com    Can't wait to see what Wm and Cooper come out with for 2013.  

So, last spring during March Madness a blogger, www.greatlakesprep.com, created the Brand Bracket.   Within this bracket he had brands (from the top folks over at LL Bean and Ray Ban to the smaller guys like .... Wm Lamb & Son vying for votes to move on from their fans on social media).   Over the course of a couple of weeks many of us became obsessed with this bracket.... merely for bragging rights .... The cool thing was how we struck up friendships with some of these other brands during our battles.   One of these friendships was with Loggerhead Apparel out of Greenville, South Carolina.   We had noticed their wares before and were impressed with their conservation efforts with the sea turtles along the South Carolina coast as well as their Made in America quality products. In the midst of the brand bracket we agreed to collaborate on a tshirt design to introduce Loggerhead fans to Wm Lamb & Son and vice versa.   Wm's watercolor of a sea turtle was the only design necessary and a percentage of the proceeds will go to sea turtle conservation along the Florida Panhandle.   And for the record yes, Loggerhead was the one that knocked us out of the brand bracket in the Final Eight.   Get your Wm Lamb & Son tee at www.loggerheadapparel.com and tell our friends in South Carolina we said hey.

 

Also a friendship that was made during the brand bracket last year was with Luxley & Bernard, a company straight out of the Midwest so it's been fun to expand and show that Wm Lamb & Son isnt just for those in the South..... we appeal to those all over the country.   Having discussed doing something with them over the fall we decided that with of our love and respect for this great country we live in we would do an American Made tshirt together.  There is just nothing better than the red, white and blue sometimes.  Luxley & Bernard represents a similar lifestyle to Wm Lamb & Son and all these other companies .... wanting to bring quality products to folks and focusing on the simple things in life.    Sometimes it really is as simple as that.   God Bless America!!   The American Made long sleeve tees are available thru www.wmlambandson.com and www.luxleyandbernard.com. 



 

 

Yes, we told you there would be much more to come from the Wm Lamb & Son Collection with Southern Proper .... get your tee directly from www.southernproper.com - Who doesnt love original artwork on tshirts ?!?!  (and stay tuned for the Spring Collection coming soon!!)

 

Who is the son?

Okay, so folks are starting to hear about Wm Lamb & Son, a Southern based family owned company that focuses on simpler times based on William's artwork.   When we decided to take the leap and form the company in 2010, we wanted a name and logo that had the feel of the past and it didn't take long at all to decide that Wm Lamb & Son was the perfect name.   Although we are centered on William's artwork and designs, it is not just about him but about a lifestyle we want everyone to embrace.   We are not trying to pretend to be something we are not  .... This truly is the Wm Lamb & Son lifestyle.

 

With that said, we thought we would introduce you to the son .... Will.   He turns 12 years old the end of August and is headed into 7th grade.   He is our brown eyed, dark haired, olive skinned beauty with a great smile that is just a cool kid and makes us laugh daily.  We thought it was best for you to hear it in his own words ....  

Grouper Season 2012

 

Whats your favorite TV show ? "Andy Griffith, the BBC Top Gear, and History Channel's Pawn Stars"

 

 

What's your favorite song?   " "Crazy Train" by Ozzy Osbourne and "Cheeseburger in Paradise" by Jimmy Buffett"

 

Whats your dream car?  "The Aston Martin Vanquish convertible and a Land Rover Defender 110"

 

 

What's your favorite book?   "I read a lot but I would say anything by Gary Paulson."

 

Would you call your self a "jack of all trades master of none" like your dad?  "Probably.  I take piano lessons and now that I'm in middle school I play golf and lacrosse for my school and I'm on our robotics team too.  I also am in the Boy Scouts which I love. Currently I have the rank of Star.  I love legos, trains and having airsoft wars.  I also love hunting, fishing and camping.  So yes, I would definitely say I'm a jack of trades master of none, I just enjoy doing lots of things."

 

What's your favorite thing about Boy Scouts?  "Camping out."

 

What are some of products your dad has done that are you favorites?   "I love the china, the t-shirts, my camo croakie, anything he does camouflage.  I love the camo bow tie ...... and when are we going to make knives?  I'm a knife guy."

 

What do you love about your dad?  "That he can fix just about anything and that he can create whatever he wants.  It's cool to watch him work."

 

What do you think might be your job when you get older for Wm. Lamb & Son?   "I'll leave the computer to dad cause I'll start just playing on it.   I would probably be good at sales and drive around to different towns like Charleston ..... you know, in my Aston Martin."

 

How did you like modeling for the Southern Proper Wm Lamb & Son photo shoot?   "It was really fun.   I loved hanging out in the Defender that we had in the shoot and with the Southern Proper folks, they were really, really nice.  I kind of got into the whole modeling thing too."

 

Who's your best friend ?   "My dad, we hang out all the time  .... I would say my mom and little sister too but don't tell them I said that."

 

Are you proud of your dad? "Yes, very proud. Can't wait to see what he comes out with next."

 

After scoring the winning goal in sudden death !!

Southern Proper Wm Lamb & Son Fall 2012 Collection Photo Shoot. 

All smiles in the Defender on the SP WLS Photo Shoot Fall 2012.

 

 

Who is Wm Lamb & Son

We've been asked quite often "So who is Wm Lamb & Son?" .... We thought we would help try to clear that up for you .....

We've been described as Gentleman South but yet we appeal to the Northeast, Midwest and the Wild West.  We are quail hunts and tarpon fishing.  We are dove shoots in the field and bass fishing on the ponds.  We are barefoot and flipflops followed by white bucks and driving shoes.  We are family, simplier times, Prairie Home Companion, guitar & mandolin pickin' Saturday nights.  We are boston butts, fried pickles, grilled grouper and sushi.  We are boiled peanuts, summer squash, fresh tomatoes and corn on the cob.  We are banana pudding and creme brulee.  We are fly fishing and putting worms on a cane pole.  We are classic Range Rover and Jeep CJ7 because they have soul.  We are raw oysters in a cooler and cold beer.   We are bourbon and coke during the fall, gin & tonic in the summer, a dirty martini on occasion and a natty light in the boat.  We are Apalachicola Bay and the Flint River.  We are the Gulf of Mexico and The Teton Valley.  We are the Great Smokey Mountains and Glacier National Park.  We are private plantations and public landings.   We are The University of the South with a bowtie and a bottle of whiskey.   We are Robert E. Lee & Andy Griffith.  We are getting up early to hunt or sleeping in late on a hot day.   We are the Grateful Dead and George Winston, Widespread Panic and Frank Sinatra, Robert Earl Keen and Jimmy Buffett.   We are College Football and The Masters.  We are a paint brush and a blank canvas.  We are Mama Mia and The Phantom of the Opera.  We are the floor of the stock exchange and the salvage yard.  We are seersucker, go to hell pants, plaid, linen, polos, pocket squares and old college tshirts.  We are Brooks Brothers and Goodwill.  We are Bible Study on Wed, Church on Sunday and beer on Friday and Saturday night.  We are jack of all trades, master of none.  We are original.  We are Wm Lamb & Son .....

Nothing says Sophisticated Redneck like fishing for bass while playing 18 holes on a private golf course/plantation.

Give the man a day on a horse and he will smile for weeks.

Wearing your own design of Go To Hell pants to celebrate your Social Primer Brooks Brothers Tailgate blazer collaboration.

Never take yourself too seriously .....

A man, his jeep, his dog and his boat ....

Family photo.

Driving into the Little River .... just because you can.....

The artist/designer on a South Georgia Plantation.

Wm Lamb & Son fall afternoon hunt.

A Litter of Puppies or Kids

I love my children very much and they are the biggest and most wonderful part of my life.  That said, a friend of my mine emailed me a picture this weekend of his new family members all sitting quietly at the doctor’s office; just like they should.   Instead of a bunch of kids, it was his litter of lab puppies in their crate, and it got me thinking.  What are the benefits of puppies over kids?  My first thought was, if you don’t like them or they don’t turn out the way you want them to, well, you just give them away or better yet, sell them.  No one will accuse you of participating in the child slave trade or abandonment.  With a good story, it’s all OK.

Next, if the kids start acting up, you can’t really put them in the kennel or just throw them outside.  No, you have to have a discussion about responsibility and accountability.  When you travel, puppies ride in the back of the truck in their plush dog crate.  They have unlimited air conditioning, a decent view and you don’t have to listen to Nemo or Fairy Princess movies over and over again.  Dogs are always happy to see you.  They don’t pick up any real attitude or grudges.  Some may….but they don’t last.   Puppies require some shots, time at the vet, and the occasional conversation with people telling you how great their dog was back in the 90’s. (That guy is me).  

Keeping, raising and training a puppy isn’t much different than raising kids, generally speaking,  as it is an enormous amount of time, effort and of course….money.   Most of my friends just send them off to school and let someone else train them to varying degrees of success.   I have always trained my own dogs and I have to say it is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done.   Kids are a HUGE investment of time and money, so when you turn them loose in the world....well; you hope you did it all right.   Sure you can send them off to a trainer, but you will not get the same result as if you raised them yourself.   There are many things in this world you can throw a bunch of money at and fix, but kids and dogs is more time and effort than anything money could buy.

If you are just married, like my friend that emailed the picture, having a litter of puppies is a great way to practice and warm up your parenting skills.  Who gets up in the middle of the night to check on the litter?  Who runs them to the vet when a problem arises at the most inconvenient time of day; like during “The Days of Our Lives”?  And who has the patience to listen to the guy that goes on and on about his dog? (My old yellow lab Jake and I really were great together).  So having puppies first really test the waters and can help you decide whether the two of you really need to bring another human into this world with your DNA.  I know many people that started with having a puppy first and some of them went on to have wonderful families and children; although some should have stuck with dogs.

Sure, puppies can be easier and lucrative, but having kids IS the most rewarding thing I have ever done  and will ever do …..  even if I can’t put them in the crate in the back of the truck…. Although our kids kind of like that crate …

~ Wm

There’s Something About Molly

They say there is something about a daughter that melts a father’s heart.  Well it’s true.  We have a six year old fireball named Molly that does just that.  She loves to run in from the mailbox after school, through the barn doors and into “my office” only to scare me like she did yesterday and the day before that, and the day before that.  Then the first thing she asks is, “daddy will you push me on the swing?”  I hung a swing several years ago from a huge 150 year old Live Oak in our yard and gave it a lot of rope so it will get her into “space”, as she likes to call it.  Now, I get her as high as I can and she stands up for the ride.  What a nut!  We have a good time on walks to the pond or working on my fleet of old 4 wheel drive vehicles.  She hands me tools, ask questions and genuinely seems interested….for a while at least.  Sometimes, when daddy can’t figure out how to get that last screw seated or finds a gasket still leaking, it’s best that she is doing something else…. somewhere else.  Matter of fact, its best that anybody around me should probably just walk away and not make eye contact.

Anyway, Molly is an independent little thing as she always has to do everything all by herself; from getting in the car to putting on her shoes.  What is scary is her natural ability to dance like we DID NOT dance back in the glory days.  When I take Molly and Will to school in the morning, she is “getting her groove on” in the back seat!  Oh my…we have our hands full and we are scared to death of the teenage years to say the least.

But for now, she still likes for me to cuddle when she goes to bed and read a couple of books.   Of course she says she already knows how to read but wants me to read for practice.  She turns out the light and curls up and grabs my arm and squeezes it as hard as she can and says, “I love you daddy”.  Wow….all my cares go away for just a bit.  Just long enough for our beautiful little girl to fall asleep in my arms.  For that moment, my mind is clear of all the crap we all carry with us throughout the day and it  just all takes a timeout.  I would like to tell you the peace of that moment stays with me, but I’m sorry to say it fades away like everything else and I'm soon back to reality while my little girl sleeps.  But, I know I have a very small window to enjoy those moments and I try my best to keep them close to my heart and let them feed my soul.  All this stuff called life isn’t easy, but you have to take the good when you can and embrace it like a daughter hugs her father at bedtime.  It is a blessing.   Molly, thank you for sharing those moments with me and may you never stop melting your Daddy’s heart.

Love,

Dad

Sixth Grade Science

The other night our son Will asked me to help him study for his science test he was having the next day.  In usual fashion, we go through the questions at the end of each section of the chapter for review.  He is a smart kid and knows most of the answers, so I try and trick him up, but like I said, he is a smart kid.   This particular chapter was on Mollusks, Arthropods, and Echinoderms…. bugs and stuff for the rest of us.  We got to Section 3, “Insects” where it discussed the metamorphosis, a fancy word for the growing cycle of an insect, and then it dawned on me, this is a great lesson in fly fishing! 

When you are fly fishing for trout, you either fish a dry fly on the top of the water or a nymph underneath the water.  Sometimes both…. which is called a “dropper”.  Which fly you use depends on so many different conditions that it takes a lifetime to learn; hence one of the wonderful attributes of the sport.  Anyway, once we reached this point in the chapter, I ran and grabbed my fly boxes and gear and explained the similarities of what was in the book and what was in my boxes.  The book explained the logic and progression of life while I explained why trout like to eat certain things at certain times.  I told him about being on a stream in the evening when the miracle of “The Hatch” occurred and I was surrounded by thousands of caddis being born right out of the water.  What an amazing sight!  What is even more amazing is when you find the fly that matches the hatch in your box, tie it on and then the fun really begins.  I continued to explain how trout rise to the surface to eat these freshly hatched morsels and you just hope that you float your dry fly right on top of them.  My personal favorite is a #14 Elk Hair Caddis.  It has always been reliable and most of all, I can see it.  Fortunately there was one Caddis left in my box, as the last several hundred I have owned are hung in trees limbs somewhere in a stream or river of my past.   Will got a kick out of that one, but I know it's just a matter of time before he gets hung in a tree and I sure hope he has more patience than me.  God help him…

We finished up the questions at the end of the chapter and we both felt pretty good about the next day's exam.  I don’t know if I was correct in my fishing logic, but to an eleven year old boy who loves to fish, it was the gospel.    

Wm

Open up the Windows

I love this time of year.  I have been waiting on these cool days since June!  The coffee taste better in the morning; I sleep better and feel energized all the way around.  Downstairs in my studio I have two large eight foot wide sliding barn doors I open up and let the cold air into the room.  I put on a fleece and take it all in.   When we built our house six years ago, I designed it so we could open it up and bring in the fresh air.   Before a/c, people used to live with windows open so the subtle breezes would keep the house cool and comfortable.   Out west, where we have spent time in the summers,  hardly any of the homes have a/c.   They only need it three or four weeks out of the year and if they are hot they sit in the shade.  Novel idea.   Anyway, this past Saturday morning I woke up to a beautiful and clear 50 degree day and immediately opened up the house.  It seemed like everyone just took a sigh of relief and said, "Thanks be to God" for a gorgeous day..... even the house.   It gets to do what a house should do, breath.... and so do we.


We have all gotten soft.  I have gotten soft!!  Back in high school and college I drove a Jeep CJ7 back and forth to Birmingham and loved every minute of it.   If it was hot, I would take off my shirt (don't worry, I won't subject the world to that these days) and if it was cold I would turn on the heater that blew directly on my gas pedal foot and wear a jacket.  Was I tougher back then or just young and oblivious?  Now I drive my CJ to the hardware store and back and that's enough for me.   Yet on a day such as this, I can't think of a better vehicle to drive and feel that I could make it all the way to Birmingham.  So open up the windows and get outside!   It is what we were designed to do!  As for me, if I ever get my Jeep out of the shop with my new clutch, I will take the top off and get back on the road.  (Top meaning Jeep top of course, not my shirt).  Lord help us all......

Getting to Church on Time

I have to say that I had a great up bringing in Tallahassee, Florida. I had a great family and friends, and life just seemed to be a little simpler back then. During the week, my dad worked, my mom toted our carpool  back and forth to school and on Sundays we went to church.  Church…..well that’s where the happiness kind of died. First of all, I’m not saying that church was bad, it was good for me. It was the getting ready for church that was such a terror. My parents were mild mannered, sweet, and gentile southern people until it was time to get ready for church....then it was “game on”. Of course, I brought a lot of the yelling on myself as I would lay in bed until the very last minute and just before the hammer was thrust upon me, I was up and frantically getting ready while my sister and I would be reminded that we weren’t doing anything after church until our rooms were clean! “I have had enough!”, they would say. Oh…it was a true Norman Rockwell moment.  Most of my friends that spent the night remember the same kind of behavior. The worst was when I would switch beds and my dad would storm in my room to wake me up in a roaring thunder, only to find my guest in the bed instead of me. After the drill sergeant left my friend in varying degrees of shock, he would find me and continue his Sunday morning ritual that might rival the Marine Base at Paris Island. Eventually, we were up and out the door with our tail ends somewhat intact. Once we got to church, it was like it never happened and all was well. I loved getting to church.

I can’t help but to laugh about those mornings now because its seems the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. It doesn’t matter how early we get up for church, we are always trying to get out the door in the same manner as our parents. The kids can’t find shoes, jackets, or socks. “What about breakfast?”  “Tuck your shirt in!”  “I said GET DRESSED!”  “We don’t have time, get in the car!”  "Please!!!"  These are a few regular favorites of mine. Please, don’t judge us; we are just doing the best we can.  If you have never had to get kids up and to church on time, well this might be lost on you.  But, take my word for it, it isn’t easy. Anyway, I’m pretty sure our kids are glad to get to church ….just like me.  Whew!

Technology Can Be Your Friend

I’ll admit it, technology finally saved my life a couple of weekends ago. It was the last day of dove season in Georgia and Will and I went to a field we have gone to a couple times this year with several degrees of success. It has been so good for Will to go as there is no substitute for experience. This particular afternoon was going along like most as we set up in the middle of the field with our lab Wilson crying out for some action. It was later in the afternoon when I notice the constant hum of a small airplane circling above. At first I thought is was a local farmer that had taken off from his pasture for an afternoon flight, but after it kept circling five or six times, I started to care. Without even looking knew it wasn’t a farmer, but “The Man”; Georgia’s finest in wildlife law enforcement. I looked up to see a GA on one wing and WILDLIFE on the other wing.

Yeah… this particular day I forgot to get my three day non resident license and it was only a matter of time before “The Man” would be walking through the field checking us for violations. They used to offer one day license for $11! Those were the glory days. Well, I was in violation and I needed to work fast. So in superb fashion, I picked up my Blackberry, looked up the phone number on the internet and called Georgia Department of Natural Resources for a license. Will asked what I was doing and I plainly stated that I was getting a hunting license. Within minutes I had Sarah on the line where she had all my information in the computer and I had a confirmation number. I had no pen so I grabbed a stick and wrote my confirmation number in the picked peanut field. In the heat of battle, word traveled quickly through the field that “The Man” was here so be ready. I never missed a beat and kept my composure as I continued the painless process of getting a license over the phone. I gave her my gmail address and it was in my inbox within minutes. Wow, that was easy.

“The Man” was making his rounds, wandering from hunter to hunter making sure we didn’t have too many birds, plugs in our guns and all licenses were current. Well, mine was very current. I introduced myself and Will to “The Man” and proceeded to show him my license…on my phone. He wasn’t too excited about the electronic license, but what do you do. I thanked him for coming by, gave him a bird Wilson had picked up by mistake to give to guy hunting just down from us, and sat back down.  I turned to Will and said, "you just passed your first of many checks by ‘The Man‘. Congratulations.” Will just said, “yeah”…..it was a special moment.

At the end of the day I sent Will to get the truck so we wouldn’t have to tote our gear all the way across the field.  While I waited I had about 10 minutes to myself in the twilight of the evening to reflect on the day's events. There are so many lessons to be learned and taken from this episode in the field. Gun safety, the essence of cheetoes eating, why we drive on the right side of the road and the Brits drive on the left, why did Wilson eat the only bird we shot, what am I going to be when I grow up and why we eventually had to go home…to name just a few. But, if you ask me, the most important lessons of the day are: keep cool under fire, don’t let your 10 year old see you sweat, stay focused, and most of all….technology can be your friend. (I can’t believe I just said that).

It's A Dog's Life

In our family we have two dogs, our full blooded, superstar field trial black lab named Wilson, and then we have Georgie.  Georgie came to us from the Franklin County Human Society where she may have some lab in her, but also some rottweiler, doberman, beagle, etc. Personally I think her parents were full blooded Franklin County hog dogs that could take down the Apalachicola forest wild boars without getting winded. The funny thing is, she is as sweet and funny as can be and the kids love her! She can also be a huge pain when she gets into the trash if it is not properly stored and spread it all over the yard.  I think this is just bred in her. She will go to the pantry, grab a box of Triscuts or loaf of bread to take out into yard where she may or may not eat it. (I am looking at a box of crackers in the yard as I write). 

We think she used to have to fight for her meals when she was a puppy due to her interesting eating habits. When we put food in her bowl, she gives us a look, picks it up and walks to a safe and, sometimes, undisclosed, place to eat. She totes her bowl everywhere!  We will find them in the yard, living room or hidden in a closest, as if it was saved for the hard times to come. Georgie doesn’t know how to play fetch, but chases the ball with Wilson. Wilson brings it back and drops it at my feet; then Georgie picks it up and runs off with it as if to say “Wilson…this is fun”! Poor Wilson just rolls his eyes and chases her around to get his ball back. Siblings….

Recently, I have let them sleep upstairs with Will in his room. He has to keep the door shut so she won’t go out for a midnight snack and the box of Triscuts I picked up in the yard….again.  Margaret always says it could be Wilson too, but I never knew him to wander in the middle of the night although I have caught him pulling cookies off the kitchen counter.  Last night I was awakened by some whining coming from Will’s room. It was around 2:30 a.m. when I got out of the bed to see what was the matter.  I opened Will’s door, Georgie walked to the bathroom, got a good drink from the toilet, walked back to Will’s room only to give me the “that will be all” look as she made her way back to bed. Who is the master here?

They both have it made. They sleep on my old chairs when it’s cold and rainy, and lay in the yard, basking in the sun on gorgeous days only to be roused (sometimes) if a neighbor is walking by. We think we teach dogs, but in as much, they teach us. There are so many dogs that I have known over the years that I would love to come back as in my second life. Some dogs seemed to have figured out the system and know better, while some never learn. Wow! That sounds familiar. Could that be applied to us? The old saying, “it’s a dog's life”, is so true and not a bad way to pass the time.

Georgie Girl ... and her food bowl ....

Wilson