NANA NOTES

SECOND RIDE THE ROCKIES

I'm skipping several posts to start giving you updates on Ed and Josh. They are riding the 500 mile "Ride the Rockies" this week while I'm at soggy OB.  It rained 4 inches yesterday and is still raining. Hopefully they are having better weather.  Their flight left NO at 6:30 AM on Friday and was direct to Denver where they picked up a gorgeous motor home that sleeps 10.  There are eight guys going together.  I'm supposed to get updates from them regularly.  Today was the first ride. Last night they stayed at the Palisades Senior Citizens RV Park.  They let Josh in because he had three senior citizens with him!  When Ed called he said they were going out to eat.  I told him to be sure and ask for the senior citizen discount!! :)  

The guys survived the ride and had a great time. They all finished and made it home safely.  I made a scrapbook for Ed commemorating his trip and he loved it.

RYAN'S LATEST CATCH!!

Ryan called last night to tell me to get my camera.  If you are "faint of heart" now is the time to "turn her off" and go read somebody elses blog. Since hardly anybody else blogs you might as well just keep on reading and then say, "gross" and move on!! :)  If it can be caught, trapped or killed, Ryan does it.  It's a farm thing and a wildlife management thing.  He doesn't kill for fun. The animals he kills usually kill our turkeys, quail or baby deer or damage the fields. He is very agriculturally trained.  He respects the land.  This is what he brought to show us that he'd caught on Haileigh's grandfather's land-- 

  This 130 pound female hog got caught in a snare around her nose.  The snare was caught between her two huge teeth.  You can see the ring around her nose in the left picture.  Those are the teeth in the right picture.  These animals have no natural predators and will ruin your fields and can hurt you badly.  Some folks down the road will have some "good eatin' " and we won't have to worry about her making it to Cotton Branch!!  Good job, Ryan!!

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST!

These boys just don't give up! We got a call tonight as I was fixing supper that Bryden had a nice deer. They all came by so I could get my pictures.  Shelly with three of his and Jody with his two came bounding in all talking at once.  Gotta love those boys!

 
I guess you know during hunting season that my blog is not for the "faint of heart"!  :)

Jody loves for the boys to have a good day but it's getting to him that he hasn't had one.  There's always next weekend Jody! :) 
 
 

A HUNTING THEY DID GO!

I started this last night and lost it! Computers have minds of their own. Everyone went hunting yesterday afternoon.  There were boys and girls all over the farm.  I was running errands and cooking soup and brownies just in case they came in starving (what are the chances??). I kept getting calls that "so and so has a deer down", "this one has a deer down", "bring Sadie so she can track the deer" and on and on.  Finally I got the call that they were all at the barn and to bring the camera.  I wasn't prepared for what I saw or heard.  It would take the boys to tell the story but I can show you the pictures.  Gotta love deer season on a farm with grandchildren!!

Graham telling the story!  Ryan's deer literally charged Shelly, Ben, Sam and Graham. He swam a pond and ran out at them.

When Sadie can't find the deer they usually call in David Rushing with his hound dog.  His dogs are great and David is a good friend. He has gotten to be a regular around here and we enjoy having him.  He's had Christmas Day supper with us for the last several years.  It's almost a tradition!

Hayden and Shelby waiting on the others to get there. They weren't in on the kill this time.

  

Jennifer and Sam were excited for all of the guys and Emily.

 

 

Here they are:  Ryan with his 11 point;  Bryden with his 8 point; Emily with her 8 point and Ben with his 8 point that had a 17 1/2 inside spread.  (I was told that was important to say!) They were all proud of their deer.

We don't kill these deer just for fun. Just so you know, the meat from the deer was carried to families that need it. We were all taught to share what we have and not waste God's resources.

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

EMILY'S BUCK!!

 
No girl on Cotton Branch will let the boys beat them!  Emily was out for horns today and she got them.  It was serious business!  Way to go Emily--just wish I had been here to see you and hear the story. Guess I'll have to get it later.

 

ON THEIR WAY!

Ed woke me up at 3:17 this morning--thinking it was3:47!!  I got up and started the bacon and cinnamon toast with fresh pineapple.  The guys got up and dressed and were ready to eat in minutes. They ate and were out the door in no time. They let me grab a quick snap before they left.  And poor Sadie--she really wanted to go with Papa.

I hope the next picture has a huge buck in it to go with his brothers'!  Good luck Ben!! 

HERRING GAS BIKE RACING TEAM PARTY 2010

Saturday was the annual HGC Racing Bike Team party. It's something they look forward to each year after racing season. They are like family to us and we enjoy having them. It's been fun to see them grow as a family with the addition of children and some with empty nest!  Ed did a great job of cooking chickens on the grill and the appetizers were devoured by everyone!  The guys and girls rode the Rangers all over the farm like kids enjoying the beautiful weather. We are truly blessed to have the opportunity to have these talented riders as our friends. Here are some pictures from the afternoon.

 

 

 

 

Last year we cooked a whole pig. They said nothing this year with heads or tails. Ed had trapped two coons and a possum that morning and told them that was the appetizers. No need to share what they said!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't you just love those boots?

  

  

  

 

 

 

 











 

 

 Other than the appetizers, the Ranger riding, the visiting and the fun in general--dessert is their favorite thing.  After months of watching what they eat, it's all or nothing at the party. Thanks guys for a fun day! We look forward to next year. 

 

ANNUAL DOVE HUNT 2010

The Saturday before Labor Day is always the opening of dove season. This year the crowd is slim--well, not really, but the kill was awesome.  Over 500 birds!!  Wonder how many cases of shells that took?? I had all the fixings ready and all they had to do was put the shish kabobs together.  Breakfast was on the table when they came in.

This was the "killer crowd" that cleaned and readied the birds.  The guys in process of putting the shish kabobs together. We had quite a kitchen crew.  The girls went to town to The Toad House and supported the local economy while they did their work.

This guy was the "hunt master"!  I'm sure he did a great job putting people on good spots and having the area policed after the hunt!  Now we're just waiting for the cooking and eating!! 
 

 Can you believe this grill?  Almost 100 "dove kabobs"!!  The cooking crew did an awesome job!

It was actually cool under the trees while the doves cooked. Vivian and I put the finishing touches on the rest of the meal while the afternoon hunters finished up and the others gathered in.  The Lord blessed us with a beautiful day and a house full of friends and family to share the day.
 
 
 

THIS NANA CAN FISH!!

Now I may not be as good a fisherman/fisherwoman as Jody or Ed, but I can catch fish.  I'd rather it be called "catching" because I'm not really happy when we're not getting anything.  Ed and I have a secret spot where we go every now and then and it usually turns into a competition.  That's all I'll say about that.  He caught a very nice fish today.  Here's mine. Ed made the picture with his cell phone so this is as big as it will get.  I was happy.  And Sadie is so funny--she runs from one of us to the other as we catch a fish. She is worn out.  A fun hour on a late, hot summer afternoon.

EMILY GETS HER A DEER!

Cotton Branch is not gender biased!!  The girls here can do whatever the guys do!  Emily proved that with her seven point kill on Sunday afternoon. This is her first buck.  Way to go Emily!    
Jody took the picture with his phone because I was at choir practice and could get there with the camera.  The picture would be HUGE if I'd been there, Em!!  :)  

THE SEASON IS HERE!

You know how in the South people say we have four seasons--Football, Baseball, Basketball and Hunting!!  Well, the "hunting" one is here!  For the next month or so we will wade through a pile of smelly clothes and go running off to see the "kill" and take pictures.  The conversation always goes to "what did you see?" at the table after hunting.  Ben, Papa and Olivia Cox are the victors so far.  She was excited but didn't care much for the cleaning process.  She didn't like the "initiation process" either-even though David and Ed went light on her!!

 Congratulations, Olivia!  You're a real hunter now!
 
 

BIKE TEAM HAS A REDNECK TIME!

The Herring Gas Bike Team finishes the season with a dinner at Cotton Branch each year.  This is a time when they all get together to "relive" the season and eat and visit.  It's a time when the wives and families come and enjoy being together.  Ed and I have a good time feeding our "family" and listening to the stories.  This year we decided to have a pig roast.  After all, we do have a pig cooker!!  I don't think they believed we were really going to do it but it happened. 

 Frank and Kenny came over to help Ed cook.  They did more riding around on the Ranger than cooking but they had fun.  

 As the crowd gathered the pig cooked.  I had a board cut to put him on and we didn't think about getting it through the door. That was a trip! But--the guys figured it out and got him in. 

 
 Candy couldn't resist getting a picture of the carrot tail; I choose the apple in the mouth!! :)   

 
  Kenny and Frank clowning around doing a parody of David and Laura (some of the other sponsors).   

 The most fun is talking and waiting for the food; Taylor is carrying the next generation of HGC bikers!!   

 Just as we were getting ready to eat someone noticed the sunset.  We went outside and watched it.  Nothing could have made the afternoon more perfect than seeing what God had created for us.  We went back in for the blessing and a delicious meal.  

 Bill's beans, cole slaw, hash brown casserole, pork and rolls.  Finished off by one of Sue Sullivan's cheese cakes and Gooey Chocolate Brownies.

I have a picture of what the pig looked like when we finished but I just can't show it.  There was nothing left but head and bones.  Frank took the head.  I don't even want to know what he did with it.

 Even Sadie got into the act--Cagney put the wig on her and she posed!!

We're already looking forward to next year but I don't think we can measure up to this one!  :)  Congratulations guys on a good season.  You're the best!
 

 
 
 

MY MAN CAN FISH!!

Ed and Jody are in the Florida Keys getting to do some awesome fishing. Yesterday they caught "bonefish"; today they each caught a marlin.  It's fun to hear from Ed and listen to the excitement in his voice when he talks about the men and the boats, etc.  I told him not to tell me about the wonderful food!!  :)   We miss him but Sadie and I are holding down the fort.

ANNUAL DOVE HUNT 2009

The only day we dove hunt is opening day.  It turns into an event very quickly.  It's usually family and a few close friends from out of town.  Having nine grandchildren that love to hunt already makes a crowd!  The week before opening day is like the day before Christmas!  Everyone is hustling around getting shells, looking for just the right hunting clothes and making sure their guns are ready.  I'm usually making trips to the grocery store and more trips to the grocery store and cooking for several days getting things ready for the big "dove cooking".  I can only remember one year that I had to make a run to the grocery store for CHICKEN!! 

                 Top picture Jody 3rd from R; bottom, Sam B. 3rd from R.

Jody and Sam B. took turns taking pictures so that's the only difference in these two pictures.  I didn't want to leave anyone out.  There were five other hunters but they were gone when this was made.  Quite a motley looking crew!!  They came through with the product though.  Ed said it looked like "restaurant quality" and I agree.  After being on the grill for a while cooked by expert cooks they were delicious. Nobody does it better!! 

Ed's Fly Fishing Trip

During the days that we were melting here in Mississippi, Ed and some friends were fly fishing in Montana, Colorado and Utah in 40 degree weather looking at snow capped mountains.  Doesn't that just hurt your feelings!!  :)  I finally got the pictures today.  He had called most every day with stories of what they were doing and what they were seeing [and giving me weather reports which I did not want!!!] but the pictures do not do his stories justice.  The excitement in his voice told me that the water and mountains were as beautiful as anything he had ever seen and that they were having a wonderful time.  Here are a few shots of the trip.  He said there just wasn't time to take pictures--they were too busy fishing and "looking" to be photographers.  

Ed said some woman passed by and offered to take this picture.  Left to right: Yancey, John, a guide, Vin and Ed.  Look at all the "stuff"!! The mountains are beautiful. 

This is the Green River and the water was so clear.  Ed said in some places it was 15 feet deep and you could see fish swimming everywhere.  This river is in Utah.  

One day for lunch [which Ed always bragged about] they stopped on the side of the river and had a picnic--chairs, tables and all.  I can't remember what they had but the other night he said he wished he had some of the cookies that they had that day!  He always makes the food sound so good. He sent me a video [from his phone] from Old Faithful. If I could figure out how to get it on here I'd let you see it. Awesome is the only word I can use for how it looks.

Thanks to Susie (who went to Belgium and Paris) and Ed who toured the West, I've had two good vacations this summer and didn't even have to leave home. No packing and no stress!  The best way to do it and I got happies from both trips!!

BOYS AND THEIR TOYS

Josh has told me several times that he doesn't want his life posted on my blog.  The other day when he left with his "handbuilt modified racing fourwheeler" he told me that I could blog this one.  I'm not too crazy about the idea of him racing anything that looks like this but I have seen him and he does wear protective headgear and a vest.  What impresses me more than anything is that he has taken parts that have come in boxes by UPS and FedEx and built this vehicle piece by piece.  His patience is amazing.  It's been taken apart and put together more times than I can remember--or maybe other ones.  This is the third or fourth one he's built.  To quote Cagney who went to Louisiana this weekend to watch him race, "he's like a rock star in this circuit".  This machine will go 300 feet in less than 3.4 seconds.  It has to be a man thing because that scares the @#$% out of me!!

 I think he said he about broke even this weekend! Congratulations, Josh!

BACK TO THE BALLGAMES

I jumped ahead of myself with my posts but I thought Easter was a timing thing.  On Saturday my brother and his family and I went to Sam and Hayden's ballgame.  Sam plays on one team and Hayden on the other.  That is something I definitely can't handle. I spend all my time yelling for both boys and people get confused.  How can I not be for each child?  They both played very well [except for the time Hayden got Sam out on first base!!]. I teased him about it on Sunday and he just grinned at me.  They both can hit the ball and do well in their positions.  At one point I told Jennifer that Sam "had left the building".  He was getting tired right at the end.  He's the youngest child on his team--he's playing with kids older than he is.  Sam's team won but only by one run.  The coaches are to be commended for the work they do with those children.  They're patient and helpful--especially Ms Marla.   Sam was really into the game when it started--see his "eye glare tape"!!  Hayden was ready too--watching over first base.

I think this was where Sam hit the ball and Hayden got him out at first! Oh, didn't like that!!

Hayden got a lick on this one and made it around to third.  He had a huge smile on his face.

Bryden decided that he wasn't going to play this year.  He's just as happy watching his brother and playing video games. And with a face like that, ya gotta love him too!!

SCORE ONE FOR JODY!

First of all, if you are "animal sensitive" please move on.  We live in the country and the sport of choice is hunting.  I would rather hunt with a camera than with a gun, but I live on a farm with lots of guys.  It's the passion here and it consumes most of the time--planning, planting and getting ready.  I even have a sign outside our back door that says "Welcome to Deer Camp". :)  Jody's oldest son got a doe last weekend. Today Jody came in and wanted Dooley to "trail" for him. [Dooley is my Scottish Terrier!!]  He didn't really need him but he and Ed wanted to see if he would do it since Scotties were bred for hunting. [Not Dooley!]

Of course there is the "group" picture--Dooley, Ben, Ed, Sam, Graham, Jody and Sandy--with the poor deer on the ground.  What a bunch of guys-oh, Sandy is a girl.

  

Then comes the weigh in!  This old boy weighed in at 230 pounds. They were excited!

After the weigh-in comes the cleaning and I was out of there.  A bunch of guys with knives and a dead deer just don't appeal to me.

When they all gather in tomorrow for Thanksgiving there will be more hunters.  I'm sure the game will be on to beat Jody's measurements!

After all, isn't that what it's all about-the search for "the big one"!!

HGC BIKE TEAM PARTY

Racing season is over and the "biking boys" always want to get together to eat, talk bike racing and have fun. They bring their wives, children if they want to and always their appetites!  We look forward to it almost as much as they do!   They know that Ed will always have something good cooking on the grill.  His whole rib eyes were delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The guys come from Vicksburg, Jackson, Brookhaven and New Orleans. Ed's been sponsoring them for over 20 years. I lovingly refer to them as "the children". They have so much fun! The wives don't always travel with them and that's why it's so important to us that they come to this party. 

 

 

 

Even the teenagers enjoyed themselves.

 

 

 

 

The guy at the end of the table is the "dictator" of the group. They're a winning team so it works!

 

 The food and conversation flowed freely.

The Herrings, Cowarts [minus Jennifer, she wasn't feeling well] Strouds and  Pucketts all came and ate with us. We all enjoy a good meal!

 

Ben, Graham and Sam watched a movie while they ate. They enjoyed a deer hunt before the supper.

  This group was all smiles after cleaning their plates.

 

 

 

 

The newest member of HGC Bicycle Racing Team--only 12 weeks old and ready to ride!  He's already looking forward to next year's party! And so are we!!

HOMECOMING PARADE

No, I'm not a football fan and I didn't have anyone involved in the Homecoming Parade [but Jennifer who organized it]. Our friends from Natchez came over in their Dusenberg to drive one of the girls. I guess that's my only connection. It took me longer to drive from home to get there than the parade lasted but it was fun.  Jimmie Lou, Libby, Sam and I sat in the back of the truck and took pictures.  All the kids on the floats were hollering out, "hey Sam"! He just grinned! :)  All the girls looked pretty and the floats were nice.  The ROTC and band did a good job too.                                                             

Franklin County ROTC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Franklin County Band

 Freshman Maid [in Libby's new car]

Freshman float

   

Sophomore maid

   Sophomore maid

Sophomore float

Junior Maid

  Junior Maid

Junior float

    Senior float

Future Bulldogs float

FHS Cheerleaders

   

The Dawgs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Football maid

 

 

 

Homecoming Queen

 

 

Football Princess in the Dusenberg!

 

 

 

Let's hope the Bulldogs win tonight!