should be a good weekend

What a wierd day.  I rode the cycle to starbucks at 7, beautiful calm morning.  Read the new "HOG" magazine.  Came home, started a sprinkler and it began to rain.  On radar there was about 1 square mile out of 200 square miles where it was raining.  It was ok since our lawn is trying to die from drought stress.  the neighbor is getting new shingles so the workers had to spread plastic on the exposed boards of the roof.  Hope we can get a ride in today.  I think all my farmers are ok with their seed for the weekend.  Hopefully.  I'm thankful for my wife and children and especially for Jen and their baby girl Sophie.  Jen got her cerclage (sp?) out yesterday so a baby should be forthcoming soon.  Sophie is my guess for a name just so no rumors get started.

Thursday AM about 6:30 I scored my third turkey.  I called in 3 gobblers to my decoys which I had set up in a rather tricky fashion so they couldn't see them until they were within range.  They did come from the only place they could have and tried to trick me.  They were all on one side of the blind where I couldn't get a shot then after they figured out that the decoys were only foam and rubber they went away but I was able to get a shot at one at about 25 yds.  It was a good sized bird.  8.5" beard.  Probably 18-20#.  overall a good season.  Wished I could have helped out Adam a little more and he could have scored a turkey.  Hope to add pics but probably won't work

Neal

weekend fun

dear ones all...

I took a tiny vacation to he old home place to do some field checking and hunting turkey and mushrooms and maybe a little fishing. Saturday am in the blind by 4:30 am.  didn't think about the fact that it doesn't get light there as early as in Lincoln. I sat in darkness for about an hour. I had turkeys all around, probably 8 or so within 200 yds.  Just couldn't get any to come within the 20 yd range.  Preferably 10-12yds.  Seemed to be spooked by something.  Anyway I gave that up about 10 am.  visited with DeAnne a while.  Went fishing for a little while.  Had a giant ca fish on for about 5 sec. until he straightened out a stainless steel swivel.  Large fish!!  sure wish I could have landed (and eaten) him... or her.  Decided to go mushroom hunting,  Morels, and found quite a few.  It's a little  hit and miss.  Went with zero for 20 minutes then found about 35 in 2 minutes.  Hopefully will sample them later today.  Got home about 11:35 PM.  When I left I had made it to  york when Darlene called and informed me I had not taken any clothes or anything else like toothbrush, shaver etc.  I looked pretty nasty when I made it back home.  I did see several hundred deer, multitudes of bird species etc.  It was lots of work carrying a blind, bow, decoys, calls, and chair everywhere I went when hunting.  good exercise.  I think Darlene and I will go have a mid am breakfast.   Maybe some of you would enjoy taking up hunting turkeys.  Good to eat, I hear, and good for you!!  Coming home I was so tired I put a Portis Head CD in about 3/4 full blast to keep me awake.  I guess it worked.  Darlene is still struggling with sciatic pain in her left leg.  Seems to improve a little but nights and mornings are not good.

Neal

general stuff

Going back a few weeks,  my last blog involved turkey hunting with Adam.  Since then I have scored on 2 turkeys.  Not real trophy birds.  I'm now going for the grandad of turkeydom.  Darlene and I took a 600+ mile trip last Friday and Sat.  We traveled north and west and meandered our way to Niobrara NE.  It was fairly windy and hot but felt good to get out of our routine.  A cold front passed through inn the night and Sat. morning was cold. (and windy).  We headed south and got to Norfolk and ate lunch with my Sister Sheri.  We then went to Omaha and had supper (dinner to you elites), at Omaha.  We then found our way back to Lincoln.  It was a bit frustrating trying to solve seed issues in Northern Nebraska without cell coverage.  Hope most farmers understood, but probably not.  This morning I am smoking some pork, in the rain.  Darlene is still sleeping.  I've been to starbucks and read through the paper.  Not sure what today will bring.  I was going to do yard work but it's going to have to dry out some.  I am happy our little grandaughter is growing and Jen is able to be up and around!!  Hope Fiona is feeling better Tara and Adam

Neal 

Hello:   I was setting down to write a blog and heard what I thought were hail stones hitting the house but noticed no-one else had any golfball looking objects hitting their house.  Couple kids were throwing something at our house.  I yelled at them and the scurried slowly away.  Not sure why they picked me.  Rather odd.

     Adam and I hunted the wily turkey two days.  We called several toms in to about 40 yds at Norfolk in the am.  too far to hit with a bow.  Some nice gobblers though.  We then drove to the old home place near Orleans and set up a blind  (far from our truck)  Saw about 8-9 turks.  At one point had 5 toms within 7 yds and Adam was in the only position in the blind where he could not get a shot (difficult to envision I know).  I was calling and he was the killing person.  They weren't really wanting to be called in to decoys but basically milling around with some curiosity.  It was fun though.  It was quite windy and it hurt our ability to call and them and us to hear.  I think it's been too cold and dry and they are not operating properly.  Adam could have had several shots about 20 yds but chose (like a responsible hunter to not take the shots).  Yesterday (Sat.)  we just couldn't seem to locate them til just fore-noon.  We set up near a large group but another hunting group honed in on them and spooked them.  that was pretty much the end.  We did try after noon but when we had some gobbling and yelping activity a coyote showed up near our blind and them proceeded into the turkey group nearby and we heard the alarm sound.  No more activity after that.  It then rained and we left.  we drove back to Lincoln in rain, slush, small hail, etc.  kind of an interesting drive.  Had a good time and learned some things.  Adam has gotten over his potential squeamishness about maybe not feeling good about killing a turkey but now is motivated by anger and revenge for the turkeys of the world.  Next time......they die!!

Neal 

 

another smokin day

Really, it wasn't much of a deal.  I smoked a chicken yesterday for evening meal.  Dinner for you Nashvillites.  It was quite good.  Used mesquite instead of Hickory.  I don't think it imparted as much smoky flavor as hickory.  This AM it is 30 and sunny.  May get to 43.  I think I'll crank up the Road King for a couple mile ride if the roads are dry.  Nbraska killed K-state last nite in b-ball.  That was fun.  Also watched "who the $^%# is Jackson Pollack" it was good. not great.  I'd recommend it though.  Found an old Motorcycle documentary from 1971 called "On any Sunday"  I'll be getting that on Netflix soon.  Some of you folks out there should watch it.  It has some good footage of Malcom Smith riding trials bikes over rocks, logs etc.  Plus some early motocross footage and enduro riding.  Goin to church to fite with the little kids.

Neal

Hi kids.  Took me 15 minutes to get to this little screen.  Some password problem.  I was just about to quit.  I get so disgusted, then Darlene is disgusted at me for being disgusted.  I sure am spelling disgusted a lot.  It is disgustingly cold here today and worse tomorrow.  I can't wait til spring.  I just wish it could be here tomorrow and all the work I need to have done could magically be done also.  Please pray that it will be so.  I smell the pork chops cooking so without further comments I am about to eat.  I'm looking forward to finding out whether I will have a grandaughter or grandson Jan 20.  I hope the little person will co-operate with the Doctor ow whoever is doing it.