A Tribute to Molly

I recently learned that my friend’s Treeing Walker Coonhound, Molly, passed away unexpectedly a couple months ago as the result of a snake bite. It is hard to describe how much this dog meant to me. She is the reason that I went from being a cat guy to being a dog guy. She was the finest dog I have ever met. She single-handedly (can you even say that about a dog) rekindled my interest in ‘coon hunting and made me want to own a hunting dog. I was so impressed with her that I bragged about her as if she was my own dog.

She treed more coons than any hound I know of. She is the only dog that I have ever seen that found and treed a ccoon in under a minute. She also treed the biggest coon I have ever seen–over 30 pounds. She would vibrate with energy when it was time to go hunting, and then calmly lie down to rest when the night was over. She never growled, nipped or misbehaved. She adored getting attention and was almost as happy being allowed to sneak inside for some petting as she was when she was out hunting. She would hunt boldly on her own and tolerate other dogs when hunting in a pack. Her choppy bark once she had treed was distinctive and always brought a smile to my face. She was small and didn’t really meet the standard for her breed, but she was tougher than dogs twice her size.

I am glad I stepped outside one freezing cold night and fed her half of my steak as a reward when nobody was looking.  Without Molly, I would never have been motivated to get my dogs, Dixie and Angel. So, I owe her a huge debt of gratitude. I sure will miss that dog.

 

“Making Lemonade”

We had one of those weekends where everything went wrong. It happens to everyone, and it was our turn. We had planned to go to an auction in Mississippi at a plantation that was filled with antiques. Instead, after getting a business phone call about a problem, we spent all day running errands and going back and forth to the factory. By nightfall we were pooped and in a sour mood. My wife suggested a backyard cook-out. We grabbed some boneless country ribs, an assortment of veggies, and a few shrimp.  A new discovery of ours is the Golden Flake “Sweet Heat” BBQ seasoning. A visit to the Golden Flake site (CLICK HERE) is interesting, but the new seasoning hasn’t made it online yet. This company has done a great job of promoting their products using the “Southern Flavor” angle.

Here is a shot of the lazy man’s quick cook-out. I am using some pecan wood from my back yard to add flavor by smoldering small branches on top of the elements of my cheap electric smoker. The ribs were seasoned with a 50/50 mix of Tiger seasoning (check old posts for details) and Sweet Heat. They developed a nice color, which can be seen in this poorly shot camera phone pic. We had great luck using the disposable expanded aluminum grill topper for cooking our zucchini, onions and mushrooms before we cooked the ribs.

We also used our backyard fire bowl to make things more festive. I am still amazed at the way this thing causes the wood to burn down to pure ash. Works great and gives off a soothing glow.

The heat was well into the 90s, so the dogs were eager to cool off. We gave them a chance to play in their kiddy pool—I guess that makes it a doggy pool—earlier in the day, and rewarded them with popsicles before bedtime. Although our Saturday plans were shot, the dogs were mighty happy with the extra attention. Under the circumstances, things ended up being cozy and fun.

 

Boiling Oil and Beer Don’t Mix

We were recently invited to a fish fry by some of the guys we rabbit hunt with in Mississippi. Although I was feeling a bit under the weather, my friends from the duck camp were picking up my slack on the beer drinking. We arrived a little before sundown and the host was about to get the fryer ready to go. Unfortunately, there was some confusion about who was supposed to be watching it to see if it was getting hot. When I looked over, I saw that the fire had somehow jumped into the cooker and the oil was burning like mad. Since I was the only guest who hadn’t had any adult beverages, I decided that I should document this mishap.

NOTE #1: DON”T TRY THIS AT HOME!

NOTE #2: TRY NOT TO BE THE ONLY SOBER PERSON AT A COOK-OUT FULL OF DRUNKS.

Photo 1 shows the cooker on fire and the frying pot warping under the intense heat. A wok lid is on the ground near the cooker after a failed attempt to extinguish the flames by smothering them out (the lid started warping due to the heat). At first the burner could not be turned off because the wind was causing the flames to whip against the propane bottle.

Photo 2 shows the moment immediately after the “incident.” Rather than let the cooker burn up, the guys decided to stick a pipe through the handles of the fry pot and get it off the burner. This worked really well, and they were able to lift the pot away from the cooker so that the burning oil could be dealt with. Unfortunately, the oil began to slosh around and tiny beads of burning oil started to get slung all over the place. This caused the air to get really hot and smoky. In the confusion that ensued, the guy who was holding the pipe had the right idea: RUN AWAY. But, sadly, he forgot to let go of the pipe. So, there I was, looking on in horror as a handful of my friends got lost behind a wall of smoke and flames as the pipe handler unwittingly created a giant molotov cocktail by slinging the oil-filled pot around and then letting it crash to the ground.

If you look closely you can see one of the guys on the ground. He ran so fast that he literally ran right out of his shoe and tripped and fell to the ground. At the time, we thought he had chosen to “stop, drop and roll.” The rest of the guys are busy celebrating the fact that they have just avoided being burned alive with boiling oil. With most of the yard no longer on fire, the gang decides to get back to the fish fry.

In photo 3 you can see that the guys have adopted a casual demeanor as they return to inspect the ruined, still-on-fire fry pot and the pipe that was used to remove it from the cooker. 

Surviving a freak accident like this is cause for celebration–and more beer.

As the only non-drinking guy in the crowd, I volunteered to make the hour long drive to go get fresh oil and bring it back to the cookout. By the time I returned it was dark outside and a couple more carloads of guests had arrived. While the host played DJ on the stereo system he had set up in his backyard, my friends and I began frying fish for everyone. Our breading mix of flour, yellow cornmeal, black pepper and Lawry’s seasoning salt is a big hit. Learn more about Lawry’s by clicking here.

Even after serving up fries, onion rings and around 200 hush puppies, we still ended up cooking umpteen pounds of fried fish. Most of the fish was catfish, and one guest brought a big portion of freshly caught “flathead” (s0me people call them yellow cats) fillets. Those were the best, but they didn’t last long.

In the Delta, folks seem to prefer ketchup and hot sauce to tartar sauce and cocktail sauce when doctoring on seafood. We brought along a bottle of spicy mayo that we had mixed up and it also seemed to be pretty well received.

The host cranked up some old school R &B tunes while people grazed on the fried food. Although they were plenty cautious about lighting it, the guys managed to get a nice bonfire going that lasted for hours. Overall, an evening of cold beer, hot food, tequila shots, loud music, two roaring fires (one intentional) and good times…

 

Hunting Season Photo Recap, Pt. 3

Last season we found a couple brands of olive spread that we liked. Before the season was over we were making a custom tapenade using the commercial spread mixed with our own spices, olive oil and finely chopped pickled jalapenos and pepperoncini. Yummmmmmmmmmmmmm!

By late January, snow geese had invaded the Delta and were filling up several fields near our duck camp. These birds are noted for being less than tasty (“flying liver” is a term often used to describe their flavor), so we don’t spend much energy hunting them.

An awesome looking decoy spread we were able to put out on a small lake near the camp house.

A sunny day brought out a surprising resident of another small lake near our camp. I would estimate this guy at a solid 9′ to 10′  in length. Not what you want to see while kayak fishing.

A delicious southern sportsman’s lunch of souse meat and hoop-style cheddar cheese on white bread with a dash of hot sauce and a big helpin’ of sandwiche spread. Not the healthiest, but mighty tasty.

Dually gets sullen as the end of duck season arrives.

Molly, the finest coon dog in Mississippi, mooches for a belly rub while soaking up some rays.

The “Ol’ Man” himself, Jukebox, gets ready for a night of coon hunting.

A young hound looking for some attention before huntin’ time.

Sally posing with a big mess o’ gadwall and a couple mallards.

BUSTED–A sleepy Dixie trying to decide if she would rather get in the sleeping bag and go to sleep or rip it to shreds while nobody is looking.

Look for lots more pics and some exciting news soon!

 

Tough Times in Dixie

Before we post more about our recreational pursuits, we would like to extend our sympathy and prayers to everyone recently affected by the terrible weather across the country.

We were lucky that none of our employees were seriously impacted by the tornadoes or flooding here in the South. We had a few days without power, but otherwise we got away relatively unscathed. Only a few miles away, the damage was tremendous.

A couple of us were able to pitch in and help with volunteer efforts around our area. I met with my sister, who drove down from Tennessee, and a huge group of volunteers from her church. We arrived in Cullman, Alabama on Saturday morning and were overwhelmed by the devastation.

One of the sites we visited was a large country home that had been so badly damaged that it had to be demolished. We helped cut trees out of the way so that machinery could be moved into place to demo the house. It was sad to see all of the family’s belongings moved to bins behind what was left of their home.

During the day we made new friends and did our best to improve the situation. I would like to share this letter from my sister, who took it upon herself to organize an impromptu relief effort and asked clients of her vet clinic to help out:

Dear friends, family, staff, clients, and colleagues,
 
I wanted to say THANK YOU for the generous support you provided for the tornado victims.
 
I was OVERWHELMED by the response.  In less than 72 hrs we had received a total of $680 in gift cards/donations and not only filled my truck with nearly 1000 pounds of ANIMAL food and medical supplies but also was able to fill an entire mini van (seats removed) as well as a full sized 4 door pick up with a camper shell with food/supplies for the people of Cullman.
 
The animal shelter had been evacuated of the pets due to damage from the storm causing too many issues.  The volunteers had moved all the pets in crates/cages to a shaded area in a local park.  There were tents to cover some but not all of the animals.  They hope to be able to return to the shelter this next week.  I tended to those animals with injuries as well as simply do exams on the others to make sure they were as healthy as possible under the situation.  Many if not all were NOT spayed/neutered and most had intestinal parasites as well as fleas/ticks.  With the generous donations from the vets and sales reps we were able to properly treat these issues as well as leave the shelter with LOTS of vaccines and supplies once the shelter reopens.  You can read about the shelter situation at: http://www.cullmantimes.com/local/x1892929953/Displaced-companions
 
Following my time with the animals I then was dispatched to help with folks in the county that lost their homes.  I, along with many others, helped to cut limbs and trees that had fallen on homes or on property.  I was blessed to be joined with my brother from Decatur (who had lost his power for several days from the storm), another local veterinarian, as well as from clients from the clinic who donated their time in helping remove the debris.
 
Although only present for a day I do hope that the donations and assistance was of value to those we helped.
 
Again I am overwhelmed by the generosity displayed by all of you!  TN is truly the “volunteer state.”  I hope to have pics on the Animal Ark FB page soon so be on the lookout.
 
God bless all of you!  You truly are amazing people!
 
Sincerely,

Paula

As her letter shows, there are many ways you can help out, even if you aren’t close enough to the storm-damaged areas to donate your labor. There are numerous relief organizations that are still working hard to support victims. Click here to donate to the Salvation Army or here to donate to the Red Cross, two of the best-known organizations working in Alabama right now.

 

Hunting Season Photo Recap, Pt. 2

More pics of last year’s fun.

Ever wonder what would happen if you got in a hurry and tried to ice a warm cake with hot icing?

Ever wonder what would happen if an otherwise mild-mannered hunting dog got a chance to run off with the rope chew toy of a relative’s lap dog?

A big hit from last year was the smoked turkey that we cooked in a roasting pan over low-ish heat in a grill–while really pouring on the smoke from damp crabapple wood chips that were wrapped in a foil pouch that we pierced with a fork. This trick is great for adding flavor when cooking on a gas grill!

And we are still talking about how cold it was in South Dakota…

Happiness is a full belly and a warm bed.

The biggest hit at the camp house is always duck roll-ups. Seasoned strips of wild duck breast are doused with olive oil, wrapped in bacon, then slow-roasted over a smoky fire. We never manage to get any pics of them after they are cooked but before they get eaten.

We’ll have to give a more detailed version of the latest variations on this recipe. We continue to refine it, with tasty results.

Look for another round of pics from last season, including some shots of other dishes we cooked while roughing it.

 

Dixie Gets A Sister

We’ll get back to the hunting season pics after this important announcement!

Although Dixie started out as a gawky pup that was afraid of her own shadow, she started to show some promise as a bird dog when she was around 8 months old. She has recently begun to act much bolder and more confident, so we are hopeful that she will continue to mature into a suitable hunting companion. She always loved playing with other dogs, so we talked about finding her a sister after she turned a year old. She was begging for a buddy to play with, so we’ve added a black lab named “Angel” to the family.

Angel comes from “Pistol Packin’ Kennels” in Alexandria, Louisiana, and is a great-granddaughter of  “Lottie” (3X NFC-AFC Candlewood’s Tanks A Lot). So far she has proven to be a great pet and a very disciplined retreiver. She has uncanny marking skills, and loves to please. Look for more pics of her in action soon.

 

Hunting Season Photo Recap, Pt.1

Here are some pics we took during the 2010-2011 season that highlight our mix of grillin’, huntin’ and hangin’ out:

This is a great looking spot near our camp house. We encountered quite few gadwall here and saw a few mallards. Once it warms up a bit we hope to try some kayak fishing for bass here.

Hal’s massive male lab, “Dually,” napping in the middle of the floor while we walk around him.

The Delta winter wheat crop getting off to a good start.

Our lodging during our pheasant hunting trip in South Dakota.

Dixie’s first attempt at sharing a bunk bed at the duck camp.

Showing off by making “Danger Puddin’” for the locals . DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! I found a few blog sites that talk about danger pudding in case you haven’t heard of it before.

Try either http://amateurfood.blogspot.com/ 2007/09/deep-down-you-know-you-want-it-so-bad.html 

or

 http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/294235 

or

http://manolobig.com/2009/02/20/dont-do-this-danger-pudding/

for laughs.

We have so many photos from this season that we will probably spread them around a bit. Look for parts 2 and 3 soon.

 

It’s Cold Up There, Pt. 2

OK, so back to the story of our adventures in South Dakota…

After we got our bearings on the first morning, we  set out in search of pheasant. Rather than drag this saga out any longer than I need to, let me just say that the conditions were awful. The pheasant had been subjected to extraordinary hunting pressure due to good weather earlier in the season, so they were very, very, very easily spooked. We tried a variety of methods during our trip, with what can only be called terrible luck. As they say, “that’s why it’s called hunting.”

Just before the trip was over, I got a chance to head off by myself on our last day. I had Dixie with me, a box of shells in my vest, and my trusty Benelli shotgun over my arm. I cannot describe how much fun we had, even though we could not get close enough to most of the birds to get off a shot. Dixie was having a ball and she loved hopping around in the snow drifts whenever we came to them. She behaved well and would track and point the birds, but they were so skittish I could rarely get to them through the snow before they were gone. Those couple hours of being in such a quiet, isolated area with the snow blowing around and the occasional cackle of a flushing rooster in the distance was very memorable.

Although we didn’t bag many birds, we had a good time on our trip.

I will have some fond memories:

The combination bowling alley, lounge and diner in Armour, South Dakota

The fantastic walleye dinner we had there

The ever-popular fried bologna camp breakfast

A random sauce that caught our attention at a truck stop. The back of the bottle told quite a story. It started, “In 1968 Country Bob perfected the sauce of his dreams.” Well, everyone needs to have a dream. Personally, I liked the sauce. The rest of the story can be found at http://www.countrybobs.com.

We were amazed at the way the ice would envelope the trees.

We stopped on our way down the driveway to take a few more photos. Although the drive from Alabama was a chore, and the conditions were dismal, I would gladly do it again.

 

Happy Birthday Dixie!

Rather than continue the saga of our trip to South Dakota, we thought it would be fun to share a few pics from Dixie’s first birthday party. She turned one year old this month, so we had a little celebration. She got lots of treats, and I bought her a party hat of her very own.

First we tried to fit the hat on her head.

Then we let her check it out to make her more comfy with the idea.

So she promptly attacked it.

Finally she agreed to pose for a birthday portrait if we would keep the silly hat off.

Happy Birthday Dixie!