I told you this season would slip away. In fact, this one may have left us at light speed. I hope you didn’t put off enjoying what nature offers waiting on just the right days, weather, or any other circumstance that would keep you from the field. If you did, I suppose you will have to take the old adage, “wait til next year” and try again. Remember though, we only have so many seasons, and we can now start looking forward to the next one.
Maybe a re-cap of what we brought to you this season will keep you focused and your spirit re-kindled for the next one. Of course, we are assuming we will have another season. Life is fragile, but I surely hope we’re all still here this fall.
For me, I missed a lot of the best times here due to obligations I couldn’t avoid. Several meetings and a late crop kept me from my avocation during late October and early November. As much as I would have preferred to be sitting on a limb with my Halon, work is always first, as it should be. By taking care of my job, my job sustains me and with that comes the privilege and the means by which I can enjoy the swamps and ridges. Granted, I missed some of what was offered here by being elsewhere. A Kansas bow hunting excursion, and a week in Oklahoma with my rifle occupied two weeks in November, so I need not complain too much. It got a little edgy in December though.
Two, full week-long meetings captured half of the month. If you take into account my daily activities, Christmas, New Years, and a few other tied up dates, December was gone. What I live for was gobbled up in a hurry. As stated previously though, some things are beyond our control.
January, at least from an opportunity standpoint, was much better. My favorite haunts stayed flooded many days with the excessive rainfall we received. This seems more the rule than the exception during these times. Is this part of climate change? I think we shared an article or two regarding this. Again, I hope to keep you thinking about what we have discussed in the past so we can re-visit these topics at some point.
I did leave my rifle at home several times this season and exchanged it for waders and a scattergun. I am so glad I did. I was almost to the point of giving up what I used to love so much. Thankfully, one of my hunting companions re-kindled this spirit within me, for I didn’t realize how much I missed the whistling wings overhead, and the guttural sounds of the drake mallard in the pre-dawn darkness. I think it’s safe to say that I will buy my duck stamps again next year and those picked ducks in my freezer will remind me of this each time I bring out the Dutch oven. Thank you again, Haley!
I didn’t get caught up so much this season on trying to harvest a giant buck. I know in years past if I couldn’t put my hands on one of those old gnarly horned bruisers, I felt cheated. Maybe I say this because I was fortunate enough to harvest at least one “good one.” Add to the fact that I saw several more mature bucks, and my season was complete. I have noticed, at least over the last several seasons, that our buck quality is not near what it used to be in the areas I frequent. Reasons abound, but rather than dwell upon them, I just accept it and enjoy the time I can experience the outdoors.
What do you think about our articles on our environment, nature, and what we are doing to our planet? Do these topics resonate with you and stir you to make things better? Do you yearn for pristine mountain streams and float trips where no noise pollution disrupts your experience? Does the mountain and the reef lure you to learn more about life these structures sustain. Do you want to experience an encounter with a bighorn sheep or perhaps witness the breaching of the whale? These opportunities abound if you so desire.
The “quakies” will shimmer in a golden hue in eight months or so. Will you be there to see them? I do have method in my madness. Stay alive and look forward to what you may have missed in the past. Life and seasons revolve. The good news remains they will once again return.
The flights to Oregon, California, and Washington D.C. have been purchased. Planters are being worked on in the shops, and seed has been booked. Field preparation will begin in earnest with warmer days and mellow soils. I have been going through seed catalogs searching for those heirlooms like Ozark Pink, Arkansas Traveler, and Black Krim. I am ordering now, for the time is nearing to get the small seedlings established. As quickly as fall and winter pass, spring and summer will arrive.
If you were a bit lax in capturing the moments that these seasons offered, do your best not to miss the bloom of the dogwood, the pungent aroma of honeysuckle, and the cadence of the katydid in summer. As much as frosts, barking fox squirrels, and biscuits with those pear preserves bring to our mornings during fall, splendors of spring can bring just as much to your lives. As I mentioned, there is method in my madness.
The time has arrived to put ‘Outdoors in the Sun” on hold for a few months. Dawn will find me on the road or in the field rather than at my breakfast table enjoying my coffee and my birds. Not to worry, for fall will arrive probably sooner this year than last. Believe me, 2019 was a blur. I would imagine 2020 will follow suit.
We hope you have enjoyed what we bring to your homes each week. I sure do enjoy the opportunity to write for you and I thank you for that. Think about what you enjoyed most and think about topics that would be interesting in the future. I foresee this column becoming a year-round feature, but for now, there are far too many bugs, weeds, and meetings to address. Alas though, maybe soon. Please give us your feedback regarding our column. We’re always looking for ways and topics to add to your reading experience. Jimmye is always available and I’ll be somewhere close. Thank you again for the opportunity to be part of your dens and homes and I look forward to bringing more topics to you from our wonderful outdoors. It’s been fun and I hope to hear from you soon.
Until next time enjoy our woods and waters and remember, let’s leave it better than we found it.
