God bless you Newtown, Conn.

All across our country and the world for that matter, moms and dads sent their little ones off to school. For many this was the last school day before Christmas vacation. Now is a time for rejoicing and celebration and also time away from the daily grind of school and homework. But for twenty little innocent souls and eight grownups it would simply be their last day.

 

In the quaint little town of Newtown Conn. a deranged gunman would alter the lives of so many in a matter of minutes. Adam Lanza walked into an elementary school and committed the most horrible crime imaginable; he gunned down school teachers and an entire classroom full of kindergarten children. At the time of this writing no motive is known for what spurred this maniac into such madness. Not that it would matter, the terrible damage and devastation to these victims, their families, the community and even our country has already been done.

 

As Newtown searches for answers as to why such an atrocity took place in their town, I only hope the rest of the nation searches for a real way to prevent such events from happening. There has to be a solution for keeping the people that don't belong in school out of the school. This trend in school shootings is on the rise, we need to quickly send that trend in the other direction. Schools don't have to be patrolled by our military but they do need to be secure. Courthouses across our nation are becoming more secure every day. Why can't our schools where our most precious children go to learn and play adopt the same policy.

 

God bless you Newtown, Conn., the victims and their parents and the whole Sandy Hook Elementary School.

 

Politicians are all liars and hypocrites.

Don’t really care much for politics, actually I don’t care for politics at all. Sadly enough, this usually leaves me in the dark when political conversations come up at work or anywhere else I may be at the time. I don’t miss much sleep over it though. Why, you might wonder? Because I already have it all figured out. Politicians are all liars and hypocrites.

Even though I try hard not to listen to all whining and bickering I still hear my fair share. For instance, one side or the other is always blaming the people for the high unemployment rate. Claiming that the people wouldn’t work if they had jobs to go to. In some cases that is true but not for the most part. There are still plenty of Americans able and willing to get up and go to work everyday to support their families. What about all of the career politicians, especially the ones actually claiming to work for the people. Would they get up and go to “work for the people” everyday if we put them in the same tax bracket as the rest of us? I doubt it. These people knew before they even left high school what they wanted to be when they grew up, fat, lazy, non-working rich politicians sponging off the working class. So what is the difference between them and say some healthy person living off of a disability check that they don’t deserve. Some might argue that at least the politicians do hold a job and play a productive role in our society…really, can’t hardly see the results if they are.

Hmmm… I like where this line of questions is going. What do you think our government would look like if suddenly they were all put on lower middle class pay scale? I think it would look like rats running from my bush hog as I mow my hay field. But you know what? Sometimes in order to promote new growth you have to burn out all the old growth. Maybe such a drastic change in government would actually let in a few people that really would work for the people. Maybe such a change would bring back the mom n pop businesses that have always made our country special. Maybe then the American dream wouldn’t seem so impossible. Surely to God the American dream isn’t get up and go work at Wal-Mart everyday. I can imagine our forefathers turning over in their graves, wondering “what are they thinking.”

I think the system as a whole needs revamped. It’s not just the Democrats or Republicans fault, the whole system is screwed up. Here we are down here in the working world paying these politicians to work for us and what are they doing? Their making deals and investing in all the right stocks and getting filthy rich. Hell, maybe it’s our fault since we are after all the farmers. Maybe for the last fifty years or so we’ve just been planting bad seeds. I say we burn off the field and start completely over. With real people. God Bless and good night. PS. If God Bless and good night offends you, I don’t really care about that either.

Good Morning

Hello everyone,

It’s been awhile since my last blog. Time seems to get away from me ever so often. Today is the last day I’m off work before having to get back at it. The weather is going to be nice so I can see a possible bike ride to anywhere about to happen. Or , maybe I’ll go fishing. Better yet, might ride my bike somewhere to fish…hmmm, interesting. Where ever the road takes me I’ll try and get some pictures to share with you for the next blog.

Most of you that know me know that I belong to a motorcycle riding club called the Swamp Ratz. This is a very family oriented type club and no everyone does not have to ride a Harley. As one of the founding members of our club, I would like to invite any of you that ride to our bike nite. Bike nite is every Thursday evening starting around 6:00pm at Carinas in Hanceville. We have some club rides coming up soon and would love to have you join us.

Well I’m outa here for now. If you haven’t joined my blog yet I wish you would. Nothing makes a blogger feel better than a new subscriber. Have a great day.

On a motorcycle road trip a few weeks ago, a friend and I pulled into a small store in the middle of nowhere to escape the rain. Upon entering the little store I got a feeling that this might just be the type of place we were hoping to find on our ride. A place that felt like places in America are supposed to feel. Like home.

As we walked through the open door the most wonderful smell awaited us. The store owner had beans of some kind simmering in a crock pot on the counter. By the smell, you could tell she had a touch of bacon mixed in as well. From the look of the aged gas pumps outside to the simple furnishings on the inside, you knew right away this was one very special mom n pop run business.

The owner was seated in the back at a little table doing some paper work when we walked in, but she quickly came out to greet us. Her charm and personality matched her quaint little place and it was a pleasure to talk with her. She informed us that we were in Fallsville and this was the only store for many miles. We also learned that Fallsville only had one resident that lived in the old building across the road. Having seen the old falling down looking place on our way in, I would have never guessed someone actually lived there. She went on to tell us that the old place used to be a tomato cannery back in the day and that it was fixed up quite nice on the inside.

We hung around thirty minutes or so drying out and talking. No other customers came in or even rode by. She said that’s just how it is here, peaceful. She said many of her customers are bikers and they will often pull in in large groups and keep her busy for a bit and then they are gone. If you are ever in the northwest corner of Arkansas you should travel highway 16 and make a point to find the little store in the little town of Fallsville. Once there, you will know you have found a piece of real America.

Just Another Day: Ain't missing a thang

Just Another Day: Ain't missing a thang: Going through some pictures saved on my computer, I recently found a few I’d forgotten about. This picture today is from the river behind t...

Ain't missing a thang

Going through some pictures saved on my computer, I recently found a few I’d forgotten about. This picture today is from the river behind the house where I live. Often times, I feel like I forget what beauty actually surrounds me here at home. As I ride my motorcycle, I look for places like these. I sometimes wonder if the people that live near the places I find, take them for granted like I do back home.

I wonder if I lived next to the Grand Canyon would the scenery eventually get old or lose it’s luster. I doubt it, but to some I’m sure that probably happens. The beach is another good example. To me the beach is intoxicating. Every time I have ever gone to the beach, I want to stay. A few times when I was younger I even asked around about permanent work down there. Something about the sand, sun and waves just draws me like a magnet. The beach to me is like a modern day “Neverland.” A place where you never really have to grow up. But, would I feel that way after a year or two…who knows.



I guess I have learned one thing from exploring around a little. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side…just a different shade of green. Here in Cullman Alabama, we have a waterfall that is the product of our cities water supply lake. When the lake is too full the overflow makes a beautiful roaring waterfall. To the locals it’s pretty cool, but to someone passing through it’s like OMG! Where am I going with all this…no where really. Just encouraging you to open your eyes and see the world around you…before you miss something.

Freedom Is Not Free!

Freedom Isn’t Free

As a proud life long member of the biker nation, I have seen the saying “Freedom isn’t free” many times. On stickers, patches, jackets and vests. While some may wear their patch or sticker because it looks cool, most wear theirs in memory of someone that served in the military. Many bikers themselves served in the armed forces and proudly display the patch of the division they served in. Helmets off to these guys, they are patriotic 365 days a year. Not just the one day we set aside to celebrate our countries independence.

Shocking as it may seem, many young people today don’t really think about this day for what it is. To them it is simply “the fourth of July.” A day to party and blow up fireworks. To them the freedoms we have in this great country are taken for granted. They expect that they will always have these freedoms and nothing will ever change that. Unfortunately for all, that isn’t the case. Our forefathers fought for these freedoms and privileges we have now and many are still fighting.

This fight for freedom has been going on since the first colonist stepped foot on this great land…it will continue. What bothers me is that our nation now seems lost in the direction in which it wants to go. Are we suddenly no longer satisfied with the laws put forth many years ago? To me the constitution has seemed like a pretty good thing, something worth fighting for. But, every time I turn around someone is trying to whittle away at these old laws. Laws that have served us well. I’m betting George Washington and Ben Franklin are pretty restless in their graves right now over the state of our nation.

I was taught growing up something that many today no longer understand…respect. That’s all most people want anyway. From outlaw biker clubs right up to the president they all deserve respect. That doesn’t mean you have to like them or agree with what they do, just respect them. All people deserve a certain amount of respect no matter who they are, they are human. Where am I going with all this you may wonder? Well, I’ll tell you. I think our greatest fight for freedom isn’t across our borders, it’s with ourselves. We can no longer agree on anything. We let so many things get in our way. Race, greed, lack of respect, laziness, they all quickly come to mind. In order to remain the greatest nation on this planet, we are going to have to start acting like it again. Right now we act like a backyard baseball team that can’t decide who the pitcher is, or who is gonna play first base. So what do we do, we just stand around yelling at each other. I don’t think we’re going to fix anything until we all get on the same page. And that’s my blog for today-Happy B-day America!

OMG! You Have to Work!

As I get close to finishing the rough draft on my first novel, I realize just how little I know about becoming a novelist. Just having written a story isn’t enough, even if it is a good one. You must find an agent to work with, not an easy task. You must have a little knowledge of how the market works and what is expected of you. And, one of the very most valuable things, you must be willing to work.
Lets say all goes well and your agent gets you a book deal. It’s not time to kick back and wait for royalty checks to come flooding in. It is time to work on your online presence. Blogging about your book is a terrific way to do just that. The more people that know who you are, the better off you will be when your book hit’s the shelves. I’ve been told by countless other writers to write something every day…with out fail. If you can do this and build a following, you will be ahead of the game in the long run.

Just Riding

I started today by taking a scenic ride through beautiful Blount county. The weather was perfect and traffic was light. The old Harleys rumble was better than any tune you can find on todays radio stations. This morning was what riding is all about.

I stopped in at Jacks in Blountsville for a bite to eat and met another rider. His name was Jerry Briscoe. After speaking with him for a few minutes I found out he was involved in what is known as the “teddy bear ride.” If you have never heard of this, this is where bikers collect money and or teddy bears to give to the children at Childrens Hospital. He even gave me a teddy bear stick pen for my riding vest. Just having met and talked with Jerry for only a few minutes left me with such a good feeling inside. I hope my own club the Swamp Ratz will also see the teddy bear ride as a must do from this year forward. This ride is held every year in September. I’ll get more info out on this when it gets passed on to me.



After leaving Jerry and Jacks behind I rode through the little town of Cleveland. You would almost expect to see Barney with his one bullet walking his beat through the small town. Little towns like this are what makes America so beautiful, they are the reason I probably ride to begin with. I hope to one day have stopped in or passed through everyone there is. My next stop was over in Oneonta. A little bigger town, but not much. I like going to their courthouse because it’s small and simple. I am in and out in no time at all. A few minutes later I once again had my knees in the breeze.



On my way home I took 160 over to county rd. 9. These are two more great bike roads with plenty of long sweeping curves. I waved at quite a few bikers traveling on 160, I was not alone enjoying such a fine day. This route is one I would recommend to anyone. I ride it often when I just get the urge to ride a little but don’t have all day to be gone. I guess it’s kinda a good thing my riding time is somewhat limited. Usually, when there’s no time restriction on me, I end up in another state. Have a great day.

Written very late last night

Today, was one of those days that makes me wonder if I just wasted an entire day of my life. Got up a little later than usual, so naturally I started the day feeling rushed and behind. Matter of fact, I have felt like that all week. It seems that every time I have had my crew working and on track something has happened to completely screw it all up.

I guess my week started out so rough because my counterpart on the other shift had a really bad previous week himself. This is a normal thing for us. Fortunately, we have walked in each others shoes and don’t spend too much time playing the blame game. Playing that game almost always solves nothing and only helps us succeed in wasting time that we don’t really have to waste.

　

I guess as I ramble on about my sorry day, I need to look a little deeper and find a bright spot that I can focus on. Well, I guess the brightest thing about today would be that the crew hung in there and left the workplace better than they found it. This will hopefully in turn act as sort of a pay it forward kinda deal. It will make the next shifts work easier which I hope will benefit our shift next week. Sometimes, the best thing for a bad work week is to just get through it the best you can. Hold your head high, press forward till the job is done, then take time off to recharge yourself. Chin up to all of you still working this week…it’ll be over soon.

My Online Presence

With rain coming and spoiling my plans for the evening I’ve decided to attempt to build up my online presence. How and why would I do such a thing you may ask? Well, I’ll tell you. You see I’m writing this book, one of these days I hope to actually finish said book and get it published. If and when that day comes who will buy my book? As of right now probably no one. Now on the other hand…if I have a strong online presence maybe thousands will buy my book…or more.

I have been told by several published authors [that I respect a great deal] that a good online presence builder is blogging. Blogging lets you reach out an touch hundreds and even thousands of perspective down the road book buyers with the click of a mouse. As you blog each day your readers begin to know you. They get used to your style of writing, how you communicate and basically whether or not they like you or think you are full of…well you know.

What you hope and dream of as a writer is to be read. What I hope for as a writer goes even farther than that. I hope to stir something up inside you. I hope you either like me or you don’t. My worst fear is to bore you…I’d rather piss you off than to bore you. Bored readers don’t care what you have to say and they don’t come back. Now I have been blogging for some time now and have a few people following me…I want more. I’m going to step up my game from this point forward to add the whole world to my subscriber list. Are you a writer? If so this is the attitude you and I must have to succeed in this business. Blogging is a powerful tool-Use it!

For all of you that seem to find and read everything I do God bless you, you are awesome and so very much appreciated.

Good morning world

It’s a beautiful cool Spring morning here in Alabama. For those of you reading in other parts of the world I hope your day is equally as gorgeous. For me I think at least part of my day will be spent doing yard work. Grass needs mowing and weeds need trimming. At least it won’t be hot today.

As April is just getting started I can’t help but remember this time last year. Violent weather seemed to rock the entire nation in one form or fashion. The evidence of that weather is still painfully with us today. At the same time I can’t help but remember how each and every community came together to help each other. People that didn’t know each other working side by side helping one another. There was no race, gender or political issues, only people helping people. Friends were made that will last lifetimes. The pay it forward attitude was abundant the weeks following the tornadoes and the amount of good done was immeasurable. To all of those who helped someone in need…thank you and God bless.

So...What is a Hero?

Since the passing of Whitney Houston I have grown tired of the negative comments about her. She was one of the greatest singers the world has ever known and should be remembered as such. When her home town lowered their flag to half mast it caused such a huge public outcry across our nation that really kinda makes me sick. Does anyone out there truly believe that the town intentionally tried to dishonor even one single soldier by doing this? They were simply showing love for one of their own. I just can’t even force myself to find fault with that.



There are those that want to argue that the flag should only be lowered for real heroes…not celebrities. The meaning of hero is a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities. Whitney Houston certainly had ability and was admired by millions, so unless we change the technical meaning of hero, Whitney actually was one. Doesn’t matter that everything in her life wasn’t perfect and in order. She had a disease she couldn’t beat and had an addiction she couldn’t control and she paid a terrible price for it…her life. None of which in my eyes makes her a all bad person.



To all the little girls out there that imitated Whitney Houston during her hey day…she was a hero. Just as growing up we all had our own heroes. I can remember being young and to my moms horror I wanted to be Evel Knievel. He rode a motorcycle and jumped over things and that’s all it took for me and millions of other little boys. We didn’t care that he drank a lot, gambled on sports and blew lots of cash…he was still our hero. As I got older my heroes changed. Learning guitar as a teenager, Eddie Van Halen came along and took over the top spot for me. He remains there to this day. Does he have his faults and weaknesses, of course he does…we all do. Doesn’t take away from his ability.

What happened over the years to turn this nation from a compassionate one to such a angry spiteful one. Well the media plays a pretty significant role in this. Compassion stories simply don’t sell as well as bashing and name calling stories. Selling copy has become more important than real writers writing real stories. I agree that the men and women that fight on the front lines of war for us are heroes. But, so many others out there are heroes to others only in different ways. I believe every fallen soldier should be honored by not only their home town but by the whole nation. These soldiers simply aren’t known worldwide and don’t receive the same amount of attention and media longevity that the celebrities do. Doesn’t make it right, it’s just how it is. So…what is a hero? Guess that depends on who you are doesn’t it? We should all take the “pay it forward” concept and run with it. A little respect for others can go a long way.

One Lucky Bunny!

In my home office where I write I now have a new companion…a baby bunny. The little rabbit was given to me by one of the supervisors where I work. Seems that the little fellow was out in the open when he was first spotted. He probably would have been left there on his own but the supervisor also spotted something else watching the lil fur ball, it was a big ole’ red tailed hawk.

Well, after a being here a few days the bunny isn’t quite as timid as he was when he first arrived and will actually eat out of my hand. I think all in all he is pretty lucky. Instead of being a meal for a hawk he is now spoiled and pampered in his own brand new cage. All the food he can eat and fresh water he can drink is at his disposal. Guess that’s kinda like being on wild kingdom welfare. Have a great day!

You Can't Fix Stupid!

Here in the southeast along with the Midwest states we once again wake up with uneasy feelings due to the weather. While technology is the greatest it has ever been…still people die in these storms. Our weather experts now have the ability to tell us days before of possible bad weather; they tell us where and when the weather will strike and yet so many people still ignore the warnings. I have often heard many comedians saying “you can’t fix stupid” does this prove that theory?

Even after all the death and destruction of last April I still hear people that don’t take mother nature very seriously. Here in Alabama we have had tornadoes since April and ever now and then I still hear some of my friends say “oh I just slept through it.” These are grown ups with children. It’s hard for me to understand why or how anyone would simply ignore such a dangerous and potentially life threatening situation. Even heard some of them say that if the good Lord wanted them to live then they would live. The way I see it, he gave us a brain and the ability to look out for ourselves and our families, so why not do it.

But like always, when this round of weather is over there will be those that will proudly brag to their friends and family that they simply slept through it. My only hope is that the good Lord takes pity on the fools and lets them slide one more time.

Pay it Forward

Good morning friends,

With coffee in hand and the sun streaming in through my office window I wonder what I should blog about today. For the past few months my blogs have gotten farther and farther apart. It’s not that I have been lazy, it’s just that I started writing the rough draft on my first book. Once this project started all other writing seemed to have taken a back seat. I have however been encouraged my writing mentors to not let my articles and blogs fall by the wayside just because I have another project going. They say to remain sharp and to continue learning the craft one must write everyday. So here I am.

I’d like to touch on a problem today that affects us all in some form or fashion most everyday of our lives. That problem would be complaining. This problem often starts for me early in the morning at home and then seems to follow me to work as well. No one seems to ever be satisfied with anything anymore. Kids don’t like the groceries we buy or seem to appreciate the fact that WE buy them in the first place. Co-workers complain that breaks aren’t long enough…even though some take twice as long a break as others and the past few days we all are complaining about gas prices. I find no fault in that last one.

I must admit that I too have been known to be a complainer at times. But in all honesty, I don’t think it’s ever done me very much good except to maybe annoy those around me. I have to wonder what a difference it would make if the whole country decided on the “pay it forward” attitude for just one day. Just think about all the good and positive feelings that would quickly spread across the land. The taxi driver dropping the little old lady off at the grocery store might simply say “Hey this ones on me, have a nice day.” What if the media decided to dig a little deeper and find something positive to write about for a change instead of how bad things are getting. The power of suggestion truly is powerful and it does work. These are only a couple of things that can be done but there are millions more waiting for the chance to happen. Why not give it a try, certainly can’t hurt anything and it sure does feel good.

Pray for Andrew and Hunter, these two young men need all the help they can get.

Life

Ever wonder why life seems to beat and batter us around so much. At times I often feel like a small boat drifting aimlessly around at the mercy of wind and water. Watching the struggles that go on daily with hands tied and unable to help. I wonder why some seem to have all their hopes and dreams realized but don’t seem to appreciate it or deserve it while others seem to continuously have theirs ripped away from them.

I watch many that aren’t as lucky as I seem to be. Their little boat too is being blown around to and fro but it has a leak and is sinking. I think there comes a time when the little boat becomes to much a burden and tiresome and a decision must be made. To either bail harder and faster or simply swim to shore and start over.

Sometimes when the decision to make a change has been made a great burden is immediately lifted. With the new boat now splitting through the waves you realize just how heavy and cumbersome the old boat was, and just how much it was holding you back. Now instead of bailing continuously you can set your sights on new and better horizons. New dawns and spectacular sunsets now await you. Sometimes the grass is actually greener on the other side.

Serial Killers in Training

Ever wonder what motivates serial killers and why they can do what they do with no feeling or remorse? Some say it’s their background and environment. Others blame mental illness of one kind or another. While all of these causes are probably correct, some killers are just plain ole mean and rotten to the core. These are the types that kill for the simple pleasure of it.

I logged into Facebook this morning and found a horrifying site. Two teenage punks had hung two dogs from a tree. They were quite proud of what they had done because they show themselves in the picture smiling, drinking coffee and smoking a cigarette. Unfortunately this was not the first time I have seen these two. The last picture they posted they hung a little puppy.

I am not the only one outraged by this for over 31,000 people have shared this photo in hopes that someone will step forward and rat these two up and coming serial killers out. What happens when killing family pets of others no longer is satisfying enough for these two deranged punks. Will small children begin to go missing.

If I had to guess there is another party involved in these ruthless acts, someone is taking the pictures while these two pose with the dead animals. I hope the picture taker knows that he or she is just as guilty as the other two and when caught will be held accountable.

I have a feeling that the best thing for these two pieces of trash will be to be caught by police and not by a loving dog owner. I feel sorry for what ever is broken inside these two but not for whatever happens to them when they get caught.

Note...I went back to Facebook to copy the photo so I could put it here in hopes of getting these two caught but it was already gone. Maybe there won't be a next time but if there is I'll act a little quicker.

As I get on up in years every now and then a song comes on the radio that just for a moment takes me back in time. It’s funny how music can transport us so completely back to our youth in a matter of seconds…often with just the first few notes. Boston’s “More than a feeling” definitely has that effect on me every time I hear it.

“More than a feeling” is as good now as it was when it was released back in 1976. From the first note to the last note it was beautifully written all the way through. This song was off the self titled album from the band “Boston” and it gave rock n roll fans a sound like none they had ever heard before. This wonderfully unique sound was is credited to guitarist Tom Scholz, Scholz by the way is an MIT graduate and a genius in the recording studio.

“More than a feeling” is truly a rock n roll classic that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. It is my opinion that it should be put high on a pedestal with other greats such as AC/DC’s “Black in Black” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” These too are songs that when the first notes are played seem to take me back to a different time and place. Hey if ya don’t believe me just plug the headphones in and listen for yourself…enjoy.

More than a feeling- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzcSvPeWxcg

My son and I went to Decatur today. Spent about half a day just walking through stores and looking at stuff. Not having been to the mall in years, we made that our first stop. Only problem with that was that we got there too early. While waiting for the stores to open, we had the pleasure of watching all the walkers walking in the mall. I don’t ever remember seeing that many people making use of a mall for exercise before.

Most of the people walking were older and most likely retired. Some walked alone and some either in pairs or small groups. I was amazed to see some of these elderly groups make lap after lap around the place. I was winded just watching. It was also interesting to watch as the faster paced power walkers came by navigating themselves through the others like racecars on a track.

While all walkers seem to all be moving at a different speed, they all seemed to have time for a smile and a wave as they passed. It was a very pleasant early morning atmosphere.

Well, as we left the comfort of the warm dry surroundings we ran into street flooding outside. Driving was slow and tedious at times and we passed two or three accidents on the way home. From what I could tell they were all minor and more of an inconvenience to those involved than anything else.

Arriving back in Cullman I took my son into Wal-Mart for a haircut. While he was getting all trimmed up, I had the pleasure of sitting on the little bench just outside and got to watch all the people come and go. To me, this was priceless. I got to see and hear the shoe squeakers and the umbrella drippers. Got to see a few wet t-shirts and one really wet young man who had been outside collecting buggies. But, the thing that will stick in my mind for a while wasn’t really what I wanted to see. A rather large woman, not fat mind you just large, walked in front of me. Why she needed to stop where she did I’ll never know, but it was right in my line of site. There in front of me was a big ole’ half moon coming up. She was wearing her jeans like she was a full fledge lil punk with his britches half off. And let me tell you these were half off. It was kinda like a car wreck, you couldn’t help but look and I couldn’t help but smile. What’s even funnier was that the people she was with were walking behind her and never said a word. Damn, only in Wal-Mart.

Yesterday I fished on the Mulberry river near my home. The fishing was slow but the scenery was great. Well, today my partner Todd and I braved the rain and fished on Lake Catoma here in north central Alabama. While the fishing was still slow, a few more and bigger fish were caught. Todd is shown here admiring a fine spot he just landed…then released.

Todd went on to catch another spot but it wasn’t quite as big as his first one, he actually threatened me as I reached for my camera…yep, it was little. Needless to say there is no picture for that one. I did however manage a nice spot of my own which you can see below. It too was released unharmed.

The next fish to show you is my big largemouth. This fish took us both by surprise when she flashed just under the surface the first time. She pulled so hard at first that I thought I had hooked a big cat instead of a bass. All bass today were quickly photographed and released to fight again another day.

Tip for the day…fish slow. When you think you are fishing slow enough, slow down some more. All fish caught on jigs today.

For the past few days I have had the privilege of being off work. I have spent a great deal of this reprieve in the great outdoors. Even during the coldest months the Mulberry river gives up a few bass here and there. The bite was a little slow but the weather was perfect. The bass here was the only one I caught that day. Lost a couple more…but you can’t really count those.

                                              
While I spent some of my time fishing, some of my time was spent looking. Looking at some of the most gorgeous scenery around, I only have to step out the back door…well sort of. The property where I live borders the Mulberry river. Even in the dead of winter she is stunning to look at. The blue of the water, the browns of the forest and the splotches of green from the evergreens make Alabama a site to behold.

While sunsets pictures from the beach are great, our Bama sunsets and sunrises are often pretty special as well. Hope you enjoy. I have to go for now, fishing on the lake tomorrow morning. Maybe I’ll have some bigger fish to show next time. Have a great day everyone, I’m outa here.