Life is good

[Pappy]

Great weekend, again a little hot but all good, had lots of friends down working in the shop and Beau and I went out Saturday morning very early and pulled our last 7 deer stands, got to do some work on them and then be time to put them back up. I like to pull them all and start over ever year or 2. Made a little head way on my worn infested stave, got another hide finished smoked and Joe showed up to work on a stave he has had since 2002. Nice piece of wood but hard as concrete. 
 Pappy

[Pappy]

My brother and several friends came down Friday to visit, good to see him, he is going through chemo right now for lung cancer and has had a tough couple of years, looked pretty good Friday. Last hide smoked, a little darker than I like them on the flesh side but will be fine, that side don't show anyway. Some people like them really dark but I prefer lighter brown. Sister and Sally just staying cool under the fan.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Joe also working on some billets and I started another hide, this is a nice Buck Beau [my son] killed. I plan on doing it white with no smoke, only done 1 like that and want another, we will see how it turns out. I know I said it before but this is going to be my last for the year, just getting to hot and humid around here.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

The hide after 3 times in the brains, stretched some and holes sewed up.Looking good so far, now 3 or more time in the brains and then stretch and rope till dry. GregB working on some spoon projects for gifts.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Joe and Shawn working on some staves and a couple of snaky billets. I done another little project for my fish pond, the Grand kids loved it.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

I got my short Osage on the form for some tweaking and it came out nice. Mark2 is also coming along nicely on his hole bow, it is at brace and needs a little tweaking but looking good right now, I think it is going to make a bow but as I told him we still got 26 inches to go so anything can happen, I think he understands at least I hope he dose.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Lots of bow work going on, Joe got his down to floor tiller from a bark on log and on the form, he stayed at it but it is looking good at this point, next week we will cut nocks and start tillering. He is excited, he is one of the founding members of TwinOaks but has been away many years, very good to see him back, one of my oldest friends. 
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Had several kids down to play in the creek and yard. Don had his grand son and of course he wanted a sword, every kid wants one of them, you can tell by the smile on Don's face he is enjoying the time with him. Good time and good memories. Hope yall had a good one also. Life is Good.
 Pappy

[chamookman]

Thanks Pappy, great times for sure  ! Bob

[Pappy]

You are welcome Bob and yes they are. Linda [Gary's girl friend ] called Monday evening . She was with Gary and he wanted to say hello . His voice was weak but said "hello Pappy ", made my day. we talked for a while, me doing all the talking and to her later when he was sleeping and she said he wasn't doing very good, lost a lot of weight and wasn't responding to the rehab very well, but maybe eating a little better now and can say a few words.Don't sound that good to me , all we can do is keep him in our prayers and hope for the best, it was good hearing his voice though. I hope to see him in August while I am in MI. 
 Pappy

[HH~]

That is a sad deal. I am glad you got to talk to your old buddy. Good that Linda is up there now. Hope you do get to see him in August.

Shawn~

[Pappy]

Ya it was good to talk to him for sure. Had a really good weekend, went down Thursday but it rained all day so I took some time and tuned 18 arrows and helped joe on his new Osage. The rest of the weekend was spent working on ranges and around the place for the IBO Trad world so not many pictures.   We got 3 ranges cleaned and 85 targets hauled out to be set, also got the kitchen and pavilion cleaned and ready to go, bush hogged the camping area and some of the range trails and bagged 80 bags of ice in between times, very busy but got a lot done. Only 2 more weeks so we got to stay at it if we want to be ready. Few pictures. 18 arrows tuned and ready to go, don't loose and break as many as I use to but still do from time to time. It was raining so I moved a deer mid under the work shop to test the arrows.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Joe showed up and got a lot done on his new Osage bow, little weak here on the left limb and looked much better by the time we got it to brace, he also gifted me an old powder horn he found in his Father in laws house while cleaning it out, I plan on cleaning up up and hang it somewhere.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

Will and his buddy showed up Saturday to hang out and do some picking for us, he brought some of his new albums to share, the songs were written by him and Jimmy Blackmon, very good work. His buddy also forges knives and does some fine work, here are a few he said he hammered out in the last 2 weeks, WOW, I thought I stayed busy. My girls love the picking also and just laid under the fan and rested.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

He gifted me one of his blades, very nice work, also my old bosses son came down with my drink order for the IBO World, when I ask for the bill he pulled out this old meat fork that belonged to his Grand Mother, he ask if I could put a handle on it, I said of course and he said their's your bill. Love to barter.  ;)He knows I would have done it for him anyway.  Hope yall had a great weekend also and a Blessed 4th of July.God Bless America and of course Life is Good.
 Pappy