On being a Backyardsman…
(Feb 19) About a year or so ago I got interested in knife making, so I ordered The $50 Knife Shop. It’s a good book, but life happens, I don’t have room in my garage for the equipment, etc… I’m still interested though, so I bought a premade blade and rivits for the handle from Jantz Supply. It’s a Russel Green River profile so it should make a pretty nice belt knife. I’ll make the scales from some olive wood I picked up a few years ago.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 18) On my weekly pilgrimage to Scheel’s, this time looking for bait. I really want to try that pond I found out about a week or so ago. My friend says there’s no catfish, only bass, but I’m sceptical. Anyway, I’m going to try it for catfish once the weather wamrs up some.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 17) Happy Wednesday. I decided to try the Old Forester Rye my wife lat me get at Costco last Sunday (Valentines Day). It’s… a little harsh. So far, no rye whiskey I’ve tried is equal to the Rittenhouse Rye I tried a couple months ago. Sadly, I can’t find it any more.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 16) Continuing with the theme of “things in my back yard,” here are some egg shells we need to crush up for the compost pile. Not much to see, but they do kind of make an interesting photo. To my eyes at least…
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 15) Found this little guy growing in my back yard this afternoon. It’s still freezing at night, we have heavy frost on the windshield every morning, but somehow this dandelion is managing. No wonder it’s called The Tooth of the Lion – this is one tough little plant. I thought this was especially cool because the reason I bought my very first copy of The Backwoodsman Magazine was because it had an article on using dandelions for food and medicinal purposes. It was the May/June 2017 issue, and I haven’t missed an issue since. Charlie’s magazine – in particular an article by Scott Siegfried – was the inspiration for this blog. I’ve had my ups, downs, and long dry spells, but it all goes back to that article on dandelions in the May/June 2017 Backwoodsman Magazine.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 13) So I was looking through a local fishing group on FB, and someone mentioned bass ponds in my city. Ponds I’d never seen or heard about before. Ponds that are only a couple miles from my house. Here’s where it gets strange. I was telling a friend about them and he’s like “Oh yeah, they’re about a block away from my house.” And all this time (I’ve been here for like 10 years) I never new they were there. He also confirmed that they do indeed hold bass. He pulled out a 4 ponder last summer. Well. So now I’m researching how to fish for bass. (My entire life I’ve only fished for trout, in streams and rivers. Never fished a pond.) Can’t wait to hit this thing. Until next time…
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 12) It only looks like aliens have landed… Yesterday when I was bringing the garbage can out front, I noticed these little growth looking things on my fence. It’s actually the little pads that climbing plants use to stick to walls. Well, the remnants any way. Anyway, I though it was interesting and kind of cool. Until next time…
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 11) My dad loved wildlife, and loved collection wildlife related artwork. One year for Christmas my mom got him this wood cutting of a Federal Duck Stamp. When he passed away she let me have it. It hangs in my home office, next to a copy of the ship manifest from when my grandfather immigrated from Germany through Ellis Island in 1922.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 10) Nothing fancy, just a closer shot of the beer reefer sitting on top of my desk.
Peace out,
porcupine
(Feb 9) After my post yesterday I don’t feel so bad about just taking pictures of things around the house. Of course pretty soon I’m gonna run out of things to take pictures of, but until then I think I’ll run with it. Besides, I’m busy these day… Anyway, this is an old phone my mom found in her cousin’s barn before I was even born. She kept it b/c she thought it was cool. One year as a birthday present, her mom and dad (my grandparents) paid to have it professionally restored. When I got my own house, she gave it to me. Years later, I got a job taking care of the phone system for a community college. Some coincidence, huh? Until next time…
Peace out,
porcupine