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Photo credit to Stephen Collector by Jim Harrison Let’s not get romantic or dismal about death.Indeed it’s our most unique act along with birth.We must think of it as cooking breakfast,it’s that ordinary. Break two eggs into a bowlor break a bowl into two eggs. Slip into a coffinafter the fluids have been drained, or better yet,slide into the fire. Of course it’s a little hardto accept your last kiss, your last drink,your last meal about which the condemnedcan be quite particular as if there could bea cheeseburger sent by God. A few loverssweep by the inner eye, but it’s mostly a placidlake at dawn, mist rising, a solitary looncall, and staring into the still, opaque water.We’ll know as children again all that we aredestined to know, that the water is coldand deep, and the sun penetrates only so far. Jim Harrison, “Death Again” from Jim Harrison: The Essential Poems. from the Writer’s Almanac Podcast, August 14th, 2019 ______________________________________________________________________________________________For another fun read on Collector and Harrison: https://stephencollector.com/blog/spring-2020-issue-of-the-flyfish-journal

Carrying experiences and burdens The phrase "life is like a backpack" is a metaphor that my father in law used for life being a journey where you carry your experiences and burdens, or the idea that happiness comes from letting go of what you don't need. It suggests that your experiences, both positive and negative, are the "contents" of your "backpack," which influence who you are and how you navigate the world. The analogy can also be used to talk about the weight of grief, the accumulation of possessions, or the beliefs you carry.  Experiences: Your backpack contains your life's experiences—joy, sadness, challenges, and achievements—that have shaped you.  Grief: Grief is often compared to a backpack that you carry. The weight may lessen over time, but it's a permanent part of you that you learn to carry, with some days feeling heavier than others.  Burdens: It can represent the "weight" of psychological and emotional burdens, such as past trauma or limiting beliefs, that can be heavy and difficult to bear.  The contents of your backpack Material vs. essential items: The backpack can represent the things you own. Some people realize that true happiness isn't in accumulating possessions but in letting go of unnecessary "dead weight" to feel lighter and more free.  Beliefs: Your backpack can be seen as a metaphor for the beliefs you carry. You can choose to "empty your backpack" of limiting beliefs to make room for growth and new possibilities.  The journey of life Travel and growth: Just as a traveler learns to pack light, you can learn to carry less. The focus shifts from how much you carry to how freely you can move, grow, and embrace new experiences.  Support: The metaphor can also highlight the importance of support. With a partner, the "weight"

Working Dogs-ADA Service Dogs-Police Dogs-ESA Whether it's a Belgian Malinois or a Doberman, bite dogs, search dogs, and all working dogs end up with some of the same training. The main difference is that service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability, while emotional support dogs (ESAs) provide comfort through their presence. This distinction leads to different legal rights: service dogs have public access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and can accompany their handlers to most public places, while ESAs are primarily covered under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), allowing for reasonable accommodation in housing, but not public access.Service dogsTraining: Must be trained to perform specific tasks directly related to their handler's disability, which can be physical, psychiatric, sensory, or intellectual.Examples of tasks: A guide dog leads a blind person, a psychiatric service dog performs deep pressure therapy during a panic attack, or a mobility dog retrieves dropped items.Legal rights:Public Access: Have full access rights to public places like restaurants, stores, and businesses under the ADA.Air Travel: Are permitted to fly in the cabin with their handler under the Air Carrier Access Act, though airlines may require forms.Note: The ADA does not require professional training. A person with a disability can train their own service dog.Emotional support dogsTraining: Do not need to be trained to perform specific tasks. Their primary role is to provide emotional comfort.Examples of tasks: There are no specific tasks. The animal provides comfort through its presence, which can help with symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions.Legal rights:Public Access: Do not have public access rights. They are not permitted in most public places that don't have a general "pet-friendly" policy.Air

Coach Prime was just quoted upon Shilo's release from the NFL, "He’s my son, I’m proud of my kids, all of them, and I prepared my kids for any and everything that could possibly happen in life and in sports." Later he was quoted as saying, “Thank God that God prepared him for everything he’s dealing with,” he said. “I mean, I think a lesser man would have crumbled. But he’s been built for this, and who else is built for the adversity like he is? Like, going into the NFL? I don’t think it’s too many quarterbacks that have (been) built like that for the adverse situations and not having the best of things to happen around him.” That reminded me of my falconer friend, Hal Webster, who trained falcons much of his life and is one of the most published authors on the subject. He also trained falcons for flight with lures, kites, balloons, etc. The parents will catch small prey—like a dove—and begin flying past the cliff, trying to entice the young chick, which by this point is usually between 48 and 55 days old. They gradually stop feeding the chick, teasing it instead to encourage it to take flight. Once the fledglings finally launch into the air, a graceful aerial dance of food exchanges begins. As the young birds build muscle and confidence, the parents continually raise the challenge, pushing them to refine their skills. The falconers mimic this training process, now with drones, but they used to use balloons or kites to dangle the bait. He introduced me to Gene Johnson and several other amazing falconers. Gene was also quite the artist as you can see from one of

I never thought of shaving as a hobby, but apparently it is now in 2025, especially with double edge safety razors and straight edge razors.    I didn’t know this was a thing, but apparently razors are now something guys even collect and talk about like bourbon, cigars, and now your grandpa’s safety razors (together with new ones made by people who make satellites with aluminum.) The other day I was at Costco and this old guy was looking at the 24 pack of Gillette Fusion Five razors which now cost almost $100 a pack.   He said to me that it’s too expensive to shave anymore and he didn’t buy any.   That got me thinking. My grandfather used to shave with a double edge razor. And I remember watching him.   It seemed kind of a romantic at the time because I was about eight and wished that I had something to shave. And then I was on Facebook and Hensen shaving runs ads all the time.   And they promote that it’s only $.05-$.08 per blade, and you only need one a week and you’re gonna save a ton of money.   And I’m all about saving a ton of money.  So I ordered an $80 shaver.   And it’s not that good, it’s kind of like a Bic disposable.  And it also gave me a little bit of razor burn feeling afterwards, not burning, but not feeling great.  But it was lightweight. So that let me down the rabbit hole and after that I ordered a Rockwell Razors 6C, Feather Stainless Steel AS D2 at $165, and a Merkur 34C, then a Rockwell Razors 6S.   You can watch YouTube videos

Diamonds are Forever, But Their Price Ain't Diamonds lose 50-70% of their price once they leave the store.   Try pawning your "forever ring" and you will learn real fast.   Lab diamonds are worth nothing once you leave the store and DeBeers saw that coming, as they are exiting the lab diamond market completely this year. There are a few tips that you need to know, which is a certified stone will be worth more and is less of a gamble.   A GIA (Gemological Institute of America) report number (if graded in the last 20 years by GIA) is often laser-inscribed on the girdle of a diamond , which is the outer edge where the crown meets the pavilion. This tiny inscription, visible under 10x magnification, provides a unique identifier linking the stone to its GIA report.    There are other IGI and GRA, which are usually not as stringent grading, and therefore less accurate and less valuable of a grade.   Often lessor stones are sent there because they know the GIA report will not be as good of a rating. Colored Gem Stones The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) doesn't offer formal grading for emeralds, rubies, or sapphires, but they do provide detailed reports on their characteristics. These reports assess weight, measurements, shape, cutting style, color, clarity, and other relevant factors. GIA also determines if the gem is natural or laboratory-grown and identifies any detectable treatments. Key Takeaways: No Formal Grading: GIA doesn't assign numerical grades like they do for diamonds. Detailed Reports: GIA provides comprehensive reports that detail a gem's characteristics and origin. Focus on Identification: The reports primarily focus on identifying and assessing the quality of the gem, including its color, clarity, and any treatments. Buying Colored

HORSE, TRUCK AND TRAILER STUFF TO DO BlueLyte or lite Morton's salt on game and hunt days Feed equine senior if you want to add weight also can do shredded beet pulp with molasses, soaked overnight in water or wyoming hay (alfalfa) cubes soaked in water Rub MTG on legs for rain rot in spring Spray absorbine on sore backs and legs after bathes Trim manes, whiskers and tails monthly bute polo ponies as needed SDZ 15 tabs twice daily for sinus infections Oil change on Ram the start of polo season and acid wash and rotate trailer tires every year at Discount Tire preventative spray on golf cart terminals and check water level on golf cart batteries, take home in October and then charge monthly, hand tightening connections sandclear again in June if eating hay off ground on sandy areas Quest gel in April and October Cheap Ivermectin dewormer in June and December Iodine on sore hooves, not on frog, especially smarty. Use thrush buster on hooves in wet months especially Dash and Smarty

Jack Dennis is a living legend in Western fly fishing circles.  In his numerous books, he tells the story of Curt Gowdy, Ted Williams, Arnold Palmer, and many other stories of his famous friends from a life in fly fishing. He recently offered me a special set of Christmas flies which he personally tied.  He says: This incredible gift is my choice of flies to fish for trout in most waters. I have selected four dozen flies from my fly box fishing collection, including flies tied by Umpqua feather merchants, personal friends of mine, and flies tied by me, which are strictly for fishing. The package will include Jack Dennis's signature flies, such as Amy Ants and Para-Wulff's, adding a variety of new flies that I have found effective. The assortment consists of a fine combination of new hatch-matching dry flies plus a wide variety of new nymphs, including the essentials Copper John's and pheasant tails. Rounding out the assortment includes attractors, hoppers, terrestrials, and streamers.  This incredible fly mixture includes autographed Umpqua's fabulous UPG LT fly box.   A personally tied Amy's ant authenticated to the gift recipient or purchaser.  Only 24 boxes are for sale this Christmas and autographed and numbered 1 to 24. Fishing guide Jack Dennis left the famed Jack Dennis Outdoor Shop (now JD High Country Outfitters) that bears his name in 2009, but started another fly shop and Jack Dennis Fishing Trips when he left. He leveraged 40 years of veteran, reliable guiding experience and a long list of satisfied clients to start the new business.  In 2012, Jack Dennis retired from Jack Dennis Fishing Trips, but sold the service to his most trusted and experienced guides — Scott Smith, Mark Fuller,