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Heart Wood Trade Landing Nets
I love unique hand-crafted sporting items, especially when they have a wood component. I just love the beauty of wood grains and the way polished wood feels in my hands; that is why I always prefer wood stocks on my guns. I like a beautiful wood reel seat on my fly rods and exotic wood handles on knives. I also like to support boutique craftsmen that make these heirloom quality items.
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The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
Last March – 2019…the year before COVID that sadly seems like a distant memory – I took a trip to Kentucky with my wife and another couple. Although it was only for three days, and there were no beaches or waves to be seen, it still ranks up there as one of my all-time favorite vacations. After all, it’s an adult Disney World of sorts. I’ve gone back and forth in my head about where to take this entry of the Ledger…do I want to go the history route, or do I want to reminisce? If you’ve read any of my previous columns, I think you know what direction we’re…
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Bringing Autumn Indoors
Happy October! Cooler weather, sweaters, bonfires, pumpkins, and all the spookiness. During this season, I love to bring the outdoors inside, by using pumpkins, dried florals, wood tones, and moody colors. I wanted to give you some practical tips for decorating during the fall season and how to incorporate in Halloween.
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From Alaska to Africa: The Art of Rebekah Knight
If you collect sporting or wildlife art, you are familiar with Rebekah Knight. If not, allow me to introduce you to this Missouri based artist. I have had the pleasure of knowing Rebekah for several years, and aside from being a talented artist, she also has a passion for wildlife and wildlife conservation. She recently had a break in her busy painting and travel schedule, so she graciously gave me a bit of her time for an interview.
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The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
“Dad, what are you doing? Why do you do that?” This is a pretty regular question from my 11-year-old daughter as I’m nosing my bourbon one nostril at a time. “Because he’s a ______,” answers my wife before I can respond (you can insert, “nerd,” “idiot,” “tool” or other descriptive noun of your choosing). No matter how much grief I get, there will be no quit in my game.
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The Wild Fowl Tastes of Twain
When speaking about Mark Twain (1835-1910), we usually think of him putting pen to paper and not holding a fork. Twain loved to eat. Most people traveling throughout Europe would say the food is exquisite. Whether one is in Spain, France, or Italy, the cuisine is supposed to be the pinnacle of culinary refinement. However, for Twain it was far from it. Twain made it clear while traveling in the 1870s that he preferred and longed for good, ol’ American food.
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The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
Some people may think bourbon heads and whiskey nerds are a bunch of drunks. I think it’s extremely important to dispel that rumor every chance I get. The reality of it is that we are like-minded individuals that enjoy getting to know people better through sharing the spirit we all love. And there are many ways to turn that passion into a way to help others as well through charitable efforts. My third entry into the Whiskey Ledger is a great example of that told through an interview with Brent Hamby from the North Carolina Bourbon Society.
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Photographing The Forgotten South
Kelly Gomez was at a turning point in her life. She had been dealt a hand of cards, through no fault of her own, that derailed all of her plans. Overnight, things changed. She needed something that would offer a temporary break from reality. An internet search would be the first step down a path that leads to The Forgotten South.
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The Whiskey Ledger with Bourbon Apprentice
One of the biggest challenges with getting deep into bourbon is the intimidation factor – there’s a lot to learn, a lot to take in. You may find yourself enjoying a glass at a bar only to have your night ruined by some bourbon snob ensuring that everyone on a stool gets to hear him pontificate everything he knows when you’re just trying to watch the game or connect with friends. The silver lining is that for every jerk like that, there’s at least one hundred people sharing their respect for the craft or looking to learn what little bit of information…
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The Meanest Man That Ever Lived: The Origin of Spanish Moss
There once was an old man who had lived such a sinful life that even the Devil got new ideas on being wicked by observing him. The old man cheated, lied, stole, and made everyone around him miserable. The Devil had enjoyed watching him for years, but his time on earth was over, and the Devil was going to collect his soul. One night while walking home after a day of exceptionally lousy behavior, the old man was nearing the crossroads and saw a figure standing in the middle dressed all in black. The old man feared nothing, but as he got closer, he could tell this man…
A Southern Lifestyle Journal
