Poetry moment

It all happens in the blink of an eye
Summer unfolds itself into the quiet season
Thoughts turn to the slower pleasures of life

Scorching days are well behind us now
The cool crisp air has returned to change the landscape
Pumpkins and cornstalks dot our porches

The shades of green once so vibrant now gone
Replaced by the brilliant hues of red orange and yellow
The fall season graces us with it's bounty

Christmas Eve Story In October

Christmas Eve. Remember? Waking up super early can't sleep, not allowed to go downstairs until the clock strikes seven. So you sit on the top stair waiting, and if you got up before your sibs. you're the first in line to jet down the stairs when the clock strikes 7. Well imagine that every night, the night before the hunt. You wake up at 3:45am even though the alarms are set for 4am and 4:15am. Why do you set two if you always wake up early? You don't want to miss it.

In the old days you might be able to sleep in until 5am if you're hunting at the Old New Spot. Now you have to be there at 5am. It's like the old days when you were the first one to tie your sneakers that cool way, or the first R rated movie you saw and there was some minor nudity and adult language. It was fresh and new. Then everyone knew how to do it, everyone saw the movie...you learned how to swear. We used to be the only ones to hunt these spots, they are not great, but special to us. Now we are forced to share. "Get off that top stair let your little sister sit there!" " Maybe if she got up earlier she would have the spot" you think to yourself. That's what we have to do, we are the best, the smartest, we just learned to tie our sneakers a new and better way.

Chicken Salad

For the Chicken Salad:
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Kosher salt
About 1 cup mayonnaise
1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 celery stalks, small diced
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves plus sprigs, for garnish
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded chicken meat, roughly chopped
8 slices sourdough bread, cut 1/2-inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
1 green apple, thinly sliced
4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
5 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, chopped

Day 3

It sure was a blustery one today.

Day three started just as you may expect after reading this blog for four seasons now. Being picked up at 4:30 am has it's drawbacks but there can also be some unintended fun that comes along with it. Sitting on my well lit front porch waiting to hear the rumble of good ole American V-8 power that is Lisa, I saw my neighbor lady. She's kind of an odd sort. Maybe she keeps strange hours too or maybe, just maybe, she's up to no good. But when she walks by my house and sees me sitting on the stoop holding a shotgun I know one thing runs through her head, don't mess with his shit.

So sure enough Lisa arrives with all the gear needed for a great day of early season folding. We drive off to the Old New spot a little earlier now. See, everyone seems to be hunting there now. Apparently there is a thread on some hunting web site that tells people to go to this area and that the hunting is good there. We officially hate this web site. How dare they share the public lands with the Public. We all know that the H7HT was here first. We all know that we're the best. But still people are invading our space so now we have to get up before everyone else. You know what they say "The early bird gets the ducks", or something to that effect. Maybe it's"Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice I'll shoot your decoys". Whatever.

So out to the newest spot we go. Rebuild the blind. Set the blocks. Tell some other hunters where to go. Wait for sunrise.

Well that's it. Today's video shows the windy conditions that should have brought the ducks right to us but unfortunately there were no ducks today. Never fear though because next time will be GREAT!
GBCH

What Am I?

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Could You Guess?

FTP Is In the House

Dear Sirs or Madame
On October 15 I accidentally shot a Pintail out of season. I thought I had shot a Green Winged Teal. Upon check out I declared 1 Pintail and 1 Green Winged Teal, it is then when I was informed by the warden I had shot two Pintails. It was told to me that at the beginning of the season it is hard to distinguish because the colors are so similar, but what I should look at is the size and not the color, a Teal will be half the size. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely
Fred G. aka Fred the Poacher
Co-Founder of the Hoy 7 Hunting Team

Taking A Big Slice.

Oh gentile readers of the HOY7 hunting team Blog, I must have a big slice. Today I witnessed the most amazing thing since the formation of our team. Bagging a duck has never been less of a catch phrase and more of a literal reality. See the video. Read the account. Believe the impossible. I stand in awe of the greatest duck hunter ever, Fred G.*

*that is of course until next week when I shoot the first Greenie.

Day Two

Remember what I said? "The video, pictures and stories this year will amaze and tantalize you." Well hold onto your hat, and duck. We hit the road not as soon as we wanted, issues with alarm clocks, but we hit it the earliest ever 1 am. We set out in Lisa and quiet ensued. Predictions were none. We were driving into a totally new experience not knowing if our efforts would pay off. We never arrived at Sauvies at 2 in the morning, getting about 6th in line, able to choose any blind we would like. Well it all paid off, like I said we were 6th in line and when we got to the check in station at about 6am we actually had choices of decent blinds, we chose Mudhen 8. The morning weather was perfect a slight overcast and a slight chill, about 42 degrees. I'm sure Bob will have a mention about the walk in his post. We threw out the blocks and being Sauvies the action was fast and furious right off the hop. Not long into it we both fold, the only difference being is that I folded first, we all know what that means by now, don't we? Yes a crisp fresh 10 dollars in my bag. The morning folding kept up. I folded two more ducks in one rally but unfortunately was able to only retrieve one, sorry gram pa Clyde, the reeds out there are fierce sometimes. Bob also folded again at that time. Never in team history have we been so close to each other so early, two folds each. I know what you're saying "Fred G. you folded two in one rally, is that not 3 ducks all day?" You see folks if you can't or don't retrieve it does not count in totals. Lunch was next. Some nice French bread some gabba goul, pruzute, provolone, fresh mutzarella, pickled onions, mama lils peppers, kalamat olives, and marinated rapini (broccoli rabe). I even got "hey this is good" out of Bob. Thanks Bob. After sitting there for a while and being "rained" on by what we suspect is The Black Cloud, the stuff is good and fast, pick up a box at your local outdoor store, we did and we love it! The stuff makes ducks rain. Which brings me to the latter part of the day. Bob has to get home and we call it, "lets give it another hour." Well we did, that's where the video portion comes in. Watch it, I did and it was a mind scramble, speaking of scramble, that's what we were doing ascared for our lives. On our way to check out we were proud. Bob with a beautiful Northern Shoveler and a Pintail. Me with a Pintail and a Green Wing Teal. This parts for you Jiggity. Upon check out I was informed my Teal was not a Teal but another Pintail. In other words Fred The Poacher is back! Only 1 Pintail per person. Box of Black Cloud $17.50, Shooting more than your share of Pintail $150.00, Bagging a duck, literally, PRICELESS.

It's Raining Steel

Fred G. 3

Bob 2

Poetry Moment

"Time To Kill"

by Bob Da Folder

*

*

You packed up and left the truck over an hour ago.

Sometimes if the moon is still bright you don't even

need a headlamp to make your way out to the area

where you want to set up. It's cold out but the long

walk with the pack on makes you sweat inside your

waders and under all the layers. As you set your

decoys in the still water surrounding your blind, your

body cools and you can feel the chill in the air again.

Finally, with everything complete, it's time to wait

for sunrise.Just before the first light of day you can

hear the whistle of ducks flying near you. Wondering

what they are is almost torture. Are they the fat

greenies you hope to see again at first light, or are

they another brand, something you have never seen

before? Not long now till you start to make out shapes

and can see a little bit better as the sun comes closer

to the horizon. Now, as the other creatures of the woods

wake up and start to move around, you know that the

time is here. Time to kill.

*

*

Circa 2006

A Call Out To All H7HT Members

Sure day one started off like any other hunting day. Wake up early if you slept at all, load up the truck, take a long walk carring heavy packs in the cool dark morning, then set the blind up throw out the blocks. After waiting a few minutes for the morning whistle to signal kill time and having your morning swig and smoke it's now time. It's what happens after that that is magical.

But YOU will never know unless you show up. Ever wake up and

have that feeling in your gut that you're missing it, it's because

you are.

You all recieved a membership hat, yet we never hear about any of your adventures see any of your photos and some of you never have made the effort to join us here in the great west.

You see we would like to put your adventures here on this fine blog to let all see what a fine team we are. So please, remember how you feel after reading and viewing our pictures, let's make it special for everyone.

Thanks For Your Time

Fred G. Co-founder Hoy 7 Hunting Team

Sauvie Island

The rush is already on for the annual waterfowl hunting permits at the Columbia River's Sauvie Island. Just 30 minutes from downtown Portland, where else could you find such good duck hunting this close to a major American city? The island is a 12,000-plus acre wildlife management area, owned and managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. It's a major stopover and wintering area for 150,000 migratory ducks and geese each fall and winter, attracting 8,000 hunters who stand by their trusty bird dog and wait for the wings to flap. A special permit is required for hunting the island and because permits are limited, they disappear quickly. For the desperate hunter, there is a stand-by line every hunt morning from which unfilled reservations are filled on a first-come basis. Depending on the water level each year, there are a few designated blinds available, but to get one, plan on standing in line overnight. Game-bird hunters are required to carry a valid hunting license and must obtain a Harvest Information Program validation.

By BILL MILLER
for the Mail Tribune

Daily Harvest Report Click Here

Opening Day Nap 2008-2009

3:23 AM Opening Day

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Ambien Where You

Ducks Fly Over My House Awake

One Hour I Wake Up

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401 Plan

If you had purchased $1,000 of Lehman Bros. stock one year ago, you would have $49 left.

With Wachovia, you would have $16.50 left.

With AIG, you would have less than $5 left.

But if you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago,

drank all of the beer, then turned in the cans for the aluminum recycling REFUND,

you would have had $214.

Based on the above,

the best current investment advice is to drink heavily and recycle.

It's called the 401-Keg plan.

Season 2008-2009 The Begining

Welcome Readers to the 2008-2009 season.
Things started off a little bit rocky due to the the happy folk who decided to build a park and bird observatory in our hunting area. But that wont slow us down. It's cold out side early this year, 42 degrees this morning. Ducks and geese flying over our houses at night is amazing. The number of ducks spotted during our scouting expeditions was the most we have ever seen this early. Things just seem to different. What lays in store for us this year? Well come back often and check in with us for this year is lined up to be the best one yet! The video, pictures and stories this year will amaze and tantalize you. Guns are cleaned bags are packed, we are ready, are you?

Keep throwing Out the Steel.

It was the best of times.......

IT WAS THE WORST OF TIMES.

So here it is, only 5 days until the opening day for the HOY7 hunting teams first day of the season. Scouting day if you will. We had already received bad news about Lisa's DEQ report, a failing grade for CO2 emissions, and a potentially costly repair on the horizon. Fred G took it in stride because he knows that she is merely trying to get some attention before the many miles we will put on her in the next few months. An appointment was made and plans were put in place to have her healthy and happy again in time for another stellar year of folding action.

The real disappointment was just around the corner, literally. We went to the old old spot for some preseason blind building and water level checking. Now, we knew full well that the parking area had been changed and a new lot was being built this summer but the extent of development was unexpected. As we walked through the woods on the same old trail we rounded the corner to find that a access trail had been built to accommodate the 'General Public'. (We hate the General Public) I can't begin to express our surprise at the graded and graveled trail stretching off into the distance toward the old old spot. And at the end, scant yards away from our established blind, a bird watching station complete with handicap accessible ramps and people friendly viewing areas.

Do you remember the old commercial with the Indian (feather not dot) shedding a tear for the rape and pillage of the land that he once loved? We felt his pain.

By our casual estimate this new development will bring in hundreds of people within yards of OUR spot. People with dogs to scare the ducks. People with binoculars to scope out our blinds. People with kids to play on the pristine shores. People with their filthy mouths and bad attitudes. Now here at the HOY7 hunting team we believe that all people have the right to enjoy the great outdoors, but not when it interferes with OUR enjoyment of the outdoors. Damn those people and their free access to OUR freedom.

So we discussed Eco Terrorism as an option. We mulled over sabotage of the parking area. Heck, even pungi sticks and pit traps were on the agenda. But in the end we just abandoned the old old spot for the time being. By the time the winter rolls around new options for blinds and folding areas will become available at the old old spot. Plus the water was really low.

We figured that the old new spot may be worth a look-see and Lisa obliged us with a trip down the road. Cutting brush and brambles along the way led us to believe that few had been out this way for a while and we were pleased to discover that at least the old new spot was undisturbed by the developers shovel. As we climbed down the embankment to the mighty Columbia we rounded a corner to find.......

Greenies. Big Greenies. Big Fat Greenies. Several Big Fat Greenies. Just hanging out eating some food and waiting for someone to shoot them. I have to confess, we're just the people to help them with that. Of course they flew away when we broke out of the cover of the willows but those trusting greenies came back and circled around at least 4 times looking for a place to land. We can't wait to see them on Monday. So we scoped a blind and set our timetables and gave a little shout out to how great this season is going to be. So stay tuned to this very Blog to see who folds the first duck ($10) and the first Greenie ($10) and the first banded duck ($50) and remember:
GBCH

Wedding Update.......

Gentle readers of the HOY7 hunting team Blog may I introduce to you Mr & Mrs William Henry Hopf.
It all happened out on Block Island, a small landing pad of earth off the coast of Rhode Island on the eastern seaboard. (Kind of like being in a tiny duck blind in the middle of a puddle.) Weather not withstanding, a good time was had by all and this couple is now working on producing ten to fifteen offspring to make the world safe for democracy and freedom. Heston bless you Brother and Kira.


P.S. To your left you will notice Al. I think he had one beer that night.

As seen on the ferry returning from Block Island.

Don't Forget To.....................

VOTE!

Less than a month away.

Three golfers are killed in a car crash and, having mostly behaved themselves in life, they go straight to heaven.

When they arrive, St. Peter greets them at the gate and says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: Don't hit the ducks."

So they enter heaven, and, to their great joy, discover that it is one enormous golf course -- but there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible to play without hitting one. Sure enough, though they do their best to avoid it, one of the men eventually hits a duck. Poof! St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing, appears with the ugliest woman the men have ever seen. St. Peter handcuffs this woman to the unfortunate golfer and says, "Your punishment is to spend eternity chained to this ugly woman."

The very next day, the second man accidentally hits a duck. Poof! St. Peter arrives, and with him is another unbelievably ugly woman. He handcuffs the two together and sentences the man to remain chained to her for all eternity.

The third man is determined not to end up like his buddies, so he is extremely careful. He manages to golf for months without mishap. And one day, Poof! St. Peter appears with an absolutely gorgeous woman. He chains the two together without a word and vanishes. The man stares at this goddess, this vision of perfection with whom he will now spend eternity, and says, "Whatever did I do to deserve you?" The woman says, "I don't know about you, but I hit a duck."

Still in the 'Brother Zone'

Many would say this is a big air.
Some would say this is a huge air.
I say "Check out those pants".

More from the 'Brother Zone'

Style.
Finesse.
Control.
How is it that this guy can't break 100?
Perhaps he should look down.

The smartest men EVER?

Behold two of the smartest men ever.
Good looks, style and good ole fashioned book learnin'. Can you doubt the level of sophistication here?
Join me for an exploration into the what I like to call....
"The Brother Zone".

Intellect?

I'll be happy to see one of them.
Guess.

More defamation coming soon.

Still the champs!

Playing as visitors for the first time this season, the Giants continued their remarkable success away from Giants Stadium with a resounding 41-13 rout of the St. Louis Rams Sunday in the Edward Jones Dome. The Giants scored 21 unanswered points in the final 7:18 to break open a close game and secure their most one-sided road victory in a dozen years (35-7 at Detroit on Oct. 27, 1996).

Pop Quiz

Back in 1986 I, Robert DaFolder, met some very unsavory characters. All of the people pictured here are attendees of the Institution of Less than Higher Learning of Green Mountain College. They all share many things in common but the one that draws them all together in a week or so is that they all know the man known as "The Brother".

Now some of you have heard of the Brother. Some of you may even know the Brother personally. But one thing that should come as a shock to everyone is that the Brother is getting married. Yes, married.

If you were to ask all the men pictured here about the Brother I'm sure they all would have a story or two to tell. Some of them touching, some of them funny, some of them debaucherous, and perhaps most of them downright scary. But the one thing that would tie them together is the Brother always stood by them, and we all stood by the Brother.

Shortly I will be flying out to the tiny hamlet of Block Island to witness the marriage of the Brother to a potentially un-suspecting young lady named Kira. She seems like a fine woman and I'm sure she comes equipped with a big heart and healthy appreciation for good times. And while the goal of the Brother is to make an honest woman of this lady, mine is somewhat different.

This brings us to today's pop quiz.

Picture #1
Jenny X. Many of you have read about the Legend of Jenny X right here in the pages of this very Blog. The marksman, the trap champ, the inventor of the polo shirt, the bass fishing champ and the first skier to be classified as 'extreme'.

Picture #2
Ned 'Hocker Lock' Flemke. Ned has the dubious distinction of TWICE semi-committing to come out and hunt with the world renown HOY7 hunting team, and never followed through. Newly free from an oppressive marriage and the owner of a pair of skis that makes him able to ski powder without having the skills, Ned is a force not only on the golf course but also the pool table.

Picture # 3
Bubba 'Bubstien' Quehl. As we all know from the pages of this Blog, Don't be like Bubba Quehl.

Picture #4
Al 'Jalikakick' Stewart. Al and I have been separated for far too long so the only thing I have to say is....... "Shut Up, No;... Shut Up, Shut the fuck Up" followed by a loud whistle. The last words I coherently remember Al saying before I passed out in the ditch.

So anyway,
Today's Pop Quiz.

How many of these losers will I crush next week?

Please answer in the comment section below along with your name. Remember there will be a prize for the correct answer. It will be substantial.

GBCH

Know thy enemy

Latin: Anas carolinensis & Anas crecca

Average length: M 14.7", F 14"

Average weight: M 0.7 lbs., F 0.6 lbs.
Description: Green-winged teal are the smallest of our North American ducks with a short neck and small bill. Male green-winged teal have a chestnut head with an iridescent green to purple patch extending from the eyes to the nape of the neck. The chest is pinkish-brown with black speckles, and the back, sides, and flanks are vermiculated gray, separated from the chest by a white bar. The wing coverts are brownish-gray with a green speculum. The bill is dark slate and the legs and feet are dark gray. Male has a distinctive high-pitched "preep-preep." Female green-winged teal are mottled brown with a dark brown line that extends from the bill through the eye. The bill is dark gray and the legs and feet are olive-gray to brownish-gray. Relatively silent but has a sharp, high "quack" when flushed.

Good advice

y Wade Bourne, from Ducks Unlimited Magazine July / August 2003 Issue

The overgrown boat trail led to who-knows-where, but I was determined to find out.

I nosed my boat into the small opening in the reeds. It was barely wide enough to slide through. The ditch ran straight into the cover some 30 yards, then it took a curving bend to the right. I jockeyed the throttle on my Go-Devil motor, powering over the shallow muck and decaying vegetation. Sawgrass fronds grew over the trail and brushed at my face and cap as I ran beneath them.

I plowed deeper into the cover—a hundred yards, then two hundred. The farther I went, the greater my anxiety became. If the trail dead-ended, I'd be in a jam. I'd have to push-pole my boat out backwards. There had been no place to turn it around. Still, I was resolute to motor as far as I could to see where the trail led.

Suddenly it opened into a pothole about a half-acre in size, and there was no blind on it. I was elated. This spot was open to whichever hunter got here first. I'd watched ducks work this area for several seasons. Now, when opening day arrived, I'd have another option for tossing out some decoys and trying to pull in a few birds.

I love scouting for new spots. It's almost as much fun as actually hunting (but not quite). Scouting is like looking for treasure and anticipating the pleasures it could bring.

More to the point, I scout both before the season for new places and during the season to learn where ducks are working. I call this long-term and short-term scouting, and this reconnaissance is crucial to my hunting success. If the duck supply dries up in a given area, I can usually find a fresh one somewhere else and move there in short order.

Hunters who would enjoy some new scenery, who are tired of empty skies, or who are frustrated by competition on crowded public areas should take matters into their own hands. They should resolve to uncover several new spots before the season opens. By changing their landscape, they might change their luck. They should also scout continuously while hunting is going on to stay in the action. Hunters who move when the birds do enjoy more consistent gunning.

Don't forget

Regular season starts this Thursday

The best Dog ever.
I will miss her terribly.
Goodbye Abigail.

Remember when?

Know thy enemy.

The American Widgeon is often found feeding with diving ducks such as the Redhead, Scaup, and Canvasback, who are adept at rooting up vegetation from deep in the water. The American Widgeon often feeds by snatching these underwater greens away from the diving ducks as they surface. The American Widgeon is more restless than most ducks, and is quick to sense trouble and will launch itself into the air with a flurry of alarm calls and beating wings, thus alerting the less suspicious diving ducks around it of the existing danger.

Are we ready?

Many of you remember the famous Jiggitty Jeff from his emissary work on golf courses nationwide. The current rumor is that Jiggitty will be here for a visit in the near future and will bring his message of harmony and peace to our little neck of the woods. We can only wonder what kind of new phrases and people skills we will learn this time around.
GBCH

Why isn't this on TV?

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network)- Unlike 1900 when actual live pigeons were executed for the thrill of sport and competition, clay pigeons are again on the menu when marksmen and markswomen compete in 15 events in shooting in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The events are split into three different areas (rifle, pistol and shotgun), with men having one additional event in each discipline. Both men and women will compete in 50m rifle 3-position and 10m air rifle events, with the men adding 50m rifle prone to their plate. In pistol shooting both sexes take aim in 10m air pistol, while women add 25m pistol to their slate. The men contend in 50m pistol and 25m rapid fire pistol as well.

Men and women try to remain steady in the shotgun which includes trap and skeet, with the males getting more adventurous with a double trap as well. The shotgun events are the ones that include the clay targets, which are sent flying at the shooter's command.

In both the rifle and pistol events 10-ring targets are utilized, with a number of the individual rounds having their own unique set of rules which shooters must follow in order to score points.

It should come as little surprise that the United States has had the most success in shooting over the years, the nation's 49 gold medals alone almost as many as the total number of medals (57) logged by the Soviet Union/USSR.

U.S. Women have more gold medals (six) than any other nation, but are still second behind this year's host country in terms of overall medals, with China laying claim to 13.

Rarely does an Olympic competitor have trouble getting his/her equipment over to the host country, but it wasn't until the end of June that U.S. marksmen learned they'd be permitted to bring their own firearms with them to Beijing. President Bush cleared the way for shooters to bring their own guns over to the Olympics with barely a month remaining before departure.

who is the pretty one born August 10th ?

Also born August 10th 1967

Riddick Bowe, former heavyweight champ.
Not Co-founder of the HOY7 hunting team.

Old Friends

Is this possible?

Could it be? Can it be true?

For the first time this season Fred G. has beat Bob at the game of golf.

He also took $5 in skins too, WTF.

Did I mention I have a new ride?

Remember when.......

News Break

BY CHRIS YOUNG
Those without a duck hunter in the family might think of the phrase “wait until next year” as the sole property of fans who follow struggling sports teams.

But hope springs eternal for diehard waterfowl hunters, too. No matter how disappointing the hunting may have been in the past, a new year is cause for hope and optimism.

Helping fan a hunter’s enthusiasm — or worry — are the numbers published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service each summer concerning duck populations and habitat conditions.
During May and early June, biologists fly over the primary duck breeding grounds in the north-central United States and Canada to estimate the number of wetlands available. They also estimate the number of ducks using these areas. They’ll take those numbers into account later this summer, when meetings are held to establish season lengths and bag limits.

The Fish and Wildlife Service estimates total duck populations at 37.3 million breeding ducks, down 9 percent from last year’s estimate of 41.2 million. But this year’s number still is 11 percent above the long-term average taken from 1955 to 2007.

Ducks that improved in abundance over last year:
Green-winged teal improved slightly from 2.890 million last year to 2.980 million in 2008, an increase of 3 percent and 57 percent above the long-term average.
Redheads increased 5 percent from 1.009 to 1.056 million. That’s 66 percent above the long-term average.
Scaup, always of concern to biologists because of precipitous drops in numbers over the years, increased 8 percent from 3.452 to 3.738 million. Scaup numbers remain 27 percent below the long-term average.

How about a nice campfire?

George W. Bushisms

" For every fatal shooting, there were roughly three non-fatal shootings.

And, folks. this is unacceptable in America. It's just unacceptable.

And we're going to do something about it."

-Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; May 14 2001

Know thy enemy

The Pintail or Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) is a widely-occurring duck which breeds in the northern areas of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory and winters south of its breeding range to the equator. Unusually for a bird with such a large range, it has no geographical subspecies if the possibly conspecific Eaton's Pintail is considered to be a separate species.
This is a fairly large duck, with a long pointed tail that gives rise to the species' English and scientific names. The male has a very distinctive brown, grey and white appearance, whereas the female has mainly light brown plumage and a shorter tail. The male's call is a mellow whistle, whereas the female quacks like a Mallard.
The Northern Pintail is a bird of open wetlands which nests on the ground, often some distance from water. It feeds by dabbling for plant food and adds small invertebrates to its diet during the nesting season. It is highly gregarious when not breeding, forming large mixed flocks with other species of duck.
This duck's population is affected by predators, parasites and avian diseases. Human activities, such as agriculture, hunting and fishing, have also had a significant impact on numbers. Nevertheless, this species' huge range and large population mean that it is not threatened globally.

My new whip.

Today the kids call it a "whip".

I guess a "car" is not that hip.

The top goes down and it is "steezin".

That means "cool" if it's pleasing.

There's nothing like a good truck.

Unfortunately this wasn't one. It's sold now so stay tuned for the "next great vehicle."

goodbye old paint!