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Growing up my dad and brothers loved to go fishing. We would gather up a bunch of worms, get a few cans of corn, load up a bunch of fishing poles and go to a creek, a pond, the beach or anywhere we could wet a hook. We did it for sport and rarely ever had to keep anything we caught, we used the proper equipment to be able to catch and release. Just as many of my friends hunted with their dads, we instead choose to fish. We fished in the fall and spring mostly when the weather was good and it wasn't so hot or cold. One main life lesson I learned from my good old dad was patience. I remember going to a pond and my dad would bait his hook, cast the line in and just sit and wait. Sometimes for hours until something bit the line, took off and bent that pole. He might reel it in on occasion to check the bait and make sure it was still good since the little "bait stealers" which are small fish that just nip at the bait until it falls off would eventually leave you with an

I love to go camping in the North Carolina mountains with my family.  My old roommate from college and I used to go every summer in June for a weekend of camping, trout fishing, grilling good food and chilling out with a few cold ones in hand.  Camping is not for everyone and there are different ideas of camping according to who you ask.  My version of camping is a tent, some food, some fire wood, what supplies you need and go find a nice spot on a rushing creek (helps you sleep so good at night) set up and enjoy a few days and nights in the woods getting back to nature.  I have a favorite little spot called Mortimer campground.   It is open only during the spring and fall seasons in the NC mountains on the Wilson Creek Gorge.  If you are ever in NC go see that place it is awesome and has some really good water, great pictures, swimming and fishing. My wife and I plan a trip out west this summer to go enjoy nature and see some mountain parks, rivers, animals and whatever else gets thro

I am borrowing todays blog post idea from a friend that posted a picture online today about men and pocket knives.  Looking back I think about my first pocket knife my dad gave me when I was just a wee little fella back in the 1970's.  It was one of his older model "Old Timers" and a pocket knife I still have in my collection of hundreds today.  It is worn, tattered and rough looking, but it is sharp and will lay your skin open really quickly if mishandled.  My brothers and I have knives that belonged to our granddads, dad and uncles and we cherish those finely crafted pieces of wood and steel.  They are priceless to us and we wouldn't take anything for them.   You see a pocket knife is a right of passage for young boys and merging young men.  To be given a pocket knife is a like a ticket to responsibility, one that has to be taken very seriously and with caution.  I have had my fair share of cuts from whittling on wood, carving my name into a tree or just simply doin

 Today I am continuing my series of stories about my family and today I am focusing on a true and hopefully funny story about my Dad.  Please enjoy and share! Lady Speeding, Rookie Cop, Got to Go Right Now Dad told us a story about a woman that was speeding one day. He was new to the police force and had just been let loose as a patrol officer.  He was patrolling a major road in town and a lady drove by him going 55 in a 35.  He instantly turned his car around and turned on his blue lights in hot pursuit of the speed demon flying down the road.  He got behind this lady and flashed his lights in an attempt to stop her.  She kept going and actually sped up so he wasn't quite sure what to do as a new cop, so he called it in.  They told him to continue pursuit and follow her, stay in radio contact and help was on the way to assist him. He stayed in pursuit for several blocks and the woman suddenly pulled over slamming on her brakes to stop making him almost hit her car.  He swerved to

Right After Church- When I was a kid growing up we would all go to church on Sunday and then head straight over to my Grandma Smiths house and spend all afternoon eating lunch, playing outside, watching football and fellowshipping with family and friends.  When I say family and friends, I mean the entire extended family of at least 20-30 people.  My grandparents were not rich so I do not know how they fed all of us every week like that.  We did have some great fresh garden veggies, potatoes and corn that was grown on the property.  It was the coolest place to go and spend time growing up.  We had all the outdoor activity a child or teenager needed.   Summertime Fun And Sports- Summer time was my favorite season as the grass was nice and green and much softer to land on when your cousins and brothers piled on top of you playing tackle football.  Of course, we played with no pads and you got busted up good on most Sundays.  We played every sport you can think of, football, soccer, softba