It's a Girl!

September 23, 2014 - This afternoon, we headed to my Aunt & Uncle’s to learn what the gender of our newest cousin would be…

“It’s a…Girl!”

 

Well, I’m officially 0 for 2 on baby predictions…when mathematically I should be 50%!

 

 

Gwen, the soon-to-be big sister finds out:

 

 

 

 

 

Exciting stuff!

 

After a slew of grandsons, (initiated by yours truly) - this will actually be the first baby girl born into the family in 17 years.

 

 

GTC Photo Featured on HunterEdCourse.com

Last week I was asked if one of our photos could be used by HunterEdCourse.com and this past weekend it was featured on their website blog and sent out to their newsletter subscribers:

You can check out the blog post here: Squirrel Hunting Tips for First Hunt After Hunter Education

While you’re on their website, check out their web course that will help you prepare for and earn your hunter’s education test completion certificate.

 

This photo was taken on a squirrel hunt while visiting friends in Southern Missouri:

Original Post >

 

Many thanks to the guys at HunterEdCourse.com for using our photo!

D-Day @ Imax, #SherlockLives, King Louis

August 29, 2014 – This afternoon we met friends at the St. Louis Science Center to watch a film on D-Day in the enormous Imax theatre.

 

 

 

 

 

The film was amazing and I would highly recommend it.  It offered a big picture perspective of the planning, execution, and strategic importance of D-Day.  The motion graphics and aerial footage in and around Normandy was absolutely breathtaking on the screen of the Imax:

 

 

 

 

 

Mark your calendars!  A Sherlock Holmes exhibit will be coming to the Science Center this fall, and we’re definitely planning on going!

 

 

Most of our family are fans of Sherlock after reading the Doyle’s books and seeing the stories portrayed on television from Ronald Howard, Basil Rathbone, Jeremy Brett, and Benedict Cumberbatch.

 

 

The Game is On!
(Spotify & YouTube)

 

 

This red telephone booth is a reference to the iconic booth near St. Bart’s Hospital where Sherlock Holmes staged his death in the “Sherlock” BBC TV Series.  The real telephone booth at St. Bart’s has become a landmark for Sherlock fans and messages are posted on the phone booth all the time.

 

 

Following the film, we had a picnic in Forest Park:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Butchering

August 18, 2014 - We headed down to a friend’s farm to help them butcher their chickens.  Despite a late night friends (almost) everybody was up and ready to go when we arrived.

Hustle and bustle ensued as prepared the butchering area and loaded the first batch of chickens.

 

This is one of those rare candid shots that actually turns out being awesome.

Yes, that’s a cell phone in Matthew’s mouth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to pick up the chickens

 

 

Surfing?  Cue: “Wipeout”

 

[YouTube Link]

 

Chickens are picked indiscriminately and with eyes closed

 

 

They’re not always happy to go

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that they’re planning an escape…Chicken Run style:

[YouTube link]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reinforcements arrive

 

 

Time to prep the butchering area

 

 

 

Reminiscent of drawings I’ve seen from the inquisition era

 

 

Readying the apron

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody was placed at different “stations’' so we could get organized, otherwise we’d be running around like chickens with their…wait, bad metaphor.

 

 

Crash course lesson on chicken preparation

 

 

 

 

No wonder she’s nicknamed “The Beast!”

 

 

 

“Heyyyyyy…”

 

 

 

 

 

 

United Chicken Butchers Association Local #386

 

 

 

 

 

Melanie wanted to try butchering the chickens, and the proof can be found in these GRAPHIC images:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwB8zq1bnaK1dGp4tnJJZ8IK1KX6V_GlSl15rOOhWVEK74UrteZT9KIN1nlSzry6Tcw2i4MsxY3T313BQLRvlr87B4gP9dOrXJ0eaHlxJ19wV_j3iRQGvk7HV_5_B-dcDiqXP7Clbokjk/s1600/IMG_1915.JPG

 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbHoWMkhpX-HAPA4y0sJfOanY2qN4u2ODsI1Q_Yui1f1tjzQ0qYS0rtO4Qv6_ZmoNlzpp2wvbz1gpoWisj4yut0VQcbkzmg6ym2zzt6uIxoDnumcdUGgLNbdyxaWzMJJC0ljx0tXX9z6k/s1600/IMG_1916.JPG

 

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLfGy-g9P7meiKsH-66CaelM1L47S_pWNEgGR38sBRBzOOSbBYGaYRFSn7NRSFZjBMNLGIUGEXvAOt9iSGMbLd5hR3Kx0D3hMMjYmKQWlD9mS6XaGR-E6qFoK-ICuusHj91Phq9vLsrFk/s1600/IMG_1922.JPG

 

 

 

 

Weighing and bagging the chickens:

 

 

 

 

Looks like someone found my camera!

Yes, even though you rarely see me, I’m usually present at the events that I take photos of.

 

 

 

Because it’s not every day that you have a saw mill in the background:

 

 

 

 

Before you ask…yes, my family and I had chicken for dinner.