I am convinced that the world is not a mere bog in which men and women trample themselves and die. Something magnificent is taking place here amidst the cruelties and tragedies, and the supreme challenge to intelligence is that of making the noblest and best in our curious heritage prevail.

C.A. Beard

I never dreamed that slowly cruising on my motorcycle through a residential neighborhood could be so incredibly dangerous! I was on Brice Street – a very nice neighborhood with perfect lawns and slow traffic. As I passed an oncoming car, a brown furry missile shot out from under it and tumbled to a stop immediately in front of me.

It was a squirrel, and must have been trying to run across the road when it encountered the car. I really was not going very fast, but there was no time to brake or avoid it — it was that close. I hate to run over animals, and I really hate it on a motorcycle, but a squirrel should pose no danger to me. I barely had time to brace for the impact. Animal lovers, never fear. Squirrels, I discovered, can take care of themselves!

Inches before impact, the squirrel flipped to his feet. He was standing on his hind legs and facing my oncoming Valkyrie with steadfast resolve in his beady little eyes. His mouth opened, and at the last possible second, he screamed and leapt! I am pretty sure the scream was squirrel for, ‘Banzai!’ or maybe, ‘Die you gravy-sucking, heathen scum!’ The leap was nothing short of spectacular…

He shot straight up, flew over my windshield, and impacted me squarely in the chest. Instantly, he set upon me. If I did not know better, I would have sworn he brought 20 of his little buddies along for the attack.

Snarling, hissing, and tearing at my clothes, he was a frenzy of activity. As I was dressed only in a light T-shirt, summer riding gloves, and jeans this was a bit of a cause for concern. This furry little tornado was doing some damage!

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Garland was able to stay for a few days this summer, and we wanted to go canoeing. However, the forecast was for HOT weather, and so we looked for alternatives to camping in the HOT. We checked into lodging near Bennett Spring and found the Sand Spring Resort. For a reasonable price, we got a nice air conditioned room to sleep in that was close to fishing and canoeing! We fished on Monday, canoed the Niangua on Tuesday, and fished again on Wednesday. It was a great vacation! Click here for more photos.

An East Texas fisherman was stopped by a game warden in East Texas near the Sabine River recently with two ice chests of fish, leaving a river well known for its fishing.

The game warden asked the man, “Do you have a license to catch those fish?”

“Naw, my friend, I ain’t got no license. These here are my pet fish.”

“Pet fish?”

“Yep. Every night I take these fish down to the river and let ‘em swim around for a while. Then I whistle and they jump right back into this ice chest and I take ‘em home to Pritchett.”

“That’s a bunch of BS! Fish can’t do that!”

The fisherman looked at the game warden for a moment and then said, “It’s the truth. I’ll show you. It really works.”

“Okay, I’ve GOT to see this!”

The fisherman poured the fish into the river and stood and waited.

After several minutes, the game warden turned to him and said, “Well?”

“Well, what?” said the fisherman

“When are you going to call them back?”

“Call who back?”

“The FISH!”

“What fish?”

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A game warden heard about a local fisherman that was illegally using dynamite to fish at the local lake. So the next day he decided to investigate and maybe catch the fisherman in the act. At about 6 a.m. he arrived at pier dressed as a fisherman himself and noticed a gentleman climbing into a small boat with a tackle box but no fishing pole.

Thinking that this must be the culprit, he asks if he might join the fisherman and come along for the ride. “Sure” says the angler “I could use the company. It’ll be nice to have someone to talk to while I’m fishing”.

So the game warden climbs aboard and off they row to the middle of the lake. As soon as they reach the middle the fisherman reaches into his tackle box and pulls out a stick of dynamite, lights it and tosses it overboard… CABOOOM!! up float a bunch of dead fish which the fisherman scoops up into the boat.

The game warden pulls out his badge and identifies himself. “I’m the game warden and you’re under arrest for fishing with dynamite!”

About this time the old fisherman lights another stick of dynamite, hands it to the game warden and says, “You gonna talk or fish?”

This is my submission for the e-photo, capturing the essence of the fair. I concentrated a little too hard on getting a good Elvis photo, and maybe didn’t do as good on this one as I should have. I do like the reflection of the fair in the tuba though.

Many of you might recognize the “body double” model I chose for my “Elvis at the Fair” photo? The background was good of the carnival, though maybe some more people milling about might have helped? There weren’t many people at the fair for the first couple of hours after we got there.

Postscript: I won first place with the Elvis photo, though it appears there were only two entries, and the other wasn’t very good. I didn’t place with the essence of the fair photo.

We had a great day at the fair yesterday, and, of course, our first stop was to see how my photos did! I got third place with this photo of the old fence and saying. I think I got spoiled that one year I had three photos place! Maybe other photographers only place one or two at a show? In comparison with the photos which placed, I do feel mine were good, so I did my part to help put on a good photography show. But, there still are the two contests for photos you take at the fair opening day (yesterday), the essence of the fair photo and “Elvis at the fair.” I did get some good photos and will be choosing which to send in for those two contests. Watch this blog for those entries and how they do!

It seems like just yesterday Jessica and John were babies, and here we had a party with their kids. Time sure does fly by doesn’t it?

Bryce is having two birthday parties today, one breakfast party with girlfriends and his cousin, and then one tonight with more relatives and his daddy!

Bryce blew out the candle on his birthday pancake at his first party.

The kids ate outside so the syrup and OJ spills were not a problem!

Here I am with my four wonderful grandkids!

The group shot of the morning birthday party.

Following are the photos I’ve entered in the Ozark Empire Fair this year. Results will be posted on the OEF web page on Thursday morning July 24 (the fair starts Friday). Then I’ll also be participating in the e-photo and “Elvis at the Fair” contests like I did last year. They will be from photos I will take at the first day of the fair and submit by email.

Class 103, Land of the Free digitally manipulated. The photo of the Boy Scout was from a statue in Independence, Kansas, the the fireworks shot was from the Stockton Fireworks show on July 5. The text reads “From every mountain side, let freedom ring. —Samuel F. Smith, “America”

Class 303, Animals, Birds, fish, insects, reptiles. I shot this Tufted Titmouse out of our living room window in January when they came close to eat from the feeder.

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Jessica and kids and Terese and her kids came out for the second year of our new traditional “Ladies Fireworks at the Farm.”

Here’s the kids enjoying the frydaddy dinner and Terese playing will Emma.

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After my practice run taking fireworks photos Friday night, I managed to get some pretty good photos of the fireworks display at Stockton tonight. Click here to see the photos.

Here’s where they were setting up to set off the fireworks.

We had a great dinner on Polk County Cattlemen’s steak sandwich at the “walk of food” before the fireworks.

Here we are holding down our spots to view the fireworks. Our church lawn is a great viewing spot and then we have a good place to park too!

We got to watch other folks set off their fireworks and smoke bombs while waiting for the show.

Emma Lou at her first Fourth of July Celebration. She nursed/slept through it all without a fuss.

Andy, Jessica, and Emma

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