As a boy growing up on the Fox River in Illinois my father taught me that all one needed to survive in the wild existed in plenty if one knew where to look.
There were mulberries, strawberries and raspberries, walnuts and butternuts. Wild asparagus was Growing there as was watercress, gooseberries and wild grapes.
Pheasant, duck and [...]

Years pass, memories fade, old news clippings turn yellow and hair either turns white or falls out, such is life.
It has been many years ago but it is permanently etched into my memory.
I was preparing to transport an African spotted leopard to another location when quite suddenly I found myself flat on my back with [...]

I am somewhat remiss for having left out this portion of Killer’s tale, please forgive my remissiveness. 
We mustn’t dismiss this tragic tale of woe without regaling and beguiling you with one more of our misadventures with my faithful ‘coon hound, “Killer” otherwise, A.K.A. “Ol’ Pisser.”
Oh yes, I feel somewhat obligated to honor a fellow, or is it that, [...]

Well, as you remember, last time we had about given up on ever finding “Killer.” Dootsie Bobo and I agreed that some other unscrupulous hunter had stolen my new, “double pedigreed” ‘coon hound and we were on the way home.  We would resume the search on the next day.
The dog pee on Dootsie Bobo’s trouser [...]

I was about fifteen years old when I bought my first hunting dog.                 
 
When dealing with a veteran horse trader or a dog dealer there are certain things that you should never forget, at least if you possess half the intelligence of a retarded Monkey.  
 
I forgot that Old Ed was both a horse [...]

As dogs go Lucky was unique.
One of his traits was his gentle, laid back character, sort of a cross between a manic crocodile and a T-Rex on uppers.
Lucky would challenge all comers and fight at the drop of a hat but his sweet disposition, though endearing was not his most attractive characteristic.
What really set Lucky [...]

I stood and stared in awe.
I was just a little boy when my father took me to the cathedral that very first time and I stood there and looked up in great wonderment.
Over my head massive timbers reached out from the apex in all directions. The central pillar, a grand and ancient monolithic support to [...]

I don’t like the city. Cities are cold and heartless.
I have never been mugged in a city but I have been embarrassed. The next worst thing to being mugged is to be embarrassed.
In my full and eventful life I have had a couple of city embarrassments that came very close to being fatal. (Whoever originated [...]

Dootsie Bobo was my very best friend. One day I stopped by his house to see what he was doing and when I opened the kitchen door I was immediately alarmed! There, on the table, in plain sight, was a great big plate of still warm, fresh baked, oatmeal cookies! The alarming thing was, THE [...]

DEAD RATS AND TACKLE BOXES
It is Monday morning and I decide to call my wife to find out how things are going on the home front. I am greeted with the news that we have suffered what can only be a death.
I listen sympathetically as my sweetie tells me that she thinks something has crawled [...]