The Hog Blog

So today was Father’s Day.

Me?  I’m 3000 miles from my daughter, who, by all accounts, had a great day.  …And that’s really all I’d ever want for her.  I’ve said it before and I mean it as much now as then, she’s the best father’s day gift I could ever dream of…

OK, not to be a downer, but let’s keep in mind what this holiday means. Our men and women are still fighting and dying on foreign soil, and their families and loved ones are fighting their own battles here at home. Let’s save a place for them in our thoughts.

Pop, fizz…  and that’s about it.  2o09 is behind us.  The Christmas tree is on the fire pile, wrapping paper is in the bin, and the champagne bottle is empty (metaphorically… we didn’t even have champagne last night).  I expect there’s firecracker paper to be cleaned up somewhere, but our neighborhood was amazingly quiet last night… for a change. 

Out with the old, in with the new, should auld acquaintance, and all of that…  it’s 2010, and right this minute I’m not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing.  But it’s a fact, regardless. 

Happy New Year to all, and to all a good morning.

I like my little pig truck, Petunia.  I’ve put a lot of money and work into her, and I guess that hasn’t gone unrecognized.  When I opened up my Christmas gifts this morning, there was a whole pile of stuff for the little Samurai. 

Kat’s son, Justin, hooked me up with a nice set of camo seat covers, and a matching steering wheel cover.  (I tried a photo, but it just doesn’t show up all that well.)  The seat covers were pretty badly needed.  Kat’s mom bought her a new bikini top, to replace the one that’s on her now, before the tiny holes get any bigger.

 Then there was this fairly small box, marked with a U.S. Customs stamp.  What the heck?  I opened it slowly, carefully, feeling the weight.  It was well wrapped, and took a few moments to get to it.  Then it fell out into my hand…  

It’s a chrome boar, hood ornament! 

Pretty cool, huh?  I sure thought so!

It’s here!  Santa has come and gone, bright eyed kids are bouncing off the walls, and the eastern sky is lit, not by the rising sun but by the flood of smiles coming across the country! 

Anyway, wanted to share this Christmas song with all my blog friends.  It’s something I wrote a while back, but finally, thanks to Michael Riddle for the use of his new studio, I was able to actually record it.  Ignore the video… maybe next year I’ll have the time to put together a real video for it….

I doubt many of you are sitting around your computers, browsing blogs right now… but if you are, here’s a clip from one of my all-time favorite television programs, Northern Exposure. 

Enjoy… if only for the beauty of the moment.  And if you get more out of it than that, that’s even more better.

Merry Christmas Hog Blog readers, and thank you all for dropping in from time to time.

Well, here we are.  It’s Christmas Eve, a big night for kids and grown-ups alike all over the world.  The celebrations vary, but the hopes and dreams of every celebrant… Christian, pagan, or whatever else, are pretty much the same.  “On earth peace, and goodwill toward men!”

Of course, it doesn’t mean exactly the same thing to everyone.

So wherever you are, whatever you celebrate (or don’t celebrate), I offer you my sincerest merry Christmas. 

Buon Natale! 

Feliz Navidad! 

Fröhliche Weihnachten! 

Krismasi njema!

Etc. etc.

Oh yeah!  We don’t need sparkly lights and fancy malls to get some Christmas spirit!

Some folks like the summertime… 

Enjoy a little Bill Monroe, even if there’s no snow where you are!

Most years, like the majority of bloggers out there, I try to do a post or two about gift ideas.  I’ve already written a bit about the Guide’s Guide to Hunting video series, and about the foneGEAR phone and camera cases.   But I haven’t really had a chance to review much gear this season, although I did just see this on one of the hunting shows today and think it’d be perfect for Petunia!

So anyway, instead of my own list (which may still be forthcoming) I thought I’d share what a couple of my blogger friends listed:

First of all, Holly had a pretty good list over at her NorCal Cazadora site.  Of course a featured item on her list (for women hunters) is the Cazadora wader, from Cabela”s… named, of course, for none other than our own Holly.

But while Holly’s list is good, I have to say my vote for best Christmas giving guide goes to John, over at Western Wanderer.    John’s list gets right down to what’s important, particularly if you have kids on your list.  Check it out!