Redfield Road harbingers

The first "real" harbingers of spring for folks out here on the Redfield Road have arrived. The yard is full of orange-breasted robins. I assume they're making their way north from wintering days in Mexico. I know I can always tell when autumn is just around the corner, too, when these same birds fill the yard on their southward trek.

Seeing these birds brings back my memory of Mack. I was 10 years old or thereabouts and was patrolling our back yard with my trusty bb gun. I didn't mean any harm, but I aimed at one of the big robins and fired away. The bird tumbled over and I ran to pick him up. I could see a crease across his head where the feathers were gone, a sure sign my copper bullet had grazed his head. He was dazed, but otherwise looking okay.

I picked him up and took him to mother, of course. She cradled him in her hands and rubbed him and he started to come around. We kept him in the house for several days and provided the best of care, hoping he would be all right. Seems like I remember we let him sit in a shoe box. After several days, I took him back outside and he hopped away. I'm not sure if he was unable to fly, but he got his bearings and hopped away into the weedpatch over by Si and Beulah's. I said, "Goodbye Mack." I had named him Mack after Mac McKenzie, our bald-headed school superintendent.

A year later, I was back out in the yard, with my BB gun, and aiming away again. To my surprise, I looked at the robins and there he was, the familiar streaked head, Mack. He was back and hopping like mad. It was good to see him and I was so excited. I yelled at him and I swear he looked back at me. Looked back as he flew away. He had learned the hard way not to hop slowly when there was a country boy doofus with a gun. I hope he lived a good life and I hope his head didn't get cold when he flew into the colder climates.

Other big news is I picked up my two big largemouth bass from the taxidermist. A ten-and-a-half pounder and a nine-and-a-half-pounder. I caught them October 30, 2007, while fishing with my brother-in-law J Boyd. On back-to-back throws with a BooYah black spinner bait. They were huge in the water and actually pulled our boat around. I turn big ones like this loose, but I kept these because I knew my chances of ever catching their equal was slim and I wanted them on my wall. They sure are pretty and they dwarf my other two mounts from the early 70s, the ones weighing just under 8 pounds. I love bass fishing and I honestly think I would go every day if I could. And I'm going more and more now that I'm officially retired and I love it. Caught some dandies last week and earlier this week.

Grandson came down and we played in the pretty snow. We got about 5 to 6 inches here and it was a pretty wet snow, easy for making snowmen. I hooked up the sled and pulled him around the north 40 behind my 4-wheeler. Ultimate rednecking in the white stuff and he loved it. The photos are amazing and if you who know his parents you can hook up on the internet and look at the boy's photos. He's quite the camera hog. It was a great day and one I'll always remember, seeing him laughing and yelling as I pulled him thru the snow. It was weird to see the snow melt as the green grass emerged. Usually, the grass under the snow is brown.

Gotta run. Hogs play Vandy this afternoon in the SEC cage tourney. We have a good chance of winning, but I figure we're in the big dance regardless. Ole Miss and Florida went down in the first round and they could have "bubbled" the Hogs out, but I think we're assured a big dance ticket now. And me and Peanut have tickets to the big games at Alltel next weekend...boy that will be fun. She loves basketball as much as I do. Looks like Tennessee and perhaps Kentucky will be in the Arkansas tournament...and maybe the Hogs. Wouldn't that be something?

So that's my news. Not too exciting. The big news around here is our police chief being implicated in an FBI probe. Lots of rumors flying around the Redfield Road area about possible bad cops. It'll all come to light soon and I hope it ain't as bad as some folks 'spect. I hate it when people get themselves all in a mess.

That's all for this time, til next time, thanks for your time.