Merry Christmas

Best wishes to everyone this Christmas Season. Xavier

Christmas Bows

I just finished up a bow for one of my brothers and helped a friend make a couple of bows for his two boys. One is Osage Orange, one is Black Locust and the other is Oak with sinew on the back. Only one of them will be used for hunting. The other two will more than likely be used for plinking at targets and rotten stumps.
An old tradition for archers is to shoot an arrow at the moon on new years eve. Is supposed to bring good luck for the coming year. I wonder how far back that tradition goes. X.

Vererans Helping Veterans

I belong to 'Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association'. Our main event every year is visiting the Veterans in our area who are in the nursing homes. We thank them for their service to our country, wish them a Merry Christmas, and give them a few gifts. It usually touches my heart to see the joy we bring to these old warriors. Most of our year is spent in fund raisers so that we can finance this event. We also receive donations from individuals and businesses in northeast Missouri. X.

Eagle time again

Every year about this time the eagles show up to pick the bones of what remains of discarded animal carcases. X.

South Shelby wins Semi-final game

All I can say is unbelievable. Great year for this South Shelby Cardinals football team. They play Valle Catholic next saturday in the Rams stadium in St. Louis for the Missouri Class One Championship. Go Cardinals!!!!! X.

In the playoffs again!

I combined a couple of my passions last night. Photography and watching our South Shelby Cardinals highschool football team. They have been a parrenial power in class 1 football here in Missouri. They are in the playoffs again this year and won thier first game last night 39 to 8 against the Knox County Eagles. They play again monday night against a team we defeated earlier this year. We have struggled with all kinds of injuries this year and many people didn't think we would advance this far. X.

"You Are What You Eat"(M&Metaphorically)

You've heard the saying "You are what you eat"
If that's the case, I must be a chocolate covered peanut.
Stop looking at me that way.
I know what your thinking.
You want to devour me, right.
So, the only reason you like me is, you have a sweet tooth?
Whether you happen to be a crisp green salad, a twice baked potatoe with everything on top, a fresh garden tomato or a juicy steak, you may be wondering what is the point of this post.
Try to see some humor in the hand you are dealt.
It helps to lighten the load.
Eat as much humor as you can.
Steven X. White A.K.A. "Bob", "Bogaman", "Xavier", "X." but most recently "M&M"

The Natural State

I get tickled at some people. They think that hamburger and other meat products grow on trees or something. It's dumbfounding that there are people out there in our day and age, that don't know that the things you buy in a grocery store come from animals.
I guess that they have gotten so far into the concrete and cyber jungle, they have lost touch with reality.
Mankind has been a hunter and gatherer for hundreds of thousands of years. Possibly millions. Even before modern man, I am sure we were out there in the natural state. Those millenium will not be erased in the blink of an eye. Though at times now it seems to be happening.
Even with my country boy lifestyle I stray away for a while and have to get back out there in the natural state. My favorite way to do that is bow hunting. Ninety nine per cent of the time I spend out there I am soaking up nature and all its wonders. It's like meditation for me. A true spiritual experience. I can identify with the native americans reverence for the the natural state. Everything fits like a magical puzzle. And man is very much a peice in that puzzle. He belongs there as much as the oak tree and the fox. Many try to demonize the hunter. It is they who have lost touch with reality not the hunter. I feel sorry for them, truly I do. X.

Montana to Missouri Down the Mighty MO

Just Paddlin His Life Away

My Cousin, Kim Buckman, has been on a journey for the past three months. He started at Great Falls Montana the first part of August on a trip down the Mighty Missouri. His younger brother Keith will be picking him up in the St. Louis area this weekend. Kim initailly wanted to go clear to the gulf, but the time he has off work only allows him to go to the gateway city. He is traveling with his two Labs who you can see seated in front of him. He has stuck to basics using only paddles and a makeshift sail. Has had to travel thru several large impondments in the states of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The flooding this spring caused a number of surprises for him as some of the marinas he was counting on for supplies were closed due to damages. His boat was swamped in a storm early on and he lost some of his equiptment. Has met a kayaker on the way who was making the same journey. X.

I'm Back!

Sorry for my tardiness. Been occupied with other activities this fall. X

People @ Sturgis part 2

At the bottom in grey sweatshirt: Grandma on a bike.
Above grandma, Wild Bill Hickock comes back to life.
When I showed a friend the picture of the bald guy with the tufft of hair in the back I said, "when you give a kid to many knuckle rubs, this is what he looks like when he gets older".
I was to slow on the camera trigger when the guy walked by with the cane. The front of his t-shirt said, "If you don't limp, you ain't a biker". I can understand that one. Have a steel plate in my left leg to prove it.
I think the lady at the top may be an air head. X.

People @ Sturgis

Starting at the bottom going up:
An exhibitionist.
Old dude, Old Harley.
I think these guys mean business.
A poser.
Cute couple.
Every biker has had a ponytail at one time or another.

X.

Sturgis 2011

Gi Gi and I just returned from Sturgis. We went with a couple we know. I rode my trike and Gi Gi rode with them in a 5th wheel toy hauler.
The weather was great, 80's in the day time and 50's at night. Didn't need to run the air conditioner. Also none of that miserable Missouri humidity.
One of my favorite things to do is look at the custom bikes which are entered in the competitions. I'm old school, so that is the kind I like the best. It seems like the bikes get wilder and crazier each year. My favorite this year was the one above with "Betty" on it.
We took several road trips. One to Devils Tower. Take it every time I go because I like the scenery so much. Also went south to Rushmore and back thru Deadwood. Rained and sleeted on that trip. I don't think I have been to Deadwood when it didn't at least rain.
I converted my Ultra Classic Harley to a trike. Some of us ol guys need more stability :(
That's me and Samie headed home at the top. X.

P.S. I will be adding more photos in the following days

Oklahoma Heat Wave!

Like a lot of folks around the country we've been dealing with unbearable heat for the past 3 weeks. Reminds me of the summers back when I was a kid that I spent at my aunts in Kingfisher Oklahoma. They have some hot summers down there as a general rule.
Our gardens have suffered but some things are hanging in there. I've been using water I catch from the roofs of my shop to save what I can. Most of the vine crops have died. So it looks like i won't be having an over abundance of squash this year. We'll be lucky if we can salvage a dozen or so. We have rain in the forcast for the weekend. I've got my fingers crossed.
I took the picture of the water tank about a month ago, when it was full, it's down close to the bottom now. X.

Diamondback Osage Recurve

I've had a couple of diamondback snake skins for several years. Decided to put them on this bow. They help camoflage the bow and I think they look great.
I made this a left handed bow. I shoot both right and left handed but prefer left. Just a few more finishing touches and this baby will be ready for archery season. X.

Bending Wood

I've been working on a new osage bow. In this picture I am bending the ends to make it a recurve style. X

Leaning Sunflower of Shelbina

The recent storm flattened a lot of things in our gardens. The corn has seemed to resurect itself. The lonely volunteer sunflower has tried to staighten up but is still leaning pretty good. Overall most everything has rebounded well. Several big limbs fell on top of some beans and squash which i had to replant, but am surprised at how things have came back. X.

Reba Loves Fresh Garden Peas

Got a few shots of Reba chowing down on some peas that were picked in the garden this morning. X.