Another interest...

Some Small-bore Stuff...

177 caliber lead pellets...

So, in all this blogging for the last few years, I've never once mentioned that I have a pretty good interest in cool air rifles. I've owned two for years. I don't do expensive or fancy guns either. All they have to do for me is shoot fairly fast and hit pretty hard, depending on the lead you're throwin' and the FPS (feet per second) of the air rifle itself.

The ammo...

The caliber of the pellets shown in the photo above is 177 but I also have a 22 caliber rig as well. It shoots quite a bit HARDER than the 177 CrosMan and propels a heavier chunk of lead to boot. That awesome little single pump, is used mostly as a small game hunting unit, to fill the stew pot, when I feel so inclined, to add a little meat to my wild food harvesting. :-)

You'll notice the different types of pellets in this shot. I have all told about 19 or 20 different types or styles, by a good number of manufacturers. There's domed and pointed and hollow-pointed and flat, head shapes, and there are grooved and un-grooved skirts and the ones in the red box even have a plastic skirt and a steel head. Some pellets are definitely WAY better than others. Then too, some pellets are so poor, that they tumble every time you fire them. Tumbling pellets are NOT accurate pellets, as you may already know. :-( They need to spin, which is caused by the rifled barrel of the air-gun,in order to maintain a straight, stable trajectory and stay facing forward throughout their flight. :-)

Anyone else out there use an air rifle, or know someone who does? :-)

I taught both of my beloved children at a very early age, to know about air-guns. We used to hang aluminum pop cans up by their pull-tabs, on branches of shrubs and both kids could easily hit them every time up to about 40 or 50 feet. Now THAT teaches them more hand/eye co-ordination, than yer average video game. Besides, look @ ALL the other Cool related stuff they get to learn about and experience while out there. :-) Like safe gun handling, first and foremost. Learning how to judge wind direction and velocity. How 'bout, what kinds of trees and shrubs are we hangin' these recylable cans on? What kind of plant is that, that's twining it's way up and around the tree we're using to set up our shooting gallery? :-) SO many excellent things out there for my (Your) precious children to become wrapped up in, for good results. Not like in the city, all Rapped up in head-banger noise and gamed-out into total non-reality mode...

I've never owned a high-power rifle. I probably never will. Seems to me that low-powered lead pushers are about all I've ever needed and will ever need. :-) Of course, if the SHTF, I still have my trusty little 410 single shot and a belt full of mixed shells and a slug or three, to boot. ;-) (wink)

later,

Cool Fish Artistry...

Something Fishy goin' on over here... :-)

Sweet Sticklebacks...

Wanna see even more Very Beautiful Fish Art? Then just click the high-lighted link below, or, the main link, at the top of this post...

Thanx to my fellow Flickrite,Happy_Sleepy from my own home Province of Ontario, the whole electronic world, now gets to see some totally Awesome and Very unique craftsmanship as well as, Superb Photography.

Take a tour, if you will, over to her Photostream to-day, to get a pile of her vivid insight and views through her eyes. You Will be impressed...

:-) lb

Some Spring Signs...

YIPEEE!

The sweet little Crocus, is alive again...

Well friends, a lot has happened in the last two weeks and of course Spring has most definitely revealed even more of her lovely and refreshing self, to this ol' Nature Observer, since my last entry in here...

This spring, same as last year, the beautiful, yet unassuming little common Crocus, has been the first flower to poke through the ground in my local hood. Yup, this darling little toughy has been known to pop up right beside a chunk of ice or old snow even, in it's desire to seek the welcome warmth of our sun's powerful spring rays. Man, now That's determination and fortitude, if plants can indeed possess such qualities, which I believe, they can and do! :-)

White Water...

This is a view from about twenty five feet above the shoreline of the Wild and swiftly flowing, Petawawa River and there's No ice anywhere. She's free to run right now, if you're into the wild river, white water canoeing thing... :-)



I may get out this afternoon to explore my little spot up by Pinecrest to see if the Fiddleheads are starting to pop yet, if the weather holds up. She's pretty cloudy and really windy out there right now though...

later,

...

O.K. It's later, :-) (2:30P) and I've just come back from the Pinecrest corridor and the sun even managed to come out for a little while out there. :-) It's a good thing I had my trusty Titanium jacket on to-day because the wind was certainly quite chilling.

I had only been in the damp woods about 7 or 8 minutes when suddenly, Lucky ol' me found my first specimens of Wild Leeks, pushing their way upwards through the old leaves, in a tiny little, sun exposed spot about five feet across. They are obviously, JUST now starting to appear. Next week-end will be perfect if it's sunny at all this coming week!



I plucked a few tender samples, field dressed them easy like and then popped one into my mouth, right there on the spot. That by the way, is one of my tests for the BEST Wild Edibles. If I can eat it RAW, without any cooking or whatever, then it's at the top of my list for hunting and harvesting. :-)

Aren't they just a gorgeous little plant?