Thankful (#4 of 4)

It’s Thanksgiving Week and I’ve got tons of things to be thankful for. My family and I  are very Blessed. I give thanks for that every day. I’ve also got quite a list of things I’m thankful for – present and past – when it comes to the outdoors. I’m sure you do to. This is day four of sharing some of them, in no particular order. I hope you enjoy the list.  You’ll probably recognize many of them. Some I felt the need to put a short explanation behind. Others, you just figure it out.  And HEY — I’d love to hear comments from you on some things you are most thankful for in the outdoors! Just click the comment button below…

And last, but not least:

* Almost  beating Pam bream fishing one time * My 1965 Cabella’s catalog (The Garcia Ambassadeur 5000 reel was $16.69 + 45 cents for shipping and handling)  * Summer vacations in cabins and trailers and tents on lakes around the south every year for 30+ years with David & Beth * Catching so many big white perch with Dan that we literally sunk the boat * Landing 8 nice bass on eight straight casts and my wife, looking up from reading her book in the back boat seat, asking “okay, isn’t that enough?” * The Browning Model 11 * My paper shotgun shell collection * Banded ducks * Lucky fried chicken breasts from the Sterlington Quick Stop * Fishing in a bass tournament with Dave DeRousse (just one, though) * Bayou Bartholomew * Bayou De’Loutre * The North Fork Lodge (wish it was still there).

Old bass baits  (Bass Orenos, Zara Spooks, River Runts, Chuggers, Jitterbugs, and the Lucky 13, to name a few) * Slow days in the woods with Rocky * A vast library of outdoor books, which I will read some day (okay, probably not)  * Never getting a ticket for catching over the limit  (I know…ha ha) * The Upper Ouachita National Wildlife Refuge * Fish Lake *  Mosquito repellent * People who give me cleaned fish, plucked ducks and deer steaks (hint, hint, hint )* Striper fishing on Texoma * Charged batteries * Chartreuse glitter Crappie Bites * Slater Jigs * Electric filet knives.

* A college education so I can understand the multitude of state and federal rules and regulations on hunting and fishing *  Black Grape Jelly Wagglers (did I already mention that?) * Wood ducks * A dozen yo-yo’s on the boat dock in the spring * Anderson’s Bait Shop * Witherington’s Amoco (where 100 crickets, a coke and three gallons of gas cost about a $1 when I was a teenager) * Box stands with windows and heaters * Dry duck blinds * Remembering to put the plug in the boat * Lively shiners * Quiet crickets * Crawdads in the spring  (little ones for the fish; big ones for me) * And at least 40 fishing caps… and always looking for more …

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And a special thank you to our faithful readers. We have had more than 11,000 views on lakedarbonnelife.com the first two months. Wow!  We will be taking a break this Thursday through Sunday to spend time with friends and family. If you just can’t stand it, go back and read your favorite previous posts.  Have a great Holiday. Make your own list (or comment below!) Eat too much. Shoot some ducks. Chase some deer. Catch a mess of crappie. We’ll be back Monday!