Springtime?...Prom

Here is the cute couple on their way to the senior prom. They stopped by for a few minutes to let us take pictures. 

 

Not to be left out, Luke and Will volunteered to be in a picture, too. Yikes.

 

Century Girls State Basketball Champs!

All State Update

This is a photo (courtesy of our neighbor Mark) of Will and Hunter after the 2013 All State Orchestra Concert in Bismarck March 24th. Hunter was the Principal 2nd Violin and one of only two violinists to get the 4 year All State participant award. Will was one of four students (and the only freshman) who reauditioned for principal violist, and we hope to see a 4 year award in 2016.




















The concert was terrific. It is not often you get to see a Youth orchestra of that size (and certainly that quality) perform.


After the concert we had a chance to talk with long time friend Christie from Grand Forks.


The last few weeks have been a blur, busy at work, watching WDA and State Basketball. Century Girls were repeat State Champs (matching Boy's Soccer!) and Alex was named to the State All Tournament Team. She had the game of her career on Friday against Shanley going 5-6 from the three point line and finishing with 17 points - including the game winner - to lead them into the Championship. She played terrific defense and a lot of minutes at point guard in the Final when they crushed West Fargo by 30.


Luke went snowboarding at Red Lodge with a group and had a blast. Locally, our snow (less than 40 inches all winter has meant poor conditions at Huff Hills and few opportunities to board.

And then finally, we have a new sport to follow! Niece Mariah has taken up swimming and we got to see her swim twice at the Aquatic Center. She is long and has the shoulders and legs it takes for this difficult sport. We'll be watching.

Long time, no see

Shortly after our return from South Carolina I herniated the disk between L3 and L4 resulting in lots of pain and and injury to both the sciatic and femoral nerves. I ended up having 2 epidural steroid injections and a course of methylprednisone which got me to a pain free place but ongoing issues with the femoral nerve which serves the quadriceps.

Forced to retire from snowboarding, which is a bummer as Luke & Will are really starting to get into it.

I believe my running days are over as well. I can do low impact exercise on an elliptical trainer or a stationary bike so do manage some  cardio, but many many things that I took for granted are now difficult if not impossible. I continue to rehab my back and legs with specific exercises from my physical therapist, but progress has been slow.

Home life has been interesting. Earth Girl's father is dying of cancer, and so she spends what time she can in Minot. Hunter is winding down his high school career, trying to pick a college, playing lots of music and gearing up for his final baseball season. The twins are girl-struck and trying new sports: Luke will be golfing and William will do track & field.

The good news? It is the middle of February and nicer weather can't be too far away. Really excited to spend some time in the fresh air again after being cooped up all winter.

A few final pictures and words

So South Carolina turned out to be a real adventure. We ate barbecue (mustard/vinegar base - YUM YUM) and seafood and hunted and played at the beach (78 degrees on Sunday) while ND was in the middle of the first big snowstorm of the year.

Luke with his first hog

Luke and Will playing at the beach

 

 

 

 

Getting ready to set out for the evening hunt

Will looking bright and shiny in the morning

 

 

Alan and Will with their first night hogs

Our cozy accommodations. Nothing like a cabin in the woods.

 

 

Or an early morning walk in the woods

The South Carolina Adventure

I haven't had time to really sit down and come up with a comprehensive yet brief description of our recent trip. A good friend of Luke and Will's named Alan had invited them to go with him and his Dad Steve to South Carolina on a feral pig hunt. These pigs have been around for a long time and are very prolific with the sows having their first litter of piglets before their first birthday, and typically two litters a year after that. They have almost no natural predators so one can see how quickly they could multiply out of control. Secondly, they are very destructive, tearing up good farmland and eating a lot of crops and natural foods like acorns that people would rather have available for the deer.

We flew to Minneapolis, then Atlanta, and finally to Charleston, SC. The plantation was about a 90 minute drive up the coast.

The history of this place is staggering. The original distribution of lands had occurred at the discretion of the King of England in the late 1600's. Not too long into the 1700's these lands were sold and subdivided into smaller farms which eventually became plantations. The names were charming (and optimistic): Prospect Hill, Oak Hill, Fairfield, Clifton, Rose Hill, Forlorn Hope, George Hill, and Bannockburn. President George Washington stayed at Clifton during his southern tour in 1791, and President James Monroe stayed at Prospect Hill in 1819.

During the slavery years the cypress swamps were cleared and a system of canals and gates was used to regulate the flow of water to the rice fields. Vast fortunes were made growing rice with slave labor. The Civil War brought the downfall of many of these plantations. Most were confiscated and poorly used by both armies, and the end of slavery meant the eventual demise of the rice plantation.

In 1906, a wealthy Pharmacist and entrepreneur from Baltimore bought Prospect Hill and over the next two decades added 7 more adjoining farms. This property consisted of 12.000 acres of Hardwood forest, several miles of riverfront and several miles of beautiful South Carolina beach. The family lived in the original Prospect Hill house (which his great-granddaughter inhabits today!) while most of the other homes were razed or allowed to fall into disrepair.

30 years ago, about 4,000 of those original acres were sold to developers for what became gated communities with Golf courses and many multi-million dollar homes. The family, however, still owns about 3/4 of a mile of the only undeveloped beach in South Carolina. Around 2005, they signed an easement on a portion of the property that will keep it undeveloped in perpetuity.

And it was into this history that the twins and I entered. We stayed in a beautiful rustic cabin which has some windows and doors taken from the Clifton House. We met the man who manages the property for his mother, and also met his wife and daughters. In spite of being total strangers, we were welcomed with that famous southern hospitality and made to feel right at home.

The first morning was cool and we hunted from tree stands. Nothing was really moving so we knocked off and went into Georgetown for lunch with some friends of Steve's from when he had lived there in the early 90's. Later that night, Alan got the first pig (and only sow) of the week and then Will shot two five minutes apart in another field. We went to the slaughterhouse and cleaned the sow and met some locals who had come to weigh a whitetail deer they had shot. That evening we had a cookout at our cabin and many old friends of Steve's and their families were invited. It was a wonderful time.

The next morning (Saturday) we decided to split up a little and do some walking. Luke and I saw the only big black hog  we were to see from a 1/4 mile away. As we tried to sneak on him he disappeared, but look did take a shot at a pig through the trees. These are very heavy woods so unless your target is standing in a clearing the odds are prtetty slim that you'll miss all the trees and actually get your pig.

It was getting quite warm, the eventual high was 71 degrees, so we were given a driving tour of the forest, saw an enormous flock of ringnecked ducks on a large pond, and got to play at their beautiful beach. That night our hosts took us for a finre seafood dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Our final hunting day was Sunday, and the weather again was uncooperative in that it was too warm and so the pigs were out in the swamps/old rice fields and not in our prime hunting spots. we did a lot of walking and exploring but found no pigs. In the afternoon we were invited over to the gated community where there is beach access and a swimming pool which we enjoyed. We watched Pelicans cruise over the surf, and saw some diving birds go after a large school of baitfish off the shore. That evening (our last) was uneventful with no more pigs taken.

We got up Monday morning, thanked our gracious host, and set out for the Charleston airport.

Only enough time for a few pictures

North Dakotans "March to the Sea"

Lots of background needed for the next series of posts. Luke & Will were invited on a feral pig hunt in South Carolina by their friend Alan at a former plantation. I decided to tag along so there would be another adult, and of course the fact that the boys and I were all unsuccessful in North Dakota's deer gun lottery made the decision easier. Earth girl did the hard work of making reservations, etc. and we got on the plane in Bismarck at 5:00 a.m. After switching planes in Minneapolis we arrived in Atlanta about 11:30. We've had lunch and are waiting for our last connection to Charleston. From there it is an hour and a half drive to Georgetown.

For all my fans...

So all of you who wonder if I still really exist outside of the Children, here is a photo of me and the planet....

You want pictures? I've got Pictures...

For all those who don't think soccer is manly or rank up there with American football let me say "Way more contact and viciousness than basketball, and way less padding than football. When you collide here there is only skin and muscle and bone."

   

 

And there are always cheaters

 

TEAMWORK

 

2012 North Dakota State Champions!!!

And then there is the teamwork and camaraderie; who are you willing to (metaphorically) die for?

 

 

Ah, Brothers. The sport or activity is always secondary to the great bond

 

 

 

As old school as you get: The police escort back to the High School.