Fuzzbient

Clean Carpet!

2010-03-31T20:01:00.001-05:00

We got the carpet cleaned Today so I thought I should take a picture of it while it's clean since it probably won't stay this way long with three kids and a dog using it.

Been working on the Site

2009-09-20T15:29:00.002-05:00

I kinda like Wordpress as far as these open-source PHP/MySQL CMS or Blog apps go. I've been working on my site a bit after switching from Joomla to Wordpress. I like the usability better.

http://www.paul-horn.com/

Northernaire Houseboats

2009-09-16T10:52:00.003-05:00

We went up to Rainy Lake to spend four days on a houseboat from Northernaire Houseboats. What a great time. I caught a few small walleyes, pike, and a mess of smallies. Most of all it was a very relaxing time enjoying the scenery and hanging out with the family on a few of the island campsites in Voyageurs National Park. I hope we can make this an annual event. Next year we'll have to focus on the early morning reef fishing a bit more. I think there are some nice walleyes to be had out there.

Rainy Lake 2009 Video

2009-06-18T07:55:00.002-05:00

Rainy Lake 2009

2009-06-15T17:17:00.000-05:00

We just got back from 5 days fishing Rainy Lake in Ontario. It was a great group of 8 guys staying at a 9th guy's beautiful cabin on the lake. The peak walleye feed is not quite on yet but it's close. We still boated a large number of walleyes with many of them over 10 pounds. It was a short time in paradise.

June 6th Muskie Opener

2009-06-10T21:11:00.004-05:00

6 of us in two boats hit Forest for the muskie opener last Saturday. We had three follows but didn't boat any muskies. We did catch quite a mess of pike and a few bass. Plenty of action on the lines to keep things fun.

May 9th Fishing St. Croix

2009-05-09T13:41:00.001-05:00

Isabel and I hit the St. Croix at sunrise this morning. We caught sheepshead, white bass, walleye, and this channel cat. It was a fun morning on the St. Coix other than hitting a few underwater trees with the prop.

St. Croix Opener

2009-05-08T20:00:00.003-05:00

From 2009 Open Water Fishing

A friend and I hit the St. Croix for the opener and a friendly walleye tournament last weekend. He caught a few 14 inch walleyes and we both hit a nice mess of white bass. I took a few big white bass home for fish-n-chips. We were fishing mainly with crank baits. I plan in hitting it with live bait next to see what will bite. What a beautiful place to fish!

Geocaching with the Girls

2009-03-29T15:54:00.001-05:00

Isabel, Sadie, and I went out geocaching Today to find Sudsy. It was a three stage cache that had an algebra puzzle. We found it! We put in a small horse and Sadie took out a butterfly. It was a beautiful day on the trails!

Feb End of Season Pike

2009-02-21T13:45:00.003-06:00

A buddy and I hit the ice this morning to throw some tip-ups out with suckers for some pike before the season ends Tomorrow. We had around 7 or 8 flags with real fish runs. The pike were really toying with us by running with the minnow in their mouths and spitting them out on a hook set. One big fish broke the line. We ended up with only 2 on the ice from all those flags, but it was enough for me to do a fresh fish fry for my family for lunch. It was super fresh and what a treat!

Time to focus on crappies until the season opens again...

Mid February Ice Fishing

2009-02-14T09:09:00.000-06:00

An old buddy Landon and I both took the day off from work to relax and do some ice fishing. We started in the weeds early to search for pike and had a few flags. We ended up with one nice northern to add to the freezer. After lunch we moved the shack over to the edge of a deep hole to see if we could find some crappies or walleyes. We were marking lots of fish on the vex including some fairly big ones. Until sundown we only seemed to be getting perch to bite and the larger fish seemed uninterested in what we were offering them. We did get some nibbles in the sundown prime time, but wrapped things up at 7pm to head in for some dinner. I'll have to give this deeper spot a few more tries from sundown until later to see what it can produce before pulling the shack off for the year. Overall it was a nice relaxing day on the ice and fun to hang out with an old buddy!

Feb Fishing with the Co-workers

2009-02-07T07:06:00.003-06:00

I "guided" a dozen folks from work on Thursday out on the lake in search of some crappies. It was a tough night for the bite and only a few fish were caught. A few of us did some exploring in deeper water and we did get some marks on the Vex and a few taps on the jigs. The fish were very negative there as well. Before we left, I dropped the cam down in the deep water to see what was tapping the bait. I saw one sleepy walleye looking back at me and not even moving a fin. I'll be back there to see if they are more active at sundown.

January Pike

2009-01-17T20:46:00.002-06:00

Jeff Johnston and I set out tip ups in 9 feet of water across a weedy flat Today and tried some shiners for pike. The pike were hungry. We had quite a few flags all morning that kept us running. Quite a few of the runs were either lost or cut the line, but we were able to harvest four nice pike. Fish-n-chips for the family!

December 2008 Old Gang

2008-12-07T09:03:00.005-06:00

Had some of the old buds I grew up with in Brainerd over last night for some food and conversation. It was great to see old friends again. Some of these folks I hadn't seen in over 10 years! What a great time. Let's try not to let it take this long to get together again.

Deer Hunting 2008

2008-11-15T18:25:00.002-06:00

Last weekend I went out to the 40 and sat in my stand early sunrise. I fired up the wood stove and got comfortable. About 15 minutes in, two deer came running in and stopped. I took a shot at this buck and somehow missed the first shot. It stopped after a few jumps and gave me a second chance. I hit it dead on and dropped it with the second shot. Now I've got some wonderful steaks in my freezer and will be grinding up much of the remainder for jerky and other recipes.

What an awesome buck! Just the right size to harvest for table fare.

Early October Walleyes

2008-10-04T10:41:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I headed out to one of the dropoffs and anchored in 9 feet of water for some jigging for walleyes. I was using the standard 1/16th oz charteuse jig head with fathead minnows. In late afternoon I was catching perch on almost every cast. As the sun hit the treetops things began to change. The perch let up and the walleye bite was on! I boated 5 walleyes in around an hour of fishing. I left as it was getting dark since I was fishing alone but the bite was still on as I was leaving. They seemed to be getting bigger as it got darker.

I'll need to get out with one of my friends and hit the hot spot until a bit after dark and see how late the bite continues after sunset. Great fall fishing is on!

September 12th Muskie

2008-09-12T21:46:00.002-05:00

Hit the lake this afternoon and evening with John. The fish seemed very active and we even hit this nice muskie in the late afternoon. We did some moonlight dock casting for bass and had some big hits and landed a few. It was an awesome evening of fishing.

Hungry Chisago Clams

2008-09-07T20:23:00.002-05:00

Jeff, Landon, and I hit Chisago Yesterday evening for some fishing. We started out by forgetting to put the plug in the boat but got it in before it sank and ran the bilge to empty the hull. We didn't catch much in a couple hours of fishing other than this nice clam and a few gills. It was fun being out on the water with friends even if the fish weren't hungry.

July 26th Morning Crappies

2008-07-26T09:49:00.000-05:00

I hit the lake this morning at around 6am and went over to the hole on lake 2. I found fish suspended on the vex in around 15 feet of water so I dropped the anchor. I used both a lindy rig with a floating jig and just a plain 16th oz jig both tipped with either 3" Gulp Alive! minnows or 3" Gulp Alive! leeches. Both were working great. I was catching crappies on almost every cast. I hit one walleye as well. I was limited out and off the lake by 8am. What a great morning on the lake! It's hard to beat fresh crappies for fish and chips.

July 19th Rush Lake

2008-07-20T15:46:00.003-05:00

Hit Rush Lake Yesterday with a couple friends for some volleyball and fishing. We took third place in the volleyball tournament but got knocked out by a team that was third place in the Minnesota circuit. We had a blast playing.

The early morning fishing before volleyball was more of an exploration of the lake. We found some great structure and moved around and tried a few areas. Hit the little walleye above on a rocky transition.

We didn't get as much fishing in as we wanted to since the thunderstorms rolled in shortly after we hit the lake again after lunch and the volleyball tournament. We hightailed it off the lake but had a scary pull of the boat off with all of the harsh rain, wind, and lightning.

June 28th Pike

2008-06-28T11:33:00.000-05:00

Hit the lake this morning at 5AM for a few hours of fishing. The bite was really slow at first probably as a result of the storms late Yesterday afternoon. Once it started to warm up the pike and bass started coming on pretty strong on the still side of the lake. They were in the weeds from 5 to 10 feet of water. We hit some rock piles, points, and deeper holes but the bite there was only intermittent nibbles so no walleyes or crappies Today. It was a beautiful morning on the lake!

May 28th Walleye

2008-05-28T22:49:00.000-05:00

A co-worker of mine John Zuniga and I went out on the lake this evening to see what we could catch. I caught a few crappies and this 23 inch, 4 1/2 lb walleye. John had a huge muskie up to the boat but it threw the lure before we could net it. Not a bad night on the lake!

Memorial Day Fishing with Long and Jeff

2008-05-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

I went fishing Today with two old friends and previous coworkers. It was a fun day out on the lake. Jeff caught three walleyes including this 18 inch keeper. Between the three of us we caught walleyes, pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappies, sunfish, perch, and rock bass. The wind was really whipping up from the north west. We were in the thick of the waves where the walleyes would be. What a great Memorial Day of fishing!

Memorial Day Weekend Walleyes

2008-05-24T20:34:00.001-05:00

The walleye bite is really starting to pick up. I caught five Yesterday and this beauty Today. Right now I'm finding them in 7 to 10 feet of water. They're hitting well on both fatheads and on Gulp Alive 3 inch minnows. I've been throwing a 1/16th ounce jig tipped with either of these. The crappies are hitting well now too and they are really decent sized. This time of year is just a prelude to what it will be like in a few weeks when the bite really gets hot. What a blast!

Early Morning Crappies

2008-05-16T15:51:00.000-05:00

I got up at 4:30 this morning and took the boat out on Forest Lake. I looked for walleyes and saw some on the flasher but couldn't provike a bite. I moved on and found a nice school of crappies suspended over a deep hole. I was using Gulp Alive 3" Minnows on a 1/16 oz jig head and they loved it. Along with a mess of crappies I also landed a nice pike, and countless huge bass (that I had to release since season doesn't open until next weekend). The temperature was wonderful, the lake was peaceful, and I feel recharged. What a great morning!

Early May Open Water Fishing

2008-05-10T14:27:00.000-05:00

Isabel and I went out this morning to do some fishing on Forest Lake. The walleyes wouldn't bite and we didn't find any crappies. Isabel caught one bass and I caught one pike. Things are still slow with the late ice out and the cool water. It should pick up in a few weeks. We'll keep trying. I need to get some lights for the boat so we can try the dawn and dusk for walleyes. June peak isn't far away!

Count the Frogs

2008-04-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

The frogs have hatched out well in the pond behind our house this spring. Look closely at this picture and see how many you can count in this small area. I love the sound of the frogs and toads singing in the evenings. It's strangely comforting.

1962 Sea King 14'

2008-04-12T20:12:00.001-05:00

Just got home with my 1962 Sea King boat. It's a 14' aluminum with original trailer and original 5hp Sea King outboard. It's all in great shape but the boat needs a good wash. I'm really looking forward to open water to get back to what's important in life (fishing).

Snow Nesting Geese

2008-04-01T09:56:00.005-05:00

The geese look annoyed at the snow covering the pond behind our house. Just two days ago the pond appeared ripe for nest building but still very wet.

Yesterday I saw a small flock of geese that was a mixture of canada and snow geese. I've not seen formations mixed like that before. I know it's very rare but there are documented cases of canada and snow goose hybrids.

Nice 22 Inch Walleye

2008-02-17T21:08:00.005-06:00

Here's a nice walleye that gave a good fight. This one hit on a dead stick fathead. Only one more week before the season closes, but it's been a fun one! The crappies continue to bite as well.

Next weekend I plan on pulling the shack off the ice. I may add some insulation and some tweaks to the shack before next winter. It's a work in progress. I can't wait to get back out there and catch more of these awesome walleyes on Forest Lake!

Bobsled Run 2008!

2008-01-22T21:32:00.000-06:00

My dad created a nice long bobsled run in his back yard. It runs from up by his house all the way out on the pond at the bottom of the hill. My daughters Zoe and Isabel had a blast sliding down the chute. We'll have to go up north and ride it some more in February when the weather isn't stuck at 20 below zero!

New Year's Eve Walleye

2007-12-31T18:40:00.001-06:00

I moved the shack out in 15 feet of ice and found the walleyes! This will continue to be a great winter of ice fishing.

The Northern Pike Continue

2007-12-27T18:49:00.000-06:00

Caught a few nice northern pike Today and had my favorite meal of fish and chips for dinner. I really love having the fish house out on the lake this year. What a blast and hard to beat the delicious meals!

First Pike of the 2007 - 2008 Winter

2007-12-22T17:18:00.000-06:00

Here's a picture of the nice northern pike I hauled in ice fishing Today. It was around 8 pounds and about 30 inches long. I saw many huge pike circle my bait and take a bite and run but this is the only one that took the bait. Some of the fish down under the ice were really huge. I wonder if some may have been muskies. More ice fishing to come!

Matt Zaun

2007-11-06T09:37:00.000-06:00

My friend Matt Zaun passed away this last Sunday morning, November 4th, 2007. Here is the preliminary obituary taken from the Fargo In-Forum (http://www.in-forum.com/obituaries/).

Matt Zaun, 31, Minneapolis, formerly Fargo, died Sunday in Eau Claire, Wis. Visitation will be Wednesday from 5 to 6:30, with a prayer service at 5, in Church of the Nativity, Fargo. The funeral will be Thursday at 2:30 in the church. Burial: Riverside Cemetery, Fargo. (Boulger, Fargo)

Matt was an amazing guy. He was very kind, smart, and talented. He was probably the best percussionist that I've ever played music with ( Di Dollari ). His artistic abilities with graphics were amazing as well, but still the most amazing thing about Matt was his personality and how kind, gentle, thoughtful, and creative he was.

Matt - you will be missed by so many and missed deeply.

Canada Fishing 1970's

2007-10-20T19:05:00.000-05:00

When I was young, my Dad, several uncles, some cousins, a I took a trip up to the Great White North of Canada for a week of camping and fishing. We caught so many pike and walleye we didn't know what to do with them all. At times we would hook huge red horse fish that were so large they would pull the boats around. It was amazing. I wonder what the fishing is like up there now.

Rainy Camping

2007-08-20T13:40:00.000-05:00

It was a wet weekend of camping but it was still fun. We did get some good fishing in. We were able to get a few bass and northerns along with a mess of big sunfish that made a great meal. It was relaxing sitting on the camper porch watching the rain. We did have some close lightening that was somewhat exciting.

Shiny Eyed Red Chuck - Bear Monkey

2007-08-11T14:26:00.000-05:00

Monarchs

2007-07-22T17:35:00.000-05:00

The monarch butterflys are reproducing on our back yard. They sure are beautiful!

My First Hog

2007-07-02T16:29:00.000-05:00

My first hog! This was a Yamaha QT 50. At least it got some killer mileage. I remember it costing somewhere around 35 cents to fill the tank. I could ride for hours on a tank!

Saucer Ride

2007-06-01T20:28:00.000-05:00

When I was little, we lived in a quiet neighborhood up in Baxter Minnesota (close to Brainerd). I remember how my Dad used to pull me around on sleds or give me rides in the wheel barrow. Now that I'm in my 40's and have a third little baby in the family, I can sure appreciate my Dad taking the time to bond with me in these simple ways. I hope I have and will continue to show the same care with my children.

My First Band

2007-04-22T19:39:00.000-05:00

I guess I started my interest in performing a bit young. I'm the little bugger on the left with my cousins Nancy and Steve to the right of me. This must have been around 1969.

The Meadow

2007-04-07T18:04:00.000-05:00

Old friends and I had a location in the woods we used to call "The Meadow." It was a quiet and serene location in the woods off of a state snowmobile trail. In the summer we could get out there by car.
We had many great times out at the meadow hanging out and talking and listening to music from our car stereos. Now this area is all developed into neighborhoods and much of the wooded area is gone. The memories will live on for the friends that made them worth remembering.

Early 90's Hair

2007-03-24T17:08:00.000-05:00

Here's an old picture of me off of a drivers license that expired in 1993. I had quite the hippy look going back then!

Seasons Change

2007-03-24T10:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday Spring was really starting to rear it's beautiful head. It was in the 60's during the day. When I got home I fired up the Harley Sportster and drove it down to the filling station to get some fresh juice in it. In the evening I went skiing with my buddy Glen at Trollhaugen. We stayed there until they kicked us out as the ski season ended. Not every day you can ride motorbike and ski in the same day!

March Sunrise

2007-03-15T18:10:00.000-05:00

There were some really pretty colors this morning painted in the sunrise. The pond is still frozen over but we got a small taste of spring earlier this week with weather in the 50's. I'm ready for spring and ready to get back out on the sportster.

Snow Dog!

2007-02-25T09:49:00.000-06:00

We finally got a little bit of snow in Minnesota. My little Beagle Nulikka really loves the snow. She's been out tearing around in it all morning. She loves to dig her nose down into the snow to sniff and track. She's like a little snow plow!

Tim Daily

2007-01-28T17:41:00.000-06:00

I really miss my old buddy Tim Daily. He died some years ago while vacationing in Thailand. He's just a normal home town punk rocker friend that somehow moved to New York city, became a successful model, moved in with Debbie Harry (from Blondie), and traveled the world. He was such a good friend. Man, I miss those old days!

Ice Fishing with Old Friend Jeff

2007-01-21T18:43:00.000-06:00

Jeff Fritz and I went out on the lake Today to do some ice fishing. Jeff caught a couple of small northern pike. We had a really nice time just relaxing on the ice and hanging out. It's nice to find ways to enjoy the winters here in Minnesota.

Strange Pink Creature Found on Bed Table

2007-01-18T20:30:00.000-06:00

The new Alpha 61

2006-12-13T08:41:00.000-06:00

The new formation of the group Alpha 61 had our first organizational meeting last night. This will be another interesting jouney into the world of ambience, tones, rythm, and melody.

More to come...

Turning 40

2006-11-23T08:45:00.000-06:00

My 40th birthday was last week. Since this is such a milestone, I decided to throw a reunion of old friends together to reunite people from across time that have impacted my life. I ended up with around 50 people at the gathering. Two old music groups (Shapeshifter and Di Dollari) performed short live sets. It was a great time with memories to last a lifetime. Thank you to all my friends that took the time to attend and make this evening memorable. Thank you as well to the former band members who were willing to take the time to rehearse and perform for this evening. Now I need to figure out what I can leverage the mid-life crisis excuse for...

Deer Hunting 2006

2006-11-11T07:20:00.000-06:00

Hunting was great this year. I saw seven deer pass by my stand between 7am and noon on the first saturday. The herd is healthy!

Monkeys Getup!

2006-10-12T19:42:00.000-05:00

Here's a flashback to my awesome childhood. You gotta love the fringed leather vest!

Franconia Sculpture Park

2006-09-16T19:25:00.000-05:00

I just caught Savage Aural Hotbed and Paul Metzger playing live at Franconia Sculpture Park just west of Taylors Falls. What a great place for live music in an outdoor setting. A few of my friends including Kelly Green and Jeff Skemp performed spoken word as well. Overall a great afternoon!

Izzy and Nulikka

2006-08-18T07:26:00.000-05:00

My daughter Zoe took this picture of my daughter Isabel and little Nulikka. They're both growing bigger by the day.

Summer is slipping away so fast. The days are getting shorter and it looks like the steamy weather is done. It is nice to be able to sleep with the window open again. The fall season is always beautiful in Minnesota.

Sportster Progress

2006-07-01T19:44:00.000-05:00

Made a few more updates to my Sportster. I've changed out the handlebars for drag bars and added chrome covers with wings to both the oil tank and battery cover. I've replaced the pegs and grips with more interesting ones and added some cool mirrors as well. Man this bike is fun!

Nulikka all Fixed Up!

2006-07-01T12:55:00.000-05:00

Nulikka was spayed, had her dew claws removed, and got chipped last weekend. I think she's picking up some sort of signals with the satellite dish installed on her.

Summer is Rolling

2006-06-18T21:52:00.000-05:00

On Memorial Day, Melissa and baby Sadie made it home from the NICU. All is going great since then. Sadie is between 6 and 7 pounds now and continues to grow and make cute faces.

We spent the weekend at the Kalahari resort in Wisconsin Dells. The water park was a blast! Zoe had a dance competition there for nationals. She did well taking 2nd place with a platinum trophy.

Melissa's Dad and Kathi are coming to visit and meet Sadie this week. It should be a wonderful week but a busy one!

Sadie Mae Horn

2006-05-05T09:34:00.000-05:00

Our new daughter Sadie Mae Horn was born on Thursday May 4th at 5:29 PM. She is 4lbs 4oz. She was induced into this world 6 weeks early as a result of Melissa's preeclamptic/toxemia condition worsening. Sadie is resting in the NICU unit at University of Minnesota Fairview Riverside and is doing well. Melissa is recovering quickly as well.

Sadie is a very precious little new member to our family and she is already tearing at our heart strings every time we see her.

Memories Reside

2006-04-09T20:55:00.000-05:00

When nothing is clear
The warmth of the rain
Seems to swallow up fear
And relieve the pain

After all is said and done
And the gaping absence remains
It's really on your shoulders
To be patient until it wanes

When two sides of life pull
And they cannot collide
They fight and tear
But memories reside

Shapeshifter Videos

2006-03-26T21:19:00.000-06:00

Here are some videos taken from a PBS performance from 1994 that my band Shapeshifter did for the TV show "What." These are great!

Shapeshifter - Plectrum
Shapeshifter - Low Profile
Shapeshifter - Demonstrative
Shapeshifter - Green to Thee

Reuniting

2006-03-24T20:36:00.000-06:00

It's been a wierd couple of weeks of reuniting in many ways. I've gotten in touch with old friends from my hometown that I haven't seen in a long time. I've heard stories of good and bad. I've spent time converting old videos to DVD to preserve them triggerred by this. It's all bitter-sweet. Somehow the good memories always float to the top in time. Never forget.

Wisdom for March

2006-03-08T08:36:00.000-06:00

There are a couple of ideas that I've been trying to take to heart that I feel are very wise.

Strive for significance rather than driving for success.
Be driven by enthusiasm rather than worry and stress.

I find that when I stay in these two modes my life is much more enjoyable.

Siren Ice Fishing

2006-02-11T12:15:00.000-06:00

I spent last weekend in Siren Wisconsin at a cabin on Clam Lake. It was a nice weekend of relaxing, fishing, and hanging out in the great outdoors with a group of around a dozen guys. We had a fishing contest that included a first fish caught winner and largest fish caught winner. I won both since I'm the only one who caught anything. I caught a decent northern pike that was a tasty lunch on Monday.

Life Was Paradise

2006-01-27T21:12:00.000-06:00

Thinking back to a time where I sat on the dock watching a bobber in the warm sunshine with Afternoon Delight on the radio. The sunfish were big and hungry. My biggest worry was if I was tying the hook on correctly. Ah yes, life was paradise.

Nulikka the Beagle

2005-12-30T20:13:00.000-06:00

We have a new member of our family. It is a beagle puppy named Nulikka of the North. Nulikka is Finnish for puppy. Between my wife and I, we agreed on getting a beagle from the list of breeds out there. Melissa wanted a small dog. I wanted a dog that could go grouse hunting with me. Beagles are the smallest of dogs capable of grouse hunting, and they are great hunting companions. They were originally bred to be rabbit hunting dogs.

She's a great little puppy!

Into Outer Space with Lucia Pamela

2005-12-29T19:10:00.000-06:00

You must listen to this and explain it to me.
<< Walking on the Moon >>

Christmas on Madeline Island

2005-12-27T15:52:00.000-06:00

We just got back from spending Christmas with Melissa's step dad Gary and her uncle and aunt Bill and Gloria Fennel at their home on Madeline Island. Madeline Island is one of the Apostle Islands on Lake Superior. It's beautiful. You need to ride the ferry to get out to it until Superior freezes and the ice road allows travel to it. [More Pics]

Dual Disc Bad Boogie Machine

2005-12-25T09:27:00.000-06:00

My daughter Zoe gave me AC/DC Back in Black with the DVD audio for Christmas. Man, those guys rock.

New Horn Family Member On The Way

2005-12-23T09:59:00.000-06:00

Since it's finally been announced to most of our friends, I can now admit that there is a new Horn baby on the way. This will be our third and probably last baby since we are approaching age 40. I'm very excited about the prospect of another young child joining our family. I'm hoping for old age with a bountiful harvest of grandchildren some day. The new baby is due in June.

FooBall and WristRehab

2005-12-11T11:25:00.000-06:00

The Colts play it perfect. Kinda nice since I've been a fan of Tony Dungy ever since he was part of the coaching team in Minnesota. I wonder if the ol' Vikes will continue to pull it off against the Rams Today.

On to other things...

Rehabing my wrist now and forcing myselft to play guitar every day even with the pain. I've got to get the wrist rotation back or I'll have to switch instruments.

Season finally of Survivor Tonight. I've got a more important dance recital that my daughters are performing in to watch first. I wonder if I hit any of my picks on the Survivor Picks site.

Two Days of Exoskeleton

2005-11-27T14:56:00.000-06:00

I get my cast off on Tuesday! I can't wait. I've been doing hand exercises on a squishy hand exerciser that seem to be helping strengthen my grip on my hand. The guy that put the cast on my arm explained that it works like an exoskeleton to support the bones from the outside. My arm is lobster man's limb.

The Bike is Back!

2005-11-21T19:00:00.000-06:00

I got the Sportster back from V-Tech Motorsports Today and it's better than new. I can't wait until spring when I can get it back out on the roads again. I've added a bit new chrome to it Tonight to celebrate it's return. Love that throaty rumble!

Back from the Hunt

2005-11-13T19:18:00.000-06:00

After two weekends of rifle deer season I got skunked. I tried several stands as well as what used to be a prime spot on the side of a ridge. I only saw two deer off in the brush running on the very first day. The herd population is either down in the area where I hunt or the deer are just not moving at all during the day.

Next year I'll try bow hunting earlier in the year to see if they are around in the area where I hunt before the rifle season starts. I may plant some alfalfa or clover in the area to help feed the herd and give them some easy grazing. Next year I may pick up a handheld GPS so that I can head out deeper into the woods without the threat of being lost. I think those devices would be a comforting thing to have on a deep woods hunt as long as the batteries don't go dead.

New Cast

2005-11-03T18:15:00.000-06:00

I went to the orthopedic surgeon on Tuesday and had my large cast removed, x-rays performed, and a new cast installed. This new cast does not go past my elbow so I can finally bend my elbow. The muscle atrophy and lack of mobility of my left elbow is shocking. This is going to make deer hunting a challenge. I'm not sure how I'll manage a rifle with my left hand not available. Hopefully my left arm is strong enough to lay the rifle barrel across my cast and hold up the weight, but I have my doubts. This is going to be a long, slow, recovery.

When they finally take the second cast off after a total of 2 months in casts my hand and wrist will start the recovery. As much atrophy as my arm has suffered from one month, I'm worried about what will happen with my wrist and hand after two months. When they had the cast off to x-ray I noticed how little movement my fingers and wrist had. It's a bit scary. It will be a long time before I'm able to play guitar again.

Deer Season Approaches

2005-10-29T10:23:00.000-05:00

One week until the deer season opens. I love sitting out in the woods on the 40 relaxing, watching, and waiting. Not that's living! Not a bit of stress, just beautiful views and the sound of a breeze through the trees and a few small animals and birds moving about.

Sandhill Cranes

2005-10-16T17:55:00.000-05:00

Here's a pair of beautiful sandhill cranes that have been visiting the wetlands behind our house quite frequently. The sandhill crane, or "sandhill," is among Minnesota's largest bird species, standing about five feet tall and having a wingspread of nearly seven feet. Sandhills are birds of wet meadows and open landscapes. They migrate south for the winter.

Sandhills eat a variety of animals including frogs, small mammals, insects, and snakes, and also, small grains such as oats and wheat. Sometimes sandhills destroy small grain swaths while feeding, much to the farmer's dislike. Sandhill cranes are a protected species in Minnesota, but there is regulated hunting in some states, including North Dakota.

Sandhill cranes are closely related to the federally endangered whooping crane. Sandhills have been used in migration experiments guiding young whooping cranes to wintering areas in the southern US.

Cast

2005-10-08T16:37:00.000-05:00

I visited the orthopedic surgeon this week and had x-rays and a new cast installed. The x-rays showed that my radius bone is shattered in eight pieces but aligned correctly. I'll have this cast for a month at least and a smaller cast put on after for another month.

I'm feeling well and recovering from my other injuries. My swelling is down on my face and no effects are left from the concussion. The guys at V-Tech Motorsports are fixing the bike up to be like new. I'll be getting set up with safety gear before I'm back on the road next spring. I'll get a jacket and gloves with armor plates and much better tires.

Harley Crash

2005-10-03T10:03:00.000-05:00

Friday morning, I was cruizing up Central ave when the traffic came to a screaching halt. I locked up my brakes and began to fishtail out of control. I laid the bike down on it's right side and slid off into the ditch. I blacked out. The next thing I remember is the EMTs moving me from stretcher to stretcher. They shot me full of morphine and ran multiple scans on parts of my body.

I ended up with a serious concussion and my left wrist fractured in three places. The doctor said I would have been dead if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. That shorty helmet saved my life.

The bike goes to the garage Today to begin repairs. It looks like it's mainly cosmetic damage. I'll be back riding next spring, a little wiser, and a little slower. I may get some better tires than those slippery Dunlops to prevent future wipeouts. I'm leaning towards Metzelers one size wider than the stock Dunlops.

Vance & Hines Straight Shots

2005-09-10T19:25:00.000-05:00

Here's a fresh picture of my Harley Sportster with the Vance & Hines Straight Shots pipes on it. Nice throaty rumble!

Reflection

2005-08-28T17:31:00.000-05:00

Beautiful day with big pillowy clouds outside. My neighbor asked if he could weed whack the grass on my side of the fence, so I thought I should take the hint and take care of that. Grass is whacked.

Took Zoe for a ride around the lake on the sportster. She sounds like a hot rod now with the straight shots on her. Hope I'm not making the neighbors too mad. I suppose I'm becoming the "Red Neck Neighbor" that you all hear about. Nothin rong widthat.

I'll be down at the Turf on Wednesday night playing with my Di Dollari boys. Hope some people show up. Wednesday nights are tough.

Something strange going on, not sure what. Some type of phase of reflection. I suppose it's all part of getting a few years older. Hope I come out better on the other end.

Mi Casita for supper soon. It's like Ma's cooking, if you live in Mexico.

August Cooling

2005-08-14T18:56:00.000-05:00

August 14th and it's starting to cool to just perfectly comfortable temperatures. It's been around 70.

My Dad turned 81 Today! He's still doing great and doesn't seem a year over 65 from the way he is. We gave him a couple of sprinkler egg timers that shut your water off for you when you water your lawn after the set period of time.

I'm still waiting to get the CS Slip-On mufflers for my Harley, but I have all the other parts to complete paying the "Harley Tax" and I even orderred a service manual and a cool new headlight ring that Harley just came out with. The new ring will give the bike a nice stretched look. It extends much further beyond the stock ring to give a nested look to the headlight and has a slight visor edge on top. It's a beautiful day to ride!

I've been copying a few old CDs to throw in my CD wallet in my car. I like to copy them rather than taking the originals with me. Here's what I've been copying.

Ramones - All the Stuff (and more) Vol. 1
Sonic Youth - Evol
Rush - Signals
My Bloody Valentine - Loveless
Sixteen Horsepower - Folklore
My Bloody Valentine = Isn't Anything
Pink Floyd - Wish you were Here
Rush - Exit Stage Left
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

Nice mix, can't wait to kick back and listen the next time I get stuck in my cage (car).

July Heat

2005-07-22T13:30:00.000-05:00

I've been on vacation all week and it's been a hot one. Sounds like we'll hit the hundreds Tomorrow. We went camping in Siren for a few days earlier this week. It was beautiful but the fish wouldn't bite. It must be the dog days of summer when even the sunnies won't bite.

It has been great weather for cruizing on the Sportster! I love my XL1200C. So far I've added a Sundowner touring seat and a low profile quick detach windshield. The Cycle Shack slip on mufflers are on order and should be coming in a week or two. I still need to rejet and add the SE air filter which I may have done at the 1k service, speaking of which, I'm close to 1000 miles on it after a couple weeks!

Memorial Day Weekend

2005-05-30T16:15:00.000-05:00

It's been a great Memorial Day Weekend. We went up to Brainerd for most of the weekend and visited my Dad. His new deer stand is pretty awesome. It has a 4 foot deck all around it, a great wood stove inside, a shingled roof, and windows that slide up to open. Took the ATV out a bit and put a few miles on it out on "The 40" and ran around the pond behind my Dad's house a bit too.

For once Memorial Day is sunny and warm in Minnesota. Seems like the last few years it's always rained. We watched the VFW's 21 gun salute at the cemetary this morning giving tribute to the fallen soldiers.

We consumed deep fried turkey for lunch and had some excellent potato salad and tuna salad to round out a perfect summertime picnic meal. I banged up my ankle crawling around a waterfall in Marine on St. Croix. It was worth it to see the beautiful waterfalls hidden in the trees below the road on Rose Street. The kids climbed the small waterfall right in the middle.

Two weeks until Tim and Angela get married!

Winter Camping at Wildwood Haven

2005-03-23T18:43:00.000-06:00

Did some winter camping last weekend at our friends Randy and Shelly's campground called Wildwood Haven. It's up in northern Wisconsin. Great area for ATVs! Tons of great trails to ride. Click on the picture to see some other shots of the weekend.

Di Dollari @ The Kitty Cat Klub

2005-03-12T15:57:00.000-06:00

Friday, April 1st, 10 PM.
The Kitty Cat Klub
315 14th Av. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55414

Salamander
Di Dollari
Sean Connaughty (that one guy from Salamander)

Spring Sunday

2005-03-06T16:56:00.000-06:00

I think spring is finally here. It must have reached the low 60's here Today. Felt comfortable being outdoors with just a shortsleeved shirt on, and I don't think it was just my Finlander blood this time. Going to our friends Randy and Shelly's campground in a couple weeks to do some late winter cabin camping. Should be fun to tear around on the ATVs in the slush and mud and whatever is left of the snow. Don't think we'll get to do any ice fishing with this warm weather by then so ATV muddin' will likely be the main activity, well, that and eating some good camping food!

The Terminal

2005-03-04T08:21:00.000-06:00

Had a fun gig last weekend at the Terminal in Northeast Minneapolis. Di Dollari played with Big Surf and Ronnie Lake, both which are pure surf rock groups. I think we mixed up the night a bit to break up the sound and the three groups seemed to fit together very well. Thanks to all the friends who made it down to the show!

M83

2005-01-16T12:04:00.000-06:00

I've been listenning to M83's Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts record a lot lately and I sure love the production on the recordings. I'm amazed at how they can capture such a huge wall of sound but yet everything is still so crystal clear. I would love to have a glimpse into what the recording process and gear was that captured this record.

From Matt LeMay, May 12th, 2003 (PitchFork) - Sometimes I think it can't be a matter of simple coincidence that sound, when rendered visually, appears as ever-changing green fluctuations stretched over an infinite black void. The power of music to seemingly construct, alter and distort space can be staggering. Dead Cities, Red Seas & Lost Ghosts, the second album from French electronic duo M83, nicely epitomizes this: The sound is absolutely huge, its relentless attention to detail eclipsed only by the stunning emotional power it conveys. For fifty-seven glorious minutes, its impossibly intricate tapestry of buzzing techno synthesizers, distorted electric guitars, cheesy drum machines, and subdued vocals generate a sense of bodily movement through a landscape of beauty, disappointment, glory, and decrepitude. Dead Cities not only envelops you, but also affords you room to explore its vast expanse.

Music

2005-01-15T18:04:00.000-06:00

I've really been itching to get back into song writing again. I haven't really done much in years other than working with instrumental groups. I used to record a lot of songs by myself with lyrics on my old Tascam Prota3 4 track machine. I have stacks of old tapes done this way. Some of the stuff is pretty good! Maybe I'll post a link to a track from time to time.

If I can get myself going again and compose some new lyrics and music I will definately post those new tracks. Funny how when I didn't have the decent gear to record I was flowing with creativity and wrote songs constantly. Now that I have some great studio gear I haven't been taking the time to compose. It's time to change that!

Ode to My Late Mother-in-Law

2005-01-09T20:35:00.000-06:00

The following poem was written by my late mother-in-law's brother. My mother-in-law passed over in late 2004 due to pancreatic cancer. This is beautiful and my wife and I agree that it sums up our feelings as well. Here it is.

-----

A light has gone dark in my heart.

It has been taken, somewhat, apart.

I see my sister as she paints the clouds,

Reds, yellows, blues and crimson too,

And Cathie will stay in my mind and soul

Until I grow weary and old.

Cathie today is your 60th year,

And I look on it with happiness and tears.

You will always be my sister, forever

And I know one day we'll all be together.

Until that day I'll think of you,

With the reds, yellows and crimson too!

From your brother David, January 9, 2005

Foaming Cat

2005-01-09T19:42:00.000-06:00

My black cat "Nivea" can often have seriously poor breath. I'm sure it's related to what we feed her but she seems to like it. I thought I'd do something about it Today. I keep one of those little "Sweet Breath" peppermind drops dispensers with me and thought that might improve her breath a bit. She was sitting nicely getting petted and I tipped her head back and landed a single drop on her tongue. She instantly started in with the old peanut butter licking motion. Suddenly her mouth started perfusely foaming like she had eaten an entire bottle of Mr. Bubbles. She was leaving streams of foaming cat juice all over the carpet and trailing it around the house. What a mess. Guess I won't try that again. Didn't seem to have any permanent effects though. Her breath still is aweful.

Happy Monday

2005-01-03T08:44:00.000-06:00

I love this! Somehow when I eat turkey, I tend to feel non-perky.

It's Monday and I have a vacation day Today. I took last monday off as well. It's so nice to have two 4 day weekends in a row. I love the mornings of sitting by the natural gas fire in my pajamas sipping some motor oil. This is simply one of my favorite things in life.

I watched "The Butterfly Effect" last night. I have heard all of the horrible reviews but I enjoyed it. I was left with that not so pleasant feeling at the end though. Sometimes movies of that type stick with me for a while. It does make you sit back and ponder your life a bit.

After hearing that friends have not been able to respond to these posts, I've updated my settings to allow anyone to add comments. No need to have a Blogger account.

Strange Dreams

2004-12-31T07:51:00.000-06:00

I sure have been having some crazy dreams lately. Last night I dreamed a psychopath was taking shots at me with a little gun. I contunually blocked the shots with my hands but my hands were full of holes.

I had another crazy dream a few days ago. I was walking through a beautiful field pheasant hunting. Every few steps another pheasant would take wing and I'd harvest it with my trusty shotgun. I retrieved the pretty birds and stuffed them in my game bag as I walked along. I reached my limit of birds and headed back to the house. Back at the house I emptied my bag on the kitchen counter and lined the little birds up. As I looked at what I had pulled out of the bag, it appeared that somewhere along the line the tasty pheasants had turned into little white owls. I remember thinking, "I don't think little white owls are in season. I wonder if they're good to eat."

Nick Cave on Lollapalooza in 1994

2004-11-28T15:00:00.000-06:00

We were basically playing to empty stadiums. We were just on the wrong bill at the wrong time. Something like that. People decided it was a good time to go and buy a burrito. I mean, Green Day were on almost first, 11 o'clock or something like that. Between the time they were booked and the time they did the tour, they'd become monstrous. There were thousands of people crushed up to the front to watch Green Day. Then they kind of hung around for L7, and then it's like, "here comes Nick Cave, let's go and get a burrito." And it was sort of 53 dates of that. But I think we did some really good shows because of that. They were really extreme and... I don't know. George Clinton really liked us. That was a good thing.

Back from Paradise

2004-11-14T12:52:00.000-06:00

Just got back from another nice weekend of hunting. It was cool but beautiful out in the woods. It started out at around 12 degrees on Friday, but it warmed up to around 40. I didn't see any deer this weekend but it was well worth it just to get out and enjoy the woods and the beautiful views. I feel recharged.

Some more pictures are here if you are interested.

Out of the Woods

2004-11-07T06:24:00.000-06:00

I got back last night from a trip up north to hunt deer on some family land. Had a pretty good hunt and ended up with a young buck. The deer population in the area is high and the deer look to be very healthy. It sure is relaxing sitting out in the beautiful Minnesota woods, relaxing, watching the birds and squirrels play, and waiting for that deer to come along. I've been reading a bit on deer management and have decided that when I go back up to hunt again next week that I'll focus on getting a doe and let the other bucks remian. It sounds like there's a need for maintaining a stronger buck population and thinning the does right now. This should make for a stronger herd.

Great Quotes from General Patton

2004-11-01T18:48:00.000-06:00

My dad who is a WW2 vet has told me how my uncle Les who was also a WW2 vet was so fond of his general Patton. He said that Les would have even voted for Patton for president if he ever ran. I remember what an amazing man my uncle Les was. He was so wise, kind, softspoken, and strong, much like my dad. Because of this, I greatly respect his impression of Patton. Here are a few famous quotes from General Patton, a man who like George Bush, pretty much just called them as he saw them. I love clear unambiguous thinkers and speakers.

"War is an art and as such is not susceptible of explanation by fixed formula"
"All men are timid on entering any fight. Whether it is the first or the last fight, all of us are timid. Cowards are those who let their timidity get the better of their manhood."
"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory."
"Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom."
"Courage is fear holding on a minute longer."
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
"Watch what people are cynical about, and one can often discover what they lack."
"Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men."
"There's a great deal of talk about loyalty from the bottom to the top. Loyalty from the top down is even more necessary and is much less prevalent. One of the most frequently noted characteristics of great men who have remained great is loyalty to their subordinates."
"Perpetual peace is a futile dream."
"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."
"A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future."

- General George Patton Jr

Happy Halloween and Día de los Muertos

2004-10-31T09:38:00.000-06:00

My dad has an electronic bird feeder that solves the squirrel problem by shocking them. He said that he had just put fresh batteries in it and was watching a nuthatch that was sitting on one of the perches motionless. It was strangely perched facing away from the feeder with its tail in the air. After quite a period of time watching the bird sitting there motionless he thought he'd go out to the feeder and take a closer look. It turns out that the little bird must have swung around to just the right position and placed its little bird sphincter on the electrode. The 9volt battery powered bird feeder actually electrocuted the poor little bugger.