Taking a bird the size of a swan with a single-shot muzzleloading shotgun is always a challenge, but Hovey found that these huge fowl also presented problems for cartridge-gun uses during a field shoot for swan near Lake Mattamuskeet, North Carolina.

Hundreds of thousands of swan winter along the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia. Each year a limited number of permits are issued to hunters to keep these huge fowl from driving other birds away from limited food sources on their wintering grounds. By chance, this hunt provided the opportunity to sample both public blind hunting at the Lake Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge as well as an outstanding private land hunt on a harvested field some 15 miles from the lake.

Although prepared to hunt alone, including dragging my boat and an almost unbelievable amount of junk 500 miles from Georgia, my first day’s hunt was with Billy Best and his son Andrew when a blind unexpectedly became available at Lake Mattamuskeet. This blind, number 6 on an impoundment, was ideal for the windy, warm weather we were experiencing. It offered me two shot opportunities at swan. The first failed when the cap fell from the gun’s nipple as I raised the gun, and I very likely shot between the next pair of swan. Many more swan flew near, but all were out of range.

The result was that we all shot ducks and I took a coot for my annual New Year’s coot soup, which is described in the cooking section of the show along with an interview with the new owners of Harris’ Restaurant in Fairfield, which is now the Lone Goose. I and the new owner, Rebecca Gibbs, discuss the problems of running a restaurant in a small town (300) that receives significant business from visiting hunters, fishermen and bird watchers in an era of rising prices and a down economy.

The next days hunt provided dozens of shot opportunities, but some of the cartridge- gun hunters struggled to get their birds, particularly the youngest hunter of the four. His shotgun did not fit him and although he fired a number of times at flying birds, he was only able to kill one when it landed in the decoys. Two others made relatively poor hits and had to chase down their birds. I dropped my swan with a single shot early in the hunt, and never reloaded my gun.

This hunt illustrated that although shooting a bird the size of a swan may look easy, hunters need to know where their gun shoots, as heavy waterfowl loads may shoot feet below the point of aim. With steel shot, the only quick-killing opportunity is to shoot for the bird’s nearly yard-long head and neck, rather than at the body of the bird.

Calling and full-size decoys made by Don Bald of Lebanon, Illinois, attracted the birds along with additional help provided by plywood silhouette decoys brought by my host, Carl Hiatt. Each year Hiatt brings a group of young hunters from Wilmington, North Carolina, to hunt swan. Best told me about Hiatt, and suggested that I contact him. He graciously allowed me to join his group for an outstanding hunt which I recorded for this broadcast.

Bald makes a variety of custom turkey calls and insists that they work. He even took a solid ivory call and used it to kill a turkey. You can see Bald’s calls at his website www.baldscalls.com. You may also E-mail him at baldscalls@baldscalls.com. With coaxing he might make more of his swan calls, but only makes his decoys for himself.

Photos of the hunt and Bald’s decoys may be seen on my Hovey’s Outdoor Adventures Radio Show Blog. A live link to this blog is found at my website www.hoveysmith.com at the bottom of the page where you will also find my books and videos. Or you can go directly to the WebTalkRadio.net show page by clicking on the following link:
http://webtalkradio.net.shows/hoveys-outdoor-adventures/.

Ads on this show include one from Delta Dawn Wake Up Drops and SIN (Synthetic Industrial Non-Nutritives) Inc.’s swan which comes in either a silver or gold foil wrap or you may cover it with the hide and feathers from your own swan. There is a caution that if you use the pelt from your swan you may have some hundreds of uninvited guests at your dinner table.

How many speakers have you ever heard who possess all three four qualities? Though the combination is rare, that’s exactly what Mark Elswick brings to books, podiums, and interviews with his inspirational message.
Immediately following a 9/9/1992 automobile accident, two weeks of life support and a month-long coma put his very existence in jeopardy. A fractured skull, broken orbital ring, and a broken shin (snapped in half) were just some of the signs that proved to be minor setbacks compared to the relatively unfamiliar injury–at that time–which threatened his life and nearly stole his independence, a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Today, his words and story have turned into a tremendously motivating example of, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” applicable to any of life’s scenarios. Despite numerous obstacles along the way, the 42-year old has continually overcome those physical, emotional, neurological, and financial hurdles to arrive as an author, available worldwide. His words have moved listeners to laughter, tears, and back to laugher. Elswick’s first book, Padman: A Dad’s Guide to Buying … Those and Other Tales, was labeled “edutaining” by Joseph Yurt of Reader Views. However, as listeners will attest, his enthusiastic presentation is even more representational of the newly-formed word.

“Cancer spreads in various ways,” says Matt Ferstler, getting down to the nuts and bolts of the issue at hand. “In testicular Cancer it usually spreads through the lymph nodes and it grows from the testicles up–toward the brain.”  What starts as an illness with a 95% success rate of being cured can turn into something seriously life-threatening in a relatively short amount of time.  Are you willing to take that risk?

“It’s definitely very scary,” Matt shares of his personal experience with testicular Cancer.  Matt goes on to describe what it was like to lose one of his testicles, how it changed his mental (and physical!) image of himself, and how he’s moved past it.

Throughout the episode, Single Jingles founder Matt Ferstler answers all of your most pressing questions:  What can you expect at the doctor’s office?  How can you detect testicular Cancer on your own?  What is the typical treatment?  (i.e. Is it always going to be surgery, or are there alternatives?).  And what happens after it’s all over?

Talking about testicles is nothing to giggle at–well, at least not when it comes to testicular Cancer.  Tune in to hear approachable, practical, non-vulgar advice.  If you’re a boy, a man, or a very caring woman, this could be the most important, informative, episode of Bobblehead Dad ever!

And, some terrific ideas–certain of them concrete, others more ephemeral and spiritual–as to how we get control of the rudder, change the direction of the country, and in doing so empower ourselves and other individuals as the Founders originally envisioned. You will be shocked at how the Canadian press portrays Obama and his policies, angry that the Canadians changed course from socialism and are relatively thriving–unlike America, and what folks in other countries are simply not being told by their media in their home countries.

So there are definitely other kinds of wealth, such as spiritual wealth and psychological wealth. Mother Theresa, who worked with the poorest of the poor in Bangladesh, was appalled by spiritual poverty she encountered in the West. In her visit to America, she perceived an epidemic of loneliness, which she saw as more corrosive than leprosy. So one key component of psychological wealth would be a rich network of relationships. Another might be what psychologists call resilience. Yet another might be a sense of purpose and feeling like your life fits into the larger scheme of things. These are the sorts of issues being explored by the relatively new field of Positive Psychology.

Positive psychologists are interested in exploring the factors that lead to human flourishing, as well as practical applications for improving our psychological well-being. My guest today is one such positive psychologist who is working at the frontiers of our understanding of psychological wealth. Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology because his research on happiness has taken him to such far flung places as Greenland, India and Kenya. He the co-author of Happiness: Unlocking The Mysteries of Psychological Wealth.

The statistics are frightening. Children as young as twelve years old report that “it’s relatively easy to obtain illicit drugs”, and experimentation with alcohol and drugs happens earlier than most parents suspect. On top of all that, if you’re a single mother you’ve got to be doubly prepared since 71% of all adolescent chemical addictions come from single-parent families.

Can we parents do anything about this? Can we stave off this monster influence attacking our children? Harvard psychiatrist and adolescent drug specialist Dr. Henry Abraham says “Yes!” and adds that the key is early prevention. “There are many neutralizing influences, and parents can tip the balance on the right side by providing the right kind of environment and relationship with their children.” So the good news is that mom is in the driver’s seat more than she may know!

In this show, Dr. Abraham reveals the gateway experiences to watch out for, and the positive conditions, the “golden halos,” to encourage. He explains specific things to do early, such having as lots of mom-to-child talks (about everything and anything), being a sincerely church-going family, and trying hard in school—regardless of whether the child’s grades are A’s or C’s. It’s the effort that matters, and moms who do their homework on the subject of drug prevention will be mixing a home-grown potion that can dramatically help keep the drug dementors away. Tune in to discover the ingredients we moms need to keep our children safe.

In an article February 9, 2011 by the Atlanta post, it highlights critical and destructive forces which reinforce Russel Blake’s eloquent viewpoint on the perception of black women and the systematic dismantling of the black community. The Atlanta post states, “According to a recent study published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in February 2011, “Although blacks make up only 13.6 percent of the U.S. population, they account for 50.3 percent of all diagnosed cases of HIV. Additionally, the rate of HIV diagnosis among black men is eight times that of whites and two times that of Hispanics, and the rate for black women is 19 times that of whites and four times that of Hispanics; According to a recent study conducted by the Institute on Assets and Social Policy (IASP) at Brandeis University, “The wealth disparity between white and black households has more than quadrupled, regardless of income bracket.” Predicated on economic data from 1984 to 2007, the IASP study indicated that the average white family in the sample group held around $95,000 more in assets than the average black family. Additionally, the study found that middle-income white families have more assets (stocks, bonds, business interests, real estate other than primary residence) than do high-income black families; According to the most recent government figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “72 percent of black mothers are unwed which eclipses that of most other groups: 17 percent of Asians, 29 percent of whites, 53 percent of Hispanics and 66 percent of Native Americans; According to the US Department of Education, “Nearly half of the nation’s African American students attend high schools in low-income areas with dropout rates that hover in the 40-50% range.” “Dropout factories” (i.e., high schools that routinely have senior classes with 60% fewer students than their entering freshmen classes) are estimated to produce 73% of African American, 66% of Latino, and 34% of White dropouts, respectively; According to a relatively recent graduation rate report from the Education Sector, an independent think tank, “Fewer than half of the black students who enroll in college graduate from four-year institutions within six years. Nationally, the average six-year graduation rate for all students is 57 percent. Moreover, a 2009 Associated Press analysis of government data on the 83 federally designated four-year HBCUs indicated that only 37 percent of their black students finish a degree within six years, which is 4 percentage points lower than the national college graduation rate for black students; According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, “The racial composition of the US prison and jail population as of 2008 was 60.21% (African American (non-Hispanic), 20.29% Hispanic, 13.44% White American (non-Hispanic) , and 6.06% Other (American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander American, and Multiracial American).”Relative to black on black crime, the most recent government statistics indicated that “43% of all murder victims in 2007 were African American, 93.1% of whom were killed were African Americans; According to recent US Census Bureau data, “24.7% of all African-American live in poverty in comparison to 8.6% of all non-Hispanic White, 11.8% of all Asian-American and 23.2% of all Hispanic.” The Labor Department statistics still show the current unemployment rate among blacks hovering around 16 percent, although the economy as a whole has shown some improvement; According to the US Centers for Disease Control Health Disparities and Inequalities Report (Jan. 2011), “Black women and men have much higher coronary heart disease (CHD) death rates in the 45–74 age group than women and men of other races. A higher percentage of black women (37.9%) than white women (19.4%) died before age 75 as a result of CHD, as did black men (61.5%) compared with white men (41.5%). And, a higher percentage of black women (39%) died of stroke before age 75 compared with white women (17.3%) as did black men (60.7%) compared to white men (31.1%).”

Listen and download this show as Eliakim is joined by world renowned bassist Russel Blake who critically, powerfully, authoritatively, and passionately discusses the problem of subjugation of black women and the overall break down of the black community.

We can be sure that the wines from Alsace are consistently excellent because the regulatory region from France, the AOC, has rather strict guidelines. Furthermore, the area is relatively small and has a very close knit growing community. When compared to other wine producing regions of the world, these wines are a tremendous value. One should expect to pay under $23 for the entry level wines with very good, upto $40 for the next tier and between $45-$80 for most of the Grand Crus (best vineyards). There are a few wines like Trimbach’s Clos St Hune that will command prices above $100, but they are the extreme exception to what is, in general, a region that produces elegant wines at a very fair price.

Critical Factors.

Alsace has several components that ultimately shape the wines. The region borders Germany on the Rhine river and is separated from the rest of France by the Vosges Mountains. This narrow strip of land produces a long growing season where the grapes reach great natural acidity (which enables them to age for years) and to ripen fully. The wines from this region are produced dry unless they are dessert wines. Those wines are either Vendage Tardive or Selection de Grains Nobles. Indeed Etienne Hugel’s ancestor Marc Hugel wrote the rules by which VTs can be produced.

Interview

We are fortunate to have Etienne join us from his home in Alsace. His family has been rooted in the region since 1639. He addresses how Americans still have not embraced these wines. He recommends that people look for the yellow Hugel label and to try their Riesling, the Gentil and the Cuvee Les Amours. Please go to his website www.hugel.com. This may be the finest website in the wine business. It is produced in 7 or 8 languages. The site also contains beautiful pictures of the region, the vineyards, the cellars. Furthermore, there are beautiful tasting notes on all the available wines that were written by Serge Daub, World’s Best Sommelier 1989. These comments are spot on and will be very helpful in guiding your purchases.

Etienne explains that the region has charming Medieval towns, a strong Germanic influence in architecture and cuisine, and yet remains very French. Alsace is the bridge between German and France. These strong influences have made for a single, richer culture. His family is also a part of the First Families of wines. You may learn more about this club @ www.pfv.org.

The three wines he recommends are:

1. Gentil

2. Riesling

3. Gewurztraminer

We close with Etienne by discussing Vendage Tardive wines. These represent less than 2% of his production when they are made. These late harvest wines are produced when “botyritis” or the “noble rot” has set in to concentrate the sugars.

Here are a few fundamental facts about each of the 4 Noble Grapes or Varietals.

Riesling is characterized by slight floral aromas, a mid palate gunmetal sensation and universally crisp acidity. The wines are bit austere in youth. However, in maturity these show great complexity.

Pinot Gris shows a touch of peaches and apricots in its youth, a bit of smoke, but takes on some biscuit qualities in ripeness. I love its fruit density. Only in Alsace, does it take on a slightly spicy quality. Look for Pinot Grigio grown in Italy in places like Alto Adige or Pinot Gris from Oregon for interesting comparisons.

Gewurztraminer will show spicy aromas often reminding me of lychee and grapefruit. In Alsace, these vines will receive the long growing season they need to slowly yet deeply ripen. These are spectacular selections that provide tremendous value and remarkable food pairings.

Muscat is like biting into a fresh green grape or green melon. The wine often has low alcohol. The freshness of these wines has considerable appeal.

The other grapes in the region are Pinot Blanc (now the most widely planted varietal in the region), Chasselas, Auxxerois, Sylvaner and Pinot Noir. Edelzwicker are fun blends of these grapes. A “Gentil” is a blend that must have 50% of the Noble Grapes.

These wines can work beautifully with a broad selection of food items. As an apertif, they work quite nicely. Raw vegetables, pates, oysters, top neck and little neck clams, periwinkles and crab are delicious with these wines. I have seen them paired quite successfully with Nuevo Latino dishes with lighter proteins. Also consider all fresh fish items. Finally, the world of swine is perfectly suited here. The world of salumi offers perfect pairings. Sausages and brats are equally delicious.

As Dan joins us we address a somewhat challenging concept, why do some wines last longer than others? Simply put wines with a pronounced acidity will age nicely. Think of acid as the skeleton upon which the body of the wine hangs. Without it, the wines will be flabby. While Alsace wines do provide increased complexity with age, they also provide quite a bit of drinking satisfaction upon release.

In addition to the beautiful wines from Hugel also consider a few others.

1. Trimbach

2. Domaine Weinbach

3. Marcel Deiss

4. Ostertag

5. Domaine Zind Humbrecht

For example, grill the whole chicken, roast the bones and make stock. Here is a very easy recipe:

These stocks can be frozen and used later. I firmly believe that buying stock is a waste of money. If however, you must look at Wolfgang Puck’s line. Among these whole cuts could be legs of lamb, bone in filets, or even a

9. Stop drinking bottled water. There are reports that suggest that the FDA does not regulate bottled water with anywhere near the focus that our tap water is monitored. Indeed, much of the regulation is left to the companies themselves. There is a mounting suspicion that there are elements that affect or reproductive organs. I highly recommend a simple filter for our water supply. Furthermore, less than 10% of the plastic bottles are actually recycled. Our carbon footprint from this industry is unacceptable.

8. Punch used to be a delicious homemade beverage that we enjoyed. I would love to see people again becoming more creative making their own punch and chilling it with a large block of ice. Consider making the ice yourself and filling in with edible flowers and whole berries.

7. The grill is not simple for meat. We all need to eat more fruit and vegetables. We can grill veggies that are lightly tossed with olive oil, chill them and enjoy them throughout the week. Grilling fruit, like peaches, that are marinated in a bit of balsamic vinegar and serving over vanilla ice cream is delicious.

6. The American Beer culture is raging with wildly talented people around the country. I highly recommend that we all investigate the quality and diversity of this craft beer world. There are so many beautiful styles of beer for us to enjoy. Whatsmore, it will help the local artisan producers!

5. One of my favorite desserts is also the easiest. Years ago I dined at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon in Napa Valley. For dessert they served a bowl of perfect cherries on ice chips. The season is relatively short, so enjoy these delicious orbs while they last.

4. With a plethora of berries and fruits coming into season now, it is a great opportunity to freeze them or even better, to preserve them. If you are freezing berries, consider freezing them individually on a cookie sheet first and then place them in freezer bags. This will prevent them from sticking together.

3. Make grilled fish tacos with perfect guacamole. For the tacos, squeeze lime juice on the fish (orange roughy, halibut, shark, for example) with a bit of oil. Grill the fish to desired temperature, gentle dice, place on corn or flour tortilla that has been warmed. Add garnish of cilantro, pineapple or other salsa and generous amount of Gastro Guac.

2. Drink Biodynamic wines. There is a great list of these at www.forkandbottle.com/wine/biodynamic-producers.htm. These wines are made by many of the finest producers in the world. By embracing the natural rhythms of our biosphere, the winemakers are creating wines that are more resistant to the negative affects of oxygen, are healthier because the are not inundated with chemicals and taste delicious. Among my favorite producers is the genius Ales Kristancic from Movia. All of his wines are beautifully made and provide extraordinary value.

1. Make homemade ice cream this summer. While there are very fancy and expensive machines, I have had tremendous success with the White Mountain 6 qt Ice Cream maker. You certainly could hand crank this, but I recommend the motor attachment.

If you are a small business owner, you may not think you need or can afford advertising. Nothing could be further than the truth. Terry talks with Sonia Wise, President of SO WISE ART who not only shows how you can afford to advertise, but how you can’t afford not to.

Go along for a fascinating tour of Fredericksburg, VA with Terry Diebold and guest Karen Hedelt as they tell little known historic facts about George Washington, life in the 1700′s and the Civil War, then find out what really makes this town special–

week 0946

Tired of not achieving your dreams? Then you need “My Life List.” Listen as host Terry Diebold and guest Bill Starr show you a unique way to share your dreams with others who just might be able to help you put your them within reach.

Listen as Host Terry Diebold talks about the amazing dog food, Fresh Pet, and the phenomenal company that makes it.

Host Terry Diebold tackles the deeper issues that are essential to having a strong and functional family. Along with guest Karen Nowicki, Family Communication and Wellness Coach, Terry reviews the pitfalls that families should avoid and discusses Karen’s Four Core Principles that make a real difference in family building.

Host Terry Diebold talks to one of the country’s top experts to find the truth. You will not want to miss this show.

Host Terry Diebold talks candidly to lobbyist Nicole Armstrong about what lobbyists do and whether or not you can trust what they are saying–especially about the current Medicaid and health care issues. Armstrong discusses how medicare recipients can remain in their own homes rather than spend down their savings before they can receiving nursing care.

Week 0934

Week

Host Terry Diebold explores how to tell what is really going on with your teen–is is acting out or depression? Joining Terry is author Karen Flyer author of Loss and Found, a story of loss and redemption.

Relatively Speaking host Terry Diebold talks with appraiser Lisa Hockman about what you should and shouldn’t do to raise the value of your house. Listen to the secrets appraisers use to decide the value of your house and find out what to do if you don’t like your appraisal.

Do you wonder what will happen with health care in the coming months? Join Terry as she discusses with Dr. Therese Pasquolini, noted health care specialist, how taking care of your health can and will have a direct effect on universal health insurance.

Week 0929

Tune in as Terry talks to Kim DeYoung, founder of Metro Moms, a unique way for mothers to log on and find support for their entrepreneurial ideas from other moms who can help them make their businesses a success.

Week 0927

Week 0926

Terry Diebold talks to Sue about her experiences–good and bad– and whether or not she’d do it again.

Week 0924

Listen as Terry and Rob talk about Rob’s dream life and how he made it happen by publishing, along with his wife, a small town newspaper that has turned out to be as big a gift to the community as it was to Rob and his family. Listen for Terry’s special comment to you about your dream life.”

Do you know the secret to managing your money? Listen as Terry discusses some of the top five steps that you must take to manage your own money successfully. She talks with Patricia Stallworth, a money coach whose business is teaching people money essentials.

Week 0921

Listen as Terry interviews entreprenuer Eileen Griffin Boyd on how she paid attention to her deeper self and started a business at the downturn. Eileen and Terry share funny and stories about how Eileen made the business a success despite some big beginner’s mistakes.

Have you every considered that what you say about yourself is absorbed by your kids and forms the basis for what they think about themselves? Join Terry as she discusses with author and coach Christie Whitman how this and other information that you think and believe about yourself can poison teens and preteens as they navigate the difficult road of defining themselves.

“Are Essential Oils just a big come on like crystals and special metals or are they a legitimate alternative approach to some of our urban problems like anxiety, depression? Listen as host Terry Diebold talks to expert Melanie Yost who debunks some of the myths and shows why Europeans are way ahead of Americans when it comes to something so essential to our well-being.”

Week 0916

Week 0914

This week host Terry Diebold interviews Josh Meyers who suffered from such extreme panic attacks that he lost 40 lbs. Listen to his incredible journey of discovering the root cause of panic disorder. Josh teaches people how to treat the disorder and never experience a panic attack again.

Relatively Speaking host Terry Diebold interviews Marna Thall, author of Naturally Thin Secrets who says you can become thin by eating whatever you want whenever you want. Listen as Terry and Marna discuss how this plan works and why.

Terry interviews Patricia King, author of Monster Boss, who describes the different kinds of monster bosses and what to do about them in this bad economy.