Alabama Poker

 Friday, January 4, 2013

My son-in-law and I joined his dad and four other guys at a "lodge" or ranch house on a farm outside of Montgomery for their regular poker night.  Quite an experience!  The rustic lodge with large stone fireplace, big dining area, and card room, sits in the middle of about 600 acres a dear friend of theirs left to his family when he died a few years ago.  His will stipulated that the lodge was to remain available to his friends for their long-standing poker games as long as they could continue to enjoy it. It was remarkable to watch them go into action. Sam* had picked up steaks and salad ingredients.  By the time we arrived, "J", the grandson of the original owner, had started a fire with huge logs and charcoal lighter fluid in the fireplace, and began making slices of Texas toast.  Roy had already started a fire in the big, ol' oil drum grill, and then started making salad, chopping whole onions, red, green, and yellow peppers, tomatoes, greens, and jalapeños.  He filled a large stainless steel bowl with the colorful mix.  I set the table and put out ice and glasses for tea, unsweetened surprisingly, and Steve, a confirmed bachelor and cattle farmer, cooked the steaks from Derk's Filet and Vine, http://www.filetandvine.com/.  The steaks from Derk's arrived black with their special grilling rub, a jar of which sits in my spice cabinet.  I noticed J timing the browning of the toast to the salad making and Steve's arrival from the grill.  It all came together in moments and we sat down to a simple feast.  A couple of them had brought their favorite pints, Old Forrester, Jim Beam, or Jack and had a drink, maybe two, before dinner- I only noticed one after dinner. Sam kidded in the car coming home that you can't afford to drink and play because the games get too complicated!  Roy did chew during the game, and spit discretely into a Snapple Ice Tea bottle, which sat in his drink holder in the green velvet and wood trimmed card table. He'd take the cap off the bottle occasionally, spit, recap it, and set it back into the drink holder. It looked like a dark brown liquor growing in volume while he emptied his solitary drink over the course of the evening.   Good thing he didn't get confused!  Mark, a late arrival, and another cattle farmer, is a retired orthopedic surgeon who serves as an insurance company "gatekeeper" on patient procedures, imaging etc.  It was a very gentlemanly game.

It seemed like everybody won. I walked away with a few bucks.  I don't know how we all did it. I barely had a clue during the game and if it hadn't of been for some good natured coaching, I would have lost my shirt. 

We drove off into the rain and the night leaving the fire to burn out on its own. Their friendship glowed in the embers as we left. 

* Names changed to protect the innocent!

Bob White at Eden Farm!

I haven't seen Bob White quail here for about 20 years.  We are at the northern part of their range and they haven't fared well here or elsewhere over this same period.  No till, no edge farming, foxes, hawks, and other farming practices and predators have all but eliminated quail from this area.  But, yesterday I heard that sweet summer song, bob white!  I thought I was mistaken at first, but as I listened closely I heard it again.  I returned the call, roughly.  I can't whistle, I can hardly carry a note, but my whistle must have sounded like a general approximation because I got a return call!  Then we started carrying on a conversation.  Lord knows what we were saying, but one quail was moving closer and responding right away.  I hoped it was a hen, because this baby was acting excited to find what must have sounded like a 200 pound boy friend right in her back yard!

I stayed in place in the driveway and couldn't see a long distance, but it seemed like the quail was going to round the corner any minute.  Shy, coy, or suspicious of my off-key, baritone whistle, she wasn't venturing out of cover and I grew impatient, and just a little self-conscious.  It can be a little quiet here at the farm and, as much fun as I was having, I didn't want to spend too much time whistling at some unseen girl friend.

This morning, as I got the paper, I tried a few good morning whistles.  No return call.  My notes are a little rougher first thing in the morning and I hadn't had any coffee.  They probably moved out of range, or hadn't finished their morning routine yet, but, unbelievably, in a short while, as I was reading the paper and enjoying coffee at the kitchen table, I heard that lonely call.  I returned it without moving from my seat and she responded!  Through stone walls, thermopane, and Krista Tippett's "On Being", our affair resumed.  But, again, I grew bored.  A guy can live to whistle only so long.  A little later, I was out back again, this time practicing my golf swing (yes, its a little quiet here), and heard her call nearby.  I responded and then looked up to see the quail right in front of my garage, standing proud, so proud, in fact, I wondered it if was my girl friend, or an angry rooster.  I didn't want to start any trouble, but Beau and Belle in an absolute fit of fidelity spotted that gal or guy and took off in full chase. I was surprised the quail didn't just fly off but, instead just ran into the dense hay.  Then, I saw a second quail down the road where the first took cover, so it did appear the rooster was trying to dissuade me from flirting with one of his girls.  I called Beau and Belle back into the house to allow things to settle down.  I don't know if I'll every hear her call again, but it made for some wistful moments here at Eden Farm.  I may let the Pennsylvania Game Commission know about the covey.  I just hope they don't ask to record my Bob White whistle!

iView Goes Mobile!

In March, I bought a 2008 Winnebago View RV to do some adventure travel, photography, visits to Civil War battlefields, etc.  So, the View From Eden Farm goes mobile in the iView; a travelogue of photography, phunnies, and philosophy.

Throughout, we’ll continue making memories, the core of what we do with family and friends.  Speaking of family, they are all awaiting a sighting of the View in their respective areas. There’s already been discussion of camping trips with Timmy, Katie, Anna, Molly, Alex, Quinn,and Mattie, trips to the Army-Navy game in Annapolis, excursions to Bama and the Gulf, and wherever else our imagination takes us.

The maiden voyage was to Pine Grove Furnace State Park, PA on May 9-11 (see link  ).  With a little help from our friends and inveterate campers, Bob and Esther Robinson, we took the View to a beautiful state park and historic site of a former iron furnace.

Its the mid-point of the Appalachian Trial where the hikers have a tradition of having Hershey’s ice cream to mark the spot.  I only hiked a mile or so where the Trail overlapped a park trail, but I made sure to have the traditional ice cream just the same.

There’s is an Appalachian Trail Museum, and several buildings from the iron furnace operation, including the mansion, the Pay Master’s House, now available for short-term rent for up to six guests, the ruins of the old furnace, two beautiful lakes, beaches, trails, and trout streams.

Beau and Belle and I did several hikes, one of 4+ miles, cooling our heels in the beautiful stream as necessary.  It was nice to come back and take a nap in our new View.

I mentioned Bob and Esther, friends and neighbors from Fairfield.  They were so nice to help make sure I was prepared with all the gear necessary for the RV as well as the camping, much of which I had from our family tent camping trips, and the Eden Farm Camporama, of course!  Bob and Esther followed me the 35 miles or so to the Park on Wednesday and helped me set up.  Then, Esther and Bob grilled salmon, I prepared a salad, and we finished with Esther’s chocolate chip cake!


Not bad for a maiden voyage.  Bob came back Friday, to make sure I broke camp ok and follow me home.  There’s a lot to explore in this area.  My next trip will probably be to Falling Waters, Frank Lloyd Wright’s house built out over the water fall.  There’s a revolutionary fort in that area as well.  So, more views from the View before long. 



See ya!