Thanksgiving 2023

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving at Jane's (grandmother/great-grandmother) home in Jackson, MS, with my daughter, granddaughter, grandsons, three of five great-grandsons. and her extended family. Pictures of three great-grandsons, Monkey Shining, with my Air Force Grandson, tree climbing. I'm truly blessed to have family and extended family to be with. A delightful and memorable Thanksgiving Day 2023.

Happy 34th Birthday, Stephen

I wish my oldest grandson, Stephen, a Happy 34th Birthday today. I love you so much, and may you have many blessings on your special day!

Gran Gran

Happy Thanksgiving Bloggers!

 The Gifts They Leave Behind!

In all things, Give Thanks!

The Love's New Forever Home

Last Saturday, my nephew, Bubba Love, and his wife, Cassie Jo, moved into their forever home north of town and were invited to come and check it out the next day.  Here are a few pictures of their lovely new home next to a lake with deer running everywhere.  

Beautiful scene from the back of the house on top deck.

Lapdog Hank sits on the bottom deck in Cassie Jo's lap

Man of the house, Bubba Love.

Bubba and Cassie Jo's family's new home.

My great nephew, Oliver, and me!

Reminder To All Hunters

This reminds all our hunters of a few facts to remember this season. Here are a few things we’ve learned over the years as we constantly push to raise the bar:

1. Deer does not require aging or (hanging) in a cooler like beef because venison is lean meat and does not retain water like beef. You change the flavor and gain tenderness as the meat decomposes. This makes for a tender steak with less flavor, not a fresh ground burger. 1 to 2 days in a walk-in cooler is all that’s needed.

2. Please do not soak your meat. Blood is in the veins, not the muscles. Myoglobin is the red/pink you see in the muscles. A Muscle is similar to a sponge that soaks up the water in the ice or icy water drained every few days and makes tasteless steaks and wet burgers. Do your steaks absorb marinade? Why wouldn’t it absorb that water it’s soaking in? Google search washing meat in water.

3. If you MUST put venison in a cooler: To have great-tasting meat, place your venison in a bag and then in a cooler to keep the meat cold and dry.

4. The wild game taste you get at other processors results from them leaving some tallow/fat behind, trying to cut corners. While you can hide it from the eye when you grind it all up, you are left with the game taste. If you want bland, tasteless venison, buying chicken is cheaper. Instead of making the perfect environment for a Bactria bath, your meat is soaking in. Again, just Google or research washing meat in water.

All rea

Proud of Grandson & Granddaughter on Veterans Day

My Grandson, Staff Sergeant Michael (Ethan) Kelly, is serving in the U. S. Air Force and has been in the service since October 2, 2012, to the present.  He graduated from basic military training on December 2, 2012, at Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX, and is now stationed at Grand Forks AFB, ND.  

My oldest granddaughter, Sonya Michelle, a Navy veteran, graduated from boot camp at Great Lakes, IL, in 2001. She was stationed at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, CA, and had an honorable medical discharge. 

I am honored and proud of both of my grandchildren for their sacrifice and bravery in serving our country.  May God Bless all our servicemen and women, and may God Bless America!

Deer Interview

Highlights of Great-Grandson Ian's 16th Birthday!!

Here are some highlights of celebrating my great-grandson Ian's 16 birthday yesterday on the sandbar at the Mississippi River in Vicksburg. Family and friends celebrated his birthday, and I had the best time riding the four-wheeler with Ian and later with his Dad, Jamie, and two great-grandsons, Will and Noah. It was a perfect photo op for me!

Happy 16th Birthday, Ian!!!

Today, my great-grandson Ian is 16 years old. This picture was taken last hunting season down on the farm. I had to post two pictures of him because I loved the picture I took of him at 10. I look forward to seeing him later today and having pizza and birthday cake on the sandbar beside the Mighty Mississippi River. Wishing him a very Happy Birthday on his special day. I love you so much!! Great Gran Gran  xoxo

Ian is 10 years old.

Thanking of My Brother

Thirteen years ago today, my only brother, Marion Edward Love, Jr. (Buster), died on Halloween evening. He had diabetes and had to have both his legs amputated above his knees and only lived one month after surgery. I love and miss Buster every day of my life.

Happy 35th Birthday, Victoria

Today, my Granddaughter, Victoria Leigh, is celebrating her 35th Birthday and Halloween. Being born on Halloween, her Dad called her “Spook,” which fits her perfectly. She gave me my Great Grandson Ian and is a very caring and sweet granddaughter. I’m wishing her a very Happy Birthday that’s full of happiness and joy. I love you so very much, Victoria! Gran Gran xoxo

Happy "Heavenly" Birthday to My Son, William David Boyd

I have gone through these two days every year for the last "59" years, missing my only son, William David Boyd, who was born on October 25, 1964, and unfortunately passed away the next day from Hyaline Membrane Disease (HDM). The angel shown here was on his flowered casket, and I cherish it. I'm genuinely blessed to also have four beautiful daughters who have given me six granddaughters, three grandsons, and five great-grandsons in my life. I will see him again when the Good Lord calls me home.  Happy "Heavenly" Birthday, Son. 

Could MS Have a Bear Hunting Season?

Scooter Whatley and Anthony Ballard with a tranquilized black bear collared for black bear research. Ballard is the Mississippi Black Bear Program Director.

Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks Black Bear Program had one common question asked last week:  When is Mississippi getting a bear hunting season?

The question stems from Louisiana announcing it will work forward, creating a new black bear season.

Bear Program Coordinator Anthony Ballard said the question of when MS will have a bear season is difficult to answer. Black bears are native to Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee. Unregulated hunting and loss of habitat in late 1800 drove the bear population down to threatened levels.  

Additionally, Ballard said he often gets asked how many bears Mississippi has. At the start of the bear program, Mississippi's best estimate for its bear population was 50 bears, and the state still needs an up-to-date estimate.

The population question must be answered before determining a hunting season for bears in Mississippi. However, Ballard said, much fieldwork was completed during the summer to better answer those questions.

"To have a hunting season, you have to figure out how much of the population you can take away to have a stable population, "He said. "We are trying to figure out our population because our estimate is outdated. All I can do is guess on a population until we get a good estimate."

Data has been collected through hair snare samples in a multi-state project with Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee. The states are pooling genetic data to look at the population's demographics, like the sex and age makeup of the bears.

The pieces will be put together to make a puzzle. MDWFP has the data now, but Mississippi State University's College of Forest Resources must analyze the data before conclusions can be drawn from the hair snare research project. MSU serves as the unofficial research arm of MDWFP. Ballard said he is wondering how long the MSU analysis will take.  

BEAR SURPRISES

Over the past year, Ballard said he has seen two surprises.  One is the density of bears.  He knew many bears in Southwest Mississippi in Wilkinson and Claiborne counties but needed to realize exactly how many bears there were.  It was a surprise.  I collared five there in a 15-20-mile stretch.  "It was a surprising density, "Ballard said.

Most of the bear density in Claiborne County is along the Bayou Pierre.  It makes sense, as bears and most other animals use drainages and waterways as travel corridors.  MDWFP collared a 200-pound male a few miles from Alcorn State University.  Ballard said the bear had gone through Canemount Wildlife Management Area and the Windsor Ruins.  

Based on public posts in the MS Bear Photos Facebook group, Clark County also has a good bear density.  Ballard said another surprise to him was finding bears in Noxubee and Atalla County, where habitat gets pretty sparse.

Mississippians have contributed to the bear program research by reporting sightings of bears.  In 2022, people saw 70 bears, which doubled to 150 black bear sightings in 2023.  MDWFP unveiled an interactive map featuring these observations earlier this year.

"I attribute the growth more to public awareness.  They know what to do, and it has helped gather more data," Ballard said.  "It helped the public understand that bears are still out there."

SYNOPSIS OF THE BEAR PROGRAM

MDWFP's next commission meeting is November 16, when Ballard will present on the bear program for an educational session starting at 9 a.m.  The meeting will be at the MDWFO Headquarters in Jackson.

It will be a year in review for Ballard, as he unofficially took the reins of the bear program in November 2022 before getting his official start in January.

"The session will be more of an update on the trapping we have done with the MSU and what we have done since I took over," Ballard said.  "I'll get to talk about how we have moved the bear program forward."  

Taken from The Vicksburg Post

Enjoying The Gourd Life ~ Starring Asher

I had to steal these cute pictures of my 5th Great-Grandson, Asher, enjoying the gourd life, as his Mother, Caitlyn, puts it. They live in Cinnaniciti, OH, and so far away from Mississippi. Looks like he had a wonderful time and got him a pumpkin to take home. I love and miss you so much, Asher! Great Gran Gran

He's a little pumpkin!!!