All that I valued and love has gone....

Seems that I am not well and will remain in my personal darkness, which I haven't found except in the lonely, that is when you realize that all you have done is off the beaten track, in the fog, in the thick forest of trees, in the deep sinking sand, quick sand or sink holes of life. There seems to be no one around to throw me a rope.


Survival skills, lay back and hope you float or you swallow that first choking slime into your stomach instead of your lungs. The fear of Limbo and the land of the Dead is there is no light, and no love.

There aren't enough volunteers, not for Paul Revere

I haven't much help with the Poulsbo Appleseed. Only a bit more for the Port Townsend a week later. They don't make them like Isaac Davis any more.

Did post my Appleseed Trail, from 2008 to 2011. I may have missed one but likely not.

FREEDOM! for slaves it means one thing, for the freemen a better world is LIBERTY

I have just finished watching all twenty-four episodes of The Slave Hunters, and I was able to see all the parts that had been missed while I made coffee, or worked on something else.

Korea (Joseon) of 1648, the end of the Thirty Years War in Europe, the time of The Three Musketeers, in France, and in England they were beheading Charles the First. In China, the Ming was being replaced by the Qing (Manchurians, really) from 1643 until much later, China is a big place.

The KBS production is available on DVD 2 box set, my library owns a copy (large Korean-American population), it can be purchased on line, probably available on Netflix with English subtitles. It all takes place in Korea, although some of the main characters have spent time in China, and Korea has a younger brother role with the Older brother.

This movie centers on slavery, runaway slaves, and slave chasers (or Slave Hunters of the title), and court intrigue to maintain power. All the bad guys are good, all the good women are really just beautiful (even with slave markings). The martial arts are very fantastic, but close to reality (NOT), but entertaining. To me the greatest hero was the tiger hunter, now slave, that knew how to shoot a matchlock, and taught other slaves the skills needed to kill the nobles. That was revolutionary... and the story shows how the culture resisted the needed changes, although everyone had the dream.

I recommend it for all those that are thinking of resistance to the oppressors, but then I really liked the whole story...just remember, it is loosely based on real history, real martial arts and real romance... loosely.

Time isn't as exact for everyone... it is relative.

I look at the roses, just a little bit ago I had taken pictures of them as buds, and now they are big and bold and about to become petals in the wind... since they grew while I wasn't watching.

I step out, get in my car and drive off to an Appleseed, present instruction, coach, monitor progress, encourage and razz as needed. One of the shooters from a couple of Appleseeds ago said he had been the target of some gentle razzing, and he might have been correct - just not a word I use in motivation... but it does work. So, since I am a retired fellow, I have lots of time to concentrate on the Appleseeds, and I get fretful when all those folks don't check for their pictures, read and/or comment on their Appleseed experience. I want to make sure I shake them up more on the next Appleseed. I need motivating, I measure success in every smiling shooter leaving with good memories and a desire to do even better and to talk about what happened.

Like an elevator in a tall building, one gets on the Appleseed, and the Plan of Instruction flows on, and suddenly at the end of the second day, one gets off the Appleseed and goes about life, real life. Family, friends, bills, work, and will think about this last and the next Appleseed when I have to... and if you don't have pictures to post, the Internal After Action Report to file and the report to higher about this shoot, the progress checks performed to standard, recommendations for promotion and just plain old bragging about how well your team did in producing Riflemen and committed Americans understanding the sacrifices of that 1775 generation of patriots - well, you clean your rifles, repack your stuff for the next one and periodically check to see if anyone posted anything wonderful that you want to snap up into calling this shoot.

I need to make two points at my next Appleseed: word of mouth and internet connections to share the heritage (they are stepping up into Isaac Davis shoes, aren't they?) and that 10 rounds standing, ten rounds sitting (in each of the positions) and twenty rounds of prone are the minimum dry fire recommendation for five days of their week. Do it on the best AQT from their last Appleseed.

Well, enough looking to see if anyone posted anything, on the RWVA forum, or Face book.... I give my wife two 5.11 shirts to get taken in so I look professional and my YMCA bag is packed, when I return today I will start the POI for Poulsbo Appleseed, needing more instructors and more shooters - there are never enough are there?

How to seveth step -- Seventh Steppin'

Still happy about the Appleseed in Custer, WA, and talked to the young lady selling organic blue berries from Mount Vernon about that. I also talked to a former Marine in the book store, since I was wearing my Red RWVA instructor hat, and my Marine shooting jacket. He told me all about his experience with the M1, and since only eight rounds had been through his I did ask if he was ready to pass it on. His price quote made me think it was a recent purchase, with a little more recoil than he wanted. Nice conversation.

I was really waiting to meet the Congressman from my district, Denny Heck. I checked with his staff, they said he would be there about 11:30.  I saw him walking through the farmer's market about 11:40 and he caught the red hat and the wondering about the RWVA on it. I explained it was for the Revolutionary War Veterans Association, and he said I didn't look that old.

I shook his hand and explained our mission and how we taught rifle marksmanship, after asking how he shot.  I told him we told the story of the three strikes of the match about Lexington and Concord  on April 19, 1775. I had lost track of my trifolds from the Appleseed on Sunday (would find them in the t-shirt box later) but I gave him our Appleseed.org address and showed him some of the digital pictures from that shoot.

Very positive reaction from him, I did stress that serving elected officials could shoot free He was going around checking on what his folks had concerns about. So we talked about one of mine  Mostly it was about America's change and the RWVA mission.

That discussion makes me want to modify my closing of my emails.  I want to leave this as my signature:

I won't be ruled, I am in no state to be governed, but I will be represented. In the LORD's Love and Liberty abide.  Earl, Rifleman

Two Appleseeds in Washington Weekend...

Will teach, and learn and tell the story.

Hope y'all stay safe, and in Liberty and Love abide.

Remember what is really important, it isn't on the internet nor the electronic noise. But you have a great opportunity for a great life, don't waste this shot.

I know what you are thinking.... don't I?

As I am listening to the Blues, postponing my breakfast, getting the rifle out for dry fire... yes, dry fire -the only ammunition I can afford on fixed income (I need a job). Anyway, I had a thought that I should share...

since I fling my wisdom around constantly.

You cannot affect the shot you have finished. It is over and done with. If you called it, and checked and it was where you called it - then it counts. Maybe not as well as you wanted, but you will figure out why it is where it landed and adjust, or go off and study a bit more - then practice making your shots even better. The next shot is the one that you have all the control over... except for freak storms, hurricane force winds, dust, plague of locust, sweat in your eye, sudden shot next to you, hot brass under your collar, mechanical malfunction or ammunition failure (since your handloading wasn't up to professional standards). You will settle into a proper position, check your natural point of aim (where the body and the rifle will hit the target, not where your mind says they should). Found it! Sight alignment, sight picture, respiratory pause - focus on the front sight, focus the mind on keeping the front sight on target, squeeze - SHOT BREAKS! - follow through, call that shot slowly release the held back trigger to the reset point.... then get on to the next shot.

All that is left over from my last Appleseed as I get prepared for my next Appleseed.

In life we learn to work with over and around other beings, with the intent of achieving our own goals. Aggression is defensive and offensive to the point of bullying amusement, but good manners, humble and submissive postures are all learned with the same objective - getting what one wishes and wants out of life.

My mother always said she 'knew what you are thinking' when confronting me over something she wanted to change... but I figured out that my mother was writing the story of her life constantly, and in the chapter she was writing about whatever was happening to us - she did know what we were thinking, she had written it and was reading and acting it out. So of course she 'knew'. There were many confrontations and temper flares - she didn't always know what I knew (she had never been a boy trying to make it to manhood) and then sometimes she knew exactly what I was thinking and trying to hide - that would really make me angry.

Frustration and anger are part of the defense system, brings the blood pressure up, hormone releases and preparation for fight or flee or freeze. But they don't help taking a shot, and allowing them to get in control of your life and quest for your goals doesn't make it easy...

Stop, think about what is important and start that shot over... you do want to be loved, respected and in control of your own life and choices. The only thing you can really affect is yourself - you have no control over weather, the type of day others have had before you showed up, how they heard your words, how they feel about your attitude, dude. Leading with a very light rein seems to work well with some animals... I do know that being clean, shaven with one's teeth in and smiling gently will be better than fool grinning and laughing out loud before you have established contact with the other and know how they are doing. And if you were Earl with an almost constant firm face (read frowning viciously) you might make others think you are angry, which drives the herd mad quickly.

If you want love and attention, you will have to give love - giving someone a fat lip will only encourage them to block better next time and learn how to counter or get a bigger brother. I know, it is difficult to love many of your fellow creatures - especially the human ones, but doing so makes it easier to love yourself - less to be ashamed of in your past, less guilt. Remember the objective of the relationship, and turn away from anger - that seems to be a reptilian brain function, not one of the human nor divine spirit.