Almost finished on my tenth year on the Appleseed trail, Custer Washington...

  So I signed up, prepared my vehicle and packed out and on the road north at 5 AM, it is dark and cold. Filled up at the Safeway and drove, and drove and drove and at 7:25 rolled into the parking lot at the Custer Sportsman range... been here before always interesting.
   Ben and Matt are on site, Ralph rolls up and we begin to set up. I have check in and t-shirt issue. Ten shooters to work on marksmanship and their heritage from our history presentations about April 19, 1775. I like to pretend anyone reading that date would automatically, if an American, know what happened and why on that date. But most Americans have no idea, they could google it or find it on Wikipedia, if they thought it important.
   Introductions, history lessons, safety and expectations of the two days are presented. There is a plan, a course of instruction that guides the instructors, and the shooters all have their personal expectations. Some of the shooters are back for improving what they learned on another Appleseed some times ago. Family and friends gathered to learn, practice and test their skills in a common, American heritage, marksmanship with a rifle. Something my American History teacher showed me in ninth grade Junior High Rifle Club, in the high school gym on Thursday afternoons.
   So, we start, building on little stuff, adding more, repeating the words, pointing out what we see, helping adjust the shooter, the sling and the rifle to the target with our techniques. I am sure they have much better ones in high power, competition and Olympic match levels. But we can bring you into 4 MOA at five hundred yards with our twenty-five meter targets... if the shooter pays attention and corrects one flaw at a time. And lots of dry practice, lots of dry practice.
  Gus joined us on day two, while we waited on Alec to return from border crossing adventures. In the end several cleaned Redcoats and three new Riflemen made. The future Riflemen were all around but darkness comes early in the wintery Great NorthWest, and my hands were chilling.

End of days...

  I went to my aunt funeral in Minnesota, she had a long and full life, I always thought of her as a wonderful lady, my father's sister. That was last year, December. My wife had to return to Korea, for maintaining her parents's grave mounds and paying respects, and seeing her sisters and brothers and all their children and grand children. Each of the graves took a day and she traveled the Republic to see her family and friends. Her tales of the changes in the last seven years in high rise apartments, cutting all the trees, getting rid of rice paddies. Most of her travel was bus, rail and air, taxis are too small since she was always with others.  When she went to her home village it was like a ghost town, and the farms had gone from rice to black beans - low maintenance high dollar value crop? Times change, excess rice comes from the two crops in Southeast Asia instead of the one crop in Korea. But farming isn't looked upon favorably, working in a factory, starting your own business, being highly educated and in politics, justice, medicine or science.

   As major improvements in tech, and computation show up, my wife's smart phone service stopped at the American border, without some serious changes she wasn't prepared to do. She took pictures but had to use her brother in laws computer to comment on Facebook to me. I laughed. She had various adventures on her trip back to the USA. But I was patient and was there when she came looking for me. She had to get new luggage, the old set had problems with handlers and plastic parts breaking beyond easy repair. But the new stuff got stuffed until little old ladies or their husbands shouldn't pick them up at all. Almost, but wheeling them is nice.

   Church, Sunday school and a revival for us, then I went off to meet a Tennessee Appleseeder that I am a FB friend of.  Met him and his wife, a local family lady, and we talked about career and Appleseed. The new efforts to infringe on rights and how we got into Appleseed and where we are going from here. Good burger and cole slaw, and I drank coffee. We exchanged business cards, ha, ha. Busy Sunday, my neighbor told me that the Seahawks lost, but the game was close and worth watching.
 
    Monday plans don't include anything except one funeral, for a lady born in Japanese controlled Korea in 1923, married in 1944, widowed by the godless Communists in 1953, raised her daughter alone, daughter married an American, she moved to Hawaii and then Washington to help raise the grandsons. She became a Christian and a Baptist late but was always at church, a senior lady friend to my wife, and my wife knew her grandsons from youth choir trips she had supported for years. One of them gave a beautiful tale of his grandmother's life and meaning in his family, a wonderful tribute. I noticed how young she was in their wedding picture. 

   It was interesting to me, how pain free my foot was, and how well I walked across the cemetery grounds and back to my car. And when I got home, changed, napped and got up to get a cup of fresh coffee and return my tray to the kitchen, I fell catching myself about twelve inches above the rug. Dropping the tray, coffee cup and stuff - had my priorities correct.   

   You had your three day weekend, unless counting or making more ballots to count in Florida. So be of good cheer the Democrats are winning, we won't become Zimbabwe, but Venezuela maybe.

The day after the Vote...

  Yesterday, I went off to the YMCA, to get a coach to show me the new routine, but they aren't prepared. As I walked to towards the double doors I saw a couple leaving the old man slowly going to the car in the handicap spot, the little elder lady carefully, slowly placing her feet as she danced with her walker. She was not happy, so I gave her a bright cheerful 'Have a beautiful morning!' And her face lit up, with a smile saved for the gallant knights arrival - just in the nick of time. She was so beautiful in that welcoming of my greeting. That made my day.

  I often tell young girls that only their smile will keep them beautiful, but they are too young to understand, they believe in makeup, dieting, dancing and surgery and dental alignment devices. But it is the smiles men will come back for. Since they are often disturbed by some young fool's teasing and taunting - never realizing that it is to get the girl's attention and then a smile. I will have to go back to Tom Sawyer to find out how Mark Twain wrote about that.

  Washington's election results weren't published until 8 PM. Too many misinformed people voting about things they know nothing about. I guess we are going to the Supreme Courts of Washington and the nation. Both Constitutions prohibit government infringement of the right to keep and bear arms. Different words. The biggest problem is there are too many people living in fears of their entertainment and news media promotions of the dangers of Assault Rifles, semi auto rifles, mental health of humans being treated for mental problems. Lots of rich guys pushed it, but the entertainment and news media had prepared the minds for thinking that legislation would prevent the next mass killing. But it doesn't. Promoting love of all ones' neighbors, strangers at the gate and one's self -- even promoting good manners and quiet behavior would help. But they are going to send the law enforcement forces into battle against the law abiding citizens with these terrible dangerous firearms and people will die. But we are all going to die, and once you launch the ball, the attack, the raid, the action to win your game - it all comes up against the other side, team and their reaction. No one studies history any more. We will be going to court first but gun raids have already caused the death of the gun owner denied.  Since most of America isn't worried about President Trump, not the alien invading masses (you don't study history enough, folks) the extra voters in this state were in resistance to the i1639. Thirty pages of feel good legislation. I am sure some of the first ARs were hidden yesterday because of the legislation, a few families are looking to move to Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. When you got to go, you have to go.

   We aren't even sure about Texas now, the big money is going to get us all if we don't watch out. One of those fine science fiction paperbacks from long ago, talked about the godless communists taking over America, and then having control of money, work and schools - they turned to the independent of community folks - the small farmer with family and faith, that doesn't have to come into town, use a phone or communicate with the government. The ones not depending on the government... Anyway, the main character was attacked and killed, can't have any independence must be dependent on the government.

  Now I know that fools believe it could never happen in the United States of America - but rights never understood nor exercised may not be legal in the minds of many. And if you studied history, you would quickly see how many governments have failed to do more than kill off a lot of good citizens in their efforts to make better citizens living in the current enlightened rule of foolish elite. Killed off millions, and not too well reported. But like I said before, we all die, it is important to live well and do your best right to the end. Forgive them, for they know not what they do... nothing really changes, we forget why we wrote the law.  Gods of the Copybook Headings, Kipling?

Time keeps moving on, and I am falling backward... or just happy to be here...

  So this weekend, we had a fine Appleseed at Coupeville, WA. on Whidbey Island. Which means ferry boat rides on and off. I said hello to the ticket sales lady on my first day, and had a fine longer conversation with the man selling on the second day, since it was early and no one was behind me. Day two was about how America was changed and everyone was alone and we needed to talk more everywhere - the kind of conversation that fit because of the shootings in Pittsburgh and the mad bomber from Florida. We didn't solve the lonely (my wife is away) but we did start the conversation and kept it positive.

   I know I am getting older, great picture was taken of me by Ben, and I love it, although it isn't as beautiful as I think I am. But ten years of wear on the Appleseed Trail will do that to a fellow. It pays so well: smiles, thank yous, and 'we will be back's. Trying to remember any people I met that I wouldn't be happy to see again, and can't think of even one.

   So with rain promised for the weekend, we showed up to greet 14 shooters to present instruction, history and build the heritage that seems to be missed by current culture. They came as groups, family and friends, to learn to shoot well and improve their understanding of marksmanship. Nine of them confessed to being beginners, and we would spend some extra time getting them into the marksmanship, but I know that it was worth it, the shooters that improved quickest were the ones without experience and skills built strangely to overcome.

  Don't know how to stress that there are things never seen in movies and news reports about firearms. They do have weak springs, fail to extract, double feed, and ammunition fails to fire when primer is struck lightly or the primer wasn't applied uniformly. It is all part of shooting that experience will help over come quickly and confidently. There were the adjustment challenges, I do need to study those YouTube videos about the strange slings I run into more and more now, they should work.

  We never got the soaking rains and high winds I have been under before on this range. Luckily, the weather blew in and blew away, so little lingered that we thought just a little shivering was not having an effect on our performance... it was chilling me and sitting on a wet directors chair wasn't half the fun of laying down in a puddle of water on the tarp laid down to keep one from the dirt. At least the shooters had a chance to shoot. Will got to shoot to demonstrate how he would shoot the AQT, we aren't sure it was effective. But he liked getting an opportunity to fire his rifle.  Mike showed up on the second day, riding his Gold Wing, bringing me a training aid book that I had left on the range at Port Townsend a while ago, Spring? I had been looking for it, figuring it was gone with much else of my mind. Still have a shooting mat left behind in Idaho from a couple years back.

  On day two we reviewed everything, the shooters much more interested in making sure they understood why they weren't hitting tiny groups on the target they were engaging. We did some drills and presented transitions to add to challenge and difficulty of meeting the time standards. The groups had the normal slowing down and being supportive and competitive as they always are. Which translates as good and bad. One young man was having trouble concentrating on his shooting, but his distraction was really learning, she had mentioned knowing nothing about shooting but she was learning quickly. Looking over the young man's AQTs on day two convinced me that he was sandbagging. He probably wasn't, but he wasn't really paying attention to the course of fire. He was safe enough, and he listened well to advice and took gentle ribbing well.

   By the end of the day and during our clean up I asked him how old he was, on the roster 24, he said 23. I thought a lot about that, he had manners, potential and will do well in life, if he gets interested. I believe he will, but then I thought about me at his age - so long ago and so far away. I was in Vietnam, the third overseas assignment of my Army service, a sergeant working on staff sergeant, planning to get married after that tour. Different country back then, too. Highschool grad, college and OCS drop out... well, we learn by what we fail at and repair later. It was a very good Appleseed, even without any Riflemen earned, all the shooters learned, they all improved and I hope as their lives allow we will see them on other ranges and Appleseeds bringing friends and family to learn and hear about the history and build the heritage back into our lives.

Y'all are ignorant of too many things for the amount of real knowledge that exists...

 Nice way to tell y'all that you should be smarter.

 There are
a bunch of people coming to America, the United (?once upon a time?) States there of. They are labeled as migrants, immigrants and looking for opportunity. But come on, they come from rich countries, great climate growing seasons and full of opportunity... except for one thing. We have a prohibition of government disarming the people, infringing on their right to keep and bear arms. None of those countries in Latin America have such a thing.

  Lots of people will always talk about voting, education, medicine and capitalism our nation of laws and such - and for some strange reason they discount our having guns as our only flaw in what could be a perfect society. But then you can't sell the idea of immigrants coming to America to live in Liberty with the opportunity and responsibility to keep and bear arms. All those strange talking folks buying their first of many ARs, nasty black rifles. I think they should be cleared to purchase as soon as they show up, take classes and learn fire arms safety. Sounds like the only difference world wide, in how they are perceived as a human being in their home country and the USA.

  In most of the nations of the world being armed is a criminal, or revolutionary act. The government reserves the arms and their power to itself, they don't trust their peons, serfs, bondsmen, slaves, and tax payers. The countries where you may be armed expect good behavior with the arms, but they aren't thinking they might be at war with the population...  Really, children are armed by godless revolutionary movements - easier to impress and control. But they get real automatic weapons and all the ammunition they want to fire into other human beings, in countries that have strict gun control. The weapons always move to the market and need.

   Look at the murder rates of countries that control their weapons, if they haven't higher morality and social expectations supported by gentle government and less than ravishing criminal elements, taking up all the law abiding populations arms just mean you have become the last of the Celts, disarmed by good Roman government after being conquered by the legions - you get soft and totally untrained and the migrant Jutes, Angles and Saxons will tear you up, and take your women and land. Then when the Normans defeat Harold and it starts over again...

   Don't fear Californians, except they bring unAmerican activities with them and they try to make all the states as big a future problem as California is already. But the knowledge of who you are and what you believe and what you work for every day for the rest of your life - is not on any digital screen. Real people to talk with, work with, have coffee with... meet them and be good.

Seen on the NEWS... a picture of another America, where I don't work and live and love...

   There have always been giants in the MEDIA, great writers, thinkers, artists, performers and politicians. All part of the smoke and mirrors of an illusion of a place where I don't live, and y'all probably don't ether.  They are broadcasting and making most of us fearful -- because we don't know the truth and what they present constantly builds our fear.

   Let us look at something common, instead of guns, drugs and thugs... something simple. All women should be beautiful, and how that is defined is there everyday on screens everywhere. And you can guess how much money is spent by all those media magic makers to make all those young beautiful ladies feel unwanted, unloved and without a future because they don't make the grade, just not at all that slim, graceful, confident and paid attention to - never to be courted.  It isn't true, but how else may we get more lipstick, makeup, perfumes, and new clothes purchased - we have to make everyone envious, fearful and in need of comforts and solutions to their self image.

   Okay, lets make everyone uncomfortable with firearms, or medical misfortunes. First report it, investigate it, and run it on the evening news for five days, periodically refer to it as the way things are wrong and if we could just change the law - it would never happen again. NOT TRUE!  But it must be, you saw it on the internet,  or it was on CBS, FOX, or ABC.  Aren't you glad it isn't in your neighborhood? Just in your mind. Not where it can be fixed by you, but then someone will offer a new law, so certainty that it will not happen again. More illusion, something much less than God's goodness to cling to, much less than the true brotherhood of humanity. Breast implants (something I know nothing about) are harmful, dangerous and all caused by the original thoughts about not being as perfect as women on the screen.

  I assure you, life is too short - you won't be able to stop evil, only you can teach, explain and help create good things. The government is not functioning as it should, only as you find it. The bigger the government the less it can do well.  Because of improved communication they start to feel like they can handle anything. But do you really think they will establish peace and prosperity in Afghanistan? Do you have any evidence that anything people from outside that nation have ever had any lasting effect? Ever?  Maybe if they stop the killing in South Chicago, they will be ready to cure Afghanistan.

  I bring this all up, because there are many things working around the next election cycle. We have a very bad set of initiatives that when read and thought about won't solve anything. The government has always retained the ability to pass laws against murder - the People never wanted the government to disarm their citizens. They had a much better sense of history and repression than current citizens. I always laugh, when those screaming for gun control are so certain they will always have police to call upon to defend them, that believe 911 will be a rescue instead of a clean up team, looking for evidence. For everyone that says we don't have to worry about defending our families and homes, you haven't been watching the last hundred years of civilization... Zimbabwe, Yugoslavia, South Africa, and there still seems to be war all over the world where our news isn't reporting much... everywhere.

Great Weekend in Renton...

   Left home early to get to the Interlake Shooting Sports range, in Renton. The first thing I noticed are the construction men waiting in their trucks to get into the area they are preparing for construction, looked like water and sewer and drainage. Neighbors are going to complain about noise and safety, but the range has been there since 1947. And the city keeps expanding, sigh.

End of the 1st day - happy shooters

   I checked my stuff for the course of instruction, and noticed I hadn't brought my hat, nor wallet, luckily I did start the morning with full gas tank. So Andy shows up to open, has a really bad head cold sinus and won't be teaching nor staying around. But his target line was set up the evening before and with a bit of tightening no problem. Scheduled for twenty-one shooters. It will be a bit tight on the firing line. Prescott is shoot boss, Bandaid and Glock Girl, Tally and Matt and a totally new to me, IIT named Schooner. Big fellow with a beard.

   Introductions, and orientation and safety rules taught. They aren't automatic yet and then they bring their firearms down to the line.  First Redcoat of the day, isn't very impressive for the group. But there are some shooters present, a few of which have been to Appleseeds in the past. When they know your name and they look familiar. Yep, back for another set of targets. I was the first Line Boss and away we went into the drill, teach one thing, shoot, teach another thing and work them through the day adding more to their skill set and knowledge.

  Because of some mechanical issues, adjustments of stocks for sight alignment and just new learning with too much information to absorb - the morning was slow to move along... but a Rifleman perseveres. During lunch the First and Second Strikes of the Match were told... I always wonder if food and refreshment aren't first in the audience's mind. But we moved into the afternoon refreshed and enlightened.

   We taught carding the sights to promote the use of NPOA, and to trust NPOA so one doesn't fuss the shot, out thinking the target shouldn't take more than a pause in respiration. Sitting and standing are taught, and fired, some speed drill. We did shoot one AQT, told the third strike and fired the final Redcoat target of the day, took a group picture and packed up to go home for rest, reflection and clean up of selves and equipment. We had one Rifleman from that one AQT, and three cleared Redcoat targets. A very big improvement from the morning start.

 Second day, starting at eight with the check in and preparing the equipment and firing line. A little cooler but going to become clear skies and warmer. Refresh and review, First Redcoat target should have been better than the last yesterday, but wasn't. So we talk through it all, coach, advise and watch for dancing fingers, sling usage, good form. It starts to pay off. trying to conquer one problem at a time, and the groups start to shrink as the shooters start just doing the six steps without thinking about all the excess wording and sage advice given. Rifleman's cadence and speed drills for transitions pays large as the shooters have only enough time to drop find target focus and squeeze the round off and follow through. Keep it simple, no magnifying your fears and frustrations, just not enough time. Three Riflemen made (Ray, Bruz and Liana) and honored on the first AQT of the afternoon. Ball and dummy drill, more AQTs and Known Distance knowledge presented.

  I hope the familiarity with their rifle and our instruction, coaching and tips will combine with the history of April 19th, 1775 to light that fire of the American spirit. We can take care of ourselves, we will speak up for the right, we will engage as soon as we break free of digital distraction devices. Good luck, keep the faith and honor our heritage. Hope to see y'all on the range, some where in our future and showing how well your dry practice has made you.