It's Dark and Stormy, on the Edge of Time

Driving on the Edge, on the Edge of Time

Lightning, rain, darkness. Just another typical day on the edge of time, except for thunder, which was weirdly missing. One cup of hot tea later and the power went down, which meant shaving by flashlight before climbing into a storm-tossed rig to the eerie cries of terrified peacocks and the forlorn howling of Blue Raskolnikov. 

The Wire

Thirty minutes of apocalyptic driving later I reached my objective, the Cowboy Church's men's prayer breakfast. And I was glad I went, because the cowboys are alright and you always, in my experience, get a good "message." This morning's was on forgiveness; don't hold bitterness, anger and resentment in your heart or it'll chew you up and spit you out. The Gospel's pretty emphatic on that theme.

A Typical Day in Wales

It was light by the time breakfast was over, and I looked out across the wire at rain-soaked Texas. It was like Wales, in August.

Be safe,

LSP

Cooking With LSP, Fish

I know, I know, it's Bushcraft Wednesday but plans have to evolve to meet a fluid tactical environment. Such as the opportunity to catch fish. We took that opportunity and went down to the lake.

Before too long there was a cooler full of Bluegill; take those fish home and fry 'em up! went the war cry, and that's exactly what happened.

Work Harder!

First things first, descale the fish. Use a regular stainless steel - no need to be fancy - kitchen knife with a serrated edge. Then fillet the fish, leaving the skin on. There's a helpful infovideo here, if you don't know how.

Then make some beer batter. It's not hard. 2/3rds cup of flour, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and the same again of onion powder.Whisk it up, add around a bottle of beer and fold in a beaten egg white right before you're ready to fry. And maybe you do that with a loaded .45 close to hand. Or maybe you don't, there's no rule. 

Random Fish Photo

Sure, go right ahead and fry up some fish defenseless. That's your call; who knows, maybe your pal, Nanny State, will protect you, and you'll be safer because you're not armed. Your choice. I chose a Beretta PX4 Storm, you might opt for something different. It's up to you. Choose wisely.

Batter mixed, dredge the fillets in flour, put them in the batter and drop the beasts in a cast iron pot with 3/4" of hot vegetable oil. Fry for about 2 minutes a side, then drain on paper towels.

Frying over, admire your handywork, pound the mahogany and grin like a warrior. Fish on. And here's the thing, eating fresh-as-you-like fish gives you energy, health and the satisfaction of Lake to Table and thank you very much.

It's tasty, too. And that's cooking, with,

LSP

#BlackGunsMatter

At least they do if you know how to shoot them. With that in mind, I went down to the range with a couple of black guns and an eye towards some remedial target practice.

A natural gas pipeline is being put through the fields behind the range's berm and it felt strange to see a bit of country I'd enjoyed being torn up. Everything seemed smaller, somehow.

I clambered over the earthworks to speak with one of the pipeliners, who was sitting in a Ranger, and asked if it was OK to shoot. He said sure, as long as I shot away from the work. "Hell! I've already been shot once already!" he said, holding up his left hand, which was missing all its fingers except the thumb, and a bit of that was gone too. 

"Man!" I exclaimed, promising to shoot safely, and asked where the pipeline was going. "From Whitney to Teague," said my new friend, and I told him that was "quite a thing," which it is.

Conversation over, I blazed away at some improvised targets, going for speed with the .45 and accuracy with the carbine. I have to say, the more I shoot the Glock 21 the more I like it; that pistol's right on the money. The AR worked well too, a proper little blaster.

Shoot over, I drove into the golden void like a warrior, on the edge of time.

Gun rights,

LSP

Christ the King

It's the Feast of Christ the King, and I won't preach, but I will give you these words from Pius XI:

"The faithful, moreover, by meditating upon these truths, will gain much strength and courage, enabling them to form their lives after the true Christian ideal. If to Christ our Lord is given all power in heaven and on earth; if all men, purchased by his precious blood, are by a new right subjected to his dominion; if this power embraces all men, it must be clear that not one of our faculties is exempt from his empire. He must reign in our minds, which should assent with perfect submission and firm belief to revealed truths and to the doctrines of Christ. He must reign in our wills, which should obey the laws and precepts of God. He must reign in our hearts, which should spurn natural desires and love God above all things, and cleave to him alone. He must reign in our bodies and in our members, which should serve as instruments for the interior sanctification of our souls, or to use the words of the Apostle Paul, as instruments of justice unto God."

I like that.

God bless,

LSP