Holidays in the Headlights

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Beautiful fall colors are rampant. Plants, trees…our ponds, ramping down for winter snooze. Soon, we’ll be spending holiday time with family and friends. As I write, I’m perched in a cozy cabin on the side of a mountain in Ruidoso, New Mexico, escaped from our reality as the Queen pushes to get our house habitable. Renovations never go as planned. Speaking of renovations, if you are thinking of such with your pond, be sure to read the story inside. It will make you think twice—which you should.

As water temperature drops, your pond will settle down, too. Look at it like I look at the U.S. Postal Service…with one big difference. The post office is slowing down service, just like our ponds, except our ponds aren’t raising prices like the post office. Seems a little backwards, but we decided to get this issue done way ahead of time. I can’t wait to see how long it takes to get our bulk mail magazine to your eyes.

At least our ponds deliver.

This issue has lots of meat, in time for Thanksgiving. You’ll enjoy the story what Brian and Heather Hoffman are doing at their east Texas farm. Beasley has a timely story growing big bass and enjoying family and friends. Dan V talks deer aging. Glad to know I’m not the only one not competent at it. Otto and Gray do what they do best, move dirt and pack it down. I always appreciate their real-world tales, especially when they come across something they need to come behind and undo. Wes Neal takes us through the process of starting over, almost a lead-in to the renovation story. The 3^rd installment of building Lake Deanna is solid as the rocks they hammered from the dam site, and all the other columns are rock-solid, for our enlightenment.

Oh, while in New Mexico, I finished writing a book! It will be ready to go by the time we send this to press. See the ad inside these pages. Good Christmas gift!