Grammy's country is your home for everything country. We will be talking
about country music, country furniture, country artwork and country living. Our country living section
will include several articles based on home decoration and collectables. Some folks call them
"collectibles" so we will use the term interchangably. Our first few articles will include country
hunting and country living. We will try to focus some articles on what people request as well.
Feel free to comment on anything above as well.
Colorado
Bear Hunting the Country
Way!
A few years ago I had the privilege of visiting the
beautiful state of Colorado. Most go to Colorado to hunt elk, moose, big horn sheep and the like. But there are
a few folks who do like to bear hunt. Well, I learned in a round about way that although the actual activity of
tracking and hunting bear can be exhilarating, the actual taking of the prey can be intimidating…Case in
point.
About 10 years ago, my Hidatsa sister and brother in-law and
I decided that, rather just take off for our usual hiking and trekking on Sunday, that we would go up on Saddle
Butte mountain and track a bear that had been seen carousing around the area, and had caused some concern for
the well-being of the folks and children that lived here and there upon the mountain, not to mention the
livestock.
Well, since we had decided to do this on a lark, we really
had not prepared well and intelligently for what we intended to do, which for my brother-in-law and sister, was
to kill the bear if found….Me myself, I considered the bear to be my brother in spirit in the Indian way, so I
knew I would not kill it, except in self-defense of course, so, we weren’t adequately armed as well as we should
be. My brother-in-law, Jim, took his shotgun, I don’t even remember what gauge now, my sister took a 44 she
owned, and I took my son’s .410.….yeah, pretty stupid…..but like I said it was “on a
lark”……
Well, if you know anything about bear hunting you already
have voiced your criticisms and remarks about how irresponsible we were. Believe me, lesson learned….And you
know, it just shows the arrogance and immaturity and disrespect we have for our four-legged brothers and
sisters.
We divided up with Jim taking the left side trail that wound
around the mountain to the top, and I and Lovette took the right. Immediately, we could sense electricity in the air and
uneasiness…just this feeling that made the hair on the back of our necks stand up. Within moments we heard a
grunting sound. Well, needless to say, we were frozen in our tracks! We had been following the trail and were
midpoint up to the top of the mountain, quite a little distance from the truck. Ahead around the curve of the
path, we could hear and smell our brother bear and knew he waited just around the bend.
Hunting Supplies
Fishing Supplies
Iowa Deer Hunting
Call it
just plain old fear if you like, but I prefer to call it wisdom in acknowledging in our spirit that Bear was
telling us, “don’t come any farther sisters…respect me and my territory….this was my home before it was yours,
and I will protect myself from any comers who foolishly desire to have bragging rights over my mounted head or
skin on their walls…..” And what was fascinating was the fact that both Lovette and I both heard the same words
in our spirits at the same time. So, we slowly backed down the trail all the way down to the vehicle, constantly
praying under our breaths and sending thanks for the spirit and angels that possibly intervened on our behalf. I
will never forget that day, or that experience which is really difficult to describe, but still is vibrant
within my spirit.
Colorado is a beautiful land of abundant game and
forested beauty. Just always make sure you have prepared and know in your spirit that you are hunting to feed and
not for bloodlust or arrogance…..and especially, never on a lark……
Red Oak as a Wood Floor or a Vinyl
Floor
A
beautiful wood species for a vinyl flooring solution is Red Oak. This wood species has a reddish tone with an
open, slightly coarse grain appearance. The way it is sawn gives different appearances. Plainsawn Red Oak has a
flared grain, Riftsawn has a tighter grain, and Quartersawn has a flake pattern.
On the Janka Hardness scale, Red Oak has a 1290. The Janka hardness test is a measurement that tests the
hardness of wood to see if it is suitable for flooring. In America, this method measures the pounds-force
required to embed an 11.28 mm. steel ball into a piece of wood at half the ball’s diameter. The Janka hardness
test determines the ability of wood to handle denting and wear. It is also an indicator of how resistant it is
to working with the wood, such as sawing and nailing. The Janka Hardness for Red Oak is in accordance with ASTM
D 1037-7 testing methods. Testing is not done on actual flooring. It is done on samples of flooring and vinyl
flooring can out perform real wood floors.
Red Oak is a durable, dense wood. It is stiff and dense and resists wear. It is easy to work with. It sands well
and finishes well with a strong stain contrast because of the pores. The wood is pale reddish brown. The sapwood
is darker. It is heavy, hard, strong, and coarse grained. When carefully treated, Red Oak makes fine furniture
and vinyl flooring.
Starloc Vinyl Flooring
Artistek Vinyl Flooring
Decoria Vinyl Flooring
Naturelle Vinyl Flooring
Congoleum Flooring
The best quality Red Oak timber can be found in the Northeast portion of the United States and the Southeastern
portion of Canada. The Red Oak species is one of the largest timber trees, which makes it very popular. It is
one of the fastest growing oaks, reaching 80 feet high with a diameter of two to three feet. It grows best in
moist, rich soils with north, east, and northeast exposures. These trees can live over 300 years. When allowed
to mature in cool climates where there is slow growth, the grain is tighter, and more consistent, producing
richer, more beautiful flooring planks. There is a maximum amount of heartwood, and it can be sawn into
exceptional widths and planks.
When Red Oak grows in warmer climates, it grows too fast, and the grain is less attractive. Red Oak is a common
flooring option because it is strong and durable. However, there are many types of Red Oak available, depending
on where it was harvested. The center portions are the best logs because of its fine grain and rich
coloration.
Congoleum Ovations
Flooring
Congoleum Duraceramic
Congoleum Connections Flooring
Novalis Vinyl Flooring
Congoleum Endurance Plank
Because timber growth in the United States exceeds harvest by more than 25%, sustainable forestry and
sustainable manufacturing keeps Red Oak forests growing for future generations for centuries. Red Oak timber is
a green, renewable source that is in abundant supply.
Red Oak planks are dried slowly for up to a year before being kiln dried in small batches for
maximum stability. Each board is usually milled one at a time.
You cannot go wrong when choosing Red Oak vinyl flooring. The strength and durability of this floor makes it
versatile for many types of rooms. This flooring solution will last a lifetime with proper care and maintenance.
The graining and rich detailing makes Red Oak a striking flooring solution.
When choosing a wood flooring or a vinyl flooring be sure to consider
red oak as an option for your species.
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