Quote of the Week

"Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy as they are also the marks of great art. They seem to be the purpose of God for his whole creation." ~Richard Holloway

Good News, and More Good News

First of all, I want to introduce you to my new nephew, Colton Everett! I've been absent from this blog for almost 48 hours, becoming an aunt for the very first time! I am extremely excited and I can't wait to buy him his first drumset! Hopefully, he'll become another one of my good hunting buddies in time!

Secondly, I want to introduce you to Ben Gustafson, a new blogger who writes Ben G. Outdoors. He loves hunting and the outdoors, and in his own words, gets as excited as a kid when he does anything involving hunting. He started blogging so that he could stay immersed in his outdoor passions all year long. Please check out his site and give him a warm welcome to the outdoor blogging community.

While I was away, I was also contacted by Steve Johnson of HuntOnly.com a website that has information and articles about all types of hunting. They also have a large photo gallery and forums to help get and keep people involved in hunting. Steve is also a part of Whitetail Deer Hunting a website dedicated to, (can you guess?) whitetail deer hunting! I would recommend both of these sites and if you do check them out, tell Steve I sent you!

Bambi's Bad Uncle Jack

Although I don’t remember this experience, my mom has often told me the story of one of the first times that I saw deer carcasses hanging in my father’s garage. I was either too young to completely remember it, or it didn’t scar my psyche as bad as they initially thought it would.

Every year our Christmas church pageants fell on the last Sunday of deer season. My father and uncles always promised to be at the pageant, but it never failed that one of them would take a deer that evening and they would miss it. On one of those particular Sundays, after the Christmas pageant was over, mom and I drove home to find the garage all lit up, one of my uncle’s trucks in the driveway, and several deer hanging in the garage.

Mom and I walked out to the garage to find my dad, and one of my uncles. My uncle proceeded to explain to me that the dead deer hanging in the garage was, in fact, the lovable cartoon character, Bambi. They had killed Bambi. I didn’t believe him at first, but he didn’t change his story and I soon began to believe that he really had, in fact, shot Bambi!! Of course as my face fell, I began to cry... and scream... and wail.

I can picture the whole scene right now: my uncle with a smirk on his face, my dad hiding his smile, and my mom glaring at both of them. On the way back to the house, my mom explained to me that they really didn't kill Bambi. In fact, they had killed Bambi’s bad uncle Jack, an old, mean deer that had made Bambi’s life miserable. So, my dad and uncle had really done a favor to Bambi and my uncle was just teasing me.

While many people tend to make jokes regarding Bambi’s life during deer season, in our home the bucks are always referred to as Bambi’s bad Uncle Jack. I don’t think my mom has ever forgiven my uncle for that night, and even though I don’t remember a single thing, it always makes for a good story around the dinner table.

Did your parents ever make up a story to explain dead animal carcasses? And how will/did you explain the dead animals to your children? In the meantime, I sincerely hope that none of you ever have to come up with a story like that of Bambi’s bad uncle Jack.

Photo Contest Finalists

Back in January I did a post about the Great Outdoors Photo Contest that was being sponsored by the Wichita Eagle Newspaper. There have been hundreds of entries of beautiful, awe-inspiring photographs, and now it's time to pick the winner. This contest is voted on by the public, so every vote counts. Go here to cast your vote for the Adult Division, or here for the Youth Divison. Even if you aren't interested in casting a vote, I encourage you to take a look. You might just find yourself inspired!

Outdoors Affirmation

Affirmation. A solemn declaration.

Many young people, in various circles of faith, often make a statement, an affirmation, before being confirmed or baptized within their church. While this post is not faith-based, I applied the same principle to create what I believe is my affirmation for living a respectful outdoors lifestyle.

Writing an affirmation is actually a lot harder than it first seems, it requires a good thesaurus and a profound look inward. I encourage everyone to write their own affirmations, whether it be faith-based, familial concentrated, or all encompassing. I guarantee that it will help you re-evaluate and re-focus your belief and your direction.

My Affirmation of the Outdoors
I believe that hunting is a way of life, not a hobby. I believe that a sunrise can bring hope to a complacent world. I believe I am obligated to protect the land that protects me. I am a lover, and I believe that conscious conservation is the ultimate show of my love. I believe that passion ignites change, change brings growth, and growth is the fuel of life. To grow, I believe I must seek new experiences and make them the source of my education and my joy. I believe that tradition and heritage is the foundation of the enduring ritual of hunting. I believe that to connect with Mother Nature, I must submit myself to her presence. I believe in the power of a sunset to bring peace to the restless, and calm to my soul. I believe that I must focus my actions to bring change and to ultimately secure the future of the natural world.

Pass It On

Well, I'm a little bit behind my fellow bloggers on this subject, but, in my defense, I'm just trying to keep the word alive. Chad, from The Wild Side and Field Dress t-shirt company, is now working with Pass It On, an outdoor mentoring organization based in Wichita, Kansas to help bring the outdoors to children. Nothing says it better than the press release, so I'm just going to post it in it's entirety. For more information, follow the links...

Field Dress™ lends support to Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors Program

WICHITA, KS (February 11, 2009). Today, many children express an interest in outdoor activities, but don’t have the support to help them realize those adventures. Field Dress LLC has stepped up to help these kids. A portion of the price of every item sold on Field Dress’s website (http://www.outdoormentors.org/www.fielddressed.com) will go directly to Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors Program. Field Dress will also be supplying packs for specific Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors Program events. Chad Rodvold of Field Dress stated, ”Pass It On- Outdoor Mentors is the ideal platform for Field Dress to continue its’ design ideals of respect and passion for the outdoors. I feel extremely privileged to be a part of such a worthy organization.”

The Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors program recruits mentors who will share their love of the outdoors with children who lack opportunities to get outdoors without a mentor showing them the way. Pass It On - Outdoor Mentors was recently endorsed by the National Forum on Children and Nature as on of 30 projects that creatively reconnect kids with nature, benefiting their overall health and appreciation for the great outdoors. “Too many children are spending too little time outdoors,” commented Mike Christensen, President of Pass It On – Outdoor Mentors, Inc. “The generosity shown by Field Dress reflects their commitment to the outdoors…providing not only quality products for those who love the outdoors, but working to make the outdoors accessible for our youth as well. Their assistance through this effort will make it possible for more of our youth to experience the outdoors cherished by Chad and all of his customers.”

For more information about Field Dress, please visit http://www.fielddressed.com/. For more information about Pass It On -- Outdoor Mentors, Inc., please http://www.outdoormentors.org/.

Quote of the Week

After a day of cloud and wind and rain
Sometimes the setting sun breaks out again,
And touching all the darksome woods with light,
Smiles on the fields, until they laugh and sing,
Then like a ruby from the horizon’s ring,
Drops down into the night.

– Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

What keeps you busy in the off season?

Photo taken from a North Carolina archery shoot

One of the hardest parts of hunting is the season when there is no hunting. My ultimate passion is hunting for whitetail deer in my home state of Kansas, and when the season isn’t open I am longing for the time when it can begin again. The off season can get kind of long around here but it’s the best time to learn new skills, try new products, and to enjoy being outdoors without the pressure of trying to bag a trophy animal.

Right after Christmas my husband and I both invested in new bows, and so far we love them! Our off season activities up to now have been target practicing and fine-tuning our shooting skills. I love new products, but breaking them in can sometimes be challenging. I’m not as comfortable with the new bow as I’d like to be, but I’m definitely on my way to getting there.

We have also talked about entering a few of the 3D shoots that are offered around here. While neither of us has ever taken part in one before, I can’t think of a better opportunity to meet new people and work on being outdoors and staying hunting focused. While I am still itching for the 2009 deer season to get here, I am also having a blast forcing myself to get out of my comfort zone. What’s the one thing you do in the off season to keep the hunting bug at bay but still stay focused on your favorite sport?

Trout

While this blog is mostly about my love for hunting, I do love everything about the outdoors. I spent the majority of my summers in Colorado at our family cabin where we did alot of hiking and fishing. I even learned to fly fish, though I won't claim to be very good at it. Most of my time was, and still is, spent un-hooking myself from the bushes and the trees, and everything else that the darn little fly can get hooked on. The other day, though, I came across this poem and wanted to share, hope you enjoy!

TROUT
I do my best
to keep pointlessness
at bay. But here,
wet above my
knees, I let it fly.
Here, hot and cold,
fingers thick with
thinking, I try to
tie the fly and look
for the net, loosening
the philosophical
knot of why I came
here today, not yet
knowing whether
I'll free or fry
the rainbows
and browns once
they're mine.
~Kathryn Starbuck

Valentine's Day

Guess what? Tomorrow is Valentine's Day! One of the most celebrated days of the year for most women, and one of the most dreaded for men. So, if anyone is still searching for the perfect V-Day gift check out some of my suggestions for a great gift.

1. Jewelry (Duh!) I adore this diamond heart necklace by Jane Seymour for Kay Jewelers and this lovely elk ivory ring by Jensen Jewelers. The saying goes, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend," and I couldn't agree more.

2. The Lavendar Lady or The Pink Lady. Self-protection and lots of fun in a box. Besides being built to fit a woman's hand, it comes in several cute colors that almost every woman would love to own. Find a review here.

3. Pink Muzzy Broadheads. Nothing says love quite like a pink bone-crushing, flesh-ripping broadhead made for the ladies. Add some chocolates and a card and you have the perfect gift package for any lady archer.

4. Camo pajamas. What says "Let's cuddle!" better than silk camouflage pajamas? Soft and comfortable, she will never want to wear anything else. Perfect for cuddling on the couch while watching a chick flick on Valentine's Day night.

5. Chocolate! The Dancing Deer Baking Company has some of the cutest edible Valentine's Day gifts around! Cookies, cakes and brownies galore, everything looks to die for! They always said that the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, I think most women would agree that applies to them as long as chocolate is involved!

Hubby's Response

After Kristine, from the OBS, offered her challenge last week of writing articles about non-traditional hunters in the field, I was excited to get my husband’s opinion on the article that started it all, “The Hunt for Gray February,” by Christopher Orlet. After several moments of panic-stricken looks, and a pouty frown from me, hubby finally agreed to write a post. We both wrote our responses independently of one another and did not even discuss the article until afterwards. Here’s what he had to say:

“Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but when an opinion is brought forth with such disregard for others involved in their own activity only the insecurities and disrespectful tendencies of that individual are revealed.

For my wife and I hunting is as much for necessity as it is for sport. Whatever game we get in the field is less money spent at the grocery store and more paid towards other needs. Mr. Orlet comes across as someone who would dispatch his game and leave it lay after having one too many drinks to know which end of his weapon is the business end. Alcohol, by the way, should never be mixed with hunting until the quarry is cleaned and the weaponry, be it bows or firearms, are put away for the day.

I have hunted my entire life and I am lucky enough to have met a woman, my wife, who enjoys hunting as well. But this is not about her or I, this is about someone disregarding a very large and very important equal membership to our God given right and ability on this earth. While there are so many different groups and politicians out there who want to regulate into oblivion our rights to hunt and fish, there are those out there like Mr. Orlet who are tearing down a major part of our population who may be undecided on whether they would like to hunt or fish. This article could turn women, and non-traditional hunters, away from our sport and give the anti-hunting anti-gun advocates leverage against us by being portrayed as a pastime dominated by chauvinistic idiots.

In the past I would have regarded this material as the author’s desperate attempt for attention, acting out in anger to desperately reaffirm himself as a man after an ex-girlfriend or even an ex-wife came to her senses. But in these uncertain times, this made me believe that we need to pull together as a community, men and women, for future generations to enjoy what we have now.”

Quote of The Week

If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has the power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive. – Eleanora Duse

Response to the OBS Challenge

This post is in response to the article "The Hunt for Gray February" by Christopher Orlet, and a challenge issued by the Outdoor Bloggers Summit to give a voice to non-traditional hunters. Essentially, Orlet’s article states that women are too high-maintenance, too naïve, and utterly incompetent and useless in the world of hunting. While he is extremely crude and demeaning in his comments toward women, the more I milled everything over, I soon realized that this article has absolutely nothing to do with women. This article is strictly about Mr. Orlet and men of his diminutive caliber.

Mr. Orlet makes women appear needy and emotional, when in fact it is Mr. Orlet himself, who is the emotional dependent. From my impressions, Mr. Orlet uses these primitive rituals (hunting) as a way to remove himself from the forces of independent, free-thinking women who see through his needy alpha-male farce. My initial outrage toward Mr. Orlet has subsided, because I expect such comments from men with his attitude, and I pity them. My outrage is now directed at The American Spectator for publishing such a boorish article from an incompetent man.

Mr. Orlet makes mention that while duck hunting “men need a gun in one hand and a beer in the other..” Well, Mr. Orlet, the women hunters that I know would be the ones shooting the ducks while you hurriedly try to find a place to set your beer without spilling it. My guess is, they would also be the ones asking you to quit whining “about how cold and bored and miserable” you are. The next time, Mr. Orlet, that you feel the need to demean a group of people, I would suggest you start with a minority you actually know something about, because women hunters are one group that won’t be bullied.

So what does it mean to be a female hunter?

Most people who learn that I hunt initially assume my husband was the one who started me in hunting, or that I am just his tag-along in the world of primitive male rituals. I will admit that my love of hunting is deceptive at first. I dress in fashionable clothes, I work eight hours a day at a desk, and I love jewelry, purses, and shoes, but don’t let the high heels fool you. In my world, hunting is serious business. My first hunting experiences were with my father and uncles as a tag-along, with a gun bigger than I. No one expected me to like it but I fell in love with the outdoors and made it my passion.

The night I took my first large whitetail buck, there was no male presence whatsoever. My father was out of town on business and my uncle was at a basketball game more than an hour away. There were no men to help me drag that buck out of the ravine, no men to help hoist it in the bed of my truck, and no men who helped me split open its chest cavity. At 15 years of age, and in only one night, I learned a valuable lesson: that as a girl, and as a growing woman, I had no boundaries. Strength, courage, and will are limitless.

Since that night I have taken many a whitetail deer and countless other animals, but that does not change the fact that as a woman in the world of hunting my accomplishments are disregarded and discarded. It does not change the fact that although I am a great shot and a better one than most men I know, the guys behind the gun counter will not look me in the eye. And living a successful life does not change the fact that guys like Mr. Orlet will continue to be threatened by women like me. These are the attitudes and the circumstances that many women hunters face. Yet, I would like to make one thing clear. The outdoors lifestyle, hunting included, is not just a hobby. For thousands of men and women, it is a way of life; a standard by which all things real, natural, and true are measured. For we do not own the land, the sky or the water… instead, the universe possesses us. The natural world is the one place where every man, woman, and child is one and the same. When we can all believe in the power of ourselves and in each other, that is when the attitudes and published articles, like that of Mr. Orlet, will cease to exist.

(Later this week look for a guest post by my husband, also in response to this article.)

Inspiration in Suprising Places

I struggle sometimes to think of interesting blog posts, because I always want something original and new. However, I have found that the bests posts come unexpectedly from the most unexpected places. Last week I joined the infamous CamoSpace at the encouragement of fellow bloggers and friends. I have met alot of interesting people but I want to introduce you to one young woman who has become a friend and, after learning her story, an inspiration.

This young woman spent most of her childhood in the outdoors and fishing was her favorite pastime. However, she was never really exposed to the world of hunting. On her own accord, though, she signed up for a Hunter's Education course, did some research, talked to alot of friends, and decided she was going hunting. Her first time out she caught the hunting bug, and now she is spending her spare time in a hunting stand. Considering she didn't grow up with a hunting style and she introduced herself to the sport, my curiousity got the best of me and I had to ask her how and why hunting appealed to her. In her own words, this was her reply:

"I think, deep down, I’ve always been a hunter. When I was a little girl I was obsessed with fishing. I couldn’t stand to let a weekend go by without getting a line wet, even if it was at the local park where only the tiniest perch were to be caught. Every Saturday morning I would put on my overalls, quietly sneak into my parents dark bedroom at 6:00 in the morning, wake my dad up and ask him to take me to fishing. When the fish weren’t biting, I would spend the time catching bullfrogs and chasing lizards or just exploring the land. Being outside was where I could see my true self, be my true self. I loved the outdoors so deeply because it had so much to offer and I never found a day spent outside without reward. Nature was the best friend I ever had. I never hunted as a child; mainly because I was never exposed to it (I never even held a firearm until I was 25 years old). As I grew into adulthood and busied myself with all the adult things in life I spent less and less time outside. I began to feel disconnected with the outdoors I had loved so much, the good friend who had always been so generous, so accepting. One day I was watching a hunting show on one of the various outdoor channels and the feature was on turkey hunting. The man hosting the program was speaking about how special the time was that he spent in the woods calling those turkeys, listening, watching, and waiting. He spoke about hunting as being restorative to the soul as well as time for self-examination and resolution. It sounded like just what I needed. (Not to mention it looked like a heck of a lot of fun.) I just knew in a heartbeat that it was what I had been missing and that my old friend was calling me back home."

As you can tell from the paragraph above, we share the same passion for the outdoors lifestyle. Yet, she unknowingly encourages me to step outside of my comfort zone, try new things, and be open to new experiences that may someday turn into new passions. This young lady is my unexpected inspiration of the week and a person I will be happy to call a friend. So, where have you found the most suprising sources of inspiration?

Venison Enchiladas

This is one of my absolute favorite recipes and I've never had any leftovers. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
8 count pkg of 12" soft tortilla shells
1 lb ground venison
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 190z can of enchilada sauce
1 1/4 cup salsa
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese


In skillet, brown the ground venison. Add the cooked rice, 1/2 cup of salsa, shredded chese, and 2/3 of the can of enchilada sauce. Mix together and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then, fill each tortilla shell with 2-3 spoonfuls of venison/sauce mixture. Roll tortillas and place seam side down in a 9x12 baking pan. In separate dish, mix together the remaining 1/3 can of enchilada mix and 3/4 cup salsa. Stir together. Spread evenly over rolled tortillas. Top tortillas with the remaining shredded monterey jack and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 2-30 minutes.

6 Shooting Tips To Make You a Better Shot

Following is a list of visualization/concentration techniques that will tighten your groups and help make you a more consistent shooter. These are the tips and tricks that I use, and you can see from the above photo that it works for me.

1) Less Is More
The object you focus on hitting at the range is usually a piece of paper, at least eight inches square, or larger, with a designated bull’s eye. But what do you actually consider your target? Is it the entire piece of paper? The bull’s eye? I really hope you didn’t agree to either of these. Instead, visualize the bull's eye, then visualize a small, barely visible pinpoint within that bull's eye. That should be your intended target. A smaller target creates a more distinct sight picture. A distinct sight picture forces you to aim at a more permanent, never-changing spot. If you’re aiming at the entire piece of paper you have millions of those tiny pinpoints to focus on, each one of those points different. The more pinpoints you allow yourself to have, the greater your standard deviation. If you reduce the number of pinpoints, you reduce the number of possible errors.

2) Trigger Truth
Know your trigger. You can pull your trigger or you can squeeze the trigger, whichever terminology makes you feel better, but if you don’t know the feel and release of your trigger, you’re going to flinch and pull your weapon off its intended mark. I’ve watched many a newbie place their entire index finger through the trigger guard. This is about as effective as playing a piano with your elbows. The index finger should never be inserted in the trigger guard past the first knuckle, and just the pad of the finger placed on the trigger itself. Most of the time, light pressure with the pad of the index finger is all that’s needed.

3) Deep, Calm Breaths
This is a given, and usually one of the first techniques that all shooters employ. The easiest way to achieve this is to take a few deep breaths, inhale and then hold your breath and focus on the other techniques. While it sounds simple enough, this is actually rather hard to accomplish, especially if you’re looking at a beautiful whitetail deer or a trophy bull and you’re thinking of all the other techniques. The more you practice, the more natural your breathing technique will become.

4) Go Matrix (Like the movie)
One of the things that I struggled with when I was younger was flinching. Being dominantly right-handed, I always jumped and pulled to the right. Flinching is not a bad thing, it’s simply an inherent reaction to an extremely loud noise. But there are ways to keep the damage that flinching does to a minimum. After getting accustomed to your trigger, and finding that exact pinpoint as your mark, visualize your bullet traveling from your gun and smashing through your intended target. Use your mind to sink your bullet into the exact spot at which you aimed. This technique minimizes jerky movements that comes with flinching and gives you better control of your reactions and the gun after the recoil of the shot.

5) Don’t Stare At the Rack (I’m talking about deer)
Obviously, this tip is for when you’re actually hunting. The number one reason that experienced shooters succumb to the disease called buck fever is because they look at the rack. You can look at the rack beforehand, count the number of points, guess the score, whatever… But when you’re ready to look through that scope, do not, under any circumstances look at the rack. In fact, try not to look at anything except for the little pinpoint spot behind the shoulder where you are going to place your shot. Because when it comes down to it, that rack doesn’t matter at all. In fact, it’s utterly useless if you can’t make a well placed shot. So, ignore it.

6) Create a Mental Checklist
Creating a mental checklist is a quick way to remind yourself of all the techniques that you want to employ before you take a shot, at the range and in the field. As you practice and employ the concentration techniques, mentally check them off your list. The more often you practice this specific technique, the more natural all of your techniques will become. So when the beautiful animal that you’ve been searching for gives you only a few seconds to take a shot you can quickly go through your checklist and take the best possible shot.

Now, I know that there are many other techniques and lots of advice out there, but these are the steps that work for me, and I think I can prove myself with the photo above. Do you employ similar techniques? And, what works for you?

Quote of the Week

The setting sun, and music at the close, As the last taste of sweets, is sweetest last, Writ in remembrance more than things long past.
-William Shakespeare

72 Year-Old Woman Bags Trophy Bull

This story is a few days old now, but I still wanted to share because I think it's a great example that good things happen to good people. Mary Moulton, 72 yrs old, saw someone shoot a branch-antlered bull during the 2007 spike bull elk hunt, and then abandon the bull. (It's illegal to take a branch-antlered elk during the spike bull elk season.) She later saw the same person, contacted wildlife officers and had the man arrested and convicted.

For her goodwill act, the Utah Divison of Wildlife Resources awarded Mary the opportunity to hunt during the 2008 bull elk season. She took the opportunity and brought home this beautiful bull elk on opening day. She has since named the bull "Last Chance" because she thinks it will probably be the last big bull elk she ever takes. You can read the full story at the Utah Divison of Wildlife Resources web page.

Product Review: Balaclava

If you have never used a balaclava, this is a must-have, must-get for your next shopping trip. I've used one of these for several years now and I must say that I will never stop using it. To begin with, I am one of those people that feels like an isicle from October to June. The balaclava pictured above is made from ultra-silent, warmth-inducing fleece and can be worn three different ways. My prefered method is like the one pictured above, covering my nose, mouth, ears and neck. It has a drawstring adjustment and works well with other caps or hats and doesn't interfere with glasses. This particular brand also has a Scent-Lok lining which limits odors from your hair and mouth from interfering with your hunt. I would highly recommend this product to any person who spends alot of time outdoors in cold weather, and especially for any serious hunter. The balaclava pictured above can be found here.

Unexpected Pleasures

Saturday afternoon hubby and I took off to do some squirrel hunting on some family owned property along the Arkansas River. I haven’t hunted the area for several years but I plan on starting the 2009 bow season there. While we walked we found several old, abandoned tree stands; two that had collapsed when the tree they were on had fallen. While I enjoy walking and talking and thinking of the upcoming deer season, the best parts of the day were finding a new area where beavers had been hard at work, cutting and dragging limbs and small trees into the river. And where freshwater shells, liked the matched pair shown above, were scattered along the bank. It was a delightful sight. The water level was higher this past year and the river had deposited hundreds of these small shells amidst the dull, brown river rocks. When I was younger, my grandfather and I used to have a competition to see who could find the biggest or smallest shell or a pair that was still attached.

While being outdoors has hundreds of perks, it’s often the small beautiful things that we often overlook that makes or reminds us of some of our greatest memories. When was the last time you were delightfully, and unexpectedly, surprised in the field?

Problems with comments

I've received two emails from readers notifying me that when they try to leave comments they are experiencing issues with the word verification box. I've made some changes and hopefully that will correct the problem. If anyone continues to experience problems, please don't hesitate to contact me (email link is under my profile). I sincerely appreciate my readers taking the time out of their busy lives to help me diagnose site problems. I will work hard to make certain that everything runs as smoothly as possible.