My old friend Vin

I’ve never met my old friend Vin, not in person anyway. Yet I feel that I know him well and have a great affinity for who and what he is and the life he has lived. Vin is now 80 and after bringing up a large and extended family, has given up his past life in New York State and moved with his wife of many years to a retirement home in Florida. It was Vin who, when I expressed my fears about moving from my life in the UK to a new life in retirement in France, told me to put aside my reservations and ‘follow my bliss’, so I am one who owes him a genuine debt of gratitude. I know that Vin deeply misses his old life and every now and again it stirs him and we are privileged to share a few glimpses of it with him. Vin has a knack of expressing the truths of life in a very human way with which I, and many others I suspect, truly identify and he did it again earlier today with a posting on a forum of which we are both members that harked back in a beautiful way to his past life in the Catskill Mountains of New York State. I have reproduced it below exactly as he wrote it and I hope others will enjoy it as much as I did.

“BUBO VIRGINIANUS”

Bethel Catskill Mts. NY 1970s

AKA the great Horned Qwl…A Magnificent Bird of prey.a Silent Assassin of Varmints!One of the good guys! I go back with them for many years!

Every January, in the afternoon,in deep winter,in the big woods.on Snow shoes,my Beagle and I,pursuing the Show Shoe Rabbit…Always very cold, Heavy Snow bending the conifers into a cathedral like effect, Dark Slate Grey cold Sky..and very still.

Nellie my hound would start cold trailing,then would burst forth with her singing saying I’m on him. Then round and round in great circles ,the Rabbit would run,Dog in chase!!..Tough on the dog,the deep snow,but for a Rabbit with Snow Feet? No Problem.But the end is always the same!

After we got the big White Rabbit,I would take what I needed.For the six of us Three would suffice.

I would make a fire of the dried evergreen limbs…Soon a roaring fire.The tidbits s from the dressed Rabbitt were welcome by Nelli.

While it may have been 15Deg..We were Wet,and sweaty,making it feel colder1..so Off with the heavy clothes,festooning them on limbs around the fire.Down to my shorts,except for my Sorel boots…Standing there .getting warm,and the clothes steaming in that cold air.A shot of booze helps!

It was moments like this the Great Horned Owl,would stat their Hooting.
would make the hair stand up on the back of yer neck

It was then I felt in harmony with nature, fire,dog, game,relieving the continuity of countless previous generation..A very familiar and gratifying feeling…Who knows..Neanderthal may live in me…

Owls lay their next generation that time of the year.And 26 to 35 days later,The chicks are born.In the Woods,March and April are a time for starvation.The deer getting heavy with fawn,food scarce.But the owl takes advantage,desperate Varmints throw caution away..results the chicks growing fat.

Then its home,retracing my trail,Snow shoes swishing,the added weight of the Rabbits,the thought of "Hasenpfeffer" in the pot.

Soon the unmistakable smell of wood smoke, wafting threw the fridged air ..Home is over the next rise..and its warmth,and glow make me go faster…

Then like the Great Hunter I ARE!, Bursting threw the door,covered in frost,I am received in the adulation of my Wife,and the kids…Who want to stroke the white fur..Of which it was used!

.I used to save and cure the foot of rabbits…A Rabbit Foot is a "LUCKY CHARM" whos power never should be never discounted!

But these memories are years ago !,The single memory I have,is hearing the distant hooting of lord of the winter woods..The Great Horned Owl!..I’m sure he will be always there! so will I as long as I can remember!! 😉