The Great Hunter

Ghana, Africa, the bush, Greater Accra plains…

If ever I have met a person who meets the description of this title, it is George, the Hunter. 40 years he lived in Africa, of which he has spent nearly every weekend in the bush.

A special bond is between us, we found friendship in the early days.

This event took place on a Sunday morning, 1987. I remember the time well it was 08.00AM. As usual we left our homes 03.00 AM, with all the gear strapped in our jeep. Going early meant we would find the “Adanko”, the wild Togo Hare in abundance.

Entering the bush is always an adventure, as George used to put it :” Respect the regulations of respecting”. Whatever that meant, in understandable English it meant : ” Do respect the bush, heed to our regulations”. This was always necessary as you never knew what you will encounter in the wilderness.

The dark night around us, the beams shining far, we rolled into the savannah, jumping over Termite hills. Always on the lookout for game, driving was not easy. You have to concentrate on both terrain and a possible encounter with game.

George is a Master in hunting, the “Okinini Obuomomfo”, the greatest hunter, as he was called by the natives. We all knew the villagers, the chiefs, the Fulanis (cattle herders).

During the night, George shot his first hare, then a second. The grass had been burnt down, the bush fires still smoldering in the distance. All the land had a burnt scent, the ashes flying high when we passed the trail..

Daylight breaks, the sun rising with a deep orange on the Horizon, the bush awakes. Only those who have witnessed such event can understand the immense passion one develops for the bush. Nothing can compare to this spectacle, a powerful display of our Nature.

As always George prepares our coffee,and we listen to the sounds of Nature all around us. Unforgettable sounds.

From 06.00AM we hunt Stone Partridge, they normally invade the Manioc plantations and cause devastation there. Because of this, the farmers are always happy when George appears. 5 Partridges appear, sprawl and George gets all of them out of the sky.

By 07.30AM the sun is rising, the temperatures increase. We walk through the Manioc (Cassava) as they call it. We are drenched in sweat by the time we are on our way home.

My friend has taken over the drivers seat, his 12 bore shotgun placed on his right in a specially made holder. I sit on the back seat, high above and enjoy a good view of the surroundings, the real reason of going to the bush.

Swerving right, left in order to avoid the Termite hills which can knock out your suspension, I am used to it, my shotgun across my knees. In an instance I hear a sharp hissing sound, unknown to me, the jeep still moving. In a rapid action, my friend has grabbed his 12 bore, the vehicle running at normal speed, the steering wheel free. Rapidly I hear 2 shots, throughout the hissing sound never stopped.

The last moment before the shots rang out, I noticed the large, black Cobra, 6 feet long at least, its head erect, expanded, the eyes turned to us, yet moving away with great speed. The hissing sound is a warning to would be predators. Not for George in whom she found her match, full speed. from the jeep, splitting her in to half, killing the Cobra instantly.

I was like mesmerized, could not say a word. In a split second the event. was over, the snake lay dead. We can not say what ones feeling should be, but I was stunned by 2 things : The hissing sound of the Cobra and the incredible speed at which the shots rang out.

The . years have passed, George has retired and I go no longer to the bush. In those days, he would tell me :” One day you will sit in the rocking chair, and your grand children will come and ask you, tell us how it was in the bush, you and this hunter, the “Okinini Obuomomfo”, the greatest of all Hunters…George..

I will honor him throughout my life for giving me wisdom. May god bless him.

from : Hunting in the African bush, H.R..

Everybody has seen it.  It doesn’t take an expert to drive through a neighborhood and spot the house that obsesses on their yard (in fact, it might be they do!) and the house that only mows when the city is knocking on their door.  In Minnesota, most people get excited when the snow starts to melt and the grass starts getting green.  So, what should you do to give your lawn a head start?  You do want a beautiful lawn without devoting your entire summer to it, right?

A lot of people suggest getting your lawn ready for spring before the first snowfall…but of course time gets away from a lot of people.  So, here are some tips for those who weren’t able to find time to baby their yard before the snow came.

1. When most of the snow has melted, get your wheelbarrow out and start picking up the debris left behind from the fall and anything the snowplows may have thrown into your lawn.  You will want to get your rake out so that you get all of the twigs, branches, leaves, etc. that are in the yard.  (This will also make it easier to mow when it comes time for that!)

2. Then get out your shovel (hopefully for the last time) and flatten out any piles that are taking longer to melt.  They might be lining your sidewalk from shoveling previously or in areas that don’t get as much sun. Why?  While the extra snow shouldn’t kill the grass, it might stunt the growth and that won’t make for a superb lawn.

3. Fertilizing in the spring.  I am a firm believer that it is easier to start a nice lawn early than it is to bring a dull lawn back to life in midsummer.  So, go to the local hardware store and search for a fertilizer for the spring (it should say when to use the specific mixtures on the back).  Remember not to over fertilize because this can actually cause more harm to the grass than good, so read the directions thoroughly.

4.  Attend to any lawn problems you had last year.  Did you have crabgrass (or any other nuisance) invade your yard last summer?  It is vital to stop these annoyances before they can get started.  Some, including crabgrass, have a very limited timeframe to be taken care of each year.  (See my other articles regarding this)

5. Areas of patchy grass?  I like to use a method called “overseeding.”  This is when you put down a lot of grass seed in the patchy areas.  It will make your grass grow faster and stronger, and of course you will have a much fuller looking lawn!  Don’t do this too early…the grass seed you choose should have directions for when to plant it!

So, there you have it!  Some early spring lawn care tips for my Minnesota people!  This might not make your lawn the nicest on the block in one summer, but if you follow these steps every spring, your yard will eventually be one of the best! MN Lawn Care made easy!

Be it a residential area or a commercial district, a striking lawn can spell the difference in terms of aesthetic value. It’s a great thing that you can now avail of lawn care advice from professionals or gardening enthusiasts to help you with setting up your lawn and maintaining it.

Establishments that market gardening products, supplies, and accessories now also offer lawn care advice to their customers. Seedling or garden centers supply plant seeds and guarantee the outcome of your dream lawn. However, once you embark on your lawn project, you may encounter some rough sailing in the course of its maintenance. This is where lawn care advice can be of great help in offering great solutions to your worries.

Gardening specialists provide lawn care advice to existing and prospective clients at no extra cost. A common lawn care advice solicited would be what grass species will thrive in a particular locality. Having had previous experience with other customers, these experts in lawn care advice can very well take care of your needs to create that fine-looking garden and preserve its lush greenery.

Amateur and Professional Gardeners Benefit A Lot from Lawn Care Advice

An attractive lawn does not happen overnight. It takes utmost care coupled with particular skills to maintain one.

Your familiarity with the environment is another aspect to consider. For instance, you come across a very eye-catching lawn. Naturally, you would conclude that the owner is a gardening wizard and therefore a reliable source of lawn care advice. Given a particular type of soil and weather situation in the locality, this person would be able to specifically point out the plus factors needed to achieve the perfect lawn and those that do not.

He would also be equipped with the latest technology and expertise in lawn care that you can adopt in cultivating your very own dream lawn. This is a realistic example of lawn care advice put to action.

You can also refer to newspapers and other publications for lawn care advice. Your town or city might even have local subscriptions on the same subject matter with writers who are local expert gardeners themselves and hence authorities in giving sound lawn care advice. For more info see http://www.lawncare-help.com/ on Lawn Care.

Their articles would include insights and highlights of their own experiences with their beautiful gardens. A lawn care advice segment may be provided by them. Such publications would also have a directory of the best garden centers in town that offer all the lawn products and supplies you can imagine.

Hence, it is highly recommended that you subscribe to these newspapers or magazines which regularly come out. Definitely, lawn care advice and information that you will find here are fresh and up-to-date.