Bright Idea Outdoors Weblog

A Rough Tick Season Could Be on the Horizon

I'm living proof that Lyme disease is a common problem here in Loudoun County Virginia.  I've been infected with it twice.

Both times, I was lucky, detected the infection early and was successfully treated with antibiotics.  Because I make my living in the outdoors and spend a great deal of my free time outside too, I'm always on the lookout for they tiny blacklegged deer ticks that carry Lyme disease.  So when I came down with symptoms, I knew where the tick bites were and knew I'd better get tested and treated.

But many people overlook these ticks, and some suffer from Lyme for years before they even know what's wrong with them.

With the warm winter we've had, 2012 could be a big year for deer ticks, especially here in Loudoun County, where some have already called Lyme disease an "epidemic."  For more on what the weather means for this year's tick season, please read my post on the Blake Landscapes Horticulture Blog at www.blakelandscapes.net. . .

Ripken Baseball Coaching Clinic Was a Winner

I've been assistant coaching in Little League Baseball the last couple years and this season will be managing (or head coaching) a team for the first time.  So when I had the opportunity to attend a Ripken Baseball coaching clinic at Langley High School last Saturday I figured I should take it.

Boy was I right!

It was a long day but worth every minute of my time.  And what a thrill it was to be in the same auditorium with the legendary Cal Ripken Jr.!  Hall of Famer Ripken, along with former big league players Billy Ripken and John Habyan, put on a great program, and I learned a lot.  I would recommend Ripken Baseball to anyone coaching a team or even if you just have a kid of your own you want to coach up a little bit.

I'll share with you here though, the best advice of the day:

Another Good Column on Sunday Hunting in Virginia

Here's a link to another good opinion piece on Sunday hunting in Virginia.  It is by G. Manoli Loupassi and was published in Sunday's Richmond Times Dispatch.

My sister lives in Richmond and sent me the article.  Thank you.

It's frustrating though; from what I understand, legislators from here in Northern Virginia tend to support and end to the ban on Sunday hunting.  Yet the issue gets no media coverage in this part of the state.  Be sure and read Loupassi's column though.  It spells out just how threatened our sport is, and how proponents of continuing to ban hunting one day a week in Virginia are playing into the hands of those who want hunting outlawed altogether.

Pregame Warmups

The Bright Idea Outdoors team gets ready for the big game:

 

Virginian Pilot: Virginia Sunday Hunting Has "Hit the Brick Wall"

I guess I was overly optimistic that my children and I would have the opportunity to hunt on Sundays on Virginia private lands this year.  Click below to read Lee Toliver's article in the Virginian Pilot:

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/02/sunday-hunting-bills-pulled-va-house-vote

Blake Landscapes: Help Us Help Loudoun Interfaith Relief Overcome Cereal Shortage

Please click on over to the Blake Landscapes Horticulture Blog to find out how you can help us help Loudoun Interfaith Relief this week.