A Day Well Spent

Luckily, we were invited.

Zeke starts out on a check cord.

Red Ryders and other gear.

My 7-year-old shooting buddy/daughter.

Zeke retrieving a training dummy.

Oliver

Tuf-Nut

A few years back my father gave me this Tuf-Nut pocket knife-on-a-chain that he carried as a kid.  Today while looking at the Barlow name on the bolster I was reminded of this:  "Mary gave him a bran-new 'Barlow' knife worth twelve and a half cents; and the convulsion of delight that swept his system shook him to his foundations.  True, the knife would not cut anything, but it was a 'sure-enough' Barlow, and there was inconceivable grandeur in that - though where the Western boys ever got the idea that such a weapon could possibly be counterfeited to its injury, is an imposing mystery and will always remain so, perhaps." - The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

Now, I realize that the Barlow Company of modern times who produced (and later imported) personalized and promotional gift items such as keychains and pocketknives is not to be confused with Barlow as a description of the knife that dates back to 17th century England.  (George Washington was a fan of the Massachusetts-made Barlows of the late 18th century.)  But I can easily imagine that to my father, the appeal of the Tuf-Nut was no less than the allure of the a "sure-enough Barlow" in the time of Mark Twain.  This may not be a very realistic point of view in an age where metal detectors at schools have become the norm because of few deranged young lunatics in recent history for whom a life spent playing video games in the dark isn't enough life wasted, but I'd like to think that there's still something special about the idea that when a boy carries a pocketknife he carries with him possibility and potential and ingenuity.  He can hack through the brush, cut through the ropes, fashion a raft, make a whistle or just skin a stick on the porch.  I have two young sons.  One of them is going to get this Tuf-Nut someday. And someday he might even be able to put it in his pocket.

World Cup 1950: USA vs. England

Read the Joe Gaetjens story here.

1000 Miles

Sneak a peek of the coming AW10 1000 Mile collection from Wolverine at Hypebeast.

On The Newstand

I don't have enough time for all the magazines I want to read right now.

A Week In The Lowcountry

Tomorrow, the family and I will wrap up a week of vacation on Folly Beach, SC and head back to Music City.  I've always had a thing for the Atlantic Coast and our second trip to Folly Beach has only deepened the mystique for me.  Maybe I'll post more on that this summer.

For now, I have a few recommendations for any of you who might be planning summer trips to beach locales:

I've made it a whole week on the beach in a pair of Quoddy boat shoes and these Vans Authentics.  Right.  No flip-flops.  Just practicing what I preach.  The Vans are my beach shoes (and bike riding shoes, because we spent some time cruising the shore) and the boat shoes are for the evenings when we step out.  If I can do it, anyone can.

Don't go to the beach without an L.L. Bean Boat and Tote.  These are classic canvas, still made in Maine, USA, and come in a variety of sizes and colors.  (Our family of five requires an XL...)  This is the one bag we took to the beach every day.  It fits snacks, water, towels, toys, sunscreen, and hats.  Pretty much perfect.

I can honestly say that these Birdwell Beach Britches are the best trunks I've ever owned.  For starters, there is no elastic.  They come in actual waist sizes with a velcro/lace-up front.  (Order your size plus two for a spot-on fit.)  There are plenty of colors and length options to choose from.  These are made in Santa Ana, CA (since 1961) and I ordered mine directly from the fine Family Birdwell.  The website even includes a sizing guide for women so the ladies can get in on the cool.

For this trip, I loaded up (and taped up) a Holga medium format camera.  I like to think that Holgas are cameras for people of faith because you just kind of have to trust that you're getting something good.  I'll post the good ones once I have them developed.  Obviously, we carried a digital SLR just about everywhere we went but I threw the Holga into my bike bag for some evening rides on the beach and I'm keeping my fingers crossed....

Cheerwine.  Enough said.

Enjoy being lazy on the beach but try to incorporate some scenery (and maybe a little history) into your trip.  The Morris Island Lighthouse is one of my favorite things about this area.  (And it doesn't hurt that nearby Charleston boasts the largest historic district in the nation.)  

There are other things I should probably include in this post (I could do a post on good values in shorts alone) but I'm being told we're about to walk over to the beach for one last day of fun in the Atlantic so I'll have to wrap it up.  See you back in Nashtown.