Hope y'all will let me into your neck a the wood's even though I'm here in "Sweet Home Alabama".  Still, even though I settled here and love it, a part a my heart and blood is truly Texan.  Daddy was from McAllen, lost him in 94.  Still ride his Texas license on the from of my truck and my Sweet Home plate on back.

Lost my job, (gives me a lot more time in the woods) been three years now, due to a bumb foot... and they wouldn't say it but age had a thang or two to do about it.  Well, blessing of blessings, the state gave me a permit to hunt disabled areas, plus I got some favorite public land spots.  Real wet this year.  Alabama, the entire state, has mostly turned into swamp now because of so much rain - still managed to get five this season... two I gave to poorer folks, and one to my daughter.  Two in freezer will do my wife and I good till next season.

Got a recipe for y'all.  Take some of your deer cube stakes out a the freezer.  Marinate them in Dale's sauce (hope you can get it there - come's from Birmingham - can order from internet).  OK so marinate overnight in fridge.  Make it 50 / 50 Dale's and water.  Then take some fresh Jalapina peppers. de-vain and de-seed.  Sick one Jalapina on the edge of a cube stake and roll the stake over it.  Then roll a piece a good bacon on that. The finish is to hold em together with tooth picks.  Then it's BBQ time.  Then its YUM!

Anyway back on track.  Daddy settled in CA after WW2.  Marine, fought in the Pacific, and he would take me to McAllen a few times when I was real little to see Grampa and Grandmama.  I have never forgot all the trouble I got in there,  and do remember... not the beauty of that area, but the beauty of the people.  To this day I have never met a Texan that I did not like.  Guess it's the South or somethin.  People got deeper roots. 

Anyway, y'all got the real big deer, too many hogs, and fine people.  We got the purdy good deer, not too many hogs, southern hospality, and everybody from Texas is welcome here.  Hope youll let this Old Alabamian into the family.

WD Smith