"Esta sim e espingarda!"

Or "THIS is a gun!", as Datus Proper's Lisbon gunsmith said to him when he first saw his Woodward.

William Richards of Liverpool 12 bore Best boxlock ejector, 28", 6 lbs 14 oz (feels like about 6-- barrels only 2 lbs 14), recent proof, Boss patent (I think) easy opener, all bells & whistles...

We will try it out at the Thanksgiving shoot at Dunhill, and then eat a suckling pig-- photo of an earlier smaller one to the same old Spanish recipe-- with our hosts, the Peculiars, Joel the cellist, Lib's boss Greg, more. Photos to come, and a little more gun wonkery, followed by many book reviews and such-- Rob Macfarlane, David Quammen, Tom Russell's art book from Bangtail, (he is on tour, and also playing on the stereo this minute), Karen Myers, and more; I can already say buy them all plus multiple copies of Tom McIntyre's Snow Leopard fable for your Christmas list! Malcolm, Darren, and Olivia all have new ones coming soon, Jonathan Kingdon publishes his masterwork on African mammals soon (I may have to sell a gun to afford it), and an astonishing bird art book with skeletons that looks heavily influenced by him just came in from Jessica at Princeton. Lauren and Rebecca arrive Saturday with tales of Asia and the road, to make the weekend complete. A heartfelt Happy Thanksgiving to all and especially the bunch who wished us one, all of whom we would love to have here to eat and drink and shoot with us: Pluvi, Dr Hypercube, Darren, the Old Gunkie, Gerry, Stuart, Malcolm, Daniel, Karen and George and the nephews, and any inadvertently forgotten.

Piglet:

Pete & Jessica's (sheep) ranch: