Val Strate

Thanks Daney. You're not the only one who told me that, but thanks.

Reading this thread makes my hungry and I love cooking. I wish I had time tonight to make an oreo fluff or a dirt pudding, which would be so fitting for DOH. You could call it 'crushed tire desert', or 'blacktop pudding'. Yes, I have a sweettooth. I'll have to try making something like that and post it up here.

i1976 I love your work!!! I must say those are awesome pics of Enos and Daisy and your art work embodies the romance between the two characters in the way it was intended. Very sweet looking, yet passionate and sensual on a very devoted scale. I tell you, there is nothing more beautiful than two people who are devoted to one another. Your art seems to capture that and gives Daisy the beauty and playfulness that she has, while portraying Enos in his very noble and loyal role to her. I love your work and I hope to see more. ~Val~

Aaaaawww now Brian, ya never seemed to complain about my sweetness before?

(Note: I'm trying to do this piece by piece on Hnet because I thought the online experience may motivate me. It's a different method of writing for me but I thought it might help me get a start on. If you have ideas or comments, please email or give me a private IM. Otherwise, here is my first attempt in several years, 'Pines and Principles'. I hope you enjoy, because I know I will.) The image of yellow lines passed through the amber mirror lens of a pair of aviator sunglasses that rested on the bridge of Joel’s nose. Puffs of white smoke came from the side of his mouth as he chewed on the Backwoods cigar that hung from the corner of his mouth. Joel was on a mission, and he was running low on fuel and time. The F350 hugged the curves and wined slightly as he pulled the log hauler on the back of his pick-up. The saw mill was just a half hour drive away, according to the map. However, he didn’t realize that half-hour on the map was actually two, due to the steep Georgian hills. There was no way his Ford was going to make it over those hills in time for the mill to get their shipment of logs. He sighed in defeat as his eyes scanned the road looking for any sign of civilization in sight. The sound of a soft long high pitch whimper from the dioxin that sat next to him on the bench seat echoed his fears. “I know Frank. We aren’t going make it in time.” His hand reached over and scratched ‘Frank’ behind the ears. Joel sure wasn’t use to the curvy drive. Back home he’d be pulling big trees off to the mill on more flat land but the hills in Southeast Ohio made Georgian hills look like mountains. He knew how to drive them and was experienced but normally a territory like this took at least a week to fully get into the groove with. He was on the job less than a day and was running logs down to the mill, simply because his contractor was too cheap to give the company more expense funds. You took jobs where you could these days. Logging sure wasn’t what it use to be when his daddy did it. Now there were more regulations, more safety factors, and more time and red tape that made these jobs harder. However, when a contractor says, ‘Get it done and I don’t care how, just as long as you stay in the budget,’ your company tends to over look things. As he rounded another hairpin corner the sound of Red Simpson belting out, ‘Diesel smoke…dangerous curves…’ on the radio. Joel hummed along, until the sharp squeal of a siren pierced the air along with the roar of a muscle car engine. The cigar almost fell from the logger’s jaw as he seen a bright orange charger with confederate flag swing past him and almost scrapping the side of his pickup. Then a streak of white with red and blues attempted the curve and swerved into the guard rail not to hit Joel’s truck and gooseneck, but over the rail and down the side. Joel could feel his heart jump into his throat as he was now on the straight section of the road and past the curve. He knew that the sheriff car, on the other hand, didn’t make that turn. Being the faithful man that he was, said a quick silent prayer for the County Mounty as he slammed on the brakes and heard the squeal of truck and trailer come to a stop. Jumping down from the cab of his dark blue Ford and running across the pavement in his work boots, Joel noticed the orange muscle car slowly creeping back to the scene. Oh yeah, now be a contiguous driver! You should have thought of that before led him to run you off the road. Crazy, backwoods, hillbillies! Joel climbed over the twisted guard rail and down to the steaming Plymouth. Fortunately the car was caught by some big thick Georgian pines that stopped it from going farther down. The driver held his head and was slowly climbing out of the window. “Are you alright!” the long lean young redheaded man asked with a thin Yankee sounding accent to his voice. He was dressed in a green plaid flannel that was rolled up his elbows along with a white cowboy hat and tight fitting Wrangler jeans. When the officer looked up to see who was talking to him the face and voice didn’t match to him because the young logger looked like he could have been a local but his voice gave it all away that he was anything but.

I love scrapbooking! I'm working on my second one now and it's of my first year dating my boyfriend. So yeah, it's sappy I know. However it'll be a keepsake/gift for him at Christmas time. No, he doesn't know of my handle on here yet but about the time he does know, he'll have the book.

I think Roger has figured me out, kind of.... See, I'm the chocolate covered malted milk ball in the bowl of raisinets! Or one of the sweet and sour patch kids, first sour then sweet! Tee hee! So if I'm one of the 'good kids', do I just write to Santa then or to Jezebel the Christmas cow that gives milk duds to all the good boys and girls on holidays and blesses them with sweet eggnog to drink before they lay out cookies for Santa and lay down their sweet heads to get visions of sugar plums! Plus... What does that make Doc?

You know it's etched and fried into our brains thanks to the crazy writers they had and the budget cuts at the end of the series. Now if only they had Hnet writers on their team. We wouldn't have any minds left! Yes, I had to go there. Had to... It's that time of year ya know.

Oooooo! Ooo! I want to write a letter to Nasty! That'd be awesome. You so need a section for that. Letters to Nasty - on the forum. That'd be great! Then all the bad kids get coal and goodie bag! Great idea Brian!

Thanks MA! The encouragement is welcomed. Yeah, I probably should check it because there was this time that Enos spotted a 'Flying Saucer' and the Dukes suddenly had a friend named, 'Little Cousin'. I think they all got some bad sausage that day. Wow!

OUTLINE?! We don't need no stinkin' outline! *snort* I tried outlines. Yeah, they work, sometimes... but I found alot of times the muse likes coloring outside the lines anyway. So.... there goes the outline. However, you are right MA. They are a good tool, technically speakin'. And who can forget spell check. That's how I learned to right, write. (Yes, I did that on purpose).

I know I've been sleepin' at the post but I MIGHT, and that's a MIGHT, take the challenge. I've already did a solo story, once or twice but I MIGHT, just do it again. I've been inspired. Must have been that month old deer sausage that's been sitting out that did it.

I have to agree, Hnet is pretty awesome on quality. It makes ya want to write when you read the quality of work that we have, and the stories are based off of a 'real-world' genre show, which gives a good feel to things. I lately have been getting writers-itch and I'm thinking about scratching it, but I don't want to commit to anything because I always end up screwing it up if I do, if ya know what I mean.

Sorry to hear about John's missing attire! It would be nice if CMT sponsored. It might help the show ratings and they could even do ex-pos-zays on the festivities. Who knows, if I was the marketing people at CMT, I'd even ask other sponsors like Carhart, Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, and Chrysler/Dodge to go in on the expense because those folks do seem to cater to the 'Duke demographic'.

Good to see ya too MM! Just popped in from the woods and thought I'd say hello. Yes, I hope the wind blows favorable for a Dukesfest. I have found a fellow fan that would love to go with me to another one. It would be my third if I went to another. I would love to see it become an event again, but you never know and like Brian talked about the 'loosing of shirts' if the wind blows too cold, one may never happen again. Ah well, at least memories were made but that's top on my wish list for me, is two tickets from Santa in my stocking for Dukesfest ya see!

Honestly, I'd love to see another Dukesfest come up in 2011. That's on my wish list to Santa. I want to go to another one and take a friend or two with me.

Good topic Doc! I'd have to say that Val's playlist is varied. I can't place a certain genre of music for her. However I have the songs all lined up for her. Hell on the Heart - Eric Church Green Grass and High Tides - The Outlaws Go to the Woods - Dar Williams The Climb - Miley Cyrus I Saw God Today - George Strait Walk on Water - Britt Nicole What Faith Can Do - Kutless Famous in a Small Town - Miranda Lambert She Took it Like a Man - Confederate Railroad Crazy Ex-Girlfriend - Miranda Lambert If Today Was Your Last Day - Nickleback If I Die Young - The Band Perry Interesting mix I think that she's choosen, but it says a lot about her.

Congrads on the honor Pendragon. You and Doc deserve it. Keep up the good work.

Yeah but it was the Shorthorn that really made that cross ya know. j/k. Yeah I had a blue roan once, awesome steer. I loved working with him. Once he got loose and jumped in the creek at my folks farm and dad had to go in after him. That was a sight. Ah cows... Ah, yeah I heard about the whole BSE thing. It makes me wonder how much of that is real and how much is media hogwash. It's a shame that there are folks out there that don't stop and think about people's livily hoods. Hey good luck with that! I hope ya get a purple banner! Yeah there's nothing like washing cattle and grooming them up and standing around in the cold over a hot cup of joe! I remember those days and love'em. I use to swear up and down that gas station coffee was better than Starbucks, but then I was a cattle jockey kid so what did I know. LOL.

Oh my goodness gracious! We got another cattle Jockey Gal here! Yeehaw! Sorry I haven't gotten back to you GeneralLeeGirl but I've been kind of busy with things. Yeah my family was into cattle and yes I had a ton of fun with it. I can see that from what you've posted you know exactly what I'm takin' about. Welcome to Hazzardnet and good to meet another Steer Jockey Gal! I can see though that you must be a cross bred person. Which honestly that's fine cause most everyone who knows the business knows the best cattle are not anyone breed, they are cross breds. However you said some curse words and some blessings in the same sentences of your post. Which once I tell ya the breed of cattle my folks use to raise, it'll all make sense to you. I'm a Shorthorn person. Which if you know anything about Shorty breeders, the word 'Angus' is a curse word. LOL. But since there aren't many of our kind on Hnet and this is all about makin' friends, I won't hold it against ya. I'd love to hear stories if you have them. That's great that you still have your own and show. Cananda does have some good ranches up there.

Ya know, that does pose an interesting question! How do you get a fish drunk?

Now Doc, if the fish is caught with a beer can but released into the Ohio River and swims to Ohio? Is that illegal? Or is a fish caught with your hands in Ohio, that slips through your fingers and gets with your beer can in PA illegal?

This is an awesome post! Thanks GL Girl! You inspired me to look up some dumb Ohio Laws, because um, well there are a lot of Duke fans on here who are buckeyes and I have some friends there so... Here are some dumb Ohio Laws. 1) Women are prohibited from wearing patent leather shoes in public. 2) It is illegal to fish for whales on Sunday. (As if you could find a whale in Ohio? What? Let's fish for whales in Lake Erie? Bahahaha! Yeah right.) 3) It is illegal to get a fish drunk. (Go tell all the Islanders in Lake Erie that! By the way, how do you get a fish drunk?) 4) It is illegal for more than five women to live in a house. (Sometimes I wonder how more than five women could live together? At my house we have problems with just having two under the same roof! LOL) 5) No one may be arrested on Sunday or on the Fourth of July. (Woohoo! I know on what days I'm going to fishing for whales, get fish drunk, wear patent leather shoes, and rent a house with four other women in it!) I'll post some city ones at a later date. This is a cool thread! Thanks GL!

Awww, come on! Ya question where the county funds are going and its automatic imprisonment? What about my rights as a citizen, to be annoying as possible? I have the right to clean bare arms! We ask if there is soap and it's off to the clink! Scandalous I tell you! Scandalous! Is there no paper towels in the outhouse either, or did we run out of magazines?

I sincerely hope that there is another Dukefest. I been to the ones in 2006 and 2007. They were awesome and I have someone right now in my life who is as just as much of a dukes fan as I am and would love to take him to the event. However from what you seem to say it sounds like we'll all have to wait a while before the next dukefest?