Sunday morning, I was sitting in my mother-in-law’s kitchen gazing out the patio doors at the huge hard maple tree that dominates her back yard.  There were only two leaves still hanging on the tree.  A few minutes later a cold December rain began pattering against the doors and windows and the last two leaves that were on the maple tree floated to their final resting place on the ground.  Mother Nature had officially informed me that Fall was over and winter was on its way.

On Black Friday week the National Shooting Sports Foundation, NSSF, reported that there more than 683,000 background checks performed.  This period includes November 20, 2021 thru November 25, 2021.  This year will end up being the second highest number of background checks on record.

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” – John F. Kennedy

It is customary to think about what we are thankful for as we gather with family and friends to celebrate the uniquely American Holiday – Thanksgiving.

The sentiments expressed this time of year may very well be sincere but if these sentiments are not followed by action, what value do they have?

I looked at the calendar and was shocked to see how fast Thanksgiving is catching up with us.  Not only that but Christmas is not far behind.  Somehow when Halloween gets here, it always seems there is plenty of time before the major holidays; then, in a flash, that time is gone.  Happy Thanksgiving to all. 

On the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1918 World War I (WW I) ended.  WW I had left 9 million soldiers dead, 21 million wounded and at least 5 million civilians died.  WW I was the “war to end all wars.”  What WW I really did is laid the ground work for WW II.  The problem was that WW I ended with an armistice not a surrender.  The caldron of discontent boiled for 21 years in Germany.  The draconian measures, placed on the German people festered and caused the rise of Adolf Hitler.  November 11^th was celebrated to remember the American soldiers in WW I.  In 1954, the name of the day was changed to Veteran’s Day to honor American soldiers of all wars.

The results of the Virginia gubernatorial election are in and I am pleased to say the very anti-gun Terry McAuliffe was upset by newcomer Glenn Youngkin.  McAuliffe trotted every major anti-gun politician to support his candidacy in Virginia to no avail.  A few weeks ago, it looked like McAuliffe couldn’t lose but he did.  The Lt. Governor is Winsome Sears.  Sears served in the U.S. Marines and lit up the anti-gun left by being photographed with an AR15 which I am sure she knew how to shoot.  The shocked press is pointing out that Sears is the first black woman to be elected to a statewide office in Virginia.  Sears is red, white and blue through and through, those are the important colors.  During her speech to her supporters, she started the chant USA, USA, USA and the crowd loved it.