Artist Kathy Dickson, whose painting, “Snow Cardinals” graces our holiday cover this month, says her favorite painting is the one she is working on at the moment. That’s the way I feel about each issue of Traveler. We have all these great stories and photos that I can’t wait to share with our readers.
Art is the focus for this issue. Traveler has been proud to present the work of Al Agnew over many years to our readers, and we congratulate Al on being named Traveler Readers’ Favorite Wildlife Artist or Photographer in our first Readers Choice Awards. We branch out a bit with this issue by spotlighting other artistic interpreters of our natural world — painter Kathy Dickson, woodcarver Jack Burrus and photographer Harry F. Bertrand Jr. We think you’ll enjoy learning about them and their work.
The Readers Choice awards are a way for readers to s
hare their discoveries of the great people, places and businesses in our region. We didn’t get as much participation as we hoped for this first time, but we did get enough to get the ball rolling. You can’t read the list of nominees and winners without itching to get out and visit them.
We’ll simplify the ballot next go round and encourage more readers to get involved. It’s a great way to give your favorite businesses and outdoor people a free plug, so go for it.
Of course, there are people who want to keep secrets. I understand that point of view, too.
We had an email from a reader asking us to write about the Big River Watershed Group’s efforts to clean up the Big River. High Ridge writer Steve Roetto attended the group’s monthly meeting and reports the challenges it faces in dealing with the mess left the rest of us by the operations of St. Joe Minerals Corporation.
I know that mining is a necessary economic activity for our species. But does it have to be so destructive of the environment?
Our chief birdwatcher Bob Lewis of Farmington reaches back to the Middle Ages and across the seas to India to trace the unlikely transplantation of the Eurasian collared dove to Missouri. Hunters should be glad.
Bill Cooper and Bob Todd both filed duck hunting stories this month, both dealing with first-time duck hunters. We have a third duck hunting story by Dennis McCarthy of St. Louis about a hunt with St. Louis Cardinal greats Stan Musial and Red Schoendiest that we’ll have to carry over for another issue.
Fishing is at a low ebb this time of year, but Howard Helgenberg ventured out to Bennett Spring and tells the tale of a monster brown trout he caught and released.
On Page 1, Jim and Donna Featherston bless us with remininsces of Christmas programs at the old one-room country schools, and my sister-in-law, Jody Styron, writes on the charms of off-season floating. It’s amazing how many people float when its frigid. There are also a couple of photos from a Current River gigging party. Stan Schultz was kind enough to invite me to Doniphan to enjoy this genuine Ozarks experience.
Traveler’s first issue of 2009 is a combined January-February issue. It goes in the mail in late January for early February delivery. A section of it containing travel maps will be printed early and handed out as samples at sports shows in January.
Stop by our booth at the Let’s Go Fishing Show in Collinsville Jan. 2-3-4 and the Boat Show in St. Charles Jan. 16, 17, 18. Until then, thanks for reading and have a great holiday.
