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Category Archives: Tennessee Cumberland Plateau

Memorial Day 2021-No Good Excuse for “Happy.”

American Press Travel News–Bob and Barb “On The Road Again”-this time at our TN. Ranch. We made it through Atlanta from Florida, with just minor slow-ups on I-75, and got home to our “Goose Holler” Farm and Ranch last week. With virtually zero help, I (Bob) have to go it alone in late spring cleanup.  If I could get a Nickle-a-leaf, I would be a billionaire. So I rolled up my sleeves, grabbed the rake, the tarp and proceeded to slide mountains of leaves away from our buildings. I rake onto a ground-laid-out tarp, clip a little lock-jaw pliers onto the tarp and drive my golf cart to my designated leaf burial ground. I actually love the leaves as they force me to get a copious amount of exercise each spring, help me drop two notches on my belt and for ce me to eat a balanced, nourishing diet to assist in keeping up my strength and muscle tone. Our pond too, needs some TLC. Since the very unwise release of Otters in a wildlife area not far from our farm, these otters cleaned out the park ponds and streams and then headed south, passing through our pond areas, and I lost my koi, my giant catfish and big bass. Well, the koi kept the weeds down, so now the weeds are up, the bass kept the sunfish population regulated, so now we have a ton of sunnies, and the catfish ate everything along the bottom, keeping the pond clean of dead stuff and detritus. (More later)

One of my many dozens fly fishing classes. This one in Wyoming. My classes are for up to 25 at a time! NOW TAKING RESERVATIONS FOR CLASSES AT OUR POND SINGLE OR GROUPS—CALL 772-812-0933
Dinners at Newman’s will spoil you!

Diary of a Half-Back Lifestyle

A model Florida Crawfish aka, lobster.

Miss Kitty, my favorite farm member. Now gone!!

American Press Travel News—3/29/2021—Bob and Barb “On the Road Again”—-Why do we travel half way back to our old home, VT, to TN., from Southern Florida? Summers in Florida are humid. With my deviated septum (partially blocked nostril) I have a hard time breathing in heavy humidity. So, when the cooler  winter and spring breezes, with their lesser humidity devolve into more summer-like conditions, even starting from the first day of spring, we head for the hills of TN.. In Florida we eat seafood, in TN. its beef, chicken and garden vegetables. Fishing in Florida its sea fishes, in TN. its crappie and trout, and our favorite walleye pike. I can breathe in TN., and love the cool breezes throughout spring, summer and fall.

We live on a small farm at about 2000-feet above sea level. When the summer heats up all around our plateau, we are 8-10 degrees cooler than all the other areas, cities and towns, and just about every night is a no-AC needed event.

As an author, I find it easier to work at our farm in TN. than in Florida. Florida has too many things going on, and this causes me to divert, and avert my time from putting finger tips to keys.  However, the Keys is truly a paradise for a fisherman, like me. With boating, searching for marlin and dolphin fish, the schools of tuna, the occasional wahoo, I get lost in the Gulf Stream of life. My preference these days is to sight fish for permit, bonefish, seatrout, snook, and redfish inshore, in quiet waters.

My sons David and Brian were brought up in the Keys, and were my nearly constant companion on my favorite boat “The Shalom.” That is until their fancy turned to girls and cars. We gathered our own shrimp and saltwater crawfish called Florida Lobster ( I still prefer the real northern- waters kind, with succulent claws and tail).   Today, my sons have a fine boat that they own and enjoy, I have my farm and when I can visit the Keys to be with my boys and their life’s experiences!  STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!

Images and a Talk!!

American Press Travel News–June 24, 2020–So since February, my site; www.AmericanPressTravelnews.com has had 1.4 million viewers. As you all know by now, I do not do anything political on my site. Too messy!! Anything true becomes false from the weirdo’s, and anything fiction becomes true and you get all kinds of harassments’!! Its too time consuming, to deal with fools!! So for 9-years now, we are a full-time travel site, with 25-seperate

Curt Gowdy and President Bush out fishing with Bob Epstein (Credit Bob T. Epstein for image)

Best Best Western we ever stayed at. Fly fishing out the back door, hot breakfasts, very friendly and helpful staff, and comfortable beds!

Caught in the act of walking on water! Dogs, wonderful dogs!

categories. We enjoy owning Florida Outdoors on-line magazine, and working on reviews, of all manner of outdoor gear. Please take a moment and look at the site: Check out the categories, images and ideas: WWW.AMERICANPRESSTRAVELNEWS.COM GIVE ME ANY REAL FEEDBACK, THANKS!!

Traveling from East Africa to the Congo!!
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Birds Balance the Joy & Comfort of Any Home!

American Press Travel News–June 13th, 2020–Bob and Barb, Goose Holler’ Farm and Ranch, TN. “Stopping to Smell the Roses, and Watch the Birds”–No need for bug killing equipment, sprays and poisons.  Let the birds do it! I purchased a large bag of seed. I always  a feeder full. This has led to constant bird traffic. Bugs 0, Bob N Barb Epstein +++++–very happy, and quite protected by our Avian friends. Bonus: watching the colorful flyers jostle and show their personalities right in front of our windows. My barn has swallows that do very well swallowing, and bring bug-bites to their chicks. Our Bluebirds kamikzi all over our pond, and lower field, on all manner of buggies.

Concept here is balance. If you take the effort to consider symbiosis, and help nature in its auto-quest for balance, you can live a much more fruitful and happy life outside, and of course, inside your home.