Hatching Nest

Its that time again to hear from the aviary, well on the archery front its not been that busy for me. I've not even been able to make it to practices really because on the 23rd of July, one of the next generations was born. That's right I'm now a father to a little girl called Enya.

Though I was allowed to go and compete in the Club Championship shoot, the next day. This was a York shoot which proves a good challenge as you realise that the slightest wind can change the trajectory of arrows esp with larger fletchings. My ravens as standard have 125 grain piles, with 4" fletchings, this are rather heavy piles, which if there is wind is good as they are able to fight the wind, though the fletching counteracts this as they can catch the wind. Also the downside of the piles is that it means the arrows have to be sent on a higher arch so they go higher and catch more wind, so really my ravens are for shorter distances probably up to 60yds, but for the moment that's all I have and can afford. I might have to invest in a fletching cutter so I can get some lower profile fletchings and some lighter piles. Plus straight shafts would help but for now just have to cope. So if anyone reading this knows where I can get some low profile fletchings please leave a comment.

Despite this arrow obstacle I got the highest longbow score for the gents, though seeing as our Grand Master Bowman wasn't there it did give me a better shot. Though at the start it was close with Doug Shaw, who seems to be adapting to the art of the longbow quite well. Infact so well Doug has managed to beat me on the past two monthly medals, though I will admit I was shooting very badly until the last dozen, but that's doesn't mean he was shooting well.

I think for a while my practice will be cut short whilst raising this little girl, or at least till she gets into a more steady routine of sleeping at night rather than during the day and awake and wriggly during the night. Though still have my goal of trying to get 1st class this year, I find is quite annoying as I always seem to just miss out on getting it but a dozen or so points, but I suppose that's what I get for shooting instinctively with unstraight arrows.

 I have started though to help out, or at least try to help out by creating club events on facebook, not sure exactly how well they are working but I'm hoping they are helping some club members remember what shoots are on and encourage those who can to come down, as shoots are often better with more people, and for fun rather than a score, for to me archery is a sport where if you don't enjoy doing it you won't get any better, so with that I leave you with a quote from what I'm told is an old Chinese poem, which translates to:

"If archer shoots just for fun he has all his skill.
If he shoots for score his hands tremble
and his breath is uneasy.
If he shoots for a golden price he becomes mad and blind.
His skill was not lessened, but the vision of the target changed him."

Oh almost missed this (mainly for the fact we've not been able to do anything so kinda passed un-noticed), that I have now reached my quarter century on this planet, so belated happy birthday to myself, and to my good lady whose birthday was celebrated in hospital giving birth to our little girl. All the best people and may the wind under your wings take you to where the sun sails and the moon walks.