True Blue Tribe

Identifying Poisonous Plants In The Woods

Traylor — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:05:48 +0000

The story goes that when my aunt and uncle were kids, they got into an argument over whether or not a certain plant that they had stumbled upon in the woods was poison ivy or not. My aunt was so convinced that she was right and that it was not poison ivy that she pulled up some of the plant in question and began wiping the leaves on all of her exposed skin. Unfortunately, she was wrong and wound up spending a night or two in the hospital as she dealt with the blisters and itchy rash brought on by poison ivy. While you might be part of the 15% of the population that has no allergic reaction to urushiol, the toxic oil or resin found in these plants, our philosophy is why take the chance. If you are going to be spending any time outdoors—and we hope that you are—it is important to be able to recognize (and hopefully avoid) the three main types of poisonous plants in the woods that contain urushiol: poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Poison Ivy: Leaves. Poison ivy has thin, often shiny, bright-green compound leaves. The edges of the leaves usually have large indentations at irregular intervals. The leaves occur in threes, with one leaf at the end of the stem, and two leaves opposite each other on the stem. Hence the popular saying, “leaves of three, leave it be.” The young leaves may be orange, and in the fall the leaves ...

Red, White & True Blue American Style

Architect of Style — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 00:11:42 +0000

Celebrate America’s birthday in style this year with an updated take on classic menswear pieces, all made here in the good ole U.S. of A. What better way to celebrate America’s independence than by seeking out and buying pieces crafted by your Stateside neighbors? Above is a selection of timeless products that I can guarantee won’t just get you through the holiday week(end) but for many summers to come. In this day in age, finding American made products can be like searching for a needle in a China-made haystack but the brands above, among many others, have proven quality and value are truly just around the proverbial (and sometimes literal) corner. Interested in where you can find the items above or ones similar to them? Roughly 90% of the brands above are available through our store here in Nashville, J. Michaels Clothiers; I’d be glad to point you in the direction of the remaining 10%. Interested in how you can keep the wheels of commerce turning by supporting other brands and products made here in the U.S.A? Check out the most extensive roundup I’ve come across: The American List and let us know what American made brand keeps you coming back for more. Happy Fourth! Celebrate Patriotically! © Architect-of-Style for True Blue Tribe, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: american made, Bills Khakis, buying american made, Colonel Littleton, fourth of july, gitman vintage, hamilton shirts, imogene and willie, J Michaels Clothiers, made in the usa, martin dingman, moore and giles

How to Survive if You’re Stranded in the Ocean

Ben — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 11:41:18 +0000

We’ve all seen Tom Hanks do it in Castaway. We’ve all read stories of guys who ended up floating for days, and lived to tell about it. And we’ve all wondered, “Would I have what it takes to make it? Could I battle the elements, the waves, the impending dehydration, the blazing sun? Could I keep my wits and DO ANYTHING that may give me a chance to survive?” We’re here to tell you that you could make it. With the following plan, if you ever find yourself bobbing in the ocean, as your ship sinks to the bottom or as pieces of your airplane are strewn for miles across the water, you will be ready to fight the fight of your life! All scenarios that end with one stranded in the ocean start out at least a little different, but these are basic techniques that can help anyone who is battling the mighty ocean in a war of survival. 1. STOP and Think Use the Boy Scouts mnemonic device of “STOP”, which stands for “Stop, Think, Observe, and Plan”. You’ve just discovered that you are stranded in the ocean. You’re unsure about whether or not rescue will be arriving. Here is the list of survival actions: Stay afloat. Find shelter during the day. Wait to see if rescue arrives. Travel at night in one direction until you reach civilization. Find a source of food. 2. Floating Your first priority when isolated in the open sea is to stay afloat. ...

Make Sure You Are Firing Up the Right Grill

Jim Doggett — Sat, 30 Jun 2012 03:40:40 +0000

Summertime is grill time, and the heart of the summer grill season is the week of July 4th. Even if you have not yet mastered the pit, and even if you have never been around the basics of the grill, you need not be intimidated. We will look at the backyard principles of “fire under meat” and explore a few grill options that can have you well on your way to establishing yourself quickly as a barbecueing force with which to be reckoned. Men, I will not coddle you here. Just as I believe it is best for a man to learn how to drive a stick-shift manual transmission car before going to an automatic, it is best for a man to master a charcoal grill. It is a daring move to tame such a powerful element as fire, but those who learn some basic principles can do it with ease. Hot coals not only cook meat to desired and safe temperatures economically, charcoal adds a flavor to meat that is universally preferred over any other heat source. Most people are intimidated by coal-fired grills because the temperature is not controlled by a knob. Don’t worry. The truth of physics is on your side, and temperature can be controlled with simple understanding of what makes fire hot—oxygen. A good charcoal grill has dual-controlled air flow, an ample grill area, and a durable material that will not succumb to heat before a full season of use. By dual air flow control, ...

Making the ‘Outside-In’ Burger

Scott — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 20:03:08 +0000

Some friends and I were getting ready for our pre-game football grill out one Saturday and we started to discuss what the perfect burger would have in it and on it. We all came up with different items but there were some common threads: 80% Ground Beef, sharp and pepper jack cheese, and bacon. Now that is an All-American combo! One of my friends then suggested, “Let’s put the bacon and cheese on the inside of the burger.” “Brilliant!” We went on to create the “Outside-In Burger” and I wanted to share the juicy goodness with you! This burger has transformed the way I make my burgers. Everyone who has tried these burgers cannot get enough and ask for the recipe as soon as they take their first bite. That is the sign of GOOD FOOD! If you want to spice up your grilling and impress the crowd here is the way to do it. I know it sounds like a heart attack in the waiting, but it is “Oh so good!” I am salivating now just thinking about them. I cook for a crowd, so you might need to scale down the ingredients a bit. Ingredients 4 to 5 lbs. ground sirloin, chuck or beef 80% (I know you health nuts are having a stroke right now, but 80% for a burger is perfect fat content for flavoring.) 16 Kaiser Roll Hamburger Buns (Publix) (The bread is just as important as the burger) 2lbs Sargento Sharp Cheddar Cheese Shredded ...

How To Finish a Marathon

Greg Oliver — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:04:06 +0000

“There’s no way I could ever run a marathon!” Have you ever heard that? Said it? Most people who hear about someone finishing a 26.2 mile race share this response. And some have absolutely no desire to ever try. But maybe you’ve thought, “Man, I’d love to accomplish something like that.” The truth is, unless there are significant health or joint problems, most anyone can train and complete a marathon if they prepare in the right way. I ran my first marathon at age 33. I started running in 1982, when I was twelve. I was pretty good at it, too. But when I turned 16 and started with part-time jobs, I quit running consistently. In fact, I took about a 15 year break between any races at all. I started back up seriously in 2001 and got much more regular with my training. But even then, I’d never run a race farther than a 10K (6.2 miles). I knew people who’d finished marathons, but always thought “I could never do that.” But then, maybe the greatest motivation ever came up…my older brother ran one. Sibling rivalry is powerful, it turns out, and so I began to consider that maybe I could run one, too. So I started looking into what it would take to be able to complete what I saw as an epic task. The suggestions below are things I tried, and on December 13th, 2003 I finished the Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville, AL. I’ve done a ...

Independence Day Dry Rub

Traylor — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:14:08 +0000

With the 4th of July fast approaching, why not venture out and make your own dry rub for this year’s cookout instead of settling for something you found on the spice aisle at Wal-Mart? Even if you aren’t ready to label yourself as a true grill-master, this easy rub will add some zing to your holiday festivities. And how cool to be able to offer a casual “I made it” when your family and friends inquire about your secret ingredient? But don’t wait. If you are planning to have this rub ready before the fireworks on the 4th, go ahead and mix this rub together now. The rub is better the longer the ingredients have been stored together in a tightly closed container. If you try this rub, let us know about it in the comments section below. And don’t forget to send us pictures of your family and friends elbow deep into your grilling goodness! Best with beef and pork MAKES ABOUT 1/2 CUP 2 tablespoons paprika 2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns 2 tablespoons ground ancho pepper 2 tablespoons coarse salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon ground cilantro 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon onion powder Mix together all ingredients. Store in a tightly closed container. © Traylor for True Blue Tribe, 2012. | Permalink | One comment | Add to del.icio.us Post tags: 4th of July Cookout, Beef, Dry Rub, From the Grill, grilling, How To Grill, Independence Day, Pork

Getting The Best ROI On Your Wardrobe

Architect of Style — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 22:06:49 +0000

“Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.” – Mark Twain These days, the term ‘investing in your wardrobe’ is entirely relative to your age, budget, environment, career path and overall priorities and sensibilities. Some guys go the extra mile and really get into the art of dressing while others consider it a success to simply get out the door fully clothed, ready to conquer the day. No matter your stage in life, first impressions are not of myth and legend and your appearance, and therefore the attire with which you choose to clothe yourself, are important. People form opinions about how competent, educated, informed, aware, and evolved we are solely based on visual cues before a word is uttered – here are a few recommendations to help lengthen the lifespan of your wardrobe and get a real return on your investment. 1. Quality over quantity. They say the Europeans figured this out decades ago but really they just never changed their mindset from the start. Think back to your fathers, grandfathers, and beyond – a handful of well-engineered shirts, pants, well-tailored suits along with a few pair of shoes not only got the job done, it helped them build a nation. Only in the past few decades have we been fed the hogwash that ‘buy one suit get two free!’ is a great value. So many great adages comes to mind but the ole standby ‘you get what you pay for’ sums it up ...

7 Tips To Get Into The Best Shape of Your Life

David Graves — Sat, 23 Jun 2012 15:45:21 +0000

Have you wanted to run or work out and didn’t know how to get started? Here are a few tips and lessons that have worked and are working for me. I was athletic growing up and played various sports. After college, life began to slow down and working out was not a priority. I felt comfortable around 200 lbs for my 6’0” frame. Each year that number increased…3 pounds one year, 5 pounds the next year, etc. In 2008, I decided it was time for a change. I started a walk/run program with a lofty goal of completing 500 miles in a year and finishing 3 half marathons in 2009. I was able to accomplish these goals but then an injury and a wrecking in my own life put these future goals on the sideline. In December of 2011 my weight was up to 251 pounds! My sister decided she wanted to eventually run an entire 5k. She even entered a race in December 2011. I hadn’t trained in over a year and a half consistently; however, I committed to participating with her as encouragement. We finished in 45 minutes. a pace of almost 15 minutes per mile. That is when the bug bit me. I remembered the confidence I gained and all the successes of running in 2008 and 2009. I sat down and wrote down specific goals for 2011. That day the following journey began. I began running consistently in January. I focused more on time of exercise ...

How To Waterproof Matches

Traylor — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 18:01:35 +0000

Making waterproof matches is a quick and easy do it yourself project that will help ensure you can build that all important fire when you need one. The ability to build a fire is one of the most important skills you can master as it relates to surviving in an emergency and matches are one of the most convenient fire-starting methods. However, one of the challenges with matches is that they are susceptible to moisture and humidity. Having your supply of matches become wet or even damp could put your survival at risk in certain situations. One of the popular trends when it comes to making waterproof matches is to use paraffin wax in the waterproofing process. Unlike the clear nail polish that we recommend here, wax can often break or crumble, leaving the match exposed to potential moisture. Another common problem with using paraffin wax is that the wax often gunks up the match striker. Materials Needed: Wooden Matches 1 bottle of clear nail polish Plastic cap from a soda bottle or milk carton Step 1: Fill a plastic cap with clear nail polish. Step 2: Dip the head of each match into the polish and carefully lay the match on a tabletop with the head of the match extending off the edge. Repeat until all of your matches have been dipped. Step 3: When the nail polish has completely dried on the match head, hold each match by the head and dip the remaining wooden portion of the ...