Opening weekend!

Opening weekend of white tail deer season is over.  Most wives dread deer season, because their husbands become obsessed with it and pay no attention to the needs and duties at home. 

Other wives love the break and like when their husbands leave for a week. It give them a break from the “Big Kid” in her brood. 

And then there is me!  I am the hunter in our family, most years anyway.  This year Ben really wanted to go to, but I am 8 months pregnant and could not participate this year.  We still went to deer camp and shot the breeze with the boys and cut up deer and all of that fun stuff, but I have to tell you not participating this year was not fun!

I love the feeling of refreshment when you sit in the deer stand all morning.  The air is clean, your mind is clean and of course your soul is clean.  Sitting still in peace and quiet is just what a person needs to re-energize.  Until, of course, that monster steps out and the commotion starts.  Scramble to get your gun up, scramble to find the site, remember that the safety is on.  Oh yeah then there’s either my dad or brother saying, “If you don’t take it right now I am going to shoot!”  So much for the peace and quiet.  But at that point the adrenalin starts to kick in and that’s even better! 

So this year we missed all of the excitement and adrenalin.  Next year though Ben and I will have to make sure we take some extra time off of work and stay out at camp.

Busy, Busy, Busy

This week has certainly tested my parental ability!  A few weeks ago Devi talked about how important it is to stay home in the evening and eat dinner with your family.  She said kids don’t really want to be toted around to every activity available and they usually would much rather stay home and play a game!  Well I can sympathize with that this week. 

Tuesday we had cub scouts, Wed we had Royal Rangers/Missionettes and last night he had a birthday party.  Whew!  I don’t know if I can survive this if he decides to take on a sport as well! 

Mitch and I have spent the last three nights in passing and I don’t like it!  But luckily it’s not like this every week.  Cub Scouts is only every other week.  Although Ben brought home a paper last night for Basketball.  Lukily that is not during the week.  It will be primarily Saturdays and only a handful of them. 

I feel torn, because on one hand I have been waiting for this time to see him in all of these activities and on the other hand I am 8 months pregnant and very tired!  Yikes! 

I am sure it will work itself out just fine.  Tonight we are staying home and cuddling on the couch!  Then it’s off to deer camp to see how everyone is doing there!  I am sad I won’t get to hunt this year, but on the positive side I won’t be so tired and I can run around and visit everyone! 

Have a blessed day!

More on the great white tail expedition

The days leading up to opening weekend of deer hunting are the most exciting!
The whole week is filled with preperation. Finding all of our bright orange apparel, binaculars, knife, sleeping bags, warm underclothes and trying to fit all of this stuff into a bag that will not take up so much room!
That never happens. I am usually stuffing things into garbage bags and cramming them into my tiny little Honda.
Everyone generally arrives at my mom and dad’s house on Friday night. The eve of opening morning! Then of course we head over to my uncle’s cabin to check in.
We see who is up for the hunt and have a merry time chatting late into the evening!
As we crawl into our warm sleeping bags thoughts of white tails flickering and loud tromping noises through the brush fill our dreams.
After a short nap it’s up coffee and toast and many many layers of clothes!
I remember one year that we didn’t have to dress so warmly, but most years it’s cold!
After our morning hunt comes breakfast. We all start heading in around the same time. When we get in someone makes sure there is plenty of coffee and someone starts breakfast. It really is a family affair. We try to spread it around, so my mom doesn’t end up cooking for all of us hooligans.
After breakfast of course comes the much needed nap on the sofa or davenport as my grandma used to call it.
But alas! No nap is to be had, because of course after breakfast is the time when others are out and about checking to see if we have decreased the deer population at all.
Visitors come from far and wide. Luckily we always have plenty of coffee and treats to feed them.

White tail tracker cont.

When you squint and squint to see a deer a mile away and suddenly a flicker catches your eye just to the left.
There is a deer walking right for your line of site!
Soon the excitement starts to rise.
All the cold and fatigue you felt moments ago has disappeared and been replaced by the “Buck Fever”!

The adventures of the great white tail tracker

Hmmm…
A hunter you wonder.
Does she really rise at the crack of dawn; tromp a 1/4 of a mile into a CRP field; sit in a wooden box for hours with no windows and only my breath for warmth?
Well sort of!
My dad or my brother usually come with me, because frankly I am scared of the dark and refuse to walk into a dark field by myslef! And We usually only sit a couple of hours, because it does get cold. Especially if the sleet of fall starts to pelt your bare skin. It’s more than some what uncomfortable.
But then comes the good part…
Stay tuned!