I have felt so disconnected lately ~ I just can't put a finger on it. I know a lot of it's stress, and I try not to go there. Things on the home front are better now ~ so maybe my cloud of fog is lifting and I can finally get back into the swing of things.
~~
Today is the last day of the muzzle loader gun deer season ... and I'm finished with that ... so is my son, Sam. My brother Eric got a spike buck day before yesterday ~ so there's fresh venison for him and Mom this year. We too have some fresh meat, because a friend of ours gave us some meat from his bow deer in exchange of us butchering it for him. So all in all ... we're happy to get some meat ... even though we weren't successful ourselves with the hunting.
It was so hard though to give up hunting season this year; because we know the deer are there. We just weren't able to see them during the daylight hunting hours. BUT ... after dark ... they'd come out of the woods and show themselves on the trail camera.
The phrase, "let them go so they can grow" comes to mind when I look at these pictures. By golly ... I hope I harvest a nice buck next year!
It's been in the single digits on the old thermometer ~ but today already has hit 21 degrees F. ~ we're having a heat wave ~ ~ a tropical heat wave!
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My house smells delish right now ...
There's a beef roast in the slow cooker and I just pulled an apple pie out of the oven. I wonder why Gl@de hasn't come up with that smell combo yet? beef roast and apple pie
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Slim has been bugging for me to start my Christmas baking ~ but it's still too early ... between him, Sam and Ashley I wouldn't have anything left by the 25th. AND ... I would hate to have a repeat of last year ~ when the ants got into my cookies and candy. What a disaster that was.
~~
My trapping skills are better than my hunting skills. In the last two days I've eliminated 2 mice and 1 shrew from the premises.
~~
So ...
Do you have your Christmas decorating all done? Is the tree up? All done shopping? Not here.
I just can't seem to get into the groove of it all yet ~ although my shopping is almost done. We don't go all out anymore like we used to. We have a small gift exchange at the farm with my brothers and sisters, and this year it's going to be a "white elephant" exchange. We're not allowed to buy the gift; rather exchange something that we already have in our home; but no longer need. It should be fun. Then at home this year we also exchanged names in our immediate family with the adults; but we're still buying gifts for the Grandloves.
Our friends had their Christmas tree up right after Thanksgiving. I love Christmas trees and all they stand for!! BUT the week after Thanksgiving is really too early for me. I was thinking of putting my Christmas tree up this week; but ... I'm afraid by Christmas I'll still have to dust the ornaments ~ somehow that just don't seem right. Is it wrong to just set a photo of a tree from a prior year on top of the television and call it good?
I need a maid.
Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel
I'm not doing much decorating this year. I was going to do some because I'm having a couple holidays potluck gatherings here, but If I put up a tree, there won't be room for the tables for my guests to eat on! So I'm just doing a few little things here and there. If they don't like it .... Oh, well!!!!!! ;D
ReplyDeleteThe homestead smells of Deer meat & potatoes in the slow cooker. We were lucky to get 2 so far this season. A few more days of season left. Sorry to hear you did not get one but you have a great way of looking at it. Let them grow. Waiting for the boys to get off the school bus soon & eat. I brought a cat in to trap some unwanted mice today. Force yourself to put up the tree & decorate it to your liking & just maybe it will help. This year has been a major stresser for me. When I turn the lights on the tree & sit & stare at it I find it peaceful. Maybe treat yourself to small batch of cookies. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOur lodge has done the white elephant exchange at times and it is always fun. One year there was one of those bird clocks and everyone wanted it. I don't put up a tree anymore as we don't have any little ones around.
ReplyDeleteOh---you are just so funny, Mel... We put up our Christmas tree and decorations --inside and out--right after Thanksgiving. I like to enjoy them all during December. We take them down usually before the 1st...
ReplyDeleteI am ready for Christmas --except for the baking and cooking --and doing those darn jobs like cleaning my house!!!!! Two of my sons and families are coming this year --and we are thrilled.
We don't do much these days when it comes to gifts. We give the grands a piece of money --an then give each family one gift --as a family. George and I exchange small gifts --but that's about it.
My joy comes in the decorations and the lights...
I'll bet your pot roast and apple pie are delicious. I can almost smell them down here.
Cold down here also--13 this morning --and only in the 20's now... That's cold for US.
Hugs,
Betsy
I think you are special to do all that cooking and all that decorating! I like the idea of roast and apple pie as a room freshener. ☺ Sorry you failed to harvest that deer this year, but looks like you have a few prizes there on the trail cam and at least you have fresh meat. It's good to have friends like that. Our season will open again on the 18th of December and go through January 9th. I'm allowed 2 more deer for a total of 3. I made micro-wave fudge today, practicing for the party we'll have with our children & their children. It's good!!!
ReplyDeleteNot being a hunter, I got a bit tickled that the deer are tormenting you on film. Maybe next year.
ReplyDeleteLove the white elephant idea. Think we will do that next year with my support group. We normally do the Dirty Santa thingy.
Cooking food really is the best air freshner unless it is my favorite--cabbage.
Since you are back, now play nice!!!!LOL
ReplyDeleteI smell the roast and apple pie, you are lucky, we had a big winnier roast down in the woods today. Yep we braved it outside in the upper twenties to roast the winnies and toast our butts. It was fun.
Dropping to the teens here tonight. (Don't even say it..THAT IS COLD DOWN SOUTH GIRL!!!! YOu tough guys make me feel like a wimp!))
We are Glad things are better, the cooking probably helps some. Love is tough sometime, but ain't it wonderful when it works the way it is supposed to!
Take care and get the decorating done!!!!
Love you sweet lady!
Sherry & Jack
When my husband and and his brother went hunting a few years back, they would come in and say they saw no deer. We could see the edge of the woods they hunted in from inside the house. Sometimes within a few minutes of their coming in for the day, deer would appear at the edge of the woods. I always told the boys that the deer were sticking out their tongues at them.
ReplyDeleteDear Mel... you are just too funny! NO, I don't have any decorating done yet other than I did a very small slate chalk drawing and put on the sidebar of my blog :) No shopping except for ingredients to send all our kids and family a cookie mix in a jar and a home-made dish-cloth.
ReplyDeleteI like Christmas too and all it entails but I don't let it throw me anymore if certain things don't happen. Thats just setting ones self up for disappointment. I rather just enjoy the *idea* of Christmas and the peacefulness of the season.
BTW, a white elephant exchange is an excellent idea. I think I may suggest that to our extended family.
Those photos of the deer are awesome. How wonderful to observe them in the natural without them being wary of someone near. Well, Have a good evening, my friend, and relax; Christmas will happen in spite of us :)
Mel, as you know my Christmas' as I knew them has changed along with my life. I haven't had a 'family Christmas' at my house since 1997. Now it's just easier for the 2 of us to pack up and go enjoy the kids and grandkids rather than all of them coming here. It's different but it's Christmaas!
ReplyDeleteToo many people put too much into the commercialism of the holiday rather than the reality of it's meaning. You know the reality - so every day is Christmas. 'love from afar'
Just stopped by to say hi! Oh my six loaves was a little much to bake. When I said a little batch of cookies I really ment a little batch just enough for YOU to relax & enjoy as you look into the tree lights. I think your right the tree would have been much easier. Those little 3 foot trees are great. They can even fit in a large rubber maid tub still decorated so to just take them from the tub & reset up from year to year. LOL. Take care & Blessings!
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