Life has been generally pretty good, an update of life lately

January 17, 2012
hunting, living off land, Uncategorized
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Well I am back to work and all the same as everyone else after the holiday blahs, except I had a birthday which I am sure everyone has read my blog about halfheimers 🙂

I survived the holidays, few bumps and scrapes but survived none the less.

I did however achieve a goal of mine this past weekend… evidenced below.

My first Deer with a bow

 
  I know this is not a big deal to some, but for those of you that bow hunt I now understand the difference between a gun hunt and a bow hunt.
 
Oh my gosh to be so close to her, I wish I had a video of it cause it was sooooo cool.
 
I took the shot and she was 18.5 yards away from me, yes you can pace that off and see I am not just giddy for the heck of it, that is dang close, and beautiful.
 
 
 
I could count her eyelashes she was that close to me, and as evidenced in the picture I may have been a little back from where I should have been but she was quartered away a little and this shot ended up being a single lung vs double lung shot.
 
But she was down within 40-50 yards from where I shot her so all in all it was a good shot, if slightly misplaced.
 
Let me tell you a little of the difference of hunting with a bow vs. a gun, I will agree with a gun you are in the elements same as with a bow, yes you are experiencing some of what God has put on this earth for us all to experience, and to be honest few do experience it in all its glory.
 
With a gun you can shoot an animal from 100’s of yards away, unless you are using a scope you are not truly seeing the animal in all its glory.
 
With a bow you are feet away from the animal, if you have good hearing, which I do, I could hear her clicking, yes clicking, I never knew that a deer could or would click but she did.
 
She was beautiful, when she was approaching I noticed a limp, slight limp from her rear end, I believe she is a 1.5 year old doe, she was the fawn that a 2 summers/falls ago we noticed on trail camera’s as well as in person on her walks on our property to have this limp from fawn on, we don’t know if it was a birth defect or if she was hit by something when she was young, but she has had the limp and I am truly surprised that she lasted through the coyotes and all that life had surely thrown her way.
 
She will feed our family this year, for a smallish doe she supplied us with meat for the year, hopefully others in my family will have the opportunity to hunt and get a deer before the end of season in our area (Jan. 31st) if not, she will be a treasure for more than just being my first bow kill, but also for the food she has supplied us with.
 
Let me put you in that blind with me first lets start with Sat. night (Jan.14) I was sitting in my blind when my hubby (who is scouting from loft window cause I can’t see anything coming) starts blowing up my phone (on vibrate) with txt messages, you have deer coming in, I see them a ways off, they stop and act like something is not right (I have a heater on the small propane tank that is hissing) text hubby “should I shut off heater” reply “if you can stand the cold” So off goes the heat, ok my phone blows up again “here they come” I put my phone on silent all, and get ready I have my bow up I have 4 deer in my view, I raise my bow, get my 20 yd pin on the one deer that is broadside to me, then it happens **SLAM* neighbor slams their door, whoop there they go, where I had 4 deer I have none now, oh poo (ok this is a g rated blog you know that is NOT what I was saying)
 
I loaded up and went to the house, I am moody and mad for most the night, and yes I was not easy to live with, this is not the first hunt my neighbors have squashed for me, mind you I live in WI, Sunday was the day that they played the Giants, so we have plans of watching the Packers on Sunday, after my shower (scent free) I make an announcement that floors my family “F the Packers” (mind you I love my packers BUT I wanted another shot at those deer).
 
Sunday afternoon I am in the blind with different heater (Thank you Lynne and fam for borrowing it to us) time passes nothing, a few birds and squirrels, but no deer, I call once on deer call, figure what the heck right? txt Hubby @ 4:20pm “what you think? see anything?” reply ” C nothing, are you hunting or killing?” he always has a way of telling me without telling me as you can see, so I continue to sit while my packers are being crushed grrr, anyways, it is close to end time still not seeing nothing I put on my hat with the light (mind you I can not shoot my bow with this hat on) and resign myself to going up to watch the game, I lean forward guess who, the doe who came in first on Saturday, oh my gosh there’s a deer coming in, ok, now I ssslllooowwllyy take off my hat, shhhh have to be quite, put it down, pick up my bow, she stops I stop, she moves I move, slowly I bring my bow up, still waiting for her to give me a shot, and I pray, really really hard, I pull back on my bow, line her up, not quite right she is quartering away in the hind quarter, but she doesn’t look like she will move anymore in a better spot, she is a little on the freaked side from Saturday, they don’t like loud noises, she lowers her head to eat the brasicus we have planted there, and thwap, I let the arrow fly.
 
I call Hubby on cell phone ” I just shot a deer” reply “no way, I just looked there was nothing there, (pause) oh dang I see her, she just dropped, stay in the blind there are 2 more deer back by her”
 
I know this seems like it is a long time period but everything I just wrote happened in the space of about 5 minutes, it seemed like forever.
 
I am sure that many that read this will think how inhuman, but we hunt to survive, to live a little off the land just like our fore-fathers did, at least partially. Let me assure you that we do use everything that the deer supplies for us as best we can, due to CWD we do not use the brain, or bones, but we do use the pelt, as well as all the meat.
 
For those of you that have hunted with bow’s before I am sure you are thinking this is a not so big deal but for all the hunting programs I see, there are really very few women that are hunters esp. with bow’s.
 
I do have praise as well as stick with it for anyone that has started bow hunting or is thinking of it esp if you are a female, you are capable of it, no matter what anyone says.
 
Bonus for finally shooting my first deer… Hubby is buying me a new bow, yipee, so I will be checking out the new bows for this year, but besides that I have been hunting with a bow for 2 years.
 
I started out terrified of tree stands ( I didn’t care if I had a hunters safety system on) I have a problem with height esp when I could fall, so I used a deer blind for half the first year, then I finally got in a tree stand, even bought a used double tree stand from my youngest friend, LOVE THIS STAND, but after all that guess what I shot my first deer from?? yup the deer blind I started in.
 
Many thanks to my family for putting up with my pouting and all that for the times I didn’t get a deer, also for my Hubby for having patience with me ( I know I can be hard-headed but hey he knew that when he married me 🙂 ), and to my Sis-in-law for letting us borrow the Mr. Heater, for those of you that are hunting in blinds, this little heater is the bomb, no noise, at least my doe didn’t hear it, and it kept me warm.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Half-hiemers, yup that is official today, I think

January 10, 2012
Uncategorized
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Ok first thing I have to admit to; I am officially middle age, at least where I always thought middle age was; do I feel it? Kind of, today I am officially 45 so what does that mean to us anyways?

Well first that means I am almost 1/2 century old, that means I have a better appreciation for those that are older than me and I used to think they were really old, mind you I was a teen and they were (gasp) in their 40’s.

Funny how the passage of time gives one a better perception of what is important, and with that a feeling that there is little to nothing anyone can do to stop the passage of time.

A blogging friend of mine has a very interesting blog today, “How the Brain starts going downhill at 45…” yeah I thought it was fairly important that the scientists have now figured out that along with the passage of time that I am going to somehow lose my brains faster cause now I am 45, glad my hubby doesn’t see my blog, he would for sure comment on that comment, something along the lines of “you lost that a long time ago honey” He can say that but since he is 7 years older than I am, yeah I have a come back for that one.

I am pretty safe all in all, the only people I have to be concerned with saying anything is my blogosphere and face book, yeah I cross post so they will see this, but more than likely the only one to comment would probably be my mom :-), on that note, Mom be nice, I haven’t brought up anything bad for you, except of course you could take something from my telling people how old I am but I am sure that will only garner you compliments of how good you look for having a 45 year old daughter :-).

For those of you that think I shouldn’t have used the title I did, there has been a running joke for years between my relatives, since we have all worked in or been around healthcare, that we all suffer from some dementia, namely the Alzheimer’s family, none of us have Alzheimer’s, we have at some times said we have or are suffering from quarter or half heimers, with the scientists claiming brain drain along with my age I figure I have finally graduated from the quarterheimers crew to the halfheimers crew.

I have a great group that I work with, I have a banner on my wall saying “Happy Birthday” and a couple of them came over singing to me, just had another sing to me and bring a muffin with a candle in it, last night my in-laws brought me a present of a new bracelet for my birthday present.

I can not comment, nor is this to belittle presents from my husband (SB), or Mom, or Son(AB) since I can not open their presents till I get home from work, I really hate those rules I really do, I have been waiting since November, Thanksgiving to be exact to open my Birthday present from my mom, which SB took out of the truck and has not let me even lift it since we brought it home, so that is not very nice you 2, I know you love it.

Now for that scientific study I would really like to know if those scientists are the same ones that said that our weather is the result of global warming, is that is the case, I am going to officially put myself back to the quarterheimers crew 🙂 cause I don’t believe those guys know what they are doing, really global warming?? I don’t think that explains the palm trees they found in the Arctic or Antarctica under the ice…. so when they can tell me differently without the made up stuff with flashy graphs, mind you I can come up with a flashy graph too, I am really pretty good with a computer, so yeah I don’t believe that so if they are the scientists that did this study let me know so I can downgrade my head status lol.

I can remember lots of things from growing up, I know the deathly age of no cell phones, neighbors telling your parents when you mis-behaved, and all the dangerous things like riding bikes without helmets, watching TV with such filth filled things like “the Walton’s” “beverly hillbillies” “green acres” “happy days” “Laverne & Shirley” “Bonanza” & “dukes of hazzard”.

I know those are all made up “families” and we had lots of others too, but they still hold a special place for me, and IMO I think if we had more “family” programming like some of those shows we would have at least a good portion of our young people not believing that video games and fox animation are any semblance of real life.

Don’t get me wrong I had the best New Years this year playing “super Mario” on the Wii, no bars, no crowds, just the 3 of us bouncing on each others heads and basically having a laughing good family time.

I think that is what I miss the most from my childhood, our society has gotten so used to instant everything that family time is ever decreasing, and the times that families spend together is relegated to 1-2 hours throughout the week and that is usually for dinner time only, then everyone has other things to do.

I have been lucky in many aspects I was raised to know who I am and where I fit into the cogs of our family, trust me our family wheel has more than a few cogs that are unique, and a few missing cogs too lol.

I know that the outside influences that are in my life are only there to help me learn that I am the greatest influence on my life, my parents gave birth to me, doesn’t mean I am either of them, they had their road and they have taught me that if I wanted to wear a “hair coat” of everything that has ever happened to me as “a oh-whoa is me” or pity party, that is where I would always be stuck.

Took some time but I learned that the pity pot is not where I wanted to live my life, and in respect to how my life compares to others, there is no comparison, my life is phenomenal pure and simple, beyond what I ever expected.

I have love in my life and appreciation for everything I have and everything I may receive.

To all who share my day, Happy Birthday to you, to those that are looking at the same brain drain, I have room on my halfhiemer wagon.

Happy New Year and may 2012 provide us the opportunity to accomplish great things and the appreciation to realize our dreams being fulfilled.

 Update**** My Birthday Weekend was great, except I still dont have a deer on my tags, but I still have the rest of the month, prayers would be appreciated, much thanks in advance for any and all prayers to my getting my deer this year, those of you who are warning the deer, please stop for the rest of the month please***

Half-hiemers, yup that is official today, I think

January 6, 2012
living off land, Uncategorized
1 Comment

Ok first thing I have to admit to; I am officially middle age, at least where I always thought middle age was; do I feel it? Kind of, today I am officially 45 so what does that mean to us anyways?

Well first that means I am almost 1/2 century old, that means I have a better appreciation for those that are older than me and I used to think they were really old, mind you I was a teen and they were (gasp) in their 40’s.

Funny how the passage of time gives one a better perception of what is important, and with that a feeling that there is little to nothing anyone can do to stop the passage of time.

A blogging friend of mine has a very interesting blog today, “How the Brain starts going downhill at 45…” yeah I thought it was fairly important that the scientists have now figured out that along with the passage of time that I am going to somehow lose my brains faster cause now I am 45, glad my hubby doesn’t see my blog, he would for sure comment on that comment, something along the lines of “you lost that a long time ago honey” He can say that but since he is 7 years older than I am, yeah I have a come back for that one.

I am pretty safe all in all, the only people I have to be concerned with saying anything is my blogosphere and face book, yeah I cross post so they will see this, but more than likely the only one to comment would probably be my mom :-), on that note, Mom be nice, I haven’t brought up anything bad for you, except of course you could take something from my telling people how old I am but I am sure that will only garner you compliments of how good you look for having a 45 year old daughter :-).

For those of you that think I shouldn’t have used the title I did, there has been a running joke for years between my relatives, since we have all worked in or been around healthcare, that we all suffer from some dementia, namely the Alzheimer’s family, none of us have Alzheimer’s, we have at some times said we have or are suffering from quarter or half heimers, with the scientists claiming brain drain along with my age I figure I have finally graduated from the quarterheimers crew to the halfheimers crew.

I have a great group that I work with, I have a banner on my wall saying “Happy Birthday” and a couple of them came over singing to me, just had another sing to me and bring a muffin with a candle in it, last night my in-laws brought me a present of a new bracelet for my birthday present.

I can not comment, nor is this to belittle presents from my husband (SB), or Mom, or Son(AB) since I can not open their presents till I get home from work, I really hate those rules I really do, I have been waiting since November, Thanksgiving to be exact to open my Birthday present from my mom, which SB took out of the truck and has not let me even lift it since we brought it home, so that is not very nice you 2, I know you love it.

Now for that scientific study I would really like to know if those scientists are the same ones that said that our weather is the result of global warming, is that is the case, I am going to officially put myself back to the quarterheimers crew 🙂 cause I don’t believe those guys know what they are doing, really global warming?? I don’t think that explains the palm trees they found in the Arctic or Antarctica under the ice…. so when they can tell me differently without the made up stuff with flashy graphs, mind you I can come up with a flashy graph too, I am really pretty good with a computer, so yeah I don’t believe that so if they are the scientists that did this study let me know so I can downgrade my head status lol.

I can remember lots of things from growing up, I know the deathly age of no cell phones, neighbors telling your parents when you mis-behaved, and all the dangerous things like riding bikes without helmets, watching TV with such filth filled things like “the Walton’s” “beverly hillbillies” “green acres” “happy days” “Laverne & Shirley” “Bonanza” & “dukes of hazzard”.

I know those are all made up “families” and we had lots of others too, but they still hold a special place for me, and IMO I think if we had more “family” programming like some of those shows we would have at least a good portion of our young people not believing that video games and fox animation are any semblance of real life.

Don’t get me wrong I had the best New Years this year playing “super Mario” on the Wii, no bars, no crowds, just the 3 of us bouncing on each others heads and basically having a laughing good family time.

I think that is what I miss the most from my childhood, our society has gotten so used to instant everything that family time is ever decreasing, and the times that families spend together is relegated to 1-2 hours throughout the week and that is usually for dinner time only, then everyone has other things to do.

I have been lucky in many aspects I was raised to know who I am and where I fit into the cogs of our family, trust me our family wheel has more than a few cogs that are unique, and a few missing cogs too lol.

I know that the outside influences that are in my life are only there to help me learn that I am the greatest influence on my life, my parents gave birth to me, doesn’t mean I am either of them, they had their road and they have taught me that if I wanted to wear a “hair coat” of everything that has ever happened to me as “a oh-whoa is me” or pity party, that is where I would always be stuck.

Took some time but I learned that the pity pot is not where I wanted to live my life, and in respect to how my life compares to others, there is no comparison, my life is phenomenal pure and simple, beyond what I ever expected.

I have love in my life and appreciation for everything I have and everything I may receive.

To all who share my day, Happy Birthday to you, to those that are looking at the same brain drain, I have room on my halfhiemer wagon.

Happy New Year and may 2012 provide us the opportunity to accomplish great things and the appreciation to realize our dreams being fulfilled.

 

Last day of vacation, ready to hunt, invited guests never show up

November 17, 2011
hunting, living off land
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Well today was my last day of the hunting vacation, the guests of honor (deer on the hoof) decided to show up, 3 does, only problem was it was after legal shooting light, I watched them and really wished they had come in just a little earlier, but it was not to be.

I am lucky in many ways, I have had a long week of enjoying the outdoors, except for the 1 day it was too windy to get into the stand, and another it was raining too hard for the deer to be moving.

I have pics on our game camera’s I know they are in the area, but not during the hours that are allowed to hunt, mostly 3 or 4am for the most part.

The few daylight pics that we have had are rare, and they were very sparatic to say the least.

Now it seems that the rut is just starting and with the gun deer season starting on Saturday, I will be out in the stands again this weekend, I can only hope that I get one soon.

I think my husband is getting tired of only hunting certain stands, he is such a sweetheart he wants me to get a deer so badly that he doesnt hunt near my main stand just so that I get first crack at any deer on our property.

My son is also in on the plan he has a stand close to my main stand and he has only sat in it once all season, and that was WAY early in the season.

Everyone is positive that I will get a deer this year, and in all honesty this year has been odd, the weather this Oct. and Nov. have been unusually warm for this time of the year, add in the amount of rain we had in Oct. and that serves up a rotten bowhunting season, at least here in our corner of the state.

I have heard from other hunters throughout Wisconsin and it seems that most people have had the same results, that there are few sightings of deer when they are in the stands.

To all the hunters out there, my sightings of those deer give me hope that they really will be there one of these days when we are out in the stands. Good Luck to you all, and to our family as well.

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