Last chance this weekend

It is so hard to believe that it's nearly December 1st and I have been puttering around my house both inside and out and it's still warm enough to wear one layer of clothing and maintain warmth! I am one of those 'freaks' that actually enjoy the snow but I'm not rushing things...I know it will be here sooner or later. The white stuff after all WILL fly.

Actually, there is a chance it may fly this Saturday which brings me to my latest plans! Tomorrow after work I will launch my weekend excursion to southern Maine for my last hunt of the season. With my pack basket already stuffed to the top and my Browning .358 lever action rifle sited in, I will hit the highway at approximately 5:30pm tomorrow to meet up with a friend in Waterville. Discussions this week have of course surrounded our plans for Saturday as to where we will 'tag out' for the season. I won't reveal exact locations until after the hunt and hopefully will also be able to include a play by play action of how we dropped the four legged herbivore.

Above is a picture of the 10 point buck I got a few years back with a Browning .20 gauge pump shotgun. Below is a picture of the .358 I will be using for this hunt. Wish us luck!

Thankful on Thanksgiving

As I go about my day to day activities today I have certainly taken many moments to reflect on how thankful I am this Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful every day for various things but this week has especially been one of many thanks and appreciation.

Firstly thankful for my wonderful, supportive family and then of course my friends and co-workers. Collectively you have all been 'family' to myself and my two children. I hope that in some small way I have been able to positively touch each and every one of you they way you have me. Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your turkey dinners and make the most of what is left of the day with your family and friends.

So close...and yet no shots fired.

Already well into hunting season and the weather is STILL incredibly mild! Fabulous for the oil tanks, not so great for hunting. Deer aren't moving as much as they would if it were cooler. However we do have a plus and that is hormones are raging (the deer I mean)! lol Thankfully for us hunters that have to get out hunting in their 'spare' time between work and family responsibilities we still stand a chance thanks to go ol' male seeks female hormones. I have several friends that have tagged out so far this season. Many of you, like me still have not.

The other day my dad, JJ and Butch Hanson went to a few spots to hunt. In the morning my dad sent me on a wild goose chase. Looked at the map and he said, 'You go down here and after about 3/10 of a mile you'll come to a bog (which was clearly marked on the map) and see what is going on down there.' Like the eager to please daughter than I am I was like some Looney Tune character going 'Yup, yup, yup, sure thing, you got it pa!' Now, after looking at the map for a moment, setting my compass off I go. The trail or what there was for a trail was thick with raspberry bushes so very difficult to stay quiet. I came to the edge of what seemed to be 'the bog.' However, no clearing as marked on the map. Hmmm...interesting so I keep on walking...now through a bog up and down over fallen trees, balancing my way through wet moss and rotten, hallowed out stumps. After about 40 minutes of this it dawned on me! 'How old is that friggin' map!?' I thought to myself. I'm searching for a bog in a clearing but maybe it's no longer a clearing! So now after letting every animal in the woods for about a 3 mile radius know of my presence from the lack in ability to stay quiet through the muck, raspberry bushes etc I turn around and head back. As I reach the end of the bog I see my dad standing there with a look of excitement! He had been calling back and forth to a buck but seemed as though it flanked him. While he stands there excited it soon diminishes as he see's me emerge from the 'clear bog' with a less than happy face. He says, 'Did you find it?' I'm like 'Yeah, you are looking at it, no clearing!' He has a somewhat perplexed look in his face. As we quietly (as possible that is) make our way back up to our meeting spot we arrive to find our other two hunting partners waiting for us. I immediately went over to the truck and grabbed the map. UHHAH! I said, 'Dad, do you have any idea how old this map is?' 'Nope' was his calm, what are you getting at reply. Ready for this? The map was 21 years old! So, 21 years ago there was probably a clearing...not anymore. Life's lesson #115,658 learned the hard way. Check the DATE of a map before you go looking for a clearing.

We had a little snack and packed up our gear and decided to try out another spot down the road. Upon arrival of our second location my spirits had lifted as I see the numerous old logging trails that I enjoy walking down. After making arrangements for a meeting time back at 'base' (the trucks) I head off on my own. This time a much easier walk and I actually feel like I'm hunting for an animal and not a location on a map. I'm seeing lots of deer sign which has me even more excited. I begin to approach a meadow and stick to the right had side of the woods. Stopping to see if I can see or hear anything. Bingo! I hear something walking around. At first I thought maybe it's birds or a mouse running around on the crisp fallen leaves...nope! It is definitely the sound of a four-legged creature! My heart is pounding and my breathing slowed to almost holding my breath. I wait and listen. I can hear what I'm positive was a deer probably standing about 10' from me! But the brush was so thick I could not actually SEE what exactly was breathing close to me. I do not have a doe permit but this is not what held me back from firing. Truth is I happen to be a very responsible hunter and my father drilled it my head from the first time I accompanied him in the woods, 'Do not shoot at something if you are not 100% of what you are shooting at.' So as luck would have it, after a few minutes the animal got a good whiff of me and took off in the opposite direction. As it took off of course I took a few giant steps into the meadow to see if I could see through a part of woods not as thick. No luck. Although somewhat disappointed I wasn't dragging my deer out to the meeting point I was happy to know I did come close.

Lunch time in my hunting world means tailgate party. We pulled out the Coleman stove and had coffee, hot chocolate, chili, homemade rolls, and chocolate chip cookies. We took a few minutes and swapped some hunting stories, where we think we should hunt next etc and packed down the food. After clean up we also drove to another location and hunted for a few more hours. We came out empty handed this time but certainly enjoyed the day. I always try to think of something positive out of every experience and this time it's the fact that hunting season is not over yet!

November has arrived!

As I sit here looking outside at the sun slowly fading I have butterflies in my tummy! With Halloween now behind us it's time to focus on the forests! I have finally purchased my hunting license, collected all my gear (hat, vest, knife, compass etc) made sure my 20 gauge pump shot gun is clean and now I'm good and ready for tomorrow morning! The feel of the crisp fall air and the smell of the frosty ground almost makes my heart skip a beat! Though it has been a fairly mild fall there have been a handful of sizable bucks taken down with bow and on youth day.

Tomorrow morning I will get up while it is still very dark out, gather my things, have a decent breakfast, and head down the road to my dad's. We will hop in his truck and head to our highly classified favorite hunting grounds. Around 10am we will meet back at the truck for a small tailgate party where we will have some breakfast and coffee (hot cocoa for me as I'm not a coffee drinker).

With any luck at all, hopefully we will at least see some signs of deer and if I'm real lucky I'll be dragging my buck out of the woods by then. Certainly wishful thinking but when I dream, I dream big. I'm hoping my next post will contain photos of my trophy winning game! Wish me luck.

A girl and her dog

I think my picture posted on this blog is self explanatory. Our dog Scout is not just a pet but a family member. I sometimes think she should be used as one of those therapy dogs that go into Senior homes and Children's hospitals. She is the best dog we have ever had. Granted her hearing is 'selective' at times however temperamentally with two small children she is nothing short of a miracle.

We have worked with Scout so that she is an obedient dog however a lot of how she behaves is just her personality, laid back and loves kids! The girls have done everything from dress Scout up with clothes and jewelry to painting her toe nails! Our Scout is a girlie girl. She sits so patiently while the girls do as they please. Yet Scout although not aggressive, will stand her ground when a stranger comes to the door.

When we purchased Scout from a private yet professional breeder a lot of my friends and family thought I had to be out of my mind to get a puppy while raising two small children. 'Wait till they are a little older to help look after her.' I was told by many. However my heart was set and I knew in my mind that I could train a puppy along with raising two little girls. Voila, I have done it. The girls are happy, healthy and growing stronger every day and we have the puppy of our dreams. Of course I'm not taking all the credit. I have had help along with way with various aspects of course but by in large most of the work was done by myself and I'm quite proud at how it's all turned out. Good thing we were designed so that we could neither pat ourselves on the back or kick ourselves in the butt.

Scout has been a remarkable 'friend' to my children as well. When Haley is off to school Scout becomes Sydney's playmate. They actually play for hours together! It's a remarkable sight really. Gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside how animals and children can bond the way they do.

I highly recommend to anyone with young children to get a pooch. Do your homework though. Not all dogs are suitable to each families needs and wants. Owning a pet is serious business and a lot of hard work so definitely not something to jump into spur of the moment. It takes a lot of commitment, time and money to properly train your dog, educate yourself and keep your dog healthy with regular check ups at the vet. If you do not want to be vulnerable prey to 'spur of the moment' stay out of pet stores. Shop around in the Uncle Henry's, newspapers and word of mouth for a reputable breeder and interview them! Write down a list of questions for them and don't be shy to ask! Remember, you are bringing this animal into your home to be part of your family. You want to make sure not only you but the dog will be happy for the rest of it's life and that not only does the dog fulfill your needs but you its' needs. Questions about breeds? Internet, veterinarian, people that already own the type of breed you are interested in. There is oodles of information out there, and free at that. So do your homework and you too will find and own a happy, healthy, furry family member.

A time to be thankful

It's not quite Thanksgiving yet but the leaves are changing, the temperatures are cooling and it's starting to feel like the Thanksgiving season.
I have many reasons to be thankful everyday.

As most of my friends and family know the past several months have been extremely difficult for me. There have been days when I wonder if I can take another step forward and then some one gives me that helping hand, kind word or heart warming deed. Whether it be a family member, friend or co-worker. For all of you I am thankful. Each and everyone one of you know I am talking about you. So many of you have listened to my 'saga' each day and many of you have just stood there and offered me a Kleenex to wipe the tears away. Some of you have helped Sydney and I out with moving into our new house and I can't tell you how much we appreciate that. Especially all the little 'chores' that have had to be done. I am so appreciate to all of you and words simply cannot express how grateful I am.

There are times that I think all of us are overly critical not only of each other but the human race in general. There truly are kind people out there, people that really care. Sometimes we just don't know who they are until we need to lean on them. To all of you who have 'been there' in whatever way, on behalf of my two girls and I we say 'Thank you!'

Let Children be Children

Summer 2009 has come and gone. All two weeks of it! Does anyone else feel like they blinked and missed it? Let's hope we have an "Indian Summer" this year so we don't feel entirely robbed.

My post today is about children and letting them explore their interests. After having my own children I have become increasingly aware of the need for children to have the chance to explore every aspect of life possible. This is not to say they should be allowed to explore harmful things. Rather, the fun, exciting and wholesome things in life.

Several months ago I purchased a nice and somewhat expensive digital camera. Most adults would say that children should not handle it due to its cost and the high probability that a child will mishandle it and damage it in some way. This 'idea' to me is wrong. Yes there is definitely a greater chance that a child will damage something, however does this mean they should not be given the opportunity to LEARN how to handle more expensive things properly so they have the chance to explore and learn? Here is where the problem is. Parents and adults alike have become increasingly lazy yes, l-a-z-y over the years. As adults we not only should but are obligated to teach our children everything from speaking their first word to the challenges in life that lay in wait as they reach and surpass adolescence. Children are all too often underestimated. They are like sponges and soak up everything...the good and the bad!

The picture in this post is my eldest daughter who is 5 years old successfully operating my digital camera. She used it most of the day without incident. Why? Because her dad took the time to show her how it worked and how important it was to be careful because it can easily break. We need to stop and ask ourselves, 'Do I really own something so valuable that I cannot share it with my child once shown the importance of being responsible with it?' Really, is not our child/children our most valuable treasure? Let's get our priorities straight and encourage our children to explore their interests. You never know, maybe Haley will become a professional photographer. Maybe not. Either way, she is given the chance to explore and learn at an early age. In addition to learning responsibility in a world where even many adults do not know the meaning of the word let alone put it into practice.