Weather Smackdown!

Winter arrived on Friday with a (no exaggeration) blizzard.  I left work early and had (I think - poor memory you know) the worst drive home ever.  Heavy, wet driving snow and blowing hard.  It was so good to get home - and at least I made it home.  Son Kurt ended up in a motel that night.

This post is mainly going to be some winter photos from around the place taken yesterday and today,

The view from the milking stand has changed dramatically.

The garden - not put to bed properly but so be it - is really beautiful with a coating of white.

As you can see in the pictures, it was pretty cloudy and darkish on Saturday - but the sun did come out now and then for a few peeks.
 
The pigs are fine -they are quite hardy creatures really - and are content with a roof overhead and a pile of hay to burrow into.

Some folks might say that I spoil my chickens - maybe, but they do appreciate their insulated coop and some hay outside so they can go outside don't have to walk the snow.

The goats mainly stay indoors but venture out for short outings.  Ranger took advantage of the snow-laden pine boughs that were low enough for him reach.

So, Thanksgiving this week already and we all have much to be thankful for.  For me, first and foremost my family, then good health, my animals, and whoever invented four wheel drive.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone - BE WELL 

Another Hunting Update

Jobs and farm chores do go on, even in hunting season!  I have just a few random thoughts before Kevin fills you in on Hunting Season, Part II

We've been experiencing unseasonably warm weather here in Minnesota - all over the state.  I have many things to do out in the garden still but haven't taken advantage of the nice temperatures like I really should be on the weekends. Seems like I keep finding indoor things that have to get done too.   I did get out for a little while on Friday and today to putter a bit - pulled some plants, picked the dried black bean pods off their support and took down the other pole bean trellis.  I also found some brocolli so we'll have that to eat this week -  in November!

I just love my rustic re-bar tuteur, I think it looks just great even half covered with dried vegetation 

Sometimes dreams do come true.  Lily has accomplished her life's ambition to become a housecat and is making herself right at home!

Speaking of cats, I let the chickens out to roam on the weekends when I am around -I threw them some squash innards and look who else decided they were tasty!

"One of these things is not like the others...."  Roye is always an opportunist when there is something to dine on.

 Now for Kevin's part

The second weekend of hunting has come to an end.  There were only 6 hunters this weekend and 1 more deer added to the freezer.  We now have 8 deer for a total of 12 hunters.  It was real quiet again this weekend, only a hand full of shots.  Not sure if its the warm weather or are people so busy they only hunt opening weekend any more.  The turkeys were still around, the group of 34 hens have visited everyone in their stands this weekend, plus a group of 6 toms showed up in the sunflower field and wandered around a bit.  Going to have to start turkey hunting!  Did get a picture of the bald eagle that visited me.

And I am going to end tonight with a story of what I deal with every deer season.  This year both Dad (Rollie) and Kori had anterless tags.  The week before deer season Dad kept saying "I'm only shooting a buck opening weekend", then Friday its "well if its a nice doe".  Saturday morning comes and a fawn comes smoking past his stand and can he just let it go, OH no, has to take a shot.  But Dad and his 308 have a love/hate relationship and he missed.  So home he goes, gets the 30-30 with open sites, a gun that is much older than I am, and the next night shoots a buck about 70 yards away with open sites.  I wish I could shoot like that.  It always amazes me. 

I told Kori that opening weekend she could only shoot a doe.  Saturday night comes and boom, she shoots.  Oh the text I got said it for sure had no antlers, but that was all.  Just like her Grandpa, she just can't let them go by, even if they are kind of small.  Grandfather/Granddaughter genes run deep.  And of course, it wasn't an easy shot; today when we came out of the woods, Dad asked where the deer was when Kori shot it and I showed him.  His comment, "that was a long shot".  Yep, they are way too much alike when it comes to deer hunting.

Will let you know next weekend how the entire season ends.  Be well friends.

Firearm Deer Season 2016

Good Evening everyone.  You have Kevin here giving you the 2016 opening weekend deer hunt report.  So here is the disclaimer, there is a picture of a dead deer head in this post so if that is something you don't care to view, its going to be way at the bottom.

November has been really weird with the weather, highs in the 60's and 70's and the lows in the 40's and 50's so we were not sure how that was going to affect the hunt, but it went all right.  This year we have 12 hunters in the party, with one first time 10 year old hunter from the State of Wyoming, two others youth who have been here before, and then a bunch of veterans.  This is the biggest group we have had for many years, so the pressure was on with 4 antler only tags and 5 antlerless and then the youth with whatever they want. 

Most of the group stayed around and hunted on Monday also, so by Monday night we have 7 deer trying to keep cool, 3 bucks and the rest anterless. 

So some of the interesting things from the weekend.  That 10 year old from Wyoming who came for the first time not only shot his first deer Saturday morning, he went on to shoot another deer Sunday evening and then a fork/spike buck Monday night.  One very happy young man and a hunter for life!

Dad (Rollie) shot a buck that decided to make it difficult for us and headed across the swamp.  Normally this swamp is not to deep, but we had a lot of water this year.  Here is a picture of the puddle after emptying out the boots.

We also had a group of 36 turkeys visit us this weekend.  They were very cool to see.

 

And the last weird thing is, I shot this unicorn buck opening morning.  The deer in our area have a gene pool where the left antler is larger than the right, but this is the first time I have ever seen something like this.  When I first went to look at it, I thought the right antler was broken off, but its not, this is how it grew.  Like I said, a weird year.  I will let you all know how we do next weekend.

So if you do not want to see an icky deer head picture don't scroll down any more and I will tell you here to be well until next week, and all you hunters, be safe.