Purling Oaks

Friday quick notes

Just a quick note or three.......

• I found a salsa verde that I really like.  Mmmmm.
• I'm taking a break from preping/packing for our annual deer hunting venture.
• I better not take too long of a break.....
• DB Eric is in the state and ready for anything.
• I've been listening to Nathan Lowell's Trader Tales serialized podiobooks lately.  I just listened to the first episode of Full Share, which is third in the serier.  I have also purchased the first three books in electronic format.  Mr. Lowell narrates his books and is very easy to listen to.  I got the audio free via iTunes but they are also available free from another site, which I am too busy to link to.  
• I'll be in my tree tomorrow enjoying the pre-dawn, dawn, morning, mid-morning, etc.  Wish us luck.
• If I can get a signal, I'll try to post an update.
• The internets were down at my house last night but that got fixed.
• Unplugging and hitting the reset button several times does so work.
• White Dot is recovering from being his alter-ego, Fight Dot.  He's looking much better now.  
• Fighty got to visit the vet earlier this week, though.
• Mean ol' boogie cat!

Have a safe and happy hunting season all you hunters and a happy Thanksgiving.

The Night before Thanksgiving......

'Tis the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, many creatures are stirring, including a mouse (0r two).  This blogger is pausing, in reflection of the day (and week), and found she has many, many thankful things to say.  

I am thankful for:

• A successful and safe deer hunt.  Seven deer were registered at the local station and are now filling two (plus) freezers and being made into jerky.  Our harvest was very fortunate, as we've heard reports of very low state-wide harvest numbers, so far. 
• Time spent with family, including my dear mother, brother (Eric, a better brother cannot be found), nephews (Micah and Hunter, two of my very favorite people that continue to impress me with their maturity and love), uncle (David), and cousins (Zach and Kristi) and all the rest that I haven't seen recently.  As much as I venture, I realize my heart is ever so happy when I'm with my family ---and my extended family (including in-laws, some that I'll see tomorrow).  
• My husband.  He's my heart and my rock in this reality.  We are more than just two.
• My friends.  Friends who have known me many (or several, heh) decades and those who share less history with me but all warm my heart the same, no matter our tenure.  I wish I could spend part of each day with each of you.  I'm fortunate that the innernetz allow connections that would not have been possible decades ago without massive telephone bills, should we have had even the fortune to meet.
• A woman that holds the heart of someone dear to me in her hands.  I pray she will be my dear friend, as well.
• A house and home where I feel safe.
• My feline friends, with personalities that continue to charm me and soften my heart.
• A good job that provides the means to support me and my family, as well as allowing me to meet friends around the country this past year.
• Good health.  
• Abundance, such that grocery stores carry most every food I could want and no staples are in short supply.

I hope you all have a safe and happy Thanksgiving, where-ever you are.  Thank you for reading and connecting with me, whether you comment or not. 

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.  

(Yes, I, too, may hold fear for my next holiday post.  Thankfully, that is a month away.)

Beans, and trees, and handsome boys

I had to input my username and password to get into TypePad this morning.  I didn't think I had been gone that long but my sense of time appears to be distorted.  :D

 

I'm making bean soup this morning for consumption during deer hunting week.  The beans looked so pretty after rinsing them this morning, I had to take a picture.  (See, still a blogger at heart.)  I'm using Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix and soaked the beans overnight.  They're simmering right now and I'll add vegies and chicken later.  We'll probably have this for lunch some day when we are processing and packing our catch.  

I've been working on a project at work for the past two months that has just been eating my shorts quite a b**** been difficult for reasons I can't go into on the blog.  Thursday, I completed the major segment of it and now it is off to another coworker for their part.  Fortunately, that project is not normally part of my job duties and that is good because I feel so really good, mentally, today,  that I know doing that type of work all the time would Not.Be.Good.

Of course, feeling good is also because I am on vacation (Whooo!) through the weekend after Turkey Day.  My brother and his two sons (say hello to Dr. E) are at the Farm with our DM.  Wilson and I will be joining them this afternoon.  The Wisconsin gun deer hunting season starts Saturday.  We'll all be in our trees tomorrow morning before dawn on the family farm and with luck and skill have a full freezer by Wednesday.  The weather looks decent in that there is no rain (which I find to be miserable when I'm in a tree) but there's no snow forecast either which would be good for this type of hunting.   Even if you are a vegan/vegetarian, I recommend sitting in a tree in the woods for a day or three.  It is an excellent time for mental adjustment and decompression, even if you didn't think you were compressed.  :D

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I while on the topic of hunting........

I present our handsome and dashing hunter, Blue, and his catch.

It's Friday, right?

This morning is starting out with blue sky and lovely sunshine although it is a little chilly as I type this.  We're expecting a high of 40 degrees (F) so I'm anticipating some of our snow will melt.  I sat down to type with no idea of what to say or how to say it....the blogging part of my brain must be as tired as other various parts of me.  Deer season usually brings physical fatigue as much as it helps relieve mental fatigue.  We process all of our meat ourselves, which for the five deer we harvested, meant one and a half to two days of cutting, grinding or sectioning, wrapping, and cleaning.  Are you tired now?  It is all worth it for the high-quality meat and family time together. 

Yesterday, DH and I shared a lovely traditional Thanksgiving Day meal prepared by my DMIL.  There was a houseful of family and I wish we were able to be together more often.  Playing "catch-up" with everyone there in just a few hours is a challenge.  I was able to play a "Pride and Prejudice" board game with my two DSILs, Anne and Rochelle.  It was interesting but fun since both Rochelle and I haven't read the book.  o.O   Help from the gallery was welcome and used often. I also was able to

• tickle my youngest nephew, Jack, when he stopped briefly in his searches for fun and refreshments; 
• Grab my steady and quiet nephew, Andy, for a hug in between games;
• French braid my growing-up-too-quickly neice, Kaylee's hair;
• Eat enough turkey and sides with dessert to feel like nodding off.

Today, I'm whittling away at the Mt. Everest of laundry generated this week and avoiding shopping.  Tomorrow I'm going to brave the stores for some cat food and to look for a new Christmas tree as our old one was destroyed this summer.  Tomorrow I'll also share with you some of the goodies obtained when my mother and I found time to visit a LYS on Wednesday.  It wasn't all work........

From the field

(posted via telephone) It was a bit chilly today. We have five deer as of this evening which is very good for the first weekend. None are mine, but sometimes that happens. :D

Tomorrow will be a wrapping and freezing of meat day and possibly Tuesday as well. I get to sleep in to 6 AM tomorrow ..... whooo. And I will enjoy it. Thanks for alll the good wishes hunting-wise....no beret finished yet

The evidence is....

Oh look, knitting!  Evidence that I'm out of my mind.  Last year, DH responded to my query of whether he would like me to knit him a hat and, if so, what kind.  Well, he wanted a beret for deer hunting.  Fine, sounds do-able.  The yarn was found that was pretty close in color but not exactly hunter orange at The Knitting Tree in Madison.  Put in the stash.  Moved several times during the year due to reasons you've all read about.  Spied while I was reorganizing my stash in the studio.....last Sunday.  (more evidence)  Oh, I could double that yarn and produce DH's hat for him before deer hunting starts.  (Tomorrow, it starts tomorrow.)  I even swatched, which was a good thing, since my gauge didn't match that of the pattern I was using and, thus, I had to do math, twice.  I know I'm math impaired after a beer and this was proof. 

Nevertheless, I achieved what I hope is the right stitch count to cast on.  Then, I knit a good distance and realized my make 1's were make-1-big-hole's.  Researched M1's and now I think I'm getting the right result, although in bulky, it is kind of hard to tell.  Frequent naps with knitting in lap occurred (why is that?)  The photo is as of this morning.  I'm following A Country Beret Pattern. (ravelry link)  DH is going to have a nice orange beret (I hope) after or maybe during deer hunting since I'm out of my mind.

I still have to do laundry, pack clothes and hunting stuff, and make this.  (ETA:  Used a 3 quart pan, one pound of venison, Italian-seasoned bread crumbs, and 29 "jumbo" shells.  If you use the 1.5 pounds and you'll have a nice 1 quart dish of extra shells in addition for extra company.)  It is a great recipe that I've made several times (but with venison and mozzarella sprinkled on top).  I (usually!) make it ahead of time, freeze it and then we can just pop it in the oven at the end of the day with a nice loaf of bread.  The water is heating on the stovetop all ready for the shells.  On top of all this there are contractors in the house doing stuff to the front door.  Did I say I was out....?

My brother and his youngest son, H, flew in from LA yesterday morning and DH and I will be joining them at my mother's farm later today.....or at least for dinner. 

I'm looking forward to decompression/sanity/quiet time in my tree tomorrow although I may wear a double layer of longies since it is going to be cold at o'dark thirty.  If you're a hunter, have a safe and productive hunt.  If you're not, please wish us a good hunt and me a way to find my mind. 

ETA:  details on the recipe.

A nice long weekend

The past several days have been very nice and have run into a bit of a blur.  Let's see....Saturday DH and I traveled up to the Farm to clear some brush near the deer blinds with my mom and my cousin, Kim.  Here's my view of DM and DC as we made our way from DH's blind to my blind.   

It was a rainy/misty day but really not too bad.  However, not especially camera-friendly.  The dogs had a great time (Lita and Merlin, Kim's lab) while we cut and cleared.  We spent about four hours outside then went inside to change into dry clothes and enjoy a nice dinner of shrimp de jonghe, peas, mandarin oranges, garlic bread, and grasshopper pie.  My father's youngest brother, David, and his wife, Lynnette, joined us to make the evening especially fun.  This dinner, with only minor variations (e.g., oreo vs graham cracker pie crust), has been my birthday dinner for just about 40 years minus the years I lived in Texas.  It is still delicious and always a special treat.  Thanks, Mom!

Sunday, DH and I enjoyed a breakfast out at the Two Brothers restaurant in Oshkosh and drove home to a fairly lazy day since the washing machine wasn't working.   I remember that I knit on Williamsro's second sleeve...I knit several rows over and over because I wanted to really learn the pattern.  Well, not really, but I am learning to read my knitting a bit better.  Monday was full of errands, chores, and a nice lunch date with DH at our favorite Indian restaurant in Madison. 

I raced home to be there in time for the washer repair guy, Vern*.   While Vern was dealing with a computer chip or whatever in the washing machine, I opened a lovely surprise that arrived in the day's mail from Cookie!  Beautiful Misti Alpaca hand paint lace yarn and maybe some delicious treats but I'm not sharing.  Thank you, Cookie.  Hmmmm, what should I make with laceweight yarn that is so soft I'm still petting it? 

Since Vern was successful, I did laundry and moved a few more things into my office and studio in the basement.There has also been a lot of sitting and enjoying the woodstove this long weekend, including this evening.  Tomorrow, I'm back to work.  We should all have five-day weekends. 

*Vern and his wife own the appliance store in nearby Lodi.  I think it is rather nice to know the name of the repair guy and it isn't because he's been here alot.  It is just a small town thing....I purchased the machine from Vern's wife (I'll remember her name in a sec...) and he fixes them.

ETA links.

She wants pictures.....

I told Stacey that Wilson and I were going up to visit my DM and to cut trees on Saturday.  She requested pictures.  Let's see if she likes these.

Wilson with safety helmet in the woods at our first stop.

A very interesting fungi.  I've never seen one this color before.  Perhaps my nephew J will be able to give me the name of this fungi.

DM, Wilson, and Lita dog contemplating our next task.  Lita had to lead the way around the farm.  She must have thought it was quite the important procession...she marked the path for us every 20 feet or so.  I didn't think her bladder had that much capacity.

It was a lovely though warmish afternoon.  I say "we" cut trees but, really, Wilson is the muscle with the chain saw.   DM and I drag branches and brush out of the way.  We'll have another full day of brush clearing ahead of us in November.  More of the leaves will be off the trees which will make it easier to decide what to cut.  We'll be clearing brush from near our deer blinds then.  Here's a view of where I'll be sitting the week before Thanksgiving. 

My blind is a very nice place to sit.  Aside from the serious nature of deer hunting, sitting in my tree for two or three (or more days) allows me to decompress in ways not usually available to us.  For those days, it is my "job" and I am supposed to be sitting in a tree.  Surrounded by nature.  No mobile telephone, no computer, no demands.  A notepad and pen nearby to record thoughts so I don't have to hold them in my mind.  Listening to and watching nature....from the squirrels running from oak limb to oak limb...to the owl landing on my blind (at o'dark thirty and scaring my boots off).....to the cardinals, blue jays, and sparrows providing entertainment when there is no other movement in the woods.  We should all have trees to sit in.

Dog blog

Ahh, hi, my name is Lita. So this is a blog. My mom's girl-pup left her computer on the table. There have been a lot of good smells around here. I smell a lot of deer meat and cookies! Everyone has been very busy here and it has been hard to get a lot of the attention that I naturally desire and deserve.

Here's a lovely photo of me and my Mom's second grand-pup. He gives me good head scratches. I found a great bone to chew on but I couldn't keep it very long because that girl-pup took it away from me. It was so nice and drippy and yummy. darn.

All the humans have finally relaxed tonight since they put all that good smelly stuff in the big white cold box in the basement. My mom's boy-pup brought back another deer this morning so my humans caught five deer-animals. Oops, I better go sit in my kennel and so my humans don't know my paw-pads can type on keyboards.

Reporting in

Self-portrait, Day 1 of deer hunting after the snow fell.

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Self-portrait, Day 2 mid-afternoon of deer hunting

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The hunt was successful. Our group (me, hubby, my mom, my brother and his second son) harvested four deer over the first weekend of hunting. DH shot two, DB shot one, and DM (MOM) shot one. I saw a possum, a barred owl, and several fat squirrels. /sigh Today was spent processing the deer and we'll spend several hours tomorrow also on the same task. Yes, we are all quite tired but happy to know the freezers will be full again. We butcher and package everything ourselves. We make jerky with some of the meat with a famous family recipe. The rest is burger, roasts, and steaks. Yum.