Surrounded by Bear not Deer!

I decided to stay up at the cottage this afternoon and try my hand at bow hunting versus coming home early to watch the Packer game...Perhaps I should have come home to watch the game.  

I remembered to bring the camera with me, along with rocks and a rubber tip arrow...I am glad I did!  While relaxing up in the tree on this beautiful fall day, reading my Kindle, I just happen to look up in time to see this big fat bear wandering my way.

Here he proceeds to sit down and make himself very comfortable by sitting down.  Look at him just sit there... I enjoyed taking these pictures and watching him, however I couldn't let him stick around long because he was scaring the deer away.

This picture looks a lot like the one above however, I wanted you to see how big his paws are (hopefully you can see them okay).

I was done taking pictures so I tossed a rock at him, hoping to scare him off - he looked around, walked over toward me, shook himself and turned around and went back to his little perch.  I tossed another rock and then he left only to come back around 20 minutes later.  

This time I put my rubber tipped arrow in the bow and shot him in the behind...he took off, stopped, turned around and came back....What...I couldn't believe it!!  I guess the little zing in the butt didn't bother him that much.   I started throwing more rocks at him.  Again, he meandered off not seeming to be to fazed at all.   

A little while later I couldn't believe it, I hear him coming back AGAIN only this time another one came from a different direction AND I could hear another one behind me...okay, now I am starting to get freaked!  No matter how many rocks I threw and noise I made they weren't leaving.  I sent Steve a text to tell him I was freakin out.  This was just plain crazy!  

I finally got the bad boys to leave while making noise (good thing because I ran out of rocks).   Needless to say, I decided to come down from the tree (after I waited a bit), the idea of walking back to my vehicle in the dark tonight was a bit to scary for me.  Yes, I will admit I was a little nervous tonight.  

Never did see any deer.  Maybe next time the big one will come in!

Thanks for reading - 

Beth

                    

Saw Four Deer!

Recap of my first time out for the season:

Had a great time...while driving into my stand, a big grouse was sitting in the middle of the rode and flew up in front of me.  I saw this as a sign of good things to come.  

I climbed the tree (only fifteen feet up, not a bad climb for a menopausal woman out of shape), got myself situated, and waited and waited... 

I had a group of chickadee's entertain me for a while, literally landing within arms length on the branches next to me-darn,  forgot the birdseed to give them, gotta remember for next time.  Watched a woodpecker beat the crab out of a tree next to me-how do they do that and not get shaken bird brain syndrome.  Then, as the sun peeked out from behind a cloud, casting a golden glow in the woods, I spotted the cutest little buck (3 pointer) trotting through the woods.  It looked like a scene out of a Disney movie for gosh sake, I think I even saw a grin on his face.  But he kept going, so I waited....

(via Google images)

When you are sitting up in a tree with nothing but nature to entertain you, you think about a lot of things.  This is my second season bow hunting.  I am excited yet nervous...again. 

My biggest fear is NOT:  

• Falling out of a tree-I'm harnessed in, no problem there...I hope...oh wait, I could have the darn harness under my neck, slip, dangle in the air, slowly being strangled and when the light at the end of the tunnel starts to appear, distant relatives are waving to me to join them, I think, "Grab the branch right next you, dumb ass, and pull yourself up!!",  ...no this doesn't scare me...I think I will be fine...

(via Google images)

• Getting lost in the woods-wandering aimlessly for days, drinking out of creeks, eating berries and bark to survive, not being able to do my nails, (actually our stands aren't that far in the woods, no problem here), 

"There you go Yogi, just a little higher and you can scare that lady down into my arms...
she is going to make us a really nice snack".  (image via Google)

• Having a cute, furry, little cuddly bear climb a tree after me, while mama watched from below rubbin' her paws together with a big grin on her face (I have marshmallows to throw at them, jk), again, no problem here...I hope :-) 

(via Pinterest)

• Being tracked by a wolf as I am coming out of my stand, pounced on from behind, tossed around like a big floppy, screaming, toy, ok, this scares me a little-that would hurt!

What really DOES scare me is dropping my darn KINDLE!!  Can you imagine sitting up in the tree for hours on end and not being able to read!  There is no way after climbing up there, pulling my bow up, putting my hat and gloves on, getting situated with my bow and finally kicking back to relax and read only to drop the darn thing...that would just be wrong!  Oh trust me, I enjoy the whole nature thing but to actually have a couple hours where I can just sit and read is AWESOME!! Trust me when I say, I am very careful with this treasure of mine.

Back to my evening, after sitting for a couple hours, pondering life and yes, reading my Kindle, I heard it...the stealthy crunch of leaves and branches.  As slow as possible, I turn my head and there, walking ever so slowly is my little buddy the 3 pointer making his way toward me.  While I am watching him,  I hear more crunching of leaves and in walks his friend a 4 pointer!  They are just meandering around right under me, stopping periodically to look around,  sniff the air, eat some acorns  and then they just wander off.   No sooner do they leave, I hear more crunching and I think to myself, holy cow this is it, here comes the big monster, the granddaddy of the woods, the most sought after trophy that will make people come from far and wide just to get a glimpse of this big beastly creature that I, a mere woman in her second year of hunting was able to get with her bow....again, I slowly turn my head...and....in walks a doe and a fawn....well how sweet was that!!  There is mama deer and her fawn coming closer and closer to me and they stopped right below me also.  It was so cool - to be this close to these animals and they have no clue you are sitting right there, it was great!

If you are wondering why I didn't try to get any of these deer, here's the deal, I shot a 6 pointer last year that weighed 156 lbs.  and truthfully, I want something bigger!  Steve's dad was teasing me a little about being picky, but his mom and I agreed, why not try to get something a little bigger and show these boys what we are made of.  

Well, I didn't get a deer on my first night out, but I had a wonderful time watching nature, smelling the fresh clean air of the north woods and just RELAXING up in the tree.

Sorry I got so long with this, I will try to keep my up coming deer stories shorter (if that is possible).  

Thanks for reading - 

Talk soon - 

Beth

Bow Hunting Season is Upon Us!!

I'm heading out into the woods for the first time this season bow hunting.

I have my phone packed, arrows and most important... my KINDLE!!

Yes, I read while sitting in my stand and truthfully, it is so peaceful and relaxing 

a person tends to get a bit sleepy.  Have to have a diet dew before I head out.

We have a northwest wind and as per my hunting expert hubby, for the stand I will be sitting in, 

conditions should be good.

Six different bucks are coming into one of our stands (via trail cam)...

Oh boy, it's getting exciting....gotta go, wasting daylight...

Wish me luck!!

Beth

School Secretaries...

When I started this blogging stuff, I was off of work for the summer. 

 Truly, it sounded like a great idea at the time, I would be relaxing up at the lake, having my coffee, listening to the loons call to one another and I thought, oh what fun, I should start a blog... I can share my thoughts and ideas on various subjects, show different projects that I am working on, explain what type of stupid saw to use when ripping a board to make a sign (while trying not to loose a finger in the process),
yada, yada, yada....

Well guess what, I am back at work and don't have time to file my nails much less sit down and type about what style of fabric I am thinking about buying to make some stupid pillows with!

I am a secretary in a middle school and went back to work on August 16th. 

 The above clip art seriously looks like my desk right now...the start up of the school year is like
Black Friday, EVERY DAY!!

So lately, when I get home from work, I walk in the door, my darling hubby (who is a retired officer, fireman and paramedic...yes, I scored and got three sweet guys all in one) will look at me and ask me in his calm, sweet caring way, how my day was?  My typical response is a snarl, "Are you freakin' kidding me??
I haven't peed since I woke up this morning, LEAVE ME ALONE!"
When I come back into the living room, I plant myself in my mushy chair, put my feet up on the ottoman and proceed to stare mindlessly at that big box (I think it's a TV) and I start relax...and then...I hear...
"Honey, what's for dinner?"



Here's the deal ...I LOVE MY JOB!!!
This time of year I may come home numb and shell shocked, but you know what?
I really do like those darn kids and all the craziness that goes with the job:  Nervous parents, sick kids, phone calls, files that need to be sent out, teachers needing printouts, medications that need to given to students, reports and letters that need to be sent to parents, medical issues, crying students (sometimes getting teary eyed with them) printing the 5th schedule for students because they keep loosing it, assigning lockers to all the students...OKAY...FINE....you get the idea....
I Really DO Like my Job!

So next time you have to go to your child's school, don't be afraid to bring in some chocolate
for the school secretary or just tell her what a good job she is doing because you know what,
while you're out having lunch with your friends, she is taking care of your precious children making sure they are being fed, they are getting on the right bus, etc.

Thanks for reading -
Talk soon  -

Beth

Happy Labor Day!

Our kids just left the cottage and a lot of fun was had by all!!  Pontoon ride, bon fires under the full moon, licking our sticky fingers from the s'mores, sitting on the beach with magazines chatting and lots of great food!  I didn't make all the recipes I had previously posted, however, I can assure you, nobody went hungry. 

I had to laugh when I looked at this picture, our granddaughter was to busy looking at the fashion magazine to smile for the picture.  Please ignore the messy table...but do take note of the White Pizza Dip that I did make...and yes, it was shut the front door good!

Last night we were invited to a trout boil at some friends of the family's house.  I will be honest, and I even told our buddy Todd (the host) this, I was very skeptical.  I had never had trout and if there is any hint of fishy taste, I am out of there.  I had Ribeye's and all the fixin's for sides in our refrigerator as back up, just in case.

Once again, I forgot my camera last night which means I borrowed these pictures from a site for Door County WI to give you an idea of what the boiled dinner looks like.  Fish boils are a huge attraction in Door County and if you are planning on going to one, you need reservations well in advance.

Let me tell you....the meal was FABULOUS!!  Todd did an awesome job.  I won't tell you how many times I went back for more.  I didn't even have room for dessert - trust me, this is pretty serious when a girl would rather bulk up on fish and skip the sweets.  I told Todd he can cook for me anytime.

Memorial Day Weekend...The start of what will be a Fabulous Summer!

As the summer is winding down, kids are coming back to school tomorrow and the season is about to change, I look back on this summer and feel so blessed.  Our cottage is a place where we can escape to, share happy times and create wonderful memories with our family and friends.

July 4th photo shoot with our very happy granddaughter.

                                                                             Our son getting engaged to this gorgeous girl        

                                                                              that I will be excited to call my daughter-in-law.

My beautiful mom and sister making the drive up to the lake to visit with us late July for my birthday.

Our granddaughter's 6 month
photo shoot.

Discovering grass is indeed picky.

 Yes, it WAS a GrEaT SuMmeR!!

         

Have a wonderful week!

Talk soon - 

Beth