Ready for spring...

My big project for the weekend was to clean and sharpen my gardening tools.  I didn't get around to it last year and was amazed at how much rust accumulated and the dullness of my cutting tools.  

I washed and sanded everything.  I sharpened my cutting tools.  Then I gave everything a coat of oil.  I wish I had some linseed oil for the wood handles, but I'll get some before spring.  Don't they look fabulous?

As you can see, it will be awhile before they get used.  They are ready for action.  It feels good to have them in tip top shape.

I ended my prairie deer season with tag soup.  I saw plenty of deer, but since we had two butchered I was picky.  I can't complain, as I needed some quiet time.

I make most of the deer we harvest into roasts, jerky, and sausage.  I made sausage patties with the last deer.  They are great in biscuits and gravy.  I made summer sausage with this deer.  It is very fulfilling to use your own herbs for the seasonings. My husband smoked them for three hours.  I swear the smell and taste of smoked meat is unparalleled.

Don't they look delicious?  The white is frost, as I just pulled them out of the freezer.  I even canned five pints of stew meat.  That is great for stews, stroganoff, and enchiladas.  I also pulled out the final bag of frozen buffalo berries from last year and made jelly.  I didn't try to get my jelly overly clear, because I like the color when it is thicker.  I ended up with eight jars.  Yum, buffalo berries make the best jelly.

Well, that is my weekend in a nutshell.  We had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  My husband smoked the turkey for nine hours and it was worth every hour. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.  I know I have a lot to be thankful for.  Now that I have everything processed and my garden tools are all cleaned up, I think I will just hibernate until spring.

Peace and quiet...

I am still deer hunting.  So far I have seen gaggles of geese, flocks of ducks, a bald eagle, two little beavers working on a lodge, a three legged buck, and a buck that had a huge wad of baling twine tangled in his antlers.  I probably should have taken the baling twine buck.  By the time I realized what the green gob that was coming towards me was and that it was attached to a buck it was too late.  Despite a few cold mornings I wouldn't trade a day watching nature with anything.  My job is a constant stream of emergencies and dealing with people.  It is such a blessing to just sit quietly and just watch the world go by.  Sometimes I just need some peace and quiet.

 Meanwhile on the the home front, the turkeys are hanging out around the house.  This old gal decided to spend most of the day sitting in a tree.  

I am forever in awe of the colors nature can provide.  I took the photos below from our deck.  Could we be luckier?   I was happy the camera captured the colors as well as it did.   

There isn't much else going on in our little corner of the woods.  I still have a few more days of hunting.  Maybe I'll get something and maybe I won't.  I will still have some great memories and tales to tell.  Also I will be refreshed from a little peace and quiet.   Where do you find your peace?

I'd rather be baking...

Today the wind was blowing snow everywhere.  It was the perfect day to stay in the house and bake.  There were several Pinterest recipes I wanted to try.  This morning I made Scottish Pancakes.  I've wanted to try making them for sometime.  They were perfect.  Sorry, no pictures.  I'm not the most astute in the mornings.  You can find the recipe at diethood.com.

Scottish Pancakes

Mix 1                                            Mix 2

1 c. flour                                       1 egg

2 t. baking powder                      3/4 c. 2 T. milk

1/2 t. cinnamon                            1 t. vanilla

2 T. sugar

1/4 t. salt

Blend mix 1 and mix 2 together.  Heat griddle and coat with a thin layer of oil.  Drop batter by 1/4 cup.  Wait until the top bubbles and flip.  Then heat until golden brown.  Delicious.

Next was some Raspberry Chocolate Chip Biscotti.  I found this recipe at thebakermama.com

Raspberry Choclolate Biscotti

1/2 c. butter            3 c. flour                              3/4 c. frozen raspberries

1 c. sugar                3 t. baking powder             3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

2 eggs                      1/4 t. salt

1 t. vanilla              

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Slowly add dry ingredients.  Gently fold in raspberries and chocolate chips.  Divide dough in half and shape into rectangular loaves.  Bake for 25-30 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes then cut into slices.  Flip slices on the sides and bake for 15 more minutes.  Flip again and bake an additional 10 minutes.  Enjoy with coffee.

 The final recipe is Cinnamon Spice Sugar Cookies.  I wanted to try a different type of sugar cookie.  They turned out pretty good.  
Cinnamon Spice Sugar Cookies
Mix 1                               Mix 2                                        Frosting
2 3/4 c. flour                   3/4 c. butter                              2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. baking powder        1 c. sugar                                  1/2 t. vanilla
1 t. salt                            2 eggs                                        1/4 c. milk
2 t. cinnamon                 2 t. vanilla                                 1/4 t. cinnamon
1. t nutmeg
1 t. ginger 
Blend the dry and butter mixtures together.  Chill for 1 hour.  Roll out and cut into shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.   Top with frosting.  You can find the recipe at houseofyumm.com

Not only did I get the baking done, but I cleaned my closet and the junk drawers.  Yesterday was the opening of hunting season.  I spent the day out at our prairie property.  I saw lots of deer.  I even saw a 3 legged buck that seemed to get around just fine.  There is nothing better than a day outdoors observing nature. The ducks and geese were everywhere.  The sounds of their quacks and honks filling the fall air.  I didn't see anything I wanted to shoot.  I have a few more weeks.  Do you see the doe in the background of the photo below?  He's looking for love in all the wrong places.

I am a lucky person that I can spend one day outdoors enjoying nature and the next in a cozy cabin baking like crazy.  How did you spend your weekend?  When was the last time you tried a new recipe?  I have to say all three of mine were a thumbs up.  

A huge thank you to all of the Veterans out there.  I appreciate your service.  I understand that freedom is not free.

Running...

I'm reading a book called A Glorious Freedom: Older Women Leading Extraordinary Lives.  It is a conglomeration of essays about women who achieved things after the age of 40.  I can relate to its emphasis on the fact that you are never too old to start something new.  I started running on my 40th birthday, because I wanted to run a half marathon as a celebration of my age.  Prior to that my last official run was in high school.  I complained the whole time I worked out.  The day after the marathon I swore I was going to burn my running shoes.  Then my friend from Denmark told me to pack my running shoes, because she had entered us in the world's largest 5k.  Three months later I ran the five k and again swore I would never run again.

Funny thing is running kind of grew on me.  It also grew on my running partner, Ella.  Our Sunday runs have become tradition. She watches me like a hawk for any sign of running clothes.  Today she was a little miffed because she had to wear her orange neck gaiter.  It is hunting season and we both wear orange for safety.

As you can see, our route has beautiful views.  I'm lucky we can go out the front door and just run. Ella is a great partner and always stays right with me.  Today was fun because there was a light dusting of snow.   We saw coyote tracks, deer tracks, and even a set of lion tracks.  I was going to take photos  of the tracks, but the snow was so blinding I didn't get very good pictures.  It is funny how my opinion of running has changed.  I enjoy the feeling I get from running.   I believe they call it a runner's high.  Hopefully, the snow will keep at bay for a while and I won't have to change my running shoes to snow shoes.  

This week I stopped by to visit my relatives, Bob and Phyllis.  I was doing a bit of trading.  I had some honey, jam, and a sweet grass braid.  In return I got some hand knitted dish cloths and a little something extra.  Phyllis is familiar with my desire to have a picnic basket for each of my nieces and nephew.   She happened to see one at the old store in Aladdin, WY and she got it for me.  Now my collection is complete.  She even managed to find one that stayed with my red theme.  You can see it a little better at the bottom.  It is a Red Man picnic basket.  It is in perfect shape.  

We had a wonderful visit talking about history, hunting, and food.  She also found a photo of her, her brother and my mom, with her brothers and sister, riding in an old hay cart.  It is just like the one my husband restored.  They talked about how Sonny would push them all over in that cart.  I cannot believe no one lost a hand or finger in those wheels.  It is a great photo.  

It was a good week.  Great company and the weather has been holding.  We had snow yesterday, but this morning was a beautiful day for a run.  I hope you all enjoyed your weekend.  What is something you started doing after 40?  Do you have a photo of an old hay cart?