Bow hunting...

 I'm still bow hunting.  It takes an enormous amount of patience and luck.  I have had the patience, but not the luck.  We have a lot of nice big bucks hanging around.  I've missed twice. One was a monster and I shot right over his back.  I misjudged the distance.  Three feet makes all the difference.  I've seen some crazy stuff.  Fights between bucks.  Does teaching their fawns the ropes.  I truly enjoy sitting in the woods, until I get cold.  Thank goodness for hand warmers.  I can't complain too much, as it is November and we only have a skiff of snow.  Besides hunting, we did get the Christmas lights up today.

I find it very difficult to capture the essence of Christmas lights.  They are always more spectacular in person.  The sunset is from my tree stand.  Also not as breathtaking as in person.  Are your lights up?  What do you do that teaches patience?  I had a reader wonder where we a located.  The beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.  Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

I hope you enjoy our little outdoor Christmas tree as much as we do.

Done...

 The cookbook is done, not printed, but done.  My husband is taking it to the printer this week.

I also bottled some rhubarb wine.  

I made some banana muffins.

Ella and I went for a run.  She loves to put on her orange bling during hunting season.  She prances around like she is a queen.

I am still deer hunting.  I filled my rifle tag, but still have a bow tag.  The weather has been pretty warm, so it has been rather enjoyable.  It doesn't hurt that my amazing husband has hot cocoa or hot coffee waiting to warm me up when I come in chilled.  I sure picked a winner with him.  

I'm always curious as to what the rest of you are up to.  Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  I hope you are able to enjoy the holiday.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Exhausted...

 I'm afraid I am too tired to post much.  Both my husband and I got a deer yesterday.  I was determined to have them both butchered by the end of the day.  Ten pounds of summer sausage, ten pounds of jerky, 7 pints of stew meat, and twenty one pounds of roasts later I'm done.  All that is left is to dehydrate the jerky and roast the summer sausage.  I almost forgot, while I was butchering I also rendered the bear fat Kelly's friend brought me.  I just put it in a pot on the stove and cooked it on low until I had 2 quarts.  If you are wondering about my hunt it was cold and relatively fast.  I was just focused on meat and breaking my 3 year curse.  It has been three years since I got a deer.  I'm always waiting for something better and end up with tag soup.  With the unreliability of 2020, I decided stocking our reserves was of utmost importance.

Rendered bear fat also known as baking gold in my book.

Summer sausage and jerky are curing until tomorrow.  

Now a long hot bath, otherwise I don't think I will be able to move tomorrow.  Have you ever butchered anything?  I would love to try butchering a pig sometime.  What do you do with the meat?  Hope you have a fabulous week.

Learning new things...

The family cookbook is never going to be done.  Just when I think I'm close I find more pictures or more recipes.  Between that and hunting I didn't get much else done.  This is my first time making my grandma's sour cream chocolate cake.  Sorry you have to look at my cheesy smile.  I'm thought the recipe deserved a picture.   I also made my mother's chocolate frosting.  I keep trying recipes to make sure I got them right in the cookbook.  

I did go to a friend's house.  We try to have a girls weekend every 3-4 months.  We've picked grapes, gone to yoga class, gone snowshoeing, had Sunday dinner, and this time she taught me how to throw a pot.
 

As you can see from the look on my face it is intense.  At least you can tell it's a pot.  Problem is it was supposed to be a bird feeder.  Ha, ha, ha and I'm not joking.  Sometimes you just need to know your limitations.

When was the last time you learned something new?

Thank you to all of our veterans out there.  I learned the hard way that freedom isn't free.  Happy Veteran's day and thank you for your service.

Busy...

We had company last week, thus I didn't have time to post.  A friend came out to deer hunt. I did manage to get a few projects done.

I completed the top of my quilt.  Of course I made a mistake that had to be fixed.  Can you see it?  I'm pretty happy that all of my measurements came out correctly.  The design is my own and I learned after last year's quilt that make it up as you go isn't the best mantra.

My husband made a phenomenal meal for our anniversary.  We enjoyed it with some homemade Dandelion Wine.

I'm still trying recipes from the family cookbook.  A neighbor submitted her popcorn ball recipe.  Of course, I had to make sure it is good and it is excellent.

My loofa was ready to be peeked and bleached.  It has taken four years to get a loofa.  It turned out pretty nice.

Our guest shot a nice buck out at our prairie property.  He was pretty happy with the number of deer he saw.  

I'm almost done with the family cookbook.  I have really enjoyed looking at pictures and trying recipes. I've also learned where some family recipes originated.  I'm a believer that nothing brings people together like food, wether it is cooking it or eating it.

It is amazing how many things there are to do.  Do you have family recipes that have been passed down? Have you ever grown a loofa?  I hope you are keeping busy.