Another one of Aunt Bonnie's 'hikes'...

 I don't have a lot for this weekend.  We went to a small craft fair on Saturday.  We purchased some items from local vendors.  We then decided to go on a 'hike' on the new Deadwood Trail the White Rocks Seth Bullock Grave Loop.  I'm pretty sure my nieces would place it under Aunt Bonnie's Miserable Marches.  Poor flatlanders.

The facts of the trail are 2.4 miles, 774 ft elevation gain, and it should take 1 hour and 40 minutes.  It was a brand-new trail.  The first part is straight up.  It comes out at the Mt. Moriah Cemetery.  Instead of taking the same way back we decided to cut through Deadwood back to where we parked.  It was nice walking through the historic part of town and looking at all the old Victorian homes.  Many of them have been improved greatly since I lived there 33 years ago.  It does the heart good to see them painted and fixed up.

It was refreshing getting out to take a hike somewhere different.  The weather was cooler than we expected, but going straight up a mountain helps keep one warm.  What was the best hike you have done lately?  Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  

November...

Another hunting season is over.  The weather was nice and sitting quietly in the woods just watching the world go by was much needed.  Now the freezer is full.  We have nine lbs. of summer sausage.  I think it was one of our best batches.  I mix everything up and my husband nurses it in the smoker.

I have a good batch of jerky.  I don't think there is anything more flavorful than venison jerky.  I also canned 7 pints of stew meat.  No photos of this as it is still cooling in the pressure cooker.  The freezer if full of roasts and steaks.  Butchering is exhausting, but it is worth it to have fresh meat that isn't dyed, processed, and who knows where it came from.  

I also removed the seeds from our pumpkins and fed the pumpkins to the deer.  I will make pumpkin seeds sometime this week.

Here are a few photos from hunting out on the prairie.  We saw several coyotes and they kept the deer on the run.

Here is a picture from the prairie looking at the Black Hills.

Here is a picture from the Black Hills looking at the prairie. 

This photo is a tad blurry, but it reminds a person just how peaceful life can be.

Then, of course, you have the cattle and the sunrise.

I quietly followed this sharptailed grouse around trying to get a photo.  She stayed right in the shrubbery, but I finally got a running shot.  So much for sitting still.

I needed some peace.  Hunting makes you get up early, sit quietly, and observe the world around you.  When you do that, it is amazing what you can see. 

Where do you find your peace?

I got nothing...

 It has been a pretty stressful week.  I'm afraid I don't have anything to report. 

I hope you have a fabulous week. 

Timing is everything....

 It was an amazing week.  My husband and I celebrated 30 fabulous years of marriage.  I also had a birthday.  We celebrated our anniversary by going for a walk on the Michelson Trail in Deadwood.  Absolutely beautiful.  Then we went out to eat.  We were in a bit of a hurry because...

We also got 10 inches of snow that afternoon.  We weren't the only ones not exactly happy.  These two little guys took out their frustrations on each other.

On the positive side, my husband gave me these handmade snowshoes from the Northern Toboggan Company for my birthday. His timing was great, and I was ecstatic that I got to use them.  They were perfect.  The pointed fronts cut right through the snow.  I felt like I was gliding.

With the snow came a very creative buck.  He has been using his antlers to knock the crabapples and apples off of the trees.  As you can see the lower branches are stripped clean.  He keeps rearing up higher and higher.  

I guess that is all I really have.  It was a great week.  As always, I do all of my doctor, dentist, and eye appointments the week of my birthday.  Thankfully, I have a clean bill of health, and all of my appointments made for next year.  One less thing to fret over.

What winter sports do you enjoy?  Yes, Christmas shopping counts.  I have to say snowshoeing is my favorite activity and sledding a close second.