A special week

I wanted to make a post this week concerning the events from the past that are on my mind. To start off, Oct. 30th, 2009, Jess harvested her first and only deer with her bow. Her second family from elk camp made this terrific plaque for her tree. On the 1st anniversary of the event, I climbed the ladder and hung the plaque in its rightful place. Jess' ashes are buried just a few feet away under an Azalea bush, the only bush in the forest, I might add, that remains green to this day. This place will obviously always mean something special to me.
Today would have been our 12th wedding anniversary, Nov 10, 1998. I am beginning to be able to look back and smile on memories of those years and pray that those experiences have made me better and stronger. I took yesterday off from work and spent an entire day in the woods where I belong, just relaxing and reminiscing. I watched the sunrise and the sunset, both beautiful from Ramey Ridge. I came off the hill and the girls and I cooked Big Red Smokies over the firepit they built for me last Saturday. I thought it was a nice way to end the day. Jess always loved the campfire.
Lastly I included "the View From the Tractor" picture because it is a new way of thinking I have discovered. Just the thought that sometimes you have to sit back and take it all in stride, the tractor only goes so fast. And sometimes when you take 'er easy and focus, the view is pretty nice.

Blood on the trail

Well, we have a few success stories already this year. Three bucks off the ridge behind the house, Joe's first archery buck (forked horn), Erik's first archery buck (eight point) taken last Friday, and Billy's big eight taken just on Monday morning. Glad someone is having some fun. Congratulations boys!

Lively daughters

October hasn't been too shabby for the girls either. As usual they are goofy acting and fun-lovin. Paige hiding underneath the neighbor baby's bouncy toy, Ryann and Elena trying on some new headgear, I told them they looked completely natural, and Ryann showing off my new 55 gallon feeders that she stayed up late one night to help me build. I haven't a new solo picture of Elena, but if any of you know her, you know she is the goofiest of them all.

October is here

In celebration of October, the following things have occured. Arlen finally gets in the woods again, a fire is finally started in my homemade wood stove in the shop, the living room is re-arranged for the first time since we moved in two years ago, and my awesome car, Sput, gets yet another $15 paint job (for better aerodynamics). I love October, a good combination of some of my favorite things.

Beautiful birds

Sorry for the picture quality, but we got all the birds in the run and they love it. Open the door first thing in the morning and its like a chicken explosion coming out of there. No eggs yet, they are still getting used to their nesting boxes. Those white-faced evil lookingbirds are my guineas, they roost right on the fence railing most nights. I have ten of them and they just roam around the yard eating spiders, ticks, and any other annoyance you can think of. They even fly after wasps and catch them in the air. Pretty awesome birds, I think I like them more than dogs.

Bird house

Several weeks ago I finished the chicken coop that houses 50 chickens and 10 guinea birds whenever they decide to come and go. The chickens are just reaching maturity, we will be thinning the rooster population soon. We should have enough eggs to share with the whole valley and still bring some into work. And looky there, another nice tan layer in late September. Sorry upstate NY, Ohio is where the sun shines hahaha.

New do's and new stands

Well, had a nice weekend in Ohio, every day in the eighties.....LOVE IT! We spent a few hours in the woods putting up my new tree stand, I think I have eleven up now. The ladies from meeting thought the girls should get their hair done "professionally" so after Wednesday night meeting, they all went to the garage and came back looking better than I could do and all smiles so that's good. Another shot of Heather trying to be a redneck, she's not doing too bad.