Get Out! Adventure strikes outdoors!

The other evening, on the verge of the coldest night of Fall, our family decided to go camping at my folks cabin.  Instead of sitting at home and enjoying a relaxing evening with our electronic devices and climate controlled bedrooms, we got out.  If we hadn't left the house that evening, we would have missed out on some obstacles and challenges that I'll call adventures.  For instance, before we even got out of town, I got a call that the cows were out and that I needed to get them back in before dark.  I had one hour to coax dad's (well-trained) cows back through the gate and fix the fence. It was challenging but fun!  It was very dark by the time my family got to the cabin and started up a fire, but everyone met that obstacle with a great attitude.  Getting the boys to bed in a one-room cabin was tricky since we had to turn out all the lights and lay down quietly.  They thought this was time for a giggle-fest and stayed up a little (maybe a lot!) longer than usual.  Throughout the night, the fire needed tending since the outdoor temperature was below 32 deg. F.  Every time I had to get out of my comfortable, warm sleeping bag I felt a bit proud to be taking one for the (family) team so that they could stay warm; and actually it wasn't as cold as I thought!

There's just something relaxing about a wood stove.

So the boys woke up at 5:30 am and there wasn't anything to do but get up with them and put some delicious foil-wrapped burritos on the stove! Challenge accepted!  Hunger averted!

Since we were all up and had already eaten breakfast, there was nothing else to do but take a brisk sunrise jog.  I wouldn't say that physical education is my strong point, but the family run at seven am may become a tradition when camping!

Air mattress jumping is an Olympic sport in our house!

To cap off the beautiful cold morning jog and clean-up, we discovered our van's battery to be dead.  This required a 1/2 mile hike to the nearest fencer battery to steal it for our van.  Challenge accepted! (Em would like to point out that much like the little house on the prairie, she was left alone with two crazy boys to keep them alive while I was gallivanting across the plains)  Fortunately the battery was good and our van was running in no time.  We got home in good order and when we looked at the clock, it wasn't even 9 am yet.  Just imagine if we'd stayed home in our warm beds; we'd probably just be getting around to breakfast without any adventure like the ones we had at the cabin.  Get out...side!

Deer Slayer.....Maybe: Ep.5

After having some time to actually hunt in my blind, I decided it needed a little improvement.  When I last left my blind, it looked like this:

 

 This is fine if you don't move or draw a bow back.  However, I realized after some  that movement is necessary and that my outline could be easily seen because of the empty space behind me.  After a little bit of research and work, the improved blind looks like this:

There's a lot more color variation in the front and I used a lot of large dead branches around the base of the tree behind where the hunter sits.  This should help to break up our outline and color patterns.

Another angle, and a little closer.

How nature says "Back Off".  Glad that one didn't go through me, but every time I see a thorn tree like this, it's humbling to think of Christ's Crown.

I was also able to spend some time up in the trees.  Fall is beautiful from the ground and from the sky.

 Dad had just finished harvesting the soybeans in the picture above.  Amazingly, (to me) he also cultivated the ground and planted wheat in the time it took me to realize the soybeans were gone.
#hardworkingman

 This view (Picture Above) doesn't do the beauty of the colors of fall justice.  Yellow, Brown, Green, and Red dominate the landscape.  Dad's Milo is ready to be harvested in the background.

 Get outside in the real woods this fall.

Deer Slayer.....Maybe: Ep. 4

Woke up at 5:10 am to get outside while the stars were still shimmering and the sun was still sleeping.  Too bad the camera can't capture what a still, dark, starry morning has to offer.  Maybe you should try it sometime!  I sat in the blind for an hour listening to the woods wake up.  First an owl whose tree I had apparently bumped into when I sat down; next a few turkeys and then all the song birds start when the sun yawns.  B-e-a-u-tiful.  I can't think of the last time there was no wind and the temperature was comfortable enough to sit for a long time without breaking a sweat or breaking into a cold chill.

Deer Slayer.....Maybe: Ep. 3

'twas the night before hunting and all through the house, every creature was blogging, even the pet mouse.
Had to try on some camo before heading out, so here is my attempt at becoming a male model for Cabellas.  I'm currently accepting offers for Bulky, Drab Clothing shoots.

 'Darton, call me!'

Fake shot

Deer Slayer.....Maybe: Ep.2

In preparation for the fall hunting season, Emily (Andbeglad) made some delicious soup out of last year's pheasant and quail harvest.

Mmmm...baby back pheasant.

This got me so jacked up to go hunting again, I decided to head out to my blind (as mentioned in previous posts) to set up some more camouflage before the hunting begins for me.   (I think she seasoned that soup with a little bit of "honey, this meat was free!"  Gets me every time.)

While my 3 year old boy and I were out around sunset, the coyotes started kicking up real close and Gabe took off for the jeep.  Well, he's too short to get in by himself but that's ok, because I quickly decided to follow his advice.  Without my gun and some napalm, I get a little skeered in the woods at Sunset too.  We sat in the jeep and listened to the coyotes.  I couldn't see them, but I'm pretty sure the scene looked something like the picture below. 

Getting pumped up to harvest a dear and or turkey.  More to come in the future!

Deer Slayer........Maybe

This year I'll try to harvest a deer with sticks, pulleys and a few levers: some snobs call it a bow and arrow.  This is how you prepare to "tame the beast" in your own backyard.

Now all I have to do is find the nearest blue whale and a village of Inuits to help me harvest it.

Backyard fire: Not survival style!

So it's been a while since I've posted primarily due to a little time consuming activity I like to call School.  But in the hustle bustle, I did manage to light some more stuff on fire.  Here it is.

Just grab the flammable liquid of your choice, and a lighter.  This used to be a challenge!? Bwah!