Monday, September 15, 2008

It is September 15th. I'm a day early (or should I say night) on my return from break. It's also, as I was informed by Evil Sister's son, opening day of deer season. Okay okay, you all know I'm a bunny hugging tree loving bird and deer watching maniac and while I believe in a person's rights to carry firearms (as long as you are not involved in any Criminal Mischief), I am not an aficionado of hunting. We provide seed, corn and fruit for the wildlife to eat when they are on our property. Our property is posted against hunting. So, Jay called tonight to tell me he's ready to start on the pole barn he's going to build for us and in the conversation mentioned that he had just come in from hunting. "I can't believe it," he said, "all I saw was a turtle. Not one deer!" And it took me back a few years, to a time when I was still working. One of my brother officers was an avid hunter and usually quite lucky. He was talking about the hunt he had planned for the next morning. I was elbow deep in paper work and as I looked up at him found him grinning like a Cheshire cat. "You may as well sleep in Chris, " I told him. "You aren't going to get anything tomorrow." The next time we worked together he told me that he had gone home empty handed, never even seeing a deer the entire day. I laughed and said "I told you so!" This went on for weeks, Chris always telling me his hunting plans (knowing it bothered me, I think) and me telling him to make other plans. The season had been open for nearly six weeks and he came by our house one morning. He found me working in the flowers and walked over to where I was pulling weeds. "I don't know what kind of curse you've got on me, " he said, "but please, take it off. The season will be over soon and I've yet to get a deer!" He looked so pitiful, but I told him that I really hadn't cursed him, in fact had no idea why his luck was so bad. "But you'll take it off, right?" he said. I'm ashamed to say I was about to burst with laughter, but I assured him that the curse was gone and that I didn't really want to hear any details of his hunting trips anymore. He agreed to keep any such plans to himself, and he does to this day. So tonight, when Jay called and was telling me about his hunting plans I had to say it..."you don't want a Chris Curse on you do you?" He blew air out so hard I could it over the phone. "Oh no now don't go and say that! You've got it in my head now, take it off!" So my dear friends, while I know there are women hunters out there too (Chris's wife for one) I am not one of them. I have only three simple rules in regards to anyone pursuing this (odd) pleasure. They are as follows: I don't want to hear about the hunting trips, or their successes and failures, and I especially don't care to know how to field dress anything. Deal?

Gosh, it's good to be back! I've missed you all. I plan to spend time visiting all of you, I know you're been busy posting lots of fun things and I can't wait to see what you've been up to while I've been away!

42 comments:

Diva's Thoughts said...

I'm with you. I abhor hunting.

ancient one said...

I have a gun.. but it's for protection..but I guess if I got hungry enough, I might go hunting and learn how to field dress..

when I was young, we ate what granddaddy brought home. Grandma could dress and cook anything and it would be good!

But I would have to be starving ... I don't like deer meat.. cannot believe I ate rabbit and squirrel and birds... but I did...

Jeni said...

I probably shouldn't tell you this but, as much as I admire the beauty and elegance of deer, I also like venison too. My son-in-law is a hunter but doesn't hunt simply for the sport but rather for the meat. He has some acquaintances who do however hunt purely for the sport so if they get a buck or doe during the hunting season, they give theirs to my son-in-law for him to butcher and freeze. One year, about 3-4 years back, he had 4 or 5 deer given to him and our freezer was filled to the gills with venison. Frankly, I don't approve of his friends methodology but have no problem with my son-in-law hunting to provide food for the table. That particular year, that venison really did come in handy though as it was a rougher year than normal here, financially, and it did help to keep us afloat.

But aside from that, I'm really glad to see you back and blogging again! Missed ya! Listening to you talk about the pond and stuff on the video below here, I almost though it was a cousin of mine -she lives in Maryland -the voice, the accent -very, very similar!

Cath said...

Wow I had some trouble loading the comments page! Grrrr.

Good to have you back. I feel the same about hunting although it was part and parcel of my upbringing - in the country everybody hunted at least rabbit.

While you're on your rounds, I have a new blog you might want to drop in on. See you there!

Maggie May said...

Glad you are back.
I cannot bear anything to do with hunting either. It is barbaric, I think.

Maggie May said...

Glad you are back.
I cannot abide anything that has to do with hunting either. It is in my opinion, barbaric.

Maggie May said...

Sorry, to mess up your post. I was told by some label that popped up that my first comment could not be delivered, so I sent another one & now you have a third.

Sally said...

Hey - it's good to see you! I hope the time away was what you needed to get all those things taken care of.

I'm with you about hunting - don't want to hear about it, period. :)

Vee said...

Well howdy! It's been way too long.

We just heard that last winter was so rough on the deer herd in my corner that hunters can expect not to see many deer this season. Wouldn't it seem logical to suspend hunting for a year?

Have you seen what one interesting commenter had to say on my SP post? Oh my! I'm in the process of composing a response, but I might need to channel Kari.

Jan said...

Save the Bambi's!!!! I'm not a hunter either. I'm with you, if you want to hunt knock yourself out, just don't tell me about it!

Lib said...

Hi Miz. Sandi,
WELCOME BACK! You were missed!
I grew up on wildlife. We feed all the wildlife here!I don't have a problem with hunter's "IF" they don't hunt for the sport, and hunt for the meat.
Have a great day!
Blessins',Lib

Anonymous said...

Hi Sandy, I popped over today to say Hi and see you have been gone. Did you get all the cold crops in the ground? Chris won't get any deer because they all live on my property. :) A bunch of hunting dogs ran thru our property yesterday and my dog took off after them. We had to "hunt" him down. He thought the hunting dogs were playing and wanted to join in.

Pam said...

Welcome back sandi! We missed you!!

Akelamalu said...

LOL I often freak MWM out with my predictions - fun aint it? :)

Mima said...

I am totally with you about hunting - I'm so glad that not many people do hunt here, carrying guns isn't allowed either. I do sometimes wonder though how squeamish it is fair to be when I enjoy the meat that I eat!!

I'm just popping in, not really back yet, but missing you!

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Welcome back Sandi! I am with you on this hunting thing....But I used to fish....does that count as hunting? Hmmm.
Hugs,
Penny

Unknown said...

Hi Sandi,

Glad you are back and hope you got everything done that you wanted to. Really wish we could have met up this trip but it was crazy. I am not crazy about dead things not even road kill so I would not make a good hunter. LOL

Anonymous said...

I missed you so much too.Glad you are back.
Thanks for your sweet words about Rian. I know you always remember him.

Jeff B said...

Great to see you back Sandi. Hunting has never really been my bag, but at the same time it really doesn't bother me. Grew up in a house with a dad and oldest brother who were avid hunters of anything that walked, flew or swam. Guess I got a bit desensitized to it all.

tlchang said...

Welcome back. You are apparently more powerful than you realize. (Just promise to use your powers for good. :-)

SandyCarlson said...

Welcome home, blogger friend.
I don't get hunting. Just don't get it. I don't get firearms. Just don't get them.

Nevertheless, to each his or her own. I'll enjoy my salad while you do your thing, hunter people.

God bless, Sandi.

Unknown said...

Welcome back Sandi, you were missed. I am with you on the hunting.

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

We should only hunt for food and now we have supermarkets we don't need to do that anymore.

Lee said...

Welcome back, Sandi! I've missed you! :)

The most beautiful example of grace in one of God's creatures is a deer in motion. No, I wouldn't want to destroy that!

I don't hunt or own a gun. My granddad did and we had a family feast at their table every white wing season. He and Grandmother were always careful with us girls when we went along so I have some good family memories of being with them on those trips.

Hugs!
Lee

Unknown said...

Eeeek, dont hate me..we are a big family of hunters. It sure helps put food on the table for my family. Like Jeni said...


Welcome back:)

i'll keep ya posted about the baby

www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

Hi, come on over to my site to pick up an award.

windycorner said...

Hi Sandi,
Missed ya, girl! Welcome back, hope you got loads of stuff done in the garden. Come on over to windycorner...I've got a giveaway.
Holley

San said...

I have a friend whose boyfriend hunts. With a bow and arrow. In my mind that's real hunting and takes real skill.

i beati said...

hello my name is ...hahah

Grew up with hunters in Wva rooms full of dead heads staring at me and stuffed things bleh !!

david mcmahon said...

WELCOME back, Sandi

Stacey said...

Aww Sandi, I've missed you too! I've been a bad bad blogger.

This is just how I feel about hunting--only I'll throw one more in, and while I know it makes no sense, still....I won't eat deer meat. I love the deer that roam our neighborhood at night. I really never get tired of seeing them. Ever. Of course, I haven't seen one bouncing off my hood and into my windshield yet either. I supposed that might change the flavor of deer meat for me, idk. xo

CatHerder said...

Welcome back! Im with you on the hunting...i think if we can bear arms...we should arm bears...give em a fighting chance.

seriously, i dont believe in hunting, ESPECIALLY trophy hunting..its horrible

Debra from Bungalow said...

Hi there, Welcome back!
I'm with you on the huntin thing....I could never shoot anything, but there are several hunters in the family.
Come on over & check out my post, the Power of Pearls, there's something for you.
Take care, Debrak

Country Cottage Chic said...

So nice to have you back! Please spread the hunting curse far & wide until deer & rabbits have guns to shoot back!

Anonymous said...

Hey Sandi, I just saw your pond movie. What a delight it was to hear your Southern voice and see your pond. I am never happy either....always changing something but maybe that's what keeps us young! :)

Jamie Dawn said...

It's good that you are back to blogging again!
I was out of town for about a week, so my blogging has still not gotten back into a normal rhythm.
In AR, hunting season is a BIG deal.
I am not a hunter, nor is The Reverend, so it's not a big deal to me.
Around here, it is obvious when hunting season begins. I don't where these people are before and after hunting season, but boy oh boy, they come out of the woods in droves with their antler laden trucks and camo clothes. It's a sight!
You can put your hunting curse on anyone you want.
It won't bother me one bit.
:-)
Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed your blog break.

Love Bears All Things said...

On our way over here yesterday, we had a deer come leaping across the road in front of us. It took some doing but we avoided hitting it with nothing worse than all of my clothes on the back seat hitting the floor.
I am with you on the feeding of wild animals but I do know that deer population has to be kept under control in some areas. And I know that the venison my nephews take in a season helps to feed their family through the next year. So, I don't say too much about it. Once I made a statement about my feelings to a brother in law and he asked me about my fishing. Now, I haven't fished in years but I love to do so and I would always eat the ones that were big enough. It doesn't seem the same to me but maybe it is.
When we were growing up,about the only meat we had was squirrel, rabit and birds which the men brought back from hunts. We did have chicken from the yard once a week and once in a while would buy half a hog from someone.
Mama Bear

Anonymous said...

Like many of your other commenters, I have no problem with hunting providing it is for the table. Hunting for sport, I can't abide. Fishing for sport I can't abide either. Kill what you need to eat, and don't torture living creatures - that would be a fair motto for me.

Glad to see you back blogging again! So funny about the 'curse'! LOL!

Anonymous said...

This cool weather has me out buying books and reading too. I have to get off my buns though.

Lavinia said...

The mere thought of hunting is so upsetting. I love the idea of creatures wild and free, and safe to live out their natural lives...

The Accidental Author said...

Don't get me going on hunting, Sandi. It's like Afghanistan around here during hunting season. Nothing better than an old French papy with a gun in one hand and a bottle of Red in the other. VLiF

Adla said...

No no to hunting,..I love your qoute 'bunny hugging tree loving bird and deer watching maniac'

We should start a club and you should be the leader of the pack!