I Have Been...

...this past week.

In more ways than one!

We had the return of the hunters (the ‘good’ ones)
for their last attempt of filling bird bags;

Complete with muddy floors, boisterous male chatter,
and my merciless time spent cooking.
Five days worth!

I have never been so glad to see a Sunday evening end with only the two of us...
...peace, quiet and alone at last!

No more guns, ammo, camo's or tons of testosterone!

This hunting "lodge" is

CLOSED FOR THE SEASON!

(Maybe, even permanently...I like that thought!)

~
There has been an incessant bout of the "hiccups" with my
old dilapidated computer- which irritates me to no end!
~
I was attacked with a flu-like bug, invading my whole being.
I never get sick! Not enough to make me slow down or give in.
~
Could it be from all the stress the Cabela's Men created in my life?
Five weeks worth?

~
Then there is Cowboy.
He has been day working for that fellow down the road; more.... than not.
That fellow got bucked off his horse so badly, he can do very little on his own.
It is a blessing in disguise for us, as a little extra income helps to lower our stress.
..But..
I worry every day Cowboy is gone as the lands that he is riding herd on,
are part of the Palouse River cliffs…..

..the likes of this...which is only a few miles away from us.

It has been so foggy around here, literally!
One can barely see 50 feet in front of you!

Look at these cliffs, picture them all swathed in fog!
Perch yourself on the back a young inexperienced horse,
winding along the narrow trails and ledges in search for cattle,
gather them and move them down to the corrals below...
...a long these same paths!

Can you see why I worry?

Of course, Cowboy had to add to my worries by admitting there are places and moments
...that gives him the feeling of having a few butterflies
fluttering around inside his belly!

He rides alone.
No cell phones, no people in this nowhere land..
just him and his horse in God's country!
And he's content.
~

Yet today…December 1, the fog lifted, the skies opened up & the sun shined upon me!

I grasped at the warm winter hands, to be guided around my once thriving

and colorful beds that I tend to and nurture all summer.

Lo and behold!
There are still a few things able to bring joy to my heart!

Here, a few Mums still cling to life with their last breath,
as the Asters in back sag sadly in solemn grace.

Violas continue their blooms in yellows, whites and blues, nestled with baby lavenders.

They are so prolific; they have dotted themselves in every bed!

To my euphoric delight, I find Sweet Williams,
adding a splendid array due to the warmth of this Winter!
These being my favorite, these special flowers whispered to me...

..."the foggy times are passing, and three short months from now,
we shall begin our rebirth splaying our beauty for your eyes to enjoy!"
"We will add warmth to your heart and rekindle your spirit!"
"Patience, my dear, Cowboy's Wife! Patience.."

With tranquility and benevolence; with nurturing and devotion,
I know from the depth of my soul, that life will once again shimmer & flourish,
thrusting the foggiest days of this past month to the backyard of my memory..
This knowledge, this 'tour' today...renewed my hopes!

Today’s display of soft blue overhead~ was a gift!
I desperately needed the sun to cleanse my mind of the gloomy
~and even foggy~ November days.
As I discovered the treasures of life, wrapping their hues around me..
…I began making room in my life for a wondrous December!

The Cabela's Men...

...have invaded my home!

Every Fall, our doors swing to and fro for family and friends that live for love to hunt.

The weekends bring bird hunters as this area is known for Pheasants; yet Mother Nature affects their bounty. Heavy moisture in the spring can drown the chicklets as the nests are tucked into the ground. Coyotes are a predator that impacts their lives also.
Recently, there have been 3 reported sightings of wolves not far from here.
I'm sure with time they, too, will play a role in the numbers within the hunters bags.
The hunters come, nonetheless, to let their dogs prove their skills.

On any given hunting weekend, you can find at a minimum of 15 bird dogs tucked into their kennels come nightfall here, while their owners are huddled around our fireplace warming their aching muscles and discussing their dogs attributes or faults of the day.
*

The deer hunters love to trek the miles of rolling hills, too,
only they are in search of “the Big One”.

They seem to be more ‘durable’ than the bird hunters (don't repeat that to the Bird guys ) as they like to spend their evenings outside surrounding a campfire telling their tall tales of missing a perfect shot; or of the "Big One" they bagged back in 1995!

*
All of these "Cabela's Men" have known me for years. They know and respect my rules.
I have one, well two, rules all of them must follow if they want to stay here.

1) They cannot hunt on our ground

2) I do not want to see their "catches of the day"

Oh..I guess I have a third one...

3) I will cook their meals but it has to be "Beef...it's what's for dinner!"

*

Tonight, tucked away in our large, unused upstairs, sleeps 6 “Cabela's Men”.
I know they are sleeping because the ceiling above me is shaking with all the snoring!
(Yes, they have their own separte bath complete with a shower, thank goodness)
I am sure they are each dreaming about that "big 5 point I saw the other day"
…which is NOT allowed within their sights I warned them,
unless he has wandered on to someone else’s property!
There is some sort of late deer hunt going on here that one had to be drawn for.
Two of these friends were drawn, the other 4 are just Tag-a-longs to help keep the evening fire crackling with tales.
They are all here for that ever so necessary Guy Time!
Tomorrow, 5 more “Cabela's Men” will arrive, these being from Cowboy’s family.
Two of them were drawn also.

(I would like to know just how many names were actually drawn in total for this area
enabling my house to be blessed with 4 of them! What are the odds here?)

Tomorrow night, the upstairs will be filled with testosterone levels that is probably
(or should be) illegal to have contained within one room.
It will be wall to wall with guns, boots, sleeping bags, and gear. And the "Cabela's Men"!
I’m sure the roof will be raised with even taller tales being told, as they remember yet another that someone overlooked around the evening campfire! When you get that many guys in one space, the tales just seem to grow bigger than the pine trees outside!

*
I absolutely LOVE to cook for big hungry guys with healthy hearty appetites!
Lucky for me (and our budget) these “Cabela's Men” bring all the food for me to prepare.
They have strict orders to bring only beef if they want to eat my cooking.
(pork or chicken is fine too!)

I don't need this!

I've cooked for 70+ people before in Dutch Ovens over an open campfire,
high in the mountains...this is a piece of cake!
All one needs is a group with a ferocious appetite!

What makes this such a pleasant task, is these groups of "Cabela's Men" are gracious and appreciative of my cooking for them.
They all jump in to help with clean up and the dishes before heading outside to their campfire.
It does get a little "deep" in my kitchen with their good humor, their teasing, and their boisterous ways, so I scurry them along quickly, thank them and adjourn them to their fire.
*
Ahhh....Quiet! That always feels good, yet I will welcome their banter all over again, tomorrow!

*
Cowboy doesn’t know about the invasion yet. I wonder what he will think when he arrives home late tomorrow night to find me sharing his home with all these “Cabela's Men"!

*
Either he will be looking for this to run to and hide in, after spending "the past week bombarded" with noise and confusion....at which I will be a holler'n..
"...wait...you aren't moving to my dream house without me!

Or he may suggest we start a Hunting Retreat! At which time I will be telling him...
"..yea right, I can see you now... charging all our friends and family to bed down here while hunting!"

*


Thanksgiving is only a few weeks away, and we will have another houseful!
A different group of "Cabela's Men"! The bird hunters will be returning!
No, the wild turkeys running around here will NOT be what is served!
*
Off to bed...mornings' hunger will soon be upon me!
(I may be needing a Chef of my own after 6 days of the "Cabela's Men"! )

Have a great weekend and stop in if you're in the neighborhood.

Directons?? Just follow the essences of food, laughter & good company!