Red Rocks

Red Rocks

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving week!
























Friends Al & Jude and daughter's Livia and Tova flew in from Forest Grove, OR to spend a week with us on the prairie. On Sunday we drove up to Cross Ranch State Park and hiked along the River for 5-6 miles, then drove up to the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn to see the museum and the Karl Bodmer watercolors. A great day!







On Monday Tami took them up to the Huff cabin near Kenmare. Again, lots of hiking and exploring. Did I remember to mention that the weather was as nice as I've ever seen in November?




Wednesday was mostly groceries and getting ready for Thanksgiving. On Thursday morning Hunter and I jogged 5 miles near the river, and we did it again on Friday.
Sadly, Saturday they had to leave so we made a run out to Ft. Abraham Lincoln State Park to go through an earthlodge and the blockhouses.























Saturday was tear down the soccer goal and bring out the Christmas tree and decorations. Pheasant hunting Sunday morning with Cameron. Our first stop was walked well but no birds, and the second stop yielded these five:






Brought them home and cooked them up as pheasant puffs (nuggets). Very tasty.
Finally, we got most of the Christmas lights up so we're ready for snow.
Back to wotk and school and try to get ready for Christmas.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Happy 75th Birthday!





















My Mom turned 75 on Thursday, November 12th.

She was born during The Great Depression, and grew up on a little farm between Wing and McClusky North Dakota with her seven sibs.

She spent most of high school at St. Mary's, then graduated from Wing. She moved to Jamestown and worked in the Farmer's Union state office, which is where she met Don.

The rest, as they say, is history. She retired recently (yes, really) and just decided to sell her house - home for 45 years - and move into a condo near the KXMC-TV tower up on south hill.

Pat volunteered to coordinate a birthday party and we all made it. Poolside at the International Inn or whatever its called now, the little kids swam and ate and the big boys (and men) watched Bismarck High win their second straight AAA football championship.

Lots of Mom's friends from work and bingo made it for beers and food, as well as some of the in-laws. Amanda and John were there with friends so a good time was had by many.

Last but not least, Bob the R@kfink and wife Nancy were there. Great to see and talk to you two! I will try and pick up the phone and/or e-mail you next time we head to the magic city.

I took a little friendly ribbing for leaving early for deer hunting at the Huff farm. As this picture shows the deerslayer (and his Dad) were up to the task.






We were in the same elevated deer stand, and had seen a few does and fawns and one little buck. I decided to wait as we had about 40 minutes left in shooting time. This on walked in at 5:08 P.M. and I put a single shot through his chest. He ran about 75 yards up the fenceline and died. Since Hunter still had 36 minutes left and my deer was out of the way I quickly got down and headed for the cabin to get the truck and necessities. There was another Hunter about 3/4 of a mile to the south of us so I didn't want to drive in and mess up his last few minutes so I sat in my truck at the corner until 5:45 (one minute past legal shooting). I thought I heard a shot a long way off but I had the windows up (26 degrees) but as I was driving out to the stand Hunter texted me that he had a deer down as well. Some does had shown up almost under his stand so he made a little noise and they ran off but stopped 150 yards away. He picked out the biggest one and dropped her with a single shot to her heart and lungs.

Grant was driving home from duck hunting and saw the lights in the field so he came and helped us load them up and then coached Hunter through his first field dressing of a deer.

I'm working at the State Penitentiary tomorrow, but should be home by 1:00 or so and will take them in to West Dakota Meats for processing. There will be lots of venison country style sausage, pepper sticks and jerky for the next year.

Stop on by and we'll have a treat.

Monday, November 09, 2009

Goose Festival (and Deer opener)



That is the sound of 50,000 snow geese, most on the ground out of sight and the rest circling above deciding if they should land and feed or move to another site.



This is a "raft" of umpteen geese on the south end of Lake Darling. This was taken right before noon so these had probably been out feeding most of the night and then flew back to the refuge for a nap. The rest were out looking for food and trying to not get shot.












Hunter and I went up to Kenmare Thursday night, and goose and deer hunted on our own on Friday, and then spent Saturday and Sunday with Tom, Grant, Trevor, and Ethan. We ate really well, and spent a lots of our time outdoors. It was actually hot on Friday to the tune of 73 degrees, so not at all unhappy we didn't get one then.

Hunter passed on three different does (too small didja say?) and I took three shots at a big buck from at least 600 yards- needless to stay he strolled back into the coulee unharmed.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Halloween

So for Halloween we got terrific tickets to see Garrison Keillor and "A Prairie Home Companion" live from the Bismarck Civic Center











The gangster boys with Fred Newman the sound effects guy- and their favorite part of the show.




If you've never seen "A Prairie Home Companion" I would highly recommend it. The music is usually great, the monologues are often extraordinary storytelling, and you get to see the "real" show and get a behind the scenes look at a live radio production.


Tami worked support for the show (giving rides between airport and hotel, hotel and show, errands to the grocery store, etc.) She also became friends with the show's Tour Manager, who let us sit backstage (on the Stage, actually) for the 2 hour Halloween party after the broadcast. We sat near the drummer and the "BOX" for the Hammond organ which you can see in the second picture above.






Hunter went as Governor Rod Blagojevich - the hair was pretty sweet - and I went as a fat guy in an orange shirt.
We had a really great time to the point where a 12 year-old said "This is the best Halloween ever!" despite no trick-or-treating sugar rush.