NOV 22,2008

SAT MORNING, THE FIRST DAY OF THE DEER GUN HUNT SEASON. OUR HUNTERS ARRIVED BEFORE DAWN, AS DID MANY HEARTY FOLKS WHO TRAILED THEIR BOAT TO THE LANDING, LAUNCHED IT, PARKED THE CAR AND TRAILER AWAY FROM THE LAUNCH, WITH ALL THEIR GEAR IN THE BOAT AND HEADED ACROSS THE RIVER TO THE TIFFANY BOTTOMS (13,500 ACRES OF WILDLIFE AREA) TO HUNT. ALL BEFORE DAWN. WOULD YOU CALL THESE FOLKS NIGHT OWLS OR PERHAPS MORNING OWLS! I TRIED TO TAKE A PANORAMA OF THE WHOLE LANDING BY WALKING DOWN THE STREET. THOUGHT IT WOULD SHOW EVERYTHING BIGGER. DOESN'T WORK! 31 CARS, MOST WITH TRAILERS ON OPENING MORNING.

GUESS WE NOW HAVE EVERYBODY IN THEIR WINTER PASTURES. WE HAVE SHIFTED FROM DOING FALL THINGS INTO DOING WINTER THINGS. ALL THE CROP STUFF IS DONE EXCEPT TO HAUL A COUPLE OF SEMI LOADS OF HAY (20 BALES (5' LONG BY 6 1/2 ' HIGH) ) FROM THE BOTTOMS. THEN WE CHOP THE STALKS FROM THE CORN IN THE BOTTOMS INTO A WAGON EACH DAY FOR THE BIG GIRLS. WE TORE APART A LONG FEED ELEVATOR AND SET ONE END ON A VW REAR AXEL I HAD SO WE HAD WHEELS ON ONE END AND MADE A STAND FOR THE OTHER, SO WE CAN MOVE IT WHEN NEEDED. THIS GIVES ALL THE CALVES A PLACE AT THE TABLE WHEN WE FEED THEM THEIR CANDY. EVERY MORNING WE FEED THEM SOME GROUND CORN AND PELLETS (CANDY) . YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALL THEM TWICE. WE ALSO GIVE THE HEIFERS CANDY EVERY MORNING.

NOBODY HAS RENTED EITHER OF THE GUEST HOMES FOR HUNTING SEASON. WE ADVERTISED THE SOUTH HOME PLUS 240 ACRES OF HUNTING LAND, BUT NO ONE WANTED IT. OR MAYBE, THE RIGHT PERSON DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT. I THINK ALL OF THE VACATION RENTALS WERE DOWN THIS YEAR. NEED TO GET THESE RENTED FOR TWO REASONS. ONE IS THAT SELLING CALVES (OUR ONLY FARM PRODUCT) DOES NOT BRING IN ENOUGH CASH TO PAY THE FARM BILLS. A WONDERFUL LIFE STYLE (WORKING WITH THE LAND AND ANIMALS) BUT IT TAKES ANOTHER SOURCE OF INCOME TO MAKE IT A REALITY. THE SECOND REASON IS TO ALLOW FAMILIES LIVING IN THE CITIES TO COME AND ENJOY THE JOYS OF THE OUTDOORS AND THE WONDERS OF MOTHER NATURE. THIS WOULD PERHAPS BE MORE REWARDING .

I SIT HERE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AT THE BIRD FEEDERS AND WATCH A CONSTANT ROTATION OF NUT HATCHES (THE BIRDS THAT WALK UPSIDE DOWN ON THE TREES) MALE AND FEMALE DOWNY WOODPECKERS, THE BIGGER RED BELLIED WOODPECKER (WHICH HIS BELLY IS SORT OF A GRAYISH COLOR AND HIS HEAD IS RED--IN MY WAY OF THINKING HE WAS NAMED WRONG), CARDINALS, BLUE JAYS, HAIRY WOODPECKERS (WHICH ARE A LARGER SIZED DOWNY), BLACK CAPPED CHICKADEES, DARK EYED JUNCOS, AMERICAN GOLD FINCHES AND MANY MORE THAT I CAN'T EVEN THINK OF AT THE MOMENT.

PAT HAS GRACIOUSLY TAKEN OVER MY BREAKFAST DETAIL AND MADE US BACON SANDWICHES SO I CAN KEEP WRITING. WHAT A SWEETHEART. GREAT SANDWICH (ACTUALLY WAS A BLT). HAVE TO GO AND FEED 200 PLUS CREATURES. THAT'S A LOT OF MOUTHS!