Tomorrow (Saturday 12/12) we leave the whipper-snappers with Nannie and we begin the Christmas shopping. Then tomorrow night we are off to our first Christmas party.
Christmas is such a great time, especially for the kids. I remember the feeling of anticipation weeks before the big day. Just to be a kid again at Christmas.
There is no better day in a kids life outside of Christmas. Our job as parents is to make sure that the kids learn to love the giving as much as receiving.
And to remind them and ourselves of the greatest gift ever given. Christ offers us today this free gift if only we will accept it.
From time to time, we would have to put Butch in the pen thru the week. Usually this was to keep him out of the deer cleaning.
A view of the kitchen in the barn apartment at Bakersfield (name of land not town).
Dutch oven cowboy potato's...or potatoes...or... I don't remember how to spell that particular root vegetable!
Chicken fried deer steak.
Camp eats!
Yum-O!!!
Mimi eats a rib....she's gonna kill me for this I'm sure.
Mighty fire builders... maybe they are preparing to go to A&M Papa?
Me teaching Bub how to build a fire with flint and steel. Not an easy task when everything is damp.
We got it. Finally!
Thanksgiving morning was the first morning (of 4 days) that we could shoot does.
So Bub spots one under the feeder at about 9:00am takes aim, pulls the trigger and drops him!
We both assumed a doe but when we got close, low and behold, it was a spike! The boy got his first buck!
He and I were both terribly excited, high-fiving each other in the stand!
It was quite an exciting day for the both of us.
I am sure it is a day he will remember for a lifetime.
His Papa told him of the first deer he killed when he was 13. Bub beat him by 2 years!
Beat me by a lot more than that.
Hopefully he will learn the whole cleaning and processing part so Dad can hand that over to him.
Third deer to process in 2 weeks. I could use the help. I better not complain as this has been by far our most productive hunting season since we have been hunting here.
Still, it doesn't make this part any more pleasant.
You know though, it's a part of life. God gave us these animals for food, tools, clothes, many other things. I am giving my son an ability that is being lost by a large section of society. How many people are able to go out, gather their food, and prepare it for consumption?
I hope that the day comes that he is teaching his son these same things.
Clan Daniel at the big tree at Bakersfield.
This is the tree. It's humongous! And gorgeous! No telling how long it's been here.
Bub and Sissy riding the go-cart in the field.
The whole family riding on a trailer behind the tractor. This is usually an every night occurrence.
Whoops! Bub building a fire.
Sister and Butch.
Sister playing in the dirt.
Dutch-oven rolls.
Bub driving the tractor.
The ol' philosopher! As usual completely full of bologna!
