Unexpected Wonders!

Saturday morning and the sky promised to put on a show...

However...

When I got outside and walked towards the shed to grab my bicycle, I saw a white truck parked in front of my Subaru.

I was all set to have a fit until I read the plates.

Missouri.

No.

Really?

Could it be?

How wonderful! Kristi and her husband Jesse showed up to surprise us with a visit! 

Jesse said that they decided to take off and surprise us. If we weren't home they were prepared to visit our portion of the state anyway.
We rarely travel out of the area for anything ... except doctor's visits now so it was a pretty sure bet we'd be home on the weekend.

And where else but the creek would we hike to?

It was very surprising too as to how chilly it was Saturday. The temperatures never really got up to 70 degrees.

Our evening was filled with laughter as we all sat around the round table and played UNO.  The rules changed with each hand and since we didn't keep a number score it was even more fun.
Rich really enjoyed himself.

Too soon the time came for them to leave. They said next time they would plan better and spend a few days. After all, it is an 8 hour drive one way for a visit.

The boys left me some toys to take hiking with me for 'stories' of adventure in the woods.

And you know I can't resist a good toy adventure!

We promised each other that it wouldn't be three years between visits next time. And the boys cried, they didn't want to leave. And they really like Charlie and would miss him.

Charlie was a superstar. He fetched for the boys and tried to figure out what they wanted to do and sat patiently while they played with his ears and nose and...gave him endless hugs.
.
I said it was a long drive but perhaps I could convince Rich to go. I quipped, 'Oh I suppose I'd need someone to watch Charlie'.
And Jesse said, 'Oh you can't come unless you bring him!'

See?
What an unexpected wonderful surprise.

Today will be more rest and relaxation for Rich while I take out the newly sharpened scythe and make a test run.

This afternoon? Anything goes.

Opening Morning ~ Dawn.

Friday afternoon the K-town gang arrived. Scout and the kids piled out of the Subaru and hugs were shared by all.
Morris and Scout nosed each other and then trotted off to make their marks in the yard.

I watched in amazement as they began to unpack. I'd cleared the counter in the corner of the kitchen for what I've dubbed as the 'Clausen Corner'. It seemed as though I may have to expand the corner as they'd brought a ton of bread and food.

Eventually everything that was supposed to come in had been deposited in place. By now we'd gotten into a routine. The girls knew exactly where to set their things. They changed into outdoor clothes and ran outside to enjoy what was left of the daylight and the last day for the ... next 9 days of Gun Deer Season/Thanksgiving Week.

It was rather nice outside so the 'Men Folk' visited while the 'Women Folk' visited. The guys started talking about strategy and hunting. The purpose of the trip was to get meat for the family. Of course the guys talked about all the monster bucks I'd captured on the trail camera.

I laughed and said something to the effect that "They will all be in hiding from pre dawn until the sunsets on the last day of hunting season."
I got looks from the 'Men Folk'.  Earlier this week I'd seen about 10 nice bucks on my walk with Dixie through the woods.

This photo got the 'Men Folk' pretty excited though...
I couldn't blame them. This buck is in direct line with the Clausen Deer Stand.

Of course I'd gotten shots of others too.

These shots caused 'buck fever' for all of those who happened to see them.

Over supper we all talked about deer, bucks, hunting, and the weather. There was a feeling of anticipation in the air.

Everyone went to bed early. It would be a predawn morning.

Whispers in the morning. Fresh coffee. Sorting clothes and pulling out 'Hot Hands' to keep warm. Checking pockets, packing sandwhiches and bottled water. Filling a back pack.

These guys were staying put in the stand once they got there. I smiled as I poured coffee and the hunters whispered getting ready.
I loved the electricity that zapped unseen through the house as they dressed. I never go out on opening morning.
I'm the farm caretaker for this day each year.

My job is to make sure that the hunters have something to eat and a place to warm themselves when they come in from the woods. Over the years we've only had a few folks come and hunt. My brother in law did a few times, and Rich's daughter did too. Other than that, it has always just been Rich.
This year however our friends from the east side of the state said they'd hunt with Rich and help out. Plus they were looking to fill their freezer with venison.

I have to say that last year's harvest provided us with months of very good eating. Deer Harvest feeds people.

Daryl and Amanda slid out the door quietly and headed to the woods. The Hunt was about to begin.
I poured a cup of coffee and sat down to enjoy some quiet before dawn.

I got company by Morris

She changes her habits a bit when we are expecting company or guests...or visitors.

Sometimes it is Uncle Ed and Joy and my gal pal Teslin that is coming.

Sometimes it is one of my favorite kids coming to visit, or a whole pile of kids coming to visit.

I just know that all kids belong to me. The big people are okay, but I like little people the best.

And sometimes they even bring a dog for me to fuss over.

Well. Sometimes I snarl and try and put the young dog in its place. I usually end up in my crate for that.

So the house was cleaned up and fresh sheets were put on the beds. Even the new funny looking bed was all tidied up.

I like the bed cover, it is fuzzy and just right for me to lay on.

Pretty soon I heard her leave and then heard two cars come. Oh I was ecstatic! Car noises meant people. People meant new laps to try out and faces to lick if I could manage it.

Imagine my horror when this black fuzzy dog walked in with the young people. 

Oh. NO!

My house. Ugh. Young dog came up to me and we sniffed noses.

"I'm Morris. I rule this house. Your people are now my people. Your young people now belong to me." Well really, I had to straighten him out right off the bat and give him the rules. 

"Oh boy, oh boy Hi! HI! Oh hello. Did you say something? Can I sniff you all over. You have a short tail and almost no ears! Oh boy, want to wrestle and play? I can jump right over you! The people call me Scout. Wanna play? Huh? Huh?"

I was crestfallen. Another young dog. Why couldn't people visit with an ancient old codger dog that doesn't move. Or better yet. Just ...sigh.

"No. I rule the house. I am top dog." I tried to reason with Scout.

"Okay! Boy that is nice! What is a Top Dog! You look like a little baby dog! Wanna sniff each other?" With that Scout stuck his nose on my hind end.

I lost all of my manners and snarled. Immediately I was scooped up and put in my crate. Scout went to bed in his crate too. Upstairs with the very nice young people. I was heartbroken. I wanted to claim them as my own.

Sigh.

However the next morning Scout and I were let outside together. We ran hard up and down the yard before we went with the visiting people on a hike. 

"Come Scout. Let me show you cool stuff." Dang the dog was gullible. I thought I'd make his people freak out.

"Oh what Morris? What is cool?"

I pointed. "That! Take some bites of those pies, very good." I winked at him.

His people started yelling..."Scout no!"

And I waited for it...wait. "Wait!" I told Scout. 

Shouts of "ICKY!" Came out of all the people mouths. 

I winked at Scout. "I told you buddy. Eat some cow pie and the people go nuts!"

I showed Scout where to find some 'Smart Pellets' and he thanked me profusely. Of course I think She just laughed and Scout's people were a bit grossed out.

Scout is a bit weird, but he said he is part water dog. He played and ran in the creek, biting the water and going after sticks that his people tossed into it. After a while we decided we were so tired out that we just walked along and kept an eye on the people.

"You know the way back to the house, Morris? Because there is food at the house and I am getting hungry."

"Yes Scout. I am Morris. I am an older dog. I know just about everything there is to know."

"Wow. Can I come and play with you more often?"

I didn't give him an answer right away because I wasn't sure that I wanted to share his youngun's with him.

Eventually we decided it was best to get along. 

He is a youngun' himself and after all, we had all of these people to look after.

Maybe it would be nice to have a younger dog to help keep track of these people.

And I am sure they thought they were keeping track of us.

Hahhhhrumph.

I'm sorta guessing that what they don't know, won't harm them too much. I was pretty impressed. Scout showed me how to use a Smart Phone.

I hope he comes back. 

I don't even mind sharing my couch with him.

Okay. I do mind. But not as long as I get the little bed upstairs.

'Yotes

The day after Christmas we had some surprise visitors.  First a young man with a red truck pulled down into our driveway and stopped.  He had a GPS tracker and a hound box on the back of his truck.

We immediately recognized him as a 'Yote hunter.  His dog and some others had been hot on the trail of a Coyote for a few miles.  My husband welcomed him and he radioed his hunting partners to 'come on down'.  
The dogs had gone into my neighbor's woods and soon we were all watching the dogs' progress on the GPS units.

The dogs did come blasting out of our woods and up the creek trail.  The hunters gathered up all but one dog.  That dog belonged to the young fella that had first pulled in.
We waited and listened to his dog bay and his voice echo off the valley hills.

Tyler asked if I could take him down to the creek and off we went.  He was watching his GPS and kept calling for his dog.
We hurried through the creek bottom and Tyler said his dog was headed straight up the creek.  I told him the dog was headed for the highway and we'd never catch him on foot.

Tyler then asked if there was a quicker way back to our house.  I grinned and told him to follow me.  I took the steep 'point' trail and we started up the slippery hillside.  Half way up Tyler asked if we could catch our breath.  I stopped and started to laugh.

Tyler looked at me and grinned when I asked him how old he was.  "24," he answered.  I winked at him. "59, going to be 60 in June." I laughed and he did too.
He smiled and said, "I've gotten a bit out of shape."  He explained how he'd broken his legs in a 4 wheeler accident and how he'd lost his love of hunting when his best dog died last winter.  We talked a bit while catching our breath.

He seemed to be a good 'kid'.  We headed the rest of the way up the hill and across the pasture to his truck.
The other hunters had seen his dog was headed to the highway and had caught him up.

We all shook hands and Tyler drove off.

I looked at hubby and smiled.  "Well, seems like I got my hike in today! We really had to hoof it!"

We talked about coyotes and where the dogs had probably holed the one they were chasing up.  The old den above the creek next to the rock wall.

We had enjoyed talking with the hunters, some of them had brought their kids along and you could tell it was a good family outing for them.

Coyote hunting is a difficult sport, I think the coyote is the most difficult animal to hunt as they are so incredibly smart and wary.  I have been catching them with my trail camera lately.

I've tracked them and hunted them with very little success.  But it is a good reason to get out in the woods especially in the winter.  I love seeing the story of what the animals have done in the snow.