How to field dress a deer

The following pictures and instructions are of a graphic nature. The content below will explain and show images of how to field dress a deer. If you are offended by graphic depictions of field dressing animals, I strongly advise that you do not continue.

I'm a country girl, I grew up with a hunting family. I believe it's important to pass these skills to future generations.

Start from the breastbone area. It is important to remove the "voice box" portion of the deer. Often the removal of the voice box is the catalyst for the kill.

It is occasionally difficult to remove some of the entrails; you may need to use some force to do so. That is OK. It will look worse before it starts to look better.

It's important to completely remove all of the entrails from the deer.

Most hunters leave the entrails at the site of the kill. (The hunter's mom cleans up the mess)

I hope you've learned a new skill tonight. ( I apologize that Rudolph happened to be the deer in this particular tutorial - many animals are killed in this home; it was Rudolph's turn tonight)

Losing things

I've been known to lose things. Usually it's my keys.

I once lost my keys and after looking for a week, I posted a reward poster on my fridge offering a twenty dollar reward for the return of my keys. I hoped that it would encourage my kids to try to find my keys. I found them two weeks later, less than 3 feet from my reward sign, under the fridge.

I once lost my keys in a store. I found them by retracing my steps. I had put them down on a pile of rugs I was looking through.

I sometimes lose my car in the parking lot and wander around looking for it. At least I realize it's lost and don't call the cops to report it stolen.

This lastest incident of losing something is quite unusual. I got home from work today and went to the mailbox to get the mail like I do most days.

I can't find my mailbox! I know it's in there somewhere. It was there when I went to work this morning.



I was going to look for it but it's 5 below and windy.

I think I'll put a reward poster on the fridge and see if my husband will take out the snowblower to try to find it.

Initial Art

I have a thing for initial art.

My last name begins with P.

I have a big "P" in my kitchen above my kitchen cabinets. The P on my wall is paper mache; I painted it with flat, black, spray paint. It is surrounded by descriptive words.

I have a little friend; he is three years old. Every time he comes to my house, he points out the "Big P" on my kitchen wall.

My late mother-in-law had a P on her wall. I didn't realize this until I saw a picture of my husband's high school graduation party. There on the wall, was a letter P. It was in my mother-in-laws kitchen, just like mine is in my kitchen. She had wicker baskets hanging around the walls around her letter P. My mother-in-law and I had the same first name; we were both "Mary" and I took my husband's last name when we married so my mother-in-law and I had the same last name too. Apparently we both liked to use our initials to decorate our kitchen too. If she were still alive, I would like to ask her how she decided to put a P in her kitchen.

Today I was at the thrift store. I found a darling little gold frame. It was only fifty cents. It had a picture in it that looked like it came from the front of a post card and was in need of a good cleaning. I thought it would look cute with a P in it. I printed a P on a piece of parchment paper from my computer and put it in the little gold frame. I'm not sure if I will hang it on the wall or find a small easel to post it on in my entryway.

Welcome Home

My dog, PD, is a mix of breeds, part Pekingese, Cocker Spaniel, Poodle, and Jack Russel Terrier. I've never thought of myself as a "dog person" but I probably am. This Christmas, I was looking at slides of myself when I was younger and in many of the pictures I had a dog in my arms. I do love my PD.

I'm not sure that a dog owner could ever have low self esteem. Dogs seems to have endless and unconditional love; they always think you are the best person in the whole, wide world.

When I walk though the door each day, PD is there to greet me. He can jump like he's got springs in his legs and he does when I come home. It doesn't matter if I've been gone 5 minutes, 5 hours or 5 days. He's always excited to see me. It doesn't matter if I'm growly, sad, or grumbly, he's is happy to see me. PD can tell if I need a little extra cuddling and he's willing to oblige.

PD's excitement extends to everyone he knows and loves. He's a protective little furball and once he gets to know you, he is loyal forever.

My mom stayed with me for a couple weeks in the winter last year. PD was about 5 months old then and he really likes my mom. He bonded. She's not really a dog person.

To this day when my mom comes to visit, PD gets so excited he can hardly control himself. In fact, sometimes he can't. Sometimes he pees a little because he's so excited. Once he even peed on mom's leg.

Sorry mom.

And that's why I love PD, he's thinks we areall so wonderful that he sometimes can't control himself.

Now, honestly, where else can you get that kind of devotion?

Repurposing

One of the things that has gotten popular lately is the concept of "repurposing" items. Instead of throwing things out, you use the item in another way. One example of this is to take old Christmas cards, cut out the top into a star shape and use it as a gift tag. I've been repurposing since I was young.

When I was in fourth grade, the toilet in our home started acting up. Apparently the flapper in the tank wasn't making a tight seal. My dad started fixing the toilet. In the course of fixing the tank, he took off the chain that went from the flushing mechanism to the flap that opened up to let in the water and replaced it with a new one.

The chain was left on the bathroom counter and I quickly spied it. I asked my dad if I could have it and he said I could.

I wore it around my neck as a necklace for most of fourth grade.

I just like to think of myself as "green" before it became cool.