Opa's place -Where an old rooster visits with friends

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:
Merry Christmas Everyone!

Sam, I know you realise this is the first year in quite awhile that I have not lived with -40F in the winter, soooo, nope, not cruel to show the pool at all!!!!

Besides, the kids really did take a dip even thought the water temp was hovering around 50F, needless to say the swim only lasted about 15 minutes!
We would have dived in too if we were still 6, 10 and 14!

 

[Highlander]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I've just come home to feed the birds and cats and then I'll be heading back to resume the festivities. Thank you to you all for your friendship over this last year, I may not have met many of you but you are all very dear to me just the same and I am thankful to call everyone who is and has been a part of Opa's place friends. I shall be raising a toast tonight.

"to absent friends
to those we have met
to those we have yet to meet
to those who have left us for a while
and to those who have left us forever

let us lift our glasses
and drink a toast
that they may abide in our hearts
forever"


Wishing you all a wonderful day. Have fun in Florida Todd!

Vicki. xx

 

[NotAFarm]

 

[Opa]

Christmas day is here and since we celebrate on Christmas eve all is now calm. Yesterday was nice. The grandkids were excited and thrilled when we finally let them open the gifts from Hope & I and from Dave & Amy. I must admit that as much as I enjoyed the time spent with them yesterday I also breathed a sigh of relief when they all went home.

Christmas changes once your children are grown. It becomes a day of quiet reflection and rememberance. I remember the first Christmas we had in this house. Scott, who was five, was quite concerned as to whether Santa would know that we had recently moved. Did I sent him our new address, did someone tell him, or did he just know those kind of things.

Since I was always on duty on Christmas morning we always celebrated on Christmas eve. That year it had snowed on the 24th and had quit by mid afternoon. Joe and David, who where 10 and 12, asked if I could take Scott shopping while they made preparations for Santa's arrival. They had attached deer feet to their ski poles and entered our yard from the woods. Carefully poling a single track across the yard, with mulitple "reindeer" tracks on either side they crossed the yard.

When Scott and I returned home they met us with feigned excitement and regaled Scott with their tale of having witnessed Santa landing in our yard. They then showed him the evidence of the miracle they had witnessed. I don't think I ever saw a kid as excited as he was and I don't think I ever experienced a Christmas that has meant more than Joe & David's gift of wonder to their little brother.

I hope everyone on has a joyous Christmas.

 

[Opa]

This morning at about 830am, at a distance of about 80 unobstructd yards, a deer stood broadside casually grazing on the tops of clover poking through the snow. I put down my coffee cup, eased the safetys off my muzzleloader and brought the gun to my shoulder. Placing the the crosshairs of the scope on the juncture of the deer's neck & shoulder I settled into a comfortable position and exhaled in anticipation of touching the trigger. Just as I placed my index finger into the trigger guard he raised his he. One spindlely spike was clearly visible. I couldn't believe it. Eleven days earlier I would have taken him but now is an antlerless only season. I could have taken him. He was only 30 yards behind my shop. I could have had him hanging in less than 10 minutes. I could have knock the antler off. No one but me would have to know, but there lay the problem. I would know.

Year after year, for 32 years, I have taken between 2 & 14 deer. Each and every one of them has been taken legally and cleanly. How could I shoot this one and still be able to claim to be an honest and ethical hunter? So the safety went back on, the coffee cup refilled and I enjoyed watching a beautiful animal for the next 20 minutes. After all the years of incredible success and with the average success rate for taking even one deer being just over 20%, I will just have to be thankful for the luck that I've had rather than the luck I'm having.

I still have 3 more days, it could still happen.

 

[Highlander]

Just wasn't meant to be this year Sam!

 

[NotAFarm]

for the honest hunter!

for the honest hunter have a clear, legal shot before the season ends!

 

[Highlander]

Happy New Year everyone! xx

 

[NotAFarm]

Happy New Year Highlander!!

..........................and to everyone else too!!

 

[viejo loco]

Happy New Year to you, Opa, and to all our friends on this thread...