The Great White Hunter

Well, the great white hunter, LARRY has returned from a partially successful hunt in Colorado. He was blessed enough to harvest (a nice word for KILL) a 3X3 mule deer - not my favorite kind of meat, but meat nonetheless. He didn't get an opprotunity (that he's telling about anyway) to shoot at an elk. :( He did say that he had a wonderful time visiting with the men that went out there with him as well as making new friends and seeing some ol' buddies from the area. He mentioned several, but since I've never had the pleasure of meeting them - I can't recall their names. I do, however, remember that one of them was a preacher and that they had friends in common - it's a small world!

While Larry was away, I did manage to do a few things. Hudson and I definately enjoyed the quiet evenings and the control of the satallite and the remotes! :) We went twice to the "Mtn. Valley Mall" a.k.a. Teen Challenge of Arkansas' Vintage Mall and found several goodies. I bought 2 very nice picture frames that I will fix up to hold pictures of my handsome sons as well as a ceramic turkey and a nice jar with a rooster on it. My niece-in-law really got the ol' crafting juices flowing, but there just wasn't enough time off or money to do all I wanted to do.
"Thanks, Lori!"

My Mtn. Valley Mall finds - 2 8X10 frames, for my handsome lil' men. OK, what to do with these frames??
Paint them? Leave them??

*Notice, the boys are both in blue, and one is in the barn and the other is in the field...
Grandpa's barn, Grandpa's field! :))) *

Bought just some used wooden 5X7 frames, sprayed them w/a gloss black to give them "PUNCH" on my paneled walls. Added b/w photos of Larry's family - mainly Grandpa Earl Teal. He'd on the tractor mowing hay in our field in the 80's (middle pix) and holding 2 turkeys w/Larry's Dad Jamie who also has 2 turkeys (bottom pix.) The top picture is, we think, Grandma Vicie Teal's grandfather, W.B. Plummer, after a hunting trip.



A lot of things happened while Larry was gone - such as my oldest sister JoDet "moved" to Arkansas. The situation surrounding the move isn't the best, but I do believe that God is allowing her time with her family as well as a much needed time to do some soul searching and some self preservation...otherwise known as finding herself! I'm blessed to have her so close to me for as you see, we were not raised together and didn't have the benefit of knowing each other as sisters until later in life. God knew what was going to happen and brought us so much more together in the past year.... it's a "God" thing!!

I'll post some of Larry's Colorado pictures as well as my thrifty finds. Have a great Fall and remember...the holidays aren't that far away! Give your family and friends the gift of yourself. Find TIME to give them what they most need - YOU!

Hunting Season

Well it's that time of year again, time for Larry to don the camo clothes and all the gear and to leave the nest. It also signifies the time that I become a hunter's widow - not really, but if you are married to a hunter - you understand.

I love to hunt, don't get me wrong, but watching and "listening" to hunting programs on television year 'round and having to kick boots, camo and stinky hunting gear out of the way to get to one part of the room kind of makes this time of year - well, STINKO for me. I like to get out in November during gun season, but I'm way far from being DIE HARD hunter woman! Honestly, I'm glad Larry only likes to deer/bear/turkey hunt because I think if he took up duck hunting or whatever else there might be - SNIPE HUNTING- I think I may run away screaming!!

However, there is an UP side to all of this! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the Fall and the fresh smell in the air. I love the changing leaf colors and the planning of the coming holidays. I love, from time to time, the quiet serenity that being out in God's land brings - as well as the quiet that comes from the hunter being on the prowl of his game. I like having the remote control to myself - even if it means I have to watch DVR'd shows! I like hearing the stories of hunts past that are relived when the family catches up on the day's hunt. I do miss Grandpa, though. This is the time of year he loved as well.

I should have known when I met Larry that this would be a life time passion for him and would become part of my life! We didn't get to go on a date for several weeks when the time was come for us to do so - BECAUSE it was a hunting season... so I waited, semi-patiently! (Well worth the wait I might say!) I will say that when important things came along, like Hudson's birth, that hunting took a back seat. I'll never forget that morning - Larry was planning a bow hunting excersion with Will when my water broke and I had to "pleasure" of meeting Will at the door and telling him that "Larry will NOT be going hunting today!"

Hunting for the Robertson Household is pretty much a way of life - be it good or bad. Hunting has helped me decorate my home *pictures to come!*, hunting has opened many conversations with my students who might otherwise be silent, it has provided me with many hours of conversation with God in the beauty of the Arkansas mountains and hills... hunting IS part of our lives.

I hope you all have a wonderful Fall and if you hunt, be very careful out there and REMEMBER - you have family waiting for you at home!