Elk Season and a Snowy Fall
It looks like fall is going to be a short season here in Michigan this year. We have had snow the last two day, just flurries, but it sure seems soon even for Michigan. If this is any indication of what’s to come, it looks like it may be a long snow season for us. The trick-or-treaters will have to be in snow suits this year, and be all bundled up. I am planning on wearing my heated jacket to the football game again tonight. Normally this would be the last game of the season but our kids are on a winning streak and going to the playoffs this year. Next year we will be attending college games as our youngest will be playing at that level.
This is the first chance I have had to give you all an update on my 94 year old Gram, the one who had several strokes 2 weeks ago. She is doing great and you would never have know she was having health problems. Last weekend she had the time of her life helping with processing an elk my Dad brought home from out west. Every year he goes on a hunt and this year he brought home a cow. Our family gathered at my Grams place for an all day processing event. My Dad is a retired meat cutter, so he was in charge of the major part of processing the animal, and spent 7 hours cutting this huge 700 pound elk. My uncle trimmed everything from the bones and an Aunt ran the trimmings through the grinder. Then it was my turn to carry all the meat into the house to be packaged. My Aunt in the house measured and placed the meat into the freezer paper, my 94 year old Gram wrapped and labeled the cut of meat, and I placed it into the freezer.
This took most of the day to accomplish, but with all the help of family it went like a well oiled machine. My Gram kept commenting on how much fun she was having, and couldn’t wait to have an elk burger. When I was young our family always got together to process deer every year. This brought back so many memories for me, it touched my heart so much that I even had a little cry on the way home. This is what family is all about, lending a helping hand and enjoying every minute you have together. I am very fortunate to have most of my family close by and can spend as much time with them as I want. My Gram and Aunt still live in the same town and my Dad is about 40 minutes away. I am sure it was a long day for my Dad, since he did the bulk of the work, but it was that kind of work that you felt good about at the end of the day. I must be getting old, because things like this mean so much more to me these days. Thank you all for listing to how my weekend went, and I hope you get some family time of your own.
Dawn, what a delightful story. You are right, that is what family is all about! I can just picture all the busyness and work… I bet every time you eat an elk steak or hamburger, you will remember this family day! What a nice way to start my day.
So happy your grandmother is doing well!
Yvonne, thank you for the sweet message, you are so kind and caring.
Dawn,
What a great post. So sweet to have your family still doing all the traditions you grew up with. I bet days like these are so wonderful. Glad your grandmother is doing great.
Kris
Kris, Thank you for stopping by I always look forward to your comments.
Sounds like time well spent. Stunning photos as always.
Thank you Ann, a little Lightroom can make any photo look good. LOL
What a blessing! God is good! How special! I think that is a treasure of a memory too 🙂 I finally followed by email, so I won’t miss your posts! 🙂
Tammy, so glad you have you back at the cabin. Yes, God is good!
Glad to hear York Gmail is doing well. Your photos are amazing!
Thank you Kathy:) She is a spry 94 that’s for sure.
How great that you can still make special family memories with your gram! Love your grain sack and wire basket vignette!!
Susan
Thank you Susan:) With her being 94 we have had many years together and lots of tales to tell.
We had snow here in Ohio on Wednesday and freezing rain on Thursday evening. It makes me wondered about what this winter will be like. So hoping it isn’t really bad.
~Cindy
Cindy, Michigan is being predicted to have a harsh winter. But Im not sure they really know what’s going on.
Sounds lovely. Family time is the best!
Your pictures in this post are really beautiful! I write this as i sit here in Lowell under a blanket. Lol. We’re definitely not feeling too much like fall around here, that’s for sure! Hope you have a lovely weekend, despite the cold. 🙂
Denise, I know what you mean last nights football game was freezing!
Glad your gram is doing so well / sounds like a day filled with both hard work and pleasure in the work itself.
I think that we are in for a snowy winter if the rainy season that we have just had ( well, two of them….summer and fall ) just turns into colder rain, aka snow! 🙂
Deb, Michigan is predicted to have a harsh winter. Bring it on…. my family likes the snow:)
Dawn, I enjoyed reading about your family joining together to get the processing done. I have never eaten elk, only deer. I have vague memories of my grandparents processing pigs on the farm with the men doing the work outdoors and the women doing theirs inside. So glad to hear that you granny was feeling up to all that work and that she enjoyed herself being surrounded with her family.
Jane, it was such a fun time. It doesn’t seem like work when everyone is together laughing and telling stories. Thank for dropping by:)
Hi Dawn, I have to give all the credit to the camera, it does take neat pictures, very happy with that, still learning though:)
You are so lucky to have family like that!
Rondell, believe me a camera can’t do it all:) I am very grateful for my family!
How wonderful to hear about your Gram doing so well. I feel a little weepy reading about your family time, too. I’ve missed so much not being close to my family for nearly 20 years. The older I get, the more I feel it. It does my heart good to hear family stories like yours! I might just have to make some elk steaks this week : )
Your photos are gorgeous, as always! Hope you’re staying cozy over there.
Jeanette, I know what you mean about age and it’s so overwhelming not having family close. I have ben very fortunate over the years. I will see my Dad today so I am looking forward to that. I am also fortunate to have a family in good health, that takes a lot of worry off one. We have our heat on here and I am using my electric mattress pad at night. Looks like winter is creeping in.
Please don’t send that extra cold and snow down to northern IL! It is beautiful here today…sunny and low 50’s. I’m glad to hear your grandma is doing so well. My almost-98 year old grandfather passed away just a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t even from an illness or his old age – it was an accident. He was outside getting his clothes off the clothesline, and he slipped and hit his head on a rock. 🙁
Melanie, OMG how horrible about your grandpa. What a dreadful thing. Everyone in my family lives that long too. I am so sorry for your loss.
Dawn, I am from Texas. I have been following your blog for a little while, and love all your pictures and stories. I am sitting in the hospital with my dad. He has COPD and is getting weaker lately. As I was reading your story out loud, we got to remember a time when I was little in 1956, my granddad killed a hog and cured it out in the smokehouse. God has really blessed us with “mind computers” for special memories. Thanks for sharing.
Judy, so sorry to hear about your Dad:( How old is he? Glad you were able to recall a memory from my little tale. It’s so wonderful to share our memories with family and that’s the way is should be. I will pray for your Dad.
My family are/were farmers in Iowa. I recall most of my childhood late summers/early falls being spent at an uncle’s farm during the harvest. ALL the menfolk would take their vacations at that time of the year to help with the harvest. The women would fill the kitchens and tables that had been set end on end full of home cooked food … evening meals were filled to capacity with anyone who helped. Bonfires under starry skies awaited those who were still awake after full days. Everyone was exhausted in the end but the sense of family and community was the ointment that soothed those tired bones. Thanks for a great post that brought back sweet memories ….
Linda, I love your story and memories. It made me cry all over again. I love to hear things like this, it warms my heart also:)