First off, in November, my friend Ralph brought his lovely to look at wife Char and came to spend Thanksgiving with us. The primal instinct runs deep in Ralph, to hunt and fish and provide for his family (and ours). We decided to see if we could go in search of, and to bag a turkey for dinner. With gun in hand he could be seen stealthily moving from machine to machine in one of my sheds. Then, almost as though by instinct alone, something caught his attention and he wheeled to his left and started to approach what seemed to be the best possible hiding place in the area for the wiley birds of which we were in search.
Fortunately the bird didn't flush as he drew down on the young tom. We were in luck. This one had a pop-up timer in it's breast. This comes from centuries of inbreeding I am told.
Nothing can ever take the place of that first picture of the hunter...and the hunted. Victory oh sweet victory. 
Here is one last picture of 'The Hunt-2008.'
I know it will be hard for some of you to understand the gravity of this moment. As nature speaks to the hunters, yea, those of us who provide for our families, we shall always go forth and provide.
Right after this picture was taken we cooked the turkey. Not some fancy 'deep fried' version, nope not us. (because I couldn't find my propane cylinder and the 100# bottles I did find wouldn't fit the cooker) So we had the women build a fire in the cook stove (turned the dial to 350 degrees) and we baked it. We may have over cooked it a bit. Our first indication of this came when we found the pop-up timer, popped-up and laying in the chest cavity of the bird.
20 comments:
Cliff
You seemed to have captured the thrill of the hunt quite well. As you well know, providing food for the family is sometimes not an easy task, but you do what you have to do.
It's a little known fact but - that 'wheeling to the left' is harder than it looks.
As usual our trip and our time out there was great and full of fun.
Ralph
My, what dangerous looking country you two tramped.
Cute!!!
Cliff, You owe me a new keyboard! I should know not to read your posts when my mouth is full. Got the cat too. The mouse survived.
God's Blessings from my house to yours as we move into the uncharted waters of a foggy new year.
I have been trying to make some investment decisions and am almost paralyzed. I have been out of everything since about March, so I haven't suffered there.
I am going to buy some Gold calls and exercise them if things take off as I expect they will, with all of the Govt. printing of greenbacks. GLD,the ETF now offers calls and puts. I will go that way.
If this is a sample of what is to come in this series of flashbacks, I'm all for it!
Good one, Cliff!
Okay, when you and Ralph are out pulling these crazy stunts, how in the world do Char and Marilyn keep from running away?
LOL at Granny Annie; Thelma and Louise escaping from you two. She may have planted a seed there, Cliff. ;0)
Ralph is a darn good hunter! Killing a bird with a pop up timer and no feathers either! Dang! Talk about skill.
That fridge looks familiar!
Great flashback. Looking forward to more.
Hey Ralph,
Cliff says that you bagged one of those Wiley birds. Give it back!
Yea for Ralph, he saved your bacon ummm turkey again Cliff.
I was glad to hear that you had the women build the fire
That's my kind of hunting.
ROFL....The pictures are too funny. I think this may just be the man equivilent to my "make up drawer" !!!
everyone knows if ya get served a hunk of turkey and find the pop-up doohicky in it, you will have good luck. Yous guys were lucky bagging a tom with a doohickey in it----them are the finest kind.
This was so dang funny and you guys are absolutely nuts!!
Cliff, I enjoyed your description of Ralph and his hunt. I could just about see him skulking around with that rifle! You are one of the best in blogland. Keep up your entertaining ways, I love to read your "stuff!" Have a Happy New Year, may this year be joyous and filled with prosperity. Hope you and yours celebrate together!
That Ralph is one of the last of the big game hunters!
Happy New Year to y'all!
:-)
..
Hi Cliff! It must be a riot around you two. Ralph looks so skilled with the gun, the turkey never stood a chance.
I wish you, Marilyn and your family a safe, healthy and prosperous 2009. Lisa
Way to go, Ralph!
Happy New Year.
I have to brag a little and may one-up Ralph. My just-turned-10-year old grandson shot his first turkey last Saturday. I didn't come with the pop-up dohickey. :o)
Ralph's a manly man if I've ever seen one.
How stealthily he stalked that bird.
The bird did not have a chance!
You mean Ralph didn't cook the turkey over an open flame outside?
I guess he's not as manly as I first thought.
As long as he grunts when he lifts stuff, then he's manly enough.
:-)
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