It was a fairly warm day and as usual, filled with the Saturday fall preparations. My son went up on the roof to clean the chimney and meanwhile I had assembled the brush and extensions. It went smoothly and next it was time to empty out the accumulation of flaked creosote, take down the parlor stovepipe and clean it on the shop floor with my special ‘tricks’ of extracting the brush. Clean up the nasty black and combine it with the dirt falling off the tiller on the back of the trusty diesel. John Deere of course. I took apart everything, Built a fire and warmed up the parlor stove. Put stuff away, cleaned the gutters (might as well, the ladder was still there) I sat alone, ruminating on my first deer hunt, 40 years ago when I moved here. Local boys gave me a 30-30 and told me to stand up on the pine ridge behind a tree, in the dark. It was very cold in 1976 and the lake over the hill was frozen solid.

I heard a sound of the ice cracking that sounded like a whale booming. I was shocked and decided to come in and get warm. Today, my youngest son went out before sunset as I was building the fire and taking care of the chores. I heard the shot. Another one shortly after that was a coup D grace. A nice four point buck and as I write this, off to the local German meat shop. Julie went with (she missed a nice doe) and they will be back soon with the old ford pickup, a little blood on the bed with the rust and the tailgate that miraculously, still works.

It’s meat on the table and my son phoned and said don’t touch his 7.62, there is a round stuck in the chamber. I think I’ll have another glass of wine and ruminate on the day. A good day as usual.

I am not sure how it goes with the weekend folks (referred to a cottagers when we met some Superior islanders) They mean well and pay dearly to live over the hill on the lake. Sometimes they ask politely if they can hunt on our acreage. It’s hard to have a half acre to enjoy the north woods tranquility. They bring fireworks and we enjoy our firearms. Good city folks that want what we have too. There is neighbor to neighbor stuff between us and it is amazing what a home made jar of dill pickles will do to open up a relationship with them.

We love living here with all our garden pests and firewood foraging. The incredible roof raking and driveway snow blowing. ‘Powers out again’ Trundle the generator down to the power panel and do the loud clack of the transfer switch. Plug in the pickup and Sunday morning, the drive into the city church campus to join the prayer team. Learning the most important thing we are here for. Love the Lord God with all my heart, all my soul and with all my mind. From the womb to our face to face, known and loved by the creator of all these things.

Love my neighbor indeed, I am doing my best as I learn. Even though their kids drive their UTV’s loud and fast down our road. City folks, you gotta love em’ and they Love our Lord too. It’s pretty good, Jack Gator