Deer Hunting...and all that goes with it!

Every year, Barry takes advantage of hunting season to the fullest extent that he can. Sometimes all he can work out is sitting in his stand in the evenings after work, or heading out at "oh-dark-hundred" on weekend mornings. But occasionally, we'll have a free weekend where he can meet my dad and brother up at "the cabin"...a huge amount of property with a little cabin that has been designated for hunting of all types...and for family only. It was by pure luck that we happened to have 2 free weekends for Barry and Luke to go up and hunt...so of course, they did! They both took Monday off and took full advantage of the great weather and good hunting.

Now, while the boys are gone, the kiddos and I go about our normal schedule...just at a little more relaxed pace. We make big breakfasts, sometimes go out for lunch (or skip it altogether), play games, watch movies, stay up late reading, or go visit friends. Why not? The world is our oyster!

The last weekend, Kendall had piano on Saturday afternoon and Noah had a birthday party to attend on Saturday evening, which meant we didn't get home until late...so we just read a few books when we got home and called it a day. Then on Sunday, we decided to hit Wildlights at The Columbus Zoo. Wildlights is fantastic! How could it not be, coming from the #1 zoo in the nation?!? It was a really nice night, clear and chilly, but not too cold. The zoo has gone to 100% LED lights this year, and it was really amazing. The lights around "the watering hole" were all timed to music, and it was quite a show! The kids and I had a fabulous time, but were bummed that Barry had to miss it (and so was he, when we told him about it). No worries, though. We're already planning a return trip! And trust me when I tell you that the pictures do not do any of it justice...you just have to see it. Trust me on this!

Now while we were off having fun, the boys were busy doing their thing...sittin' in tree stands, keepin' the fire going, drinkin' whiskey and talkin' guns. Sound like fun? Well, let me remind you that there is no running water...you have to use the outhouse. And the shower is smack dab in the middle of the kitchen, powered by a cistern. So just keep that in mind! ANYWAY...Barry got his buck on Sunday morning...WA-HOOO!!! He was a big son of a gun...8 pts and thick around the neck. Barry was quite proud, and so was Noah...Of course, since the weather was so warm, we couldn't let that big ol' buck hang for a few days, which is what you like to do...it stretches out the meat. But like I said, it was too warm to do that, so the boys had to get to work after just a day or two.

***WARNING...the following pictures are not for the weak-stomached folks. Stop now if you get grossed out by raw meat!**

As you can see, my daughter is not at all grossed out. She is always right there, checking out everything and asking a million questions. She has decided she wants to learn to hunt. We'll see.It went much more quickly than usual, being that we had two guys cutting. I ran the food saver the first night, but they were on their own the next night, since I wasn't home. And let me tell you this...that bad boy had a lot of meat on him. My freezer is full all the way to the top! And Luke hasn't even hit his yet. Well, technically he did, but after much tracking, the men still couldn't find it...so it was a loss. You never want to see that happen, as it's a complete waste of a deer. If you're gonna kill it, you'd better eat it...or there's no reason at all to kill it.

Here, Luke is removing the connective tissue from the outside of the tenderloin...

Look at the size of that tenderloin! Holy cow!

Man oh man, that is the best part right there....sliced and sauteed with garlic, butter, and onions...HEAVEN!! I'm getting hungry right now just thinking about it! And to my Party in the Pantry readers...yes, I will be posting some venison recipes. If you've only ever had venison ground up in chili or Sloppy Doe, be prepared to have your eyes opened to a whole new world. Venison is lean, tasty, and very good for you. No hormones or antibiotics here, folks.

I'm off to enjoy a day with family...have a great weekend, peeps!