I love my job I love my job I love my job..

[Killdeer]

Yes, I am fortunate. I HAVE a job. Not only that, it is a job with many opportunities to shine, to have contact with many wonderful people, and to see the outdoors every day. It also reminds me daily that I am not in the woods this year. I am usually gone for three weeks, returning in late November smelling of woodsmoke and full of images of foggy mountain mornings, snow, and fleeting glimpses of a life long ago and in-your-face real.

Yesterday was a case in point. I had Tuesday and Wednesday off, but with the leaves so dry, and the WMA full of holiday smokepolers, this groundhunter decided to stay home instead of hunting. Wednesday was overcast and cool, but the leaves were so crunchy...I took some shafts and two fletching jigs and the dog over to the archery club. Leaves were about a foot deep between the parking lot and the clubhouse. As I fluffled through them, I couldn't even hear myself think over the racket. I saw white flickers out back of the practice butts as the resident deer fled from the frightful noise.

I quickly got the woodstove lit, and the red oak's fragrant smoke began to calm my nerves as the coffee brewed. I was soon lost in the measuring and cutting of fletches, running beadlines and making sure that the clamps laid the quills smooth to the shafts. I worked slowly, enjoying the fact that much unlike a day at work, I could take my time and fuss over the little details without worrying about evaluated hours or beating the rush hour home.

It was almost dark when I got done finishing off the newly burned fletches, the drops of glue fore and aft drying as I aired out the clubroom. I realized that I had not shot any of my own arrows that I had brought along, so I took some out with my bow, leaving the dog in the clubhouse.

As I made my way toward the broadhead targets, I heard the buck grunt, and squatted to watch. Dimly I saw them in the darkening woods. A misty rain was falling, and the shadowy forms of four deer walked slowly across the finger of ridge toward the draw. Oh well. I figured that they would be moving all day, and they did, and now with a cold dark and rainy night ahead, they were getting their yayas out while they could.

I shot six arrows, and headed back, mission accomplished. Gotta get home and get ready for work in the morning.

Killdeer

[Killdeer]

It had rained pretty good all night, and a fresh, cool, damp day greeted me. What a perfect day to hunt, I thought as I dumped my stuff into the truck and started off to work.

I made pretty good time, and got the mail up and pulled down, and headed out to deliver it. My route is pretty mundane now, as the developers have been taking real pretty places full of things to look at and replacing them with buildings and parking lots. The last section, though, I call my dessert. It is sweet, lots of trees and fields, and always something to see. And I saw plenty yesterday. You see, yesterday would have been just as terrific a hunting day as today was. And I saw more today. But, there I go getting ahead of myself.

Yesterday, I saw a cliché. I wager a few of you, well, more than a few of you have seen one too. They don't all look alike, but you know one when you see one.

Here's mine:

 

Killdeer   :rolleyes:

[adeeden]

That is an incredible picture Killie and your writing always amazes me!

[Larry Surtees]

Gotta love it!          

[Shaun]

You got a way with words and images that always delights me. Thanks again

[Killdeer]

I was tooling down the one short stretch of gravel road that I deliver on, and caught a glimpse of deer in a field ahead. OBOY! I thought. Then from a cross street in this lonely backwater, came a utility truck and it turned onto the road ahead of me. The deer spooked, and the three guys and their truck parked in the cul-de-sac that I use as a turnaround. Fortunately, all was not lost as they took my gentle cue and stayed by their truck (they were pulling on coveralls) as I pulled up and took three pictures before the camera complained of feeling too full.

This was the tender scene that I was presented with, and it is just as trite as the one above. I would enjoy it as a painting, though, if I didn't have the nagging fear that someone, somewhere, is mass producing identical scenes on velvet.

   

Killdeer    :eek:

[4runr]

Too cool.

[vermonster13]

All to common a scene. Perhaps the owner gives permission to folks who might go Postal, err, I mean Postal Employees.

[Killdeer]

Isn't she beautiful? He certainly thinks so! And so, I took one shot just of her, his reason for being.

 

But today, today was an even better day to hunt, with a misty rain persisting, temps comfortably in the fifties, and does leading merry chases all over creation. How do I know this? Well, today I saw more, and bigger bucks. While I was delivering the ferschluggenen mail.   :mad:  

I hope these people know exactly what I am sacrificing in order to bring them their Pottery Barn Babies catalogs!

So...I guess you want to see today's pics. I'd love to post them, but I gotta go to bed. I have to get up early, because tomorrow is SATURDAY!!!!

And I have to deliver the mail.
I will be done sometime in the afternoon, and will likely get to editing and uploading tomorrow evening.

Killdeer  

[Ramsey]

I feel for you,I'm doing a draw hunt were there
is more private land then public unless your
pockets run deep.
           BILLY

[Widowbender]

 

David

[Glenn Carl]

Killdeer your words and pictures are amazing Thanks for posting
Glenn

[BOFF]

That second picture with the two deer and fall colors is absolutely beautiful!  Thanks for sharing!  

[Glenn Carl]

Killdeer your words and pictures are amazing Thanks for posting
Glenn

[rastaman]

Thanks for the words...you make your job fun...

[Stone Knife]

Nice pics Kathy, You are going out on Sun?     right

[ishiwannabe]

Very impressive! That is a sight to behold, and you caught it on film...er....pixels. Great job. Im sure you could sell either of those pictures. Truly amazing.

[bgram]

Now I know why my mailbox used to get hit.  On the job frustrations.  Nice pictures and story Killie.

[Fritz]

Your words lead to deep thoughts.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts and pictures.

[Whip]

Another enchanting story Kathy.  You've taken a mundane day at work and turned it into an adventure!  Thank you!