Deer Season and Thanksgiving Week

Yep, we are one week into shotgun season and there's one week to go.  Ben was able to get a big buck last Sunday.  Of course, whenever he gets a deer, it turns our entire evening, and subsequent evenings, on their head.  That night was no different.  After he'd shot it, I went out to help him clean it up and get it into the truck and then weighed at the general store.  His hanging weight was 150 lbs and he looks to be an 11 point buck.  However, we are convinced that the scale was off by 30 lbs so we're calling it an 180 lb. buck.  :-)  After getting him back to the garage and getting him hung up, it was time to clean him off and skin him.  We'd made plans to meet up with members of our Dream Team from this past summer (Rachel, Sarah, and Steven) and then joined us in the garage as Ben and I cut and they watched and chatted.  Eventually they had to leave (sad to say goodbye!) and we were ready to head in and get some dinner (at 10 pm).  On my way to pick up Sarah's gift, I saw the buck's friend wandering in the road, seemingly dazed and confused as he walked the yellow line in the middle of the road.  He eventually jumped to the field across from the TLC.  After some dinner, it was time for bed.

Monday went fairly smoothly.  I did go out with Ben to sit in the blind for a few hours but we didn't see anything.  I had bought a buck tag in the hopes of seeing that same confused buck and get us some more meat.  I was pretty tired by the time the evening rolled around but there was no time for bed.  It was time to cut the deer up into chunks so that we could grind him up into burger.  I don't remember exactly when we started, but we ended around 1:30 am.  We watched 2 1/2 movies through Netflix as we tried to keep our sanity cutting up this huge buck.  Comedies were on the docket as we watched Meet the Fockers, Tommy Boy, and Big Daddy.  Ben M. came over and helped us out some (and the next day remarked at the staff retreat that he couldn't get the image of seeing us in bloody gore out of his head).  After finishing up the deer (1 1/2 buckets full of chunks) and cleaning up the kitchen, it was off to bed.  The next day was our staff retreat and it was going to be hard to stay awake.  However, the never ending fountain soda would be key to staying awake.  The retreat was really good.  Some fun games from Tom and Joel and an archery contest with Kyle kept us energized and it's fun to hear the good natured ribbing that takes place as we go through material.  The state of camp is good, still good, even in this economy.  After the retreat, it was time to chunk up the deer.  A quick trip to Monticello for Thanksgiving groceries and freezer paper/bags, it was time to put together the grinder and get going.  We had a few issues with the grinder which slowed us down and we got down to the last small bowl of deer before it completely quit on us.  By 2 am, it was time to go home and shower up.

The next morning was extremely foggy.  So foggy they cancelled school and the fog didn't lift until noon.  We had a summer camp meeting at 9 am and went in with big drinks because we were dead tired.  Heard some very important and promising news that I don't think is public knowledge yet so I can't say anything but after the meeting, I found myself fired up again for summer camp.  After the meeting, Amie and crew headed out to North Carolina and I found myself in a quiet camp with my thoughts to myself.  A great feeling.  Revitalizing.  And that, my friends, was my week.

Thanksgiving 2012

Thanksgiving 2012 was full of good food, a nap while watching football, and an awesome evening spent playing football with 3 of my nephews-Caleb, Joshua, and Andrew.  After a morning spent feeding and cooking (I thought my stove had gone out but it ended up lighting up), I headed down I-65 towards Darlington.  I-65 wasn't too incredibly busy but mostly full of Illinois drivers.  After arriving and being greeted by an awesome crew of boys, I spent some time chatting with the adults and watching The Lorax with the kids.  Then it was time to eat!

After lunch, it was time to finish watching the movie then turn on football.  Of course, a nap followed soon after.  It'd been a long week before that day with 3 nights ending close to 2 am processing the deer that Ben had shot on Sunday.  I was beat, very tired.  The boys kept asking me to go outside and play with them but that chair was just too comfortable and my stomach was still full of food so I kept putting them off.  After dessert though, it was time to go play some football with them.  However, it was unlike any football I've ever played.  I was the quarterback and I threw to Caleb who would then turn back to me and I had to touch him before he got to the endzone.  Once Joshua and Andrew joined in, it got even crazier.  Joshua was on Caleb's team, being his blocker and Andrew was on my team, helping me "tackle" the others.  After every play, Andrew would want to tell me our strategy and I wish someone would have come out and taken a picture of the scene.  Little Andrew pulling me down to his level so he could lay out his idea for winning.  Most of them went something like this, "First we're going to chase them down to the sandbox.  We're going to throw sand in their hair.  Then we'll take them to the pool and throw them in.  Then we'll take them to the garden and tie them up.  Then we'll get the ball back."  Great strategy Andrew..... :-)  He's hilarious though.  He can say the most inappropriate thing with the cutest smile and you'll end up laughing, even though you should be scolding him.  He's a cutie who I think looks exactly like my brother.

After some football, it was time to say good bye to Mom and Dad and I stuck around for another few hours to hang out with the boys and read them some books.  They went off to bed and I watched some TV with David and Penny.  I left for home and called mom on the way so we could chat while I drove since Forrest's car had no radio.  Overall, it was a good day.  Thankful for so much....but that'll wait for another blog post.

In this uncertain time, take time to think of everything you have.  Remember that we have more than a majority of the world.

Monday Pony Time

After a slow rocky start to the day (Mondays seem to be like that, after working the weekend, I think I'm too spent to do anything), it ended up being a good day that went well into the night with Amie and I still at the barn, playing with and sprucing up our ponies.  After staff meeting, we spent several minutes talking about the issue of a hog farm trying to get a permit to build a 1000+ animal facility less than a mile from us.  Obviously we are very concerned because of the smell and health concerns.  I'm all for agriculture, but keep that farm away!  (Please pray that the zoning permit will not be allowed.  This barn will be directly west of us and as you probably know, most of our wind is from the west.)  Anyways, after feeding we had to pick up a (FAT!) pony from Delphi and then I drove up north past Buffalo to drop off two more horses and pick up another.  By the time I got through all of this (none of which were a part of my plan), it was time to play with the ponies.  I continued to work with Max, our little boy.  The funniest part of the day occurred while I was working with Max on the ground.  He was a little more squirrelly than normal and quicker.  I had just made the comment, "Boy, he's a little fresh today."  Truer words were never spoken as at that moment, he reared up, turned and took off the other way.  I tried my best to hold on but once I got to the end of the rope and my feet had dug into the arena as much as they could, I fell down and let go.  Max ran through where Amie was lunging Nina and she started cracking up as she saw me on the ground laughing as well and shaking my head in disbelief at my prophetic words.  She said that all she heard was me say, "Boy, he's a little fresh today," and then Max was running past her.  :-)  He was a good boy while I rode him though.  We'd taken Flicka and Haddie up top yesterday so that Amie's kids could ride when they got home from school.  Braydn got to ride Haddie for a bit, learning to steer her through obstacles.

After dinner, I headed back to the barn where I lunged and rode Anthony until Amie came back from putting the kids in bed.  She started clipping up Tuni giving him a hunter clip while I pulled Anthony's mane, brushing out his tail and cutting it, and clipping up his face.  After we were done, our ponies looked spiffy!  It was also 10:30 by the time we got everything cleaned up and we headed home.  Good day.  Ready for a day off tomorrow!

Pulling Anthony's Mane

Clipping

Anthony's Tail

Tuni!

Lookin' Good!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Okay, so most people don't go around saying, "Happy Veteran's Day."  I want to pay tribute to all our fighting men and women, active, reserve, and guard, everyone of them who have sacrificed in some way to serve our country.  I think very highly of our military and find it such a noble profession.  If you were to ask me if I were willing to sacrifice myself for my friends and family, I would do so in an instant.  If you were to ask me to do the same for a stranger, I'd probably do it in the heat of the moment but there may be some hesitation.  But our soldiers are risking their lives to protect our lives, to protect our freedoms, and our way of life.....and they've never met you.  They serve our country at the highest level.

Thank you to.........

First off, my dad, Don Hunsberger, who spent almost 20 years in the Indiana National Guard in the medical corp.  He almost made it to retirement but when the kid's lives got more busy, he elected to spend more time with them.

My Grandpa Hunsberger (may he rest in peace) fought in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge and spent the first two years of my dad's life in Europe.  He never talked about his time over there and I only learned of his involvement after he died and we found out the important battles he fought in.  When I carry the American flag for the 4th of July, I think of him as that flag hung in front of his house for years.

My Uncle Tom was drafted during the Vietnam War.  I don't know much other than he didn't make it onto Vietnam soil.  My Uncle Carl was drafted in the Korean War and spent some time there.

My brother David spent 6 (?) years in the Army Reserves.  Half of his unit got called up after the attacks of 9/11 but he did not go.  He will willing to go and I remember being nervous for him to go, but he stayed on U.S. soil.

There's probably more family members that have been a part of the military (I know of some who fought in the Revolutionary War) but I don't know who they are.  But I have a few friends out there.

Michael Kraft, currently serving in the Air Force.  I always thought he was a pretty great guy and then when I found out he was going to officer school, it added a whole other level of respect.  I'm sure he's taking a little bit of camp everywhere he's been stationed.  Currently that's in Montana.  Thanks Mongoose!

Molly Taskey, former barn assistant.  Served with the Navy for a few tours.  I think she's now getting her nursing degree.  Thanks Molly!

Our former camp director, near and dear to our hearts, Dave Wright served in our military and was wounded in his service.  Thanks Dave!!

Former counselor Molly Blankenberger (now Carnahan) married an Air Force man.  I've never met him, but I know Molly and there's sure to be challenges being the spouse of a soldier.  Going wherever he goes and having to stay behind when he goes on duty.  She's in Washington but soon to move overseas.

I know there's more folks out there that I know that are in the military but can't think of them all at this time.  Thank you all for your service, past and present.  We will never forget you.

2016, Obama's America

"Love him or hate him....now you know him."

That's the tag line of 2016, Obama's America.  A very insightful piece on the background of our current president, the possible theory behind his actions, and the potential consequences of another term.  Another term.  He won't be held back by a re-election.  He can unleash all that he wants.  And the world could very well be a scary place after four more years.  And why?  First off, our debt will be astronomical.  We will reach a point where our out of control debt will start to topple us as the world's largest economy.  The effect could be world wide.  Like it or not, while you may think that we should be the strongest, the protector of others, we are.  We are a country unlike any other but those in control are attempting to weaken us, to make us like any other country.  Reducing our nuclear warheads from 5,000 to 1,500 and eventually to 300 while Russia and Iran have no such reduction in their plans.  A nuclear free world is not a peaceful world.  There has to be a monitor, one who has some power to keep others in check.  The muslim nations will be allowed to run amuck and eventually create a United States of Islam.  Sorry but I don't want to live in a world full of extremists with no one to keep them in check because we've been weakened.

A little closer to home though.  Obama's heritage has completely shaped the man he is now (which is obviously true of a lot of us).  However, most of us didn't grow up in an "anti-Colonial" household with mentors who were true card carrying members of the Communist Party or had gone to Harvard to learn under the socialist teaching of a man so extreme that he was kicked out of a Socialistic country and has even gone on to say that he distanced himself from Obama because if anyone found out they were linked, there was no way Obama would have ever been elected.  You don't sit under preachers who preach "God damn America".  (Although I'm not sure if God should bless America or we should bless God).  However, someone did.  And his views, at their very base, are extremely un-American.

He's come out this election looking like a deer that's being hunted.  His words have more anger behind them than the positive words of change in 2008.  Revenge is on his mind, cover ups are happening all around us, and his undermining of his challenger through pictures of Romney in dunce caps and women trying to protect themselves are all painting him as scared, on the run, and fighting for this election.  It's ridiculous.  This amateur does not deserve one more time to "make it right."  He's done nothing of value these past four years.  The economy is no better, jobs are low, handouts are high, our military has a weak Commander in Chief, prices are rising and values are plummeting.  He's a man on the run (I hope!) and I hope we run him out this Tuesday.  I am 100% voting for Romney.  Even though he's Mormon?  Of course!  At first, I was hesitant during the primaries to vote for Romney because the Mormon religion is not mine, it's not my Christianity, and they can be a little weird.  However, what I have seen is a godly man who isn't throwing his religion into the campaign.  He isn't being overtly "Mormon" but a man who's saying what he believes and the politics he believes in.  He believes in small government, giving power to the states, good fiscal responsibility, pro-life, pro-military.  Some folks will not vote for him because he may cut funding to some programs that are close to their heart.  Let me just ask you one thing.  When your budget gets tight and your funds are low, do you not also make hard decisions to cut your spending or choose not to go out to eat or on a vacation because you cannot afford it.  In order to get our country back on track and reduce the ridiculous spending in D.C., there have to be tough decisions.  Romney and Ryan, I believe, are the best people for the job.  Looking at the candidates, they are our comeback team.  Here's my official vote.

Barack be nimble/

Barack be quick/

Barack be history/
November 6th