Kim's Deer

I had a private land doe tag to fill, and my season ends tomorrow. The deer have been late coming down this year because of a belated Fall. Between Mike's elk hunting and Vanessa's (a girl from our church) wedding, things have been kind of busy around here. Mike told me today was the day to get my deer. He was helping Nathan on his new log home and promised to be home in time to take me to Earl's land to hunt this evening. This afternoon, when I got home from running errands, there were 2 little bucks in the yard, but no does. Just before Mike was to arrive home, a doe and her fawn jumped our back fence, but I just can't shoot a mother with a baby - no matter what my husband says! Just as Mike was pulling in the drive, another doe - probably 1 1/2 yrs. old was getting ready to jump the fence. Mike arrived just in time to see me shoot the doe from our back deck. She dropped in her tracks! (I know, I know, not exactly the challenge of a lifetime, but it is meat in the freezer.) Here are a couple of pictures of my me and my deer.

Unit 61 Elk Hunt

Well, my elk hunt ended yesterday. I had a great hunt, however it didn't end as I had hoped. I saw somewhere around 5 to 6 hundred elk probably 40 to 50 of those where bulls. Up until yesterday I had passed up shots at numerous bulls anywhere else in the state I would have been shooting. My heart was set on a big 6x6 I had seen before season. About midweek a buck hunter spotted the bull I was looking for. So the chase was on the next four days I spent chasing that bull. When I was on top of the mountain, he was in the Canyon and when I was in the canyon he was on top. He was very vocal. He had a deep growling sounding bugle. Friday night I was hunting a ridge he was on the night before, but he started bugling down in the canyon below and of course he didn't come up to that ridge that night. So the next morning, my friend Lance and I (the rest of the hunt I was by myself ) were at the mouth of the canyon before daylight. Right away we could hear the big boy bugling, so the stalk was on. On our way to that herd, we bumped another herd. Luckily they went to the right of the herd we were after and didn't spook them. Several times we where really close. He would bugle and couldn't be more than 70 Yards but it was so thick we couldn't see him. From time to time we would spot cows or small bulls but not the big herd bull. The herd was moving away from us. We kept following, but they were walking away and elk don't walk really slow, so finally we decided to get off to the side and try to run up ahead and get in front of them. So we took off after them. After about 10 minutes of hustling along side of the herd with the wind in our favor, we caught up with the herd. He bugled and we were right in line with him, so I eased up over the rise to try to spot him. I was not at all prepared for what I saw. There must have been 100 elk, at least 12 or more legal bulls, two bulls where fighting 35 yards from us. I was frantically trying to spot the big 6x6 (who would score about 340). He was on the far side of the herd. Elk where moving around everywhere, and it was really hard to spot the elk I wanted. I would just catch glimpses of him thru the trees. I was shooting free hand and he was moving away. The whole heard was getting nervous. I panicked at this point. I was unnerved. I was shaking from head to toe. At the shot, elk started running everywhere. I simply lost focus and with the other shots, shot the wrong bull. The herd ran about 200 yds, and the big bull started bugling again. It was very tempting to go over the next hill and kill the bull of my dreams, but I knew that would be wrong. So I tagged the small 4x4 bull. It was the first time in my life I killed an elk and wasn't thrilled. There were simply way to many elk to make it happen. I had never been that close to that many elk.
The hour it took to cut the meat off the bones, that big bull kept bugling over and over. It was hard to walk away after 7 years of waiting for this tag but I knew I was doing the right thing. There are alot of guys who would have went ahead a killed the big bull and left the small one there, but I can't do something like that. So after 7 days and around 50 miles of hiking up and down rugged country my hunt was over. I am happy to have the wonderful elk meat (you can't eat horns anyway ) but that monster bull will always be in the back of my mind. There are just some hunts you would like to do over. I had a blast and can't wait until next hunting season:) It was just awesome being there enjoying God's great creation. Come on over and we will have some mouth watering elk steaks!

Elk Hunt Update

Well folks - no elk yet. Mike has 3 days of hunting left, so he's still hopeful. So far he's seen nothing big. He has had a little excitement though! When he was hunting on Tuesday morning, he came across a dead elk, meat hanging, horns still there, but not tagged. It must have been killed on Saturday AM because it snowed that night, and there were no tracks around the elk. Mike figures someone was hoping for a bigger one (it was a decent 7x6) and was planning on coming back for that elk if they weren't successful. Anyway, he called Operation Game Thief and took an officer to the spot that afternoon. The officer said it was a "Sampson case" (at least 6 points on one side), and the fine would be $12,000 if they could catch the one who did it. Mike would also get a reward - maybe another tag for Unit 61! Lest any of you think my husband a nark, poaching - especially in a trophy unit - is a enormous NO-NO, not to mention horribly un-sportsmanlike.
Now MY excitement wasn't quite so exciting. The kids and I had planned on staying at camp with Mike until he got his elk, but Monday morning around 3:30AM our RV battery died and we lost all power and heat. It was about 8 degrees outside, and after half an hour it was 8 degrees inside! Katie woke up crying because of the cold, and I knew it was time to load 'em up and move 'em out! The kids and I pulled out at 4AM and arrived home at 6AM. We left home again around 10:00 to get a new battery and top off the propane tank - then back to camp to rescue my freezing husband who was eating frozen food!
More to come...

Mike's Big Elk Hunt Begins!

Mike has waited 7 long years to draw the coveted Unit 61 Elk Tag (a trophy unit for elk here in Colorado!) His season began Saturday, Oct.20th, so we all headed up to set up camp on Friday. Here is the beginning of this great hunt! After his first very strenuous day of hunting, he saw 1 bull (a 5x5), lots of cows, and a really nice mule deer buck, but not the trophy bull he was looking for. We'll head back to camp tomorrow after church. To be continued...

More Fall Pictures of the Kids:)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND!

Tomorrow, October 15th, is a very special day in the Sayler household. It is the day (33 years ago) that James Michael Sayler was born! We love you, honey! You are the best husband and daddy that a family could ever hope for! You are a wonderful provider, a consistent Christian, a great role-model, and the love of my life. I once gave you a card when we were dating. It said "I made a wish, and you came true". It holds true today - you're the man that I prayed for. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday, Amy!!!

Amy Bryant, my dear friend and pastor's wife, turned another year older yesterday! For 4 months of the year we are the same age, but she has once again passed me up:) I love you, Amy!

Autumn in the Rockies!

James and Jodi Randel and family joined us for a Sunday afternoon excursion of picnicking and picturing. We had a wonderful picnic lunch in the crisp autumn air by a rippling mountain stream. Our yummy picnic consisted of BBQ chicken, baked beans, potato salad, slaw salad, tea, pumpkin cookies (and let's not forget the hot cocoa, Chai, and cappucino!) After lunch we began our photo shoot of fantastic Fall colors. It was a great way to continue worshipping our marvelous Creator after a wonderful morning worship service. Thank you,Jodi,for the awesome pictures (she took around 100!) And, yes, we did make it back in time for evening worship at church:)

A Fall Collage

These pictures were taken off our back deck today. It rained here all afternoon, and when the clouds lifted - this is what we saw.

Katie Joy, my Little Lady

Hunter - My Little Cowboy (with a dirty face)

"The Rest of the Story..."

(The cat story that is) Several had asked what happened to our lesson-teaching cat, Molly. I did respond in "Comments", but not everyone might have read that. Because Molly was firm in her refusal to use the kitty litter, we decided that she needed to become an outside cat IMMEDIATELY! So, I took her to the kids' log cabin playhouse (where we feed our other cat), showed her the food, and the lovely accomodations, and left her there hoping that she had been with us long enough to realize that this was home. I did warn Katie that she might not see Molly again. The next morning we went out to check on Molly, but she was nowhere to be found. We called and called and put extra cat food out just in case she was in hiding - this did seem to be the norm for her. Five days later, Mike saw Molly at the end of our lane in a driveway, but she was quickly gone again. Then tonight -1 week later!- I had gone outside around 9:30 when I heard a cat "Meow". I knew it wasn't Cloudy because he was standing in front of me, so I quickly looked to my left, and there, by the woodpile, was Molly. I was shocked! I was happy to see her, but what shocked me more was how happy she was to see me. I sat down, and she climbed and rubbed and licked - I was stunned. Was this the cat who wouldn't let me near her and seemed terrified of me. It seems that we both learned a lesson in trust! That is "the rest of the story".
Now, the rest of the rest of the story is...Since we thought Molly was lost to us, one day this week when we walked out of the store, someone was giving away a kitten. A 7-week old black, female kitten with a white belly and feet. You guessed it! The picture at the top of this blog is our new(est) kitten, Mittens. She is litter-trained, and likes to be held and petted, so she makes a better pet than Molly. I suppose you could say we have received a "double blessing" as far as cats are concerned.
And that, my friends, is...the rest of the story!

Katie's First Deer!

Katie went on a "date" with Daddy last night. They went on a deer hunt - and it was successful! Mike had a private land doe tag, so he and Katie headed off to Uncle Merl's apple orchard. They didn't end up getting a deer in the orchard, but after much vigorous hunting (for Katie anyway - under, over, and through fences and mud!), they spotted a group of deer, and Mike took it with his trusty bow. Good job, Honey! And good job, Katie Joy. We're having venison for dinner tonight. Any takers?:)

And Hunter?

And here's what Hunter was doing while Daddy and Katie were hunting. He said, "Mama, can we make cookies? Pweeeeease?" What mother could resist?! He even had to color the frosting blue because it's Katie's favorite color:)

Pumpkin Pancake Recipe

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

I have told several of you about this yummy Fall recipe! I hope that you enjoy it:)

The Parable of the Cat

I wanted to share a story with you that helped to bring about a turning point for me this week. As you all know, my big brother went to be with Jesus almost 3 weeks ago. As some of you do not know, I have had a really hard time with it. Grief - yes, but at times I also felt myself slipping into depression. I didn't want to see or talk to anyone. I rarely answered my phone. I only did what I absolutely had to do - and had to make myself do that! It was a dark, lonely place, and I wasn't sure how to escape it. But I knew that I really needed to. Enter - the cat...

One of our cats disappeared a while back, and our tom cat, Cloudy, was acting kind of lonely. We also were starting to see more mice around, so we decided to get a new companion for Cloudy. On Wednesday evening, after prayer meeting, we went pick out our new feline of the female persuasion. Mike works with a guy whose wife is cat crazy and has 20-30 cats of all shapes and sizes. "Wonderful", I thought, "We'll get our pick!" After looking them over (which was a challenge in itself, because they were not "house cats" who were used to being held and petted) we decided on an all black, young female who would let Katie and I hold her without trying to tear us in pieces in her attempt to get away. She rode quietly on my lap all the way home, and we decided to name her Molly.

We had decided to keep Molly inside for a couple of days so that she could get used to us and realize that this was her home now. We showed her where the kitty litter, food, and water were, and then I let her down. First mistake! Things had been going fine up until this point, but now Molly was off like a shot - dashing under the furniture for cover. We went to bed, and everyone drifted off to Neverland - except me. I seemed to be the only one who heard Molly's plaintive cries, so I went down periodically to check on her. At this point, she was holed up under the bathroom sink. She didn't eat or drink, or use the kitty litter (although she did go to the bathroom in various places). The next morning, she was no where to be found. It wasn't until afternoon that we found her hiding in a corner behind the dryer. But she refused to come to us, or let us near her at all. That night, I again listened to her lonely cries, and contemplated our options. I mean, how crazy is that! She has the whole house to explore, and she stays secreted away in a small, dark place. She has food and water (and kitty litter - hint, hint!), but she avails herself of none of it! We try to get close, to reassure her of our good intentions. We want to love her, to snuggle her. We want her to be our kitty! But she refuses. Suddenly, I feel like King David when the prophet Nathan got done telling him a story and proclaimed, "Thou art the man!" It felt like the Holy Spirit was showing me plainly, "Thou art the cat!" (Now, at this point, any of you who ever questioned my sanity, have real grounds for concern:)

But this was my turning point. Like the cat, I was holed up in the dark place of grief and isolation while all the time God had a great storehouse of Grace and Love for me to explore. He had made provision for all of my needs - my hurt, my grief, my confusion, my loneliness - but I did not avail myself of any of his provisions. He was there, trying to help and comfort, extending His hand of mercy to me, but I was too afraid. Afraid of what? Who understands better than God the reality of loss, of pain, of death. Who cares more than God about our burdens, our distresses. How crazy was that cat? How crazy was I! But God is so faithful - so loving - so wise. He remembers that we are dust - and sometimes we're dustier than usual.
So, I'm on my way back! I'm on my way out! I'm on my way up! I'm not there, but I'm on my way.
Great is thy faithfulness - thy mercies are new every morning!

Tag, I'm It!

I've just been tagged by Jodi and Wilma to tell 7 random things about myself. (Even though I was tagged twice, I'm not going to bore you with 14 things;) Then, I'm supposed to tag 7 other people. So here goes (keeping in mind it's after midnight here...)

1) Before being married, I was a night owl. (Now I am only if I can't get my brain to shut down, i.e. TONIGHT!
2) I was born 16 days late - thus beginning an unfortunate trend:(
3) I have a husband, son, and brother with the name Michael.
4) I have lived in 6 different states - NY, OH, AK, IN, MO, and CO!
5) I learned to tie my shoes (NOT Velcro them:) when I was barely 4 years old.
6) I have had 6 surgeries on my right ear.
7) My favorite dessert is CHEESECAKE!

I now tag - YIKES - most of you have already been tagged! Well, here are a few who haven't responded yet - sorry girls/guy...
Kim Marshall, Sherilyn Bozone, Amy Bryant, Connie Downer, Chris/Esther Hilling, Heidi Echols, Lyndi Weingard.
ON YOUR MARK - GET SET - GO!!!

Welcome, Autumn!

Here are a few "Autumn" pictures. Today is a cool 60 degrees, so it felt like a good baking day to me. While the kids were outside "decorating" their log cabin with mud and rocks, I baked up a batch of whole wheat cinnamon rolls. The top row is the rolls and the kids enjoying them inside their cabin. The second row is Katie and Hunter dressed for church on the 1st official day of Autumn. And the bottom is 1)cucumber boats the kids made for a craft project 2)Katie's Corner where her school papers get hung daily 3)the mountain (Lamborn) behind the house got its first snow early this morning! Fall is definitely in the air here in Colorado!

A Fantasic Fall Recipe!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Goodbye for Now, Grandpa!

Edward Haynes, Mike's Grandpa, went to join Jesus, his wife, his son, and my brother today. Grandpa had a peaceful passing at 8:20AM this morning at the hospital in Moberly, MO. He was greatly loved and will be missed by all who knew him. He didn't like to fish, but always took Mike fishing as a boy. He didn't like to hunt, but after Mike shot his first turkey at the age of 12, Grandpa wore a feather from that turkey in his hat for years! After Katie was born and we would visit Missouri, he would watch and wait by the window until we arrived with his first great-grandbaby. Heaven just keeps getting sweeter and sweeter! Goodbye for now, Grandpa, but not for long!