My Absence...

Sorry I have been silent these past two weeks. I literally HAVE been silent sitting in my peaceful deer blind. I have watched squirrels, birds, a muskrat, two ducks, a mink I think, and many doe. So far deer season has put two deer in the freezer. We just moved back home from deer camp.  That doesn't mean we are done hunting. In fact we are both going back out this afternoon. We moved home to get things ready. Both of our sons are coming to the UP for Thanksgiving! Yay! So excited...

If I don't post before the Holiday I wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving and will catch up next week.

In the meantime, you can revisit last year's deer camp post if you want.

God Bless! I'm thankful for all of you!
~Debi

And I'm thankful for this view

(and the heater in my blind. FYI - no heater fires this year.)

Veterans Day - A Fallen Hero

In honor of Veteran's Day and all the Veterans out there, I would like to repost this.

And Thank You to all of you from the bottom of our hearts.

Davey Warsen

For this posting I want to honor a fallen hero. My family and friends downstate in Michigan, southern Grand Rapids to be exact, have had heavy hearts since the news of the August 16, 2012, passing of 27 year-old Davey Warsen JR, a Navy Seal recently deployed in Afganistan and expected home next month. We've known his father, uncles, aunt, grandmothers, and grandfathers forever. Our families would camp together when we were all kids. And as loved ones passed away - my father at 58, in 1999, and Davey's grandmother, Faith - the good Lord put Faith's wonderful husband, Jay, and my mother together. Davey Warsen was Jay's grandson.

So as you see, we are all affected by this tragedy. The funeral service is today and Governor Snyder has ordered flags to be flown at half mast. Please keep his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers. Our hearts are so heavy at their loss.

Here is an article from mlive.com...

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The family of U.S. Navy SEAL David Warsen, who was killed in an Aug. 16 helicopter crash in Afghanistan, has issued a statement thanking the community for its support – and remembering Warsen as a hero.

Services for Warsen, 27, of Kentwood, are Thursday morning at Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville.

His family - including father David Warsen, stepmother Stephanie Warsen, mother Patricia Frank, stepfather Greg Frank, his brothers, Aaron, Kyle, Ryan and Sam, and his fiancée Karlyn Deveau – released a statement.

“It is with sincere regret that we share the loss of David. He has touched all of our lives as a son, a brother, a fiancé, a friend, and a hero. He was truly devoted to his teammates and country. We want to thank everyone for the kind sentiments and gifts. The support and strength within our community has been extremely well received.

“David had perseverance and determination, which made him excellent at his job. He was always striving to be the best, which made him an outstanding SEAL. David knew it was a difficult and dangerous job, but that never deterred him. He wanted to be a SEAL more than anything else and work with his teammates in the most extreme circumstances. David was quick-witted and sharp. He could bring a smile to your face with a comical phrase or a statement of endearment and character.

“David would want everyone to remember him as a loving son, brother, fiancé and a true friend and warrior who never once questioned his integrity and commitment to his family and country. We want to extend our thoughts and prayers to all those who are fighting and serving our country.”

Warsen, born in Grand Rapids, graduated from East Kentwood High School in 2004. He was a standout on the soccer field, and was strong at any sport he tried. He liked to play pickup basketball with family and friends, camping, weightlifting and fishing on his Uncle John’s boat.

He enlisted on March 10, 2009. He was assigned to a West Coast-based SEAL team in October 2010. Two months later, he deployed to Afghanistan. He was to finish his deployment in about a month.

His awards and decorations include Bronze Star with Valor, Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, Combat Action Ribbon, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, the NATO Service Medal, Expert Rifle Marksmanship Medal and the Expert Pistol Marksmanship Medal.

Click on the links below for more information on Navy Seal David Warsen.

Obituary

The procession from Gerald R. Ford Airport on Monday, August 27, 2012

He and his fiancee were planning a December 9, 2012, wedding

Rain, Rain, Go Away

The UP has been a little gray these past days. We are in-between the colorful leaves that adorned the landscape to waiting for a white blanketed scenery of snow. It can stop raining anytime! Pretty soon we are going to need to get our hammers out and build that ark!

Actually the above pictures were taken this past Tuesday. It was such a wonderful Fall day - sunny and 55 degrees. We knew the weather was going to change, so we went for a long walk.

The milkweed are falling apart. When the breeze passed by, it looked as if it were snowing when the milkweed fuzzies floated all about.

You can still make out a few lingering tamaracks, but since this picture was taken the wind took most of the golden needles down.

We walked past the groomer barn - all ready for winter!

Steve put the new sign up a couple weeks ago.

The dogs enjoyed playing in the tall grass.

And running in the field.

I heard the screeching of birds and kept scanning the trees until I looked in the sky and these two eagles flew overhead.

But it didn't take long for things to change. We've had rain, sleet, snow, and wind.

One day it was so windy the dogs stayed curled up in the straw most of the day and you can see the kennel gate is open.

Ike tried to brave the elements, but soon gave in and went into the kennel.

Steve has been bow hunting and sees deer pretty much every night. But they are either button bucks or does with fawns. He did miss a nice 6 point the other night, but I'll let HIM tell that story as I found out after church this morning that I don't tell it right  :) Ha!

Hope your week ahead is colorful!

~Debi

Cook Us Up a Little Catfish Dinner...

The tamaracks are sporting their golden gowns.

But the weather has been anything but golden.

So much rain and so much water everywhere.

(We have a pond in our front yard. Wouldn't be surprised to see a duck land.)

This is our road to the mailbox.

Before the downpours, Steve was able to clean up 

a LOT of brush on our property down by the river...

...and across from the log cabin. Much easier walking!

The dogs are happy for new area to explore.

We've been staying at the log cabin quite a bit, getting things ready for firearm deer season.

Now, what's with the catfish, Debi?

This past summer, we took Two-Buck Duck out on the St. Mary's River by the Rock Cut.

After 2 1/2 hours of nothing, the catfish began to bite.

Whhhaaaaaat?

We had never caught these guys before and didn't know if they were good eatin' or not.

We kept three and put one back.

We'd give it a try, we said to each other with wrinkled noses.

As you can tell from our expressions, we weren't too thrilled.

Watch those stingers!

(But they sure were fun to catch!)

But whoever we told the catfish story to, said we were crazy to throw any back.

Don't cha know freshwater river catfish are good!

Soooo, with the dreary Fall we've been having, 

I took advantage of having to stay indoors by experimenting with new fish recipes. 

I cooked us up a little catfish dinner the other night.

I dipped these fillets in egg and dredged them through a seasoned coating, then fried the fillets in oil until golden brown.

Yum.

With the other half I made Catfish Parmesan and put it in the oven.

Double Yum.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Either way, those catfish were good!

Can't wait for next summer!

Our oldest son was home downstate last week 

and took this beautiful Fall picture and sent it to me.

It sure looks better than our muddy road!

How gorgeous!