Bowhunter's Success at Timber Life

This year the property owners of the area adjacent to Timber Life have made an alliance in an attempt to take control of outsiders hunting without permission.


Before bowhunting started we  granted permission to a young man named Mason Loftus, referred to us by a mutual friend ; he also has a working relationship with a neighbor to the East. Mason placed a stand for the Deer Bowhunting season in a secluded part of the timber where a couple of properties are within view of a common fenceline.


Sunday, November 15th ,Mason gave us a call to let us know he was going to be coming out , a request we made when we agreed to let him hunt. It helps us to know who will be where and when.


In the late afternoon Mason came to the house to show us what he shot to fill his doe tag. Before it gets to be ancient news I wanted to  Congratulate him on his harvest. We are hoping that he will return to fill his buck tag come the next Bow Season.... I am hoping he will write his own account of his experiences to post here in the future. ;)

Noah Biorkman Update

I would like to thank all of you who added a Christmas Card for Noah... The concerted effort brought  a million cards to Noah's family within a short amount of time.


Sadly, not long after the outpouring of  generosity of the readers on the World Wide Web, little Noah Biorkman was taken to heaven. God took his child to be with him on November 23,2009.


Now that Noah is gone, his parents have requested bloggers and Facebook posters to ask that the cards and gifts stop. They appreciated the effort to make his requesr a reality .


If you would still like to honor Noah, his mother has asked  that you direct your memorials to the hospital and charity that worked to care for Noah's medical and social needs in his days as a patient.


Please send donations to the following:


Department of Pediatrics and Oncology
University of Michigan
1500 East Medical Center Drive
D4202MPB
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-5718
Checks payable to: The University of Michigan – Noah’s Pediatric Oncology Fund




OR


Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan
230 Huron View Blvd.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48103
Checks payable to: Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan – Memo: Noah Biorkman

Dancing Eagles

Saturday brought some nice temperatures for spending time outside in the last days of November.

We have been gifted with seeing Bald Eagles using our vicinity as a feeding area for the last 17 years. Sightings are becoming more numerous and we have come to believe they may have set-up a nesting site not far away.

Friday morning I caught a single raptor sitting in a cottonwood after seeing two adults at tree top level on several occassions, as Hubby & me continue working on our Timber Life Lodge.

It never loses its AWE power when we see a creature God speaks of in his scripture. One of my favorties -

Isaiah 40:31. But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk, and not faint....

We listened and watched for the sounds and sighting of the eagles that had shown themselves the last little while. First seeing one, then another,eventually we saw 2 adults and two immature younsters darting and circling together enjoying the warm thermals above.

The adult to the right, left the dance earlier than the others to seek new territory to enjoy while the daylight still allowed for exploration....

Climate Change Development

It has been brought to my attention that a break in the untruths of the "Climate Change" theory have been exposed.


We all have opinions about the facts that were more or less being pushed forward as truth. However, all we needed to do is go outside in our seasons to know what they were trying to convince us as being global warming was bogus.


This video reveals some information that has yet to be completely sorted through but could be earth shaking if what is being insinuated remains true. That only a handful of scientists were manipulating environmental data to form false results and the world was going to be taxed to fulfill an agenda.



Questions at this early date that I have -

1.Will we still be passing the Cap and Trade bill in Congress?

2.Will our energy costs still skyrocket ?

3.Will our environmentalists allow more domestic oil to be pumped so we

   can become less dependent on foreign oil?

.All I know is that through the ages the earth passes through warm and cool  cycles ,as recorded by the earth istself in it's geological structures....Why would we think that would change? 

Ah, a lot of questions which only time will reveal what the next developments could be... ;)

Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving is around the corner and as a woman who takes responsibilty for trying to make sure the holiday doesn't go by without the family having Turkey I bought one at the store.

Fall Wild Turkey season started here in Iowa on October 12th. I haven't bought a license,but have put some turkeys to flight when I interupted their soybean field dining experiences when driving into the otherside of our property. They get startled and take flight into the trees or run and hide in the high weeds.

Those old birds always find their way to the properties around us once the crops are out of the field  until after the season passes. My only draw back is that I limit myself to a "landowners tag"...It never fails, a few days after  Shotgun Deer starts and Turkey season ends they come back to wander the ravine just south of my house.

Not to worry though - this year as in the past my hunting mentor Merlin Klaas came through with a good looking  turkey for our holiday. He saw him feeding on some turnips planted in a food plot  to the East of our timber , getting his shotgun it only took one shot before the longbeard took an unexpected ride to my house.

The Tom had a beard measuring eleven inches and dressed out at 12 lbs.

It is my understanding that some people just use the breast meat, but here at Timber Life we consume the legs and edible organ meat as well. I have learned to cook the turkey in about an inch of chicken broth in the bottom of a covered pan, in a slow oven of 325 degrees. Checking frequently to see if the meat needs basted.

Grandchildren  Nick, and Alexa came to visit me that Friday,when their High School football team went to the State play-offs, so they got to witness the bird being cleaned. While Merlin was processing the bird I asked Nick when were we going to eat it. His answer was "for  Thanksgiving."

Nothing like having a Wild Turkey to serve up and thank God for the bounty he has set forth in nature.....;)

Christmas Cards for Noah Biorkman

This time of year brings us to Celebrations that bring joy and happiness when we share it with family. I would like to be apart of helping this little boy in getting one last wish...

In my travels on the internet a story of a 5 year old boy has come to my attention. His name is Noah Biorkman, he lives in Michigan. The last 2 1/2 years he has been treated for a cancer called neuroblastoma which his family now believes may take him before Christmas this year.




A request by Noah's family has gone out far and wide...One last request Noah has made is to receive bunches of Christmas cards for what could be his last celebration.

This weekend his family will be sharing Christmas with him because his illness may not allow him to be here later.

If you would like to join in helping give Noah a lot of cards here is an updated address.

Noah Biorkman
C/O Scott Biorkman
3840 Petroskey Way
Milford,MI 48380

Eureka LadyBug Sleeping Bag

In June I entered a drawing over at The Hunter's Wife.

Jody at The Hunter's Wife was sponsored by The Eureka Camping Tent Co. for the drawing, to celebrate the National Great Outdoors Month, and The Great American Backyard Campout.

I  had the opportunity to use the little sleeping bag this summer when my granddaughters came to spend the night on two different occassions.

Pictured above is oldest granddaughter in July  - she had a favorable opinion of the little Eureka Ladybug sleeping bag. She started out on the couch snuggled in the sleeping bag with her favorite blankie and stuffed animal, eventually ending up on the floor,still snuggled in the sleeping bag. When she woke up she said that she  found it comfy - cushy.

Youngest granddaughter came in August,she didn't spend all night in the sleeping bag. Changing her sleeping location from one room to another without Grandma knowing, leaving the sleeping bag in the original spot. So, to this point  she doesn't have a review to share.

Once again I would like to thank Jody and the Eureka Camping Tent Co. for having the drawing and providing a fantastic product. ;)

Disclaimer: In accordance with a new law being implemented soon, I would like to let it be known that in no way am I receiving financial reward for sharing my opinion or to use the product.

Hello All

I just wanted to drop by and let you all know that I haven't forgotten about you...

There are a lot of blogpost ideas that haven't gotten put to paper . Who knows they may not see the end of a pencil, or the screen of a computer.

My focus seems to be trying to knit neck scarves for my Grandkids, and to do what I can to get our new home enclosed before the snow starts to fly.




We started moving dirt for our home on July 20th

Hubby and I have  made great strides in our work towards the goal. We were able to get the first round of plywood put up in a couple days this past weekend. He tacked it on and I went back later and nailed it down.

We had help one Saturday from a friend of Hubby's a couple weeks ago and when we couldn't get the southwest section of wall raised by ourselves we called our son for five minutes to help. Otherwise after we got the dirtwork leveled everything that has been done has been accomplished by the Timber Life construction crew.

The house is going to be earth bermed when we are all done. Drainage tubes, pea gravel, dimple board to protect the surfaces that will be underground and then fill dirt to top it off.




We are working to get it enclosed before the weather takes a serious turn towards winter.

The projected occupation date will be by April 2010...Things may not all be finished but it will be far enough along to provide a place to sleep, cook and do dishes.

When we began working on our building plan I was concerned with good spots for Christmas Tree locations and I found several...As Christmas draws closer I will share them with you.

I'm glad to get to stop by and let you know what has been happening here in the backcountry of Iowa at Timber Life.;)

My Bass Pro Shops Gift Card Choices

The other day I spoke of my Hubby's decision to entertain my interest in gaining some "Stuff" for my outdoor activities. He gave me a very nice birthday card with a magnificent Whitetail Buck on the front. (who knows maybe the only one I will get up close and personal with this year...) In addition, a gift card to a positively huge sportsmans supply store just down the road about a half an hour.


I want to share the "Stuff" purchased with my gift card this time around. There were so many things I wanted, so I prioritized a list. The Thermacell had been recommended to me by Arthur,at Simply Outdoors,over a year ago when I talked about being attacked by mosquitoes everytime I walk outside in the summer. SimplyOutdoors said...

I've never berry hunted before, but sounds like a good time. You should try a thermacell to keep those mosquitos away. They even make a cool pouch so you can carry it along with you.

June 26, 2008 10:12 AM

I'll be giving the portable mosquito fogger a workout next summer for sure, but with the temps still being pretty warm it might get to work sooner.

As you can see I bought a Knight & Hale
Soft Grunter, a new tool in my arsenal to get the bucks to come closer.

It wasn't long after I got home I had the call out giving it a try to see what kind of sound it would make. I am going to have to listen to some expert callers to see what pattern of calling they use under what circumstances.

The only thing we didn't  do  this time was eat at  Uncle Buck's Fishbowl and Grill. We checked to see how long the wait would be...When we found out it would be an hour and a half until we were seated, it was a joint decision to seek an alternate eating establishment on this occassion. The next time we know we should put our names on the seating list before we begin shopping, to get everything accomplished while we are there.

Other excursions are planned so we can capitalize on all the offerrings made by our local Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World... ;)

Birthday Celebration

The clock reads 6:32 A.M., the calendar says September 21,2009, that makes me 52 years 37 minutes old... Friday, when Hubby and I were working on assembling a section of wall for our house/lodge, I played "100 Questions" to see if I could narrow down what he had planned for my birthday celebration. I asked about three different scenarios...A visit to Bass Pro Shops in Altoona was among them. Silly man ! He always gives himself away when I guess what he has planned. He gets a grin on his face, can't look me straight in the eye, and this time he turned his back to me to hide any further facial expression confirmations. He wouldn't verbally say at that point which one since he still wanted it to be a surprise. His comment when he turned away was that I hadn't been wrong about one of the guesses. Bass Pro Shops got the biggest reaction... ;) After 34 years of marriage you get to know how the other person thinks even if they don't think they are that transparent. Late Sunday afternoon I made my second visit to the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. This time I got into the picture to record my visit. I kind of blend into the surroundings because of my apparel color choices.

Congratulations Sara and Brian!

Saturday, August 29th,2009, turned out to be what you would call "A picture perfect day in Central Iowa". After what seemed a whirlwind courtship,click here to read about the two young people who decided it was time for them to make a life long committment before God, family and friends. Fellow Blogger, my niece Sara Butcher, of Warrior Princess Dream followed her heart down the aisle at the Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp Chapel, Story City,IA. Where Brian, her husband had been an employee of the camp in a multi-tasking position. It was a very peaceful and welcoming setting for the beginning of the next phase of their life together.

I would like to present Mr. Brian and Sara Burrier and wish them many years of wedded happiness. Congratulations!.. ;)

My Deer Food Plots are Growing

At the Iowa Deer Classic 2008,I had the opportunity to visit with representatives of several companies that provide their own seed blends for us to plant to provide increased nutrition for the deer we hunt. The company I chose is WHITETAIL INSTITUTE , because they provided small seed packets that plant 10'x 10' plots. In my need to know, I wanted to see what blend the deer in my neighborhood would show the most interest in eating. I have planted 6 of 7 packets I received. Last summer I staked out my plots and used my brushcutter/weedwhacker to keep the surface clean of weeds and grass. This summer I was able to get the ground tilled, fertilizer and lime added. The plots sat for several months so I could follow the suggested Fall planting schedule since I missed the Spring deadlines. I applied a quick lime since I didn't have a full season to let the regular lime sit and become an active ingredient immediately to make a difference in the health of the crop. The NO PLOW packet is the last one I have left to do...I am working on an area right off the yard, south of the new house we are building. I want to be able to watch the deer from the kitchen sink, patio, family and utility rooms. I plan to spend a lot of time in the family room in the winter since that is where the fireplace will be...NO television, but sitting arrangements strategically placed for enjoying the views,reading, or knitting. When I cultivated my present little plots, I didn't take into account the lack of windows I will have facing in that direction. Now,I will need to get my trail cameras working to catch whatever deer traffic passes by these little tasty treats. Pondering my dilemma, I mentioned it to hubby, and he said we could plant a big deer plot in the pasture to the West of our house if I wanted to next year. It was definitely a surprise to me! A much welcomed chance to see what kind of animals we have wandering the timber through the summer... ;) Next Post : Deer Plot Progress