The Risks We Take

In writing this post, I am well aware that I and my family may forevermore be labeled "Rednecks" by one or more of my friends,  (see this post) but in the interest of historical accuracy, and moreover just to please all my devoted fans who have been wondering where I have been for the past week, it is a risk I am willing to take, and I feel compelled to write and attach photos of our latest escapade - in fact, my fingers are practically unstoppable in their rabid desire to tell the tale . . .

I suppose I must start at the beginning (well almost) For as long as I can remember, my father and brothers have been donning their blaze orange and setting out to hunt - the result being a delicious Sunday dinner of "roast beast" for the rest of us, skillfully prepared by my mom. When I married Tim, he caught on to the trend, and soon enjoyed it as much as the rest.

Fast forward: Last week, we flew out to Utah to join my family on the annual Elk Hunt. Most of the women and children stay in camp and just have a great time being together while most of the men get up before dawn to tromp around in the snow in the hopes of finding and shooting an elk. Here are a few photos of the fun.

Our Little Family

Proof that we really are literate . . .

. . . We even read to our kids.

And, we were technologically advanced enough to listen to General Conference on the truck radio.

Cousins enjoying juice boxes near the fire pit.

Daddy and Sarah

This is the view we get to savor every time we use the latrine - sometimes it can be a little chilly.

Tim, pointing out where he killed his elk (the only one of the trip) - across the valley and many miles of walking and hauling away (it took seven men to pull the elk cart to the truck, plus three of us hauling all their gear - and it still took us 2.5 hours to go 1.5 miles!)

The sunrise view that made the early mornings absolutely worth it!

To all you hunting naysayers out there, I make no apologies. In truth, I really rather enjoy the taste of hunted meat (clarification - not ALL wild meat - I usually don't like deer and definitely despise wild boar), and is it really more humane to eat an animal who has been raised for no other purpose than to be butchered for human consumption than to feast on an animal who, at least, had the chance of survival?