Crazy2b Adventures and OrdealsA beautiful day for a fire in the backyard. The weather today is absolutely beautiful, hovering around +4°C, and there’s a refreshing warmth in the air. The snow is beginning to melt, slowly revealing patches of grass beneath, which is a sure sign that spring might finally be on its way. It’s such a peaceful moment, with the sun shining down and the sounds of nature starting to return. The promise of brighter, warmer days ahead is definitely in the air.
With a heat warning in effect, we decided to take the opportunity to go camping for a few days. After some minor brake repairs on my quad, we packed up and headed out west of Caroline. We set up camp late Monday and enjoyed a few drinks around the fire.
The next morning, we started a campfire and enjoyed our coffee with Baileys. Later, we packed some snacks and beers and hit the trails. The heat became too much for Swiffer, so we decided to head back to camp. On the way, I accidentally rolled my quad into a mud hole. Frustrated, we returned to camp to grab some dry clothes.
To get cleaned up, we headed to the river for a refreshing skinny dip. Despite the chilly water, it felt great to get cleaned up. After drying off and enjoying a cool beer, we returned to camp. By then, the heat was intense, and Swiffer had enough.
For the next couple of days, we relaxed at camp, soaking in the warmth. On Thursday morning, we decided to pack up and head back to take care of the plants and trees at the acreage. It’s tough to take off for a few days during such a heatwave!
This week, I happened to be on standby, so I decided to use some company fuel and head north to one of our sites to pick up more spruce trees. With Turd in the passenger seat, we set off. Despite a few rain showers along the way, we arrived at the station.
I grabbed gloves and a shovel and started digging. Before long, I had 18 little spruce trees loaded in the back of the company truck. We headed back home to plant them in their new home. It was a quick but successful trip.
🌲 Year to date…. 42 🌲
I must feed my addiction!!!!
Trees are planted and the rain hopefully is coming saving me watering 42 new trees and it’s only the 21st of May…
Ahhhh I just remembered I bought some stuff at auction sale in Caroline today, so I guess Turd and I will be heading out west to pick up my goodies from the auction and probably 20 new 🌲
Oh, did I say I’m on holidays for the week??
What else can you do but feed your addiction… so out west I go!! This time to get a few bigger trees but less of them. Only 12, this time!! Large beautiful starter trees for the yard 😎
I have been crazy busy but it is time to start and look after my roses!! Two layers of burlap and then I’m going to fill the rose garden with lots of leaves!! Hope it works!!
Well, I can’t believe it!! The boat has been in the water twice in one week. I mentioned a boat ride to Henry and Steven while they were camped at the Delburne Golf Course and they accepted.
The weather was a little cloudy so nice and warm. Great night for a little cruising, music and chit-chat.
The day started early but boy was it worth it! Picked up Henry around 9:30 and off we went. I was so excited, I missed a corner and ended up in NW Calgary. Oops! After awhile we finally found the old Highway 1A into Cochrane. A quick stop at the liquor store, a driver change and down the 22 we go down to our next destination, Longview. This was Henry’s first interaction with Sophia from the drivers seat. With the looks of his grin, I don’t think he was disappointed. The more he grinned the louder she screamed!!
A quick 2 beer lunch stop in the amazing Longview Saloon and off we go west. Highway 40 just opened 2 weeks earlier, so our timing was perfect. Much to my surprise, not that much traffic for the July 1st weekend.
A few more beer stops, exchanging conversations with all kinds of wonderful peoples. Ha ha some understood and others not so much!! Moving up the road we experienced what I had hoped for so many times travelling this highway. GRIZZLIES!!! WOW SO COOL!! First, a sow and three cubs…
After spending some very incredible moments with the bears it was time to move along. It seemed every time we seen a “Watch for Goats!” sign we seen bears except this time….
Damn, time flies when you’re having fun!! We are so far behind…. Picking up the pace we headed north to the TransCanada 1 and west towards Banff. Before going into Banff, I thought we should check out Lake Minnewanka for a quick beer stop and a little site seeing. Upon doing this, we found the crowds!!! Next stop Banff!
Holy, the people!! Canada Day in Banff was NUTS!!
Time to find a parking spot and find some much needed beer, I mean food!! St. James Gate never disappoints. A very quick bite to eat along with a couple beers and Banff was in the rearview mirror!! I thought Highway 1A back to Cochrane would be the most scenic. Again not much traffic! To top off the night, as we entered into Airdrie… a CHECKSTOP!! Damn, good thing I haven’t been drinking and driving all day!! Of course, they pick us! Then out comes the breathalyzer… quickly doing the math… let’s just say I’m not good at math under press!! Okay, BLOW….ZERO!! WHAT?? YES, best day every! Then the officer decided it was time to chat about cars…OMG are you kidding me? Officer, Henry, has his thumbs over the coffee cup holes that contain a Bud Light!!! Please officer I get it, you are a FORD guy!! You have said it multiple times and you don’t like my car, thats fine ….but please can we go? “Have you tracked the car?” the officer asked. Replying with a sad look on my face, ”My wife won’t let me!” Next question!! I thinking, what the hell is going on? Then he says that I’m probably going to try the car out on the highway to Crossfield cause all the officers are busy at the check stop!! Haha, I laughed cause at this point what else is there to talk about!! I continue to think, please officer….can we go? Good boy, Henry, don’t say a word!! Don’t breath and do not take your thumbs off the death trap!! Ha Ha!! On to the next officers point…. he then asks me if i would ever buy the new mid-engine corvette? I firmly relied ” If I made your wage, Yes I would buy one!!” He simply laughed and thought about the next torturing topic!! After, oh I don’t know, maybe 5 minutes or so, which seemed like an hour…. the officer calmly says “You can go….have a good night!” WOW!! Finally!!!! Slowly and very carefully I entered back into traffic. Cautiously preceding through the intersection full of peace officers. Once completely through the Check Stop. I gave “Sophia” the opportunity to “Bark” and state that she eats “MUSTANGS” for breakfast!!!! Mindfully keeping it below the speed limit of course!!
Here moosey, moosey!
Moose calling…
A little play time during work hours!
Well after Matthew’s success he didn’t really have much interest in the rest of the season. That didn’t stop me from camping, quadding and a little bit of walking with a really sore knee!! First, out to 316 with the trailer for some scouting around Bogey Lake on leased land. The weather has been so nice that the animals aren’t having to move!
Brother, John, came out quite a bit for the scouting of the Leased Land but not much for action.
After about 4 days in 316 it was time to move up to 318 on the north side of the Red Deer river for elk. The nice weather continued through the weekend. Very nice for quadding and sitting around the fire but the animals aren’t having to move. I did see one really nice whitetail buck that didn’t see me but after stopping and thinking about the work to get him out by myself, I calmly watched him walk away. A very smart move at 4 in the afternoon, alone!!
Another season under my belt and still no luck with Elk!! Other than Matthew’s deer being sick it has been another fun, enjoyable and memorable year. I look forward to 2022 and maybe a little more luck. 😔 I know, John has talked about bow season for Elk in 2022. Damn that would be so much warmer for camping!! Let’s hope it all works out and John buys a crossbow😀
Wow another chilly night! Trailer has frozen water again this morning! Okay, enough whining!! Time to have a quick bite to eat, start the truck and head out for the morning hunt. Down to the end of the pasture we go. In the distance we see a few bucks to the west. We then drove out of the farmland and headed west down the blind line into the coulee. Well I’ll be jiggered, there’s two bucks in the same place as they were last year. But as luck would have it, we don’t have permission for that quarter. So we sat there waiting and waiting and waiting for them to make the wrong move. Either to jump one of the fences to the south or to the east where we had permission. 3 o’clock in the afternoon and still no luck! Then a local farmer come along and gave us permission to enter the south coulee. Earlier in the day we seen a nice 4 x 4 muley done there. Low and behold as the farmer walks back up the coulee we begin glassing around again and we spot the 4 x 4. By this time of the day Matthew had enough, no lunch and wind is howling and cold. Matthew’s patience has run out!! He opened the door and he states “ I’m going to get him!” So as I stayed in the truck piercing through my binoculars I watch Matthew sneak up to within 258 yards. I’m talking to myself by this time telling him shoot shoot shoot! But nothing.… Then all of a sudden I glass back and Matthews trying to get closer. Offering a little bit more cover were these great big sandstone rocks which helped a lot. Matthew disappeared around the edge of the rocks so I returned my attention back to the buck. Still talking to myself shoot shoot shoot. Then finally the shot that I’ve been waiting for. Two seconds later down the buck went! Matthew, the new proud owner of a nice 4 x 4 buck, makes his way back to the truck. I couldn’t wipe the smile off his face! It’s been many many many years coming and he finally got the opportunity to do it all by himself. I asked him earlier, before he went after the buck, if he wanted support and he forcibly said no! Oh and shooting a deer at 4 o’clock in the afternoon makes for a long night. Also, the wind hasn’t stop blowing!! It’s still a cold wind straight out of the south. We drag him out of the coulee and back to the farm. We called Henry to come out and operate the tractor (or in this case drink beer) for us as we skin and wash this thing. Obviously taking breaks in between to have a beer by the fire to warm up our fingers. All complete by 9 PM and it’s beer time or should I say bedtime? Oh, have I mentioned the wind?! It’s still blowing!
NOVEMBER 16, 2021
UPDATE ON MATTHEW’S MULE DEER BUCK – IT HAS TESTED POSITIVE FOR CRONIC WASTER DISEASE!!
Oh my God it was cold last night! The water in the trailer froze and the furnace run most of the night -12°C. Then the wind decided that it should blow!! Wow what a chilly day even around the fire. Well time to call it a night and be ready for an early morning tomorrow. Matthew should be here around 6 AM since he’s the one that has the mule deer tag this year not I.
Well I’ve spent the last week getting the trailer ready. I worked hard on Joanne‘s quad making sure it’s ready to go. NOT!! The engine just apparently does not want to work for me!! So it will be staying home. The trailer is all loaded and my quad is all licensed with insurance. Time to head to the farm …. two days prior to the hunting season. If all goes well this weekend maybe a couple beers with the bros!
Well, what a day it turned out to be at the farm, filled with a few (okay, maybe a bit too many) cold beers. It’s definitely one for the books! Sophia, the speed demon, managed to outpace the Garage Queen, and we have video evidence to back it up! Henry’s antics, albeit a bit irresponsible, added a whole lot of spice to the day and made it truly unforgettable.
Now, here’s where the plot thickens: Henry’s wild behavior left him unable to safely operate a vehicle. In stepped Pops, the responsible patriarch, who selflessly offered to chauffeur Henry home in the trusty Beaumont. Yes, you read that right! The Garage Queen got a taste of a different driver’s hands on the wheel.
All in all, it was a day filled with unexpected twists, memorable moments, and a strong sense of camaraderie. Sophia’s victory, Henry’s antics, and Pops’ kindness wrapped up the day in a way that none of us could have predicted, but all of us will remember for a long time to come!
Here is sniplet of the proof….it’s only 6 seconds long but you’ll get the point!!