Thankful, We Are

Well, good day to you all. We just returned from our maiden voyage to north eastern Montana for some Thanksgiving Day bird hunting. I hope you all had a splendid Turkey Day and I would like to send out hugs and kisses to family and friends, we miss you all!

Scott and I took another road trip seeking open spaces, birds, grass, doggies, and our Colorado friends. By now, we know this route intimately, as we have driven it 3 times since October. You must drive to get places in Montana, it is just the way it is....and drive far sometimes.

Cheese!

Double POINT!

Bella backing Hank

It doesn't look hilly, but let me tell you.

The cover was amazing.

Pheasant numbers are extremely low in this area.

So we hunted Sharptail Grouse and Huns (aka Grey Partridge) until

the sun went down.

We did scrap up a handfull of roosters.

Brittany Spaniels are starting to take over....

Bella and Cooper

French Brit and American Brit

They were smitten for each other.

Eric w/ Frick and Frack, which they were

referred to, oh so affectionately.

(Hank and Cooper)

American Brits

Eric, Andy, Adrienne, Bisquit, Scott

Today I am thankful for:

1. Jim Buckley, a new friend and generous man...who let us hunt on his land, gave us his maps to use and who went out of his way to help us.

2. Our great friends who drove all the way from Colorado for a visit.

3. That I actually managed to plan a trip, make arrangements for accomodations, score private land access...I am notoriously rotten at this. Yay!

4. When Bella goes on point now, 90% of the time THERE IS A BIRD.

5. My superb husband who is now a gunner and hit all his shots dead on, NICE WORK!

6. My family and friends near and far.

7. That we are busier than a one legged man in a butt kickin' contest.

8. That we can hunt behing a dog that works so hard for birds.

9. That I live in Montana.

10. That hubby gave me my Browning Citori Over/Under shotgun and I love to shoot it.

11. With winter here, our freezer is brimming full of meat that we have harvested or bought locally, that makes me very happy.

There you have it,

and it is in no way a complete list.

So for now, I will retire.

Because tomorrow the excitement happens all over again.

Crack, crack...that's the metalsmithing whip,

I have a bunch of jewels to forge.

Sweet Dreams,

Kristin Kristerson McGillicutty

A Great Trip

We made it home and had an amazing time. The weather was in the mid-50's most days with clear skies and very little wind, just perfect for hunting. We were thrilled to have no rain. Moisture makes these roads turn into what we call "gumbo". And it isn't any joke, we always take chains with us and have had to use them. I really love the landscape in eastern Montana: grass, coulees, Big Sky as far as the eye can see, antelope, more deer than people in this county, cows, Ponderosa Pine, sandstone buttes. We were successful and Scott got a nice White Tail buck, Sam and Steven both got Mule Deer does. Really, Scott and I spent most of our time "deer hiking" in this gorgeous country and weather. I also enjoyed smelling forbes, the dried Yarrow and Sagewort, the vanilla in Ponderosa Pine bark furrows and watching the green moss still growing. When hunting, you have an amazing amount of time trying to be the quietiest while listening and looking. Very little of your time is actually harvesting the animal. I shot once and missed a nice White Tail buck. I will be going to the gun range, as well as, getting some shooting sticks. I know I can shoot, I just buckle under the very intense moments of hunting. But I really do love it, quiet time in the forest with hubby. And the best part, I am getting to be a better hunter. They don't call it GETTING, it makes you hungry and proud all at once.

Enjoy the pictures, click on them for more detail.

sandstone buttes

Wagon Wheel Restaurant:

the whole show is run by two ladies easily in their 70's, a must dine.

This road is CRAZY!

battery operated blender

Steve made us salmon stuffed with Brie and crab,

YUMMY!

The Fletcher Condo goes anywhere.

target practice in the grass:

Brenda and Steven

camoed up

This area was frequented by Teddy Roosevelt in the early 1900's.

Me, Brenda, Scott, Steven, Sam

The Fletchers

Downtown Ekalaka, MT

Geeez, we are busy. So we repacked and did laundry tonight so we could turn around and drive east for Thanksgiving. We are pheasant hunting with some friends from Colorado in Sidney, MT. The trip is our maiden voyage to explore this area and we are excited. I have more prep to do before I am ready including a pumpkin pie, custom jewel orders, work, and a handful of other chores. I guess I will sleep when I die because I may possibly never catch up in this lifetime.

Have a swell Tuesday,

since now we are on to the next day,

or a nice Monday ending, which ever.

Burning the midnight oil as usual,

xoxoxo, KLF

Headin' East

If it isn't packed now, we didn't need it anyway.

I will be out for a few days but will return at weekend's finish

with some tales from the bush.

I got a fancy new puff vest,

just what a girl needs to keep warm....

FEATHERS.

Until later.

Have a splendid day!

Happy hunter,

Kristin

Busy Bee

The $100 question of the day is:

Will I get everything packed, prepped and baked before we leave tomorrow

for Ekalaka?

Mmmm yes, giv 'er heck.

Here are some earrings that I whipped up.

I will list at least a pair today in the shop.

And now to the Jelly

I finally fixed my Pear Apple Jelly.

It only took me three times to get the right consistency.

The third time is the charm and it is OH SO GOOD!

The jelly hoarding will now begin.

The lighter color is from the first batch of jelly.

While it wasn't really runny, I needed thicker jelly.

So I re-processed some of the jelly and it got darker.

Probably more yummy?

Such a pretty fruit, the Pear Apple, grown in town.

I had never even seen these before making them into jelly.

Thanks Martins, for giving us the fruit.

This marks my second batch of jelly and I am hooked:

easy, so delicious, and the steps of canning

tickle my fancy.

I have a bit of work to do...

grocery

bake bread and cookies

pack

list

hurry up.

I hope your day is fantanstic,

KLF

Ski to the Cabin

On Friday night, we packed up the gear in our packs and head for the Haven!

Bella even carries a pack, no free rides in the Fletcher House.

Tonight was the night to bring "Maria", Scott's guitar, to her

new home up Stone Creek.

It is so amazing in the cabin with our new LED lights.

Happy Husband on the plank between the master and guest lofts.

Everybody relaxes.

Tunes for the family.

Great acoustics in here, by the way!

Superb Cast Iron Stove

Slushy green snow cocktails.

Steamed Clams & Toasted Bread topped with Boursin Cheese:

all cooked on the stove :)

Livin' the dream.

BB in our wood trim:

Re-finished Rustic Barnwood Trim

New lights installed for safe night walking of

THE PLANK.

Do we really have to ski out?

Our little Stone Creek:

that flows year around,

home to many-a-trout,

heard from the cabin,

and home to the Haven!

I hope you all had a splendid weekend.

Our was fabulous.

Now to a short work week and then

packing, cooking, hunting.....

in Eastern Montana for deer

with the Fletchers.

Until then...

jelly, cookies and zucchini bread.

Pretty ambitious.

Feeling Lucky and Blessed,

xoxox Kristin

Happy Bluebird Friday!

Well, we all made it through another week.

It is just amazing here today, we got about 20" of new snow in town. Two feet EASY in the mountains. But today the sun is shining over a blanket of sparkling snow.

All the trees are covered in snow.

No wind whatsoever.

We are planning to x-country ski into the cabin this evening to spend the night.

I can't wait. Good thing we stocked wood in the trap door. The wood will be nice and dry and it's split for burning. I will post details of our adventure.

What are you doing this weekend?

With love,

Kristin

Look What We Got!

10+ inches of snow

AND

new earrings

First the snow....

what a suprise, when we had nothing yesterday.

This is our backyard and the wires are weighted from all the fluff stuff!

Oh so pretty, that's our Aspen tree!

And the snow is still steadily falling.

Bella eats snow, she's in the act now :)

And new earrings!

Sterling silver, light wieght and O so CHIC!

I plan to list these in the shop about lunch.

Looks like I am wearing my Muck Boots to work today, and promptly heading to the tire store for new snow tires. Ouch!

I hope your day is going swell!

Snowily,

xoxo Bisquit

Welcome To My Haven

Hello, and welcome to my blog. I have pondered this for a long time to decide that NOW is the time to begin. I hope you enjoy.

Let's start with the basics:

Scott, my husband....4 years of marriage, 10 years of life.

Bella, our French Brittany Spaniel, who is 5 yrs. old and a pointer.

Noche, the cat, who is a hunter and defender of our yard and house. Check out those ears from fighting, he has roots at the Indian Reservation near Glacier National Park where he learned his fighting tactics.

This is our newly built cabin, EEEEE! We are enjoying our first weekend there with a new wood stove. Oh goody!

AMETHYST AND STERLING RING

I really enjoy creating pieces and pulling inspiration from life. I started making jewelry in 1996, evolving from simple beading to metalsmithing all my pieces.

Now you know a bit about me, it is a pleasure to be here.

Thank you to all the past and present Veterans, we appreciate what you do!

To you especially, SJF

Happy day off if you work for the government or a bank!

Smitten,

xoxo Kristin