According to the Minnesota DNR the 2023 firearms deer hunting harvest was about 7% lower than in 2022. The muzzleloader season began on November 25th and runs through Dec. 10th. The archery deer season runs through the end of December.
I have been having a hard time keeping up with my feeders this year. It seems as if I fill one feeder and it is empty by the next morning. The sparrows are flocked up and when they roll in it reminds me of when I was a kid and would watch Tarzan and Jungle Jim after school on the old black and white Zenith TV. Once in a while, some evil hunter would fall into the river and get attacked by a crocodile or piranhas. The water would boil and soon there would be nothing left but bones. Yes, these shows were designed for kids.
Tarzan the Ape Man starred Johnny Weissmuller as the King of The Jungle. Weissmuller was a former Olympic Champion swimmer. I always loved these shows as a kid, and I guess Cheeta the chimp was a favorite because he was funny. Before we had television, I would go over to my Aunt Ruby and Uncle Harvey’s house, which was next door, and watch these shows. Some days I could go over to our other neighbor’s house and watch TV through the window. They wouldn’t let me come in and watch TV, but allowed me to stand outside and look through the window. When my friend Sandee’s mother wanted me to leave, she would come into the room and draw the blinds. I was no child prodigy, but I could tell when I had worn out my welcome.
Now is the time of year when folks are decorating for the upcoming Christmas season, one of the local radio stations is already playing Christmas music, which should put folks in the spirit of the season. I know of a couple of people who actually dislike Christmas music. Thankfully, I am not one of them. I actually find the music relaxing and nostalgic at the same time. Maybe that stems from growing up in a home that put family and what Christmas was all about first. Kids always look forward to Christmas and expectations to opening gifts on Christmas morn. Unfortunately, some children in our area aren’t so lucky, and they just hope to find one gift to open on Christmas morning. I find that buying a couple of gifts, one for a boy and one for a girl, might help make someone’s Christmas a little better.
It is not December quite yet, so it’s not officially the opening of lutefisk season. I hope that we are healthy enough to have our annual lefse making day. We usually have it at my sister, Judy’s, house and she always makes good treats for the lefse makers. Over the years we have had plenty of helpers at the gathering. My youngest grandson, Grant, helped us one year and he put us to shame, rolling perfectly round ones. Mine usually end up in the shape of the state of Minnesota. Judy’s granddaughter, Lexi, also helped for one or two years. Over the years there have been many helpers, but the one constant has been me and Judy. I will write a Christmas column when it starts getting closer.
Until next time: If you get a chance to donate some money to a food shelf or buy a gift of toys or winter clothing. I can guarantee that it will give you a warm feeling to know that you are making someone’s Christmas a little better.
Please show your support for the troops that are serving our country today. These servicemen and women are making that sacrifice, so that we may have the many freedoms that we enjoy today.