I got up rested and ready for the day. I was out the door in good order, without stressing over things. I drove easily over to Wilderstead to do fall chores and spend the day quietly.
I arrived at the cabin about noon and made myself some lunch. Then I decided to shoot a bit. Through the generosity of a friend, I am now the proud owner of a 12-gauge shotgun and a .22 rifle. Now, I'm not unfamiliar with guns, but I shoot every 3-4 years, usually at a summer camp range, so I thought it would be important to just get used to these babies. Sight them in a little bit.
I didn't have any targets, but I set up a couple of billets of stovewood and a board against the hillside and I stepped back 15 paces (about 60 feet). I hadn't shot a 12-gauge since I was about 14, so I was a little nervous. My first shotgun slug seemed to go high, but then I was standing a little downhill, so I aimed low on successive shots. I hit the wood eight out of ten shots, within a grouping about 6-7 inches high and 3 1/2 inches wide. Then I moved up to 50 feet and switched to the .22. Dropped the first bullet in the grass and lost it; with the other nine, I hit the target(s) seven out of nine times, in a similar grouping to the shotgun slugs. Not bad for a rank amateur.
The day was opening up sunny and warm. It was a good day to dig. So the next thing I did was dig for a couple of hours. I'm leveling a site for my instant tractor shed, and I got a fair bit of it done. It felt good to move big muscles and get tired. Every time I rested and looked up, the day was prettier. All the colors were soft and perfect. Every tree and bush stood out distinctly but in harmony with everything else. It was so quiet.
When I finally felt I could do no more on the shed site, I turned to fall chores. I cleaned the potty and readied it for winter. I drained the water supply tank and put it in the back of the truck to bring home for the winter. Put up a couple of candle sconces in the cabin, swept the place out, did the dishes, and walked a bit on the farther side of the creek. Then I locked up and headed for home.
Just finished making a mess of leftovers hash (ham, turkey, root veggies, dressing cubes, fresh rosemary, pink peppercorns, salt, and pepper). Tasty, though I've decided that pink peppercorns are a bit harsh. Now for a nice, quiet evening at home with Deanne. Altogether, it has been a sabbath for me. O day of rest and gladness!
Happy Thanksgiving to everybody.