Calamity Jane

[Calamity Jane]

One more trip to Walmart and I'll be ready for my hunt. My brother and I set another deer stand today.

I've watched a good hour of Utube videos of how to field dress a deer and I've googled images of deer anatomy.

I can't post the link to the best field dressing video because I'm sure it would be against forum rules...something about no pictures of dead animals....anyway you can find THE BEST video of field dressing a deer at KYAfield.com. Those Kentucky boys know how to get it done!

I'm thinking about hunting from my practice stand on Saturday morning. The hubby and the kids will be up at the house not too far away.

I'm not sure how Dave is going to feel about me shooting the doe he likes watching outside his office window. We have a ground hog that he likes to watch outside his window and the other day the hog was out grazing on some grass. I eased myself up to the upstairs window and gently cracked it open enough for a shot gun to make it's way through. I then went downstairs and asked Dave if I could shoot the ground hog. He said, "NO!" He then asked why I wanted to shoot it. I simply said "practice". He wasn't amused. Ground hogs make holes around our property! I grew up watching my Dad pop ground hogs from a cracked open window. I don't know why the hubby has to be such a party popper.

You may be wondering why I asked for permission. Well...I've only shot one animal in my entire life and that was a opossum. It was diseased and getting into my horse's feed which could be dangerous for my horse. One day I saw it, tried to hit it with the car and missed ...so I drove straight to the house...got my STI limited gun and a mag...went back and shot it dead with one shot...I took another shot just to be sure. My hubby was painting an upstairs bedroom and heard the gun shots and it freaked him out! He didn't know who was shooting or why. I nearly gave him a heart attack. It was after that incident I had to promise to let him do all the varmit shooting and I wasn't allowed to shoot any more animals without his permission.

It's going to be an interesting weekend.

[DMS42]

Yep, unannounced and unanticipated gunfire around the homestead can have unknown and undesirous affects on those that aren't in the know.

Have fun with your hunting.

edited cause I still can't spell.

Edited November 14, 2008 by DMS42

[pierce195]

Good luck deer hunting and you will be true hunter after your first kill and field dressing. Its great to have meat provided by your hunt for the family. You will truely enjoy it.

Also I may have missed it before, but I saw the Shooting USA with you on it this week.

[kgunz11]

Just returned from my trip to Kentucky. It was a pretty decent week, saw lots of game and filled the cooler up with venison. Unfortunately I didn't see horns worthy of harvesting but there is always next time!

Good luck in your pursuit of game Jane, let me know if you harvest one and I can give you some prep and culinary tips that will make a huge difference in how you enjoy your venison.

[Calamity Jane]

Deer Update

I went to my practice stand on Saturday morning. I sat in a steady rain and my rain gear had total failure. Once I got wet...that was it. I think my experience on Saturday was excellent practice. It's made me more confident. I think I'm ready to stalk to my REAL deer stand where I know there are deer lurking. I'm hoping to get out there this week. I've done my work with preparation...now it will be up to circumstance and good fortune to get my deer.

Riley Match Today

We had our last match at Riley today (WVPPS). It was COLD!! BRRRR! The funniest thing happened to me. I'm on a lay off so I haven't touched the gun since our last Riley match a month ago. I get my inner belt to put it on...and I can't remember the way I like to fasten it on my body. I do it the same way each time...and I can't remember how It was bizarre! Then I go to the safe table and put on my gun. As I'm walking back to the car the gun feels so WEIRD in the holster next to my body! It gets better. I shoot the entire match and then on the LAST stage I realize I haven't put the shooting glove on my left hand!!! I knew I didn't have very good control of the gun, and I was feeling my fingernails being pushed into my left palm....but it never occured to me that I didn't have my glove on until the very last stage. My brain is certainly on LAY OFF mode.

I'm pleased that this season is over. I'm looking forward to 2009.

My goals for 2009:

Show Up

Shut Up

Shoot

That's it. I'm even going to make a hat that says it. My husband and many that know me don't believe that I can shut up BUT I am going to make every effort to do so. There's some other stuff that I'm going to work on in 2009...but the heart of it is SSS.

Once deer season is over, I'm going to wrap up the summary of this year, share my goals for 2009, and then probably put this diary to bed.

[Calamity Jane]

I got a call at work from my brother around 1230 telling me he shot a buck and he was taking it to my house to field dress. I told him to wait for me I was leaving work and would be there in an hour to help him.

Come to find out...he shot this buck from the deer stand he and I set up last week. We thought that was going to be a good spot...and it was.

I helped him field dress it since I'm a UTUBE expert deer field dresser

I learned today that I can dress a deer by myself it I need to. I'm ready....going hunting this weekend.

[Chris Conley]

Best of luck to you and be safe.

Chris C.

[Calamity Jane]

Went out for real thing this morning. The moon and stars were beautiful. Stalking into the woods at night is my most favorite thing about hunting. I had little hope of getting to my stand without being heard. There was hardly any wind and even I could hear every sound made in the woods....dogs barking miles away, the owl screeching, the rooster crowing. It was pretty cool.

As I was stalking across a frosted pasture a deer (I assume a buck) snorted at me...3 times! The first snort, I stopped, I thought I've been busted, so I waited and then took a few more steps and then I heard the second snort. Clearly this guy was ticked off. I waited a minute and then tried to take 4 more steps...the third snort was more distant and from more behind me. I wanted to call my brother on my cell phone and ask, "OK I'm in the middle of a pasture and a buck is snorting at me. I think I'm pinned down...what do I do?" Instead I put my .38 special in my hand and the shot gun in the other to comfort me I had visions of being a victum of deer violence...after all I was draging a scent rag behind me.

I did a good job getting to my stand without getting hot. I got up there and settled in.

Sat there 2 hours in the cold and then I had quite a surprise. A young buck STALKED ME! I was just sitting there and he walked right by me in the pasture I was facing. My deer stand is at the edge of a woods. I'm sitting facing the pasture, but I have woods behind me that gives me many shots if the deer are there. At first I thought this young buck was a big doe, so I'm looking behind to find the buck. Then I see that he has some antlers (small). He stops 15 yards in front of me (a perfect shot for me from where I am at) puts his nose up in the air and takes a big sniff. He has no idea I'm there. Right then and there was when I should have brought the gun up and taken the shot immediately but I was afraid to make that rapid of a movement and draw his attention to me. So he turned and started walking away from me...butt to me...and I didn't get another shot opportuntiy. IRONICALLY he walked away from my scent wafers and me and walked directly to my target stand from LAST YEAR! Sheesh these deer are annoying!!!

Sat there another hour and 3 doe come bounding over the hill with a young buck (very young buck) chasing them. The does are fluttering all over the pasture in play but never really stop and give me a good shot...they are also a little too far away. The young buck gives me a beautiful shot but he is standing on a hill with sky line behind him....can't take that shot....don't have a backstop

So there you have it...saw 2 buck, 3 doe, was snorted at 3 times, got cold, had a shot at a buck and missed it because of hesitation and inexperience.

I'm getting closer to getting a deer. It's going to happen.

[Al Capizzo]

Its sure fun isn't it ?!

[John Tuley]

The couple times that I went out with my dad when I was a kid, it was cold (Pennsylvania winters are not that forgiving), wet, and generally nasty. I didn't get anything the first year, and the second I missed a doe at about 150 yards (got excited, jerked the trigger).

Every time my spirits got low, Dad reminded me that "a bad day in the woods is better than a good day at work" (or school, as I was 16). The best part is: he's right. A kill-less hunt is just a nice walk in the woods with a gun on your shoulder, and what's to complain about that?

-- John Tuley

[hopalong]

This is FUN stuff "aint" it ???

Hop

BTW,

Cold here (18) and that is cold for us in Jan. Saw 3 bucks, only 1 close enough for the 45 colt Ruger and it would be the SPIKE !!!!

We'll try again this afternoon.

[Calamity Jane]

Yep, it's fun and IT IS BETTER THAN BEING AT WORK!!!! No doubt about that!

I went to church today and spoke with a friend of mine who is a hunter. He told me his hunting stories from this year and I told him of my adventure yesterday. During our conversation he said, "You could have shot that buck in the rear. That is a good way to kill them. It tears up their spinal cord and paralyzes them." My internal voice inside my head said, "I'm not going to shoot a deer in the A$$!" Good thing the internal voice wasn't audible!

That converation has led me to this question, "Does it matter to me HOW I kill a deer?"

The answer is "Yes" . What I haven't figured out is WHY it matters to me.

I think my last step in preparing to take my shot is to think through taking the shot. What am I willing to do?

[rupie]

One thing that I have noticed is there are defiantly differences in ethic's among hunters, there are guys that will shoot at any deer they see, and guys that wont pull the trigger unless they have a kill shot. There are different aiming points that work on deer a spine shot is one of them but I am with you, if your not confident in a kill don't pull the trigger. It is our responsibility to ensure a quick clean kill to the best of our ability, and we need to ensure we practice to have the skills needed to do so.

[Calamity Jane]

It is our responsibility to ensure a quick clean kill to the best of our ability, and we need to ensure we practice to have the skills needed to do so.

Yep...that's the way I see it too.

My ethics and character continue to be challenged. My Bro calls last night and hints that he wants to put his son in "my" deer stand on Thanksgiving. That would put me on the deer stand my brother calls "a funnel" but I see "the funnel" as not the place to be. My nephew is almost 16 and has never killed a deer either.

After ALL MY BROTHER has done for me....what do you think I'm going to do?

[Brian Payne]

I have been reading your thread with great interest. I have raised three sons, and was lucky enough to be on stand with them when they were able to harvest their first deer. They have gone through the same emotions and questions that you have articulated in your thread. It is nice to re-live those time through the eyes of another new hunter.

Because you feel your stand is better than the "funnel" stand, I am guessing you will gladly give it up for your nephew. You just seem that kind of person. But for another thought. The deer season is progressing and I am sure there are other hunters in your area that are growing impatient with stand sitting. If the "funnel" stand is indeed a funnel area, that is the place to sit this weekend. Other impatient hunters will be walking around this weekend "hunting" (scaring deer from their area to other areas) and some of those deer may travel through your funnel area.

Which ever stand you hunt from - good luck to you and your nephew. Be safe.

Edited November 25, 2008 by Brian Payne

[Calamity Jane]

Thanks for the post Brian

I've been thinking.....

The question....What am I willing to do?....has echoed through my head for many days.

The question was meant to apply to deer hunting but I'm asking that question in many other areas of my life as well.

What am I willing to do?

• To get rid of 20 pounds on my body
  
• To be successful at work
  
• To improve my relationships
  
• To deepen my spiritual life
  

What I am willing to do determines my success.

What I am not willing to do determines my failure.

What am I willing to do?

[Al Capizzo]

I just saw this on CollectorsArms and thought, "thats the deer gun for Jane". $395 - priced right.

[Calamity Jane]

I just saw this on CollectorsArms and thought, "thats the deer gun for Jane". $395 - priced right.

That is a beautiful gun! Al, you have wonderful taste and if you want to buy that for me for Christmas, I'll take it

Well the good news is my nephew killed his first deer today! His Dad was in a tree climber stand near by and got to watch the entire hunt unfold. It was a Father and son moment that both will remember for the rest of their lives. I'm glad I was there to be a part of it.

The bad news is.....I still haven't taken my shot. It's a simple concept....see the deer....shoot the deer!!!

I sat in the "funnel" stand. I didn't see or hear any activity untill around 10 o'clock. I was standing up and reaching in my backpack for a granola bar....because honestly I had given up on seeing any deer. I looked out into the woods as I was reaching for my bar and there were 2 deer!! Holy Cow there are 2 doe...nice big doe....so I put the gun up to get a shot...but they move off before I can get a good sight picture. Now I'm really starting to look around and here come 2 more doe. This small doe stops behind a tree and I get a sight picture, but I don't have a good rest and my sight is wobbling. I've got a good sight picture on her left shoulder at about 30 yards but I'm afraid to take it because if I miss it's going to blow my spot. So I don't (I'm an idiot!) So then it's not 5 minutes later and another deer is coming right at me down a deer path. She is about 15 yds in front of me. I've got my gun on her and then the snorting begins. I hear a loud snort. I'm thinking "Is that a buck chasing this doe?? Should I wait and see if the buck is going to come down?" I've got a shot in front right between her legs. Again in my mind I don't know what to do. Is the snorting the buck warning her to get out of there because he knows I'm there...or is the snorting for her because he is coming after her...AGGGHHHHH!!!! My mind is filled with all of this kind of talk and therefore I don't take the shot and she runs off.

The more I don't shoot the more I learn about hunting

I came home and got up on my practice stand and took 10 shots on paper plates placed throughout the woods. I needed to show myself I can take the shot and hit. I reminded myself I'm shooting a shot gun and it has the tolerance of a pie plate. This is not IPSC shooting...there are no points involved....see the deer...shoot the deer.

I'm going back again tomorrow. This is my last chance. I do not have any more time to go out....tomorrow IS IT!!!

My mantra is this....see the deer...shoot the deer.

I can't believe I'm going out there to sit in the COLD AGAIN!!! The battle is not against the deer...it's against me!

Tomorrow, I'm going to try to shut up the voice inside my head...make the conscious quiet and try to allow my subconscious the freedom to take the shot. This deer hunting experience is SO MUCH like when I first starting shooting IPSC!! If I can get my mind to shut up...I might be able to pull off a shot.

Everyone please say a prayer that I get ONE last chance to take my shot.

[pierce195]

Good luck Jane! I got my doe on Wed. late and had to do a night track of about 300 yards throught some deep woods. This wasn't the deer I have been looking for, but she was a nice size big doe.

I was not hunting in my normal area, because we went out at about 4 pm and did not want to drive 1/2 on short day light. I was on the ground near and nice creek with a lot of deer track/patchs. She came in behind me from and open corn field, so I had to wait forever to get a good shot at here.

It is hard to explain to someone, being my girlfriend about how relaxing it is being in the woods. I had a wood pecker above me and all the other birds making there rounds.

[Chris iliff]

Yep, it's fun and IT IS BETTER THAN BEING AT WORK!!!! No doubt about that!

I went to church today and spoke with a friend of mine who is a hunter. He told me his hunting stories from this year and I told him of my adventure yesterday. During our conversation he said, "You could have shot that buck in the rear. That is a good way to kill them. It tears up their spinal cord and paralyzes them." My internal voice inside my head said, "I'm not going to shoot a deer in the A$$!" Good thing the internal voice wasn't audible!

That converation has led me to this question, "Does it matter to me HOW I kill a deer?"

The answer is "Yes" . What I haven't figured out is WHY it matters to me.

I think my last step in preparing to take my shot is to think through taking the shot. What am I willing to do?

Jane, the first deer I killed was with a nicely aimed shot right through the pooper. Hits every vital organ. The doe dropped where she stood. Good, clean, kill. I had just read an article on the technique a few days before and was very happy I had when she wouldn't present broadside. Good luck on your hunting. God speed.

[j1b]

Thanks for the post Brian

I've been thinking.....

The question....What am I willing to do?....has echoed through my head for many days.

The question was meant to apply to deer hunting but I'm asking that question in many other areas of my life as well.

What am I willing to do?

• To get rid of 20 pounds on my body
  
• To be successful at work
  
• To improve my relationships
  
• To deepen my spiritual life
  

What I am willing to do determines my success.

What I am not willing to do determines my failure.

What am I willing to do?

Great post.

It's so much of what dictates the day. And for me it's not only what am I willing to do, it's what am I willing to give up, what am I willing to prepare for, I gues it all nets out like you posted - what am I willing to do.

Your cpmments on what shooting a deer in the hind end feels wrong. I'd echo the same sentiment. It does matter how you take the life of another creature. Much the same as the Samurai have honorable ways to die. And how it's always been considered disrespectful to shoot a man in the back.

As Rupie pointed out, there is indeed different ethical codes amongst those that hunt. My family prides itself on hunting. It's what we do, and it's in our blood. Because of that we hold ourselves to the highest accountable level we can.

We figure we owe that to the animals that we hunt and respect!

Jack

[Calamity Jane]

As the Cubs always say, "There's always next year."

I went out yesterday and sat in "MY" deer stand....the one my brother and nephew both killed deers from. I saw 2 doe 200 yards south of me and that was it.

I came home around noon and my brother gave me a call. I told him what happened and he said, "Well are you going to quit?" I said, "I have to quit. I'm out of time. Today I'm painting the kitchen, the carpet cleaners come on Saturday, and the soroity is coming to my house for soup, salad and bunko and I have to clean the house." It was when the word quit came out of my mouth that the tears hit my eyes. My brother said, "Well you gave it a hell of a try." And that was when I had to say good bye and hang up because the tears were wanting to escape.

Training to win....is about training to win. That's what I do. I train to win. That doesn't mean I always get what I want or that I always win. It means that I always try to prepare myself to win....in whatever I do. I told one of my buddies...training to win is really a way of life.

OK I didn't take my shot. Even though the good Lord put a buck 15 yards straight in front of me with his nose in the air. Unlike last year, I'm not going to let that image haunt me. I'm proud of what I accomplished with hunting this year and I am even MORE prepared to kill a deer next year. I have more of an understanding of hunting, deer, and what I need to do to kill one.

Reasons to hold my head up high:

I went to the woods BY MYSELF and was not afraid. That is really incredible to me. A year ago, I would have been too afraid to go alone. I was a little creeped out when I sat in a grave yard inside a dark parked truck, but once my boots hit the ground and my shot gun was in my hand....no fear. When the deer snorted at me and pinned me down in the pasture, I was more in a panic of what I should do, it wasn't true fear....however, the handgun in my other hand did bring comfort.

Equipment management: I've found a gun that I can shoot and actually like to shoot. I want a Remington model 1100 12 g shot gun in my gun safe! I keep refering to it as "my gun" to my brother and he keeps correcting me that it is HIS gun Anyway, I did what it took to be competent and accuarate with that firearm. With the exception of the gun, I was on my own this year with the other gear. I put my back pack together including: field dressing knife, rope, and other stuff I needed in the field. I purchased camo. I talked to every hunter in Walmart or the sporting goods store that would talk to me. That's how I got my field dressing knife. A friendly hunter went to his car and then gave me his knife! I learned how to get dressed to go hunt....deorderize the clothes and the body, get dressed in the garage, keep hunting clothes sealed up in a bag. I became very comfortable with getting into my tree stand....hoisting the gun...managing the backpack etc.

Learning to hunt: I learned that you don't always know the shot you are going to get. Deer like to move. My shot may be while a deer is moving. The shot may be slow and patient or it may need to come quick. Identify my rest positions BEFORE I settle into my stand. If I know where they are, I won't have to waste time and mental energy to figure it out while a deer is in the area. Quite my mind when a deer is in the area....don't try to figure it all out....see deer...shoot deer.

I have the skills and I have had the opportunity to shoot a deer. I think I need a little more confidence with the shot gun. I don't have enough rounds through it that make ME FEEL like I can hit where ever I want and killing the deer "clean" is important to me. I am hitting everytime when I practice but I think more time with the shot gun will only make me more comfortable to take the shots I need too to kill a deer.......THEREFORE it is my intent to shoot some 3 gun matches next year. I've purchased a .22 conversion kit, and an adjustable stock to re-do our AR to get ready. Now I NEED a shot gun. I think a summer with shooting 3 gun matchs once a month would do wonders for my confidence with long guns. So that is my training to win plan for deer hunting....shoot some 3 gun in 2009.

I want to close with some thoughts on hunting. There's a Christian band called "Need to Breathe". I love the name of their band because I think I know what it means. My favorite part of hunting is the walk from the car to the deer stand. The early morning is SO QUIET. You can hear every sound, every animal. The sky is a jewel studded blanket covering my head. There is something that connects deeply to my soul in those precious minutes. It's like I've been awakened from a dead sleep and I'm more fully alive and aware. It's like taking a deep breath after being held under water. Do you know why I think I feel that way? I think it is because I'm experiencing what God had intended all along....me, him, and the animals. I don't experience moments like that everyday in my busy life but once a year I go to the woods to find it. I have a need to breathe.

Edited November 29, 2008 by Calamity Jane

[hopalong]

and another curve in the road on that "Trip" to the top of the Mountain. We'll get to see what is around the next curve. Hopefully.

It's plain to see you are now enjoying the "Trip"

Hop

Edited November 30, 2008 by hopalong

[Calamity Jane]

Jane's Amazing Year

Well, it's here...New Year's Eve. My mostest favoritest night of the year. Not because of parties or midnight kisses, but because tomorrow is the beginning of a brand new year. A chance to do it over. The older I get the more hopeful I am about getting to complete another year of life. Each year that passes seems to get sweeter and more cherished than the next.

I've struggled with how to write this post. There is so much to say...as usual. I re-read my diary last night and I would like to begin with some of my most favorite quotes and posts.

"A winner is someone who is just as concerned about who they become as to what they accomplish" Lanny Bassam

What are my goals for 2008? What I really want is not some accomplishment on a score sheet. What I really want is an amazing accomplishment as a person. I want to live out the freedom I have so that you can see it. I want to show you my heart with a gun in my hand. Is that so hard to understand??? Now there is a goal that only involves me…perhaps that should be at the top of my ladder.

Here's a goal I think we ALL can swallow...

To develop the necessary shooting skills that puts me in a position to perform at the level of an A class open shooter.

In my mind I've accomplished this and that makes me smile.

The most important battles to win are the ones that take place inside of us."

Jane Ball

I've got an inner child in me and she gets scared and has tantrums much like my son before his big log ride. I couldn't help think this morning that I treat my inner child much like I did Bryan. I've got her in a head lock and we’re going on the ride no matter how much she protests! There are battles that must be won within and I refuse to give in to fear.

"I'll never beat anyone until I learn how to beat myself"

Calamity Jane

I'm proud that I was able to put my inner child in a head lock. It was necessary and I did it. I did need to learn how to beat myself before I could beat others. I figured out my head and unlocked the power from within.

This post represents something extremely profound and important to me. This was Calamity Jane standing up on her own and realizing that she no longer needed to explain herself to ANYONE. I've known that in my head for a long time. However, it has finally gotten to my heart. This was a HUGE growth and development achievement for me.

You know those moments in life when everything changes...this was one of those moments. Something that I had struggled with all my life (explaining myself to others) finally went away. This moment was a key that unlocked a pretty big door in my life. How cool it all came about through shooting.

Does running around with a gun really matter? Nope. But let me tell you what I do think matters. Learning how to fight matters. Learning to face fear matters. Learning to not quit matters. Learning how to use your mental capacities to over come matters. Learning how your spirituality fits into every day of life matters. That is why I am doing this. Shooting is teaching me, molding me, challenging me to develop into the being I was created to be. When it is my turn to face the biggest battle in my life, I will be ready because I have trained in the disciplines necessary to overcome and THAT MATTERS! I will have trained to win.

If you take only one thing away from my diary, I hope you take the thought posted above.

I decided yesterday that I'm not going to train in fear any longer. BTDTGTT I'm choosing to do something more courageous and not cave into the fear. I told Dave yesterday I could go to church and cry about what I'm suppose to do, or I could go do what I know I'm suppose to be doing. I'm done crying. I'm done second guessing. I'm done with the fear. I'm moving forward with confidence. I've released myself from any expectations of performance at Nationals. I'm simply going to shoot with the love and passion I have for the sport. That's all this is about anyway.....love. I'm going to continue to dry fire and shoot my 1000 rounds a week, but I'm doing it out of love not fear. There's a BIG difference between the two.

This was a victory for me. I trained without fear in August which is something I had never done. I had a lot riding on this and I chose to let it go and embrace the love. I think one of the reasons that I was able to keep my composure at Nationals with all the gun trouble was because I was shooting out of love and not expectation or fear. It was an amazing experience and one I wouldn't have had if I didn't make the journey

I'm not a girl with a gun. I'm not a sex symbol to be admired. I've said this before and I mean it….when I put that gun on I'm not a woman, I am a shooter. That is the image I choose to embrace. It's that image that allows me to shoot with complete freedom. I'm not bound to the expectation of what a girl with a gun looks like. I'm only bound by my love and passion for a sport that fulfills me.

All would be wise to think of me as a shooter and not as a girl I've learned to do so and it has unlocked my shooting in many ways.

I've got a clear picture of what I'm to do this year. I feel like it will be the strongest year of my shooting career. This journey will not end in disappointment. It will end with restoration, jubilation, and personal victory. Why? Because I'm going to train to win.

This quote came out of my first post. I was still wounded from a dismal performance from the 2007 Limited Nationals and it was imperative to redeem myself from that dreadful, disappointing experience. I did. I have restoration, jubilation and personal vicotry because I have trained to win

"I'm greedy to experience something more than just my mortal best."

I believe there are serendipitous moments in life where we can experience something beyond what we think we can do. I don't think you can make these things happen. It's a moment beyond your control but when it happens you rise to the occasion and catch a glimpse of the glory inside you that you didn't know was there. For example: I'm sure you have heard stories of men or women who have lifted an automobile off of a person trapped underneath. If they wanted to lift a car they wouldn't be able to do it, but in that moment, under extreme stress, when someone's life depended on it, they were able to achieve and experience something beyond themselves....more than their mortal best

AHHHH this leads us to 2009. I've barely tasted the fruit of what I meant in this post but I know there is more to devour, and relish. A succulent mind blowing experience out there waiting to happen to me. How? How do you experience more than just your mortal best? Simple.....let go. I'll talk more about that in my next post. I'm excited about the possibilities of 2009 and look forward to another journey of becoming. This has been an incredible year. I am so grateful to all of you for supporting me in my journey. Thank you.

Happy New Year to all my shooting buddies. May 2009 bless you richly!

Jane

[SharonAnne9x23]

You go girl!