Tuesday, 11/14

I don’t get it myself, but that’s okay, because everyone else seems to.

The “it” to which I’m referring is, of course, the Yooper national holiday that starts tomorrow. I myself have never gone hunting and I’m guessing I never will, but I realize that puts me in a minority here in the U.P. And that’s all right; I’ve pretty much made a life of being a little out of the ordinary. So to everyone who IS heading out tonight or tomorrow, I wish you the best of luck. I also hope you stay warm, hangover free, and come home both safe and facial hair-free.

And in the spirit of the holiday, here’s something I wrote last century (no, really, I wrote it last century) and stick up here just about every year on this day. But before I get to that, I do have to mention that today my favorite newborn in the world becomes my favorite 1-year old in the world, as my nephew Abel celebrates his first ever birthday. So happy birthday, Abel. I'm sure this will be your best one ever!

(jim@wmqt.com)

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“’Twas the Night Before Deer Camp”,

by Jimmy Koski, grade 3.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE DEER SEASON

AND ALL THROUGH THE CAMP

HUNTERS WERE UNLOADED BEER CRATES

AND LIGHTING UP LAMPS

THE RIFLES THEY HUNG

IN THE PICKUP WITH CARE

IN HOPES THAT A 10-POINTER

SOON WOULD BE THERE

I IN MY ORANGE

MY BUDDY IN GREEN

SAT DOWN TO A CRIBBAGE GAME

THE BIGGEST EVER SEEN

WE PLAYED THROUGH THE NIGHT

AND EMPTIED THOSE CRATES

BUT MORNING SOON CAME

WE DIDN’T WANT TO BE LATE

WE SET OUT AT SUNRISE

AT DAWN’S EARLY LIGHT

PUT DOWN A BIG BAIT PILE

IN HOPES THAT BAMBI WOULD BITE

WE SAT AND WE WAITED

AND WAITED SOME MORE

I KEPT MY EYES OPEN

MY BUDDY STARTED TO SNORE

WHEN TO MY SURPRISE

STANDING RIGHT BY A TREE

WAS A BIG 12-POINT BUCK

MY PANTS I DID...WELL, NEVER MIND ABOUT THAT

I BROUGHT UP MY RIFLE

I LINED UP THE DEER

THEN MY BUDDY WOKE UP AND YELLED

“HEY--WHERE’S THE BEER?”

THE BUCK RAN AWAY

I LOWERED MY GUN

MY BUDDY JUST LAUGHED

SAID “LET’S HAVE SOME FUN”

WE WENT BACK TO DEER CAMP

AND HAD US A BALL

SO LET ME SAY THIS--

GOOD LUCK DEER HUNTING TO ALL...

(copyright 1999)