Reflections of katlupe

As you may have noticed, I have changed the name of this blog from Homesteading on the Internet, to Reflections of katlupe. The reason is that I am now publishing Homesteading on the Internet on my self-hosted blog in another location. If you are looking for homesteading information it is here. I still write that and Solar Baby on a regular basis. This blog I have sadly neglected. I plan to remedy that starting right now. This blog will now reflect my thoughts and views on a variety of subjects. I wanted a place to express myself more.

This morning we heard the sounds of coyotes very near our property. Now we don't usually hear them that close and definitely not in the morning. We heard the whole pack not long after the first howling. Next sound, I am sorry to say that I heard, was a coyote in distress. My husband thought it sounded like it may have gotten caught in a trap. After that, we heard some sounds from the others, then a definite growling. Then nothing. Not a sound since. The hunters? Don't know where they went or where they came from. When you live in the state forest, you are always on the alert due to hunters. Some are good and know what they are doing. Others are just learning or don't really care.

I am not against hunting, even though it is something I would never do, nor my husband. I grew up in a hunting and fishing family. My father did not hunt coyotes and he wouldn't just kill an animal to kill it. I know many people just love the hunt. To them, killing is like winning the game. I feel hunting for fun is about as senseless as fishing, and throwing the fish back, because you weren't going to keep them to start with. Just for the sport of it. How would you like someone to put a hook through your mouth, cause you a lot of stress and fear, and then tell you they were just kidding? Doesn't sound like fun to me.

Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2014 Kathleen G. Lupole

Surrounded By Hunters This Week!

"Where did that hunter go?" questions Dark Shadow

This week-end and this week too, we are having many hunters all around us. I think with the economic situation with the way it is, more people are out hunting. There have been lots of deer out here. I have seen many trucks go by yesterday and today with deer in the back. I am not a hunter myself, though I grew up in a family of hunters. I always have a soft heart for the animals. I understand the importance of getting meat for your family. Especially since I am a meat eater myself. This is the good type of meat with nothing put into those animals, except what they pick up from the farmers' fields. We were lucky enough to find a very fresh deer carcass for our dog, Nikita yesterday. She NEEDS fresh wild meat every now and then. She is a very contented girl today, knowing that is outside waiting for her.

Tawny says, "what hunter? I want more hay!"

Two of our horses, Dark Shadow and Georgie Girl used to be afraid of so many things. Since they have now been here for ten years, not much scares them. Sometimes guys go by on four wheelers or snowmobiles. It doesn't even get their attention. The guys that go slower tend to get more attention from these girls. They especially like people going by on horses or walking. They will go right up to the fence to look at them.

"I am the "Boss Mare" and no hunter will make me go inside!" says Georgie.

Today a hunter came into the woods along that tree line and that is why Dark Shadow is standing there. I yelled to him not to fire his gun near my horses. He did not respond back. I went back in the house and figured there is nothing I can do. When I came back out, he was gone and the other two horses had moved. Dark Shadow stood there for a long time watching for him. Maybe he went further in or something, but I did not see him again. I just did not want him to fire a gun near them because of their ears. A gun is very loud and I did not know how they would react.

So everything seems quiet now. Maybe these guys have gone to get something to eat. I like it when it is quiet here. That is one problem with living in the state forest. You will always have people coming here for some reason or other. Most the time though, it is peaceful in our forest.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole
Updated 2018

She Thought She Heard Something!

Dark Shadow, my husband's horse.

Today, Dark Shadow has been whinnying real loud. When she was at the farm where we got her, she used to do that quite a bit. She would be put out in the arena while we cleaned her stall and she would race around the arena like a wild horse. I would pull in the drive way and hear her loud, strong whinny. She hated to be alone and she would let the world know that. Once they started letting her out with the other horses though, she was not so bad as she wasn't locked up like that anymore. She is a very spirited girl!

There are some hunters out and about, and she may have heard them. My husband took some hay out to her, but then she was whinnying again. So it wasn't hunger. I walked down to the corner and found there were about three vehicles of hunters and maybe some hikers down by the bridge. I know she may be smelling our neighbor's gelding up the road. Our neighbor lives about half a mile away up the road at what used to be just a camp. But he moved in a few months back and now he has a couple of horses there. I am sure he does not have a stallion, but our girls aren't that picky. It has been a long time since they have had male company or even seen another horse! 

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

All Photographs Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole