For the Love of Swiss Chard and Rifles

Every year I plant rainbow swiss chard in at least one of my gardens.  It comes up in plants sporting yellow, red, pink, and white stalks.  Their big green leaves tower over the garden and practically sing out, "I am full of goodness!"  And so they are.  This relative of the beet is full of antioxidants and vitamins.  Slice it thin into a salad, add some pine nuts and thin sliced onions, top with a just-made vinegar/oil dressing and call it good and good-for-you! 

But I plant it for the visual effect.  The yellow stalks are especially noteworthy and the pink laced stem a real show piece in the garden lineup. Keep the slugs away and you will see giant leaves, firm and lush.  What a delight.  Here is tonight's harvest.  What they don't take at work, I'll turn into something good and good for us!

 

This garden harvest happened tonight as the sun dropped below Munger Mountain and the day grew now shorter.  Welcome fall.  There are so many things to like about this time of the year.  The manic life style becomes tolerable.  The days become longer.  The promise of white snow, cold air, and sharp blue winter skies lures one into almost being ready for the next winter season.

Thursday is opening day for elk season.  Mike and I renew one of the fundamental pieces of our relationship and meet at the shooting range to ensure our rifles shoot properly.  This building block of our attraction toward each other - starting a way way long time ago - sparks that ol' feeling and we are happy and shooting next to each other.  I shoot.  He looks through the scope.  I shoot again.  He looks again, examining the target.  An adjustment is made.  I shoot again.  He looks in the scope.  I aim for the metal platter at 200 yards.  Shoot.  Wait.  "Pling" goes the target.  We cheer!  I have hit the target and am content.  My rifle is ready.  And so am I.  He shoots.  Checks the target through the scope.  He shoots again.  Checks.  He shoots the 300 yard metal platter.  Shoot.  Wait, wait.  "Pling"  We cheer again, together! It is the little things that bond us together.

I tried being a vegetarian once in my 30s.  When I continued to get turned down to give blood because I didn't have enough red blood cells, the light finally turned on.  Hey, no one is really that smart at 30!!  As a meat eater, I would much prefer a freezer filled with wild, organic meat.  We consider ourselves extremely lucky to have this opportunity to hunt in Wyoming.  To seek the elusive wapiti, and to simply be out in the back wild country. 

I took a vacation day on Thursday and hope it isn't pouring rain when the alarm clock goes off (far too early, I'm sure).

Happy Hunting, Friends!