Family in the Forest

Family Time

Thanksgiving is about family.  This weekend my youngest granddaughter wanted to go deer hunting with granddaddy.  Well, when they want to go outdoors for what ever reason, you go. The night before we had to find her camo and an orange hat to wear for the next day We got up early and left with her older brother going also.
This was her first hunt and she was so excited to be going with me.  We went to a shooting house because we knew we would not be still for very long.  We did lots of whispering about how beautiful the sun was coming up over the hill to the east and about what kind of birds we were watching. 
After about an hour she laid over on me and went to sleep. She slept for about 30 minutes and then was ready to walk, and we did.
Her older brother went to a stand by himself for the first time.  I was so proud of him walking in, in the dark and most of all watching a small buck for about 30 minutes hoping a larger one would come out.  He had take a spike two years ago and is now looking to take mature deer. He is well ahead of his years in maturity.
We are so blessed and this Thanksgiving Season was a testament to this while being out in God's great creation.
Oh and by the way, she did get to see a doe!

Forest Pictures

We recently made some pictures for a magazine article which I wrote.  In the article I talked about how important it is in getting children out into the forest.  It takes effort but they will be so thankful for it.  It is just in our genetic makeup to like being outdoors and enjoying nature, water, plants animals.  The grandchildren were supporting their Tree Farm shirts for the photo take. 








Grandsons 12/2016

The last few weeks I have been spending lots of time with my grandsons because of the holidays.
  
James,  our oldest, is really growing in to a fine young man.  While with us during Christmas he took his first deer at over 100 yards, running with a .234 bolt action.  He hit the deer in the head.  I was so proud of the shot he made from the shooting house in the background.  This is why we do the things we do on our property to give them the opportunities many can only dream about.

And then there's this little fellow,  He helped me this week make bluebird houses while it was too rainy to be outdoors.  We made these houses to get up soon because the birds will be making claim to their nesting boxes in February.  They are already on the property looking for their special place.


My Hunting Partner, My Daughter 2015/16

Abby got this buck this past weekend.  It was interesting to see this buck because we had pictures of it last year and this buck's rack had not grown much from the year before.  You might ask how we know it was the same buck?  Well, it is one of two bucks we had pictures of last year that had bobtails.  It was hard to tell if the tail had been broken off or if it was a deformed. We looked at it close while we were skinning it out. 

BigDaddy

Today, five generations on Dewberry Lands came to an end.  My GrandDaddy (Big Daddy) past away early this morning.  It has been a sad day but it has also been a joyous day because of Jesus Christ.  I am so blessed and so undeserving but through GOD's blessings I now own the property where the old house was located that Big Daddy came to this earth, 95 years and 342 days ago.  He taught us about respecting GOD's creation and we are a better people because of him.  He left a legacy that will live on forever!

Last Day of Deer Season

I didn't have the quietest hunter, or the stillest hunter hunter in the woods the last day of deer season but I had the prettiest!  She took her hat off for the picture as we sat up in the stand.  We didn't see anything but we had fun looking through the scope at things.  She loves the outdoors! She is an "Outdoor Girl".


OUR NEWEST HUNTER

Our newest hunter in the Dewberry Family is Selah.  She has been wanting to go hunting and during their Christmas stay with us she got the opportunity.  Big brother was glad she got to go and see what it is like to hunt with Daddy and Granddaddy.  Her dad said these two don't need to go together because they find too much to talk about.  Even though they talked a little too much they still saw a doe!  Selah found a turkey feather in the chufa patch. Selah is ready to go again.  She likes the fact that her Aunt Abby likes to hunt and Selah wants to be like her.

My Piece of the Forest

Get out in the woods!  No electronics needed!  We had fun out on the property Labor Day putting up our signs.  There was plenty of help and excitement with this project. 
Eli was proud of his sign but Granddaddy had to hold him up to reach the sign "ELI MOUNTAIN ROAD".

Eden was proud of her sign naming the Railroad Trail after her.
EDEN RAILROAD TRAIL

Mattie's sign is where we cross the stream to get to our property on the east 40.
MATTIE STREAM CROSSING

Selah was all posed with her sign naming a road after her, "SELAH ROAD".

James calls this spot his favorite place on the property.  He loved this crossing being named after him.
JAMES BRANCH CROSSING 


Spring Lizard Eggs
James is holding a heavy rock he got out of the branch that had Spring Lizard eggs under it.  He placed it back like it was so the eggs could hatch. 

RED FOX
James says his favorite animal is a red fox.  He was able to get up close to this one and he was so excited about it and wanted his picture taken with it.  The fox had gotten in a trap that  dad was trying to catch a coyote in and we turned it loose on our property.  I think the fox knew he was in friendly territory by the way he just walked away.


Mattie at Work
Mattie enjoying road work on 3/12/2014.


Planting a tree the first day of 2014.

Time to cut a Christmas Tree with all four of the Grand Children ages 7,5,3,2.

Sitting in a tripod stand on a cold November morning watching deer, turkey and coyotes.

Mattie is a country girl that doesn't care if a tractor is green or blue, just as long as it is a tractor!

James getting a drink of water from the "Wilson Spring".

Mattie wanted to shoot!  A two year old firing her first shot with a BB gun.  I bet this will not be the last for this country girl to shoot.  She had the biggest grin on her sweet face when she heard the BB hit the trees.  It is great being a Granddaddy!

Picking wildflowers. 
Happy Country Girl!

5 generations of Dewberry's on our property.  Larcus Benjamin Dewberry(93), James Benjamin Dewberry(74), James Lamar Dewberry(54), Nathan Larcus Dewberry(31), and James Lucas Dewberry(5).

Eden is learning to love the outdoors.

After the picinic

James

Selah, loving the clean, clear, water! 

This is a "Multiple use Forest".


James looking for deer with the binoculars out of the shooting house.
Can you tell this girl likes putting up tree stands on the property?
She loved riding the gator for miles, picking up acorns, rocks, and leaves.  She is learning so much about nature.....  Don't say the word "outside" around her unless you are going outside.

Mattie having fun riding in Granddaddy's jeep, looking at the creek and having the wind blow in her hair.

Mattie loves being outdoors.  She is like her Mom.

Mattie and Abby in their matching camo.  Mattie is so happy learning about life.

Selah this is a nice tree.


James assisting with cutting down the tree.

Got it!

Job well done!

Tree loaded and ready to ride back out of the woods.
Our newest family member, Mattie, loves the outdoors.

We enjoy looking at all the leave colors in the stream!

Mommy and Mattie enjoying Grandmother's Park. 

Mattie on a hike with Mommy.

Starting a fire.

Nice and warm after playing in the branch.

Nothing like camping on the branch

Dewberry eating dewberries.

Caught one!

Shooting is fun!

Wood cutter