Thanksgiving break was a lot of eating pie and sleeping.

But on Thursday morning I woke up at 4:30 and met my father in our kitchen. We drove in the dark and hiked up a steep hill and hunted for elk. We spooked deer and saw marten tracks and I got to watch the sun rise from the trees in the most beautiful fashion. We tracked elk across a saddle on a ridge and tried to be quiet in the crunching snow. We didn’t see anything- not a peek of white bum in the woods or some skinny legs in the timber- but we worked hard and had an awesome time. I think honestly once we spooked the deer they told everybody in the woods two oddballs were wandering around.

As soon as we got home, exhausted, we were making pies. I made a cherry one with help from my Mum. Then I collapsed for two solid lovely hours before eating a ridiculous amount of food with my family.

I had a great time home this weekend. I chopped wood with a hatchet in a cashmere sweater (which, if you know me, seems to be perfectly in character) and I remember a passage from Anne LaBastille’s Woodswoman, where she notes that it is very difficult to stay mad chopping wood. AMEN! I felt so awesome afterwards, even if my strokes weren’t always on target. By the way, if you haven’t read Woodswoman, it’s an amazing read. Anne LaBastille built herself a cabin in the Adirondacks and lived completely on her own with a dog, without electricity, running water, etc.- she was a serious badass.

Now I’m back in my little apartment. Today I helped my father drag a cow elk down to the truck. He had to cut it in half and my mother and I gamely tied ropes to it and dragged it for quite a distance! A storm was coming so after we got it to the truck I had to speed off for my college town.

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving with people worthwhile and with food delicious!