"RUT" Day

It's almost here~Rut Day~a day that I dread every October 15th since 1996! For those of you not from the West or those who have no hunters in their family or for those of you who just really don't give a dang, October 15th (lovingly referred to as Rut Day in our home!) is the day Elk season opens back home in Wyoming. Cleo used to live for this day, plan his vacations around this day and basically look forward to it the whole year long. He would always be gone for a week, camp out with his brother and his Dad, sometimes with my Dad and Mom, brothers and brothers in law, occasionally with friends...using horses to get into the back country and to carry out the elk. Real Wyoming, roughing it type hunting. Cleo LOVES to hunt and elk hunting is the ultimate for a boy from Idaho. Quality time with family, outdoor adventures and of course the thrill of the hunt. He would come home after this week long hunt stinky (no showers in the wilderness, eww!!) with loads of laundry and dirty camp equipment, but the look on his face and in his eyes made it all worth while...I miss those days for him.

Since leaving Wyoming in 1996, Cleo has only been able to go home once for elk season...sad, huh?? I wish he could go every year. Basically for at least a week leading up to "Rut Day" he kinda starts moping around & gets that sad look in his eyes. Thankfully, he has a little sanctuary of his own at our place here in Ga so at least he can be in the woods and hunt deer. I know it doesn't take the place of elk hunting in Wyoming, but it helps.

Do I understand it?? Not exactly...I mean I don't have a hobby that I'm that passionate about, unless you count baseball but since I don't actually play the sport and am just an avid fan it's different because we go to lots of games and can ALWAYS watch it on tv. There are things that I love to do, but for the most part I can do them whenever I want and it's just different. But I do sympathize for him.

This year, on Rut Day we have a fall festival/birthday party with friends at 2:00 and then our neighborhood bbq at 6:00, so hopefully this October 15th his mind will be preoccupied with other things...and if not, at least I'm sharing his "grief" with friends...LOL!

If you know Cleo at all...this blog will make total sense, if not sorry you wasted a couple minutes reading it, LOL!:)

Happy RUT DAY people...