Hunting Opener

I woke up with much anticipation on Friday. It was the weekend that I was going to go and hang out with my friends from Crystal Free! We were on our way to the Hearts at Home Conference in Rochester. As the morning started, it was a typical morning.... Joel was up and playing quietly... and then Kaila joined him. I went and got them breakfast, got them dressed and went to take Joel to school.... that's when I realized.... it's HUNTING OPENER!

We don't live very far from the school, but far enough when it's cold to drive him to school.... OK who are we kidding... I drive him to school everyday because I'm always late and perhaps a bit lazy? As I drove to the stop sign that hits the main highway in our town... there was a parade going on... trucks, SUVs, ATVs, trailers.... all the manly vehicles ready to go and hunt! So I gunned it at a small opening to get across traffic. As we got closer to the school, we were stopped by the local traffic cop to let the busses out... I couldn't see behind me how far the vehicles were backed up... it was "as far as the eye could see"! I finally made the turn to the school. Luckily to return home, it was a right hand turn, and the opposite way of all of the City traffic that was coming.

I took off at noon, went to get Joel from school, I actually made it across decently... but the parade was still going! As we left town, I noticed something.... in a lot of the trucks/suvs they had placed their orange hunting hats in the front window. Is this a "rite of passage" for all the hunters? I don't think I've ever noticed hats in the front windshield like that before. Or is it just because they so bright that I just happened to notice them now?

It was a wonderful weekend, hunting traffic and all... I had a blast at the conference, my kids had a blast at my sister's playing with their cousin. And as we were traveling back.... some of the hunters had given up for the weekend... some were successful, some were not, and some with their orange cap in the front window.