Nov-em-what!? Where did November come from? Wasn’t it just August, and I was complaining about the heat?

November, I love you, though. I love all the leaves on the ground, the bare trees, chimneys with smoke coming from homes, and the outside air feeling like winter is right around the corner.

Sorry, I am one of the rare ones who actually love winter! It’s my second favorite season. I love the longer nights, and you know what else? Other than Thanksgiving, of course, it’s hunting season!

I grew up with my dad hunting since I can remember. Years later, my brother started hunting at the age of eight. Do I hunt? Well, I have gone a time or two in the later afternoons with my brother, but I have never gone out on my own. I could always spot deer on a dime, though. My dad always said, “Honey, you need to come hunt with me for an extra set of eyes!” There were always three problems to that, though. Well, OK, maybe four.

First off, getting up at the crack of dawn doesn’t sound too appealing. Waking up at 5:00 a.m. to get out in the woods before daybreak? I think I’ll just stay in my nice cozy bed and see you out there by 8, OK? Ya know, when there is daylight, and nothing can sneak up and eat you on the way out to the tree stand?

That’s the second thing. No way on God’s green earth am I walking out in the woods, by myself, in the DARK. You could tell me there was cash in a barrel or the best foot-long cheesesteak I’ll ever taste, with a side of wings out waiting for me. NOPE. Still wouldn’t go. And I love my cheesesteaks and wings, baby! My luck, I’d run into a skunk, bear, or Bigfoot. (Hahaha!) I don’t think he exists, but the day I decide to go out hunting at 5:00 a.m., there Bigfoot would be, sitting there, eating that cheesesteak I was promised while lying on a bed of cash. Dear Lord Andrea, where do you come up with these things!?

OK, onto problem number three. The weather.

I love me some winter. I love snow. I love cold weather. But put me in a tree stand for 12 hours straight, with a cold, blistering wind, uh — I think I’ll just stick to sled riding, building a snowman, and then coming in for some hot cocoa a few hours later. Seems more like my kinda style. Oh! Don’t forget the hot bowl of soup too. Can’t forget the soup!

Reason number four, the one we have all been waiting for. How long do you have to sit there in silence? 8? 10? 12 hours? Can I REALLLYYY keep my mouth shut that long?? I mean, I love the outdoors. LOVE it. I love the silence and stillness of the country and the woods. But y’all, I’d seriously probably get to the point where I’d start having a full conversation with myself, or just have Bigfoot join me, and we could just share that cheesesteak and mingle. (Can I enter a crying laughing face emoji here, please??)

In all seriousness, though, I love to hear, “the guys are going hunting this weekend,” and I salute you all, including the women, who are die-hards and go out all day. I’d love to shoot me a big ol’ buck someday and get that adrenaline rushing through me. But it will be an evening they come out right before dusk, then bang!

Not sure about the dragging it out part or skinning it, though, but that’s what a girl has her dad and brother for! To teach me more of the ropes of some good old fashion afternoon hunting! I can see my dad and brother’s faces right now reading this — probably getting a hoot out of all this. My brother thinking “Why didn’t she tell about the time she hunted with me and was using the range finder to look for deer coming up over the cabin field?” Or how she was scared crapless climbing up and down the tree stand! My brother took a video of me climbing down this tree stand because he thought it was sooo hilarious. HOW RUDE, Luke Perry! Pickin’ on your sister!

Reason #5 I don’t hunt. HEIGHTS. I am scared to death of heights. But dang it, give me a good piece of meat, and I’ll make one heck of a stew out of it! No blistering cold, no waking up at 5:00 a.m. to do it, and no hush-hush for 12 hours — just hours of simmering for that incredible stew at the end of the day.

My dad makes an awesome venison stew! If you don’t like venison, you can use beef cubes. The meat is so tender, and the soup has incredible flavor.

Now that you literally know all my fears in life — enjoy this recipe with your kill this hunting season and good luck to all you hunters! Someday, just someday, you may hear I got myself a big one.

Dad’s Venison Stew
(Photo not his but looks just like it!)

Get a variety of veggies you enjoy. He uses carrots, potatoes, diced tomatoes, corn, peas and lima beans. You can use canned, frozen or fresh. Add what you like. If you use canned veggies, make sure to drain first though.

3 lbs. of raw cubed venison (or beef). (We love meat in this family!)

A packet or two of Beef Stew seasoning by McCormicks. Then, follow directions on the back of the packet for the liquid in the stew. Cook in a crockpot on low, for 8 hours.

Make the batch as big or as small as you want. I suggest the bigger batch, then freeze it.

Trust me, this stew is absolutely delicious!