Mrs. Peabody's School for the Extremely Clever

The 8 point

Ray, the kill, and Jim A., Jr.

Ray, the hunter, and his whitetail 2010

  The raw meat, with the meat-maker on top

Lindsey's Elk--Indian Shadow,

October 2010

Whose camera took this picture?  Change the resolution size so her picture can be as large as the others.

Kenny is impressed with the instant, painless, bullet to the brain MARKsmanship.  September 25, 2010

Two great white hunters hunting for their prey. 

There sitting on Jailhouse Rock was a cat too big to Love ya tender. 

 "RRrrRRrrowl", said the cougar.  They did, they did see a putytat!

"Meow! Here kitty, kitty", said the great white hunters.

"Get off that rock!" barked the dogs.  So the cat got off the rock.

"Get out of that tree!" howled  Elvis.  

"You ain't nothin' but a hound dog!" snarled the cougar.

"Get out of that tree, and don't you step on my blue suede shoes!", added the howling medium-sized black hunter.

"Get out of that Tree!!!"

 "You silly hounds", thought the cougar. "I am not afraid of you medium-sized more-mouth-than-might noise makers."  

"WE SAID, GET OUT OF THAT TREE!!!"  Re-barked the hounds.

"If I get out of this tree, you will be sorry," spoke the glaring eyes. "I've learned how to climb, and I've learned how to fight!

I'm el gatto.o.o.o.!"

Zooming in on the prey.  "Do you see what I see? What are we looking for?"  "I tot I taw a puty tat."

 Remember the tune of "In the Ghetto" ???

 He's el gatto.o.o.!

. . . . . As the snow flies

On a cold 'n' gray big ranch morn

from a well-aimed barrel was born

a sharp shot,. . torn, and

. . . . .the hound dog cries. . ..

He's el gat . . to.o.o.o.o!

Mountain Mark 

 Dad (2G Meat-meister), Mom, Mimi, Ray, and Becky 

Mountain  Mark, taking a rare break from the endless list of 'Work-to-Do' that is his twenty four/ seven professional existence, surveyed the Oregon scenery.  He waited patiently for the arrival of Mountain Mimi, his beloved little sister and greenhorn great white hunter.

Mountain Mimi would escape the confines of Portland which is the world of her alter-ego, Material Mimi.  She lived in a material world, and was forced to be a material girl in order to survive.  But, to thrive and feel more alive, Mimi made for the Mountains, traveling to Five Springs Ranch at every opportunity.. . to find peace and recreation in the wide-open wonderland of wildlife.

As much as Mountain Mimi came to life in the environs of her recreational retreat, Material Mimi merely survived until the destined departure back to the city would inevitably recur.   Mountain Mark always looked forward to her visits and the opportunity to once again spend time together like they had done during high school when their 3 older siblings no longer lived at home. 

Mark and Mimi were the 4th and 5th to spring from the union of the same parents who had brought Rebecca, Amy, and Diana into the world.  It was Rebecca (Becky) who had first moved to Oregon from Pennsylvania.  Her husband Ray had joined her in welcoming Mark Scott into their home after his high school graduation.  Mimi had followed in the westward path not long after that.  Over the years a series of moves had taken each of them here and there.  Now after several years of Mimi being the only sibling living in Oregon, it was possible again to be together, at least with each other, for holidays and long weekends or other vacation days. 

Mark usually kept plenty busy during the waiting; but still, it was a long drive across Oregon; and, frequently the weather threatened the safe passage over the five hour trail.

a.k.a "Scott", the name only a few eastern family still fondly use.

Enjoying the panorama of the pleasantly open range,  "How freakin' happy I am to be out here, away from the busy fast-laners of southern California", thought the comfortably patient manager of Five Springs.  "Guess I better head back to the cabin.  Mimi will be here soon.  Janell may already be there."

Janell had proven to be a good friend and welcome visitor at Five Springs.  She lived not far away in the small town of John Day.  Janell's two daughters seemed to approve of the new friendship, too.  Mimi was enjoying Janell's friendship also.  She and their eastern family were pleased that such a nice, responsible, lovely person had become part of their lives. 

It was great to have the companionship of good friends and loyal family--they all felt that.  

Although Mimi had been regularly and fairly successful at fishing, she now was interested in hunting.  Mountain Mark had quite a bit of success as a hunter, in addition to his success fishing and guiding in Alaska in earlier years.  Mimi knew he would be a fine mentor for meat-making methodologies.  He was okay with the task, thinking it not very difficult as challenges went.

Cabin at Meat-Meadow's Edge as seen from the access lane.

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A lot had already been accomplished to bring the dormant ranch back to life.  Trees had been planted and protected so that they could get a good start without the probable damage done by the browse-eating deer.

There between his rail fence and the cabin was Mimi's white truck.  He was satisfied that she had crossed the trail safely once more.  Janell was not there yet.

The split rail fence was relocated from elsewhere on the property to define a back boundary for the cabin yard, which was now grass rather than mud.  Satellite antennae for internet and television signals were installed, and fairly reliable. 

It was awesome in the opinion of both Mark and his sister Amy that they could chat and even have short video conversations half way around the globe where Amy lived in Egypt.  The privacy and quiet of the ranch along with the interconnectedness of modern technology provided a balance that was a bit like having one's cake and eating it too.

Working to help her brother, Mimi had been there to welcome him from California to Oregon, and had done what she could to help get the cabin into a state of comfortable functionality.  They had even found room to store some of her things during a time when she had to find new digs in the city. 

The place where she had been renting had been sold, and finding another that she liked as well was not expected to come easily.  The thought of spending another Christmas without the whole family was considerably more pleasant now that she and Mountain Mark could be together.  So what if her precious artificial pink pine tree had to remain packed away? 

"Mark would not likely want such a sissy thing in his place!", she thought.

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 Time to lay in firewood for the fast approaching Fall, no daylight was wasted while busy working to clear old snags.  The place was all tidied when their nephew Andy visited.  Accurate Andy, known for his marksmanship, had returned from being deployed in Iraq and was taking an adventure tour in the west.  He spent a little time at Five Springs before having to return to southern California where he was stationed at the Marine base.

Across Meat Meadow (what normal folk would refer to as the front yard)  lay the hay barn and the shop where rainy days were spent.  The rain was usually welcome there to raise the water table in preparation for the months when drought often threatened.  Snow was likely; but not in the amounts Mountain Mark had experienced when he managed the Indian Shadow Ranch in Colorado.  As often as it had been the case, moving meters of accumulated snow was not a chore he had by any means grown fond of doing for several months of the year.  That task now fell to his older nephew, San Juan Seth.

Mimi had visited in Colorado and southern California; but now she was going to be able to see more of 'Scotty' and enjoy being coached in the fine arts mastered by the family 3G meat-meister.

They practiced by targeting sage rats and Toyotas.  Later they watched for trophy 'may-be-meat' and captured a couple possibilities in pixels.  Andy had to be leaving soon.  He would not have the luxury of returning on other weekends and during the Mule deer and Elk seasons.

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"So he's raking dirt with that big rack.  Well,. . .  maybe that's cause he's gonna be pushing up daisies pretty soon." 

Plenty of elk, deer, turkey, coyote, and other wildlife lived in the area of Five Springs.  That had been one of the reasons that this ranch was worthy of selection and desirable enough to merit the effort that went into completing the real estate transaction.  It had been the relatively rare existence of options that met all the criteria that had kept Mountain Mark at the San Luis Rey ranch in southern California for much longer than he had originally figured he would be there.

His residence there had, though, afforded the opportunity for Mimi to visit down there and convince Mark to accompany her to "The Price Is Right" show.  That was Material Mimi, and it was no easy task to get her brother to agree.

At least they were still on the same side of the Rockies for those years; but, it was a joyful piece of news for the entire family when it was finally told that 'Scotty' was returning to Oregon.

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The Meat-meister Mentor and Mashed Potatoes (a.k.a. Mountain Mimi)

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Nice balance on the rack.  Nice polish on those nails!

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Rumor has it that Jason scared the meat out of this trophy.   

Over the next weeks, Mimi had practiced as much as possible; and, had gone with her mentor to spot desirable trophies.  She had listened to all the coaching advice and selected the maybe-meat most coveted. 

She visited and photographed Dash (the dog), Roxy, and Cosmo. They met with neighbors, Fred and Julie, their pets.  They had Janell out for weekends and dinners. 

Mimi planned to be there for Thanksgiving Day; however, unforeseen delays resulted in Mountain Mark dining with Janell and her family that day.  Mimi arrived for the weekend and made a traditional meal so there would be left-overs.

Then came the vacation days for the mule deer hunt.  She did not have a lot of time; but, they made the most of the hours available.  She was decked out in the appropriate hunting wardrobe (what most great white hunters refer to as camo and gear).  Her nails were freshly manicured and painted blood red--not a typical requirement for a successful hunt.  Only Mimi knows if her toenails were prepared likewise.  They were not in the photographic evidence.

As luck would have it for the blessed, they located the coveted trophy.  Maybe it wasn't luck.  Perhaps it was the skill of a master meat-meister.  It was fairly early that the sighting occurred and excitement was building as they set up the shot.  The thoughts were being managed:  "Remain calm.", "Breathe normally.", "Relax","Slowly take your aim."  "Wait. . . .wait. . . .wait . . . . . . . . . . hurry!..hurry!.. take the shot!  She took the shot and flustered by the "hurry, hurry" hit the meat right below the round steak. 

The snow was not completely cooperative and they lost the wounded target.  The next day was spent seeking the limping animal. 

Whilst searching for the first trophy, another trophy presented itself.  Debating about whether or not Mimi should take the second shot, they kept an eye on the prey.  If she could bring this one down, Mountain mark would finish off the first should they find it.  That would be his tag.

She set, she breathed, she relaxed, she fired! Right in the shoulder!  Didn't even break a nail dressing it out!

On the next day out, they spotted the original trophy.  Mountain mark finished it off and put his tag to it.

Elk season was next. 

Success was achieved once again.  Mentor Mark photographed Mountain Mimi with both mule deer since she had bullets in both.

It was a winter of firsts for Mountain Mimi.  What next?

Check back in the future for more on the harvest of the hunters.

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San Juan Seth 

Finally Mimi had become a Great White Hunter, too.  

In just one shot, Mimi downed the 6 X 6.  Meanwhile south  in Colorado, San Juan Seth harvested a 6 X 7; although Mountain Mimi insisted it was a 6 X 6.1.  

To reward his protege', the mentor Mountain Mark dug through the boxes in storage and surprised Mimi by putting up her precious pink pine tree for Christmas!  They did get to spend that holiday together, and had a very nice time.