Opening Day

In Michigan, Opening Day of Firearms Deer Season is a HOLIDAY. In some places the schools close if it is on a weekday. So many of the boys and some girls from Jr. High through High school will be in the field that the day will not count for attendance. And the teachers, male and some female are in the field too.

This year it is a cold rainy ugly day.

There was a Doe hiding in the back of our garden all day. We discovered her in the morning near our compost pile, probably enjoying the last of the discarded apples. She soon moved to the back of the garden near the pines along the back property line. It was a safe place to be. We have had several deer eating off the trees in our orchard all fall.

For the first time since we have lived in North Branch - over 30 years - there was a "Buck Pole" set up in front of one of the merchants. On the way to work this morning there was one buck hanging. People coming into the Library all day commented on how many there were and by noon it was not only full but over flowing to a makeshift pole arranged on the tines of a hay fork lifted high by a blue tractor.