what's this? A blog post? weird

Well, with all good intentions, I want to keep this blog going strong. Or maybe rather, bring it back front he dead to it's somewhat alive state. Blogging seems to have changed from when I first started. Other bloggers have slowed down. Some have gone away completely. Another thing that has changed for me is that I no longer have an office job. I gave that all up to get back on the tools. I'm glad I made the change. Having a journeyman Millwright ticket, I'm now enrolled as a heavy duty mechanic apprentice as well. My employer is pretty darn radical and I thought if I'm putting in hours there, I might as well have them go to another licensed trade. Right now in Alberta, a journeyman ticket affords a very comfortable life, and I can provide for me, my wife and 4 kids on just my income. Nothing wrong with a little dirt under the nails.

Anyway, I'm just going to drop some pictures of the major things that have occupied my time for the last few months.

I've taken an interest in knife making. I have a few down, one that I use regularly, that a few more in the works. My next step with this project is to build a 2" X 72" belt grinder. I've been bevelling my knives with a file by hand and it is a slow, tiring process. But, it's good for the body now and then to be tired from work.

I've been out hunting the last two years, but not having anyone experienced take me, I'm learning it all on the fly. This year I finally bagged my first deer. It wasn't a big animal by any means, but for a first and with my bow, I'm happy with it. I also wanted to do everything myself with the harvesting of this animal. Field dressing, skinning and butchering. With all the work that I've put into getting this meat to our table, I think very differently about the value of having meat to eat. When it's not just going out and picking up a plastic wrapped tray and the grocer. Wasting it seems so much more terrible. I think more people would value the cost of meet if they were more involved with the harvesting of it. It's fun to have my two oldest boys learn this with me too. Good father & son time.

(funny how when I actually got my deer I wasn't wearing any camo for have any of my fancy hunting gear and hadn't planned on hunting at all. Kind of makes me wonder how much of the hunting world is just consumeristic mumbo jumbo.)

A little vacation time down south for my wife and I and we're now back into the full swing of the boys hockey schedule and my daughter's dance. Life is busy, but it's good.