Twists & Turns

Life is full of twists & turns. 

My life has changed in the past year in such a way
that I found myself out in the woods last night,
pitch dark, helping my boyfriend retrieve the hog that he had just shot.

Then holding its hooves while he cut it up.

My boyfriend is a hunter (and will heretofore be known as Hunter on my blog).  

Mostly deer, but if a hog shows up, it's on.

I'll be cooking Mr. Hog in the crockpot later this week.  

I have a kick-ass Pulled Hog recipe.  No joke.

(Now before you go all Hunting-is-Cruuueeelll on me, I used to feel the same way, until my VEGAN friend set me straight.  Providing you eat your kill, hunting is FAR more humane and eco-friendly than buying your meat at the supermarket.  Look up the treatment of animals bred for food and get back to me. Also - my man is a humane hunter.  Yes, there is such a thing.)

Anyway.  I've never been with a hunter before so I wasn't sure how I would cope with seeing the dead hog and watching the butchering process.  But I found it fascinating.  (Remember, I'm in the medical field.  It takes a LOT to gross me out.)  My main thing while following Hunter through the woods as he carried the dead hog was trying not to get blood on my shoes.  Because I am still a girl, after all.

Life's twists and turns are truly mind-boggling.

I sometimes feel like I'm just along for the ride, holding on as tightly as I can.

"If you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans." ~ Van Zant

{All pics taken in a cypress grove on Hunter's land.}