Drops of Rain

Last week Wed. night I went back up north(well I guess what we would consider north from here...) to Mactier which is about 1/2hr. south of Parry Sound for a deer hunting trip. I stayed at my relatives cottage which they are renovating it to be winterized; they are now living there all year round!
When I got to the cottage at 10pm, everyone but my cousin was asleep already. During hunting season, we are up at 5 am, in the bush by 6:15 and at our stands by 6:30/6:45am. Hardcore...you betcha, we gotta to give ourselves a chance against the deer. So, on this trip, I did not end up shooting anything, most people will be happy to hear that, as I have not fired a gun at an animal yet. I will admit that I was tempted to shoot a couple squirrels and chipmunks for barking at me when I was at my stand, but...they are too cute!

For me, this is what it's like in my deer stands. Sitting at the stand allows me to think a lot, sometimes too much... So, it's 6:30am, and we all get out of the vehicle and get out our gear and carry our guns in our socks/covers. We head into the dark, eerie forest towards our individual stands. I follow my cousin to his and he shows me where I have to go. I walk with the help of the night sky and my adjusted eyes and go between trees and dodging through seedlings, all to get there. So here I am sitting on my stool, looking into the shadows of trees in the darkness. It's slowly starting to show an essence of light out and.. I feel a couple drops of rain. I quickly open my bag and put on the rainpants and sit back down. It is still slowly getting more and more light out by the minute(s). I'm sitting on the stool, rifle in my hands, in full anticipation of the slight possibility of seeing something, always looking over both shoulders, in case that deer has snuck up on me. My senses are at full strength, eyes wide open and ears listening for a crack of a branch or the crackle of leaves as a deer walks past and I hear the sweet sound of the rain in a distance falling and creating one of my favourite sounds of it hitting trees and leaves. Without being able to see anything in full detail yet, I can't even make out where the rain is and how long I have before it hits me and it was only a couple seconds before I was engulfed by the rest of the falling rain. It wasn't too long afterwards that the forest became alive for the day. As the light continued to brighten the day, birds came and sang songs while the squirrels and chipmunks barked at me and each other as well as have little quarrels between themselves for territory. This is what it is like while sitting, wishing, and waiting!