Sparta Hilton Weekend Trip

Why do I always start the Sparta Hilton (hunting cabin) post with food?
This was a part of our second breakfast this weekend.

If you have these, you don't need much of anything else.
But along with the fried potatoes we had tenderloin, gravy and homemade biscuits.

I can honestly say that I truly enjoy myself when I go the Sparta Hilton.
I do whatever I want to do.  This weekend I sewed a binding on a
 baby quilt and cooked. (2 of my favorite things.)

The "honeymooners" went with us. 
 Lane (SIL) and "Sweet Hunter" worked the whole weekend.
Poor Lane. "Sweet Hunter"even had him up on the roof getting pine straw off.
That doesn't look like too much fun.

There they go to put up more tree stands.
While they were out working, me and "Big Sis" were inside
watching movies and "I Love Lucy" shows!
Notice there are no pics of "Big Sis" yet.
Everytime I wanted to take one she would tell me not to either because of
no makeup or pajamas!! She is so cute.

I should have took before pics of my shooting house!
It didn't have a roof and the ladder was shakey.
The guys did a lot of work on  it.  Lane put a tin roof
on the top.  They are gonna get some grass carpet to put in it too.
I told Lane that this shooting house is his too.
He worked so hard on it.

They say this is a great shooting house.
I am not sold on this hunting thing yet but I am gonna give it another year.
If we didn't have the Sparta, I would not be hunting. 
I love being able to walk out the back door and hunt.
So far, my favorite thing is to relax, crochet, sew and cook when I am here.
If I am gonna hunt though this is where I want to be.
I cannot climb in one of those tree stands.
I just don't feel safe so if I am gonna hunt this is great for me.
Thank you Lane & Sweet Hunter!
You can use it anytime you want to.

The guys were so tired and sore after all the work they did.
Next time it will be more relaxing and hunting for them.
It is turkey season next.

We have cameras set out everywhere on our land at the Sparta.
We got lots of pics this time. 
I just loved this one!

And this one!

I don't like coyotes, foxes or bobcats and we got pics of them all!
See why I want to be either inside the Sparta or up in that tall shooting house!

"Big Sis" finally let me take a picture.
On our way back home I crocheted dish cloths.
So she was happy when I gave her this yellow & white one.
Lane looks pretty tired, doesn't he?
Thanks Lane! Your the bestest!
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Snippets From My Heart
We had a wonderful time at the Sparta Hilton. 
We didn't even get out and build a fire this time.
We had one in our wood heater inside though.
Its funny. It doesn't take much to keep me and "Big Sis" happy.
I actually wouldn't trade this for any vacation I could go on.
I love it because I get to sleep in my own bed and not a hotel bed. 
 I love having clothes already there and getting to do nothing if I want to.
This weekend I did a little rearranging.  I am good at that.
I will show pictures next time.
   I never have finished the deer quilt for our king size bed.  I hope to have it done next time we go.  Remember it was suppose to be "Sweet Hunters" Christmas present????
March, you say??? Oh well.
Anyway, I just love it there.
******************
Today I am thankful for...........our home away from home.

Remember My Trail Camera At The Sparta Hilton?

This is the most pictures that I have ever had on
 my very own trail camera at the Sparta Hilton!
You can click on each picture to make it bigger.

Deer, Coyotes, Foxes, Bobcats

Where oh where were all these during hunting season?

Well they might not have been around when I was out there
but I see them now.
Sweet Hunter would not shoot any of these but I would!

I can't wait to see what I have on my camera next time. 

Sweet Hunter had turkeys on his. 

I had the most pics though!
I am a better camera hunter than a real hunter.

Isn't that what counts?

Today I am thankful for...........my very own trail camera.

Sparta Hilton & Our Best Friends

Now this is "Best Friends"!
We have all been friends for 30 + years!
When Vicki & "The Goose" got to the Sparta they got settled in and we started embroidering!
As you can see I really dressed up for them!

The Goose!

Sweet Hunter!

Sorry about this picture being blurry.
I had Granny's bed all ready for "The Gooses"!

On their way to the Sparta Hilton Vicki spotted a thrift store!
Look at all the goodies she got! 

The guys went to the woods while we cooked
some supper and look what they found!!!

Grandpa looks sweet but believe me he is not!!!
He growled at me when I got close.

I think Vicki liked Grandpa!!!

And off the guys go......all 3 of them!!!

We cooked a whole chicken on the grill and made baked beans and potato salad.
"The Gooses" brought the best cheese bread.
Vicki toasted it and it was my favorite part of the meal!

Me & Vicki have always had a thing for swings!
That is one reason I wanted a swing here.
I was hoping that they would come and visit.
Notice our aprons.....I have one that stays at the Sparta
and Vicki found the smock apron at the thrift store.
Isn't it darling?

Her name is Vicki.
And I think she is addicted to crocheting too!

Yep, she is!

The next morning we had our aprons on and cooked breakfast over the fire outside.
The weather was beautiful. 

The guys were enjoying a cigar next to the fire.
They are so spoiled.
We are too though.
Life is good.

"Sweet Hunter" splitting the wood for our fires.

And "The Goose" building the fires.
Good system, huh?

Vicki Lou making homemade biscuits!!!

I love cooking over the fire.

"The Gooses" cooking the eggs.

We had fat back, bacon, eggs, cheese grits, fried potatoes & homemade biscuits and gravy!

Eating outside is always so much fun!

And here we go to the woods!!!
***********************
There is nothing like real true friends and "The Gooses" are.
We don't have to do anything to have fun together.
My daughter Maranda said it best........she said,
"it is nice to have friends that you feel that
comfortable with and don't have to feel like you are entertaining".
And this is so true.  We treasure their friendship!
And they love the Sparta just like us.

We loved having them at the Sparta Hilton!!!

Today I am thankful for..................good friends.

More Sparta Hilton Fun

There is nothing like a wood fire. 
 The smell.
The heat.
And of course the mess!
But it is so worth it.

The right time for a fire outside is anytime this time of year!!!

Of course having a wood fire is a lot of work for the "Sweet Hunter". 
But he loves it too. I can tell.

He knows there is always a good breakfast waiting on him.
Bacon.

Pancakes.

There is just something about the Sparta Hilton that makes us cook a lot.

Hunting works up an appetite.  Yummy!

This is what I look like while sitting in my blind.
Now if you were a deer would you see me?
I look camouflaged pretty good don't you think?

One day I got to thinking about hunting. 
 I thought when I sit in my blind that is more like waiting, not hunting.
So I took my gun and my back pack and went walking and looking.
I didn't see a deer but I found these mushrooms. 
I thought they were so pretty.

I also found this shooting house that former hunters had built.
We actually knew it was here but we didn't think it was in this good of shape.
I climbed up in it and tore the rotten roof off of it and cleaned it up.
I feel very safe up there.

It is as high up as the ladder stands that "Sweet Hunter" sits in but I could climb up in here
because the ladder is slanted.  I tried to climb a ladder stand and I just could not do it.

I believe this shooting house is made just for me.
It has a shelf for all of my goodies built right in.
My SIL Lane is going to put a roof back on it for me.
I also have got to find a good stool to sit on too.
I claimed this as my own!!!

Look real close at this picture.
This is off of my trail camera.
A fox.

Looky Looky Looky!!!

And a little one!

But look at this!  I might change from a deer hunter to a bob cat hunter!
Oh I guarantee you that if I saw this coming at me I would shoot him. 
A good warm fire, good food, hunting, movies, rest...
what more do you need?