*Four fish were harmed in the making of this blogpost*

WARNING: If you are squeamish or vegetarian/vegan, do not scroll down.  Aaaaaand, I don't know if we can still be friends...just kidding :)  But seriously - it is in your best interest to not scroll down.

There is something about this Texas ranch that turns me from silly city girl to the rough and tumble giggin' frogs type.  I'll never forget when I was working, my boss emailed us all a picture of him with the deer he shot.  I almost vomited at my desk.  I had to run outside and cool off before I could return to work. 

Fast-forward a few years and my Texan husband takes me hunting.  Leo was 5 months old and I realized that he would learn to shoot deer soon.  I had to man-up. 

So, I shot me a deer.

I really did NOT want to get near the deer, but holding up the deer's dead head is a rite-of-passage.  So fine.  I did it.  But only to get a move-on with the processing of the deer.  Have you ever had deer jerky?  Sooooo delicious. 

Things that do not normally happen in the city happen when we're on the ranch in Texas.  It's a magical place.  Complete with phenomenal sunsets

General Stores...

With signs on the door advertising things like Hay for Sale...and Wild Hog removal

...and tubs in sinks...

...and wild horse attacks...

I think my rapid change from city girl to ranch hand had something to do with my very first Christmas in Texas in 2005.  On Christmas morning, Grandad brought out his latest kill...and weighed it.  Bobcats often attack and kill the sheep.  The only way to keep them safe is to set traps for bobcats and coyotes.  I used to place bobcats in the jackalope category.  I thought they were myth.

OH NOT SO!!! 

Christmas morning was filled with all sorts of Christmas cheer, beautiful weather, and a dead bobcat.  It didn't even end there.  Grandad told us that he caught another bobcat a couple weeks previous.  I'm not sure who asked...maybe it was me...but Grandad ran to go get it.  He pulled a feed bag out of the deep freeze in the shed and dumps it over.  Out rolls a frozen and furry bowling ball looking thing.  Upon further notice, the bobcat took shape.  They really are beautiful creatures - but deadly to a rancher's livelihood.

This brings us to Christmas 2010.  Crazy Uncle Nathan decided to go fishing in the stock tank.  This tank is a mere 200 feet from the front door of the house.  Jason and Leo tagged along on this fishing excursion.

Within a few minutes - Nathan caught a huge bass!!

Leo and I even touched the fish.  They are slimy...

1st plan to hold onto the fish was to put him in the barrel.  That lasted a few short minutes before the fish tried to make a run for it.

Ahhhhhh - sibiling rivalry.  Once the older brother catches a fish, the younger sibling always gets super competitive.  After seeing Nathan with his fish, Jason got serious!

In Texan fishing - there are no rules.  If you can't catch the fish with a line and hook, throw a rock at it.

SUCCESS!!

(Nathan's fish was a little bigger though...)

Total tally was 2 large bass and 2 small perch.

Just like in the movies, after bringing home their kill, they "processed" the fish out front.

Leo and Iris got a big Texan welcome just like mine with the bobcats.  EWWWWW!!

Julie, in all her pregnant glory, labored over the hot stove for what seemed like hours to pan-sear our filets in a delicious butter-garlic sauce and it was DIVINE!!

(She was wearing shoes in this pic)

Even Leo and Iris devoured their filets!

I LOVE TEXAS!!!!