I have a friend back in Detroit who always said that he was “living the dream” and I never understood what he was talking about. Now that I’ve been in Vermont for two years with the ability to focus on family, writing, sustainable living and archery, I get it. We had a good garden, our chickens are thriving (for the most part aside from bobcats), and I have my first bow season ahead of me. My priorities have been realigned and the new order of things feels right.

In Vermont, it’s already early fall. The weather has been sunny, but chilly, fluctuating between 40 to 60 degrees and the first hint of color peppers the trees over my pond.

Bow season is only weeks away. When I first started learning archery and the basics of bowhunting, it seemed like the season would never get here; now the time seems to be speeding by and I’ll be the first to admit that I’m nervous and also excited about my first deer season. So as the weeks lead up to my first morning in a tree stand, I’ll be reviewing basic safety considerations and scent control as well as continue with daily archery practice (in rain or shine).

I bought my first hunting license this weekend and that was a major milestone for me — something that if you’d asked me about getting it two years ago, I would’ve never been interested. It’s amazing how priorities change over time. My daughter was with me when I bought my license and the person we bought it from jokingly asked if she was getting hers, too.

“Not yet,” she answered, incredibly serious. Then she turned to me and asked, “How old do I have to be to get mine?”

At six years old, she still has few years, but the interest is there and I’m happy to be able to share it with my daughter. Not only is it a fun way to hang out (shooting our bows together in the backyard), but I also think learning how to hunt and understanding where the meat comes from that is on your plate is educating and empowering — and important. It makes me happy to see her really understand that at such a young age, and getting outside (and away from the screen) enables her to truly appreciate the outdoors.

If you’re also new to archery and bowhunting (or know of someone who is interested in it), I hope you check out my new DVD, “Beginner’s Guide to Archery: For Women,” which will be released this fall through F+W Media.

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