When Opportunity Knocks, Dissect and Eat It

My husband has creatively found a way to justify his football watching by making a party of it for the family. Over the last several weeks, we’ve had a casual gathering of homeschool families who are invited to just stop in during the game.

We received a phone call from some expected participants that their arrival would be delayed because they had just witnessed a deer being hit by a car and were awaiting approval to claim the deer for meat. Some may be a bit queasy at the thought of collecting road kill, but venison is actually quite tasty and in abundance in this area. Seeing a deer in the road or in your yard munching your hostas is not uncommon, even in more populated areas. Hunting is a necessity in the area to keep the deer population in control. Claiming a just-struck deer for meat isn't all that uncommon.

Some of the men parted from the football game to help get the deer to a processor and returned shortly thereafter with a lovely prize…the heart.



Where else would you hear, “Children, come to the kitchen to dissect a still warm heart!” on a Sunday afternoon than in a homeschooling home? The kids, ages 8-13, gathered in our kitchen to have the functions of the heart explained to them.

There was a variety of reactions...

from the disgusted,

to the amazed,

but it was educational nonetheless.

Now, homeschoolers are some of the most resourceful people I know. Whether we were forced into homeschooling by a bad school situation or knew that would be the path we’d take early on, we tend to be a group that looks at each situation from a multitude of angles. Everything is a learning opportunity, which we ourselves are responsible for seizing. We don’t take football Sundays off, either.

Next Sunday the children will learn more about our food supply, while they eat venison chili.