Gracie's Cove - Gracie's Blog

Cooler weather is a-comin!

2010-08-27T05:49:26-05:00

Thank goodness, really. I, personally, have had enough of the 90 degree days! I know in some parts of the country 90 is not so bad, which is why I don't live there. Bless you folks who do!

In preparation for the cooler temps, be sure to get your orders in for your cold weather gear. If you hunt, run, or ride horses in the cold, try to get your gear as soon as you can. Things get backordered rather quickly and I would hate for you to order something that you need in 2 weeks, and have it backordered for a month!

If you think you may need it, pull the trigger and get it on it's way!

It's getting closer...

2010-08-09T06:36:42-05:00

The Fair is next week already! Where did the time go?

We just completed a 100% inventory and finished tagging everything. The remainder of the booth hardware came in last week so we set that up and did a couple of trial runs as to how we wanted things to look. Though, in all honesty, we will more than likely get there next Tuesday to set up and completely change our minds on how we do things!

I'm sure the 4H kids are just as excited as I am! So many friends on Facebook have children in 4H and have been posting pics of them in thier classes. Looking over the exhibits is one of my favorite things about the Fair.

What are your favorite things?

Well, I finally have some pics of the booth we had at the Fair. I think it turned out pretty good. Here they are:

This was the left side of the booth where we showcased the jeans, Wyo West, and CW-X products. This changed several times throughout the Fair.

Here was Lucy, decked out in Cowgirl Up duds!

Here is the Prois and Pella halft of the booth.

All in all, a great time! We enjoyed meeting so many of you and look forward to doing business with you in the future!

Dog days of summer!

2010-07-27T16:59:07-05:00

I’ve just received the new Fall/Winter Catalog from Cowgirl/Cowboy Up. Cute stuff! I can’t wait to get these out onto the website for everyone to see!

Lately, we’ve still been really busy getting ready for the Fair. Lots of decisions to make about gridwall, tables, coverings, getting things priced, receiving in mounds of new inventory, etc. Whew! Still very much looking forward to it though…

Other than that, we are just putting up with intense heat/humidity, and keeping busy with our 3 other jobs ;).

Hope all is well with everyone, talk to you soon!

The Brown County Fair 2010

2010-07-01T19:12:16-05:00

Who doesn’t love a county fair? I know I look forward to it every year (though… I can do without the heat index of mid-August).

This year Gracie’s Cove will be having a booth at the fair! I’m so excited! We’ve been making plans, ordering more inventory, shopping for booth appointments (and I do love to shop!), and smiling from ear-to-ear!

I hope to see you all there if you are in the area. I would love to answer any questions you may have and meet you in person!

We will be located in the Odde Ice Center, I will attach a map as soon as I can. Also, there is a map available on their website.

The Fair Board does a phenomenal job of getting us entertainment and making sure that things run smooth. I believe that they all truly love the fair and hold true to the idea that it is a family occasion. It's fun to walk around and see all of the creations from the 4H kids.

Talk to you again soon!

We will be running some phenomenal specials at the booth! 25% off all remaining breeches, 25% all Realtree Girl items, and come get your Gracie's Cove running tee for a great price!

See you there!

New Prois coming soon!

2010-06-29T19:34:51-05:00

Prois has got some fantastic new products to offer us this year! I will be adding them soon to the website.

They've got a line a shooting shirts available now in some beautiful colors, and have added a tech-weight hoodie to the line-up as well! As soon as I get the updated pics, I will get them out there for you to consider!

Can't wait!

Just got the new pics in on Friday! I've got the website updated so take a look when you get a chance. It's great stuff! For those of you that will be heading out to the Brown County Fair, I will have as much of the Prois line with me that I can possibly take (I'm sure it will take me several trips)!

To Facebook, or not to Facebook?

2010-06-16T19:06:55-05:00

Raise your hand if you have a Facebook page!

I actually have 2, one for me, and one for Gracie’s Cove. I am still very bad at updating them, but I’m working on it…

Facebook has had good press, and bad. Personally, I like it! It’s the easiest way I’ve found to keep up with family and friends. Uploading pictures is simple. Then everyone can see them right away. It usually takes me months to get film developed, or to get the pics on my camera developed into actual pictures. Dumping ‘select’ pics right onto my Facebook pages makes it super-easy to just get them out there.

I know they’ve had some security concerns.

Care always needs to be taken when you do ANYTHING on the internet, so be careful who you share information with.

That being said, ‘friend’ me when you get a chance!! ;)

Fargo Marathon

2010-05-24T06:53:35-05:00

Saturday dawned cloudy and rainy. But the excitement was felt by all of the participants. The goal this year for the Marathon committee was to get 20,000 runners, counting everyone who was entered into any of the races (5k-10k-1/2-Full Marathon). I haven't heard yet if they reached thier goal or not, but they had to be close! The Fargodome was packed!

We got rained on for the first hour or so, but it cleared off after that. I tried staying with a pace group this year for the first time. Though I was unable to stick with them, I will train for that next time, I believe that would have been fun!

The beginning of the race (not considering the rain) was great! I felt great, my pace was even, felt like I could have ran forever! Then, at about Mile 6, I started to get tired. I made the mistake of drinking Gatorade right after having a Goo packet. I think I over-did the carbs. That's never happened to me before, but it is something I'm going to remember for next time. After that, I couldn't seem to drink enough water, but I felt sloshey. Wierd... anyways. Things went downhill after that.

Lessons learned!

Next 1/2 Marathon = Bismark in September!!!

Stomach Flu + Training for a Race that's a week away = Not Good

2010-05-15T10:52:15-05:00

The training was going good and all, despite the rain putting a ‘damper’ on things. Then came the stomach flu (Dah, dah, dunnnnn…). Two days of laying on the sofa and running to the bathroom to pay homage to the Lavatory gods certainly slows down your training runs…. (hmmm… runs… yeah, I won’t go there).

But, back on track this weekend. Hoping to get in at least 6 miles today, and 8-10 tomorrow, then I think that’s as good as it’s going to get.

About the only positive think I can say about the stomach flu is that I DID at least lose a few pounds, not the way anyone wants to, but looking on the bright side of things…

7 more days!

Talk to you soon!

'Time flies' (when you're running your butt off)

2010-05-05T06:21:35-05:00

Wow, where is the time going? Only 17 more days!
Training is still going okay, not getting in as many long runs as I should, but if I can do 2 more before the ½, I’ll be fine… I think…
I figured I’d concentrate on my 4-6 milers, and try to lose a few more pounds. Being a little bit lighter can’t hurt! I NEED to lose 20, but obviously my time frame isn’t going to allow that, so if I can get 5 off, I’ll be happy!

Talk to you soon, hope to see some of you in Fargo!

Click here to check out the Fargo Marathon website.

Countdown to Fargo

2010-04-12T18:42:15-05:00

37 Days until the Fargo Marathon!
I’m only running the HALF marathon, but I’m still working hard to get my rear-end in shape! Literally…since I’ve managed to get pretty ‘fluffy’ this winter.
So, I’m building up my weekly mileage and working on some shorter-faster runs and watching what I’m eating and realizing that I should have been doing this WEEKS ago!!! (whine)
It’s my own fault, I got lazy, but I’ve made the decision that even if I have to walk part of it, I’m doing it anyway. For any one that hasn’t run an organized race, I strongly encourage you to do so! Even if you aren’t competitive, and have no plans of actually winning the race, it is such a rush!! People are cheering, and the volunteers they get for these races are amazing! (For any one who has ever volunteered at a race; a big THANK YOU!)

37 more days…

Realtree Girl on Sale!

2010-03-28T11:00:46-05:00

All Realtree Girl products are 25% off! We are having a huge blowout sale on all remaining Realtree Girl items here at Gracie’s Cove. They are ‘while supplies last’, and they are going fast!
We’ve got a few Hoodies left, as well as some lounge pants, and caps.

Take a look at what we’ve got, when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Signs of Spring

2010-03-18T17:23:52-05:00

I saw a robin in the backyard just a few minutes ago.
Thank Heavens! I though Spring would never get here… Winter has a tendency to drag on, especially in the later months.
There are many sure signs about: The NWTF Banquet (where my husband auctions and I won a rifle this year Woo Hoo!), the geese have been coming back by the thousands this past week, we’ve got a couple of calves on the ground, and major flooding in and around the area.
Please say a prayer tonight, if you feel so inclined. There are far too many people around us that are in imminent danger of losing their homes and all of their possessions right now.
Not to mention the hurricanes and earthquakes far to the south….
Better just play it safe and pray for EVERYONE EVERYWHERE!
God Bless!!

Back from the Hills

2010-03-09T19:41:57-06:00

My husband and I just got back from our annual trip to the Black Hills in South Dakota a few days ago. As usual, it was fantastic!
The snow was decent (we snowmobile), the weather was great… a little too great for the snow to hold up for too long (Sigh). We put on 204 miles in just 3 days, actually 2 half days and one full day.
For anyone who has never been there, the Black Hills are gorgeous. And yes, that’s where Mount Rushmore is located. They’ve got trails that lead through pine and birch trees, past waterfalls, and granite cliffs. Breathtaking… and it is not at all uncommon to see wild turkeys, bald eagles, whitetail deer, coyotes, and elk. There are mountain lions there as well, but you probably won’t see them (whew).
We stayed in Deadwood, and that is always a fun time. I gained 3 pounds, so the food was obviously good! As was the beer!
Saloon #10 is a definite stopover, so is Miss Kitty’s for some phenomenal Chinese food!
The only down side to the whole trip was that I forgot my STINKING camera!!! I managed to get a half-decent shot with my Blackberry of an old abandoned mine entrance that we found while dinking around off the trail.
Till next time!

Mine entrance we found while off the trail in the Black Hills

Men's clothes at Gracie's Cove???

2010-02-20T17:43:12-06:00

I’d like to introduce new merchandise offered by Wyoming West designs (the same company that produces the Cowgirl Up apparel). The merchandise and souvenir products feature the National High School Rodeo Association and Wyoming West Designs logos and proceeds from the sales go to the Cowboy Crisis Fund. This worthy cause provides assistance with costs related to an injury or death sustained by a NHSRA member. For additional information and donations please contact crisisfund@NHSRA.org.

Here is part of an email that I received in response to inquiring about selling the clothing on Gracie’s Cove:

“Thank you for your interest in the NHSRA merchandise. We gave over $50,000 in the past 3 years to the foundation for selling ONLY the wristbands. Now I was able to become the National Logo and Souvenir sponsor of the NHSRA and we immediately added the clothing. We donate all the proceeds from the sales to the NHSRA.”

This is such a worthy cause, I’ve been thinking about ‘bending the rules’ (just this one time) and offering the men’s line as well… men’s clothes at Gracie’s Cove… hmmm…

It’s all great stuff, and gals can get it for their boyfriends, dads, husbands, brothers, yadda, yadda, yadda….

What do you think?

The vote appears to be an over-welming “YES!”, so I’ve placed the Men’s clothing line in the Barn as well. Thank-you to everyone for your help in this decision! Now, should I add in some of the Realtree men’s line, too?
Need to think about that one…

Denim Sale!

2010-02-15T08:43:37-06:00

We are having a Denim Sale here at the Cove! All jean styles from Adiktd and Cowgirl Up are 25% off. This is the lowest price ever on these jeans.
They are going to go fast at these prices! We have limited quantities, when they’re gone, they’re gone!

Olympic Dreams

2010-02-13T18:49:55-06:00

I’d like to wish all of the Olympians from all of the different countries the best of luck!
It must be incredibly exciting for them; the years of hard work and sacrifice for the chance at the gold medal. And to be able to compete for their country, with the entire world looking on… wow…

I watched the footage on the luger that died in the training run in Vancouver, how tragic. I feel deeply for his family, teammates, and his country. It is a very brave and honorable act for his team to compete with him gone.

Good luck to everyone, go USA!

Namaste

2010-02-04T20:18:58-06:00

I’ve recently allowed myself to get back into my yoga addictions. If you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend it!
It makes you fell stretchy, and long and lean. It’s great!
Great for muscle tone,
Great for relaxation,
Great for sanity,
Great for meditation,

Have I mentioned it’s great???

Anyways, I hope everyone is on their way to reaching the goals you set forth for this year! Remember to try some new exercises! Maybe yoga?

Thinking Spring in Fashion

2010-01-24T16:37:28-06:00

I’ve been spending a lot of time recently looking into new products for Gracie’s Cove. At Christmas time I wanted add some items that could be given as gifts to someone who perhaps didn’t know what a person’s size was, and as we all know, guessing is NOT a good idea! So I added Gift Certificates and jewelry.
Now with Spring around the corner (thank goodness), I’ve been looking into more shorts, tanks, and just a general shift in focus… out with the old and in with the new!
In retail I can tell you that it takes diligence to keep up with the shift in trends! A week is a long time in the fashion industry.
But I can honestly tell you that this is one of my favorite parts of my job. I love clothes! And clothes that are the foundation of some of my favorite hobbies are even better. Though, if it were between a great pair of running shorts, and a really cute pair of brown suede knee-high zipper boots with a 1 ½ inch heel… hmmm… not sure which would win there… Of course, you can’t win a 5K in a pair of cute zipper boots!
Anywho…
I’ve been on the lookout for great spring items for The Barn, The Lodge, and The Track. I’m excited about what Cowgirl Up and Adiktd have in their newest catalog. And Kirstie from Prois has a great new Hoodie coming out in the next couple of months. CW-X just sent their Spring catalog out as well, can you say “Ventilator Shorts”, yeah baby!
Think Spring!

Countdown to Fargo

2010-01-15T17:47:24-06:00

Here it comes again; the Fargo Half-Marathon. It’s time to get off of my rear-end and get in decent running shape, which is where I was at about this time last year (must be a coincidence). Unfortunately, too many NCIS episodes, and FAR too many treats filled with chocolately goodness have landed me 15 pounds heavier than this time last year. So now I can work to get in good running shape, and go on a diet. EEEsssh!

The one positive to all of this: 3 weeks ago I had 20 pounds to lose, so 5 pounds down, 15 to go!

I’m sure I’m in good company. So many people ‘resolve’ to lose weight with ringing in of the new year. Here is some unsolicited advice from someone who has been there, done that, and did NOT buy the T-shirt:

1. Write down your goals and keep a journal. You’ve heard it before and probably thought “Dumb! How is ‘journaling’ supposed to help?”, or something like that. It does…help… a lot. If you are about to power your way through an entire pint of Chocolate Chunky Monkey ice cream, knowing that you have to write it down…. I bet you think twice before digging in.

2. Go ahead and throw out the junk. You are not wasting money by throwing it out; you already wasted it when you bought it. Throwing the junk food away is getting rid of temptation. You will have weak moments; don’t have a box of Ho-Ho’s anywhere near when it happens!

3. Do not shop for groceries when you are hungry! Go when you are comfortable. Hungry+Snack Isle= Bad

4. Get up and move! We’ve all heard about the benefits of exercise, you don’t need me to reiterate…

5. Have fun. You won’t stick with an exercise regimen that is boring, or hurts, or is uncomfortable, or makes you feel like a total ass. Find something that is fun to do that you like!

Okay, climbing down from my Soap Box now.

Good luck to everyone, and hope to see you in Fargo this year!

Can you say "Cold"?

2010-01-09T11:09:05-06:00

Holy Popsicles, Batman!
The last couple days up here in Northeastern South Dakota have been between -20 and -30! That is actual air temperature! Not including the wind-chill, that puts it around -50. I’m not sure you can put on enough layers to counter-act that kind of cold.
It makes me marvel at the animals that are outside in this. If they can survive this… I bow down to their superiority!
This also means that I am stuck inside on the treadmill until warmer weather arrives, a “Happy Hamster” until the spring.
With the running season fast approaching I have put out a few specials on the CW-X line, and expanded the Champion apparel line as well to add some more hoodies (layers, layers, layers!), and even a few yoga options!

Let me know if you’d like to get on the mailing list for Gracie’s Cove announcements, I will gladly add your address to my list!

Here is a great email from a customer (and good friend) about the freezing temps in our neck of the woods:

Hey Girlie,
I had to send you a picture of my horses with their blankets on, after reading your blog story about negative 35 below zero weather in South Dakota. Some people think horse blankets is a crazy concept, but not this girl. Thank goodness my husband is supportive of the blankets. If they didn’t have blankets on, I couldn’t look out my windows. I think I would have to shut all the blinds so I can’t see them standing out there trying to stay warm, while I watch from my 70 degree house. Not only do they eat less, but it’s a weight off of my shoulders knowing they are as comfortable as I can make them. They are also surrounded by multiple tree claims. You can’t spoil a horse too much. They are special friends that need our love.
Sincerely,
Spoiled Horses In South Dakota

The dun mare is Gypsy, the bay gelding is Sonic, the girl is Tori

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T17:50:28-06:00

I hope everyone rang in the New Year safely, and, of course, had fun doing it!

I have one resolution:
To lose the 20 pounds that crept back on this past year (how did that happen?). I should be able to do that with the tools available to me. I’ve got a gym membership to one of those 24-hour places (which also includes a website where you can set your goals, log your food intake, and track your workouts-handy!), I know how to eat healthy-I just need to DO it, and I will be running in the Fargo Half-Marathon with some friends again this year, so I have accountability for my exercise regimen.

Anyone else have any they would like to share?

As a related side note, I am working on putting together some great sales events for January on our exercise apparel- CW-X and Champion! And expanding the Champion line to offer a broader range of options for you.

As always, let me know if you’d like to see me offer something on the website, you know what you like best!

Talk to you soon!

Let it Snow!

2009-12-26T16:31:19-06:00

A very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!
We are in the midst of a monster of a blizzard up here in South Dakota, this is day 4 of some nasty weather. The one good thing coming out of it is with all this snow, we will get a chance to crack out the snowmobiles while we are on holiday from work!
Woo Hoo!

The Work-At-Home Woman website

2009-12-19T08:31:25-06:00

The Work-At-Home Woman is a website dedicated to woman who currently works out of her home, or wishes to, strives to, or is curious about doing so.
It is a bustling Mecca of resources including: articles about blogging, landing a job, interviewing, promotion of yourself and/or your new career, marketing, and scam prevention- just to name a very few.
The website is owned and run by the very talented Holly Reisem Hanna. Striving to find a way to earn extra money while caring for her newborn daughter, she researched stay at home jobs and networked with individuals, eventually finding some leads. Compiling this information and beginning the website was her venture into the entrepreneurial world.
The WAHW is packed with information; I strongly encourage everyone to check it out! Bring a Snickers bar with you, you’re gonna be there awhile!

First Trade Show experience

2009-12-14T19:14:41-06:00

I attended my very first trade show this weekend! Well, let me clarify that: I’ve been to trade shows before, but always as a customer. This time I had a booth as an exhibitor.
The First Annual Women’s Conference of Aberdeen was this past weekend (Dec 11th and 12th). There were about 10 exhibitors, seminars, breakout sessions, and a nice lunch on Saturday.
The first seminar was given by a motivational speaker named Pat McGill from Iowa she was fantastic! If you ever get a chance to attend one of her conferences, please do. You won’t be disappointed!
The second was put on by the Cake Diva she was soooo much fun, and we got to make our own cakes afterward! Yea! I’ll post pics of my little frog cake as soon as I get them uploaded from my Blackberry!
As far as the rest of the Conference went, the attendance wasn’t quite what we were hoping. This is a tough time of year though, in a tough economy. So I looked on the bright side: I saw some great speakers, and am using the experience as a ‘training exercise’ for the next trade show! Long list of Do’s and Don’ts for the next one.

Have a good one! Stay warm!

Got him!

2009-12-06T11:55:24-06:00

I went out on Saturday morning, about 7:15 am and started my trek to my little shack on the prairie. The temps all week long had been dropping steadily, that morning it was about 5 degrees, brrrrr! As I stepped into the CRP a doe and a fawn spooked and went jumping away, I put my scope on her, but all she presented me with was her big ‘ole white butt. So, off they went.
I climbed the ladder shortly after that and settled myself in. I pulled the windows out, got my binocs ready, and opened a couple packs of hand warmers. I was barely able to open the plastic ‘cause my hands were so cold! I could barely feel my fingers! But, I finally got the packages open and the warmers activated (halleluiah!), I turned my head to the north and there he was!
The first thing I thought was: “I can’t feel my fingers yet! Damn!” the second was: “One, two, three, and four…maybe five points. Come on fingers!” I pulled my rifle up and scoped him out. Yep, at least a 5 pointer, he was out about 300yds.
My fingers were coming around, they burned like crazy, but at least I could feel them. I took a deep breath, let it out and BOOM!, down he went.
The rest of the story is pretty basic: call the husband so he can bring the truck (all I had was my grocery-getter), count the tines (yep, 5), gut him (the deer, not my husband!), drag him a quarter mile out of the CRP, throw him the back of the truck, get him home and hang him up after a photo OP.
And here he is!

Funny Story Contest

2009-12-02T18:39:37-06:00

About a month ago, I asked my Facebook fans to think up a really fun contest for December. This was the unanimous winner:
Send in your funniest hunting story, it could be something that happened to you, a friend (or enemy), neighbor, relative, or whomever you want to embarrass! But the story must be true! At the end of the month my crack team of skilled judges will decide the winner and you will be notified by email, snail mail, phone, fax, two empty soup cans connected with a string, (your choice when you send the story in!) and I will get you your code worth $15 dollars at checkout!
Sweet deal, huh?
So how do you do this?
Send your story by email to this email address , please put “Funny Hunting Story Contest” in the subject line. Please include somewhere in the email how you would like me to notify you, if you don’t specify, it will be by a reply email. If you’d like me to post the story on the website as well, go ahead and add a pic if you’d like, and I’d be happy to post it under the ‘Customer Photos’. I’ll post the pic, story and all!
Good luck to everyone, contest ends Dec 31st @ midnight!

Little Shack on the Prairie

2009-12-01T13:36:09-06:00

I decided I’d post some pics of my ‘home away from home’, the ‘ole hunting shack. I also took a few pics of the views from the windows. I should have taken some of my welcoming committees! Every morning, 4 mornings in a row, I was greeted at the entrance of the CRP by a group of does and fawns. The first morning it was just a pair of fawns, the next it was 4 does and at least 3 fawns. I started calling them my Wal-Mart door greeters. One morning I did decide to take one of the does, but that didn’t deter the remainder of the group from greeting me the following day!
No big bucks this weekend… well we saw a nice one, but luck was with him and he eluded both my husband and I. So the hunt is still on!
I hope everyone else is having a great time in all of your outdoor pursuits! Before we know it, marathon season will be here and we’ll be in training for that… whew… where does the time go?

View to the north

View to the east

Shack in the north CRP

Doe, a deer, a female deer....

2009-11-26T19:56:33-06:00

I got my first does of the season, both yesterday evening, both of them were decent sized and taken pretty cleanly. We got them driving around looking for deer because the hunting shack hadn’t been very fruitful (it was better today, more to come on that!) Both of them I managed to take at about 250 to 300 yds.
I didn’t see any bucks, save for one 3-pointer wandering around in the CRP. Until we were driving home and it was WAY to dark to hunt. Then we saw 3 of the dag-on things! Just my luck I guess!
This morning was cold walking out to the shack! I put my Insulator Pro Tights on under the Prois Ultra Fitted Pants, and my Under Armor Cold Gear shirt under the Pro-Edition Jacket, they kept me warm and toasty.
I took some good pics this evening of the shack and some views from it, I will post them this weekend. (Hopefully with pics of a huge buck that I will shoot).
Wish me luck!

Pella Products and New Shipping Rates

2009-11-21T14:25:38-06:00

We’ve got some exciting news here at Gracie’s Cove! We have just signed on with Pella Products to offer you their fantastic line of quality outdoor clothing!
They have great women’s Upland Game Jackets (check the Featured Items section of the sidebar to the left) that fit the female body the way it was meant to be. They’ve incorporated the Bird-n-Lite system in the jacket to help evenly distribute the weight of the harvested game, shells, etc, that you would have in the pockets.
I tried one on at Pheasant Phun when Jane was showing me around a few weeks back. They are VERY nice jackets!

Also, on a different note, I finally got around to adding some new postage rates for shipping from Gracie’s Cove; just in time to help save you money on your holiday shopping! Now you have the option to ship via UPS or USPS!
Enjoy the great hunting this time year, and remember to STAY SAFE!
ZBVDDHSSNEJJ

Deer Season '09

2009-11-16T19:15:26-06:00

East River Deer season opens this weekend, Woo Hoo! Although I hate to admit it, I really like hunting deer even better than pheasants. Maybe because when you’re hunting deer you just sit in your stand, and listen…it’s very meditative. That’s how we deer hunt most of the time anyway.
When it gets closer to the end of the season, and we haven’t gotten our deer yet, it’s a little different ball game. We drive around and look for them, but that’s fun too! It’s a good thing I’m married to my best friend. If we didn’t get along so well we might wind up shooting each other by the end of the season!
But I digress…
David and a couple of close friends got the rest of the shacks up today, we’ve got ammo, just need the site the rifles in and we are good to go.
I’m not sure how everyone else does this, but the ‘Beckler’ way of sighting in rifles requires pumpkins.
We have a garden every year. We plant the regular garden stuff- onions, tomatoes, green peppers, corn, beans, etc. And pumpkins. Now since we have 3 kids you may think this is for the traditional Halloween ‘carving’ ritual… yeah… no. The kids do get first choice (we’d get reported to Social Services if we hijacked ALL of the pumpkins!) But the real reason we plant them is to leave them in the garden until after it freezes (when pumpkins get shot when they’re frozen they kind of explode!). By then, it’s time to sight the rifles in, so we throw the pumpkins in the back of the pick up (I take the liberty of painting some faces, bullseyes’, and condescending things about my father-in-law on them), and David, my in-laws, and myself stack them pyramid-style in a field across from the farm, and shoot the crap out of them!
Does that sound Redneck? Oh well, I’ve been called a lot worse!
So, looking forward to the next season already! Have fun and stay safe!

All-Women's Pheasant Hunt 2009

2009-11-04T18:17:23-06:00

This past weekend (Oct 31) I had the opportunity to attend the 3rd Annual All-Women’s Pheasant Hunt near Huron, SD. The local Pheasants Forever chapter co-sponsored with the Huron Chamber of Commerce. It was a blast… umm… no pun intended?
Though we didn’t bag too many birds, we got to tromp around the great outdoors and I met many new friends.
I drove down to Pheasant Phun by Tulare and met up with Jane Keller of Team Huntress. We drove the rest of the way to Huron and got to the Boetel’s, who were hosting the event, at about 10:00 am. There we signed in and got acquainted to the rest of the lady hunters, about 20 in all. A few ‘manly-men’ were on hand to guide and chase up the birds.
After the hunt, the Boetels put on a fantastic feast and we drew for door prizes. They had some very generous local sponsors who donated some wonderful prizes; from earrings and bracelets, to T-shirts, sweatshirts, gift cards, and upland game clothing. Great stuff!
After the ride back to Pheasant Phun, Jane was gracious enough to give me a tour of the Bunkhouse. Absolutely gorgeous! It has rustic décor throughout, beautiful tile flooring, with a fabulous dining area to sit and chat with a dozen or so friends.
I was also able to meet her folks and her brother, Mike. Jane has truly been blessed be surrounded with such an extraordinary family.
Thanks to everyone for the hard work they put in to make it an amazing day for all! And a big Thank You to Jane for inviting me in the first place!
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Jane Keller and myself

The warm up before the game, clay pigeons… the clays got the better of me!

Off I go... into the wild blue yonder!

2009-10-24T17:08:04-05:00

I was reminded recently about the joys and sorrows related to traveling. More pointedly; traveling our friendly skies.
Just this past week I was sent to Arkansas to do some work for my full-time job. I traveled on Delta (aka Northwest Airlines). Overall: a great experience. The layovers in Minneapolis and Memphis weren’t bad. And the Little Rock Airport was really very nice. The staff was knowledgeable and friendly, and I came through it with all of my luggage in fairly decent shape. That qualifies as a successful trip in my book. Thank you Delta!
I do not, however, feel that my butt will ever be the same again. That was WAY more sitting than I am used to!
I traveled in my Realtree Girl outfit: the Camo Cargo pants and the Camo Hoodie. Very comfortable, I got a lot of great comments about the pants, which obviously gave me a great lead-in to tell them about Gracie’s Cove! I even met a very pleasant gal (whose name escapes me, I’m sorry!) at the Memphis Airport who works at Bass Pro Shops who really liked the out fit as well. I will put the links on the side bar of this page if you’d like to take a look at those two pieces.
If you are traveling for the hunting this season, or going to a race, horse show, over the river and through the woods… whatever…. Be safe (and be patient) please!

Product Review- the Prois Reversible Sherpa Vest

2009-10-13T16:53:49-05:00

I tried out the Prois Reversible Sherpa Vest this past weekend as I was out running errands. It was during the 3-day resident only pheasant season, so the local hunters were out and about (so I blended in somewhat well).
The vest is fantastic! It’s so warm, and soft, and just plain cozy! It fits extremely well and truly is a wonderful layering option. I had the Ultra Long-Sleeve under it- that seemed to be a great combo. I was plenty warm without being overheated.
So, it passed my test. Thanks for another great product Kirstie!

Lynn Pankey of Realtree

2009-10-11T14:24:30-05:00

I found this article on the Team Huntress website (you can find the link to Team Huntress on our Links/Affiliates page), I figured it would fit in well here seeing as I sell Realtree gear! I found it interesting in that it talks a lot about women in hunting and how that’s changed over the years.
Here is the link- Lynn Pankey

Cadence Bootcut Breeches~Sale $5 Off!

2009-10-07T06:37:16-05:00

I got in my first big shipment of the Cadence Knee-Patch, and the Wind-Pro breeches, all the bootcut style in black. Boy, are they cute! If it ever quits raining I’ll field-test them and give everyone a report as to how they are in the saddle. I did try on a pair of the Mediums, to see how ‘true to size’ they are, and yep, I’m a medium in these as well!
As a promotion I am offering these 2 breeches, in black color only, at $5.00 off the regular prices. Get them while supplies last! (Link is on the sidebar on this page)

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2009-10-03T17:23:12-05:00

Please! It’s been cold and rainy here for the last week. This time of year, rain is bad. It’s bad for the farmers, ranchers, hunters, runners, and horseback riders!
Farmers can’t get to the fields, ranchers can’t get the cattle home, hunters are wearing hip-waders to get to the game (even when their NOT shooting ducks), runners are wearing hip-waders to run (not really, but they could!), and the horses can’t wear hip-waders ‘cause their too big for them, but if they could- they would!
And cold, holy cow! It’s been in the 40’s, that just makes for some nasty weather all the way around.
But, I’m done whining now.
At least it’s not snowing yet…

The Funky Chicken

2009-09-30T06:20:55-05:00

I started riding as an adult and found out how big of a chicken I really am. Up until then I really thought I was rather brave. Put me on the back of a 1200 lb critter with 4 hooves (which may as well be sledgehammers custom-made for my head!) and I was ball of whimpering nerves.
I’ve worked through much of my fear with the help of friends, a wonderful husband, and an amazing horse. I still find more excuses why not to go riding than I should allow myself, but my heart doesn’t pound just at the thought of climbing up in the saddle like it used to.
Apparently many adults have this problem. I read a great article here about this very topic, it deals more with a specific gait (loping), but the information I feel you could use for anything. It has a lot of great tips on displacing that fear and maybe even turning it into something useful while you ride. It’s worth a shot, I figure, so I’m going to put some them to the test this weekend… if it quits raining long enough!

Archery is on my list of 'Things to Learn'

2009-09-26T10:05:17-05:00

Archery season and duck hunting seasons have just started in the area. Archery runs from Sept 26th to Jan 31st , ducks run from Sept 26th to Dec 8th.
Archery is something I’ve never tried, but would love to! For some reason I picture Robin Hood with his little triangle-shaped cap with a feather sticking out of it (or was that Peter Pan?), anyways, it seems rugged and exciting to me.
I definitely need to sign up for the next Women in the Outdoors event to learn that sport! We need to get better at promoting these events… I didn’t hear about the last two that happened in my area until they had already passed. We also need to make sure that we are patronizing them so they continue to happen. So the next time one of those Women in the Outdoors weekends comes up a bunch of us need to get together, charter a bus, and head over to one!
That sounds like a blast!
I will get a schedule together of these events and post it on the website for us to take a look at and plan from. Make sure you tell a friend, better yet, point them to Gracie’s Cove.com (shameless plug) so they can check it out for themselves.
Happy Hunting!

Welcome Hunters

2009-09-24T05:16:59-05:00

I’m not sure how the rest of you hunters are doing, but my trigger finger has been itching like crazy! Pheasant fever is starting to run hot around here, you can see it everywhere you look… blaze orange, camo, more blaze orange, and more camo…
The local Chamber is putting on a big Hunter’s Welcome at the Aberdeen Regional Airport on October 15th and 16th and they’ve asked me if Gracie’s Cove would like to participate. I said “Nah…” Just kidding! I said “Heck Yah!” They will be having a spin-to-win wheel where they are giving prizes away. So we will be throwing in a few caps, discount coupons, maybe a hunting vest or two and some T-shirts. It should be a good time. I’d love to be there to meet some of the hunters as they arrive; they’re usually a fun bunch!
This month Prois Hunting Apparel spotlighted one of there pro-staffers, Barbra Baird, on their website. She’s someone else I’d like to meet, definitely a big advocate of women’s hunting and shooting sports. A woman who talks the talk, walks the walk, and is passionate about teaching other women to do the same. Read the article here to learn more about this truly Dynamic sportswoman.

Introducing: Wyoming West!

2009-09-21T19:03:35-05:00

Gracie’s Cove is very excited to announce the addition of Wyoming West designs to our already outstanding line-up of outdoor apparel! We’ve added hoodies, caps, and other clothing options from Wyoming West, a leading name in western apparel. Please check out the new choices available, if you like these, more will be sure to be added at a later date!

Caffeine

2009-09-19T12:22:49-05:00

Caffeine, is it a Do or a Don’t? I personally haven’t come to that conclusion yet. I know it is a pretty hot debate in some circles (my circle doesn’t debate much).
I don’t drink coffee, or very much soda. I do however drink some tea, and I have been known to swig the occasional 5 Hour Energy shot if I know I’ve got a long day ahead of me. I’ve noticed that it does help my attitude when I don’t feel like going out on a run, it gets my energy up to a point where I go even if I don’t want to. It also helps during the run, I have more drive to go just a bit faster.
It is, however, a performance-enhancing drug….
I feel that if you use your head, and you’re not so hopped up caffeine that you can’t calm down enough stand still for 5 seconds, that caffeine is not a bad thing.
That’s just my opinion…
So suck down that café latte and Run On my friends!

Cowgirl Up!

2009-09-16T19:24:15-05:00

Fall is upon us, which means the cattle will be coming home soon. A couple good friends of mine will be going on a cattle drive the beginning of October… something I’ve always wanted to do! I was invited to go on this one, but prior obligations are going to keep me out of it, dangit!
Bonnie was raised wrangling cattle, so luckily, she’ll be able to teach me when I (eventually) get to go. I can’t wait!
I wish my friends much luck, and much fun, and I hope they know I’m totally jealous!

My girl Bonnie

2009-09-13T06:24:14-05:00

For anyone who doesn’t know, Bonnie is my half-Arabian pinto. She’s about 13 years old, and she is an absolute peach! She is also a lot like riding a stretched rubber band, she’s never run off with me, and I don’t think she ever would. She just feels like she’s ready to rocket off into hyperspace!
I bought Bonnie from the lesson barn where I had been taking lessons for about a year and a half. The first time I saw her, a young gal came into the arena riding her English.
‘Oh, she’s gorgeous!’ I thought…(the horse, not the gal…)
I stayed a little late after lessons to ask my trainer about her. She was for sale! I was able to ride her the next couple of Fridays, and was absolutely in love. What a great horse, a little sensitive for a green beginner like myself, but very trustworthy.
I got her home a month later with a little finagling, and a little deception (sorry honey). She was mine…. Yay!
Now the trick is to find the time to get out and ride as much as I’d like to! I believe this is an issue for many horse owners. How do you manage your time, so you can spend a little of it on the back of your horse?

Finding Kerry Again

2009-09-11T05:42:03-05:00

Do you ever find yourself forgetting what your goals are? That ‘thing’ you’ve been working toward gets lost in the minutia of everyday life. You begin to just waffle along, getting through each day with less enthusiasm. Your focus becomes just getting through the day.
That has been my problem for the last couple of months…I’ve put on some weight, haven’t been running as much, and haven’t ridden much.
Starting today, I’m turning that around. I’m going on a diet, again, will start running more (at least 12 miles a week), and will start riding more (at least once a week).
Carpe Diem!
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Product Review-StabilyX Tights

2009-09-07T12:43:00-05:00

The first time I saw an ad for CW-X running tights, which was when I first started running a few years ago, I was intrigued, to say the least! They looked hi-tech, and extremely high-speed; they looked as though all you had to do was put them on, and you were an instant Kenyan! What runner wouldn’t want that?
When I was still in the planning stages of this website one of the products I wanted to make sure that I carried were the CW-X tights. Every product review that I had read was just raving about this gear. But, still slightly skeptical, I wanted to do my own test run before I said too much:
Last Friday, I donned a set of Stabilyx Tights. I am between 140-145 lbs, 5’4 ½” tall, that puts me (on their size charts) on the cusp between a small and a medium. Living in reality the way that I do, I chose the medium.
I will tell you, when I pulled them out of package and saw that the butt of these things was only about 8 inches across, I laughed out loud. Did they really expect that that little bit of material was going to stretch across my rear-end? Trying keep in mind that these are compression garments, I grabbed the shoe-horn and the cooking spray, and tromped into the bathroom for what I assumed would be a some-what humiliating experience.
I did manage to shimmy into them without the shoe-horn or the cooking spray. Boy, do those tights s-t-r-e-t-c-h! They also ‘contain’ everything very nicely, I didn’t get the muffin top I was expecting from such a fit.
Enough about the fashion side of this, however, how did these tights PERFORM? In a word; awesome! I felt a little self-conscious at first, because these are a second skin, basically, but sucked it up, strapped on my iPod, and trotted off. The core support from the webbing in the low-back, and low-stomach was instantly noticeable. The criss-crossing of that same support system around my knees made a big difference as well. Often times my right knee will wind up being achy after I run, especially anything over 3 miles (which is pretty much every time), and most times when I run on gravel.
Friday I ran at a local park on asphalt for about 3 miles, Saturday I ran 4 miles on gravel. My knee is fine, and I am over the whole “second skin” self-conscious thing. I figure if I can feel this great after a run, then I’d wear a chicken-suit! Plus, they are quite flattering… along with holding things in, they seem to …umm…hold them ‘up’ as well! That’s okay by me!
Am I glad I bought them? Yes! I highly recommend them… my next experiment with these tights will be to wear them under my jeans and ride in them. That same knee tends to get sore about a half-hour in the saddle. We’ll see if that support webbing can solve this issue as well.
I will let you know…
Here’s a pic of me in the tights:

Women Hunters

2009-09-03T18:55:36-05:00

Hunting season is here in my neck of the woods; Dove season started on the 1st, and Canadian Goose season starts on the 5th.
There was a great blog post I just read about women and hunting. I thought it was interesting that so many women felt this way about how women are portrayed in the realm of hunting, and more exact, the business of hunting.
I wanted to make sure I posted it here and hoped it would spark some comments about your own thoughts on this subject.
Good luck to all of our hunters, and please stay safe!

Fall is Almost Here!

2009-09-02T19:20:24-05:00

The County Fair has passed and school has started. Which means my personal favorite time of year is just about here; Fall. The weather cools down a bit, so being outside is that much more enjoyable.
Distance running in the fall is a blast! It always smells so good and the sun doesn’t seem to fry you the way it does in the summer. And the colors are phenomenal! I live in the country, so we’ve got plenty of trees; Amur Maples, Silver Maples, Black Hills Spruce, plum trees, every kind imaginable that would make a good wind break. Gorgeous!
I have learned to dress for the chilly mornings though, layers are important. I shed them as I warm up. It’s important that you’ve got some moisture-wicking layers next to your skin, the fleece or cotton as the middle layer, and a wind breaking layer on the outside if needed.
Get out there and enjoy it, fall never seems to last very long…

Win a Gracie's Cove cap!

2009-08-28T10:19:01-05:00

Anyone making a purchase between now and November 30th will automatically be entered into a drawing for a Gracie’s Cove logo cap!

We will draw one winner a month and notify you by e-mail if you win. Good luck!

Website Launch

2009-08-24T13:12:36-05:00

Well, after a lot of hardwork, on many fronts, here we are! I hope everyone visiting this site enjoys the contents, articles, and of course the clothing!
Quality outdoor clothing for women is obviously the backbone of this website. If any one of you has any suggestions as to what we can do better, or would like to see us carry a line of clothing that you don’t see here, don’t hesitate to let us know .
That being said, I am an avid hunter, runner, and horseback rider and love to hear stories of the same! If you’d like some pics of your own exciting adventures, wins, losses, or otherwise please send them to me with a short excerpt and I will post them on the Customer Photos page.

I will be keeping this blog updated as much as humanly possible, so check back often for interesting articles, amusing ramblings, and product reviews.

Talk to you soon!

I’ll throw in a pic of my horse Bonnie, she’s a sweetie.