A trapper's Christmas

We were up as usual at 7 am. It is -22 and clear (we've just had a 10 day period of -30 which is unusual here). Bryan stokes up the wood stove and goes out to the little shop to restart the stove to keep the chicken pen warm). After coffee and chatting and exchanging our gift to each other, we get ready to go out on the "Bucket Trail" to put up sets and push the trail a little further. There is 5' of snow and the Tundra 550 long track does it's job well. I'm following on my little Tundra 300. We remade this trail last year and so there is little to cut but the snow is deep. I came down a hill and one of my ski's fell in a treewell and over my skidoo went throwing me into the treewell but the skidoo stayed on it's side and didn't land on me. Bryan came back and helped. Off we go again. Lots of Marten tracks in the snow and near the end fresh Fisher tracks. It's getting dark so we turn around still not at the end. On the way back there is a real long step climb consisting of two benches and two turns (just at the top Bryan's skidoo goes over and he hit his head real nicely on the tree.) Off we head home.
I had cooked the Turkey a few days ago in a large cauldron on the wood stove. We could not justify using the oven (propane) for 4 hours. After getting warm, and sitting for a while in the light of our Coleman lantern, the generator is started and I start our Turkey Dinner. It's called Turkey'n Stuffing Pie and tastes like a nice Christmas dinner. Recipe at end. We emailed our Christmas wishes to our kids, family and friends. Our Christmas cards are still sitting on the window ledge because there has been no plane here since fall. I have a glass of homemade red wine and Bryan has his usual coffee. Bryan ran out of cigarettes last week and is not very happy. He had planned on quitting but it is hard. We turn on TV/DVD player and watch another episode of "Daniel Boone" and eat our supper. Our little Christmas tree is twinkling away on the table, last year we had a bigger tree). We are working on the "Inklin Trail" tomorrow so off to bed we go.
Our real Christmas Day turned out to be Sat. Dec. 27. A long ranger helicopter flew in today with a snow shovelling crew to clean off the heavy snow from the lodge down the lake from us. We had been emailed that they were coming and had asked them to bring in our mail and parcels and some fresh vegetables. After helping them shovel, and giving them our mailbag and furs for the January sale, then waving goodbye we went home and sorted the mail. We then opened our letters and cards from family and friends and a big special parcel from Kim. See the special trappers Christmas ornaments she sent in to us. This was our real Christmas Day.
Turkey'n Stuffing Pie
Crust:
1 beatten egg
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 c melted butter
5 cups bread cubes seasoned with Poultry Seasoning
Mix well and pat onto greased 9" pie plate
Filling:
1 can mushrooms
1/2 c chopped onions
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour
3 cups cubed cooked Turkey
1 can peas
1 tbsp parsley
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1 pkg Chicken gravy or 2 cups Turkey Gravy
3 slices cheddar cheese
Saute Mushrooms, onion in butter. Sprinkle on the flour, mix wee. Add Turkey, peas, parsley, Worchestershire Sauce and thyme. Mix well. Stir in Gravy ..Boil and stir for 2 min. Spoon into crust. Cover with lid. Put on Wood stove for 20 to 30 min. Top with pieces of cheese. Let it melt and serve.