Day in Life 1 MYA

Modified: 2021-02-06

2021 Responses

I woke up this morning soaking wet, our cave flooded due to the rain. My baby is crying so I feed her, and find something on our favorite bush (berries) for my toddlers Breakfast. After breakfast we sit and watch the sunrise. My Daughter enjoys splashing in the stream, but this morning we had to sit in our cave around the fire because of the rain.

I woke up like any normal day this morning. I walked down to the river to wash off before I start my day. After a “bath” I go back up to my little shelter that I had created from branches and leaves, to gather the stick I have been sharpening for the last few days. I eat some berries that I have collected during my afternoon hikes and then I go back down to the river to catch some dinner. After I have cooked my dinner over a self made fire, it is now time to clean up and get ready for the storm that is quickly approaching. I gather anything of value to me and lay on top of it while in my shelter. I pray that I make it through the night. 

I woke to the sound of roaring wind. A light freezing breeze echoed its way through the small cave, bouncing off the walls, and pushing its way deeper inside. The fire I left blazing as I drifted off to sleep last night had simmered down. I can feel the soft kisses of raindrops crashing against my face with every howl of the raging wind. A storm was brewing outside. I tugged on my favorite bear fur and secured it around my body as tightly as I could. I knew I had to block the wind and rain from getting inside somehow. I crawled on my hands and knees, careful not to bump my head against the roughness that was the ceiling of the cave. The decision to leave the comfort of my shelter was immediately regretted. I pulled the coat of fur closer to my body and ran. Hurdling puddles of water and clinging to my body for warmth, managed to get me closer to the large bolder that I kept safe and secured about 80 yards from my cave. I immediately began to push against the solid rock, trying to force it to roll. I pushed against the harsh wind, silently begging for it to just move. The rain goes against my will and starts to come down sideways. My bare feet slip and slid in the deep holes of mud I have created. The sky is a violent shade of black, swallowing the land inside a gloomy void. The rain causes my hands to slip and slide against the rock, but I keep my balance and push and push until I make it back home. I stop the bolder as quickly as I can to jump behind it, then begin to pull it towards me, until I am trapped inside the familiar walls of my shelter. The rock manages to keep out the outside world just as I knew it would. As the storm rages on, I crawl back towards the end of the cave, where I begin to rebuild what’s left  of my fire.

As dawn was arriving, I felt the warmth from the sun hitting my face. It was normal for me to wake up early being that I lived alone. I pulled my animal hide blanket away from me and felt the cold crisp air, I instantly got up to get my day started. I went outdoors to gather sticks to start a small fire to keep me warm. My brother was coming over to bring me the catch of the day. He decided to stay for a nice breakfast. After eating we decided to go out for more food. A few years ago, our father and mother were killed by a bison while out hunting for food, so, my brother decided that he would do the hunting with other men. I got dressed and my brother left with the other men while I went out, picked berries, other fruits, and gathered nuts. After getting all the fruit and nuts I wished for, I went down to the stream to get more drinking water that would last me for the next couple of days. It gets dark earlier, so I decided to rush back to the little place I call home. There is a river not too far from my home, so, I put away the items I collected and went down to the river to bathe. Upon my return to my modest home, my brother returned with my part of the meat he captured. Since it was dark outside my brother decided he would stay with me to ensure his safety. Since the river was not too far from home, he rushed downed, cleaned off, and made it back safe. Since I had taken care of all the other tasks, I had enough time to start a new sweater for the frigid winter days. After getting a good lead on my new sweater I decided to call it night since I have an early start the next morning.

I awoke to the sun glaring in my eyes as it peaked through my shelter. I looked around me to see my family still sleeping wrapped in the hide blankets we had made from animals we had previously killed. The fire sat in the middle and still slightly glowed with ember. Pretty soon everyone had woke up and we prepared for our day of survival. As I stood up and walked up right over to grab my things, I grazed my hands over some of our tools, this included the acheleulean hand axe constructed of rock. My sisters and I picked up our bags to go gather fruit and other plant materials that could be of use to us. The plants we searched for were anything that could be eaten, used for shelter, or basically anything as long as it was not poisonous. We could find a way to put nearly anything to good use. This would be nearly an all day affair. We headed back to shelter in time to help prepare to cook the bear the hunters had killed. I overheard the elders mentioning it was nearly time to relocate as changes in the land and animal movement were being noticed. As hunter and gathers, we had to be at where the animals and plants that meet our needs were at.

I woke up during a lightning storm, unaware of what was going on... it was dark and my cave was cold. I decided to get up put on my animal skins and go hunt before dawn. I quickly realized the lightning storm assisted with sneaking up on animals and being able to spot them. I through a stone at a small rodent like creature and deciding to skin it with my rock knife. It was on this day I learnt the fear of lightning was inadequate.

I woke up at the crack of dawn to the sound of water splashing near me since I had ventured to what would be the beginnings of Lake Columbia. To my surprise, it was a rather decent sized fish. “Breakfast!” I thought to myself. I quickly gather up my goat skin blanket and my other belongings, and I then reach for my spear. I pierce the fish with quite remarkable aim and bring it back to shore. I relight my firewood that I had going the night before to cook my morning meal. After, I decide to go further up the lake to a secluded area where I decide to take my weekly bath and rinse my clothing garments. Maybe today will be the day I find a mate! After all, women are helpless without their male counterparts in this era. I decide to put on my newly sewn white rabbit fur coat with the moccasins I made to match. I decide to head to the tents where the farmers and traders reside. As I am traveling by foot to the more populated areas, I hear what sounds like a stampede behind me. I turn back to see travelers on horses heading in my direction. They pass by me without notice of my presence, except for one horseman. She looks in my direction for a brief moment before continuing on her journey. I choose to follow the horseman, although they seem to heading in the same direction as I had chosen earlier. Once I reach the traders’ tents, I look through the goods and materials they have on market for today. It is lots of new and shiny things I had not seen before. I ask one man where he found these things, and he says the newcomers had brought them in to trade for food. I quickly run to the farmers tents to see if I can find the newcomers still in town. I see the woman on the horse that looked in my direction earlier, and she matches my gaze. We speak for a few moments, short but business-like. She says she loves my homemade fur coat and would love a matching set as well. I offer her a deal: let me travel with you and I will make all the clothes she desires. She takes a moment to think it over, but she quickly agrees to my offer. I may have not found my male partner to hunt and gather for me, but I have found a new meaning to this barbaric life.

I woke up to a stick poking me in the side, it was my brother waking me up quietly to get our day started. I got up and we went and grabbed our hunting tools to go hunt with. The day before we had spent the whole evening carving and shaping wooden spears to go kill some large animals with. After we had been hunting all day, we were finally approached by a huge bison. We both had our four wooden spears moving at a slow motion. We made a quick decision to attack it at the same time, we struck the bison multiple times from both sides, it suddenly fell to the ground. We weren’t too far from our fire and could still see some of the flames going, so we pulled it back in. 

During the night, I have the same reoccurring dream that I have had for the past week, which are mostly memories for the great journey across the land bridge that my family made when I was a very young woman of thirteen. Even when I wake up now in my bed with my husband, I can feel sting of the dust storms that plagued us throughout the long, hard journey, and my feet can still feel the biting cold of the rough terrain as I get to my feet. The fire was kept going throughout the night by both my husband and I, who grew too cold during the night to allow it to extinguish entirely. I rekindle it to be stronger still before preparing breakfast with the plants and berries that remain in our supplies, which will just be enough to make a very modest meal for my family of seven. Once the children have been fed, we dress ourselves to meet with the rest of the village, wherein the men and our most able-bodied women- including myself- will pursue the elusive hunt, and the youths and less athletic women will gather and prepare for the return. Hunting is a multi-day exhibition, so we equip ourselves with as many food sources and medical supplies from the village’s collective before we set out. Today, we are successful in shooting down three geese, and are tracking a herd of deer when we retire with the sun. We sit around a fire that we prepare and eat as many of our rations as we dare, then take cover in our homemade tenting, all huddled together for further warmth, and with a vast and endless sky above and across us.

I was awakened by an attack on my site from a rival tribe this morning. Luckily my eldest son was there to keep watch and was able to wake me and the other members in time for the attack. The battle was fierce, but we only lost a few people and we successfully protected the leftover meat and materials we had collected from the big hunt yesterday. After we put away the dead, we all ate to get ready for the day’s hunt. All men of our tribe went on our way to search for food while the women cared for the young and gathered berries from around a near by pond. The hunt was long and almost unsuccessful we caught a few rabbits, but not nearly enough to feed the whole clan. Just as we thought to turn around before the sun went down, we were met with a sweep of luck. A large wooly mammoth ran over a hill just in front of us. It looked as if it were split from the herd by another attacker but there was nothing chasing it anymore. It was too big for us the take it head on, so we chased it and picked at it until finally it was too exhausted to fight. We went for the kill and sent a few members to go get the rest of the tribe. We made a fire and set up camp around the mammoth and picked away at it for hours for food and tools until finally it was gone and it was time for us to sleep for the night.

I was awoken by the sun beaming bright in my eyes. I rolled over and made my way to my feet. I gathered myself and walked nearly thirty steps east towards the stream to splash water on my face and to take a few gulps. The cool water was refreshing but sent chills all over. Some days are cooler than others. Today was one of those days. I packed up camp to move to the original destination. I was sure to fill my pouch will water this time. Ma made it from the belly of a bison and some left-over deer skin. Before I set forth on my journey, she wrapped up leftover game from last night. I told her to keep it because I could catch new game within my two-day journey, but she insisted I take it. Upon arrival, I passed quarry that would’ve made good dinner, but predators got to it before I could. I was able to find my spot to set up camp before it got too dark. I used my chopper to mark my trail, so I could remember my location if I decided to return sooner. I also use my chopper to record noises I hear around me during the night if I can’t sleep. I prepare for slumber by lying on my half empty water pouch and rolling myself in my bear hide quilt my mother also made. She makes sure I’m in good hands and well taken care of. She is why I go on many journeys to find the best game just for her.

My eyes fly open and I am pulled from sleep as I hear the roar of a beast in the distance. I look around, see that the sun has just begun to rise, and quickly search for my hand axe in order to prepare for the possible attack. I wake everyone else as well. The hunters get their weapons and the gatherers protect the weaker and the young at the camp. The beast appears from the tree line of the forest, and before it can find the settlement and attack, we are able to take it down. The stronger members drag the defeated beast back to the camp. I put more wood and dried grass onto the flame at the settlement when we all arrive. Others begin to break it down into different parts by the light of the fire. They harvest its pelt for a new sleeping cover, the flesh for our next meal, and then they clean the bones to use in some new tools. Once they have finished, some of the meat is being roasted over the flame and the sun has risen a quarter way into the sky. All of us eat our meal and then prepare for the midday duties. I see a group head to the grove to gather plants. I hope they find more of those sweet, brightly colored fruits. I pick up the beast’s pelt and gather my tools to begin carving the flesh off of the skin. I begin to prepare the pelt for tanning so that it will not rot. Afterwards, I begin to search for some rocks to make new axes with. I get my sturdy rock and begin to chip the edges of the lighter one away to make a sharpened edge. I grab some of the bone from earlier and some wrappings to assemble a handle. The gathering party returns with fruits, leaves, some insects, and a few flowers. The sun is starting to set as we gather around the fire again. With the remaining meat from the morning and the new food from today, we eat our meal. We spend the rest of the night listening to the insects and the creatures that arise at night before going to sleep.

I awoke feeling stiff.  The only thing I could feel was the cold, hard ground underneath me. The sun was out but it did little to stop the cold that was so severe it caused me pain. I look around, my family is still sleeping.  My parents are close together, trying to steal warmth from each other.  I get up and set out to find some berries or nuts in the woods, so we can all eat when I return.  I have walked about 500 yards when I find a bush full of blackberries.  I pick some and hold them in the hem of my sheepskin shirt.  I make my way down to the river, which is not far from our makeshift hut.  I rinse the berries off, and when I return to my family they are now starting to wake.  We share the berries and save some so that we can use them for painting rocks later in the day.  I mention to my father that I would like to go hunting today.  We grab our spears, made from sticks and sharp rocks, and make our way into the woods.  After waiting for what seems like forever, I hear rustling in the leaves.  A deer approaches, and me and my father both throw our spears, killing the deer.  This will make a nice dinner, and a warm blanket for tonight.  When we return to our home, I begin to gather sticks for a fire.  My mother lights the fire by spinning the sticks, as my father uses a sharp rock to cut the deer meet.  After dinner, I paint a couple rocks using the leftover berries, then decide to sleep.  While it is still cold outside, I sleep much better with the deer hide giving me some warmth.

I woke up to the sound of distant animals, maybe rabbits, moving in the nearby undergrowth. The moon was high in the sky. Me and my other tribesmen had gone on a hunting trip that went wrong. We started with seven hunters and were left with only four, one of them being wounded. We hadn’t been able to find a cave to camp in, but we found a natural canopy created by a fallen tree trunk as the vines and leaves had grown over it, creating a small cove. The air was cold. We were unable to build a fire the night before, fearing it would attract more predators. Unable to sleep, I got up and approached the tribesman standing watch at the edge of the canopy. He nodded and lied down where I had been as I took his place. My ears perked up at any sound, searching for any sign of predators. After hours passed and the moon had moved closer to the horizon, rain began to fall. I immediately turned to wake the others, and they helped the wounded man to his feet. The rainfall would mask both the scent and sound of us retreating back to camp. When the drizzle turned into a downpour we began the journey. We were too slow, but the wounded man couldn’t go at full speed and we were all hungry and cold. We reached the camp as the sun came up. We were greeted with women and children, some of them took the wounded man to a tent. With no food, the camp had to make do with a meager helping of berries. I laid next to the fire and, like my comrades, fell asleep soundly next to the warmth.

Resting in the shrubbery beneath the shade of the tallest pine on the south side of the cliff, I opened my eyes at the first chirp of the early bird. It was still cool, and the ground was wet around me. The light was just beginning to break through the trees. I heard what sounded like the growl of an animal, except a little quieter and I only heard it when my middle seemed to churn. Stepping out from underneath the trees, I was met by the warm embrace of the light on my skin, the aroma of berries and fresh water beckoned me to begin my day with breakfast. After gathering plum-colored berries and splashing the spring over my dry eyes, I munched and gathered straw to continue patching my shelter. Fallen branches are the sturdiest I’ve found, so I have been using them to lean against the foot of the cliff. After working for a little while, I went to back to the creek to wash up and searched for food to eat. After finally catching and crushing a speedy swimmer, I put it next to the shelter. Before it got too dark, I had to find more loose twigs and straw to build a hot heap since my last one got wet. Once I gathered more, I made a pile and rubbed my sparky stones together. When I saw a speck of light, I blew on it. I’ve learned that air makes it grow. I know it doesn’t take long to blaze, so I put together some branches to hang the speedy swimmer over the hot heap. Once it was brown, I took it down to cool. I ate and I watched the sunset go down waiting eagerly for the bright dots to appear above. 

The birds chirped as the sun rose and I was awakened by their songs. I began my day by putting on my animal hide clothes and throwing on my bear fur coat. I then went to the stream and splashed some water on my face. After washing up, I climbed a tall tree to search for any stray eggs. I ate one egg raw then cooked the other one on a flat rock. After eating breakfast, I drank some water from the stream. I gather enough firewood to last for the rest of the day. I then set out to go hunt for a good dinner. I made a spear out of a rock that I had sharpened to a point. I tied it to a good stick with a vine. I walked around until I stumbled upon some squirrels. I lured the squirrels in with a pile of nuts. I waited for one of them to take the bait then I jumped out and pierce the small mammal with my spear. I walked back home hoping that any big predators would smell the scent of my fresh kill. On my way home, I also saw some promising wild berries. I used some big leaves as my platter. I skinned and cooked the squirrel on a stick over a small fire. After eating I add more wood to the fire to really get it going. I go to the stream and wash all the crumbs and grease off my face. Then I went and found my family and friends and socialized with them for a while. I took the berries I picked to share with them as a snack. As the sun set, I huddled up with the rest of my family and listened to our fathers tell stories until I feel asleep.

This time in the morning when the air is calm is the best time to find fruits growing in the trees. If you can wake up before the tree climbers you will find the best. I awake and start the hike to collect food from the trees. Once I have all I need I will return home and awake my husband and let him indulge in the fresh treats with me so we may build our strength for this day.

After the morning supplies have been retrieved the hunt begins. My husband will go out into the wilderness to hunt for us. He will not stray too far from our home and will return at night, if he does not I know it means he’s dead and I will have to leave and find other protection. When he has returned we will feast on the meat he brings home. It’s a trophy for his pride to keep his family fed and a reward to us for another day we live.

When the sun sets in the middle of the sky this means it is time for me to beat the hides so all the night crawlers will fall out. I hate when they bite me while I’m sleeping. Then, I will make a trip where the water flows and bring it back to my home. For now while I await my next meal to return, I will prepare a fire.

Tonight we will sleep by a fire and under each other thanking the heavens for protection this day. For tomorrow we will awake and repeat the survival.

I wake up when it is still dark outside to find my younger brother sitting by the still lit fire. I scoot over to him, trying to be as quiet as possible so that I do not wake my mother and father. I ask him why he is up out of his bear hide sleeping blanket, because it is freezing cold. He says “yeah, that is why I am by the fire!” I tell him that he can lay in between my mother and I. Usually he sleeps on the outside, but since he is so cold, I switch places with him. We go back to sleep until our mother wakes us up for breakfast. We are eating berries, my favorite! My mother and my brother really like oranges, but since my father likes berries, we have those more often! My father and my brother are about to leave to try to catch some fish for dinner. We spent most of yesterday sharpening sticks for them to use to “catch” the fish. They are actually stabbing the sticks into the water once they see that a fish is near. While they do that, my mother and I go out and gather food and sticks for tonight’s fire. We look for berries and nuts, and anything else we can find that we do not have to track and kill. My father says that my mother and I are not supposed to hunt because it is very dangerous. When my father was young, his brother was killed by an elephant.  I still wish that we could hunt, because then he and my brother would have to clean the animals and prepare food. I think hunting would be much more fun. Once we’ve gathered plenty of food, we head back to our cave. We need to get the fire going and have it ready for my father and brother. When they return, they have four fish! I am so excited, because that means that each of us will have our own yummy fish to eat. My mother and I prepare dinner and we eat. After we eat, she and I clean up and we prepare for bed. I did not clean myself in the river today because I did so just three days ago. So I will not have to bathe again until tomorrow. I did not want anyone thinking that I was unclean! I tell my brother that he can still sleep in between my mother and I. Hopefully he can sleep through the night!

“It is getting dark, and we still haven’t been successful hunting for food. We are stocked on vegetation from the past season, but we need protein to keep our bodies strong. My sister preferred to stay at home while my mother and I hunted. At this point, we would settle for a large rabbit or squirrel. We are starting to get desperate. My father passed away 5 winters ago after getting wet in a river looking for sister, who had gotten lost. Hypothermia got the best of him and his body began to fail very quickly after we couldn’t warm him fast enough. Since he has been gone, the three of us have suffered when it comes to getting the nutrition our bodies need. 

It was time for mother and me to return home before my sister is left without fire past dark. On our way back, we both did our best collecting as many twigs and small pieces of firewood that would suffice for the time being. Without protein, we all lack the energy we need to get us through the harsh winter. Fishing is almost impossible with all sources of water starting to freeze. Once back at home, we feed the fire the twigs and add the wood to our stack. I guess it will be another night of berries and plants around the shelter. We bundle up close under the same bear coat and hope that between body heat and the fire we are able to sleep comfortably. 

Before the sun rises, my mother has already woken up and scavenged for more firewood. The snow will be falling soon, and we will need as much as we can find. I pull myself out from under the coat and hurry to help my mother while my sister maintains the fire for now. We collect twigs and sticks and additional wood pieces to pile at home. After this, the search for meat begins. We have our spears and the bow my father made for hunting. We are able to bring home two rabbits although it doesn’t sound like much it is plenty to ration for tonight and tomorrow. We will continue our search because our lives depend on it.”

I woke up this morning with the sun, our cave isn’t very good at blocking it out, and was pleasantly surprised to see that the fire was still lit making the cave nice and cozy. I scooted away from my family and instantly felt colder without their body heat. I gathered the leftover nuts and berries from yesterday and woke everyone up with a nice breakfast. After eating the small but satisfying meal, I did a bit of tidying up, caves can get so dusty. My family then went out to hunt and gather more food for the rest of the day and tomorrow if we get enough. We had a pleasant haul, we got an entire mammoth, which was a pain to get back to the cave, plus several handfuls of mixed berries and nuts. We then skin and cook the mammoth and have a lovely dinner. After everyone has their bellies full we make sure we have enough wood for the fire to last all night and we pile up close to stay warm and fall asleep.

Sleeping peacefully, I am awakened by my son and the coldness of the outside world before the light of day in which I am alarmed and on guard. I quickly prepare a small fire with the sticks that were left over from the previous fire that took minutes to ignite and maintain from the harsh winds of the outside world. Crying for his first meal of the day, I prepare myself for his nourishment from my body. While holding him with my other hand a grab the nuts and berries I gathered and began to nourish myself and drinking from the small log of contained water from which there was a stream not far that followed. Looking for the rope and grass I intertwined together I strap it to my chest and firmly place my son inside so close he could hear my heartbeat so we can continue our journey for the day. Striking out to find our original origin I quickly bind together trees with vines to make shelter for the storm that begins to introduce itself.  After making shelter and gathering what little nourishment that could be found we patiently wait until the rain slowly fades away from pelting against our skin. Feeling like I have been walking for days I take a seat on the grass that has been fed from the crying skies above. As I breath in and out slowly I begin to continue my journey while my son sleeps peacefully with no worries. Only to come across a sense of feeling that seems familiar. As I proceed faster, I am surrounded with familiar sounds, smells, and not to mention at last the people I once knew as my own blood. Yes, at last I am home.

I woke up snuggled in my furs around my fire. My small group is finally waking up as well. The sun is just coming up over the horizon. I grab what belongings I have with me and help prepare the others to leave the cave. My group counts up the food supply we have, and we realize we need to hunt today and gather plants, berries, and nuts. I am in charge of making sure we are on the right track. I remember certain areas and locations for the group. Many of the women help with this task, as well as, taking care of the children and making meals. We head off into the morning and start our hunt. We see many small rabbits. The men chased the furry creatures around until eventually they hit them over the head with large rocks, killing them. They are placed in a sack for future consumption and fur usage. I began gathering berries and different plants along the way. The children would help too. We walked for what seemed like ages with no big game animals in sight today. The sun starts to go down, so we quickly find another small cave. This cave was barely big enough to house us all, but we made it work. We split up to work on our jobs for evening. The men skinned the rabbits and gave the women the meat to prepare. They also prepared the furs for use later. We separated the plants and berries. We let the children play with wood figurines while we were busy. We soon ate what small portion we could and made our pallets. We made a bigger fire, got warm, and finally fell asleep. The same routine will start at sunrise.

It seems to be getting colder and colder everyday. I don’t want to escape the bit of body heat trapped in my bear-skin blanket, but I wake up to find some sticks to start a fire for warmth. I go to my bucket of fresh water in the corner to freshen up a little.I then throw on what animal skins I have for clothes to begin the day. I sit closely to the fire trying to warm up a bit. The sun is starting to come out and I am starting to feel quite hungry so I decide to go hunting for the day. I grab my wooden spear and my container of water and begin my hunt. Things were moving pretty slow throughout the hunt and I was getting pretty tired. I eventually stumbled upon a river stream and saw fish. I stepped into the icy cold fresh water and speared my catch of the day. I got some fresh water as well, and then returned home. I started up another fire and began to cook my fish. It tasted so good and I actually hadn’t had fish in awhile. I ate all of my food for the day and began to carve drawings into the walls. Carving makes me calm. The daylight started to fade so I put away my drawing tools and begin my last fire of the day. I lay down and cover up, thinking about what I shall hunt tomorrow, ready to begin the next day.

2019 Responses

Modified: 2019-01-23 5:03 pm

As I began to start my day one cold morning, I was getting ready to get a few items that I needed in order to survive out here in the wilderness. I looked around for my shreds of fur that has been keeping me warm majority of this winter weather. I had to leave the tent to go hunting for more wood because our supply of it was running low. The fire from the previous night was dying down and I must start preparing for today meal for my family. Before I left the tent, I grabbed my spear in case I run into an animal that my family and I could eat later. I also grabbed my lantern and stick, so I would be able to see better and protect myself from any trouble I could possibly face today. As I started walking, I stumbled across some berries and nuts to snack on as I traveled. I finally spotted a good tree to chop some wood from. I carried the wood on my back and on my way back home to my family, I spotted a huge animal resting under a tree. I put the wood down slowly and made no sound. I snuck up on the animal and immediately started stabbing the animal until it stopped moving. I cut good parts of the animal and took it back home. When I got there, I decided to skin it and kept the fur, so my family and I could make it useful for the remaining part of the winter. I then added more wood into the fire and pulled out the pan to cook the meat that was now cut into small pieces. We sat around the fire and ate the meat plus the berries I had left from earlier.

My Day

I love being a mother and a wife it takes a lot of hard work and participation from both me and my husband. I must wake up at five o’clock a.m. every morning to get the fire going, I love the smell of the pine needles and pecan wood burning. Next, I must make the children breakfast I will take a little meal and a few other ingredients to make them cakes from scratch while Jimmy goes hunting for supper, he won’t be home until sundown because of the long journey. After breakfast me and the children will do our daily chores such as milking the cows and feeding the chickens. The kids love the farm its where my parents raised me, I have been farming since I was about eight years old.

During the day me and my daughter Chloe will churn the cow’s milk to make butter and buttermilk. For lunch I will be making hot water cornbread and buttermilk for the children to eat. After lunch I will be making a few dresses for the girls to wear to Sunday school and I’ll make Jimmy a new sweater for the cold mornings. I’ll be using the following items:

• Thread
• Needle
• Yarn
• Thimble

After working on my sewing projects, I’ll begin to clean the house again since the kids have made a mess, I will warm some water, so they can bath and get ready for bed. Before bed I will clean the deer that jimmy brought in for tomorrow. Now its bath and bed time for mom after a long hard day.

Going back 6,000 years ago from now. No advanced technology, no Wal-Mart, no iPhones, no 2019. To me, going back 6,000 years ago from now, makes me think of the cavemen days. During those days, you would basically have to be on feet doing everything, so that means no transportation. Cavemen had to hunt and cook their own food if they wanted to survive. They would even have to build their own fire to cook their food and bathe wherever and whenever they could find water. Cavemen wear wool like clothing. Being a caveman/woman for 24 hours would be very interesting. If I was a cavewoman back then, I would make sure that it would be enough firewood for the cold days. Make sure that the food supply would last before a big storm. I would check to see if I had all the essentials that I needed to get me through the day.

I would start my day off by waking up. Going outside the cave to see sunlight, if there were any, check the temperature outside to see if I needed more clothing or not, then start my day. Toothpaste and a toothbrush weren’t invented then, so we would skip all those details. I would then go look for food. Depending on the environment, it may take hours. After food is out of the way, I would start making weapons to pass by the time and for protection later if an animal came after me. Not only using the weapons for protection, but I could use them for getting food or cleaning the food. Being that you are a caveman/woman, sleeping on the bare ground could be in uncomfortable to a certain point. So, I would gather leaves and twigs to make a bed out off and plus the leaves could help keep you warm. After searching for food and making weapons, I would then explore my environment to see if I would have to fight for territory. Without technology back then, one would have to keep oneself busy. My life as a cavewoman would be boring because I will do nothing but try to not get killed.

When I woke up this morning, all of the men in my family were getting ready to go on a hunt. I got out of bed and grabbed a basket and one of the animal hides lying around. I walked outside of the hut and went to gather seeds, vegetables, nuts, and berries. I tried to gather any materials for the shelter that we had available as I could. After I gathered enough materials, I went back to the hut and put some more sticks in the fire, because it was very cold today. I looked through the materials that I had gathered to see what I could make. I had already started on a few baskets, so I worked on finishing those. After eating a few pecans and berries, I walked to the lake to see if I could catch some fish for dinner later. I put the fish in one of my baskets I had finished and walked back to the shelter. After I got back, I put some more sticks on the fire and I started working on making some shoes. When the men got back, I put together the hides of the animals that were killed recently to make some coats since it was cold out. These could be worn by everyone during the rest of the winter. We then cooked some fish over the fire that I had kept going throughout the day and ate dinner. I got my shelter ready to go to sleep and then will repeat my day again tomorrow.

I woke up with a since of urgency because I felt the sun beaming down on my skin. I realized I slept too long because the sun was shining bright. I got up and stretched my body taking in all the fresh air around me. I felt my stomach growling and realized that I slept too late for breakfast, so it was time for lunch. I got myself together and made a walk down to the nearest lake. It is about a five-minute walk from where I lay my head. I cup my hands as I splashed water on my face to completely wake myself up. I got enough to rinse my mouth as well. For lunch, I picked berries and nuts that grew on the bushes to the left of the lake. I knew this will satisfy me as I gathered my tools and hunt for my dinner later that today. I cleaned my berries and crack open my nuts and enjoyed watching the lake. While I still had some sunlight, I went on a quest to gather enough stick and rocks to start a big enough fire to cook my dinner. Twisting and striking the sticks together for, I was able to get a flame going a few hours later. I threw in some leaves to keep the fire burning while using the rocks a foundation. I spent some time searching for a fish, but I finally caught one using a stick I scraped down to a sharp tip. I placed it above the fire until it begun to brown. The sun was quickly going down and the sky was turning into a deeper blue. I knew my day was coming to an end. Before going to sleep I secured the fire for the next day.

The early morning mist hangs in the air as the sun begins to rise. I check the point of my stick and head out to find my prey. If I am lucky, I will be able to wear out a deer and kill it, and if I am not then it means another day without food for me and my family.

The deer are slow to start stirring this morning. But when they do the chase is on. The deer runs off and I follow quickly on foot. If I can maintain my pace and don’t lose the trail, then we will eat well for days to come. After several hours trudging through the forest I find where the deer has holed up and the chase resumes. After several rounds of this fame of hide and seek I finally wear the deer down and make a killing blow. The sun is low in the sky now, and I will have to make my journey home in the morning, but I can rest easy knowing I will be bringing food.

I woke up to a sweat because I was hot on a summer day. Today I slept just long enough to see the sun rise. I made sure my partner woke up and we threw some tinder and sticks on the hot coals from last night. We ate some pecans that we had gathered the previous day. We went down to the creek to check the stick fish traps. The first trap yielded none, but the second trap yielded a catfish. After walking back the sun was at the highest point in the sky. Then we gutted the fish and put the unskinned catfish on some embers and coals. We kept the guts for bait in our traps. After eating we set out to find walnuts or pecans and re set the fish traps. As the sun began to set we got back home with a small amount of walnuts. Using our rocks we cracked the shells off the nuts preparing them for tomorrow. Then I fed the fire and got in the shelter where my partner awaited me. A few hours into the night I heard a black bear, but the rain kept her away.

I wake up in the cold morning after hearing my companions moving around. I sluggishly wrapped the deerskin blanket tighter around me. As I slipped on my leather slippers and stumbled out of my tent to be greeted by Ray, folding her own blanket, and Bob sitting by the now dying fire, with bags under his eyes from being the one to stay up last night as watch. Ray and I began getting out the berries that we had picked yesterday and evenly distributed them amused the three of us. We all sat quietly around the ambers that are left over smoking up any heat that we can get as we feel the sun gradually warm the earth. As Bob goes to get his sleep. Ray and I began to gather the supplies we’ll need for the day. We quickly and quietly went through the woods that surrounded us. As always when we hunt, I was in charge of spooking the hog in the direction of Ray where she was waiting to spear it.

I am in a heavy sleep when I am awakened by the howl of a nearby wolf. I immediately grab my hand axe and rush out of my cave. Once outside I am careful not to make any noise, as I don't want to alert the wolf. After stalking in the direction I heard the howl from for a couple of minutes I see the wolf drinking from a small stream about 10 meters away. I continue towards him using the darkness of the night to hide my intense hunger to both eat this animal and stop it from continuing to harass my camp. As I get within a meter of the wolf, he notices me and lets out a low growl as he turns towards me. I smash my hand axe into his head, killing him cleanly. I grab him by the foot and lead him back to my cave to be harvested. After harvesting the wolf, I continue to sleep. When I wake again it is midday, and I eat some of my kill. I decide to take part of the wolf to my friend Chevb in exchange for some of the fruit he has recently gathered. When I arrive at Chevb's camp I find a trail of blood leading to his cave. I go inside while screaming out "Chevb!" until I see Chevb on the floor of the cave, blood everywhere, cutting up a deer he has recently killed. I exclaim to him "ChevB, I was worried you were dead!" only to be laughed at and reassured. I then return to my camp with fruit, and a piece of deer.

If I Were A Caveman

I have been camping in the wilderness and surviving off of wildlife subsistence for many years. I decide to wake up early every morning so that I can get a jump start on what today may bring; by getting dress in my wolf like vest, tying my hair back, and putting on my wooden shoes. Whenever it is time to go hunting I always grab my bag of belongs such as sleeping bag, matches, portable cook stove, tent, food, water, wood, and hunting supplies. Once I am done packing I will get started on hunting for my lunch or dinner. Every morning I would eat berries or pecans until it is time to clean the deer or fish for the night. Now that I am ready to get my fishing rods and travel to the pond in order to catch lunch for the day. Sometimes I am in a competition with other wildlife animals for instance bears since they like to eat fish as well. Therefore, I will arrive at the pond at a little earlier time before the bears decide to come. Moreover, after catching the fish I would put it in a bucket and head back to the camp site to use the matches and wood to start the fire, clean the fish and cook it on the portal stove. Subsequently, since I am done eating I would clean the portable stove and go look for more wood. Next, it is time to grab the riffle so that I can hunt for my super for the night which is deer. After I catch the deer I would bring it back to the camp site to clean and cook it, wash the portable stove off, prepare the fire and get ready for bed.

I wake up somewhere around the crack of dawn. I can already feel hunger setting into my stomach. I meet up with some of my friends that also begin to wake up around this time and set off with them to begin hunting for food. Half of us go out to gather wild fruits and vegetables, while the other half of us set out to hunt the nearby animals. We had developed tactics for the best way of hunting the animals that we could currently. So we climbed into trees above a path that we knew a pack of gazelles frequently would come through and held our spears ready to strike at any moment. We lied in wait there on that path until finally a small group had come through and we immediately attacked the gazelles and killed them. We then carried them to a place that we could more easily strip the meat from their carcasses and prepare food for small community of around twenty-five. After our meal and a full day’s worth of hunting, I return to my simple, yet familiar little hut and go to sleep before setting out again the next day.

Day in the Life

I woke with the feel of mosquitos tickling my cheeks and the cold biting my toes. It was sun rise, and I could not wait for the warmth the sun would bring. Today I would need to find food to sustain me through the next few days of snow. I proceeded to sharpen my tools before heading out. I kept to the bushes and remained silent for five hours. At one point, I shot a deer with an arrow. However, the deer got away before I could finish the job with my spear. There was this gnawing in my stomach that I knew only occurred when I needed food. However, I continued to concentrate no matter how hard it became. Suddenly, I heard a branch snap and my second chance came up out of nowhere. It took me two and a half hours to kill and transport my new catch back to my home. I skinned the body and separated all the meat. I began attempting to start my fire for a heat source. After rubbing the two pieces of wood together for a little under an hour I got a flame. I fed it until I was able to cook a small portion of my catch for the day. After I fed the fire enough to offer a little heat and protection for the night, I then packed the rest of my fresh meat in some of the snow towards the back of my dwelling. I then laid on my new hide with my spear beside me. I laid there until sleep found me and tried not to think of the cold surrounding me. I stayed that way until the sun rose again which let me know it was time to get ready for another day of survival.

I awoke at just before day break to tend to the morning fire. It is winter and the fire is essential for survival during winter months, to ensure that our home stays warm my husband and I attend to it regularly. I use the last of the wood from the pile stored inside our home, which is constructed of timber and animal skins. Once the fire is going strong, I put on extra furs and head out. There is a small stock of wood nearby that I take from to replenish supply in the hut. I leave my oldest child to tend to the fire while I head out with other women from our tribe to collect plants, berries, and more fuel for the fire from the nearby woods. The men of the tribe left early before dawn to hunt, but if they come back empty handed the few winter plants, we can manage to gather will have to hold us over for another day. This winter has been harder than most. We gather from morning to early afternoon, we managed to locate an area with plenty of winter berries to fill our pouches. Late in the evening the men returned from their hunt. Although they did not kill any big game, they did manage to kill some rabbits. While it is not much it will hold us over for a few days. We cook the rabbits over the fire and share them among members of our group. I end the day by tending to our fire.

Life as an Early Hominid

A Caveman’s Routine

I woke up to the wind cutting through the buffalo and deer hides I had been using as a way to keep warm next to the fire. The wind had blown the fire out but left a few small embers for me to try and work with to get the fire going again. The sun felt warm on my face as it slowly came out from behind the trees. My significant other should be back sometime soon from hunting. We saw some deer yesterday and could use some more meat and the hide to keep us warmer at night. But until he returns, I will have to eat the meat and nuts that we have stored. I head down to the creek and break through the ice so that I can get some water to drink. While I am down there, I gather some sticks that I can use to hold the meat over the fire to cook it. Once I get that done and have the stick propped up so that I can leave the meat there while I crack open some nuts to enjoy by using two rocks. One has a small worn out hole so that the nut doesn’t roll away and the other is a rather heavier rock so that it has the weight to crack open the nut. By the time I get the food ready my significant other is back with a deer. After we finish eating, we begin the process of skinning the deer and separating out all the parts so that we can use them later. He says that the sky looks like it might snow. So, while he finishes putting the meat up, I begin to go and gather more firewood because we will definitely need it if we are going to stay warm tonight. Once I get back with the firewood, we began the process of creating a blanket out of the deer hide and cook some of the organs and other meats to eat for supper and gather some water to drink and tan the deer hide. Finally, the sun begins to sink behind the trees, and we place some extra firewood on the fire and wrap up under the buffalo and deer hides to get warm and get some rest

Short Essay

A typical day for me a million years is hard for me to even imagine. I have two children, but I could not even begin to explain childbirth in those times. I use the sun as a wake up source to begin my daily chores. I gathered my children and took them to the nearest pond or lake for water. I have to gather breakfast, which is typically fish from the pond. I was able to create a tool using the sharpest rocks I could find, see sticks, and my hair to hold it in place. There weren't enough stick gathered the day before so I held off on leaving the fire on u till we made it back. My children gathered sticks nearby the pond while I was hunting for food. Some of the stocks were damp so I couldn't use those for the fire. We set those aside to dry out for later. After building a small fire in dirt, we were all able to warm up again. It was a slow start due to mixing the dry sticks with the wet ones, but was successful in the end. I consumed the sweetest red berries from a nearby place after rinsing them off. I gathered other nearby fruits to store away hoping the scent would not being upon any enemies. The sun begins to hide as I rush to store everything before losing our main source of light.

Me and my family wake up to yet another freezing cold day! The fire located inside goes out in the middle of the night; therefore, while we are sleeping we are also freezing. As we reveal ourselves from our home we begin our day with daily routines we have assigned for one another. Our mother goes out to find sticks for two new fires and rocks to carve stick into spears for hunting and protection. Myself, my brother, and two sisters go out and hunt for rodents or any type of foods to consume. We each catch quite a bit of food apiece. The oldest of us goes out to find water, considering around this time most of the water is frozen, it is a challenge to find it in the liquid form. While heating three giant rats we hear a growl coming from a distance, before unhooking our dinner we retreat into our home. We are all exhausted from hunting and we did not want to put up a fight against a saber tooth tiger. After upholding our hunger with berries as snacks we then go outside to see that the saber has eaten our dinner. We start a fire inside hoping another saber or a giant wolf did not come looking for food from the smell of these new set of rats. After feasting we rest for the next day. We all try to lay as close to the fire as possible to keep warm. We also cuddle together to keep the warmth between us so that when the fire dies out while we are sleeping we still have body heat circulating between us. Tomorrow we will hunt a mammoth for its fur, use it for warmth and meat for food.

I woke up this morning ravenous; the rumbling in my stomach woke me before the cool flakes of snow that had just begun to fall ever could. I got up quickly, slipping on an extra piece of hide to fend off the cold, and went out hunting. After having no luck, I decided on fishing instead. I stood in a stream for while, waiting quietly with frozen toes. And then with a flash, I plunged an arm into the water and caught a fat, shiny fish with my bare hand. Excited, I raced back to our fire pit and began to clean the fish and prepare it for breakfast. Once my family was awake, we split the fish and prepared for the rest of the day. It was moving day, which meant we had to pack up and head farther south to keep up with the migrating game. We divided up tasks and then went out on our way. During the journey, my little brothers hunted rabbits and squirrels to keep us going for the day, along side our leftover dried deer meat. We finally found a place to settle and make camp right before dusk. After settling in, we made plans for how far we would travel for the next few days and prepared our things for leaving the next morning. Some time later, everyone went to sleep while I sat up gazing at the stars. I looked as long as I could before giving into the exhaustion of the day, imagining what life would be like in the distant years to come.

I woke up and began my day at first light by rolling up the hide I used to sleep on. I meet with the other women of my group and we head off to look for berries and other edible plants. Most of the day has gone by while we women gather plants and the men hunt for wild game. Later back at camp, we (the women) make a meal from the plants we found and the meat the men brought back today before discussing the moving patterns of the animals and when we will have to start leaving to stay with the food source.

I awake to a frosty morning to a rumble in my stomach, with the immediate thought of finding my next meal. I crawl out from under my fur blankets and reach for my sharpened rock knife and ease my way into the wooded area near my resting place, sticking to the trees and shadows to find my breakfast. I spend a good portion of the morning hunting and when I finally find a small animal I make my attack, I bring my meal back to my resting place and enjoy my victory, while vigilantly making sure no other predators are lingering near by to take over my feast. After completing my meal I travel on to find my water source from a small stream where I enjoy fresh water by cupping handfuls and bringing them to my mouth. Hearing a strange sound I become frightened and rush to hide amongst the trees away from the large beast also seeking out a place to find water. After the creature passes on I make my way back through the woods gathering leaves and berries to eat along the way. I look to the sky and am relieved to see the sun is still high in the sky as I munch on my berries and leaves. I always stay on guard because there are many more creatures lurking in these woods that would also like to have me on the menu for their next meal. As I travel I make sure to stay closer to my resting place as the sun begins to dip lower into the sky, making sure no predators are stalking me back to my home. As the sun dips low into the sky and the temperatures begin to drop I pick up my pace and make it back to my home just as the sun begins to set on the horizon. I enjoy another handful of berries and leaves before I snuggle into my furs and rest for the night, preparing to do it all again tomorrow.

Although it was not that long ago, Earth 1-3 million years ago was a lot different than it is today. In this short essay I will tell about a day of my life if I were to have lived about 1-3 million years ago. I was going out with my papa and brother. It was still dark out and it is quite cold out as well. We are going to find food for mama to cook on a flat stone. My papa, brother, and I all have different jobs when going out to gather things. Papa is the man so he looks for the animal we will be feasting upon, bubba is a young boy, so he throws rocks at the different birds hoping to get one, and I am just a young girl, so I gather the nuts and berries, sometimes a few slugs or snails, and fresh water from the spring. It takes a while for papa to find a carcass. He chooses to find an animal already killed by other carnivores, because he does not have the materials to kill one himself. It takes until about noon when he finally finds one, it is a dead wildebeest. When we get back, mama has already started a fire (by striking two rocks together) and heated up the flat stone. Papa and bubba then use sharp edge rocks to cut the meat off the carcass and place it on the stone to cook. I clean the berries and mama cracks the nuts with large rocks. When everything is ready it is around dinner time and we eat.

A wake up early in the morning, at the break of daylight. I must travel today because I have gathered all the berries and nuts in my immediate area, and the animals have migrated south. I wrap my tools into the furs that I have, and I begin my journey. As I head south following any sign of tracks I can, I begin to get hungry therefore, I eat some of the nuts that I had saved from harvesting days prior. It is a hot day and as the day progresses I start looking for a good spot to setup for the night. This is when I see early signs of the sun setting. This is because I don not want to travel at night not being able to see what I can run into, or what predators might be out. Once I find a good spot I have some simple traps I can setup to try and catch or kill an animal, such as holding a rock up with a stick, hoping I can bait an animal in with some of my berries or nuts and he will hit the stick killing him. However, I won’t know if I got anything till the next day. My next step as night is just about upon me is to make a fire to stir away any predators, and to keep me warm. After finishing off the last of my nuts I go to sleeping hoping I can find an animal in one of my traps, therefore, I can have something to eat the next day.

I awaken from my slumber, feeling rather warm thanks to the fire I made on yesterday. I look over and see that my partner is already out of bed, and most likely preparing some food for us to eat. I emerge from underneath our bear hide and I walk to where my partner is. We are out of berries and I need to go fetch some more. So I go out into the wild to hunt for some more berries, and I grab my spear for protection. I see many animals out and about, and I end up finding a berry bush. I gather some and take them back to my partner. We eat and enjoy the rest of our day.

I wake up to the light shining into my eyes. It is early, around six in the morning, and I need to begin my daily routine of collecting firewood and food. The trouble begins when I notice thunderclouds approaching from the north. I need to quickly find a better shelter to avoid the rain. I had been camping near the river, to avoid walking long distances to get water, but know of a cave nearby that will provide shelter from the storm. I pack up my belongings and begin my trek to the cave. The cave is an estimated five miles away through the woods, so along the way, I collect berries and nuts. While I am relocating, I decide to stop at the river and spear a fish for dinner. After thirteen tries I am successful in catching a fish. Now that I have dinner, I can finish my trip to the cave. By now the thunderclouds are right above me, but the cave is in my sights. I make it to the cave and set down my belongings, so that I may leave to collect sticks to start a small fire. As soon as I return back to the cave, the rain breaks through the clouds and I am safe for the night.

One morning, I woke up with a hunger in my stomach. I go up out of bed I had made with leaves and bamboo trees. First, I went to go to find a lake or a pond to bathe in with some fresh water that is healthy for my body. When I was done bathing, I walked back to my camping site to make a weapon to help me catch an animal and kill the animal then be able to have it for food. Afterwards, I started to look for items to make weapon. The weapon that is going to be made is a spear and I will be able to throw the weapon and catch my animal or an insect. I went deeper into the forest then I had found an arrowhead that was brown and white. I also had found a stick from a tree that was long enough to catch my prey. Then went and found some small skinny vines to help me tie the arrowhead and the stick together. Finally, I started to hunt. I traveled along through the woods barefooted getting stickers under the bottom of my feet trying to catch my food until I spotted a snake and a couple of bugs. As soon as I spotted the snake, I aimed and took my spear and thrown it at the snake and caught it! The I took it back to my camping site and striped it into pieces then start to cook it. When I had finished eating, it started to rain. I went to gather some more leaves from trees, branches and bushes to make my shelter bigger and with a roof top to cover my head. Until it was done, it started to pour down rain.

Waking up in a cave was a lot warmer than sleeping on the ground in an open area the night before. With predators everywhere I turned, it had become quite difficult to find a food source lately. Before I found the cave that following night, I had gone fishing with my bare hands. With barely any luck I caught one small fish and it was just big enough to feed myself for dinner. Now that I am awake, kind of chilly and now hungry, I decided to leave the cave. With little hope I took my stick that I found and carved off the edge with a sharp rock and turned it into a spike to hunt with.
Walking out into daylight, the grass was soggy between my toes as I proceeded slowly listening to nearby animals. It had rained last night that made me resort to the cave that was usually infested with a creature that fed during the night. As I crept up on a nearby animal, I could not make out what it exactly was. The only thing that was on my mind was finally finding something to eat. After attacking it when it was least expectant, I carried it back to the cave to burn over the fire. As I turned the animal over the fire, I realized just hope grateful I was to learn from my father before I lost him. That is when I found out that the things outside were not nice and out to eat just like I was. Night had set in after I ate, I kept the fire going for warmth and curled up beside it. Then darkness was complete when I closed my eyes for another day.

Me and my family wake up to yet another freezing cold day! The fire located inside goes out in the middle of the night so while we are sleeping we are also freezing. As we reveal ourselves from our home we begin our day with the daily routines we have assigned for one another. Our mother goes out to find sticks for two new fires and rocks to carve stick into spears for hunting and protection. Myself, my brother, and two sisters go out and hunt for rodents or any type of foods to consume. We each catch quite a bit of food apiece. The oldest of us goes out to find water, considering around this time most of the water is frozen, it is a challenge to find it in the liquid form.
While heating three giant rats we a growl coming from a distance, before unhooking our dinner we retreat into our home because me and my siblings are exhausted from hunting, we did not want to put up a fight against a saber tooth tiger. After a few hours passed and we’re upholding our hunger with berries as snacks we then go outside to see that the saber has eaten our dinner. We start a fire inside hoping another saber or a giant wolf didn’t come looking for food from the smell of these new set of rats. After feasting we rest for the next day.
We all try to lay as close to the fire as possible to keep warm. We also cuddle together to keep the warmth between us so that when the fire dies out while we are sleeping we still have body heat circulating between us. Tomorrow we will hunt a mammoth for its fur for warmth and meat for food.

I wake up shivering and squinting as the sun is beaming into my eyes. As my eyes adjust, I see my father restarting the fire that had gone out throughout the night. We head out into the field to use the restroom. When we get back, I begin to prepare a breakfast of fruits and pecans. My father and brother will head out soon to hunt for meat to eat and bring other necessities for us. My mother and myself are to stay and take care of things in our shelter.
After breakfast, I made my way to the river close to our home to get some water to use to clean up. I took it home and my mother began to boil it over the fire. The winter days are here, and it is time to begin making winter coats, hats, gloves and shoes from bear hide for my father and brother when they go hunting. We also fashioned more blankets for the cold winter nights.
When my father and brother return they bring back some meat and wild plants which my mother and I used to make lunch and later dinner over the fire. Afterwards, we needed more water from the river to wash up and get ready for the night. I laid out some blankets for us to lay on and cover up with tonight. We will all be sleeping near each other because of the cold. Our fire from the day had begun to go out, so my brother went to gather kindling sticks and find wood to keep in our home to keep the fire lit. My father started the fire back up and we all laid down to sleep.

I startled awake to the sound of my companion trying to get the fire started. We were both so cold, and the land looked far and wide with way too much ice trapped under our feet. We used whatever animal hide we had hunted to keep us warm in the night, but even with it, we still struggled for warmth. I walked to my companion to see if he needed help building a fire; we have trouble getting anything aflame with how cold it is. He used two sticks to try and start a flame, and he finally, after a while, got one started. This fire would have to last us through the evening; we need it to scare off any other predators. Next on our list to do: eat. I made my way out of the cave, searching for any nut, animal, or honey I could find. I found a few nuts and a tree leaking of sap. This was dinner for us. We do not bathe much, we run the risk of freezing. In our spare time we sit on a rock made perfectly for us, and we watch the sun sink into the land far away. After making it through another day, we cover up again and hope to wake the next morning.

I woke up and quickly grabbed a stick because i heard footsteps approaching my camp, but it was nothing to worry about after seeing who was there. I saw my older brother and uncle and knew it was time to go hunting. We think there might be some deer in a spot pretty far. I grabbed my two spears and picked up one big stone. We took turns starting the fire last night because it rained the day before and was still wet and cold. This hunt might not only provide much needed food, but it will also yield some more pelts we can wear for warmth. We started walking and they thought it was a good idea to stop and just wait for prey to show up, but we didn't have any luck despite waisting daylight and getting hungrier. I'm telling you, these guys need to stay at camp and pick berries and make hides wearable or something. The last time I have eaten was yesterday morning when I ate some rabbit that had been cooked on a stick in our fire, so my senses are heightened. It was getting to be about the middle of the day and all we had spotted other than birds and squirrels was a fox far off. My group began to feel that way should start heading back to camp when I had this strange feeling that something was about to happen. We turned around and saw a beautiful whitetail deer eating some acorns. We saw it look right at us, so we all threw our sticks as hard as we could as it was at a distance. My uncle's spear got its chest and my brother's spear got it's rear leg. We all were very happy with the outcome that night.

I woke up, it was cold, really cold. That fire thing Dave invented yesterday didn’t last long I see. Luckily, I didn’t freeze to death, I guess a dank dark cave is good for something. I went over to the fire pit and lit it back up the way Dave showed everyone, and in an instant my humble cave was lit with a soft sunset colored glow. I liked how it looked. It made my little sketches on the walls really pop. Especially the one of that hunter gatherer girl I met many months ago, I wonder if I will ever see her again, when she was with our camp it was the best weeks of my life. Ah, but I don’t know if she’ll make it back to this part of the world, I may never see her again. With a heavy heart I cooked the meat I had from last night before it spoiled, it was a nice hearty meal to start the day, but as I looked outside at the blistering cold winter snow, I decided my day would be better kept inside. I looked over at my containers of paint I used to decorate the walls of my cave. “What better way to spend this day?” I took my hands into the makeshift paint and I painted. I painted a testament to all I held dear, a testament to a person I wished to see again. A picture showing the pure beauty of her form. So that those who look upon my drawing would see her as an important figure, and as I stood back admiring what I created I looked outside to see all the time that passed, and with that I laid myself down to sleep, and dreamt of that one hunter gatherer girl.

It was 6:00am in the morning on a tuesday, I was awaken by a bug clawing on the side of my face. As I stood up from my thin blanket that I made out of sheepskin, it was cold, so i decided to start up a fire with the 3 big benches i had found the night before. I started the fire with two small stick and a huge rock, after that 2 hours had went by. Once the fire was up, I decided to get my fishing nets that i made out of thinner sticks that could bend, and thick sticks and go catch some fish, so that I will have some back at my tent already. On my way to the lake it started to sprinkle and i decided to turn around to get my bear skinned coat and my rain gear just in case it started to rain harder. While headed back to my campsite i noticed that i have passed the same tree 3 times and thought to myself that i have been going in circles this whole time. When i finally realized that i took the wrong turn, i pulled out my compass, so that it could help me find my way back to the campsite. After walking for nearly 4 hours i finally made it back to my campsite, by then its was raining harder and my fire was out. When i realized that the rain was not going to stop i sat in my tent and ate berries that I had picked off the ground from nights ago for a couple of hours. Finally the rain had stop as soon as the sun was starting to set. I walked back to the lake, caught a couple of fish and made my way back. I had to restart my fire, I let the fire sit for a minute, while i cut up my fish. After 10 minutes went by i finally sat my fish over the fire in my pan that i molded out of wet dirt. After it was down I sat in the dark ate my fish and berries and watched the stars

This morning started off as a rough start from the time that I woke up.  I sure did not sleep well last night and was up before the sun. Not sure if I slept wrong or just overworked myself from the day before.  So I decided to get up and move around to so I could start the day. I started by gathering pine, twigs, and wood for the fire. It gets very cold here at night.  After I gathered everything for the fire, then I walk over to the river and bring back plenty of water for the day. The water was really cold and the current was stronger than normal. Then once I get back I have to start getting ready to hunt for food.  I haven't had much luck hunting and the day is almost over. Finally my luck has changed and I managed to get 3 fish, 2 squirrel and a rabbit. Now that I have plenty of stuff for my fire, plenty to eat, and water to get me through the rest of the day. I have to start the fire before it gets too late. I have to start cleaning my food before it goes bad. Now that I have my food ready to cook, I can now throw it all my fire.  Wow, I sure am stuffed and can finish my day the the best way i know how by watching the sunset. Just over as I am about to go to bed I hear a noise growing closer and closer. As it finally got close enough to the light could tell that it was some kind of wild cat. So I took a large rocks I have near my place and started throwing them at the animal. Finally it took off and at last I could go to sleep.

Back to Chapter 2