Wild Side

Here I thought my nephew the cowboy was a little crazy after "roping in" 14 gators in 2 days. But I was reminded today you don't have to travel to faraway Louisiana to experience the wildlife.

My sister Romey and her husband Rick are always seeing black bears in or near their yard -- and have photographed a few in their 40-acre woods with some magic night-vision camera. Even when Carter has stayed there during his "Up North Vacations" he used to take, he would see one or two bears.

Last night, Rick's nephew on his side of the family, shot a big black bear on their land. A big, big black bear. A big, stinkin' huge black bear! I don't know much about hunting bear, but I always assumed a 300-pound bear is big. This one was twice that and more. 653 pounds! Shot dead not that far, really, from where we were having a campfire just a few weekends ago. Uff da. Who needs all this excitement?

My heart stopped the way it was when we came over a hill on our way home from Iola and hubby had to slam on the brakes in a "leave tire tracks in the road" kind of way to avoid killing 8 big ol' turkeys crossing the road. If you haven't heard already, hitting a turkey is like having someone throw a bowling ball at your car or windshield. Not good. Thankfully, hubby has cat-like reflexes and stopped in time.

I'm glad the only wildlife around here are the hornets and bees trying to get in the house and away from the cold. (Low of 43 tonight.) I don't mean to brag, but I am a pretty good hunter, too. I managed to kill 2 long-legged wasps with the fly swatter -- using my lefthand, mind you -- while talking on the phone. Yes. I am that good.

Since I bagged my limit, I let hubby chase the third one around the kitchen tonight.

Yup, wild times in the not-so-North Woods. Yee-haw.