Shooting Stars

So about this trapshooting business. Finally getting around to looking at my pictures, which are barely blog worthy but it was such a different experience, I have to share.

My twin sister's step-grandson Ian is 14 years old and on the Blue Hills Shooting Stars team from the Chippewa Falls area. Since this is his first year shooting, he is on the JV team (just like other sports) but still could compete in this state competition.

Apparently there are a lot of big competitions at this facility in our backyard. The Wisconsin Trapshooting Association (WTA) Homegrounds opened just 5 years but are very well-known for the trapshooting crowd. Which obviously isn't me.

Tucked on a side road in Adams County, I did not know this existed. This is looking to the west. You can't see much because this "range" (I think it's called) is a mile long. This facility sits on 280 acres. There are 30 trap fields that offer a wide variety of trapshooting experiences. There is American style trapshooting as well as an Olympic bunker for international-style trapshooting.

For reals. See the aerial (not taken by me, by the way)? Each of those paved white areas have shooting stations for 5 people.

Like so. Ian's team happened to have just 4 shooters.

There is call box next to each shooter. They say "Pull!" when they are ready and the guys in the cement blind in front of them release the orange clay pigeons in a random direction. Obviously, the goal then is to hit it and get points.

Scorekeepers sit in chairs behind the shooters and keep tabs. Just an FYI, Ian and those other three are the same age. Ian is built like his dad and grandpa (my brother-in-law Steve).

Need proof?

Let's talk guns.

Uhm, I know nothing about them. But they are some sort of shotgun. Isn't it? I know Ian's is a 1940s gun belonging to his grandpa or great-grandpa on his mom's side.

And they shoot these shells. Not bullets, but shells. See how smart I am?

Ian wears a pouch that holds the spent shells. Otherwise you just pick them all up from the ground after the shoot.

The Shooting Stars were competing/shooting from fields 2, 3 and 4. I'm guessing part of the reason this facility could be developed was through generous donations. That's great.

Here the coach gives some pointers (literally, haha) before a round.

The competitors shoot 5 rounds from each station at the field.

They get a break, check their scores and shoot another round of 25 total shots.

The competition is done after 100 rounds are shot.

Some of these young kids are pretty good.

The guns are taller than they are!

 Well, some of them!

Ian had his best round with the last grouping when he hit 21 out of 25 clay targets. Nice.

I think it would be fun to try. Sort of like baseball. There's no time for hesitation. Just point and shoot.

Sounds easy but no, it takes skills. Thanks to my sister and brother-in-law for exposing me to a new world.

Never Too Old to Learn Something New

I was blessed to have a visit from my twin sister and her husband today. It just happened that their grandson was competing in a statewide trapshooting event held in the nearby town of Rome. So Raylene and Steve arrived early to bond with the Austins.

I knew Raylene wanted to try kayaking for the first time so Jim and I got the kayaks ready so I could take her out when they got here. We borrowed our neighbor's truck to haul them so I did something new today, too. I drove a truck for the first time ever! Feeling tough now.

I took Raylene to Lake Wazeecha. Not much in the way of boat traffic today but boy, was it windy! She had to learn to paddle right away as we were fighting the waves and wind resistance. She did good!

We even managed a twin selfie without tipping over. Somehow her pants were all wet by the time we got back, but she was smart and packed a spare pair. Due to the time schedule for the trapshoot event, we couldn't paddle long but I think it was long enough she caught kayak fever!

I went with them down to watch Ian shoot. I didn't even know this large facility was located 20 minutes from our house. Will blog more about that another day. I learned a lot of new things there!

It was super windy there, too, so I think it was quite the challenge hitting those bright orange clay pigeons that seemed to have minds of their own in the wind. Ian did well for a first-year shooter.

Grandpa Steve and Grandma Raylene were very proud!

We went back to our house and I managed to treat my sister to King Cone before they left town. Priorities. Plus it was our pre-birthday celebration.

This evening was spent around a campfire for a neighborhood party and potluck.

We somehow dodged the rain and it turned out to be a very nice night. A great ending to a long and full day.

Flags of our Fathers

Although my father was unable to serve in the military, he still held a deep respect and admiration of the American flag. He especially loved Memorial Day, Flag Day, July 4th and Veterans Day because those holidays were a guarantee flags would be flying anywhere and everywhere.

For Memorial Day weekend, as pictured, my sister Romey made sure the red, white and blue was flying around his gravestone area. (Thanks, sis.)

Today I was thinking of Dad for two reasons. One, obviously, was that it was Flag Day and I saw dozens of flags flying on all the fence posts near the Grand Rapids Lions Club park on the way to work. Secondly, I was thinking of him because we were at a funeral for a friend's father.

In a strange coincidence, our friend Greg's mother died the same day as my dad four years ago. In fact, we stopped at her funeral on the way Up North for my dad's visitation and service. We were both just thinking how quickly 4 years passed.

Now, his 90-year-old dad is reunited in heaven with his wife of 60+ years. When you are a young kid like Greg and me, it feels like we get cheated by so many years when we lose our parents this early. But it's only "early" for us. The death of someone who is 90 with health issues shouldn't come as a complete shock.

I have to remind myself that my mom is 85 already, the same age as Dad when he died. She just doesn't seem as old. Other than the osteoporosis that weighs down her head and neck, she seems pretty healthy. She looked great at the wedding in her fancy dress and hair salon 'do. It was a blessing to get to see her again.

Today, as the veterans waved their flags and offered their 21-gun salute at the close of the funeral, I am sure both my dad and Harvey, the new arrival, were smiling and giving reverent salute.

There are lots of traditions that shouldn't die. Respecting the flag is one. Cherishing your parents (or grandparents) while they are still here is another.

Common Sense and Sensibility

As a former news hound, my eyes and ears are always open for "breaking news." As a mother, my senses are particularly on high alert if that news story involves a shooter. Doesn't even have to be at a school. I want my child safe everywhere!

This afternoon, news broke of a shooting in the Wausau area. That's less than an hour up the road so it piques our interest and concern since we know people who live and/or work there.

By the end of the day, we'd learned four people including a police officer were killed in the shooting rampage. How awful! Any victims make it a tragedy. I feel badly for all of the family and friends who are in shock over today's events. I feel especially bad for the law enforcement and emergency personnel who make it their mission to keep people safe and save lives, but now must mourn one of their own who died trying.

So senseless.

In a perfect world (even non-perfect), our citizens would respect authority and, frankly, just respect human life. Period.

I don't know where common sense has disappeared to, but I hope it comes back in to people's heads and hearts – and fills some of those holes left by hatred, lack of respect, and lack of faith. There is just so much hurt.

God, please lay a healing hand on hearts broken today be sadness and anger. Put Your loving arms around Marathon County and all the men and women in blue.

The Angst Over Angels

For as many times as I've seen depictions of the winged cherubim like those in Raphael's Madonna painting, it's never crossed my mind that angels that look like children could actually represent children in heaven.

I was sadly reminded of this today.

As if there hasn't been enough needless tragedy in central Wisconsin lately, the first news of the morning was of an apparent double homicide-suicide in Wisconsin Rapids – that occurred while most of us were in bed sleeping and possibly dreaming of angels.

As details were released throughout the day, we learned a father had apparently shot and killed his two young children before turning the gun on himself. To reiterate my despair yesterday, it just sickens my heart when a child is taken too soon for any reason. But to be taken in such a violent nature is incomprehensible.

I can't conceive a situation or circumstance where a child deserves to be harmed. But I do know that not everyone is equipped with appropriate coping mechanisms. In a perfect world, people would seek help instead of choosing to harm others or themselves. But we don't live in that perfect world.

We live in a world where a 3-year-old boy angel and 5-year-old girl angel were sent to heaven with their father today while their mother, grandparents, other family and friends, are forced to stay on Earth ... and grieve and endure a pain like no other.

It's sad that I know so many people connected to this family and this tragedy. I am reminded that a city of 20,000 can still be a small town. An isolated event can impact so many.

Can there be a positive from such pain? Possibly. If it can call attention to all the resources available to people who need help, maybe it can prevent further tragedies down the road. I pray that will be the case. This is just been too much in such a short period of time.

I think even God has a shed a tear. I can't blame Him.

In more ways than one, we can't blame Him.

Hallmark Moment

I had a 7-hour Hallmark moment today.

That's how long I had the house to myself. With the cat, of course. Hubby was off to take son #1 Christmas shopping in Eau Claire. And Carter was off to a friend's house and a first visit to a shooting range. (His buddy will be deer hunting next week.)

So what's a woman to do with her own time??

I can sum it up nicely: 1 hour of cleaning, 6 dozen Christmas cookies baked and 3 (yes 3) Hallmark holiday movies!

Yup. That's pretty much how my TV screen looked all day! After I was cleaning and finishing up my Cookie Bake goodies, I also squeezed in a trip to the grocery store, too. Oh, and did some laundry. So I wasn't completely lazy, just a merry multi-tasker!

I didn't expect Carter to be gone all day, but since he was, I just kept my butt planted on the couch. It was raining all day anyway so I was not about to go for a walk or run.

Carter had fun with his friend and also enjoyed the shooting range. He brought home a surprise for me since Dad gave him 10 bucks when he dropped him off this morning.

Nice coffee mug, huh? I don't know what was started today, but he's already talking about hunter safety and deer hunting in 2014. Does he know that you can't kill a deer with a coffee mug? Or that kind of gun? Yikes. This will be interesting.

I'll see if he changes his mind before I'm done watching Hallmark movies.

And that'll be awhile.

Armed and Aimless

Beware obnoxious squirrels: The Red Ryder BB gun is out of its package and we know how to use it. Well, one of us knows. And I'll give you a hint: it ain't Carter and it ain't me.

For some redneck stress relief, hubby got out the BB gun we gave him for Father's Day. Carter has been begging. So Daddy set up an empty milk jug in the backyard and we all commenced to target practice, taking turns shooting from the upper deck.

Hubby has a natural aim -- not bad for a non-hunter.

Carter, however, couldn't seem to hit the broadside of a barn. Please note, we were not shooting at any buildings so I cannot prove or disprove this theory. He did have some difficulty. I gave it a shot and managed to hit the jug on my second try.

My arm muscles couldn't quite handle the cocking or whatever this maneuver is. I finally got it figured out later. Each time, though, I still expected to get an "automatic" type second shot right way like an arcade game. Didn't happen. (Probably a good thing.)

We moved the milk jug closer and Carter finally hit the target.

I was just relieved there was no "kick" to it all. So nobody had to worry about shooting their eye out or breaking their glasses like on Christmas Story.

Though Carter would make a cute Ralphie, wouldn't he?

Ahh, good times in the almost Northwoods. (And my stress is gone!)