Sunday, September 13

We slept really late this morning, not getting up until well after 8 a.m. I skipped my exercises...not because we got up late, but because I like to skip one day a week to rest my muscles.

Mother came over around 9 a.m. and put a Cajun flavored turkey roast into the slow cooker. Then, once I was ready for the day, I cut out more screen door cards from card stock, and Mother assembled them. I also did my usual Sunday routine, like programming the DVR for the week's shows and movies.

The turkey was good for lunch, served with oven fried potatoes, and fresh crowder peas that I cooked in beef broth, dried onions, sodium free seasoning, and pepper. After lunch, I read the Sunday newspaper and my novel until around 3 p.m., when I changed clothes so Mother, Hubbie, and I could go to the museum for a program about a five-year-old boy who shot a 445 pound black bear.

The boy, now seven years old, and his grandfather came from another town to speak to the gathering about this event, as well as other hunting episodes. The boy is a very skilled hunter (a deadeye, his grandfather says) and fisherman, who will no doubt make a good living from his skill when he's grown.

Davy Crockett is the 8th great-grandfather of the boy's grandfather, and the 10th to the boy. Recently, they attended a Crockett family reunion, at which the boy, naturally, was the star.

The boy has been interviewed on many TV and radio shows, but he is very shy in front of an audience, so his grandfather told his story today. The boy was proud to show photos of himself with his trophy bear, though.

The grandfather noted that they've gotten some hate e-mails, letters, and phone calls accusing the grandfather of training the boy to become a murderer through killing innocent animals. But the grandfather stressed that the boy, instead, is being well trained in the safe use of guns, respect for animals (killing them quickly and cleanly, taking them only in legal seasons, and not killing just for the joy of killing, but using the kills for food, and recognizing that if not harvested, non-endangered species can overpopulate and threaten people and property). This is not the same as torturing and killing household pets or small, non-food animals like birds, simply to watch them suffer and die.

He also stressed that in this day and age of a multitude of electronic diversions, children need more one-on-one time with adults, where they can talk about a range of topics. Many times, the grandfather and grandson spend several companionable hours in the woods without ever killing anything.

During one of those conversations, the grandson wanted to know what God looks like. "The Bible says that we are made in the image of God," the grandfather said. "So what do you think God looks like?"

"Well," the boy replied. "He's old, like you. And he has long black hair, and a gray beard." His grandfather, as it happens, is bald (but not so old...maybe in his fifties).

"By the way," the grandfather said, ending his talk, "it is doubtful that Davy Crockett shot a bear when he was only three. But this little guy (pointing to his grandson) really did shoot a bear when he was only five."

Later, after supper, we watched a couple of Jane Doe mystery movies from the Hallmark Channel. The Jane Doe series stars Lee Thompson and Joe Penny.