WWQP Bulletin Board Chat

In passing....

Not deserving of comment, yesterday found me in a situation and place a year ago I'd not thought to be. As some know, our good friend, Marianne Schmid, died November 6th last; shot in the abdomen by a careless hunter on the first day of deer hunting here in our area. Twice I addressed our local council, who in the end, have abstained from taking any positive stand on a firearms by-law; the last of which time I walked into a meeting room with standing room only of testosterone-filled males in hunting jackets and hats. However, from that came an invitation to attend the local anglers & hunters firearms safety training course and yesterday, learn I did. I have a greater respect for the training that hunters-to-be go through to get their licence. I also realize that one bad apple spoils the bushel and the irresponsible hunters who come into our area and hunt where they are not allowed or wanted, who are rude and frighten residents, spoil it for the rest. It was an absorbing day for me, ending with the explanation of each gun presented, a 12 guage pump, similar to one given to me years ago, a 22, a 30/30 I think it was. While I don't agree with killing a live animal such as a deer, I would not hesitate to kill anything, should I have the means to do so, if my animals and I were threatened. Hunting, to me, is not a sport, but it is to many and I go with that. I feel that it does no good to oppose something that I don't understand and I don't oppose legalized hunting; just the careless use of firearms and the aggressive approach to the rights of hunters who disobey the law. And unfortunately this happens all over our area and with regularity. During the morning break, a younger man came to me and asked why I was there. I told him that I was a 'mole'. He said that he thought so by my questions and smiled. We talked more and I found that his father had committed suicide with a gun and we hugged as we parted company at the end of the day. Sometimes good things come of the unexpected. I know it's not quilt related but I am sitting in my quilt studio as I write this.

Marion, your balloonists remind me of the fact that we have balloonists fly over the valley on very calm mornings and evenings during the summer months and I'm told that, again, a fundraising event of balloonists and guests will take place here this summer as it did the summer before last. I well remember the day when Jock's daughter, Olivia, said, with a great sigh of boredom: nothing ever happens here that is exciting. Well, that day a helicopter landed on our back meadow accompanied by a balloon floating by overtop. Can't be that if you lived in the city...but I think that she found the country pretty dead as a teen living here...couldn't blame her either. For us, it's a wonderful place to be; for teens, not.

Rosey

posted by RoseyP @ 12:57 PM