Different things make me remember different people that I had in my life growing up. I wrote that this summer reminded me of my Uncle Robert and his fishing and watermelons. While sitting in my tree stand recently watching a few deer play safely out of bow range, I thought of my Uncle Don. He along with my Dad taught me pretty much everything I know about hunting and being comfortable in the woods. I think fall was his time of year, or maybe it just the time of year I spent the most time with him. He showed me how to find where the big buck marked his territory by making a scrape. He taught me how to tell how big the ol’ bear was by the size of his track and how high on the tree he would mark with his front paw. He helped teach me to treat every firearm like it was loaded, even if I had just unloaded it myself. In fact the first time as a boy, I was allowed to carry a loaded shot gun in the woods, it was with him and it was his gun. During the holidays he always brought fudge hunting with him that Aunt Janie made for us. Some of things we did, or things I remember about him are great stories to pass on. They are better than anything I could ever try to make up!! Maybe some day I’ll write a long blog on some of those.
He wasn’t the person who taught me to read, but he was the person who taught me to love to read, and just like the cowboys and mountain men he always read about, he lived life on his own terms. He taught me that a man should “Ride for the Brand.” No shame in quitting a job you don’t like, but if you took a man’s money, do the job you are being paid to do. It’s been two years and I miss you Uncle D and sometimes I swear you are with me in the woods. If Uncle Rob is looking for a good fishing spot for all of us up there, maybe you can show me where the big buck is hanging out.
He wasn’t the person who taught me to read, but he was the person who taught me to love to read, and just like the cowboys and mountain men he always read about, he lived life on his own terms. He taught me that a man should “Ride for the Brand.” No shame in quitting a job you don’t like, but if you took a man’s money, do the job you are being paid to do. It’s been two years and I miss you Uncle D and sometimes I swear you are with me in the woods. If Uncle Rob is looking for a good fishing spot for all of us up there, maybe you can show me where the big buck is hanging out.
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