My radio alarm clock is set to the news station, anyway

This morning I was awakened by gunfire.  In fact, I have been awakened by the sound of gunfire for the past several mornings. On several other recent mornings, I have been awakened by our dog, barking. Then the sound of gunfire.

This is not something that I would list in a real estate ad were we to try to sell the property. I realize that it might sound as though we lived in one of those “red zone” areas of high crime where the police and insurance companies fear to tread. We don’t.

In fact, the gunshots here are those of hunters. We live on water. On water with woods nearby. A wildlife flight zone.  It is (still)  duck hunting season around here. The hunting can begin just before sunrise.

Yup, we live in gun country. Outdoor enthusiasts. Hunting country. 

I suppose the only thing more disconcerting than waking up to the sound of gunshots from around my house might be for the ducks, waking up to the shots ringing in air around them as they fly toward food or nests.

The hunting seasons are comparable to holidays around here. Deer opener. Pheasant opener. Bow opener. Then there are the fishing seasons as well. The fishing opening weekend is usually on Mother’s Day. This allows moms to  be home with their children while dad goes out for a day of fishing. Only the moms who fish can appreciate the day-with their husbands, in a boat, usually without the kids.

All of this has come to my mind as a result of two recent items I saw on television.

The first, you may have seen as well. Sarah.

I saw the ad for the Republican/Tea Party advertisement on TLC for her show about her  Alaska.  She is out there fishing and hunting and whatnot. Way to go for the target market. Will the Democrats ask for equal time? Who do they have to  put in a show to be sure the American public sees them as tough and outdoorsy and just real folks? Maybe Democrats really are too elitist, after all.

The second was a news story about the arrest of a local state senator. He was in the parking lot of a Planned Parenthood clinic with a loaded pistol. He had a permit for the pistol.( We now allow conceal and carry here, as long as you have the permission of the government.)  He claimed not to know that he was in the parking lot of the clinic. His story was that he thought that his girlfriend might be seeing another man, so he was following her. As a side note, he is still married, although he is apparently going through a divorce. 

That makes things better, right?

Just like waking up to the gunshots of hunters is so much better than waking up to  music on my radio alarm clock.

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