Winter is on its way. This morning at the crack of dawn, the guns were booming in the refuge; one reminded me of a gun on a WWII battleship, a rhythmic boom, boom, boom. Then came the geese flying over the house, honking to get the survivors rounded up to continue south. I’m not against hunting, I grew up in a hunting family, I just find it a sad fact that there are geese, who mate for life, who will be leaving alone.

I’m getting old, and death is a sad thing that’s become too familiar. I think that’s probably why I don’t watch nature shows too much any more. They’ve become too graphic, showing lion cubs starving to death, the crocodiles in slow motion bring the wildebeest down, etc. I always watched Marlin Perkins Wild Kingdom on TV when I was younger, and it was so much more fun to watch. I know that the film makers want to educate people, but do we really need to be entertained by watching animals die? I think most people realize that it happens, entertain us and educate us without the grim and gritty details, please!