Dad

In honor of Father's Day, this post is about my dad.

I am fortunate to still have both my parents leading active lives in their 80's.  There were eight of us kids, Dad was a carpenter and avid hunter, still is.  I have him to thank for my appreciation of animals, nature and the environment.

My parents divorced after 40 years of marriage and Dad went to live at the cabin in the woods of Wisconsin (which was always his heart's desire) while mom stayed in the house near the Twin Cities (which was always her heart's desire).  They get along fine with this arrangement; we all have holidays together, etc.

Stan and my dad checking out the ATV

So Dad's still cutting wood for his winter heat, doing odd jobs for people, still hunting turkeys and deer, and generally keeping busy in the woods of Wisconsin with his beloved old dogs. 

 

Dad's dog Belle weighs over 100 lbs

And Dad's dog Tina is part coyote

Stan loves many of the same things as my dad. In the photo below you can see the Christmas gift that Stan picked out for Dad last year hanging over the door. That thing is huge. I was totally aghast at the purchase.  But Stan was so proud and happy to have scored it and Dad graciously accepted it. In fact, it was quite a hit with all the guys at Christmas.  Who would have ever imagined?

Yes, Dad's happy there, but we worry about him.  Dealing with health issues is one thing, but the other day a bear cub came into his yard while he was changing the oil on his truck. Belle took off after the cub and it ran up a tree.  The mama bear took off too but when she realized the cub wasn't with her, she turned around and  in a matter of seconds she had flipped Belle around 180 degrees and was holding her down.

Dad ran over with his just opened container of oil, lifted it up over his head, and flung it at the mama bear. Fortunately for all concerned, she retreated, the cub came down, and Dad, oil dripping down his back, collected Belle from the scene.  She seemed to be no worse for the wear until that night when her shoulder was pretty sore.

I shudder to think of what could have happened.