The Natural World...

We live in the natural world. I think of that as I note stories in the news about encounters between humans and animals. I think about it as I do the things I do, swim, fish and climb rain forest trails. There's things out there that will get you and I and as I age I am not getting out of the way as fast as I used to. 

A story comes to mind. We were vacationing at the beach. The kids are young and I am struggling to set up a camp canopy so our famous camp hardhead can have a base of operations. What I really want to be doing is getting to fish as fast as possible so while I'm working I send Morgan, who is about 10 years old out to throw a cast net in the surf so we can have bait. 

A guy comes along as I erect a structure and volunteers to help. He's also on vacation and is from Topeka, De Moines, or Cleveland. The Galveston beach is as foreign as the moon to him. As we finish the work Morgan runs up and has a cast net just full of 10 inch long mullet. The guy says, "Did he get those fish out of that water?" I say, "Yes." the guys says "you mean there is fish in that water?" I say, "There is fish as big as you in that water." He heads off down the beach. I don't know how it went for him after that. He was introduced to some facts about the natural word and about not being in Kansas anymore. 

This weekend we had a mobile camp hardhead set up as we took to the lake for some water sports. I conducted my yearly health check. I can still knee board just about as good as I could when I was 30 just for not as long. Too bad no one took a photo. Guess I'll do it again. We did get these photos. 

Someone get this girl a wake board. Mary stands on the knee board for the lack of anything better. 

Miguel and Mary on our new toy. I think this thing is going to be very grand child friendly. 

Cathy keeps saying "don't fall on me and hurt me." 

Old friend Darwin visited this weekend. I tell people we met when I was 10 and Darwin was 16. Someone reminded me we were older than that but that's just the age we acted. It's a natural world.  

So after we all take a quick last swim this guy shows up. 

About 75 yards away swimming playfully when first spotted. We had climbed in the boat and he came our way. We would occasionally crank the motor and idle then shutting it off as we picked up drift speed to coast along behind him. He ducked under once and soon came back up. We got within 40' and he was not even afraid of us. An easy 6 footer. Don't worry. Not swimming in my belly.

Be careful. There's critters as big as you are and they are closer than you think.