Birds and BB Guns

Outside Kris' bedroom window are several different kinds of trees in Gopa and Mimi's yard. During this time of the year we are able to spot and identify various kinds of birds. Right now, a male cardinal and a male blue jay are having a very animated conversation. Or maybe they are competing against one another with their noisy twittering and chirping.

Growing up on a ranch and in Little Town ensured that most kids had access to sling shots, BB guns and even pellet guns. Santa Claus brought Daisy BB Guns to Marshall and me in 1973. WOW - talk about a feeling of power! We couldn't wait to get dressed and out the door to shoot anything and everything. BUT.....first we had to have the "BB Gun Lecture" from Mama. Under no circumstances were we allowed to shoot and/or kill ANY KIND OF BIRD. What the #&%(? Then why in the hell did we get BB guns for Christmas? Talk about take the wind out of our sails.

Our excitement wasn't diminished just yet because we could shoot other things. Squirrels and....nope. Not even squirrels. Daddy decided it would be best if we started out shooting at a paper target. That meant waiting for Mama to use all of the detergent in the CHEER soap box. Remember the three different colors on the back of the CHEER laundry box?

Marshall and I decided we would go on a walk-about to Grandmom's house. We figured that what Mama didn't know was in the best interest for everybody. And so we off we went down the road with our Daisy BB Guns slung over our shoulders. BB's loaded and extras in our pockets. (Oh, yeah...another part of the lecture was to NOT load the guns in the house. BB's are not good on vaccum cleaners.) And of course we saw birds....lots of birds. And they were sitting on the fence acting all sassy. And of course it was triple dog dare time and did we shoot those birds or what!? Or so we thought we did. Neither one of us hit a one of those birds. We figured no harm was done.

WRONG. Mama saw the whole thing. And even though we didn't kill any birds, she walloped both of us soundly and took our BB guns away from us. The guns were put in time out in the gun cabinet for two weeks. Marshall and I would walk by the gun cabinet and gaze longingly at our precious guns. It made for a long Christmas break to not be able to enjoy our Christmas gifts.
It wasn't the last time Mama took our guns away from us. We would slip up from time to time and take aim at a dove, a peacock or even one of Mama's chickens. And I'll be damned....Mama really did have eyes in the back of her head.

Wonder if Mama remembers the time her Electrolux sucked up BB's out of the carpet in my bedroom?