Rattles and Drums

As Clark's love of nature and reptiles has continued to grow and develop over the years, I've had a fear lurking in the back of my mind.

Scout camp.

Someday the man-child would go to scout camp where he might encounter snakes-- venomous snakes.  He is super good at handling snakes.  He's the snake whisperer.  Wherever he goes he finds them and picks them up, without fear.  That's great for the little garter snake by the neighborhood canal, but not so good for rattlers at a Boy Scout camp.

And sure enough, just as I feared, there were rattlesnakes at the Bear Lake Aquatics Camp.  This charming specimen was discovered and killed by Clark's scoutmaster about 20 yards away from his camp.  I am so grateful Clark was not the first man on the scene.  I really like to think he would have more sense than to try to pick it up.  But I'm afraid he's cut from the same cloth as Steve Irwin.

Okay, do you want to be really grossed out?  Here's the cut off rattlesnake head.  Snakes don't bother me much, but this picture gives me the heebeejeebees.

Disgusting!

Clark was thrilled.

The only two boys I know in this picture are Clark and Jacob (in black next to Clark).  They are in our ward, but neither of them were going to be able to go to our ward's scout camp so they tagged along with another ward.  Clark said the other boys were great and he didn't seem to suffer from any homesickness.  Should I be pleased about that or not?  Isn't he suppose to kind of miss his mother, just a little?

Although this does look like a lot more fun than we had here at home this week.  I guess I don't blame him for not being homesick.

I think maybe I need some time at scout camp.

Not that we didn't have some fun while Clark was gone.  Cannon discovered the drums.  He set up his drum set and announced, "Look!  I'm Dave Young!" 

Dave Young is our drummer friend who played with my students at our recent piano recital.  

Cannon was taking in more than I realized because when Faith did her practicing Cannon was right on beat with her and they made beautiful music together.

Do I have a place in my heart for a son who plays the drums?  I'll have to think about it.

I'll have to think long and hard because the drumming continued for several hours that day.  I thought I was going to lose my mind.  The upturned metal Tinker Toy canister has tormented me for years.  It just begs to be banged on and it's so dang loud!