Hornets-1, Hunters-0

A deer hunting trip that Ron and I went on with his cousin and her husband got off track for a couple of hours. Elliot and Ron found a perfectly shaped hornets nest high in a tree close to our campsite. It was just too perfect to leave in the tree! So the guys suspended hunting and started strategizing about how to get that nest for their own.

It was on a thin branch about the width of two fingers. Simple. Just shoot it down. Unfortunately, they only had deer rifles which were calibrated for distance and not accuracy up close. Elliot used half a box of shells and managed to nick the limb a couple times but not cut it through. After the hornets calmed down a bit, the guys decided they could yank it down with a rope. So they tied a piece of wood on one end and tossed the rope over the limb. This didn't make the hornets happy either. Then they climbed in the truck and Elliot backed up as Ron yanked the rope through a window rolled up most of the way. Now the hornets were downright pissed! The limb was swaying up and down like a seesaw and the hornets started attacking the rope. As Ron watched the hornets swarming down the rope closer and closer to the open crack in the window, he began to doubt the brilliance of this plan.

Sitting in the hot truck, perfect hornet's nest still attached high up in the tree, the guys decided it would be smart to get back to hunting deer. Defeated by a swarm of hornets defending their home.

It is so easy to obsess about ridiculous things in life. They don't seem ridiculous at the time. I never figured out what they would do with the nest if they succeeded and got it down. I guess it was more about the challenge than the nest. How easy we lose focus of our goals when distracted.

This is such a fun memory. Ron and I spent our Valentine's morning laughing and remembering that silly day.

In Him,
Joyful
2-14-2010