Moving to Montana nearly 10 years ago was culture shock in its finest.
I wont lie.
There was a
HUGE adjustment. Primarily, the weather was the biggest adjustment. There are "seasons" here. REAL SEASONS. We experience them all, but in all actuality it feels like we have WINTER and SUMMER. The other two seasons are just the "rainy" and the "windy" in my mind.
The S.L.O.W. pace was the second biggest culture shock. People drive slow, talk slow, walk slow, and are just generally not in any kind of a hurry. I spent the first 30+ years of my life knowing only "HURRY". I admit I still feel the urge to hurry. Hurry my children, hurry in the car. Some habits are hard to break.
Some of the easier things to adjust to are things like; Genuine people, Gorgeous Scenery, and Small town mentality.
But I am a "CITY GIRL" at heart.
I try to "fit in" and embrace all this country life has to offer (though "Pioneer Woman" REE
I am not). I have LAND. I have CRITTERS. And we have GUNS.
A simple fact of life around these parts. Guns are for hunting.....Shooting is fun.
I grew up thinking guns were for "killing" and thugs had guns, and there was nothing fun about that!! I had no other frame of reference. You don't hunt in L.A. (i guess unless you are a gang banger). I thought GUNS killed people, PERIOD. Now I realize that PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. It has been the hardest change / adjustment I have faced - without a doubt.
My husband grew up hunting, and being around guns. It was normal. It was accepted. It was life. You want to eat, you hunt. You need a gun.
Where was I going with this?
Ah, a few weeks back Bubba went with Daddy to visit Grandpa in Wyoming for a few days. Daddy was busy out and about actually "working" so Bubba and Grandpa spent some quality time together. They ventured into Grandpa's huge garden, they puttered around the house, and then Grandpa let him try out his .22 rifle. Grandpa is a skilled marksman, and got trophies and awards for his shooting in the Army. So they set up some targets (cans and whatnot) and had some fun!
It seems Bubba was a "natural" just like his Grandpa and his Daddy. He did exceptionally well.
So when he got home Daddy bought him his own Rifle.
That's the way it works in Montana. A prouder moment was not to be had. That boy tried them all out. We actually got him a .22 that is still too big for him. The smaller sizes he will outgrow by next year - and a gun is quite an investment. So he will need to grow into his gun. He got a cool scope mounted - and even though he cant get right up to it, it's just a matter of time. (For the "details" kind of people.. it's a Marlin .22 we got the composite shaft vs. wood because it's less maintenance..that's about all the gun talk I know)
One fine weekend (May 6th) we took our boy out to the local "shooting Range" and let him have at it. He (and sis for that matter) had been there before a few times with Daddy using Daddy's guns. I went too (another culture shock). Wanted to make sure my boys were being safe and see what all the fuss was about.
It looks like that. Rows of stations where different people can stand. We had the whole place to ourselves at that time of day.
And we set up some targets....
AND THEN THE FUN BEGAN
He knows how to load the bullets into the magazine. (It is BOLT ACTION - so he can only shoot once, then has to move the bolt to expel the used bullet and get another in the chamber from the clip. Safest for young shooters!)
Trying to get the height just right
Studying the target from his scope
When we were nearly done he got to try out Daddy's pistol. I even shot a few rounds with the pistol. It is quite "empowering" I should say. I felt confident I could defend my family should the need ever arise.
With smiles like THIS...............
This momma is sold on this new family activity!! He was so excited he practically was skipping by the time we left.
Oh, and he shot real well too!!!
I think I have adjusted well, dontcha think?!
