Judging by some of the new shows on cable TV, folks have an interest in where they came from, their ancestry, what makes them, themselves. For the weekend, let me give you a little glimpse into some of my blood, and have some fun with it. . . .
I have mentioned before that there is some musical talent in my blood. Let me prove that by sharing a photo one of my cousins shared with me: Here is my Grandpa Bauer on the old homestead in Nebraska’s panhandle with his brothers and sister. Grandpa is holding the fiddle.
I am told the “Bauer Boys” band played some barn dances and at the local radio station back in the day. I can remember Grandpa Bauer could sit down, listen and immediately start playing songs on a variety of instruments, fiddle, accordion, piano, steel guitar, etc.
When I was a lot younger, I dabbled with the guitar, for awhile, but it just got in the way of my hunting, fishing and trapping. Grandpa could play several instruments, I can’t play nothing.
Come to think of it, there is one instrument I can play–a turkey call! I can pick up several different turkey calls and stroke out a few notes. Something like this:
I suppose those guys are talented (?), but frankly, I ain’t into the rap stuff at all, and I can’t dance. I am much more of a classical artist myself.
Am I any good? I don’t know, but the turkeys have approved from time to time.
So, I guess the Bauer musical talent gene got lost somewhere in my blood. However, I have a cousin who’s daughter is incredibly musically talented. It is comforting to us Bauers who got skipped by the musical talent to know that it is still there in our blood, still alive and well in some of our relatives.
Likewise, you can see my Grandpa’s sister Emily (yes, one of my daughter’s namesakes) in the old black and white photo. She is sitting on a horse. Horses and horsemanship run in the Bauer blood too.
I hate horses, but again it is comforting to know that my niece got that gene and is continuing the heritage.
The outdoors run in our blood too and that is true on both sides of my family. Dads, Grandpas, Grandmas, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins, we have all hunted, fished, and trapped together for as long as any of us can remember. Yep, there are a few stories to tell, and lots of laughs.
And it is not just for the guys! I blogged this week about hunting spring gobblers with my daughter. We are still hunting and she will jelly-head a big Tom before we are done! Her aunt and cousin have already killed birds out in Montana this spring:
Yes, my rodeo queen niece got hers with the bow!
Again it is the weekend. I hope you have an opportunity to get into Nebraska’s outdoors this weekend to catch some fish, hunt some gobblers, maybe even pick a mushroom or two. And, I hope you do it with family! Make it a point to have hunting, fishing and trapping as part of your “blood” too!
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