Ethan Nature Boy

victrola 2
Originally uploaded by redamy.

My Gramma, as previously mentioned, lives in the “forest”. Well, it’s actually a wooded lot on Kentucky Lake, but to city-boy Ethan, it’s the deepest darkest forest. Thankfully, the deepest darkest forest is inhabited by very cool animals. (And also lots of spiders, but we’ll refrain from speaking of those in case Eddie is reading this.)

The first morning at Gramma’s we woke up before anyone else (of course) and were startled to find a doe and her fawn hanging out on Gramma’s front porch. Apparently the fawn found the unplanted plants on the porch to be too much to resist. His mother was at the corner of the walkway and I’m sure she was using amazing deer-mother telepathic skills to tell him “Get off those people’s porch. You can’t just walk up and eat things right off humans’ porches. You have no idea where they’ve been!”

Later that day, after the monsoon had ceased for an hour or so, Granny came on a walk with us. We found a tiny little box turtle and brought him home, hoping he would come out of his shell. He never did, so we put him back outside, where he probably drowned in the 4 inches of rain we got that afternoon.

Gramma, being the grandmother to 8 grandchildren and, now, 3 great-grandchildren, is not hampered by a little Noah-eqsue flood when it comes to entertaining children. She had a box of toys all ready to be explored by Ethan’s disturbingly active imagination. Granny also supplied her share of toys and the Aunts all brought in toys as well.

Well, except for Aunt Tennie- she brought her dog. Poor Jazz is probably still sleeping off all the exercise he received while at Gramma’s house. Ethan chased, petted, tickled and generally harassed at least 15 pounds off that little pug dog.

Uncle Eldon brought himself- and that was quite enough entertainment. Uncle Eldon, who is actually Ethan’s great-great-uncle, played with play-doh and earned himself sainthood status just by putting up with the endless round of questions that come out of my eldest son’s mouth. Ethan was sad when “That big kid” had to go home.

Sunday morning we went walking again and Ethan said “Look Mamma, my turtle’s all growed up.” Indeed it had- and changed species as well. That cold Kentucky rain has amazing powers. Ethan’s box turtle from Saturday, no bigger than your thumb, had metamorphosed into a dinner plate sized snapping turtle. We did not take that turtle home.

When the sun went down and the aunts and uncles, deer and turtles had all gone home we amused Ethan with records played on the victrola. He, of course, had never seen a record, much less a victrola. Since we’ve been home he’s asked me several times why we don’t have a record player. I tell him we’re poor city folk and have to make do with CD-Rom drives on the computer.

Thanks to all the family who helped entertain my rambunctious little man. Special thanks to Uncle Eldon for having us over to his house to play with his adorable grand-daughters, and to “Aunt” Susie for her stamina- and for teaching Ethan how to pee in the lake.

We miss everyone very much. Ethan keeps asking who is coming to visit him today.