Nothing can stop the Duke of Earl

Yesterday morning my mom's Dad, Earl went to be in heaven with my sister Lonnie.
Grandpa Earl had lead an, um, exciting life before I was around and he had some reminders of his wild days including sight lost in one eye and a couple of missing toes. I know he wasn't proud of those days and in fact, I think he was sorry for his part in it; but by the time I was around he was meek and quiet as a lamb.  Can't imagine he'd hurt a fly, and that's how I'd like to remember him because that's who he was to me.

He trapped animals and sold their fur back in the day; then worked for the government trapping coyotes to protect the sheep herds.  There was quite an art to burying a tiny trap, the size of a silver dollar in miles of desert and not only leading the coyote to it, but remembering where they were placed so they could be checked and moved if needed.  It involved tufts of cotton carefully placed, sometimes soaked in various animal fluids carefully and expertly collected. Not to mention promptly and humanely treating the coyotes once they'd been caught. I went with him on his rounds in the desert some years back. Maybe ten years ago.  He checks on the sheep herders asking about what they've seen or experienced.  That's when I found out he spoke Spanish!!! I had no idea.  So humble, he never would've shared that.  And I'll guarantee he learned it just by ear.


I don't know if he knew I had a bent to turn out to be what he called an 'anti.'  That is people who are anti-this and anti-that. He knew there was a backlash against the work he did from PETA-type folk and he would tell me there is no greater conservationist than an outdoorsman.  He leaves no trace and doesn't lead a life of waste.  When I think about it, all the trash that I generated in the first 25 years in my life probably do more damage to the planet and ecosystems than the coyote population being controlled humanely, in part, for safety reasons by my Grandpa. I feel for those coyotes, I do, but we have cities and suburbs full of people, and children, and there is no place for coyotes in our neat little housing areas.  That's where the coyotes were headed but Grandpa did work to control the population. I don't think it was right or wrong, though I see some value in it, I just acknowledge it as a factor in forming who I am that this is what my Grandpa did and this was his mentality. 



For whatever reason Grandpa called me Laura Paducci.  If you are one of my cousins, you likely had a nickname.  The only other one that I'll share is Lonnie's, since she's not here to share, but dancing in heaven with Grandpa, Lonnie was Scrawny Lonnie.    Share what your name was and any insight as to why I was called Laura Paducci.  I should have asked.  Duh.


Grandpa liked to dance. He did a sort of 'western' freestyle, not sure what I would call it, but he often times did it alone and video taped himself doing it to show our family. And who can forget watching his nature videos, that's homemade videos of a close encounter with some dangerous critter. Fascinating, though it can seem like a while when you watch an hour of shaky footage to get a glimpse of something moving and you're not sure what it was, but it sure excited him.

Oh, Grandmpa was sometimes grumpy.  I remember staying with my aunt and uncle one summer, I was about 17.  My aunt and uncle were headed out for the night, I was with their two year old, my beloved cousin, Sara. We were at Grandpa's house. Sara was petrified of his taxidermy projects and clung to me like a little monkey. Grandpa made sure I fully understood that he may be old school but in his day you just let the kid cry and don't baby them and they'll figure things out. There was no way I was putting that child down, she wouldn't let me if I'd wanted to.  She went with me to the bathroom, bless her heart.  But even though Grandpa made known what he thought about me 'catering' he gave up and said 'I guess I'm old school.  What do I know.'  What was he going to do?  Get mad at me for not leaving her to cry?  Poor babe.  



Anyway, now Grandpa's in heaven and nothing can stop him. No cancer, no pain, no old age. Cheers to that.