Here is a video showing a confrontation between parents and a gay son. The parents are Christian, the particular denomination is not mentioned in the video, but one can infer they are from the U.S. Bible belt. The parents disown their son for being gay on the basis of their religious beliefs. No doubt many will criticize them, saying they have Christianity all wrong, but there is no doubt they are sure of themselves and their faith. There is no doubt in their minds theirs is the "correct" interpretation of Christianity and their son is going to hell for having "chosen" to be gay.

The unfortunate young man will be welcomed in any number of other Christian churches and accepted for who he is. Does rejection by his family and their church mean Christianity is bad and all Christians are bad, guilty by association? No, it does not. His family has faith in the risen Christ; this is what makes them Christian. They are, however, in error in what they believe about homosexuality. It is truly horrifying for young gay people growing up in a religious culture such as this.

After the dog run this morning my buddy Jason and I went to LeBaron Outdoor Products to browse the gun room and to pick up some ammunition. I found the kinds of non-toxic shotgun shells I prefer using for wild duck and goose hunting are no longer stocked at LeBaron or any other retailer in town. I prefer the alternatives to steel shot that is commonly used as I recall the bad experiences I had when the use of non-toxic shot was mandated in the 1990s. Prior to this, lead shot was used and the transition to steel shot for use in duck and goose hunting proved difficult for me. Though I tried the choke and shot size combinations recommended at the time, I found steel shot wanting. I suffered appalling crippling losses, despite waiting until birds were well within range. I remedied this situation opting to use the more expensive alternatives to steel shot: bismuth, tungsten, hevishot, etc., and was more than satisfied with the results. With these cartridges I kill Canada geese cleanly at 40 yards.

Jason and other hunting buddies use steel shot effectively and Jason has encouraged me over seasons past to consider using steel shot as he assures me it is much improved in performance in the present. That the kinds of non-toxic shotgun shells I prefer appear to have priced themselves out of market is forcing my hand, finally. Very well, then, this season I am steeling myself to try steel shot in going duck and goose hunting with Jason and the rest of my hunting buddies. To this end, I purchased a new Browning BPS Stalker pump action shotgun in 12 gauge with a 3 1/2 inch chamber and 28 in, barrel. I purchased a case of Winchester shotgun shells, steel, no. 2, 3 1/2 inch, as Jason swears by this when we are hunting ducks and geese. I must admit, it works for him.

In purchasing a new shotgun for this experiment I am opening a new chapter in my hunting hobby. Buying the new gun should help me overcome the psychological inhibition that lingers and kept me from trying steel shot until now. I will try out the new gun and shooting steel shot through it when we get out for the opening day of duck season on September 27th. I am hopeful this experiment will prove successful.

Heading out with Jason to take Hera and Nos, our dogs, for their daily run yesterday afternoon in my Hyundai Tucson, I got rear ended by another motorist. Jason and I were heading south on Bronson Avenue and the motorist, a young man driving his father's Nissan Duke, left the parking lot at McDonalds and was attempting to change lanes. While he shoulder checked to see if the left lane was clear, he drove into the back of my Tucson. Thankfully, Hera was not injured; she was riding in the back of the car. There were no immediate injuries, though Jason messaged me this morning saying he is experiencing pain and going to see his doctor. I am fine this morning.

We turned onto Powell Street and called the police to report the collision. The young man at the wheel of the car that collided with mine is called Nolan and he is starting his first year at Carleton next month. He did the right thing in stopping at the scene of the collision and accompanying us to the police station to file an accident report. The visible damage to my car is a dent in the bumper on the left side. I will need the services of an auto body shop to take care of this damage.

Hera has outgrown the dog park on Lemieux Island. The past two weekends our outings there were quite stressful for me. The weekend before this one I took her later in the evening after dark. There were no other dogs with their owners at the park, but there were unsavoury elements present in the park. I had a confrontation with a young man with beer can in hand. He threatened to "mess up" Hera as she barked at him. I called her and we promptly left the park. I resolved to avoid the park after dark thereafter.

Yesterday afternoon I took her to the park and as it was raining lightly, we were the only ones there. The park abuts one of the City of Ottawa water treatment plants. The complex is fenced off and there are no trespassing signs posted. Squirrels and groundhogs run freely on the other side of the fence and Hera naturally sees them as prey. She learned she can get around the fences easily enough and I cannot get to her. She takes the shoreline on the Ottawa River and slips past the fence to get into the fenced off area. Yesterday, she ignored my order to come to heel, bolting for the fenced off area. She was gone more than half an hour, all the while leaving me to worry some harm would befall her. She came back unharmed, much to my relief, and I decided that is it. We are not using the dog park at Lemieux Island any longer. It was good when she was a puppy and like to run and play with the other dogs, but now her focus is on hunting. If I persist in taking her to the island, I am only reinforcing her disobedience and putting the idea into her head that she is hunting for herself and not for me.

August 15, 2012, the day I lost Juno, my four year old Brittany. She developed a malignant tumor in her mouth and by the time it was detected there was nothing that could be done. I had her euthanized on this day, two years ago. I was with her till the end, doing my best to ensure the experience was as easy on her as possible. While I try not to dwell on the past, I make a point of remembering her as she lived and the time we had together. She was a dear little dog, very lady-like in temperament, but also a keen little huntress in the field. She was the third Brittany I owned and like the two who came before her, Christie and Maggie, remain in my fondest memories.

Hera, the Brittany I own in the present, named Hera in tribute to Juno (Hera is the Greek form of Juno) turns two years old this coming October. She will join me in the field for her second season this Fall. She had a great first season, pointing ruffed grouse and woodcock for me. I look forward to taking her into the field this season. While I harbour a touch of sorrow over the untimely loss of Juno, life goes on. In taking to the field with Hera, I honour the memory of Juno, Christie and Maggie, in carrying on the tradition of keeping a working hunting dog.

Following the ordeal of having three root canals, I allowed myself the luxury of buying the GoPro Hero 3 camera I wanted for some time. I bought the camera a couple of weekends ago and got around to taking it out of the package yesterday evening. While I took care to purchase a head mount and a spare batter, I overlooked the need for an SD card. I will have to swing by Best Buy or The Source to get one before I can try out the new camera.

I am looking forward to using the GoPro in the field this season when I get out upland gunning with Hera. I hope to catch the action of Hera locking up on point and my hunting buddies and myself walking up her points, flushing the grouse and woodcock and making the shot. No doubt a great many of my spectacular misses will be caught on camera.

I am recovering well from the three root canals I had done recently. It feels so good to be free from the pain and swelling in my jaw. I finished taking the antibiotic yesterday. The infection in the three teeth on the right side of my mouth, two upper and one lower, got pretty bad, because I ignored the pain, mistakenly thinking it was sinusitis. This is a bad habit of mine, ignoring pain hoping it will go away on its own. The infected tooth in my lower jaw abscessed. The teeth in my upper jaw were well on the way to abscessing. If there is a lesson in this experience it is I should take care not to ignore pain, dental or otherwise, if it persists as it may be more serious than I imagine.