The crazy photographer!

Every year we plant a large family garden. I spend countless days tending the many varieties of fruit trees. When July comes around the tasty fruit hangs heavy on the trees, the grapes are starting to show color on the vines, peppers and tomatoes color the garden with reds and yellows. With out fail every year about once every other week or so someone stops by to ask for vegetables or fruit. If there is something going to waste I'll give a few away. Its just the right thing to do.

Our acreage is planted with silage corn. Its pesticide free but we put up signs stated it has been sprayed with pesticide. Keeps most out. The little that is lost to thieves is not really noticible and being silage corn they won't be back since it would taste and look like crap on the dinner table. Most of you know that I hate thieves. 

Now keep in mind that the house is in a fenced off area about 2 acres in size and this is where the hard grown trees and garden is kept. If the gate is open and someone drives in and honks or announces themselves I am typically less aggressive. If someone parks outside the gate or leaves their car running on the road while they walk in to the yard is an immediate red flag.

I telecommute most days. Yesterday was no exception.

I see this minivan drive up and down the road 4 times. Red Flag. It appears that the van has driven off and I don't see it for 20 minutes. I open the front door to get my mail and I see there is some one in the garden crouched over in the tomatoes. 

Bastard 'thief'.

I slip back inside and reemerge with my home defense system.  :smt066After taking a few steps on to the driveway I chamber a shell. Everybody knows that sounds. This shotgun pump sound was preceded by a loud "What the hell do you think you're doing". The response was "I'm here to do some shooting." Red Flag! I immediately drew a bead on the fellow. ( Safety was still on, by finger was ready to flip off ). He complied by showing his hands in the air. He began to explain that he was a photographer and 'shooting' photos. After seeing a camera case and tripod, I returned my barrel to the skyward position.

I berated him for trespassing but let him finish shooting his shots. I told him about my problem with the thieves, torched cars, mail thefts...etc.  He showed me some photos that he took and offered to mail me some prints. As we were talking the mail thief drove by and stopped at a neighbors box. I just happened to have a photographer with a camera in hand! He snapped a decent shot of the driver and the license plate. I was glad to make a new friend. Turns out he does some kayak fishing in the sierras. I told him to check us out on NCKA.

-Brian G

Good story. 

Turns out he does some kayak fishing in the sierras. I told him to check us out on NCKA.

Sounds like we might keep an eye out for new member called "CryZphotografer" (or something similar).

Geeze!  Brian you have some interesting adventures.

Hope the DA will pursue the damn mail thieves....  for that matter, the thieves are probably lucky you had an "alternative" shoter in range otherwise.........

Give me a call when you're camping down here so we can visit.

Allen

You need to post the photo when you get it.
I think I would have taken a shot too; and not with the camera!!!!!!

All that fun and you never left the yard.....I don't even have a mail box anymore.

Great story!

Every year we plant a large family garden. I spend countless days tending the many varieties of fruit trees. When July comes around the tasty fruit hangs heavy on the trees, the grapes are starting to show color on the vines, peppers and tomatoes color the garden with reds and yellows. With out fail every year about once every other week or so someone stops by to ask for vegetables or fruit. If there is something going to waste I'll give a few away. Its just the right thing to do.

Our acreage is planted with silage corn. Its pesticide free but we put up signs stated it has been sprayed with pesticide. Keeps most out. The little that is lost to thieves is not really noticible and being silage corn they won't be back since it would taste and look like crap on the dinner table. Most of you know that I hate thieves. 

Now keep in mind that the house is in a fenced off area about 2 acres in size and this is where the hard grown trees and garden is kept. If the gate is open and someone drives in and honks or announces themselves I am typically less aggressive. If someone parks outside the gate or leaves their car running on the road while they walk in to the yard is an immediate red flag.

I telecommute most days. Yesterday was no exception.

I see this minivan drive up and down the road 4 times. Red Flag. It appears that the van has driven off and I don't see it for 20 minutes. I open the front door to get my mail and I see there is some one in the garden crouched over in the tomatoes. 

Bastard 'thief'.

I slip back inside and reemerge with my home defense system.  :smt066After taking a few steps on to the driveway I chamber a shell. Everybody knows that sounds. This shotgun pump sound was preceded by a loud "What the hell do you think you're doing". The response was "I'm here to do some shooting." Red Flag! I immediately drew a bead on the fellow. ( Safety was still on, by finger was ready to flip off ). He complied by showing his hands in the air. He began to explain that he was a photographer and 'shooting' photos. After seeing a camera case and tripod, I returned my barrel to the skyward position.

I berated him for trespassing but let him finish shooting his shots. I told him about my problem with the thieves, torched cars, mail thefts...etc.  He showed me some photos that he took and offered to mail me some prints. As we were talking the mail thief drove by and stopped at a neighbors box. I just happened to have a photographer with a camera in hand! He snapped a decent shot of the driver and the license plate. I was glad to make a new friend. Turns out he does some kayak fishing in the sierras. I told him to check us out on NCKA.

-Brian G

You have shown excellent restraint - I woulda shot someone by now!   

Almost sounds as exciting as Salinas!! Almost!

That whole time, I thought "silage corn" was secret code for pot LOL! Good story!