Of Beagles, Birds and Florida Law

Mac is a Beagle, as in dog, but don't tell him that. Mac thinks he's a human, and we encourage that kind of thinking, mainly because we rely on Mac as a sounding board for our (sometimes) cockamamie ideas.

Mac's latest musing has to do with Florida laws, birds and the Fourth of July. He's really annoyed because the fireworks part of the celebration is still going on and Beagles have long ears, as you may recall. Long ears + loud noises = annoyed Beagle.

So what does this have to do with birds?

Fact is, in Florida the only way you can legally purchase things that go boom in the night is to sign a form that states you are using the pyrotechnics to frighten birds away from your crops. The state seems to be plagued with flocks of predatory birds who do their raiding at night and only around July 4, hence the frenzied anti-bird activity. It's almost as if every Bubba in the state has discovered a family tie to the Grucci Brothers of fireworks fame.

All of this leads to one disturbed Beagle who doesn't help things because he adds to the din with his distinctive Owwwoo, which is a direct result of his sore ears. Or, it could be Mac's way of saying he feels our pain.