DOGS, WILDLIFE, FRIENDS AND TREES

NEXT UP

THE GALLERY

THE JUDGES

DEAD DUCK!

WATER RERIEVE

GOOD GIRL!

Friday, 6:45 AM.  60 degrees F, wind NE, calm.  The sky is partly cloudy, the humidity 70%.  The barometer is way up.  The atmosphere is clearing after the rain storms, but lower Chequamegon Bay and its tributaries are red with mud and sand.
    We had a good trip but are happy to be back in cool, pleasant Bayfield on the shores of the Big Lake.  Our town seems to be all in one piece after torrential rains that caused major disruptions in Duluth, ninety miles to the west, where freeways were under water and a number of zoo animals escaped or were drowned.  Our trip was hot, muggy and rainy, but we persevered.
    The Flat Coat Retriever Society of America field trials in Manitowoc were interesting and fun to watch, and daughter Greta’s bitch Raven did well, nailing two Master’s events, although mistress and dog did not succeed in their first attempt at qualifying for the nationals, a very difficult undertaking.  In any case Raven is a flashy, beautiful competitor, although Buddy, who felt he could have done as well as any dog he watched, says, “If you’ve seen one black flat coat retriever,  you’ve seen ‘em all, and they can’t even point!”  Buddy received numerous quizzical looks from black coat owners, whom I told that he was of the original flat coat stock, from which all the white has now been bred out.
    Our visit with old friends Bill and Alleen in  Oconomowoc was great, we did a lot of wild life watching on their farm (deer, cranes and lots of other birds) and were serenaded by tree frogs and bull frogs.
    Bill and I shot a few clay pigeons but the weather was so miserable and so windy that neither of us did very well.  Buddy got to run and explore.
    The Urban Forestry Council meeting in Stevens Point went well, highlighted by a tour of the city’s excellent street and park forestry operation.  Thankfully, the oppressive weather broke Wednesday  night and we had a comfortable trip home yesterday. Buddy also got to hang out a lot in the air conditioned motel, as it was too hot to be in the truck most of the time.
     Now the lawn needs to be mowed , the mail read, telephone calls answered and business taken care of.