Merry Christmas!

To all our friends, fram-ily, and family.....

Merry Christmas!!!!

May 2015 bring as much if not more joy and blessing than 2014.

Be Kind.  Be Good.  Remember the reason for this Christmas Season.

Northfork of the Shoshone

This past week I made the annual year-end drive over to Cody so I could meet with our accountant.  Bill stayed home and baby-sat the dogs.  I had some time in between finishing up my meeting and my dinner plans, so I took a drive out the Northfork towards Yellowstone Park.  It's been more years than I can remember since I've made that drive.  A drive I used to make regularly when living there.

The valley sure has changed between all the beetle killed pine trees, fires that have gone through and the growth of juniper trees - something I truly don't remember seeing up there when I lived there.  I guess Mother Nature is in charge of what is fit for growing in current times.

I was surprised at the few number of deer I saw, but as I was driving back to town, more and more were coming out.  I did see a couple groups of cow elk - only one bull and I couldn't get to him for a photo opp.  Lots of sheep and a few buffalo.  There have always been sheep on the Northfork, but the numbers I saw were more like what we used to see on the Southfork.  Not having time to get out that valley, I don't know what the numbers are like on that side of the drainage.

Here's a few from my drive.

Group 2 was a small group, a couple of rams - nothing special and a few ewes.

Next I saw a nice size group of rams, ewes and lambs a like.  A couple of the rams thought it was still breeding season, although the ewes did not seem to be real agreeable.

Oh My Lovely.....What is that wonderful perfume you are wearing?!?!?

Above Newton Creek I saw a small group of sheep in the middle of the road.  Nothing mature for a ram, several ewes with lambs.  One lamb was extra small.....and wasn't feeling well as he had a horrible cough.  I sure hope he makes it through the winter; have a whole serious of shots of the little guy coughing and hackin'.  The sun had already gone below the mountain, so horrible lighting, BUT not very often does a person get a chance to catch a lamb nurse - even if it was just a split second.

Lastly, driving back toward town, just above the Scout Camp I saw this O-L-D, beat-up, scared up warrior trotting down the side of the road. One horn broke off above his ear.  Tell me that wasn't quite a fight to lose that much of his horn.  Most likely he won't make it through winter as he was also limping.  Not exactly the co-operative 'model', but you get the idea. 

Just an old, battle-scared warrior.

Sure was a nice way to spend the afternoon....even if I ran out of light far to fast!

Ready for Christmas

Jade wants everyone to know he is 100% in the Christmas spirit and that reindeer antlers are awesome!  Casey on the other hand, simply wants presents and NOTHING to do with possibly being confused with being a reindeer.

H.A.R.D. Headed, You Ask?

Last week Bill, Casey and I loaded up and headed back to Lake Andes for a visit with our friends and some 'dog whispering' for Casey.  She may almost be 5, but South Dakota bird numbers have been so low the past 3 years her hunting maturity level is far closer to 1.  It's just the way it's been and with bird farms getting the price they get, it is what it is.

Well, day 1 went OK.  The first part did NOT go well, once Casey ran herself into the ground and Terry was able to come join us, The last couple hours went far better.  Even got a bird over her.  We were also working with a couple of young dogs of Terry and Tracey's - Tux had an excellent flush and retrieve.  Each one of us got a bird on day 1 - Tracey got 2.

 

Tux flushed and retrieved this bird 100% on his own.

Good boy, Tux.  Good boy!!

 Next it was Casey's turn.  Fiona (not pictured) worked this bird, but it dropped right by Casey so she got the retrieve.  And since she was *ACTUALLY* paying attention and working the way she is supposed to, Terry had her bring it over to me rather than taking it from her.  A little extra time with the bird in her mouth never hurt nothin'.

Retrieving to hand.  By golly, she can act right.

"Take it to Mom."

This next bird was all Casey - including showing off to Fiona that she worked the worked bird and was going to retrieve - except it was her bird.  Not giving this one up unless you came to her.  Yep. Still showing the independent hard headed-ness. 

At lease she worked this one in shooting range and I actually connected!

I would say good girl, but maybe not.

Day 2 was nothing short of a fiasco.  Talk about gettin' flipped off!  I told Terry I hadn't seen this much hard headed-ness in a long time.  His answer:  "Don't kill her.  She's a good dog.  She's way to smart, but a good dog."  We all talked and decided the best thing for her would be to have a second dog in the house; and Terry and Tracey just so happen to have a couple dogs that are needing some one on one, be in the house, get socialized dogs.  Jade came home with us for a little while.  Boy, has Casey had her nose bent out of joint this past week!  That's OK.  She's figuring out that she best start paying attention or that other 4 legged being is going to take all the lovin'.

*Jade*

Jade came home with us, got to go to 'the spa' where he got a warm water massage complete with really cool bubbles.  Once we got back to the house there was his very own 'welcome to the house' toy, treats, and a blanket for him to lay on.  Neighbor even called to see if they could meet the new handsome guy in the neighborhood.  Maybe this house life ain't so bad after all.

Big Moon Risin'

This past Friday evening the moon started rising relatively early in the evening - well, I noticed it relatively early anyway.  Although I didn't get my camera rig set up fast enough to get the moon passing behind a cloud (which would have made an awesome shot), I did, FOR THE  VERY FIRST TIME get a shot of the moon in focus!  Yes, I am pretty proud of this shot, even if it still has lots of improvement to make, it still is in focus.  Not an easy thing to do.

Detail in the moon, detail in the trees.  Que the Happy Dance music!