What began as an exceptional autumn week became a classic one. Monday through Thursday the temperatures were reflective of the summer season, deliciously warm and mild. It was actually too warm to take my pup afield most of the week. The lawn was cut and the yard raked, while I wore swim trunks and a t- shirt. I even hopped into the river to do some adjusting on my railway system, for what will remain of the boating season. As Thursday turned to afternoon I could not contain my need to run the pup. Warm or not it is autumn, a season that always comes up too short for me no matter how often I am able to enjoy it.
Zoey and I tackled some heavy red osier, where she zipped about under the orange leaves and red barked clusters of head tall osier. I could hear her bell and the distinct flushing of a wood cock from that direction. The long beaked, brown game bird flew past me in plain view. I swung my 20 gauge and sent two rounds of pellets in the general direction, trimming some leaves in the process. Zoey came flying out to see what all the commotion was about. “Sorry Zip, that one caught me off guard, I’ll try and do better next time.”
It did not take long me for to get winded, fighting piles of brush with limited visibility in any direction. Zoey had built up a good head of steam too, she was panting and keeping close to my heals. “We’ll leave the woodcock be for another day, when it is appropriately cool for such an activity”. She and I had a long drink, before walking the distance back to the car through some strip cut fields. I have to tell you that it was warm, I had to pause to let steam out from under my collar and it did little to cool me off. Swinging the over /under on a bird was the last thing on my mind…
Zoey stopped and turned her head, to sniff into a strip of grass mixed with brush. She went headlong into the pile where I soon lost sight of her; just the ringing bell let me know her location. The next sound was that of rooster pheasant rising from the grass with loud objection. The sun was behind me bouncing off of his burgundy chest and long stripped tail. His green head and ring neck lead him quickly away from me and the dog. This time it took but one shot to settle the matter and I called for Zoey to come.
She ran past me a bit further than where the bird went down. “Here Zoey, find you’re bird… over here.” Not a chance, she was on a mission and I soon discovered why. A second rooster broke from his hiding place that the pup had unraveled. Somewhat surprised I swung on the second bird, rattling its tail and nothing more. His cackling trailed off as he flew out of sight. Zoey settled down and located the first rooster on the ground. She gave him a good sniffing over and she seemed to smile at her capability to provide so much fun!
Friday night we had company on the way up and a complete turnaround in the weather. The balmy days turned furious with wind and bellowing rain filled monsters flying over head. The River was welcoming early Friday evening. By midnight the sounds of an angry cold front rattled the river into a constant booming chorus. Wave after wave slapped the shore line like a jilted girl on a date. I could here the docks being tormented as the waves rushed through open planks to settle on the deck of each.
Thunder and limited lightening gave me a good night’s sleep. I enjoy the rocking commotion of a thunder storm while immersed in soft sheets, under a warm quilt. I kept my head to the pillow into mid-morning, while my guests were up and about just after sunrise. My son, Steve interrupted my first cup of coffee to ask me how to see photos on my camera. I was immediately suspect as to his previous actions. He must have taken some “nice” shots of his father during a sound sleep. “My phone… I don’t know how to use that phone let, alone get any photos from it!” I thought that an artful dodge might sidetrack his thought process long enough for me to escape embarrassment.
“Take a sip of coffee, pap. I said how do I get to see them on your camera?” With a startled look I said; “Hand it over to me… I don’t remember right this minute… let me work on it.” I took possession and went into the photo file; I did recall how to use the delete key.
The first photo that I saw was that of a rainbow settled near the end of Carleton Island. He had managed to capture the image and its reflection, on our dock! The next shot that “lucky” took was of the other end of that same rainbow as it lit near the shore line of Carleton drive, on the mainland. “What time did you take these? So you just saw my camera lying around and thought you would use it? I am shocked by you’re brazen use of my property!”
“Listen, you were asleep, I saw an event that you would have captured if you had been up. I just wanted you to see what you were missing, not bad huh? Bet you wish you got your (lazy) can up a bit earlier this morning. You have been here a long time and I have not seen any rainbow photos as nice as these, you have to agree!” They go from being children, to kids, to a constant reminder of how you once were and will always be thanks to them…
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