This afternoon

Here's stupe. (A Labrador Retriever retrieving)

Gifted with a perfectly good coat and enough sense to know that a handbag will only slow her down in life, the dog likes to focus on things that are important. One of those things, she'll readily admit, is finding ruffed grouse in the woods. Another is telling you that one is nearby and a third one is flushing it into the air. When I make my feeble contribution to this lopsided team she rewards me by a fine retrieve. When I don't she just stands there and looks at me.

The verdict is in...

Some of the guys at the office had a silent survey.

'Superman or Green Lantern?' was laid to question on this wall.

I thought superman would be a ringer with the box office returns.

Here's the results. This is Lantern country.

The view from across the road

An earlier post heralded the DA as community peacekeeper and since its inception to the www, readers wanna know; any word from the neighbors? Well, I can say this: After all the bitching, loud (and friends, I mean loud) music (with a scattering of evangelism), and vehicle revving, the finn bomb left a crater destitute of any of the above. A void where unhappy life once thrived.

Think of it. The creation of peace and quiet.

Based on experience, I can tell you the DA, despite her size, won't be eating crap sammies long if there's a Big Mac nearby. But I really am impressed with this. I hope I can pick the lock to this wonderful gift. I'll be sure to share, the world needs way more of it.

Critic

So I got an email from my new ses-in-law with a link to a Mason Jennings concert, it read "YOU HAVE TO GO SEE THIS!" My brother and her got me turned on to him since they gave me the honor of playing one of his ditties for their first dance. The DA and I pondered it and finally gave it the all clear when mom called and invited us to join her and my sis. Her nickel, to boot.

Now, I'm not a folk junkie so I can't weep tears o' prayer for this guy, but I know a solid performer when I see one. He earned his keep at the show and the cash I paid to get him on my Ipod. So cheers, Mason, you did a good job. Plus, being older than college age, its was a cool experience...Til mom started jamming the Floyd Kramer on the way home.

New season

I brake for ruffed grouse.

Here's stupe. Her apparent interest indicates a certain recognizance. I was going to shoot this bird but I got caught up in the dogs' antics and shot this pic instead. The bird flushed.

Stupe at work.

Stupe and bones.

Richard gearing up bones. Bones is a pudelpointer named after the ruffed grouses' genus Bonasa.

Richard at the walleye office. I'm sitting in the cabin. Feet up.

Here's stupe. If birds hang on a barbed wire fence beside a dog and a broken down over-under in the field for too many pictures they just rot. Cut into strips and rolled in seasoned flour and pan-fried, these went good with a can of beer.

The end of another opening day at the cabin. Richard felt it best to take the last few out of a 20 year vintage bottle of Beam given to him by his brother in law. He also felt it best to point out his cribbage win. Alas, I took the rubber match.

Here's my dog.

Here's stupe. She also goes by Casey or Lady. Sometimes Caseylady. Sometimes Youstupidfucking.

She smiles when she thinks she's in trouble or wants attention. She's a bird dog so I can put her on this blog as much as I want and she won't get offended. She's cool all the time.

Door County,Wisconsin

ART BARN
COFFEE
SHOPPING

Fin, Finn style

Bass lines breaking your windows? Suspected domestic abuse? Send in a pretty finn. The better half got fed up with the party scene across the street. So she marched over and swung the hammer. Meanwhile, the young Ike and I kept the guns ready back at the fort. He was ready to go, too. Itching for territory.