Heeeeere's Avalon!

I am doing pretty good at Open at this point and have a fun match in a couple of weeks and will let you know all about how it goes. Meantime, we all got to go back to Jones Lake on Saturday for a "Picnic Trial" that would teach us newbies a little about huntin'!

I'm turning this post over to Avalon, cause she really likes this birdie stuff and I like goin' after squirrels and gophers and other fur-things more than the fowl things I'm supposed to like! But just wanna tell ya, above is a pitchur of Jones Lake at 8:00 in the morning. Pretty, eh?

Okay: me, Avalon! Here are summa us getting to know each other before the lessons began. We got to swim a little, which I always love!

Here are some peoples, including my Dad, putting up what looks like a catapult from what I've seen on those "Holy Grail" movies!

Ooops, my bad! More like a "Duck-A-Pult" hahaha!

Okay... now I'm excited. Susan Osborne is quacking like a duck and waving sumpin' in the air. She's got my attention!

Oh man... gotta get that!

Here Ma... want it? Ya gotta chase me to get it hahhaaa!

Okay, ya got it away from me this time... What's Susan got next fur me?

Oh boy! A pigeon! And I am strutting it back to Mom right now!

(I'd really rather have it all to myself, Ma...) Okay, Avalon; time for Moms and Dads to have a picnic! (Mom here: sorry we don't have photos of the swimming after bumpers part...)

We all shared a wonderful lunch. There were two sections of doggies regarding level of talent: beginner/puppy and more advanced doggehs. I was in the puppy group and so was my sis, Sammie. She was not furry interested in anything other than bumpers to chase after in the waters or a birdie wing on land (and she almost ate that heheh!). After our beginner group was done, our teacher, Susan, brought her three doggies out for the more advanced directionals - it look furry hard.

Here she is behind the blind, waiting to be called for action.

After she gives the signal, the duck-a-pult releases a quacker and her pup must remember where it lands. Then she gives the signal to the second duck-a-pulter, who releases the next duck. Susan then signals her doggie to get the first duck, which it gets and brings back to her at heel position - wow! Then...

her pupper gets the second released duck and brings it back (how did she remember where it was?). That was amazing!

Then Susan brings her dog(s) out for the land portion of the show. Again, this time pheasants rather than ducks, her doggies bring back the birdies to her in heel position. Amazing. Maybe someday I can do this? Well... that's what Mom thinks. No matter what... we think Jones Lake rocks! And we also think Susan, our teacher, and Nancy Corbin, who ran the show, also totally rocked! Thanks for giving us a great Saturday!