Sunday, March 22, 2009

Shed Hunting

The weather has been absolutely wonderful for Shed Hunting. I have spent portions of three days looking through the pastures and timber areas. Sadie accompanied me yesterday. Then she went with hubby and I to take a look around the southside of the property today. Our goal was to find a match to get a pair for #4. I found that particular shed sticking out from under pasture grass, bent from the winter snow,in the north pasture yesterday before noon. It looks like it has already gone through a whole year of weathering to me. Number 3 was the first shed I found yesterday in a very conspicuous location just feet from the fence line between the pasture and the infamous corn field of last Fall and Winter. Shed #2 was found in a totally different direction. Close to a fence line too...This time along the ravine south of the house. The chewed shed, #1 , was found last year, behind my big garden. I left it outside on the front deck for decoration. As you can see, the little creatures came to reclaim what they considered to be theirs. The squirrels came to file down their teeth. They were the only ones caught in the act of wittling, but the groundhog tracks left yet another clue to the ever shrinking antler. If it should be that I don't locate another antler this Spring I will be happy...The collection is starting to grow. ;)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Sadie Says - A Year Old and Counting

It was my 1st Birthday on March 18th,2009. I am so happy to be a part of Timber Life! ;) My goodness of all the days that have past since I started exploring the big old wide world.Aren't I a Sweetheart? One of my first excursions onto the floor of the alley way beside my kennel on May 2,2008 Yes, on March 18th, mom and dad gave me a little party to celebrate my 1st Birthday. Just to think it won't be until May 15th, that we will pass another milestone, a year since I made the trip from Madison,SD., to Central Iowa. Mom met Dorothy Sanborn from South Dakota's Countryside Kennels at the Sioux Falls, SD., Pilot to bring me home. Mom and I have had some growing pains, but we are getting to know each other real well. There is a very strong mutual admiration society happening here. A real plus is that I was house broken by the time I was 5 1/2 months old. Mom has heard it is hard to get a Springer Spaniel potty trained...not at my house it wasn't. I am a smart girl. My favorite new tricks are to twirl and roll-over,for a treat of course. Mom has started trusting me to run off my leash when we go into the timber. How very happy that has made me! We get to go together now. There are a couple of small creeks with water running, you should see the M-U-D up to my shoulders. Can't possibly avoid it don't you know?!? All I would like to say in closing is that this is turning out to be heaven in my book. Just a chance to live the Timber Life... ;)

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Dancing with the Stars - Shawn Johnson

It is fun to see Miss Shawn Johnson, a fellow Iowan, and 2008 Olympic gymnastic medalist, sharing her bubbly 17 year old character with the world once again. When she smiles and laughs it is hard to keep a straight face. I wish her well in her new endeavour in Dancing with the Stars...

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Surprise!

After the whole of last week without rain,or snow... The weekend arrived,giving us some honest to goodness thunder, and lightening starting off at 1:40 A.M. on Saturday. I sat down to the computer to do some blog reading around 11:30 A.M. today, it was just raining. I turned around at 11:55 A.M. to go into the kitchen, looking out the sliding glass door, I was Surprised that it gotten cold enough to allow snow to fall for a few hours. Tonight all the snow has gone, but while it lasted, the white, huge, heavy flakes filled the air with beauty as they rushed to cover the ground...;)

2009 Iowa Deer Classic

A birds eye view of the Hy-Vee Hall full of exhibitors for Deer Huntresses and Hunters to locate their favorite products to create a positive hunting experience.

The trip to the Iowa Deer Classic this year came on the second day, March 7th. Hubby and I arrived around 10:00 A.M. to get our tickets and get down to the show floor to see what was available.
My check list this year included getting information on the Shadow Hunter elevated blinds. Given the opportunity that would be the brand I would invest my money on. The other things on my check list included a ground blind,a bow,some trail cameras, to checkout the deer heads and sheds. I wanted to see the antlers rated from 180-200. An awesome retail presentation on first glance from the hallway to the show floor.I didn't take the time to see every deer head there, but I did find one that was impressivly scored at 227 1/2. It was taken in a county just to the southeast of us. Hope some day his offspring will find it's way in our direction. The crowd developed while we were looking things over,to the point trying to move from place to place became a challenge. A good indicator of the interest of the huntresses and hunters in Iowa. ;) A teen-aged young man showing his skill in 3-D archery. He hit all of the targets with what I would consider effective shots should it have been a real life experience.Byron Ferguson, expert archer at his booth in between seminars,second day of the 2009 Iowa Deer Classic , March 7th.