For the Birds

I had an amazing day today. Mom and I got up WAYYYYY before the sun (5:30am), got ready, picked up the car, and were off to Hummelstown, PA, to learn how to hunt birds at Ziegler's Blue Mountain Game Farm. Mom thought we were late so she burned rubber and we made it to the meeting place (or really where she thought we were supposed to meet) at 10:15.






I got to spend some one-on-one time with Ivy and her parents, Kim and Todd. Ivy and I had fun getting to know two Llamas, too! When they snorted in my face I tried to run for cover, but brave mom fed them some grass and I realized they just like to Llounge around Llike Llittle me!

Eventually, we met up with Ms. Stern, Ms. Green and seven other Vizslas - Jaeger, Siren, Owen, Rosie, Hannah, Kayla, and Charlotte. My whole family was back together (well, except for pops Priority - who knows where he is these days - but mamma Siren held it together and put on a brave face without him) and it was fun catching up with (and catching!) Owen, Rosie, and Ivy. I also met a new friend, Charlotte, who is totally awesome. Everyone was saying that she and I look alike, and that we are "twin cousins!' I'm not so sure though-- I think I'm cuter!




Once the whole group came together and we ran the willies out, we got down to business. The name of the game is hunting Chuckar birds, and you play by running around, going to the bathroom, running around again, finding the scent, showing the people where the bird is by "pointing" and then racing off to the next section of brush. Sometimes Ms. Stern squirts water in your mouth because it helps you smell better. She is so silly!

Mom was official paparazzi making sure each one of us had our mug-shot taken, and she had her work cut out for her because we all did so well, and posed so nicely. Right now, Mom's still working on sorting out the photos and picking the best shots, but once she has them ready, come back and take a look!

After we "hunted" the birds, and got to chase them as they flew away, we were loaded up into the cars and driven to a little spot I like to call Nirvana. In reality it was a canal park where I learned that eating manure is tasty and playing tug-o-war with a full gown Vizsla isn't all that easy. I also got to swim officially, and I mean all-the-way-in, up-to-my-chin swim. What a surprise! Mom threw a stick into the canal and I said "what the heck, I am going in after it (the stick might not know how to swim as well as I do, you know)!"

I was expecting the water to only come up to my elbows, but when I went all the way in, I soon realized I was in "over my head." With mom's encouragement, I paddled to shore and climbed out. Whew! I made it! It was really fun though, so I shook myself off and hopped in again!

We headed out, saying our good-byes, and proceded to get stuck in a traffic jam. We even missed dinner! Because of the tiring day and all the driving, Mom and I decided it was best to spend the night at Mutti and Pappa Dino's, and head back into the City on Monday morning, so we relaxed for the rest of the evening. Or did we...