Of dogs and men

I read this quote the other day by James Thurber which really tugged at my heart strings. Mr. Thurber said,,"In his grief over the loss of a dog, a little boy stands for the first time on tiptoe, peering into the rueful morrow of manhood". I remember every precious dog that I have ever loved and buried. Many of you who have read my past blogs know that I lost my beloved chocolate lab of 13 years, Sugar, late this summer.

Every day that I come home I expect to see her waiting to lick my face. I have never been one to question God's infinite plan, but I sure wish He would have designed a dog's life expectancy to be the same as man's. It hurts so much to say that final good-bye to a loyal and loving dog.

Jerry Cooper is one of the finest dog trainers that I have ever met. He brings one of his little English Cockers to his office with him every morning; so I am at least getting a face lick now and then as Jerry works with her on the lodge grounds while all of our hunters are out in the fields.

Speaking of hunting, this weekend has been a Chamber of Commerce post card day for quail hunting in South Georgia.Our temps have ranged between 40-60 degrees, and there is plenty of moisture on the ground for excellent scenting conditions. We also have a full house, and many of our guests in this cycle know how to "dishrag" a fast flying Bobwhite.

We still have some openings for the remainder of the season if anyone is interested in checking on available dates. We have a little over two weeks before we shut down for a week for our Christmas break to rest the guides,dogs, and staff, and I'm certain that I will be posting something else prior to then. So, I will hold off on my holiday wishes for a while.