Right on the Table?!?

I think I'd want a little more protein after.. uh.. you know.

Recipe for Disaster.

And I thought this only happened in lure coursing.  Not the part about the two jacks, though.

The scene:  Dutch Salmon's Desert Hare Classic, somewhere in the southwest US.  Margaret was slipping Sandia, in pink, between Luna, a lurcher/Tazi cross (and the winner of last year's event), and a saluki in blue.  

On a day that started out looking like hares were going to be at a premium, no one expected two to fire out of the tall grass like so many sporting clays.. one to the south, one to the north.  The "Tally Ho!" was called, and it was time to choose your rabbit!

Initially, Sandia and Luna chose two different hares, which got them going in opposite directions,

...which got them into what could have been a very serious situation.  In fact, it turned out to look much worse than it actually was. (And give me points for being professional, and keeping the shutter button pushed when my dog was in the middle of flying ass over teacup in the middle of the desert!).

They found their feet so quickly, that all three dogs got back on the jack, and a good course ensued.  I know it was good, because Sandia won it!

That got him into the second round, where he ended up finishing the day in 4th place.  I'm not unhappy with that, considering he was running against 18 of the best hounds in the southwest.  I am a bit unhappy that he finished behind his sister, Maya.  Again.  But as a friend reminded me, as a boy dog, he's not going to mature as fast, and if he's real good this year, he'll be awesome next year... and Maya will be in season!   ;o)  So that's our rallying cry:  "Wait till Next Year!"

More details on the Pack Hunt and Desert Hare Classic will be found in a future issue of Performance Sighthound Journal.  (We hope.)

"Cute" Weekly Bird of Prey

Burrowing Owl.  Although they are listed as endangered in many states, we see a couple every time we go out to hunt.  This one let me get pretty close before he bolted.

Yard Life.

We had to drive up to the new house today to make sure the manufacturer tags were still on both sections per federal law. (Who knew?).  As we turned off the pavement, there were a couple of trucks parked on the shoulder looking up at the mountains behind the house.  We stopped and asked what they were looking at.    Ibex was the reply.  They're reguler visitors I guess, so now we have to add a spotting scope to the budget.

As we turned into the driveway, much to our surprise, we jumped the young jackrabbit pictured above.  As it turned out, he was a valuable test subject for the fencing around the yard. I chased him, slowly, with the camera as he pretty much tested the entirety of the perimeter fence, finding no way out, until he worked his way back to the open gate.  If he couldn't find a hole, neither will the dogs!

The vacant  lot next door is home to a covey of Gambel's Quail.  Wildlife is abundant.  Can't wait for our first rattler of the Spring.  Yes I can.

He looks a lot like the Mimbres pottery rabbit, doesn't he?

Happy Birthday Chuck D!

200 years! Seems like only yesterday..

Capitol Dome - Redux

It snowed yesterday.  First time since we arrived this Winter.  Put a dusting on the car and the Express, which was gone two hours later.  The sun came out, and the wind, strong to begin with really picked up.

I looked at the Florida Mountains, still resplendent in their white coat, and channeling Tina Fey said, "I want to go to there".  The clouds were spectacular, the sky was deep blue, and every detail of the mountains, and their most noticeable feature- "Capitol Dome"- stood out in deep relief.  In other words, paradise for a landscape photographer!

So after that buildup, I'm going to show you a Photoshopped "black and white graphic pen" image...

The spectacular color images can be found in the sidebar slide show.  Don't miss the new portrait of our new home!

What Does Big Ben Say?

BONG!  BONG!  BONG!.....

Weren't you just outraged and incensed about that picture of All-American Wonder Boy, Michael Phelps huffing away on a bong?

Yeah, me neither.

I'm with Seth...

What's the big surprise?   Where did Phelps do the bulk of his pre-Olympic training?

Ann Arbor.

What happens in Ann Arbor every April 1st since the 60's?   Andrew?  Anybody?

I rest my case.