It’s very rewarding to watch young dogs mature…..especially Jack (CH Houston’s Blackjack x Northwoods Highclass Kate, 2013).

Then again, there’s nothing like running experienced bird dogs. This is sure a pretty sight: four- year-old Tripp (Houston x Northwoods Blue Babe), on left, and nine-year-old Jill (Gusty Blue x CH Houston’s Belle) honor Gert (I’m Houston’s Image x Blue Silk), an eight-year-old.

Boreas, our name for the male puppy out of Northwoods Blue Ox x Northwoods Chablis, went to his new home with the very nice Wiedmann family. He looks pretty comfy on the lap of one of the Wiedmann sons as he watches a Gopher hockey game.

In fading afternoon light, Sean (Northwoods Blue Ox x Houston’s Belle’s Choice, 2010), points a covey of wild quail in native broomsedge bluestem (Andropogon virginicus). Willow, a nice Tennessee Walking Horse owned by Arrowhead Farms, calmly grazes.

Land management of quail plantations is big business in southwestern Georgia…and a key component is fire. On one of our last days, plantation manager Matt burned an 80-acre piece.

Matt was pleased to get a good, clean burn. The only remaining vegetation is native longleaf and loblolly pines (Pinus palustris and P. taeda)—both of which have biological means to survive fires.

It was both gratifying and educational for Jerry and me to have so many dogs from our 2013 CH Elhew G Force x Northwoods Vixen litter. Sisters Kiah (on left) and Meg share point on a covey hiding in thick cover.

Litter brother to the pointer sisters above, Buddy points in front a young longleaf pine in its fire-protective “grass stage.”

Every March, I silently thank the gardener who, many years ago, surrounded our little rental cottage with plantings of robust Formosa azaleas (Rhododendron indicum ‘Formosa’).