Old Friend's New Again

                                   One of the most rewarding experiences in my adult life has been keeping in touch with friends I grew up with in the little town where we all shared our childhood years. After a period of time where we all went our separate ways I once again called my friend and hunting partner as a teenager Ron Gray. Ron and I would hunt the area down the rail road tracks north of town after school with my Brittany Spaniel Ginger and his brother n laws Shorthair Gina. They were quite a pair to watch and Ron and I made many memories together on those hunts.
                                   Having learned Ron was still doing carpenter work in addition to working for the state I enlisted him to help me with some projects at the Farm. This worked for Ron as he had a friend that lived 10 miles west of me that had a pocket of wild birds on his property so I'd take Ron hunting with my Short Hairs Gina and Bernie. We had some great times working and hunting together again revisiting old times as we made new memories as well. I learned a few things from Ron also as he's a master carpenter and finish man.
Ron relocated to Black River Falls with his wife Yolanda and built a new house in the woods perfect for Ron and his wife both avid deer hunters. It wasn't long before Ron got himself a Shorthair pup named Jake but as busy as Ron always is Yolanda took over the role of guardian and spiritual adviser for the dog. Yolanda being American Indian soon became one with the dog! When Ron would come down to visit I always had a set of instructions as to what to"cook" for the dog as Ron certainly didn't do it and in Yolanda's absence I was the responsible party. All I can say is that he was lucky to have found that woman. I should say "they" both Ron and the dog!

Ron and Frank with Gina and Bernie after a great hunt

In talking with Ron I had learned another friend of ours Tom Lochner had stayed in touch with Ron as well. Tom had his own commercial masonry business and had been busy all these years making a living like the rest of us. Tom had recently acquired a Chesapeake Bay Retriever as he enjoyed duck hunting and had made some trips to North Dakota which Ron had joined him on as well. Time passed and I eventually caught up with Tom and Ron on a weekend camping trip to northern WI where Tom had property. It was great to see Tom again and visit old times while getting to know where he'd been all these years as well. I really liked his pup and enjoyed the visit connecting once again retelling old school stories laughing till tears came to our eye's! I also learned that Dennis Traugott a neighbor two houses down from our family growing up, an avid bird hunter himself, had stayed in touch with these guys as well handling they're insurance for them all these years. Dennis had taken over his dad's agency after he and his wife Bonnie had moved back to town. Dennis had hunted and fished the western states pretty extensively over the years so he had a few more stories to tell than we did which I always enjoyed hearing but we were soon to be making some of our own. Together again.
                                        What made these "Old Friends New Again"experiences interesting to me was the opportunity to learn something new from each other which is what keeps any relationship alive. I've learned that life seems more fun when you're discovering something new or improving you're skills. Life is about growth and all of us seemed to have some expertise to share as we converged years later over our passion for Upland Hunting.