These are the days and times when instinctively we know there's no turning back. The days you know the undeniable and the inevitable have finally won the battle. Things change as a consequence. Of what? The answer is always the same whether it's bird populations, habitat,relationships,the economy or the best bird dog's you've ever owned. Time and it's passing.
As I hunted all the likely places the setters and I have pursued sharptail grouse in the first few days of the season I became conscious of several turning points occurring simultaneously. The last few winters have not been favorable with harsh conditions for all the upland birds. These were followed by less than ideal spring weather the most recent spring being unusually cold and wet right during hatching. The result year to year declines in populations.
Habitat has seen a major assault as hundreds of thousand of acres have transitioned out of CRP and back into production. A cycle that follows commodity prices but this one is driven by our federal ethanol policy and not likely to change any time soon. Maybe not even in my lifetime.
We all share time with each other as our paths move along common ground bound by family,the process of growing up and friendships we develop along the way. But again as the ties that bind us mature and our interests evolve those paths begin to grow apart as well. Suddenly the distance and difference in priorities in our lives finds us out of touch leaving us focused on the past and no longer living together in the present.
I remarked to a friend recently that I enjoyed the simplicity of my living arrangements with the setters. A house that fits with a nice yard in a small rural area just minutes from getting my dogs on wild birds. I can get my arms around that I said. It's a good feeling. I like it. But the forces of the global economy while we can't control them have a tremendous bearing on our lives. Like dominoes once put in motion all follow suit. It's part of how I got here retiring earlier than expected but prepared for the contingency. Already having been living a simple life following my passion. While we can't control the global economy we can control our own in many ways through personal choice and lifestyle.
This is our eleventh season together and its been a great experience all eleven years. As I see the effects of time and long days in the field on my setters I have a tremendous respect for the drive and passion of these beautiful animals and all they have to share with us. An appreciation for the youth and playfulness of a new puppy and the promise it brings. I take them to the field now and just walk with them going at their pace in appropriate cover letting them once again put their noses to the wind. I owe them this as they've shared their best days with me and the remaining experiences will be all the richer for the bond we've shared as time continues marching on.
So this convergence of "Turning Points" makes it blatantly obvious that life is meant for living. Right now. Today. The setters and I are so lucky to have shared a decade of unforgettable time together only because we took advantage of today. I put aside what many would have allowed to get in the way and kept my eye on the prize. A dream. What makes me feel alive. What helps me make sense of what time is really meant for. Living.
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