Pheasants

We took a little getaway last week and headed up to Schaumburg for a couple of days.  We did a little shopping (Ikea, LL Bean, Half Price Books, Uncle Dan's, Trader Joe's) and some good eating.  The highlight of the trip though, 😄, was attending the National Pheasant Fest and Quail Classic at the Convention Center.  It involved a huge trade show, seminars, demonstrations, and even a dog parade.  Just about anything to do with upland game bird hunting was there; hunting dogs for sale, dog training, dog clubs, dog food manufacturers, habitat management, seed companies, small farm machinery, ATV's and UTV's, gun manufacturers, ammo companies, hunting clothing and boots, hunting lodges and outfitters, hunting guides, Taxidermists, butchering equipment, hunting magazines, real estate sales, and numerous government agencies that deal with natural resources and conservation.  There was a clothing company from the U.K. that was selling traditional gentleman's hunting clothing; Harris tweed shooting jackets and waistcoats, wool knickers, tall leather boots, and tweed caps.  We could have outfitted ourselves to fit in with a hunting party from a Jane Austin novel!  The old farmer's wife (being the good sport that she is) was pleasantly surprised that she enjoyed it more than she thought she would!  We brought home a whole bag of dog food samples for Gus from the various manufacturers, along with other expo swag.

The oldest farmer turned 94 last Sunday, so we siblings took the folks out to eat at a Mexican restaurant.  They gave him a free desert and sang happy birthday to him.  I feel very blessed to still have both parents available and in reasonably good health for their age!

The people asked, and he brought quails, and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
Psalm 105:40