Little gals and Big rivers..

The sound of whistling wings brings the hunter to full alert.. Three feet away the dog grips the sky in a perfect stare, waiting for the teal to come into sight. The birds slide by on whistling wings and begin the sweeping arc around and over the river preparing for a landing among the decoys at the rivers edge.With practiced perfection the hunter guides the birds into range with a crescendo of whistles and calls.As the teal lower their wings in a downward V and webbed feet emerge from their undersides the hunter rises and takes three fast shots. Two drakes fall from the sky, one falling straight and upside down into the water, the other goes into a fast spin finally crashing headlong into the muddy river. The dog launches with perfect form into the water, the current carrying him directly to the first bird, he retrieves the bird and returns to the bank where the hunter takes the beautiful teal in her hands and says "good boy Willie, now go get the other one.. Willie launches himself into the water again and returns with the second trophy of the morning.'Well done my friend'. she says as she pats her faithful friends head. Whistling wings glide by , combined with the gentle lull of the river, a fish breaks the surface as a whitetail emerges along the far bank. yes she thinks to herself, this is living, just a girl and her dog, a river and a shotgun what more could a girl need. Gretchen reaches for the hand line connecting the floating decoys to the bank, Willie stares at her as if to say "we aren't leaving are we".Gretchen smiles and tugs on the line...... she is still smiling as the world around her suddenly goes bright... Staring at the ceiling she is still smiling about the look Willie was giving her as the dream fades, pain racks her body as she awakes, pain is no stranger to this warrior woman and she quickly pushes it aside and stares at the ceiling for a moment. Yes she thinks , sometimes life takes a turn for the worst, sometimes we just have to fight a little harder than the other folks. But this is all water under the bridge for a country gal like Gretchen..and under that bridge flows a river.. and on that river she will be standing as soon as she heals from all they had to take. Yes she thinks,big rivers and little gals.. a love affair that will forever be going on... As long as good dogs still launch from muddy banks and whistling wings remain just along the horizon .. she will be there just a girl and her passions, waiting for the perfect shot. Hawk