We had to celebrate our return home with a trip to the pond, possibly our last swimming trip for the year.  I think these pictures do a good job of showing what devoted family members our dogs are.

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Sue and Sam watch attentively as dad winds up to throw Conrad in the water (by request)

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Splashdown!

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Caleb and the dogs muck about

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Dad, dogs and kids

Wirehaired Pointing Griffons

Sam is neck and neck with Dad, while Sue trails not far behind

Nebraska is more of a river state than a lake state and this time of year our lakes and ponds do something we call “turn over”.  My hydrologist friends tell me that it isn’t actually that the water “turns over”, but the warm conditions and runoff create blooms of algae and bacteria.  I knew I should have called a “no go” to our trip when I saw the water, but I couldn’t resist the warmth of the sunshine and coolness of the water.

I exchanged e-mails with Greg Wagner of Nebraska Game and Parks and we won’t know if we get an early teal season for Labor Day weekend until August 31st.  We are ready!