Blog

Crime and Punishment in the Bird Dog World

March 25, 2026 | News From Tom, Other Things, The American Field | Comments

In the summer of 2003 there appeared in the venerable American Field Magazine, founded in 1874, an announcement that would shake the rafters of bird dog kennels across our continent. Henceforth, the FDSB would require DNA proof of FDSB registered parentage to recognize a dog’s wins in FDSB sanctioned trials. The evidence required would be in the form of a cheek saliva swab, to be analyzed by a company in the business of such analysis. Read more

Lesson From a Storm

March 17, 2026 | Poetry | Comments

Third cutting Fine and bright I had mowed raked hauled and stacked it With schoolmates just Two months before Also that summer We had dug a deep well Run a pipe to the barn Plumbed in a frost-free spigot Through it we now filled buckets of H-2-0 for the ewes Read more

Farming and Unintended Consequences

March 10, 2026 | Non-fiction, Other Things | Comments

Farming teaches one about unintended consequences, but not painlessly. For example, the unintended consequences of importing hay from far away in a drought year. In the early 1950s we had some bad drought summers in Appalachian Virginia. They left us short of home-grown hay. So we bought hay from Ohio , shipped in by train and tractor-trailer truck. Read more

Season Over

March 4, 2026 | Poetry | Comments

Well, the season’s over Quail paired off for mating Tack and chaps hung in the trailers Points tallied, Gulf fishing boats awaiting Trialers take stock Of the season just completed Count the pluses-minuses Is the glass half full or empty? Read more

A Railway Baggage Wagon

February 25, 2026 | My Father, Remembrances | Comments

I never see an image of a railway baggage wagon without it triggering a movie in my mind. The setting is the Norfolk & Western Railway Passenger Depot at Cambria, Virginia. The year is 1944. I am there with my father. I am 7 years old. My father is there to collect any incoming mail addressed to his law office arriving on the soon arriving west-bound passenger train. We are Read more

A Rivalry

February 16, 2026 | Short Stories | Comments

T’was in a time when men (and sometimes women) from small towns in our region were often competitors, and rivals, in whatever engaged them, be it commerce or profession or sport, or all the above. In the town concerned in this yarn, an adjoining place was a military base, a large training area called “Fort X” or “Camp X” depending on the decade, but the same Defense-Department-owned ground, named for the same long-dead Confederate Commander, the “X”. Read more

Another Pete-Bob Scheme

February 13, 2026 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments

“Pete-Bob wants to see you,” Joanne greeted Ben as he arrived at his office Friday morning after breakfast at Millie’s Diner with Sam Nixon MD. “What about?” Ben asked, skepticism in his voice. “Says he has a special opportunity, just wants to be sure it is legal,” Joanne said. Read more

Last Call

February 3, 2026 | National Championship, Poetry | Comments

’Twas at the National Championship in 20?? After all the entries ran and failed to make a case Not a single covey had been stood, bumped or chased The three distinguished judges were disgusted with the place At lunch they called a huddle to decide what now to do One had a flask of whiskey, one a flask of gin The third a batwing of brandy if you can believe that sin The senior judge said call ‘em back till we get one worth the win Read more

The Third Judge

January 27, 2026 | Ben Reach, Short Stories | Comments

Ben Reach no longer judged field trials, too old. But he had judged many, across the continent. His favorite was often punishing, due to its weather: The Quail Championship Invitational, run at Paducah, Kentucky, starting every Saturday after Thanksgiving. The trial ran just three days, and for only twelve dogs, the top twelve who accepted the challenge based on their all-age Purina Points. The dogs ran an hour Saturday, then another hour Sunday with a different brace-mate and at the opposite time of day. Then for Monday the judges called back as many as they wanted to see in a two-hour heat, usually four or two dogs. Read more

David Johnson Remembered

January 19, 2026 | David Johnson, Remembrances | Comments

I met David Johnson at the Florida Championship in 1995 and saw him there many years and at other trials, including the Free-For-All at Sedgefields (west) and the Continental. I also saw him at Foggy Bottom, T. Jack Robinson’s Mississippi training and hunting property near Corinth, Mississippi. He was first a gentleman and a consummate professional as a scout and trainer. Always quiet. Always looking for ways to help other Read more