Falcons

Jackson's latest fascination is falconry.  (You know, that stage that every 9 year old boy goes through.)  Jackson amazes me, he is always finding new and exciting things to learn about, and he devours all related information about the subject.  He gets books, watches movies, does internet research and the amount of knowledge he absorbs is amazing.  He also talks about it constantly making everyone else in the family interested and mini experts.  Lucky for him, I happen to know someone here in Great Falls who does Falconry. I contacted my friend Suzette, who's husband Brett has two falcons, and asked if we could come and see the falcons. It was a dream come true for Jackson.  He has not stopped talking about it, and is even more fascinated with falconry, (if that is  possible.)  He came home the night we saw the falcons and started studying for his falconry license (which he can't get until he is 12).  He told us in the morning he stayed up studying because he is going to pass that test! 
The Peregrine Falcon. The boys were so excited. The questions started coming almost immediately.
The Bruggemans aren't just into falconry. They pretty much do it all. Suzette calls it "the Funny Farm" on her blog. They have horses, bird dogs, homing pigeons, a hedgehog, and, wait for it... sled dogs. Brett and his son Spencer are training for the Iditarod. Such a cool family! Brett, teaching the boys about the falcon, that is the falcon hood on his ear, if you were wondering. The highlight: Both the boys got to hold the Peregrine Falcon. Lily really wanted to hold the falcon, but she is just too little. She kept asking if she could hold the "Princess Falcon." Suzette had the great idea to let her hold a pigeon and we would tell her it was a falcon. It worked! Except that she wanted to hold it on her arm like a falcon, but the pigeon wouldn't cooperate. Mitch finally got her to hold it in her hands and let it go. She thought it was really cool. sorry this picture is way out of focus, they let it go before I had a chance to get my camera settings right, but I think it is still a cool shot. Asher also wanted to release a pigeon. The Gyrfalcon. Jackson got to feed this one a quail. We are so grateful to the Bruggeman family for letting the Parrish family invade their Sunday night.  It was so great for me to see my friend again, and my boys were in heaven!  It was really cool! Check back in a few years to see if Jack did get his falcon license and if we have falcons of our own, it just might happen.