Oak Ridge Foxhound Hunt Club -Day 6

Ms. Rita Mae Brown hosted us today at her Oak Ridge Foxhounds Hunt Club, in Afton, VA.  The mountains and pine woods we rode through were spectacular. The air was crystal clear, that same heartbreak blue sky we have had most of the week was overhead and the pine trees were cool and fragrant.  Scenting was difficult again, I don’t know if it is something about the leaves falling or the temperature but none of the days has been rip-roaring hunts, but the scenery has been incredible. I have had a great time seeing the different hunts, both hound –wise and country side hunted. I will never hear an owl hoot again and not think of Rita Mae Brown. As she weaves through the mountainside or swampy pastures she softly “hoots” to her hounds, calling them “ Good children! “.   All huntsmen are unique but Ms. Brown is very entertaining. Announced at the start that, “ (she) hunts the old way! I let my hounds go and trust them. Sometimes it seems they have gotten away but I trust them and let them hunt”. I am not sure what that means, although she only uses one whip. Our fieldmaster was excellent and kept us very close to Ms. Brown and her hounds. It was really fun to watch her, with all the stories from her books in my imagination. The fieldmaster did whisper to me that she watches her “P’s and Q’s” for fear that she will end up as a character meeting a bad end in one of Rita Mae’s books