Pogona picnic

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2000 Pogonic

Rachel and Tom Sacek: 2900 miles and one awesome picnic

Well, we're finally home from our trip and what a delightful trip it was indeed!!! The highlight of our trip was of course the incredible pogona picnic at Kathryn's house. We were so grateful to be able to make it to this heart warming and emotional gathering of friends whom we felt were like family........ The overwhelming feeling when we walked thru the door and met for the first time some of our friends who supported us when we needed it so desperately when our beloved Dracaena was struggling for her life back last September. Fighting back tears as we were greeted with a big hug by Kathryn, a memory I'm sure we'll never forget.........

After reading Nancy's post " Reflections on the picnic," [reproduced below] and crying like a baby I must say that she has described the event and everyone there to the "T" not only has she a true talent for writing, but she is a very warm, compassionate and down to earth person, who was always helping out when needed. And a terrrific sense of humor too!!!!!! What a lovely time we all had and she really captured it on paper to share with all!!!!

Kathryn spent a lot of time to prepare this event and she was an incredible hostess......We were amazed at the amount of beardies she owns ( counted 25 of them ) and she gives them all equal amounts of love and attention. She is a true animal lover!!

Unfortunately we had to leave the picnic early to continue on our vacation. Upon leaving, we felt a sadness as if we were leaving our family behind............8-(

We should plan to get together again maybe next year, this was a great idea and we had so much fun meeting everyone!!!!!! When we arrived home we popped in our vacation video and Dracaena and Dr. Seuss got to see the picnic. They really seemed to enjoy seeing all the fuss over their head bobbing, arm waving buddies.............They were sad that they missed out on all the fun, but we promised them that if they behave and not poop on the carpet , well maybe next year we'll take them to the next picnic!!!!!! They liked the idea, but traveling 2900 miles in a Honda del sol in one week went over like a lead balloon..................

Rachel and Tommy

Nancy Chretien’s reflections on the Pogonic

Dear Friends,
If you don't want to read about the picnic, skip this one. If you wanted to go and couldn't, I am truly sorry, as I know how you must feel about these picnic posts and not having been able to attend. If you are interested in my perspective on it, then read on.

Walking into Kathryn's home is truly a delight! On the coffee table in front of the sofa is a BEAUTIFUL, LARGE, aquarium full of healthy, alert, sociable beardies. I just sat down and waved (with my best right handed beardie imitation) and the one closest to me waved back. I knew I had found heaven on earth. Once you get past the coffee table (which also contains an aquarium of other lovely, reptiles) you see that there are similar enclosures all around the living room and dining room. Walking through the kitchen to the lovely, sunny breakfast room, you encounter the home of the one and only "Babe" and some beardie friends. You can eat breakfast and talk to the beautiful , but shy, frilled lizards, while Yanni, a gorgeous grey-striped cat, sleeps stretched out the length of their cage between their aquarium and the window to the greenhouse.

Kathryn welcomes you with a warm hug and smile and happily watches the expression on your face as you move from enclosure to enclosure in awe and rapture.

Then you realize that possibly the 8th wonder of the world, the actually 6'6" tall Bill Mears is standing up to welcome you. As you shift your gaze upward, you are staring into a most warm and charming face, topped with red hair, and sitting on his shoulder in her lovely harness, and proudly looking down at you , is the 16" of the most content, yet aristocratic, Dulcie.

Jen Periat, one of the sweetest, kindest, and most intelligent young women you will ever meet, gets out Gwenny, with her extraordinary coloring, and cradles her happily on her lap while she sits down next to Bill on the couch.

Now the activity starts. With the introduction of the two "new girls" (beardies that is) the gang goes wild. There are black beards and head bobs, in various rhythms coming from enclosures all over the room. There is wild scratching and falling and scratching as all the "guys" compete for the attention of the new comers. One little guy even turned black, through his beard, down his chest and included black on the lower half of his tail. Dulcie sat quietly with her nose up in the air, while Gwen enjoyed the admiration and responded by "teasing" the guys.

The entertainment continues while Kathryn serves a wonderful 4 course meal with more combinations of veggies than in the best beardie diet. While you are enjoying this relaxing time of conversation over a delicious dinner the entertainment continues. I even suggested that we change seats with each course to get a different view of the Beardie antics each time. But wait, there is more.

Max and Romany, 2 elegant Egyptian looking cats (sorry, I have forgotten the breed [oriental shorthair]) play hide and seek around you, hoping to be invited to join the dinner party, along with Yanni, and the dark haired old timer (whose name escapes me [Harrison].) Can you believe cats and lizards interacting safely? (Actually 2 are lizard proof and 2 are still in training.) The cats are all beautiful, have different personalities, and are entertaining in their own right.

Kodak moments are everywhere in Kathryn's house. The morning of the picnic we were treated to breakfast and the first look at the greenhouse. Bill counted 10 Jackson Chameleons freely inhabiting the trees in the greenhouse and hand fed crickets to each of them. (What a treat for them, as he was the only one tall enough to reach them.) Their lightning fast tongues are as long as their bodies and are a contrast to the slow meticulous way they move. I was absolutely captivated by them and have fallen in love with these shy, gentle creatures. Although, they blend so well, I never counted more than 6.

Kathryn's greenhouse is like a tropical garden with the Chameleon's, anoles, a number of lovely finches, a turtle, a frog (who lives in a flower pot) and other creatures in residence. I told her I would love to drink my morning coffee there and just look and listen.
Residing in the room next door is a people friendly, "begging", turtle and the cutest little Chameleon babies you can imagine. Tiny replicas of their parents, only brown. Their eyes alone are fascinating.

The afternoon arrives and the other guests start coming in. Not surprisingly, they each have the same reaction I did. I enjoyed standing in the kitchen, working on deviled eggs and hearing some of the same expressions I had used and hearing Kathryn patiently going through the introductions of the beardies and people, smiling all the time. Now, the chuckwallas, and the uromastyx (I can't spell it) are being admired. And the cute little flying geckos whose bodies stick so tightly to the aquarium glass that they look like candy, "Gummy Geckos".

Tom and Rachel are so friendly and enthusiastic. They met Jen and said. "You're the one who went to Africa." They met me and said, "You're the one with the baby bird." Right, on both accounts. Tom and Rachel win the prize for being the most devoted and loving beardie owners. The story they have to tell about Dracaena is heart warming. It is like a Disney movie with a happy ending. Seeing everyone else's beardies made Rachel want to call home to see how her babies, Dracaena and Dr. Seuss were. They were on vacation and called to check on them, and Buddy the lab, often. They brought a video of the gang, and watching Dracaena drive in her radio controlled truck is "a Hoot." She is so proud of her driving technique. She also crawls all over Buddy, when she isn't sleeping with him, and loves her little brother Seuss.

Then in come Georgia and her husband Scott, and two children Erik and Serena.
Georgia loves snakes and spent a lot of time charming Todd's beautiful orange and white marked Albino. She is energetic and always smiling. Scott is such a good sport. He entered right in and took great photos with their new digital camera. He captured the Chameleons well. He is an Astrophysicist who enjoys just about everything, I think. Eric and Serena are beautiful and sweet. Eric climbed trees and held the snake and entertained us with a "find the animal” book. Serena loved seeing everyone's pictures, cuddled and caught the escapee cats, and said she loves dogs. (Someone please get that girl a dog.) Georgia is the inventor of the cricket waterer, and will gladly share the "how-tos" with you.

Todd does not travel light! Once he got his car troubles fixed, he arrived with beardies (Stumpy and Kinkers) and 2 snakes. He proudly showed them all off to us. Tom, Rachel, and I played "pass the Kinkers" all afternoon as Todd generously shared her for us "beardie-less" travelers. She has some beautiful, red coloration and seemed quite content when she was snuggling on Rachel's shoulder under her matching red hair. Stumpy did "make a liar out of Todd" when he took off, 3 legged, across the deck faster than usual, as Bill had warned might happen. (I think Bill just has this strange power over Beardies.) Todd is a wealth of information. He is devoted to his numerous pets, and is very well read on reptiles. He is also very photogenic, and bears a striking resemblance to "Jesus" when he lets his hair down.

Joyce made Bill promise to stay until they arrived. Her husband Tom is a traveling photographer who photographs BMX bicycle races. They came after the races were over. He graciously took group photos for us, even after spending a long, hot, dusty day photographing at the track. After Joyce made sure the coast was clear of snakes she came in with both her babies in her arms. Little Guy gets the prize for being the sweetest, gentleman. He truly is his momma's boy and LOVES cuddling with Joyce. He didn't know whether to wave, or beard at all the guys, so he did some of each. Such a politically correct beardie. Miss Diggaire (Dig-air) is a dainty little thing. She looks like a piece of jewelry resting on Tom's chest. She was also a "love".

Joyce has a very interesting job editing court transcripts for a number of lawyers around the country. She works on the road while Tom drives, in hotel rooms, and when she is not working with the photographs at the races. These two have a nomadic lifestyle most of the year, and are glad to have the company of their beardies. You can tell Little Guy and Miss Diggaire definitely spend a lot of time with their people. I'm so glad they all have each other for comfort and a sense of home. I called Tom and Joyce missionaries who are spreading the word of the joy of beardie ownership throughout the country. Apparently, they meet more people each year who come to the races with beardies because they first saw Tom and Joyce's.

After spending 2 days with the unflappable Bill Mears you can easily identify what makes a 6'6" man who looks like a center for the NY Knicks turn into a bowl of jello. "Dulcie." He dotes on her and is ever conscious of her health, safety, and happiness. She eats it up too, sitting regally on his shoulder or in his lap, knowing that she is the "queen of the world." (Except for maybe at 11PM when she turns into a party animal and Bill is ready for bed.) He has even created a car to carry her in comfort including tree limbs in the back and carpeting on the dash. She came back and forth over the Canadian border riding on his shoulder. She enjoyed the food at the picnic, especially the ants and the chocolate chips from the cookies. You may be able to see her soon, starring on TV in Canada for Horton's donut chain. She has a particular passion for them.

And what can you say about Kathryn? If I had read her website before going to the picnic I would have been too intimidated to talk. She is such a well educated, published, professor and researcher. (Joyce showed me her website Mon. morning.) To me she was the most gracious, caring, generous hostess. She welcomed us all into her home (and lovely yard) and made us all feel right at home. In no time people were coming and going, relaxed and chatting with each other like old friends, and helping themselves to the wonderful food and beverages that she provided. Everyone felt right at home in Kathryn's home. We were inviting each other to "come and see this" or look at that.

All in all it was a perfect gathering. There was no strangeness in getting to know each other. I think we all felt like we already new each other and it was like a reunion of old friends- only for the first time. I learned that there is something unique and special about Beardie owners, and you are never too old to learn something new, and most importantly, to make new friends.

I'm sure you were all there in spirit, and oh yes, Daisy sent her picture- most interesting. And we all get another chance to be jealous when Kathryn gets her vacation (much deserved) and goes to CA to meet Alta and Daisy and whoever else can find them.

Pogona Picnics (or pognics or whatever) are good for your mind, body and soul. I hope you all get to attend at least one sometime.

Sorry for the length. Hope it was worth it to you.

Nancy