Biggest fish ever

How are things at your end of the wire?  Not much going on here.  I'm trying to stay busy which in turn keeps me out of trouble.  Last week I took a trip to visit the folks and Dad and I did a little boat fishing.  

Dad got a used fishing boat last fall and has been wanting to float/fish some of the lakes in the area.  We tried our hand at fishing for some bluebacks (which are extremely tasty when smoked) but didn't get much action.  I only caught one blueback and that was a bummer, however I also caught the biggest fish to date.  Mom thinks I caught a bigger fish off the dock at Farragut St. Park back in my teenage days, but I think this one is bigger (I'll have to look in my journal).  When I first hooked into it I thought I had my line snagged on a submerged log (however logs do not occasionally jerk back on your line).  Some folks hook into fish like this all the time.  I, on the other hand, catch a 20+ inch fish once every 10 years or so.  So needless to say I was pretty jacked when this fish was in the boat.

A couple of days later, Dad and I went to a different lake and he hooked into a monster bull trout, that was bigger then the rainbow I caught!  Since bull trout are a protected species we had to let it go.  I didn't bring my camera with me (sorry Pa) so you'll have to take my word for it.  That'll teach me though.... never leave home without your camera!

Fire

These are a few pics taken by the Police dept. About 10 % contained.
Burning up into the mountains now, away from homes. Bombers flying all
day. Smoke finally drifting off to the East, wind dying down
somewhat.
Staying on top of it here.
Granny

Birds

I wish there was a way to send sound with this post. There is a mockingbird outside that is singing up a storm. He sings the songs of all the other birds and a bunch of freestyle other sounds. So cool to listen to him.
We ahve a family of owls now. Mom, Pop nad two youngsters. So funny to watch the kids. One was down on the ground following a bunch of quails around. Those quails were leading him a merry chase, just staying out of reach. The other junior had to come swooping down and made the quail fly, so neither of them got a bird. Kids are as big as the parents but still have a few baby feathers on their heads. So funny to see them walk around on the ground. bobbing and waging their heads around. I haven't actually saw any of the youngsters catch anything but saw one of them on the ground eating a bird. Don't know if he or the parent caught it for him.

Another fire down in Yarnell, just east of where the fire was last time. Almost under control unless the wind picks up. This is closer to us than the last fire. 250 or so people were evacuated. So far no houses or prople burnt. Been borate bombers flying all morning. In fact one just flew over. Stopped to see him drop the load but the wind has shifted and the smole is blowing our way now. Can't see a thing down there.
Couldn't go to help down at the food bank because road has been closed. The head gal called Phillip yesterday after the fire started and told him not to try and come down.

Hope for some rain soon, we meed it.

Granny




That's my story and I'm stickin to it.
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Pic.

Just finished this one up yesterday. Almost got it all on here.

Not a lot going on down here. Phillip working like crazy on his garden. Made all new raised beds and got some strawberries and raspberries in.
Pissed because he didn't put wire cages around his new apple trees and a rabbit chewed one of them down to a stub. These were some trees he got that came up under one of the trees up in the hills. They were only a foot tall. One died and now there is just one and a stub left. I told him to wait until this winter when they are dormant to get any more. He put them outside the garden because they will be big trees.

Some great new neighbors moved in. Two big beautiful owls, took up quarters in the neighbors dead pine and the Hackberry tree out front. Phillip found feathers in the garden spot the other day so the owls seem to like the garden for the quail that are always digging out spots under the tomatoes to cool off and the damn things eat every thing as soon as it pops thru the ground. Just hope they get the pesky rabbits that are chewing up the flowers Phillip planted out front.

Missed Davids birthday because I was down in Pheonix, visiting with Margaret while Monte and family were down in Mexico. Missed Donna's birthday because I took a benadryl for the hay fever I got when I got pollenated again, and it put me to sleep before I remembered to send an E- Card to her. I must confess, I really do have a bad case of CRS.

Happy Belated Birthday!

Granny

Yep.

That's me all right.

Old?

For sure.

Exploring Horseshoe Lake

I hope everything at your end the wire is going well.  Things are okay here in Spokane.  I survived another year as being a lecturer at Gonzaga University and the powers that be want be back for another year.  That means I have at least one more summer where I don't have to sit behind a desk.  The trick will be to find that balance between not letting the 'summer rust' build up too much but at the same time get some outdoor time in.

I had my last lecture on Friday and I said "adios!" and packed up the kayak for it's first 2016 float.  I wanted to check out Horseshoe Lake which is not that far north of Spokane.  I'm actually surprised this place didn't show up on my radar when I was exploring places last summer.  I guess I wasn't that interested in places close to Spokane.  My bias is based on the high density of private property on all lakes and rivers in close proximity to the city.  If I did see Horseshoe on the map, I must of wrote it off as a privatized paradise for Spokane folk with lots of cash.

When I started paddling the weather was kind of crummy, but I was determined to get out.  Nothing like sitting behind a desk all day writing exams, then grading exams, passing out lab handouts, then grading lab reports... yeah.... you get the picture, at some point you have to drop it and go outside (rain or no rain).  So I donned the waterproof gear and went floating.

The area away from the private property on Horseshoe Lake is very pretty and worth the paddling it takes to get back there.

Also wanted to check out this area called the "Devil's Well."   Steph and I tried driving to this area to see if there were any trails that we could hike to see it.  That was a bust because the road I was on turned to crap and ended being gated.  I guess it was a blessing in disguise because if we had found a route to Horseshoe Lake we would have been stymied because I think any land route to the 'well' that circumvents the lake runs through private property.

So once I found out how to access Horseshoe Lake I thought I would see if there was a trail that could be accessed by water.  I cruised along the shoreline until I found the trail.  I moored my kayak to a small tree and started up the trail.

This is a view of the channel that connects the bigger part of the lake with the private property to the smaller and more scenic public land.

I was able to get a few wildlife shots.  I had a heckuva time trying to hold my camera still on a bobbing and drifting kayak while taking this shot.  The picture turned out better than I expected.  I wanted to get closer to get a better shot but the eagle was acting fidgety so I backed off to give it some space.  I put away the camera and started paddling in the other direction.

Ironically, the bird flew right in front of me (after I put the camera in the case of course) and perched on a tree that was almost directly above my kayak.  At this point I thought "Alright pal, I guess you want me to take your picture."

I also got a shot of this guy.  I think it's a cormorant of some kind but I'm not sure.

So the previous pictures were taken last Friday.  On that outing I noticed that there were fishing jumping all over the lake.  I brought my camera but not my pole.  Today I went back to Horseshoe with my fishing gear.  I was hoping to catch some kokanee as reports on the internet said there would be lots of them in the lake this year.  However, I had to settle for a couple of rainbow.  Not bad, would have preferred kokanee but I'll take trout.