In the depths of the Minnesota winter my boat and my dreams lie waiting for spring. This year I intended to take them both down to the Father of Waters several times a week. I will learn the Big River much better then and catch large walleyes each and every time...... Now in the midst of July she (boats are always shes) has been out but once and the prospects look rather slim for the next few weeks. Why does it always seems to work out this way?Reality often intrudes upon our dreams and fantasies doesn't it? I can rationalize that this boating disconnect is caused by the price of gas, the distance and effort involved, health issues, the weather, family obligations, my spouse's busy schedule and on and on. There is truth in all of these and more but the bottom line is most days having gotten somewhat older, with a little less energy for such enterprises, I am content to potter in my garden, walk my dog binoculars in hand and take each day one hour at a time. Is this what they call "growing old gracefully?"
On the other hand its 5 a.m. and some of the best trout streams east of the Rockies lie only 15 minutes from my door. Perhaps I should....
Dreams. Sometimes a few minor adjustments are all
it takes.
uou! this blog is very interesting, continue posting!. I'll be waiting for new updates.
ReplyDeleteremember to visit my blog (and comment it) ;)
Oh, I love it! I'm with you. This "growing old gracefully" works only part of the time. We all have to make a few minor adjustments.
ReplyDeleteNice trout!
It sounds as though you are just getting smarter with age. I'm jealous of those trout photos.-It looks like you have better luck fishing than I do-or maybe it's not luck.
ReplyDeleteSlowing down. For forty years I backpacked the Idaho mountains and have visited nearly (maybe more than) 700 lakes. We put in a lot of miles in a week-long trip, but my partner Otto and I always stopped to take pictures and identify wild flowers. Otto might think I shared an interest of his in identifying wild flowers (well, I did), but I was just happy to slow him down to get a rest. I have spent years hurrying to get chores and improvements done around the house during the summer break from school, but now I have learned to turn an hour job into an all-dayer. Ah, but life around my water falls and pond is mighty fine with an iced tea.
ReplyDeleteLuring kids and their families into outdoor activites, I think, is so very important. Our younger generation is staying indoors for safety reasons while parents work and to play computer games. When kids don't get out into the outdoors to fish, hike, hunt, identify and count birds,etc., we will have a whole generation who will not value nature and thus a generation who will not fight to preserve our natural beauty. This is a problem and a legacy that I think befalls our generation. Not a good legacy to leave behind, me thinks.
Try a kayak instead of the boat! No gas to buy, no registration or upkeep, no fixing the motor all the time, and it's usually ready to go when you are. As long as the wind is calm you can float around, stopping here and there to fish some. And you can get some awesome close-up wildlife shots too because you are so quiet on the water. You don't have to go far but you still get in a little work out and the best part is - it's 100% non-polluting!
ReplyDeleteYou are growing old gracefully, I do think. And those fish look so good...I see that you followed your impulse....looks like it was a very good one!
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