Hey,
I am taking 4 vacation days next week--hoping I can arrange to talk with all of you sometime during the week. The latest work sprint (IES proposal for 1.6 million dollars) is submitted.
Relieved!
Love Y'all!
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Baking
I love baking cookies. There is only one small problem. The cookies sit on the counter staring at you saying "Look at me, I'm a sweet little cookie. I know that I am tasty, and you will love me. Just look over here, I am Yummy, Yum..murf um eee...." And then they are gone.
A perfect evening
Friday was a beautiful evening here in the Intermountain West, and we took full advantage of it. Bets had bought an enormous and most delicious watermelon and we decided that pizza on the bbq was the perfect compliment. Seeing it was our first try at the pizza, we decided to just enjoy the backyard and dine outside.
The pizza was amazing (recipe here). We tried pepperoni and also bbq chicken. I recommend both. And the watermelon was extra juicy!
We also added three new members of the family.
I found these on a research trip and the kids were super excited to see them. The larger monarch caterpillar is forming its chrysalis as we speak. We are excited to see the butterfly in a couple weeks.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Good News
A small positive from today, I just found out that Cierra received a Federal Grant. It is her first grant since she started college. The amount will cover tuition and books for all of this school year. She is very thrilled.
Friday, August 26, 2011
Summer Fishing Story #2
Catching a Six Foot Sucker
Have you ever had one of those days when you realize that the story afterwards is going to much more interesting than making it through the event?
A friend of mine, being recently reintroduced to the sport of fishing, was very anxious to try his hand at catching a battle fish. One of those fish that will strike your line and give you a fight to remember. We had tried on a few earlier occasions to meet up and ply the waters in my canoe to catch fish. Finally, after a few times that schedules didn’t align, we got out on a lake when only pan fish were in season. We caught a few fish, but a rain storm rolled in on a very cool day before we could get too far into our outing, causing us to quit earlier than expected. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, after the sport fish seasons had opened before we could free up time to try again.
Wouldn’t it be our luck that on the day of our fishing adventure, the clouds open up and start a soft rain? My fishing partner calls up as work is ending to find out if we are still going to fish. Since the weather was warmer, I informed him that only high winds or lightening would keep me off the water and the choice to continue was his. Being a real trooper, he decided that now was as good a time as ever to take to fishing.
With the canoe on the car, we drove nearly an hour away to a known hot spot and readied ourselves for our attempt at catching northern pike. As we got onto the water, I ran through the explanations on how to use my favorite lure for pike, a spinner bait of a coloring that I find unique. He quickly picked up the technique of casting, and started to work on the intricacies of bringing it through the water. I slowly paddled us through areas where I had caught fish in the past hoping that I could see the indication of a fish strike on the tip of his pole. I held my fishing to a minimum as I paddled and kept an eye on his rod tip to be ready to help him. All the while, I keep talking through all the things that need to happen once a fish hits the lure.
While the rain slowly falls from the sky and the wind seems to have vanished, we finally make it to a shore line with a good looking weed edge with lily pads. I point out casts for him to take and explain the reasons why I would make the cast, all to help him learn some of the things that rattle around my head as I am fishing. Finally, he gets rewarded with a fish striking his lure. But the hook set was not to be, and we have to continue on to find our first fish. Thankfully, that was only a couple of casts later when a decent sized fish takes his lure and line on the hook up. As he gets his first sport fish battle in the proverbial, “I can’t tell you how long”, in to the canoe for a picture, we discover it is a nice largemouth bass, an accidental catch, but a good one. We continue on for repeat experiences since they really are a rush. I am sure that any fisherman will tell you it is addicting. And sure enough, he gets a few more repeat performances.
As he starts to bring fish into the canoe, I start to increase the amount of fishing that I am doing. We slowly drift over water with varying depths, searching for some northern pike to add to our fish count. In a short time, I hook up with a tiny northern, one that slams the lure like it is ten times bigger than it is. This encounter is quickly followed up by a northern from the front seat fisherman. By this time, we had thoroughly fished the cove we started in, and I decide to take us through the small channel that leads into the main lake. Our excitement increases as we think of bigger fish that could be lurking just in front of us. Within minutes, I have another strike that turns out to be another small pike. Once it gets to the canoe, I grab it out of the water to remove it from my line.
Since I was doing my best to keep the fishing aspect of this adventure on my fishing partner, I was watching what he was doing as I readied myself to take this fish off my line. But one millisecond of inattention is all that is needed for a fish to squirm, trying to get away. In that instant, the pike slipped out of my grip. But the force of the twitch and the falling action of the fish provide just enough bad luck for the lure that is still in the fish to become imbedded into my right hand, just below the first knuckle of my thumb.
This causes a problem as now the lure is attached to both the fish and me. I need to take the fish off the lure, to try and attend to the hook in my hand, but I am right handed and basically need a third hand. With a little maneuvering, I manage to get the fish off. All this time, my front seat fisherman is asking what needs to be done. Since he can’t do much to help me, I have him keep fishing while I try to remove myself from the lure. The unfortunate part is that there was no way it was coming out without help. So we call it quits again, early for the second time.
Once on shore, I find that my fishing buddy, although sympathetic to my condition, has no desire to try yanking the lure out of my thumb. The only thing left to do is teach him how to load all of the equipment into my car and tie down the canoe so that I can take the trip into town for a visit to the Urgent Care facility. He then must turn into the chauffeur as I make the attempt of finding a facility open at our time of night. We make it just before closing time for me to fill out papers with a Rapala interfering with the pen. Of course all the nurses want to take a peak once I am given the walk back to a room. A little local anesthetic a few small incisions, and the lure is no longer a part of my hand. Thankfully my friend was a good sport through the final stage of our adventure. And I got to have the vaunted recognition of being the first hooked patient at the Urgent Care for this fishing season.
The Six Foot Sucker
Have you ever had one of those days when you realize that the story afterwards is going to much more interesting than making it through the event?
A friend of mine, being recently reintroduced to the sport of fishing, was very anxious to try his hand at catching a battle fish. One of those fish that will strike your line and give you a fight to remember. We had tried on a few earlier occasions to meet up and ply the waters in my canoe to catch fish. Finally, after a few times that schedules didn’t align, we got out on a lake when only pan fish were in season. We caught a few fish, but a rain storm rolled in on a very cool day before we could get too far into our outing, causing us to quit earlier than expected. It wasn’t until a few weeks later, after the sport fish seasons had opened before we could free up time to try again.
Wouldn’t it be our luck that on the day of our fishing adventure, the clouds open up and start a soft rain? My fishing partner calls up as work is ending to find out if we are still going to fish. Since the weather was warmer, I informed him that only high winds or lightening would keep me off the water and the choice to continue was his. Being a real trooper, he decided that now was as good a time as ever to take to fishing.
With the canoe on the car, we drove nearly an hour away to a known hot spot and readied ourselves for our attempt at catching northern pike. As we got onto the water, I ran through the explanations on how to use my favorite lure for pike, a spinner bait of a coloring that I find unique. He quickly picked up the technique of casting, and started to work on the intricacies of bringing it through the water. I slowly paddled us through areas where I had caught fish in the past hoping that I could see the indication of a fish strike on the tip of his pole. I held my fishing to a minimum as I paddled and kept an eye on his rod tip to be ready to help him. All the while, I keep talking through all the things that need to happen once a fish hits the lure.
While the rain slowly falls from the sky and the wind seems to have vanished, we finally make it to a shore line with a good looking weed edge with lily pads. I point out casts for him to take and explain the reasons why I would make the cast, all to help him learn some of the things that rattle around my head as I am fishing. Finally, he gets rewarded with a fish striking his lure. But the hook set was not to be, and we have to continue on to find our first fish. Thankfully, that was only a couple of casts later when a decent sized fish takes his lure and line on the hook up. As he gets his first sport fish battle in the proverbial, “I can’t tell you how long”, in to the canoe for a picture, we discover it is a nice largemouth bass, an accidental catch, but a good one. We continue on for repeat experiences since they really are a rush. I am sure that any fisherman will tell you it is addicting. And sure enough, he gets a few more repeat performances.
As he starts to bring fish into the canoe, I start to increase the amount of fishing that I am doing. We slowly drift over water with varying depths, searching for some northern pike to add to our fish count. In a short time, I hook up with a tiny northern, one that slams the lure like it is ten times bigger than it is. This encounter is quickly followed up by a northern from the front seat fisherman. By this time, we had thoroughly fished the cove we started in, and I decide to take us through the small channel that leads into the main lake. Our excitement increases as we think of bigger fish that could be lurking just in front of us. Within minutes, I have another strike that turns out to be another small pike. Once it gets to the canoe, I grab it out of the water to remove it from my line.
Since I was doing my best to keep the fishing aspect of this adventure on my fishing partner, I was watching what he was doing as I readied myself to take this fish off my line. But one millisecond of inattention is all that is needed for a fish to squirm, trying to get away. In that instant, the pike slipped out of my grip. But the force of the twitch and the falling action of the fish provide just enough bad luck for the lure that is still in the fish to become imbedded into my right hand, just below the first knuckle of my thumb.
This causes a problem as now the lure is attached to both the fish and me. I need to take the fish off the lure, to try and attend to the hook in my hand, but I am right handed and basically need a third hand. With a little maneuvering, I manage to get the fish off. All this time, my front seat fisherman is asking what needs to be done. Since he can’t do much to help me, I have him keep fishing while I try to remove myself from the lure. The unfortunate part is that there was no way it was coming out without help. So we call it quits again, early for the second time.
Once on shore, I find that my fishing buddy, although sympathetic to my condition, has no desire to try yanking the lure out of my thumb. The only thing left to do is teach him how to load all of the equipment into my car and tie down the canoe so that I can take the trip into town for a visit to the Urgent Care facility. He then must turn into the chauffeur as I make the attempt of finding a facility open at our time of night. We make it just before closing time for me to fill out papers with a Rapala interfering with the pen. Of course all the nurses want to take a peak once I am given the walk back to a room. A little local anesthetic a few small incisions, and the lure is no longer a part of my hand. Thankfully my friend was a good sport through the final stage of our adventure. And I got to have the vaunted recognition of being the first hooked patient at the Urgent Care for this fishing season.
The Six Foot Sucker
Monday, August 22, 2011
Summer Fishing Story #1
To Catch a Tiger...with a Rod and Reel
It happened on a hot day in June, late in the evening that a friend of mine and I ended up sliding my canoe into the water of an inner city lake, hoping for a chance to take on a Tiger. I had heard through conversations with others in the area that this lake had a population of the most prized trophy fish in Minnesota, Tiger Muskies. It started out as whisperings of a secret lake where big fish could be fought. Then a few pictures of some amazing fish. Followed by a slip of a lake recently fished. When putting clues together, like a true fish hunter, the thought of catching my first muskie started to shift from a dream to a possibility.
So it was decided that evening that instead of our fall-back lakes, we should go adventuring onto Cedar Lake to make a noble attempt at placing our names on the list of people who have fought and won the battle with a Tiger. We started just as normal, my fishing partner in the front of the boat, and I in the back, guiding us along waters that skirted weed edges and lily pads in hopes of finding "The Fish". And like always, a few hits that were missed started off our quest. But no sign of our query. Conversations carried from the front of the boat and the back, followed by chuckles to big Guffaws, as we casted our lines from one likely target to the next. All around us, other canoes and kayaks plied the water, nearly all of them in search of a quiet ride on the lake. On the shores, three different beaches were packed full of people trying to escape the heat of the day.
As we took a long paddle from one area to the next, a beach ball from one of the beaches ended up floating near by, begging us to return it to the beach. Of course, we were in a gracious mood and provided it with a ride back to shore, well near it anyway, since we couldn't really take the canoe to the beach.
We slowly moved up the shoreline, doing our best to entice any fish onto our line, when it was decided that one of us should just catch a fish, any fish, just one. It will always be a good day on the water if you caught at least one. So I switched to a jig and bobber to play with the bluegills that could be seen near the lily pads. And as expected I landed a few, from small to smaller. But we were now in the catagory of "not skunked".
I continued moving us along the weed edge, hoping that we would finally wrestle with a big fish, when my fishing partner all of a sudden got his line snarled in a big way around his reel. It was a disappointing occurance, although not that uncommon. So, I picked up my rod fitted for catching the big fish we target, bass and pike, and started making my casts. It wasn't three casts into my attempts, when the line on my rod started tearing away from the boat, and the drag on my reel started to sing. Since bass and northern pike also inhabited this lake, we were still uncertain of what just took my lure. So I fought this fish, using all the skills that I had honed while fishing so many lakes and streams in the past, hoping that I could once again successfully land a picture fish.
Sure enough as this fish came closer to the canoe, we saw that indeed we were fighting our first muskie, a Tiger to be exact. But just like the trophy fish he was, he didn't want to be anywhere near the canoe. So just what happens when a powerful fish makes that decision... a big thrust of the tail swirling the water, and off he goes taking more line and disappearing into the depths of the lake. I took my time playing this fish and waiting for him to become a little more tired before trying to get him back toward the boat. As is customary, this fish let me bring him back to the canoe a little at a time. When he was near again, he decided that the lunging tactic hadn't worked, so he tried going under and around the canoe in quick darting motions, hoping that I wouldn't be able to keep up with his movements. But I was adept at keeping up with his many attempts by moving my rod into the proper position for each manuver, turning in my seat when necessary. Then all of a sudden, another lunge from the muskie and more line stripped from my reel as he headed back into the depths of the lake.
This fish was obviously a worthy opponent, and I was doing my best to play my part in this bout. He came to the boat another time, and again took off, this time with less gusto then the last two. Both my fishing partner and I knew that the next time he came near, this fish would be on the edge of being finished. With net in had, my buddy waited for the proper time to position the only device we had to help us land our trophy. Sure enough a tired out tiger came close, the net was positioned just so, and the fish ended up being haulled into our canoe. With many whoops of joy, and incredulous barks of laughter, we quickly untangled the fish from the net to be photographed and put back into the lake. As a quick after thought just before the fish could make the water, I layed it up against my paddle for me to measure when I returned home. With the fish placed in the water, it started to revive. Then just as suddenly as it hit the lure, it disappeared under the canoe and into the depths of the lake once more. As it turned out this fish became my first of hopefully many, and the largest of any to date at 37 inches.
The best part is that this isn't the end of the story. Before the heat, humidity and sore backsides could chase us from the lake, another amazing fish took to rod and reel. My fishing partner's rod sang out in protest as he fought a fish that had to be a lunker. Then as suddenly as a firecracker, the surface of the lake exploded in water spray as a gigantic largemouth bass broke the surface. Sure enough, this fish was landed, and as for this summer anyways it is the largest largemouth bass to be brought into and photographed in my canoe.
It happened on a hot day in June, late in the evening that a friend of mine and I ended up sliding my canoe into the water of an inner city lake, hoping for a chance to take on a Tiger. I had heard through conversations with others in the area that this lake had a population of the most prized trophy fish in Minnesota, Tiger Muskies. It started out as whisperings of a secret lake where big fish could be fought. Then a few pictures of some amazing fish. Followed by a slip of a lake recently fished. When putting clues together, like a true fish hunter, the thought of catching my first muskie started to shift from a dream to a possibility.
So it was decided that evening that instead of our fall-back lakes, we should go adventuring onto Cedar Lake to make a noble attempt at placing our names on the list of people who have fought and won the battle with a Tiger. We started just as normal, my fishing partner in the front of the boat, and I in the back, guiding us along waters that skirted weed edges and lily pads in hopes of finding "The Fish". And like always, a few hits that were missed started off our quest. But no sign of our query. Conversations carried from the front of the boat and the back, followed by chuckles to big Guffaws, as we casted our lines from one likely target to the next. All around us, other canoes and kayaks plied the water, nearly all of them in search of a quiet ride on the lake. On the shores, three different beaches were packed full of people trying to escape the heat of the day.
As we took a long paddle from one area to the next, a beach ball from one of the beaches ended up floating near by, begging us to return it to the beach. Of course, we were in a gracious mood and provided it with a ride back to shore, well near it anyway, since we couldn't really take the canoe to the beach.
We slowly moved up the shoreline, doing our best to entice any fish onto our line, when it was decided that one of us should just catch a fish, any fish, just one. It will always be a good day on the water if you caught at least one. So I switched to a jig and bobber to play with the bluegills that could be seen near the lily pads. And as expected I landed a few, from small to smaller. But we were now in the catagory of "not skunked".
I continued moving us along the weed edge, hoping that we would finally wrestle with a big fish, when my fishing partner all of a sudden got his line snarled in a big way around his reel. It was a disappointing occurance, although not that uncommon. So, I picked up my rod fitted for catching the big fish we target, bass and pike, and started making my casts. It wasn't three casts into my attempts, when the line on my rod started tearing away from the boat, and the drag on my reel started to sing. Since bass and northern pike also inhabited this lake, we were still uncertain of what just took my lure. So I fought this fish, using all the skills that I had honed while fishing so many lakes and streams in the past, hoping that I could once again successfully land a picture fish.
Sure enough as this fish came closer to the canoe, we saw that indeed we were fighting our first muskie, a Tiger to be exact. But just like the trophy fish he was, he didn't want to be anywhere near the canoe. So just what happens when a powerful fish makes that decision... a big thrust of the tail swirling the water, and off he goes taking more line and disappearing into the depths of the lake. I took my time playing this fish and waiting for him to become a little more tired before trying to get him back toward the boat. As is customary, this fish let me bring him back to the canoe a little at a time. When he was near again, he decided that the lunging tactic hadn't worked, so he tried going under and around the canoe in quick darting motions, hoping that I wouldn't be able to keep up with his movements. But I was adept at keeping up with his many attempts by moving my rod into the proper position for each manuver, turning in my seat when necessary. Then all of a sudden, another lunge from the muskie and more line stripped from my reel as he headed back into the depths of the lake.
This fish was obviously a worthy opponent, and I was doing my best to play my part in this bout. He came to the boat another time, and again took off, this time with less gusto then the last two. Both my fishing partner and I knew that the next time he came near, this fish would be on the edge of being finished. With net in had, my buddy waited for the proper time to position the only device we had to help us land our trophy. Sure enough a tired out tiger came close, the net was positioned just so, and the fish ended up being haulled into our canoe. With many whoops of joy, and incredulous barks of laughter, we quickly untangled the fish from the net to be photographed and put back into the lake. As a quick after thought just before the fish could make the water, I layed it up against my paddle for me to measure when I returned home. With the fish placed in the water, it started to revive. Then just as suddenly as it hit the lure, it disappeared under the canoe and into the depths of the lake once more. As it turned out this fish became my first of hopefully many, and the largest of any to date at 37 inches.
The best part is that this isn't the end of the story. Before the heat, humidity and sore backsides could chase us from the lake, another amazing fish took to rod and reel. My fishing partner's rod sang out in protest as he fought a fish that had to be a lunker. Then as suddenly as a firecracker, the surface of the lake exploded in water spray as a gigantic largemouth bass broke the surface. Sure enough, this fish was landed, and as for this summer anyways it is the largest largemouth bass to be brought into and photographed in my canoe.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Eric's Graduation
Hi Everyone,
Spending extra time in the airport tonight since the airplane I was supposed to ride to Oakland tonight was broken--as they put it. So, I thought I would upload a couple of pictures from Eric's graduation--a milestone for him AND his family.
Friday, August 5, 2011
After a long Hiatus
Well everyone, I finally have internet access at home. It has been a while since I have actually been able to do personal web uploading, since I did not want to do it at work. Therefore, I haven't done much by way of contributing to our sharing post. I will be working over the next couple of weeks to update you on some of the fun fishing trips that I have had so far this summer. The pictures will probably tell more than my stories, but I hope to make the stories interesting. I am off on another fishing adventure this evening. Much love and happy posting.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Sunshine in California
HI Kids,
Yes--the days and days and days of rain have changed to some sunny and slightly warmer weather--that is a wonderful change!
Just a few updates: I am going to be teaching two pysanky egg classes if folks sign up at this one shop. I am not sure if folks will or not, but it is making me do some of that egg work during the week and over the weekends. The good thing=> I am not working all of the time :).
Life seems to be fine. I am reading and working on some self-care things that I haven't had to work on before. Getting to know Bruce has brought up some things that I should sort out. That is a good thing. :) Bruce's getting to know Alison has brought up some things that he should sort out, too. In both of our cases that is good. It is not all easy work but it is good work to do.
Hope you are all well! Love you bunches, Mom
Yes--the days and days and days of rain have changed to some sunny and slightly warmer weather--that is a wonderful change!
Just a few updates: I am going to be teaching two pysanky egg classes if folks sign up at this one shop. I am not sure if folks will or not, but it is making me do some of that egg work during the week and over the weekends. The good thing=> I am not working all of the time :).
Life seems to be fine. I am reading and working on some self-care things that I haven't had to work on before. Getting to know Bruce has brought up some things that I should sort out. That is a good thing. :) Bruce's getting to know Alison has brought up some things that he should sort out, too. In both of our cases that is good. It is not all easy work but it is good work to do.
Hope you are all well! Love you bunches, Mom
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