July 2011 – My Leaky Waders

Weekend photos: July 29, 30, 31

I’m brightening the background up a bit today. I feel this is a happier color.

Friday night: Living the dream with Dominion Oak Barrel Stout. This beer has a crisp flavor compared to other stouts I’ve mentioned here. The vanilla bean flavor is a unique twist.

A squirrel and deer tail sent to me from my Grandpa in Minnesota. He keeps his keen eyes out for roadkill. Thanks, Grandpa!

Saturday we took my parent’s to see downtown Norfolk and the USS Wisconsin.

Sara and I eating dinner at Rudee’s on the Inlet. Not too shabby.

With a step to Neptune’s left the photo made him look much more angry than the contemplative shot on the left. Go easy on the turtle Poseidon, what did he ever do to you?

My name is mud.

I “worked form home” yesterday morning. Or rather, I had the morning off to blast through a few obligations, enjoy some free time, and sprint to a nearby inlet I’d been meaning to explore.

The channel weaves its way back through nearby neighborhoods and we’d seen it on our afternoon runs. In fact, I usually force a pause in our pace when we jog by. I swerve towards the water like an orbiting moon stone, craning my neck to spot bait fish and egrets, crossing my fingers to see a tailing beast.

Kakis beneath my waders, I practically sprinted to the water. Checked my watch. 11:36.

“Okay, so I should be at work by 12:45. I need to be at work by 1:00…. That gives me a good 40 minutes if I get changed quickly.”

A quickly as I approached the water’s edge, I pulled back on my reigns. Whoa, David. I was sliding and sinking like a, well, foot in the mud.

The water was warm and low. Damn those tides. The bait fish were abundant, but I saw no sign of hungry fish eager to put up a fight.

The muddy water was peaceful, but she was not going to give her secrets to me today. Rather, it seemed she wanted to swallow my boots as the cost of my intrusion.

As cooler weather returns, I hope the speckled trout move up the inlet. If I dare venture back into the water, I’ll need a fish to help pull me out.

Along the backs I did get a glimpse at a nice hornet’s nest. Maybe wasps… Jay, can a brotha get a little entomology help?

The bigger fish may not call this habitat home right now, but it is definitely a nursery and sanctuary for birds, fiddler crabs, young and/or small fish, and mollusks galore. The shores were lined with exposed mussels.

Digging down into the mud, I think they were awaiting the return of high tide just as much as me.

Fifty and One Hundred.

Back in January of 2009, this blog was a place called “Every Now and Then.” It was a a place for me to post poetry, well, every now and then. Two and a half years later, we are now fly fishing, reviewing equipment, showcasing music and beer, and speaking in the third person.

Tonight, for my 150th post, I am proud to show you my first official fly tying bench.

Ta-DA!!!!

A couple of things to clear up. Yes, that is a door I’m using as a bench (see the door knob on the right?). And, yes, the upside down 5-gal bucket is my stool. Additionally, that is my car sneaking into the photo.

How happy am I? Immensely 🙂

Let’s have some music to end the post and the evening.

I’m thinking something upbeat

To get your feet moving.

Maybe something from Ben Kweller

With a video featuring his Grandmother, so sweet.

“I’m just a penny on a train track,

Waiting for my judgment day.

Come on, baby girl, let me see those legs,

Before I get flattened away.”

Make your passion an Art.

I’m rebounding this to you from moldy chum.

I don’t know who Shawn Davis is. I only know what I’ve read. A chemistry professor and a passionate fly tier. His picture essay at The Anthropologist is outstanding. He has taken the art of fly tying to a new level.

Right Now

Not younger than I am,
Nor more mature,
Appropriately fit for this
Body and Mind.
I wonder.
Is this when the poles change?
Next year will I fight to
Feel the strength of years previous,
Eventually giving up to
Cycle through the discussion again an again?
50 is the new 30.
Am I really 65?
82 and so tired.
93 and ready for dancing.
Right now, it feels about right, for now.
7/20/11
————-
Now that that is done, have you stopped by moldychum.com lately and checked out the latest submission to Slob of the Month (SOTM)? Erin over at mysteriesinternal.blogspot.com has just laid down the gauntlet for the July submissions. Crazy!
Also, I posted a short vid at vimeo of a recent outing. Spoiler! No fish shown. Just having fun with the cam and music.

beat by the night. fly fishing the cbbt. from My Leaky Waders on Vimeo.

Have a great day!
– David

Summer Traditions

The OBN posted another writing prompt last week. This time it was regarding summer traditions.

There is a reason (other than being too busy) why I didn’t come up with something right away. I figured 4th of July fireworks were game for traditions, but I wanted to think of something a little more unique to me and my summer.

Talking with Sara tonight brought a few ideas to the surface. She came home from the store with a big bag of bing cherries. “Once a year!” she exclaimed.

Sweet and delicious. Split the body with your teeth simultaneously pulling out the stem, tonguing the pit and spit it into the trash.

So I decided to give it another shot. What are my traditions? Until this year, it has been tradition to take time to relax at my parent’s cabin in northwest of Minneapolis, MN. We make food, swim on the lake, fish on the boat and off the dock, eat dinner in the screened in porch, play bocce ball, and play card games. It is a wonderful time spent with family and friends.

For the last few years, the Harry Potter books/movies have been released in July, coincidentally my birthday month. Since I LOVE the Harry Potter stories, that makes for a spectacular b-day month. Though, after we see Daniel Radcliff vanquish the Dark Lord on the big screen this week it will be the last time for this tradition.

Put a shirt on, Harry.

The other tradition Sara and I have has to do with music. Back when we lived in the Twin Cities area, I wrote Sara a song on guitar called “I Love July.” It slowly became “our song” and I even played it at our wedding. Now, I tend to play it only once or twice a year, but it is always done in July. It makes the month a little extra special. You can listen to the song here. I don’t really use myspace anymore. It was fun for a bit, but now just inconvenient. Enjoy the flat sounds of my nasally voice and poorly strummed guitar 🙂

Anyway, have a happy summer and enjoy your traditions!

Oh yeah, and if you haven’t seen it yet, Owl Jones is keeping everybody up to date with his pilgrimage to the West and it is about to get really good. I can tell. Stop over and take a look.

A good night tune and goodnight tune.

Ryan Adams: “My Winding Wheel”

From Stone to Stone

Giving the pen and paper a little love.

July 4th, 2011: When I think of the U.S.

I tried to think freely of what America/July 4th means to me. These are images (picked from the web) that came to my mind.

my favorite minnesota 4ths have been spent at a place like this

a recent trip here. philly cheesesteak!

Crazy Horse – Tashunca Uitco

Yellowstone – Buffalo
the recent oil spill in Yellowstone River is another
example of the cost of being human

Neil Young and Willie Nelson
American greats

The Sandlot.

this was obvious, but fireworks are great

mmmmmm….

Rootbeer floats are amazing!

Liberty Bell

And finally my patriotic efforts for the weekend are being (unofficially) sponsored by the 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, Ca. They have been kind enough to stock up the local wine/beer store with their “Hell or High Watermelon” brew and allow me to purchase it.

It is a wheat beer (nice for summer) infused with watermelon-y overtones (also nice for summer)… mmm….. Celebrate responsibly.

WILSON!!!!! ….. I mean WINSTON!!!!

Just follow the link. I love this. Tom Hanks may not play the same roles as “Joe Verses the Volcano,” “Big” or “The Burbs,” but he is still hilarious.