Leonid Meteor Shower (Early a.m. 11/17/09, P.S.T.; calculate your time zone)

Well, being in the Pacific N.W. this week means rain. No crisp, cold nights on the west side of the Cascades the next few days. But, this is obviously an event surpassing my small back yard..so:

“When to watch

Earth will pass through one of the denser debris streams at around 4 a.m. EST (1 a.m. PST) Tuesday. If you have only an hour or less to watch, center it around this time. Leo will be high in the sky for East Coast skywatchers, putting more meteors into view. In the West, Leo will be low in the eastern sky at this time, so fewer shooting stars will be above the horizon, and therefore Western skywatchers should also try to stick it out until daybreak.

Across Europe, the best bet is to watch anytime between 1 a.m. and daybreak local time.

The planet will pass through an even denser stream later, just before dawn Wednesday in Indonesia and China, but that show won’t be visible from North America because it will be daytime here.

One truth about the Leonids: They always produce, and they sometimes produce spectacular, unforgettable fireballs.”

The Leonid shower (Nov. 17-18) was good in 1998, 1999, and 2002.

Writing’s Accents (Far and Wide)

Qwerty Keyboard Help

accenting your writing

Noticed this old beauty on Jefferson St. in Corvallis, Oregon. Where’s the wind when you need it?

Tying the Shaving Brush Emerger (Goulburn Valley FF Tutorial)

Shaving Brush

SHAVING BRUSH EMERGER PATTERN AT GOULBURN VLY. FF

Goulburn Valley FF Site Fly Tying Archives

A simple, in the film fly. I like the mostly horizontal presentation of this pattern on a standard dry fly hook.

God’s Speed!

Montana’s Winter (Preparing to Hunker Down by Creekwalker)

Fall and then… “Cabin Fever”

There is a signal of sorts…a call..a beckoning that begins with the simple turning of the Tamaracks. Fall colors appear on the trees in town, but the true signal…the one that the locals know only too well, is the turning of the Tamaracks! They first appear a lighter green, then gray, then fade to brown, then bare. We know the signs of the Winter approaching. The feeling one feels when the Tamaracks turn is mixed. Work ahead, cold…(bitter cold)..snow shovels, ice breaking…headbolt heaters…tire chains and snow tires. Speaking of..the line is pretty long over at the OK Tire Shop on Russell. Every rig needs them! Out of chains as usual.

Wandering into Quality Supply in Missoula, I am struck by the number of “rigs” in the lot. They are starting early this year, arms full of items as they wait patiently, chatting adamantly with the next guy in line. Most know each other, and look forward to this yearly trek. Water trough heaters, new winter gloves, feed, antibiotics…yes, the stock will fare well under their watchful eyes. The price of everything from hogs to cattle, feed to ammunition is discussed..everything that is but the weather. They save that for the rest of the year’s conversations. “Hey Hal, supposed to rain Friday” “Yeah, got to get that hay up”..but not now. Now they wonder just how hard this winter in Montana will be. They wonder of they can protect the home, the family and the stock adequately.

“Mom” and “Sister” have been dropped off at the grocery. It is their job to fill the cupboards, get more freezer wrap for the deer and elk that will be hanging in the garage or shed. This will start the ritual, the long Montana winter. When the meat has hung to allow for the tenderness, it will be slapped on someone’s kitchen table, cut-up by several men, and packaged by the women. Everyone shares in the work, the mess and the good eating! Montana winter is all about good friends and good food! I personally have canned more than I care to think about! Meat, fish, veggies..at least 2-3 hundred quarts per year! But the opening of each jar on those stormy evenings is a treasure.

The grocery list will include such items as playing cards and kerosene lamp oil. You have never lived until you have had 6 people playing pinocle around a table graced with kerosene lighting! Kids sleeping in front of the fire..THAT…is living!  And, don’t forget the home brew..whatever it is.

That is what makes me get teary eyed just remembering the good times. Someone would occasionally get up from their chair and open the front door. The blast of icy air, and the snow drift halfway up the door frame usually meant breaking out the sleeping bags..company for the night…or week..dependng on the storms.

So after the day of preparation, we head over to the 4B’s or meet at the Lolo Truck Stop for coffee and pie. And, just as surely as we know Winter is coming, one of the women will say “Hell, I can make better pie than this!”, and she can. We will all partake on one of those cold, long, Winter evenings in our “cabin”. And…we will look daily at the mountains, and watch for the greening of the Tamaracks. We will watch for the “thumb” to lose it’s snow pack, and know it is time to plant the new potatoes, carrots and peas. We will not be able to stand the sight of each other by then…but we’ll meet them at the truck stop…and have a piece of pie.

Creekwalker

Czech or Polish or Caddis Larva (The Attractive Curved Shank Hook)

TYING A CZECH NYMPH~SCUD PATTERN~CADDIS LARVA

I like to tie in the plastic over lay at the rear and pull it forward and tie off behind the eye of the hook. I have never adapted to ribbing front to rear for this pattern or like the Elk Hair Caddis, which you sometimes see ribbed front to rear. Aside from that, this is a dandy little pattern in all sizes (a good range is size 6 to size 18, but mostly sizes 10-16). Mix up your colors and try hot colors too. Re Czech Nymphing…I posted quite a bit about it last year….query the search box for more info.

ALL THE RIGHT CURVES

Dragons & Damsels (State by State)

“First things first.  The scientific name for the order to which the dragonflies and damselflies belong is called Odonata.  Entomologists like me often call the insects belonging to this group odonates.”

“The American odonates are divided into two groups, the damselflies (scientific name = Zygoptera) and the dragonflies (scientific name = Anisoptera).”    The Dragon Fly Woman

Creek Walker and Hobo (Montana Memory)

Hobo in the Mountains

Creek Walker passed along this picture of Hobo on an excursion into the back country (Isn’t it mostly back country?). Note the nice fish …plentiful bounty in the day. CW recently advised she intends to share more of her recollections about what she calls the most glorious place on Earth….Montana.

Tying Flies for the Approval of Others and Maybe the Occassional Fish

Singlebarbed and Fly Tying

“….the majesty of the first fish caught on your own fly, and the amazing riot of colors and animal parts coveted and purchased …

… and then it’s forty years of attempting to make your flies resemble someone else’s – validation not so much duped fish as successful copy of a book photo, or an appreciative comment from a fellow angler.

You start tying flies for fish – and wind up tying flies for fishermen.”

The uncanny ability of Mr. B to clarify the apparent, but unspoken. More than shop flies are tied to attract flyfishers, more than fish….Singlebarbed points to the moment boxes are opened in the presence of others, or the Insert icon is hit by the blogger……where’s the fish in all this? Yes, yes…but admit you have fly envy.

(The above nymph is part of a collage of identical nymphs...I apologize, in that I cannot site the origin..
 I thought I noted Moldy Chum, but now can't find artist. Maybe someone knows)

April Vokey and A Certain Entrepreneur?

Not wanting to sound like a gossip rag…so I won’t invade privacy too much.    Sounds  like positive energy met positive energy. Feels like the earth should tilt given the geographical pull. Damn Sooner’s…

Of course, just wishing continued positive energy….and success for Ms. Vokey and ‘the other man’. Thousands of men noticeably slumped upon the word of a special someone. Only one remedy for a broken heart men…