Every Day in May: Bucket List

EVERY DAY IN MAY CHALLENGE TOPICS DAY BY DAY

The ‘Bucket List’? Well, I thought I would add some flavor to this piece by explaining where the phrase bucket list came from. It is supposedly agreed it emanates from ‘kicking the bucket’ or dying. So, it is surmised that the list is a series of things you want to do before you kick the bucket. But, there is so much confusion re the ‘kick the bucket’ part, I decided not to write about that.

So, it falls to what are those things I really want to do…on my list? This is tough right now. I don’t really have the freedom to go many places for awhile. I don’t like doing too much day dreaming about such things. Seems a waste of mental energy. Either you are really going to do it in the next year of so, or don’t put too much thought into it. Just me, I spose. I mean, they have to be reasonable in scope (time, money, health, freedom). So here are a few I have considered: La Tomatina Festival, Sturgis Rally, Carnival in Rio and the Burning Man.

Now one can see the possibilities of a giant tomato food fight. But, regrettably, I am allergic to tomatoes.

At first blush the Sturgis Rally looks darn appealing don’t you think? But, in reality, I think I would have to fly into the Sturgis Municipal Airport and make arrangements to get into town and stand around bikes, because I really have never been very coordinated around motorcycles. So, I will have to pass on this. I know people that have made the trip from Oregon and truthfully, they stopped a lot, the ‘old ladies’ rode in the chase van quite a bit, and the guys said they would never do it again. And, they’re way more bad ass than me! 

Now if Carnival in Rio isn’t right up my alley I don’t know what is. And, look at those Ostrich Plumes! But, my wife found my travel brochures and did her own research about the cultural activities I was talking about and, well, that was that….off the bucket list!

The Burning Man gathering. Well now, being a frustrated ‘boomer’ I have fond recollections of the 60′s, and Woodstock and I saw Hendrix and Janis in Monterey, and I had long hair and a beard, and there is something chaotic and potentially wild when all kinds of goofballs gather in the Nevada desert. I just am not certain I can scratch this one off my list. I will have to think about this one. Oh who am I kidding. I am such a fuddy duddy now.

You know, I just have not really had time to complete a sincere bucket list. Some things have crept to the forefront this year: my dentist mentioned his trip to Chile and Argentina and suggested I look into it; I want to go back to B.C. and explore more lakes; Alaska….I have only done the Sitka-Juneau…take home 100#’s of salmon routine. What would it be like to truly fly fish for rainbows in Alaska? So many places I need to go to while health allows. Montana? Another bonefish trip somewhere tropical? More drift boat trips. Of course, it doesn’t all have to be about fly fishing does it? Realistically for me…one or two epic trips a year would be asking a lot. Damn that Ostrich Herl does look good though.

 

TOMORROW’S EVERY DAY IN MAY WRITER’S CHALLENGE TOPIC: NEWS

Fly Tying Materials: Penny Sorts My Capes

In the mornings, when the birds first start their chirping, Penny the Cat can be found sitting in a window listening, making this little chortling/chirping sound of her own. Her head turns and cants in all directions as she watches the temptations flitting about outside. Because she is a house cat her instincts are perhaps a bit rusty. Remember it was almost a year ago (early June) when Penny the Cat was rescued from atop a tree in my back yard. But, perhaps her instincts aren’t that rusty.

As I came through the door last night, I was met by a feathery sight. Penny ran to me and circled around my legs, rubbing up against my shins as cats do. She walked over amidst the disaster and rolled about in apparent cat bliss.

I really can’t blame anyone but me. This is about the fourth time this has happened. I have gone form capes in gallon freezer bags atop my fly tying station, to inside boxes to under a heavy object. Penny the Cat was successful at extricating two large bags of six capes and assorted loose feathers and spreading her attack not just in the living room, but into the family room and upstairs. I suspect that Harley the Maltipoo had a hand in this two, while Emma the Lab probably snored through it all. 

Every Day in May Challenge: Grinning & Laughing

Every Day in May Outdoor Bloggers Challenge: Today’s Topic Grinning & Laughing

SwittersB very young in a poor part of town. Aren’t I a pathetic little muffin?

There is something seemingly devious in some of the topics selected over at How Small a Trout for the writing challenge. Someone has a probing psyche over there or perhaps that is just projection on my part.

Well now, I certainly don’t do enough grinning and laughing. I smirk a lot. I nod and wrinkle up around the eyes with the lips barely parted and smirk in approval. Not a derogatory smirk, but a positive nod toward something. Yes, the glass is half full most of the time despite life’s swirl.

I came from parents that had had hard lives. Their hard lives were despite the Depression and WWII, so ‘hard’ is the emphasized word here. They shared that edge with me. They meant well.

I once spoke before a group of doctors and shrinks for a medical symposium. I was out of my element, but was brought in to speak to a side of life they dealt with mostly from a clinical approach. Later, in a journal, I was described as “a dark, sensitive poet….often speaking as if thoughtful and bemused…” That captures much of my outer personal…thoughtful and bemused and smirking.

Well, you might wonder, ‘what the hell puts a smile on your face?’ This is about ‘grinning and laughing’ after all. Well, like most of you non-teetotalers, a few bebidas in me and the yoke is setting in the corner and I am a happy boy. The music gets the happy feet moving and I am louder and darn near gregarious. No, I am not drunk. Should that happen, the dark, sensitive poet emerges and that boyhood is too readily shared. No, I just get a bit louder, bolder and borderline dare devil. Not a dare devil like “hey Earl hold my beer and watch this”, but a little more demonstrative. 

But, beyond the alcohol induced euphoria, there are a few things that do elicit that grin and guffaw. Posing that special fish. Holding that child or grandchild with unabashed pride. Watching others roll with laughter (laughing, smiling, smirking is contagious).

My Grandson is a joy. He runs, jumps and spins through life with a smile…his smile and zest for life is totally contagious. He and all my kids and grandchildren are a reminder of enjoying life. Innocence maintained for as long as possible. A sign that life has been presented to these children with the door open to go join life’s party and have fun. It is ok to laugh, grin and smile. Bless them all.

Yes, life does have its joys and moments of elation and I can be seen sitting near it with a thoughtful and bemused smirk on my face (read that as a grin & a silent laugh).

Tomorrow’s Every Day in May Blogger’s Challenge Topic is: Conservation

Every Day in May Writing Challenge’s Dark Side: Neglect

Screw Your Blog! Rub my Head!

Why Do Fish Jump?

Why in the heck do fish jump clean out of the water? I mean when they don’t have that hook in their jaw….

I imagine you have heard about that female fish loosening that skein of eggs or the odd fsh trying to shed bothersome lice or some critter. Perhaps, as I have seen on B.C.’s Tunkwa L., they are chasing a rocketing emerging Caddis beyond the surface many feet into the air. I have seen giant Sturgeon rocket up above the surface of the Snake River. Perhaps males are battling below and goose another to break the surface while escaping? Well, one guy thinks he has come up with another reason…..

“I am convinced that Mother Nature sees to it that every organism above a certain point in the food chain is blessed with enough sense of self to enjoy being what they are. One universal expression of this joy is the exuberance of physical activity. The whole-body rush as adrenaline and endorphins flood the system. The invigorating flush of heat and motion. The stretch and play of supple muscles, the dynamic tension between skin and ligament, bone and tendon as we each discover our physical limits. The range of emotions your face undergoes as you fight a fish leads us to the same conclusion. First surprise, followed in short order by confusion, concentration, determination and finally pride and joy as you bring the fish to net, all point to the same reason.

Fish jump because they can. Because it feels good. It’s that simple.”

Dennis Dobson

So, look at this pic of Denny Rickards with a mega trout. Look at that fish’s face and you tell me that fish isn’t chuckling:

Spell Check for Public Employees

“An embarrassing spelling mistake outside a school in Manhattan’s Lower East Side reportedly remains unfixed months after the error was made. The word school was misspelled as “shcool” on Stanton Street in front of Marta Valle High School. The error was made sometime last summer…”

I, for one, need to repeatedly review everything I write. There is always an error in grammar or spelling.  I wonder if anyone on the public work crew recognized the error (you know there had to be more than one on a public work crew)? And, is crossing XNG now? 

Dreams…Anxiety…Oddity of Life

http://xkcd.com

Fly Fishing: Pose that Fish & That Odd Growth

Ok, I admit, if I caught that fish of the year or life time, I would love to have a picture of that fish and me. I would cross my fingers that the shot turned out perfect and that it was there to look at years later. I have such pictures and love looking at them. Especially now, that for a variety of health and stages of life reasons I cannot get out as often. 

There is posing and then there is posing... (SwittersB)

But, Martin Joergensen at Global Fly Fishers came up with a collage of pictures that, when viewed together, presents an odd, recent dynamic of what to do with the rod when posing the fish. It looks silly when seen in a group setting. Sometimes that rod does get in the way of those taking the shot. Should you decide to forgo the behind the neck pose (please, at least in a group setting) and set the rod down be very careful it is not stumbled upon. 

Fly Tying: Cat Infestation?

Well I have written here at length over the woes of infestation in your fly tying materials. Moths and mice have been my nemesis over the years. But recently another critter has weaseled their way into all manner of fly tying materials: Penelope the Cat. You may recall the rescue of Penelope in early June from a tall tree. Never a dull moment sense then.

Imagine my surprise, as I came down this morning, to Penny intoxicatingly tearing through a scattered pile of hen hackle. My ability to leave materials out, whether on the table or in a bag is compromised. Shouldn’t be surprising as I have chased her and done battle (you should see my forearms) to reclaim strips of rabbit, several hen capes, foam, and yes even a Woolly Bugger. In her best interest, and mine, all materials will have to be secured and protected at the conclusion of each session. My days, weeks, months of scattered materials atop the table are gone….if I want to maintain my materials. 

Penelope the Cat & a scattered pile of hen hackle (SwittersB)

Creativity: Ub Iwerks & Walt Disney

Whiling away a Sunday afternoon, I came upon an inspiring, cable show called Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story. Amazing, gifted, young men in their teens and early twenties, Ub Iwerks and Walt Disney endured the lack of familial support, industry back stabbing and little financing. We all know who Walt was, but I had never heard of Mickey Mouse’s creator, Ub Iwerks, a prolific, genius animator. If you get to see the 1999 production re Ub Iwerks do so. 

Youthful visionaries, entrepreneurial courage, Mickey’s progression of personality (Ub’s drawings/Walt’s voice); impressive, fun stuff….and censorship over too visible fluttering utters. Somethings never change. Ub Iwerks….now you know.

Walt Disney & Ub Iwerks