Many Happy Landings!

“I want to die like my grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming in terror like his passengers.”  (Anon.)

Vintage…

“Everything I buy is vintage and smells funny. Maybe that’s why I don’t have a boyfriend.”  Lucy  Liu

The Shed: trapped

Brush away the webs

that collect the old worries

and keep us trapped

Taking their sweet (beautiful) time……

Every big tree in the neighborhood has dropped their leaves after heavy winds and rain, save these two dawdlers in my neighbor’s back yard. There they stood this afternoon in all their splendor. This is my view out a window. I looked up to see the most vivid colors. A ‘saving the best for last’ event.

A Hug in Portland

A Hug in Portland, Oregon by freelance photographer Johnny Nguyen during demonstration

Worn, but beautiful to some……….

Where does time go?

The holiday season, in particular, elicits a great deal of thoughts and emotions for many. Yes, the blessings or seeming lack there of preys upon the mind, heart and stomach. But, whether your life is bountiful or lonely another element ever more preys upon my mind….time. Fleeting time. It is true what they said long ago, when I was young, ‘the time just seems to fly by ever faster’. And you know what, it does. Days, weeks, months and then years fly by ever faster. A few trips, a few family gatherings, a few accomplishments and a whole lot of time unused, wasted, evaporating. When you are younger it seems never ending and when you are older I think we still take it for granted.

I have this memory etched into my mind: my Mom was in hospice in our home. She was dying of cancer. She became more reflective and withdrawn. We never did have long conversations about our inner thoughts. Just didn’t happen. But, one day a short utterance from her came forth. “You know Gary, I never really did anything in life. It all went by so fast. I still feel like a little girl…afraid.” 

A strong recollection, a prompt to live life and love life. The time is still going to fly by. So what are you going to do today to make it a little bit more meaningful for you and those you like & love? 

Fly Tying Classes: Christmas gift?

This is my yearly suggestion to give the man or woman, young and old, in your life, a series of beginner’s fly tying classes during the Winter/Spring. Most fly tying shops, community colleges, or private instructors offer classes geared toward those fumbling fingers. Once the basics are learned, on line tutoring is abundant and/or additional intermediate/advanced classes maybe available.

The essential, bare canvas of fly tying

Fly tying will totally enhance their fly fishing experience. Catching fish on their own creations takes the pursuit to a whole new level. Their understanding of their surroundings and the fish’s environment will necessarily expand as they study habitat, entomology (bugs) and what fish consume. The artistic, creative side is ever present as they tie basic, traditional patterns but think of new directions in size, colors, design. Patterns range from the simple (the ones I have displayed here) to the more complex and more artistic.

It is a great gift idea. Check with your local shop, if you have one, re if they offer classes or who might teach classes in the area. Last resort: gift certificate for vise and fly tying tools with a few starter materials and the more cumbersome on line tutorials are a way to go too.

The Shed & the memory trunk

The Shed’s Shelf

“The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow, for children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow. So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep….for babies don’t keep”

Ruth Hamilton, 1958