My first fly rod

Tales from the Backyard:  Yesterday while driving to the farm, I took a route where I could run the dogs and scout for pheasant.  Along the way there is a trout stream and as NJ season had just opened, there were quite a few fisherman enjoying the nice day.  One was carrying a bamboo rod, probably in the $400 to $700 range.  I flashed back to my first fly-rod which I bought using money earned picking tomatoes one summer.  It too was bamboo, came in a wooden box and had 2 extra tips of various weight.  The cost?  $6.95 and a better nymph rod I have never owned.

The wall

Its only 20+ feet high, what can happen, he said.  So he started to scale the vertical granite wall.  Calculating his hand and footholds with care, he was within reach of the top when he grabbed a handhold,  it became loose and not able to recover fell back the 20 or so feet on his back, knocking the wind out of him.  "That was a close one" he thought, that's when the stone of about 30lbs came crashing down on his skull.  He did not die instantly, but was declared dead in the hospitable not far away, his friend, still in shock.  I was there and tried to assist as best I could, his girl friend,a doctor, being shock, unable to assist in any way.

Truck camper for sale

2008 Eagle Cap 850s Ducks Unlimited special edition slide in camper for sale.  Good condition.  Has all the bells and whistles including gun rack, generator, micro-wave, three burner stove, propane refer, TV with dish, lots of storage, queen size bed, bath w/ one piece shower enclosure and under box storage tray for fishing gear.  $11,000.  Needs day/night shades replaced.  Very comfortable and has been to Alaska and back along with many trips across the USA.  Buying a 5th wheel as my wife is retiring.

The pigeon hunt

Tales from the backyard:  Sitting on the back porch drinking a glass of wine, looking out over the backyard, a flock of pigeons flew past and it reminded me of days of yore.  Owning bird dogs and training them means you need pigeons.  Not owning any meant I had to catch them.  So over beers one evening I convinced my pals that we should go out and do just that.  I knew of a farm not far away that had what seemed like several hundred, so off we went.  The prudent thing to have done was to go ask, but we decided it would be more fun not to.  Arriving at the farm we crossed the fence and entered through a ramp the farmer used to haul and dump his pig manure.  Up the ramp we went and found the ladder to the loft.  After catching a few birds, we heard the farmer yell, "Who's out there" and off we scattered trying to get back to the truck.  Ron and Jon both retraced their steps but I took a shortcut and jumped out the barn window,  landing in 2 feet of you know what, and then having to wade through it until I hit dry ground.  Even though I owned the truck, they made me sit in the back and they wouldn't let me in to the tavern for another round.

The shadow

Returning to the pole barn which I was building, after having stopped for some water, I noticed my shadow on the gravel walk.  It was my fathers shadow.  I instinctively moved my cap about 10 degrees to the right and tilted it down on the same side.  I became my father, chuckled and went back to work.