A SHORT MAIDEN VOYAGE

After the fish fry last nite we decided to check out Hooverville Landing and happened upon these two young people heading out on the water.  I spied the little boat and decided to get a picture.  They had just purchased the boat and were trying it out for the first time that nite.  They were headed to a camp on Tunnel.  They had all their gear already in the boat and they both had life jackets on.  It was laying low in the water and by engaging the motor they started taking on water.  They were only a short distance out and made it back safely albeit with wet bottoms.  All we could hear was "oh oh" and they turned around.  They texted their friends who eventually came and picked them up.  Needless to say they will be checking out the capacity of the skiff for future reference.
But what a neat little boat.  I have never seen one like it.

But I do have to apologize to them for our behaviour.  We were laughing as they came back to shore not at them but with them.  We knew they were going to be ok and in no danger and we were ready willing and able to assist them.

I hope to see them out on the Lake in the future enjoying their new toy.  I also got their permission to post these pictures - altho they may be regretting that decision right now.

See Ya Bye

LINDA'S NEW CAR

First she got a new kitchen floor and today Linda got a new car!!!  She has had her eye on the Chrysler 200s and she drove it home from the dealer today and stopped in to show me.  I wasn't too sure of the color when she showed me in the brochure but seeing it in person I quickly changed my mind.  There is tons of room in the trunk and the back seats fold down.  John likes the reclining passenger seat and today we found out the driver's seat also reclines fully back.  Not a good position for the driver to be in when driving.
For those who know me, I am not a good passenger but I told Linda that when she perfects driving the new car (she finds the steering touchy) I would drive with her to the Sault.  That is a leap of faith for me.
Nice car Linda!!  You look good in it!!

A BUSY NEWS DAY

While in Thessalon this morning I spotted the camp truck in the Valu-Mart parking lot - I haven't seen it around before so it must be a tourist's.  I got a picture because I think it's neat.
Steve sorted thru his skull collection this afternoon.  He is putting a couple up in his new outhouse and I think Rick put one up too.  Jenn is calling in a moose but all she got was the attention of Rejean who thought it was a moose.  I think we will invite her up this fall when we are out hunting a real moose.  Don't quit your day job Jenn.
Another fun day in paradise.

WHAT ? YOU WANT TO GO FISHING AGAIN ? OK

Today we did my favourite type of fishing - stream fishing.  It is hard work walking into the stream and then walking thru the bush with a fishing rod in your hand trying not to get tangled (but you always do) then walking on the slippery rocks and trying not to spook the fish.  But it paid off big time today.  Rick got 3 nice ones (kind of made up for him not getting any yesterday) and I got a keeper plus a little one that swallowed the hook so I would have injured him trying to get it out so I just kept him - he was delicious.  We only took 10 - the amount we would eat tonite for dinner.  They really are best fresh - they really aren't very good after they have been frozen.
It really is beautiful on the streams especially this one.  And this year it is really flowing good.  The third picture is Ricky with his first beauty brookie and the next picture is where he got it.  The next picture is of Rick and Rejean cleaning their catch.  The trout are easy to clean.  I even do it.  I like to see what they have been eating.  The last picture is of the day's catch - all cleaned and ready to take home.

CAMPING!!

We finally got some time off so we headed to our trailers for 5 days of camping and fishing.  Ron brought his trailer to haul the Rhino, a boat and his wood splitter (yes we were going to be doing some work splitting the blocks of the trees we had cut down at the site.  Danger trees that could have fallen on us and dead trees that could come down at any time.  We brought along a screened in dining tent and boy did it come in handy with all the bugs.  Wed had the place set up real nice.  Very comfortable. We used Ron's boat to explore the new lake - he showed off his lure with the Canadian Flag painted on it - he said it is very lucky.  Well not that nite - only a small pike was caught and quickly let go to fight again.  We had a great time.  Discovered a spring where we can fill our tanks, watched some logging activity - I'll post those pictures another day.  And played some mean cards - Euchre is the game.  Ron and I are partners and Rejean and Mary are partners.  I got Euchred a lot this trip.  Can't figure that one out.
More photos tomorrow.

WHY I LOVE FISHING

Got a beautiful 2 pound Brookie and a nice Walleye this morning - Rejean got the Rainbow and Bass all by noon and by 5:30, I was eating some of the Walleye and Bass.  And it was delicious.
Talk about fresh...

TROUBLE IN CALGARY

My sister Joanne and her husband Mitch live in Calgary and she sent me this picture of a dam being erected in downtown Calgary near where she used to live.  My daughter Jodie also lives in Calgary and was evacuated at 3am this morning and she lives on the 4th floor of a condo in downtown Calgary!!  Canmore is cut off from the rest of the world due to mud slides and bridges being washed away.  The pictures are amazing and hard to believe - downtown Calgary under water.  The Saddledome is about 2 feet under water.  Once the water recedes, the real work will begin - cleaning up the mess.  I am sure it will all be done in time for the Calgary Stampede.
Stay Safe Everyone

A QUIET EVENING OF FISHING

It looked like a good evening for fishing - cloudy and with just a chance of rain so we loaded up the bikes and put on our rain gear and headed out.  Just as we got there, the sun came out and it sort of cleared up.  Bad if you want to fish for walleye.  But we got 5.  I should say the guys got 5 - Rick got a nice one and Rejean got 4 - I had the first fish - a small bass but it counted as a catch.  I let it go.  I had left the guys and walked to another spot that looked good but turned out not to be.  I missed the action as the 5 fish were all caught within 20 minutes.  Talk about luck.
See Ya Bye

TESTICLE PLANTS

The Testicles are here!! The testicles are here!!  OK Lady Slippers to you.  And I have them all over my property.  They are very hard to transplant but I don't have to.

I'M UP ONE

It is the time of year when the turtles will lay their eggs in the sand and gravel beside roads - sometimes preferring the other side of the road for their nesting habits.  I have learned to watch for them and have become familiar with the shapes along side of the highways and roads.  I was helping Rejean with the leech traps along an old logging road and drove on the way back.  I was being careful but I guess I missed one.  Rejean all of a sudden said "you just ran over a turtle" and I heard the squash noise and the slight bump in the road.  I felt sick.  I knew I had got him good and there was no hope.  A little further down the road I spotted another one and stopped the car and escorted him/her across the road and got these pictures.  And I saved another one today on my walk.  They try and run away but they are not fast enough and when you lift them up, they pull everything in - they have disappeared!!
So I am one up - 2 saved and 1 killed.
Sorry...

FUN WITH THE GUYS - PART 2

Too much fun for just one posting.  Plus I felt that the "Toll Bridge" should have a posting just for itself - it was that special.  Ron's Rhino just made it with no room to spare.  Rejean got out and let Ron drive across the bridge - S L O W L Y ! ! I might add.  This bridge has seen better days - some of the boards were a little thin.  But we all waited our turn before we crossed.  It had been built over a good sized stream maybe about 20 or 25 feet down.  I don't know how I did it but I did.  And I felt proud that I did.  But I figure if Ron's Rhino and some of the bigger guys had made it safely across, I was good to go.  What a thrill.  There was one more bridge that was under about 2 feet of water that we all made it across.  I put my feet up on my fenders and made it without floating away.  I am sorry I didn't get a picture of that.
What a great bunch of guys.  They all grew up together and have stayed friends all this time.  Nowadays, that is rare.  I do believe they are headed back this way again next year.  I told Gary to bring his waders and I would take him out on the river or a couple of streams for some trout.  It would be difficult to take them all out at the same time.  One at a time.

See you next year boys!!

FUN WITH THE GUYS

The "Farmers" are up for their annual fishing trip and they decided to forgo the fishing one day for an all day 4 wheeler run guided by Ron.  I wasn't about to let them go without me so with their permission, I went along for the ride.  And what a ride it was.  We met the guys at Grand Falls Camp, where they were staying, at 9:30am and were on our way shortly after that.  Ron was in his Rhino and Rejean rode with him and they lead the way.  We followed the hydro line back behind Kynoch and just enjoyed the ride.  Along one trail there was a tomb stone dedicated to a beloved "Chelsey".  We passed quite a few beautiful lakes and streams.  One lake had the bridge you see in the bottom 2 pictures.  I made it across successfully as did everyone else.  This was an easy one compared to the one I will post tomorrow.  THAT was an adventure in itself as you will see.
There was different terrain along the trails - some very easy and some very difficult.  Rocks that you had to traverse very carefully.  I kept up with the big guys except one place where they had to lift my 250 Honda 4Trax over a log.  But that was the only time I needed help.  And dusty!!!!!  You had to keep a distance between you and the person in the lead because you couldn't see or breathe - I still feel as tho I have a ton of sand in my eyes.
There were a lot of "pit stops" along the way.  The guys were afraid they were going to run out of beverages and we didn't know where the closest beer store was :op
We finally arrived back home at 5pm, tired and dusty.  But I saw some lakes I had never seen before - beautiful lakes the color of the Caribbean and lots of streams I am going to be going back to.
Ron is the best guide ever.  He knows this area like the back of his hand and knew how to impress the guys.  They bought him a case of beer to show their appreciation.
See Ya Bye