SNEAK PEAK

Our outhouse/storage building was on the move yesterday to it's new home.  Ron is busy levelling our spot for the trailers with his tractor.  Hey, we know how to do it up here.  More pictures later.

PIG PEN CHUTE

I didn't have to visit Pig Pen Chute because Rejean got some pictures the other day.  I have never seen it like this before.  Would not want to accidentally fall in - game over.

THE MIGHTY MISSISSAGI RIVER

It is one of those years where the River is very, very high and running wild.  I will get a picture of Pig Pen Chute tomorrow which I hear is just a'roaring.  There is actually no shores to fish off of.  I have never seen it so high but the locals have.  Even the streams are running so fast you can't fish them.  Too bad.  The bugs are bad which means the fishing should be very good.
It would be a great time to get the kayak out and take a trip down stream...you wouldn't even have to paddle - just steer.

JUST A LAZY DAY ON THE LOG

Not me!!  Just these 3 lazy turtles I saw on the way out of Hinkler last week.  We were on our way out and I just happened to catch a glimpse of these guys.  I made Rejean back up for the photo op.  They didn't even move.  It's the time of year when you will see them at the side (or on) the roads getting ready to lay their eggs in the gravel along side of the highways.  On my way home from Windsor today, I saw 2 along I75.  One I passed over and the other one was safely off the road.  They were both snappers.  I will stop and help the painted turtles but not the snappers.  There is no safe way to move those suckers. Their necks can reach around and once they get a hold of you, they don't let go.
Tomorrow I help the North Shore Fisheries again.  Mainly to take pictures.  It is the helicopter stocking method - so I get to get real close to a helicopter.  Ron will get a chance to go up and probably Rejean but I am new so I have to wait a couple of years for my turn.  But it is exciting to see.  Then Friday is when we get to go into a lake and use pails transport the fish to the water.  I'll be taking lots of pictures for sure.
See Ya Bye

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

If you look real close you should be able to make out what I saw yesterday - actually saw 2 at different times.
So, what do you see?

BREAKFAST?

Rejean notified me that there was a snake down by the dock so I grabbed my camera - and some worms - and headed out for a photo shoot.  It was a good size one -a bit sluggish as it was still a bit cool out and the sun wasn't out.  I threw a couple of worms close to him and he reacted.  He slowly turns to the movement, flashes his tongue and then grabs the worm and down it goes.  I think he got about 3 so he is good for the day.  He is still there, slowly moving away into the pine needles.  I am sure I will see him again as now he knows where the food is ;op
Who needs a dog when you have a snake, a fish, a fox, birds, squirrels etc

ps - we got 6 walleye last nite - 2 each - plus I caught a bass but released him as he is not in season - yet.

SCOPING OUT THE AREA

While Rejean was over helping Ron, Rick and I decided to take a ride over to the river and check out one of the streams.  Everything is running high and especially this stream.  This is the Jacuzzi where the locals go to sit in the rapids and coat themselves with the mud found a little downstream.  Well you couldn't do that today - as Ron said, it is running so hard it could take off a bathing suit.  I believe it.  It is amazing to see such power and force running over the rocks.  It is quite the spring run off this year.  I got an up close shot by climbing down to the edge but I was careful.  It would be a little cool riding back home wet on the 4 wheeler...just saying.
More fishing tonite.

AN EXCELLANT START TO FISHING SEASON

What a way to start the fishing season!! A 22 inch 3 pound walleye!!  We headed to our favourite opening day spot at about 6:30 - the river was very high and our shoreline was underwater.  Good thing we wore our waders or we wouldn't have reached our spots.  I happened to get the end spot and started casting.  I got him very early after only a few casts.  I knew he was a good size - I could feel the weight and the pull and knew it wasn't just the current.  I had my drag set just right - he wasn't getting off.  I didn't horse him in - I let him pull - altho my first instinct was to get him to the net.  Rejean was right there with the net as I brought him in.  It is a very important job netting the fish.  There have been times where you just can"t seem to get him in the net and sometimes the fish gets away.  But this time everything went well.  He was a nice one.  He spent the nite in the basket in our lake and right now, he is 2 fillets and 2 cheeks in my fridge.  Yum Yum.

I think we are going to try and add to our catch tonite at another favourite spot.  Tis the season for walleye...

ALL THE SHEPHERD BROTHERS TOGETHER AGAIN

Linda had called me earlier in the week to tell me (or maybe warn me) that John's brothers - all of them - would be coming for a visit over the long weekend.  I was not going to pass up an opportunity like that so we paid them a visit last nite.  Now if you know John, you know that he is just a little kid at heart - he loves to tell jokes and play tricks on you like with beer caps - after a visit from him, you find them everywhere - in boots, pockets, drawers etc.  AND all his brothers are like that.  This I had to see. Well it is true.  Each and everyone of them like to tell jokes.  I never laughed so hard in my life.  They asked me to pick any topic or object and they could tell a joke about it.  And they could.  And trying to get them together for a group photo - it took over 10 minutes and they were all in the same room.  They were jockeying for position for the longest time.  But what fun it was.  Poor Linda.  I told her she could come over and hide at my house if she wanted.  The last picture is of Randy getting the fire going with a shop vac.  Hey, it worked!! :o)  We do have fun up here!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSAN!!

It's Susan's birthday today!!
Life just wouldn't have been as much fun without you in it.  Happy Birthday to the best older sister a girl could have.  Love you.
Enjoy!!

MEET THE STOCKERS

This is what I did today.  My new group that I am volunteering for is the North Shore Fisheries and today we stocked 6000 rainbows in some area streams.  There was our fearless leader, Ron, Gerry, Ginny, Moi, Rejean, Rick and Andrew.  And our delivery person was Mike, pictured in the last photo.
The first two stops we had to pail them to the stream.  I carried one down and I can attest that they were very heavy - you had to be careful that none of this little fish escaped.  The last stop we got to use the hose to stock the stream - a lot easier.  But what a beautiful day to do it.  It started out chilly but by the last stop it was glorious.  And no bugs to boot.

Grow little fishies.  Grow big and strong.

WE BE WOOD'N

We are finally getting our wood done.  The snow gave us a day off but we were right back at it today.  We want to take 30 trees down and we have so far done 16 but in the end we may have to take more.  We are taking them close to the trail and choose ones that aren't too big so that they are easy to handle.  I tell Rejean that if he wants to get a full day's work out of me he has to take trees that I can handle - if I have to lift heavy ones, I won't last as long.  For the most part he has been accommodating my request. Stacey and Andrew and my new fur grandson Sam are here for a week so they were visiting us on their four wheelers. Stacey always looks good on her 4 wheeler - she is a natural.  Isn't Sam gorgeous?  He loves it up here.  He is very well behaved and they let him off his leash for him to dash around and explore.    Our "wall o' wood" is growing daily - not bad for 2 days work by a couple of seniors :o)

W T F

I had to take a second look outside this morning - I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Keith was right in his prediction - we would have snow in May!!
Ughhhh

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

31 Mother's Days without my Mom but not a day goes by that I don't think about her.

DING DONG THE DOCK IS DOWN

We put the dock down on May 2nd - the ice had gone out in our bay the day before so we took advantage of it.  today, May 5th all the ice and just a wee bit of snow is left on the shores.  We put Stacey and Andrew's pump in today and saw 2 tiny snakes.  We actually saved one from drowning - it must have been in the pipe we put in the water.  The water is extremely cold so we placed it on the rocks to warm up in order for it to slither away.  A few minutes later, I saw another one that was bigger than the first one.  I just watched it hunting and in a few minutes, it was gone.  We saw a loon on our lake on May 4th - they don't waste time - as soon as the ice is out, they are in.  Nice to see one on our lake.
Work Work Work.  Spring is a little late so we have to play catch up and BEAT THE BUGS!!!