Summer of Busy

I am going to take a card from my sister-in-law and show in a quick blast via photos what I have been up to in the last month. First off, to not paraphrase, holy shit, busy. I have never been so almost unbearably busy. Between work, soon moving, bills, and trying to maintain sanity, I have just enough energy to lift a fork to my face (incidentally Rachel has been cooking some masterpieces this summer).
I have not been able to travel and visit my family like I used to and it has been an adjustment that I have not taken on easily. Rachel is the only reason I have remained intact.

Here is my summer so far:

Cleaned out the mancave at The Ranch. Just another chapter coming to a close.

Some A-hole threw a chunk of cinderblock into my windshield while back in Dike for a weekend. Just a reminder that you can anticipate nothing.

Scrabble at Ada Hayden Park in Ames. Picked up sandwiches at Downtown Deli for supper. WONDERFUL evening out!

 Fishing Adventure on the Des Moines River with Jon Jones and Rachel. This goes to show that my girl can fish!

 A fishing trip is only complete with a carp in the boat.

 Jon Jones Navigating....

A great photo of the happy couple after an enjoyable outing.

 Got to finally meet Isabel!!! Baptism in Omaha. We stayed at Deb Comstock's new place for the quick visit.

 "A man's life is judged by how great of an uncle he can be".

 Missed the kidlets terribly.

 Josh, Dad, and Isabel in the garden at Sara's Grandpa's retirement home.

 The only way she likes to be held is like a sack of potatoes. I tried the conventional ways and she had none of it.

Stella is up to something as usual. :)

Many days I come home beat; beyond exhausted. This is what I get many days. I am a blessed man. Seriously.

 This is why I come home zombified. First Paver-stone project. This was at the New Jethro's BBQ in Ankeny.

 Cleaning up and getting out the hell out before rain...

All we were responsible for the the colored pavers. You wouldn't think this would be too difficult by the looks but that curve about ended my sanity.

 Afternoon of July 4th we spent on the river with Jon Jones, Nick and Lisa, and my beloved Wife.

 It's almost like we like each other!

 Nick wanted a pic with Jon Jones in the background.

 

On the way home from fishing/swimming we came to the corner of Long Refuge at the old barn to see a fox pup on the side of the road.

 He just kept getting closer.

 

 Today we met up with Ryan and Megan at the Blank Park Zoo!

Spent my day with my little buddy. Truly soothes the soul.

 Here we are feeding the fish. This was the first activity we convinced him to do.

 The Train Ride!

 Daxton was hot and tired. Despite that he was rather enthralled with the whole deal.

Dax enjoying the company of a pretty lady!

 We spent the day trying to convince Ryker that a camel ride was a good idea. It took about 3 hours. I asked about every 15 minutes and the last time all he said was "yup". Megan and Rachel turned on a dime took him there. He followed through.

Not only did he do it, he was elated!

I always say I will do a better job of keeping up with this thing. I will do what I can...



Stay Tuned

 

A River Adventure

As promised, although late, here is the Mother's Day river adventure. As mom was out east with Mike and Lisa, and very new Jacob, Dad was home to himself and too many projects. Getting him in a boat seemed like a great idea. After church and normal Sunday morning activities, Rachel and I met Dad and Michael at home and we headed for water. Michael and Dad took the freighter canoe and Rachel and I took the kayaks. As we were leaving Dad suggested a rather important revelation to Michael before we left: "you should probably tie on that custom rod of yours. I know that this is worth a lot and in the unlikely event we did tip, it would be gone."

So Michael tied it on and off we went. We fished a couple backwaters for a short amount of time before we stopped at the wing dams Dad likes to fish. "First guy to catch a fish doesn't have to do dishes" was Dad's only wager.

 

So with that Michael and I were doing dishes as Dad gave Rachel exemption. The river was moving along at a pretty good clip and we did our best to traverse the strainers. We weren't under the gun or anything but our trip took a turn when we paddled into our portage for the night. Michael and Dad came in too hot and caught the cross current as the portage was completely slack. When they hit the slack water there was no stopping it. From my angle all I could see was limbs and paddles in the air. It was instant chaos. Micheal was down and then up, and I remember him popping up and going, "Wow that's cold!" and he was on shore in three seconds. I told Rachel to  get out of the the water and get on shore. Within seconds she was there. Now, Dad was still in the water. He was holding onto the boat and the cross current had held it in one spot. He did not want to let go, but with the cooler water temps and swift water, Dad was gasping, and only his head and shoulders were above water. I did not know what was going on and I honestly thought something was wrong as it looked like he was either going under or stuck somehow. I told Michael to get him out of the water NOW. I looked over and Rachel was already getting there for assistance, but by then Dad finally found bottom and walked to shore. I was still in the water in the kayak and we didn't want to lose the boat. I pushed the back end towards shore with the nose of my boat as best as I could. Thankfully, those kayaks are unbelievably hard to tip. I pushed it as far as I could before Dad and Michael could get a hold of it. When they pulled it to the landing, they tipped it over and all of the floating things were still inside the air bubble. Both canoe paddled were accounted for, as was Micheal's expensive rod which was still secured to the boat. Dad lost two rods. Michael's bow fishing bow as gone. This was the bow he shot is first deer with, behind his house. Once we figured out both Dad and Michael were indeed OK, it was decided that besides being a little shook up, they were indeed just wet. I devised a game plan that involved Rachel taking Dad in Michael's car to get the van while Michael and I fished for the lost belongings. It was a serious long shot but we had to try. I devised my carp snaggin' rig and started casting away. It was all within a few feet of shore but the water was at least 8 feet deep. Michael put his contraption together and within two casts he pulled up one of Dad's rods. The best part was the one rod was actually two tangled together. Salvaged rods!I hooked his bow three or four times and just could not keep it hooked. When Dad and Rachel got back we decided to call it and have him come back the next day to retrieve it somehow. We went home, shook up but ok. The first thing Dad says when we get in the van is, "I'm Hungry". I couldn't help but just laugh. Rachel and I still had to get back to Ames that night and there was some cleaning up to do. Michael went home to change to dry clothes. I cleaned the walleye Dad caught so we could have them with chili, (which was already in the crock pot). This left the angel that is my wife to clean the kitchen. It was so bad that Dad had exempted her before, but with the events of the day, she fully volunteered. By the time we cleaned up and spread out wet gear, cleaned fish, showered, and came back inside, Rachel had that thing spit shined. As Dad fried the fish on the grill she even cleaned the stove. All three of us guys owed her big for that one. BIG! The fish was our reward for the day:

Pouring chili over fried walleye. Unreal. 

The days events could have turned for the worse in a hurry, and we have all become somewhat complacent. Several things: 

• Dad almost decided to just leave his life jacket in the boat as he was getting warm. 
• Michael didn't have his life jacket zipped up all the way, but he was still wearing it. 
• No dry bag was brought along. 
• A significant amount of valuable gear was unsecured in the boat. 

Some things will change in the future, especially the river levels in which we float, and the new life jacket rule: Wear it or stay home. We learned valuable lessons that day, without anything really bad happening.



Stay Tuned 

Double Bird Day

Saturday morning Michael  and I knew darn well we were going to hunt. We decided the evening before that we would try our luck at Big Marsh as Michael knew about where the birds have been roosting. When we got that at an unholy, sacrilegious hour, Michael walked us right to where we needed to be. We waited until we could hear a gooble. Sure as rain, we heard a couple sound off. The issue we faced unfortunately was Big Marsh was flooded. This made for a mosaic of flood water and dry land. Had we brought waders, we would have been unstoppable, but things work out for reason sometimes. We positioned ourselves within 100 or so yards of a hot bird. We hadn't been set for ten minutes before he pitched down. He continued to gobble as he closed the distance. Our only problem now was our placement. We needed to be one un-flooded birm ahead of where we were. He skirted us. He strutted his way along the river as I had predicted. 70 yards was not close enough and we just got to watch the show instead. We walked around for awhile longer but we were fading fast trying to slop through the mud. I do not give up when it comes to turkeys, so I said Shell Rock Bend was next. Michael was already day dreaming about hashbrowns and eggs, but I convinced him to forge on.

I told him we would hunt until noon or so, and by doing so, we would find a nice deep calm hole in the timber and nap against a tree. At this point the wind had really picked up. I knew the birds would do the same thing I would; find a warm, quiet, sunny spot in the timber. We walked slowing through thick timber before we found them. Ten or so deer, and turkeys. The deer busted right, the turkeys left. Michael saw the birds and said they were less than 30 yards before we busted them. I suggested we sit down and wait for their return. Warm, secluded, and a hell of a lot less windy. A doe walked within feet behind me before busting me. Michael took advantage of the spot.

Once we came-too from our glorious nap, I told Michael a new tactic was necessary to kill a bird late season. I have always had unorthodox methods, but then again that is why I shoot birds. Because of the wind our movement would be covered if we moved slow. We would smell them before they smelled us. These conditions made for a spot and stalk turkey hunt.

We inched our way through the timber one step at a time. I knew where I wanted to go and how to get there. I used the brush as cover, and stopped a large trees along the way. I figured we would be able to find them before they spotted us. We worked 300 plus yards without a single anything. Michael followed right behind me the whole way.

Finally.

Birds.

Three birds in a dip in front of us not 30 yards. I stopped and turned to Michael and said, "They are right in front of us. I am going if you don't mind".
He had no idea they were their and still could not see them. I inched my way closer for a clear shot. One longbeard and two jakes. I got 5 yards closer before the longbeard stood up and pegged me.

 BOOM!

Dropped him hard, or so I thought.
 The longbeard flew off directly away from us, while one of the other jakes ran to the left. I yelled "Michael SHOOT!!! SHOOT!!!" In one fluid motion, he shot as the bird ran from right to left. Just flatted him. I just said, " You got him."  He had no idea what happened. He told me he didn't even know what he was shooting at but rather at something running in front of us. He knew I knew what it was, and I knew he was a legal bird. So I told him to shoot. I walked up to my bird, to which I laid major smack down, and look over at Michael. He is walking balk and forth like he was looking for blood. I thought he was looking for his empty shell before he looked up at me. I just pointed a little to the right as he was mere feet from his bird before he could even see it. He ran over toward it and leaned on it while trying to finish him off. He just proceeded to peel off most of the neck feather instead. When our birds stopped flopping he just looked and me, and stated,  "Did that just really happen?" "What just happened?" "ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!?!?!?!"

We just stood there and high fived and giggled for ten minutes.

 As usual, we took our sweet time setting up for pictures. I believe this part is more important than the rest of the details. Take that moment's super high and freeze it in time.

While walking around we came across a bunch of these clumps of Virginia Bluebells in the woods. Because of this, we wanted a few pics to remember them as well.

 And then of course there was the stump pics. We have taken many pics from the stump in the past and even though the DNR tried to clear the stump out we still got our pics.

As per usual we took a few pics at the car. Just as we set up a truck pull into the lot.

We win.

 On to hashbrowns, sausage, toast, and OJ. This turned out the be a spectacular day.



Stay Tuned: A River Adventure

Turkey Shed Fishing

The trifecta would have only be more complete had we put a bird on the ground. Or seen one. Or heard one within a half mile range...

Nick and I got up early to do some first light river ratting. We loaded the boat up and as soon as it was light enough to not die on our boat ride upstream, we headed for a strut zone/ hopeful roost area. We set our dekes out and watched the woods stretch its weary morning arms. Tons of birds, deer, overall wildlife. None of them however, happened to be turkeys. We got a few responses from birds across the river well over a 1/2 mile away. That was not happening. There was still some residual snow on the ground at our spot.

We knew this was futile but it was nice to get out and at least hear a few birds. We climbed the top of the ridge only to find a tent blind already set up there. Bust. We headed back down to make our way back to the boat. I told Nick we saw nothing because I wasn't wearing my lucky hat:

Sorry Dad! I found it in my supply box, and I figured why not take you out with us. I will return it eventually. A quick swap and through the willows we go. Nick had no more than split off from me and I looked down.
 Deadfall buck from probably a couple of years ago.

 Buried in the mud.

 Nick and I with some bone!!!

At this point we had heard birds, tried our luck at sheds and managed bone in very short time, now on to some cold-water fishing. The snow and weather really cooled things down, but we were hoping that rising water would trump cold. We boated to our sacred spot.

Nick thought a few more bone pics were necessary as well:

We slowly and quietly bumped into our shallow water haven. The water was cold and we were cautiously optimistic anyway. It didn't take long for Nick to find an "Iowa golden bass"

Nick told me he has spent enough time on the river that it was my turn for the honey hole so we switched spots in the boat. Thanks Nick!

Nick figured out the slack pool and was pulling in carp left and right.

Nick having his inner Adam tell him he needed to move, paddled us across the slack pool to try the other side. This lasted all of 9 minutes. The wind was now at our face, and the fish were not there. I told Nick this was absurd to which he responded "why did you let us move in the first place?"......
We moved back to our original spot, only tweaking a little. We put ourselves in a a more open spot. I wanted to slack water carp hole, and Nick wanted the catfish swirling eddy. It was a win win. We proceeded to catch more carp.

We couldn't have planned it better.
Lisa gave us a call at about noon telling us her brother Curt was in town so it was time to call it a day. What a morning!
At the boat ramp I couldn't help but take a picture of Nick doing what he always does...

Stay Tuned

Had to take advantage of a nice day

72 degrees the 8th of April. After a winter that was, for lack of a better word, Stubborn, the nice weather was welcome. Rachel even had some time this afternoon and she wished to join me! I like when Rachel gets out with me as I know she is swamped most days, and I enjoy her company. We joined a friend, Jon Jones, at a wildlife are with three barrow pits to try our luck at a few crappie or bass, or anything that would bite for that matter. It was great to get there and see all the ducks. Bluebills, mallards, a few butterballs, shovelers, canadas, common mergansers, and a few unidentified. We walked the shoreline as the structure of this place was rather bleak. We tried small, bright, etc and could not get a fish to hit. I finally tried something with a little flash as something mimic the injured shad we kept seeing. Four casts and finally.

First open water fish of the 2013 season!

When I fish, all I want is one. I don't care what size or species, just one. I could have walked away at this point. A few more casts and another. Rachel came over and joined me in my 'honey hole' and I lost a nicer bass just before I could grab it. I was on a hot streak. Jones was finally fed up and he joined us as well. As he was changing his gear I hit a big one. One minute I am cranking, the next, my line is taking a slow, steady, pull across the bank. This was no slouch of a fish. I fought this fish for at least 15 minutes. I dropped my bag off with Rachel, and made my way back and forth on the bank following where ever it went. Back and forth....It never surfaced. We ruled out bass, and there was not wicked run, just slow and steady, so pike was out. I figured catfish or carp. When I finally caught a glimpse of him, Jones and I freaked. Within a minute Jones grabbed my fish.

I was hoping for a legal legit catch, but I had snagged his dorsal fin with one of the treble hooks. I was still stoked to have pig of catfish in hand!

 Rachel and I washing him off for pics

Jones wanted a fat cat belly pic.

 

We tried for another hour or so with no more fish but it was a great afternoon nevertheless. 

On our walk out we discover a small flock of Ross's geese came in on us out of no where. So now we have snow geese amongst the rest of the increasing number of waterfowl on the pit. Great way to spend a few hours indeed. 

Stay Tuned