Vic’s New Fishing Hat

Vic’s Mom sent him the wonderful fishing hat he’s wearing here, our first day out fishing since his birthday. I think it’s dashing. We caught no fish in either the Snake or Clearwater Rivers, but we always love being out fishing, regardless of whether we catch any fish.

I’m dreaming of a grey Christmas. . .

I’m dreaming of a grey Christmas. . .

A grey and cloudy vista can be morale boosting or demoralizing. Personally I have no real preference. I like clouds. I can’t imagine a bright sunny Christmas day in the northwestern prairie where I live.

Fishing is about Fish

Saturday chores accomplished, my husband and I decided to go fishing in the Snake River beyond Asotin. We wanted to stand on a beach this time, instead of taking our boat. The fish were not biting, but a few jumped up from the water so we could know they were there, but they had no interest in coming home with us. We’ve had lots of fishing excursions like this, and we also have lots of freezer space occupied by cleaned, wrapped fish we’ve caught on several other occasions.

My husband loves fishing and fish. I love fishing and I am extremely allergic to fish and I never eat it. Fish are wonderful creatures. They can be beautiful, elusive, and eager to grab onto a lure, all within a few minutes or a full day. Sometimes I think I’m just there for the scenery. We can’t rule a fish’s instincts or choices; only fish can do that. We’re really just along for the ride. Fish have amazing skills we know nothing about.

Skunked

I walked up to our chickens’ house yesterday with their usual daily apple core treat and to check for any eggs. It wasn’t a usual day. There were four hens. There should have been five. They had never before left the confines of their relatively large chicken house. I walked around the chicken house, seeking clues. A mass of feathers ten feet or so to the west lay on the damp ground. My impulse was to put some of my blood in a kettle to boil.

I assumed a neighbor’s dog had killed one of our hens. They bark constantly and enter our property presuming dominion.

My husband knows far more about farming than I do. He grew up on a farm and, like his father, became a lawyer with a heart for farming. He thought a skunk was a more likely candidate for a chicken killer than a dog. I Googled “do skunks kill chickens?” and discovered that skunks are notorious killers of chickens. Good. There are no residences close enough to our chicken hutch to make it illegal to shoot a chicken-menacing skunk.

Thanks go to Ellen Pilch of the https://15andmeowing.com blog for reminding me I hadn’t posted in a month. I appreciate you, Ellen!

Two cats and a tiny snake

A very small baby Gopher snake (center, looks like a brown cord between Effie’s and Paladin’s paws) fended its way through Effieland yesterday. Effie, a veteran of carrying a full grown Garter snake around in her mouth, and Paladin, treating the Gopher snake as a living toy, took turns carrying the snake in their mouths and playing harmlessly with it on the ground.  Eventually they freed the tiny reptile, which slithered its way to the fence. Paladin laid on top of the snake. Somehow the snake made it out of Effieland.

Oh deer!

M’lady Doe has no tea, but she has a lawn good for a brief rest.

Preview of Thanksgiving Families

Wild turkey Mom and kids

Mom Turkey

Turkey family

While having breakfast, we noticed these wild turkeys joining us as we watched them through our dining room window. It’s early for Thanksgiving, but not too early for wild turkeys making rounds. They come through our yard every year, and they are always welcome to enhance our scenery. My husband Vic dashed out with his SLR and took these photos.

 

 

 

Before the launch, the sun steals the show

The sun was amazingly bright over the Snake (Washington side) and Clearwater (Idaho side) Rivers as we prepared to launch our quest for Moby Bass. I caught a couple of junior bass and released them so they could grow a bit. Vic caught a 10-1/2 incher, our only keeper of the hot, pleasant outing.

Back to Soldier’s Meadow Lake

My husband and I finished our chores at home this morning and headed for a return visit to Soldier’s Meadow Lake to fish for Kokanee and trout. Our first visit to Soldier’s Meadow Lake was the Fourth of July. We took Pisca Dory again so we could fish in the middle of the lake. My husband caught one trout and one Kokanee salmon; I caught two trout and one Kokanee. The day was beautifully sunny, and three good-size trout and two excellent Kokanee chose to come home with us.

Our catch: Second from top and fourth from top are the Kokanee; first, third, and fifth are rainbow trout.

Bass Fishing at Chief Timothy State Park on the Snake River

For my husband and me, Saturday afternoons are for fishing when weather and commitments permit us. Today we launched Pisca-Dory at Chief Timothy State Park on the Snake River. Bass thrive here, and the warmer weather has activated them significantly.

We caught three Smallmouth bass between us–Vic caught one and I caught two. The scenery and the pelicans added beauty and enjoyment to our excursion.

Pisca-Dory is comfortable and the scenery is refreshing.

 

We go under a railroad bridge and into a lagoon, but catch nothing there. It’s quiet and lovely, but we head back to the broader River.

 

Pelicans are so marvelous!

 

Our catch. I caught the largest and the smallest Smallmouth, and Vic caught the mid-size model. We had two more nibblers who got away–a good thing, because they were so small.

Vic took all the photos.