February 9, 2010
Saw this story posted up on the news wire, and thought I would share. Some doofus has been targeting fly shops in the Denver area, and stealing expensive rods and reels. They caught him on video surveillance tape, and are now posting his face all over the Internet.
A link to the news story is below. I had to chuckle at the line, “And in this case, if he is caught, he won’t be released.” Also, in the introduction, the newscaster says “Flying Shops”… hopefully, they do catch the guy.
January 23, 2010
Today, I was able to visit the home waters. Too much ice for fishing, but I was able to catch some images. I thought they looked better in black and white as it tends to lend to the temperature. (You can click on these images to view the various sizes…)
The feeder still flows…
Iced over…
Ice shelf…
Ice drop…
January 18, 2010
My wife bought me a fly fishing toilet seat for Christmas (something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Rivers-Edge-Toilet-Seat-Fishing/dp/B000I5KT8U). It was part of my overall present, and was permission to remodel “my” bathroom with Fly Fishing decor. She also bought me a matching PVC clock, a couple picture frames, and some art prints. All of the presents came from Ebay for much less than I’ve seen on some of the cabin decorating web sites that exist out on the web.
So, I figure I would post some of the things I did, and take a few pictures to share. A few days after Christmas I checked Ebay for some additional items for the bathroom. I ended up buying an outdoors themed bath rug and matching shower hooks. The big thing I ended up doing was re-painting the room. It is a small bathroom, and thought it would go quick, but with all the different angles, it took my forever to tape everything. I headed over to the Home Depot and picked up paint that was a color named “Oat Straw.” It looked to be the same color as one of my fly fishing shirts, so I figured it would be a good color. A couple days later I had the bathroom all painted.
I went up to Bed Bath and Beyond, and found out that they sell a ton of stuff made out of bamboo now. I figured that would fit my fly fishing theme, so I bought a bamboo soap dispenser and a silver ware holder that is now a tooth brush holder. The silver ware holder was about half the price of some of the other bamboo items, and I figured I could put all kinds of stuff in it. Seems to have worked out pretty good.
I wanted to replace my shower curtain rod, so with bamboo on the brain, I had an idea. I took some of closet organizer rod supports that were not being used in my bedroom closet and screwed them into the wall. I then found a bundle of decorating bamboo at a store called Garden Ridge. I picked a sturdy piece and cut it to size to fit as the shower curtain rod. It is working out pretty good so far.
I had some other art and pictures that I had been keeping on my tying bench that I hung up. I also picked up a cool sign at the local Hobby Lobby store that has a picture of a trout and a fly fishing quote on it. While at the store I also found a wrought iron magazine rack which is now hanging on the wall and provides a good place for reading materials to be stored.
I’m not able to be on the stream every day, but it is nice to have a room to remind me of fishing.
December 25, 2009
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9:6
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. – Micah 5:2
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. – Luke 2:11-14
December 20, 2009
Rusty Gates passed away today. The Anglers of the Au Sable home page and the Gates Lodge fishing report page bears the sad news:
Just a couple of months ago, I was on my September fishing outing and my cheap wading boots actually fell apart while floating the North Branch. I drove to Gates Lodge the next morning, and bought a new pair of boots. Rusty was working at the counter, and nothing seemed any different from all my other visits. As one of the most adamant protectors of the Au Sable, a prolific fly fisherman, and a generally nice guy – he will be missed in more ways than one.
Here are some links to read and remember him by:
Discussions:
Recent articles:
December 5, 2009
Some interesting items floating around the Internet lately….
There is some hub-bub going on regarding the misinformation around changing fishing regulations on the AuSable.
http://www.freep.com/article/20091203/SPORTS10/91203010/1058/Au-Sable-waters-still-flies-only
For Christians, you might get your toes stepped on when reading this:
http://experimentaltheology.blogspot.com/2009/08/bait-and-switch-of-contemporary.html
Seeing as the world is supposed to end in 2012, here are some tips to survive (sarcasm implied here):
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/movie/prweb3260154.htm
More practically, I saw something to help survive the winter on Lifehacker. A Russian drink called Sbiten, which sounds like an herbal water:
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sbiten
And lastly, in this funny commercial, there’s something I definitely don’t want in my coffee :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmULq4dgQvY
December 1, 2009
Saw this post over at John Piper’s blog:
http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2121_next_best_to_grace_oxygen/
Piper provides a quote from a lecture given by Charles Haddon Spurgeon in regards to gaining solace by experiencing God’s creation first hand. I took a look at the whole lecture, and found Spurgeon mentioned streams and “the trouts,” a favorite place of mine.
The ferns and the rabbits, the streams and the trouts, the fir trees and the squirrels, the primroses and the violets, the farm-yard, the new-mown hay, and the fragrant hops—these are the best medicine for hypochondriacs, the surest tonics for the declining, the best refreshments for the weary.
You can read the entire lecture here:
http://www.the-highway.com/articleSept99.html
November 9, 2009
Saw this in a local paper. Don’t tell anyone…. 
November 8, 2009
I went to a concert up in Oxford, MI this past weekend for the group Downhere. It is part of a church’s new ministry to provide low cost high quality family-friendly entertainment called The Stand. It actually is not what I was expecting, as the venue was somewhat smaller than what I imagined it would be. However, this just made it all the better by providing a more intimate setting.
I bought a Downhere CD a couple years back and listened to it off and on. But this this past year when their new CD Ending is Beginning came out, I was totally taken back at the quality of the lyrics combined with the musicality. They are a very talented band with very high quality music.
Probably their most popular song they’ve had is “How Many Kings” which is somewhat of a Christmas song. Here is a live version I found on YouTube if you’d like to hear what I’m talking about:
October 22, 2009
This was another great year at the Barakel’s men retreat. After the relaxing day of fishing, I checked in and discovered my group would be staying in one of the brand new lodges. We headed over, unpacked, and settled in.
Out speaker for the weekend was Tom Harmon, you can check out his web site here. Friday night we found out the Tom would be preaching on the topic of prayer over the course of the weekend, and I was excited about the topic.
After breakfast the next morning, I got to take a ride on the newly installed zip-line. It was awesome.
First you gear up with some heavy duty equipment that looks like climbing gear.
Then basically, you climb to the top of a large wooden tower that is 3 or 4-stories tall.
At the top, your gear is attached to metal cable strung across a valley.
Then you count to 3 and jump off.
After the zip line we we headed back to the chapel for more teaching on prayer. Tom has recently written a new book. I purchased a copy, and he personalized my copy with his signature and a written statement in the front of the book. Tom’s preaching style is fast, full of wit, and he tends to hit a lot of different points as he examines the Word. He talked about the importance of prayer during that first chapel, gave some good quotes I jotted down:
From Charles Spurgeon: I’d rather teach 1 man to pray than 10 to preach.
Prayer is coming to God and believing he is there.
Prayer is the escape route for temptation.
After chapel, we grabbed some lunch and then stopped at the archery range before heading over to do some frisbee golf.
After an attempt at fishing on the lake (with lots of rowing in circles), we headed back to shore for some dinner. On Saturday, there is usually a special dinner and we waited while the kitchen staff put together a great meal.
I did a lot of walking up at camp. Our dorm was on the opposite side of the lake from our chapel, so I chose to walk most of the time. The buses ran past us transporting those who did not walk.
Probably my favorite chapel time for the weekend was when Tom presented us with four prayers we could pray on a daily basis:
1. Lord, teach me to pray.
2. Lord, please give me wisdom. (James 1:5)
3. Lord, please give me grace. (2 Cor 9:8)
4. Lord, keep me from evil. (John 17:15)
My favorite quote from the remaining chapel services talked about stepping out side your comfort zone and went something like this:
Do things that force you to do what you should be doing anyways.
Also one of the chapel services focused on the idea of prayer should be coupled with waiting. One of the concepts that I took away from these messages is that waiting can be equated to trusting. If you do not wait, then you are not trusting that you will get an answer.
I definitely had a lot to ponder as I walked out of the chapel Saturday night, and headed back to the dorm.
Sunday morning breakfast means sticky buns up at camp. Probably the only food better than a camp sticky bun, is the camp hot chocolate.
It was another great year at Barakel, and I am so glad I was able to go. I walk away this year with a renewed interest in improving my prayer life as well as a weekend full of memories.
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