Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Mother's Day Fishing Spots
Sunday, Mother's Day, I got to decide what we , Hubby and I, would do to celebrate the day.
The choice to go fishing, to try out my new fishing poles, was at the top of the list. Hubby had been given forewarning earlier in the week since I didn't want to spring the concept on him at the last minute. However, he wasn't aware that the fishing poles were "pink." I had introduced him to my new aquisitions when they arrived. However, Hubby is color blind and I have been told that he discerns pink as gray. So, being the fair woman that I am... I told him just a few minutes before we were to leave on our fishing excursion. ;)
We spent a couple hours fishing off the point by the tree in the first picture where the ground is worn from traffic.The roots provide terraced steps or a place to sit while waiting for a fish to come along. We did see small fish darting along in the shallow water a couple feet off shore just to tease us, not interested in any lure we had to offer at that time of day.
Turns out we had another fishing pole and reel combo hanging in the garage that is suited for the other better half of this partnership. The black "Berkley" rod and reel combo just needed a little tweaking for it to be ready to put the line in the water.
It wasn't long after we left our first fishing spot that the locals moved back in to take over their home again.
Time to try a different location that had been given as a fairly good place to catch fish by the Iowa DNR weekly fishing report.
We headed to the bottomside of the Spillway from Big Creek Lake into Saylorville Dam at Polk City,IA. It took us a little bit to find the access road which was long enough for other people to get the same idea. Things got to be a little crowded...especially since I wasn't real positive about my casting skills. I know what I need to do now. Go fishing when everyone else is at work,or practice casting over and over.
A very skilled fisherman remarked at how the fish had been biting a week ago in the pool below the spillway. Several boats were taking advantage of the water in the middle. I think they were herding the schools of fish to the northside of the pool because that is where the fisher people were first to start getting strikes.
The picture below is one of the most noted bridges found in Central Iowa. It is referred to as "The Mile Long Bridge", spanning the Saylorville Dam, at the west edge of Polk City. It was the backdrop to our second and final fishing spot for the day.
Mother's Day here at Timber Life was spent with the man I chose to be the Father of my children. It was a very nice day...;)
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Joining the Morel Mushroom Hunters
Ahhh, 4:00 in the afternoon rolled around yesterday. The bird sound went off on the wall clock and Sadie headed for the door to go outside. I pulled myself away from the Office Professional Word 2007 individual studies I have been working on...Away we went!
This week,the week before Mother's Day, is usually the week we start seeing morels here,then it seems to end abruptly at that point, or we stop looking. It took me a while to find them. I went to the place that has been the most productive since we moved here and started searching.
As you can see they are hiding out of view. I removed some vegetation before snapping a couple of pictures.
The timber has been holding moisture, a down slope from the tillable ground has brought the water to the surface .
Sadie and I felt pretty good after our romp in the woods. She found the water and had a good mud-pack going on;I found some mushrooms to put on the table for supper. What a great way to end the day?!? ;)
Sunday, May 3, 2009
Stinging Nettles Anyone?
Yes, you heard me. Stinging Nettles - What do you know about them? Other than they can give you a serious prickly sensation after you come in contact with them.
It is a multi-faceted plant when it comes to practical uses. Not only are stinging nettles edible but you can make beer, garden fertilizer, nutritional supplements, folk medication, shampoos,skin care products and using the fiber. Only most of us aren't aware of what it can do for us - we consider it an invasive menace. It has been used in Europe,Asia and Northern Africa for centuries.
Last week I harvested some new spring leaves and cooked them up just like spinach. The instructions I found said to use the first growth of the spring. Plants are not to be more than a foot tall, using the leaves only from the top four inches. Unlike cooked spinach the leaves didn't become limp but had texture. Yes, the "sting" was removed.
Find out more about Urtica dioica here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stinging_nettle
Sunday Morning Praise
As world events, turmoil in my own State & our Country seem to keep tumbling out of control. I run to the source of my faith...Jesus the Son of God said that life wouldn't be smooth sailing,that tribulation would be par for the course.
However, he came to give us hope.
There are times when the creature has this innate need to offer Praise and Thanksgiving to the creator. Internal peace from insecurity in the world's system can be gained because his promises remain the same Yesterday, Today and Forever...
Friday, May 1, 2009
Fishing Choices at Timber Life
It is time to plan a fishing outing now that my "Pink" Roddy Hunter LED Lighted Reel&Rod has arrived.
When I ordered I wasn't satisfied with just one fishing pole so I looked around over at Mik Lurch's website www.miklurchtackle.com and found a ladyfish spincasting combo by Shakespeare that I wanted to try too. One way or another it looks like I will get a line in the water.
Once,I wasn't to sure about using pink on my fishing expeditions,but the idea has grown on me after being introduced to it by Jody over at The Hunter's Wife. I can't possibly let Kristine at Outdoor Bloggers Summit/Hunt Smart Think Safety and Marian over at Marian's Hunting Stories,etc...,etc...,etc... have ALL the fun since they too are proud owners of the Roddy Hunter rod&reel combo.
Last weekend when I visited Gun and Reel Sports in Jamestown,ND. I picked up the beginnings to start filling a tackle box. Son-in-law Justin Schnackenberg gave me some tips on stuff that has worked for him. So,walking the fishing supply isles we found some of the basics in his opinion.
The more I look at my fishing poles and tackle as I work on this post...The more I want to decide which direction I am going to go to put them in the water. www.iowadnr.gov/news/currentfish.html
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Jamestown, ND Flooding
(Thanks to Justin Schnackenberg for catching this helicopter in action) While we were enjoying our visit to Jamestown,ND. last weekend we were keeping an eye to the sky,the sandbag walls,and earthen dikes. Flooding has been a very serious concern in Jamestown as well as the whole State of North Dakota. In good times the Jamestown Dam and Pipestem Reservoir are great fishing spots. However, this year with large amounts of snow and ice,now rain, the ground is saturated with nowhere for the extra water to go except overland. The clean-up at Pipestem is already being planned to get it opened for all the anglers wanting to get back to the important business of fishing. "First time" records are being set for the Jamestown Dam.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Gun&Reel Sports
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