This past week, I have been spending time at our cabin in the north woods and am enjoying every moment of it. I actually headed north to work on the cabin and hopefully get in a little fishing. Mission accomplished!
I finished the work that I had planned on doing and still found the time to relax. I am actually writing this column from that little piece of heaven in the woods.
I don’t think there is anything more relaxing than watching various birds busily go about their business and filling their bellies. We now have five chipmunks that are also regulars at the feeders; there were originally only three, but two more have now joined the festivities.
The last two are no doubt young ones because they still don’t quite understand the concept. One in particular figured out how to get onto the feeder after a few failed attempts and falls to the ground.
I am sure the critter was pretty proud of that accomplishment. Unfortunately it had no clue as to how to get off of said feeder.
While on the deck, I heard a small “thump” and spotted the little guy on the ground shaking its head. After that I watched as it once again mounted the feeder.
When it had finished loading its cheeks, it jumped off and made another thump as it hit the ground. I think it took about two days for him to figure out that jumping to the tree was a much less painful way to dismount. Even so, he still manages to fall off from time to time.
There is a lot to be said about just relaxing and watching nature. On the second night after I had gone to bed, I awoke to a noise by the feeder.
When I looked out, I could see the silhouette of a raccoon on the branch above the feeder, trying to open the lid. It sensed my presence and took off down the hill.
On the second night, I was just too tired to hear anything. So in the morning, I discovered that the critter had slid the glass up and off one side of the feeder and emptied it without breaking anything.
I have to give that coon credit for being pretty smart. The last time that I saw said coon, he was at the feeder with a much larger coon. Apparently, he had to bring Dad along to show him the dumb human that keeps feeding him.
I was determined to “outsmart” that coon, so with one of the feeders almost empty, I decided to put the other one in the back of the pickup safe from harm’s way. I have to admit that I was feeling pretty brilliant, as he wasn’t about to open that topper.
But, when I awoke in the morning, I found that the joke was once again on me. It seems that a mouse had found its way into the back of the pickup during the night and helped itself to most of the black oil sunflower seeds that seem to be the favorite of almost all critters that live in the Northwoods.
During the week, I spent some time fishing on a couple of my favorite lakes. One lake that is only a couple of miles down the road is a very good northern lake. It didn’t disappoint.
After going through an assortment of lures in my tackle box, I finally stumbled onto the right combination of colors, pink and white to be exact. I proceeded to catch a couple of small pike at first.
Then I caught one that wasn’t huge by any stretch of the imagination, but it was about 23-inches long and very thick. I immediately thought “supper” because I was really getting tired of hotdogs.
There is nothing better than fish fresh out of the lake and into the skillet with some fried potatoes on the side. This one fish was larger than I had estimated. I will be bringing the rest home to share with Jean.
I can’t express the feeling that I get while spending time in the woods on a late summer day, where even those warm days give a hint of what’s to come. There are subtle hints of fall as the maple and aspen are already turning color.
I always have mixed feelings when I embrace the onset of fall, which is my favorite season. It’s hard to describe the warm feeling I get, as I watch Mother Nature splash the forests and adjoining countryside with a multitude of colors. I also feel a little sadness when I realize that fall signals the end to another summer season.
I guess that is what they mean when they say someone is in the autumn of their years. Oh well, I know that I’ll be making at least one more trip to the cabin in October to enjoy the woods and lakes another time before I call it a year.
While fishing on one of my favorite lakes this past week, I reflected on how lucky I was to be there sitting in my small fishing boat (which seems to be my favorite boat to fish from lately, especially when I am fishing alone). I think it makes me feel more like I am one with nature, as it has no depth finder and the only fish finder is what is sitting in my old brown tackle box.
That box is actually one that my Mom and Dad had given to Brian on his birthday one year. Eventually, he got a new one and I claimed his old brown one and although I have bigger and supposedly better ones now, I still use this one most of the time.
If you ever fished with me you’d wonder how I could ever possibly get that much stuff into that small an area.
It’s much like cleaning out the garage – I was looking for one of these about thirty years ago, so I’d better hang onto it. I know that the old brown tackle box holds more than fishing tackle; it’s also full of many good memories.
Until next time, take a little time to step back and take in some of the wonders that nature has to show us.
Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the great freedoms that we have today.