A Lot Of Stuff

Through most of that first spring,
All Sam did was to walk round
his property introducing himself
to his rocks and trees and
some of the birds.
They thought he was alright.

Sam got to thinkin',though,
that winter might be kinda tough.
So he took that old truck
down to some construction sites
in Knoxville and brought back loads
of scrap lumber.
The carpenters laughed about not havin'
to pay for cleanup.

When he had what he figured was enough,
Sam got to lookin' real close
at the layout of that big red oak,
bought some tools,
and went to work.
Three months later,
he had four rooms around the trunk,
and a porch stickin' out from the kitchen.
The bedroom was upstairs for the view.
For a minute or two,
he even considered puttin' in electricity,
but decided it might work against
the place's natural energy.

After it was all done,
Sam rocked back on his heels,
looked everything over,
said,"it's good".


By: Vol Lindsey

Ice Fishing

Haven't done any of this for a few years. Me and a friend have been having some luck catching sunfish primarily. He did lose a nice catish which broke his line just as he was pulling it thru the hole in the ice. Using a rubber jig with a wax worm on the hook. They are very good eating at this time of year.
The weather is supposed to warm up in the next few days, so the ice may be thinning up. The lack of really cold weather like they have up north sort of limits the amount of time we can enjoy this sport here in Missouri. X.

Zeus

We've added to our critters. Meet Zeus. He's a five month old Boxer with huge feet. If he grows into the feet he will be close to 100 lbs. by my estimation. Our other dog, Greta is a female Boxer and probably weighs 55 lbs. She is five years old and seems to be happy to have a playmate. Although he is already about her size, she still is the boss and lets him know it. X.

Hell's Snails

A little slow humor;^) X.

Getting Along

"It is never to late to give up your prejudices."
Henry David Thoreau

This picture says it all. X.

Grandad's Fly Rod

Some of my best memories as a child growing up, were times I spent with my grandad Buckman. The one I called "dad". My love for the sport of fishing, I owe to him. Every time he would have a break in his workday on the farm, he would haul me off to the river or a neighbors farm to go fishing.
If you are familiar with fishing tackle, you know that a fly rod is primarily used to fish with artificail flies and lures. Grandad's only tackle was a fly rod. And he used it for everything but artificail flies. His favorite was live bait of some form or another. Using the fly rod in this way was a little unorthodox. Especailly for river fishing where we were after catfish and carp. But this worked for him and was how he wanted to fish.
Of all the years I've been a fisherman, I've yet to encounter someone using a fly rod in the manner that my grandad used his. He was a unique individual, and I guess that is what this post is about. Not his fly rod. He was a free spirit and never a follower. He cut his own path thru life as he saw fit.
He had a dairy. It required that he get up early every morning. When I stayed there during the summer, Sam and I would get up early with grandad to do the milking chores. One morning I woke up and went downstairs and was waiting my turn to get in the bathroom. Out pops grandad in his birthday suite. It startled me, for it was just another side of that free spirit I had never seen. I guess I had invisioned grandad sleeping in long johns or something like that.
I gained more than a love of fishing from him. He showed me that we all have choices in life, and that we should follow 'our' heart and not someone else's heart or wishes or lifestyle. X.

The Truck

For a little while
Sam lived in a tent
about halfway between the tree and the crick
just sorta camped there all spring,
eating from a campfire,
and drinking that cold crick water.
Said, "Wish them elves could see me now."

Along about June third,
Sam went to a little country store
to stock up. That's where he saw the truck.
It used to be blue,
and some of it still was.
Paid that boy a hundred and fifty dollars
and drove it home,
while Billy had a good laugh
with old man Morton,
but Sam knew what he was doing.
Says, "the driveway cost more'n the
damn truck."


By: Vol Lindsey