Lesson Learned

The sunset last evening was a nice change from the scattered rain and low cloud cover. The night was much better than the first, not having to wake and stoke the fire multiple times. However, in not doing this, there were nothing but ashes this morning and just a slight chill in the air until I could start another fire for the morning tea. There was not much to do today, just to settle in both in my cabin and in my mind. I suppose its alright to start talking to myself, and I thought that it was peculiar at first but felt it was necessary for my thoughts to be expressed. Afternoon came quite quickly and snacking throughout the morning held my appetite at bay for a few more hours. This afternoon was filled with scattered showers, only lasting 2-5 minutes at a time, which was a relief considering my being out on the river....

You could say it was very successful, this little monster weighing in at around 5 pounds was the second cast and from there it was almost every cast....Those who have been up here or around these parts can testify to its amazing fisheries, be it lakes or rivers or streams.... just fantastic. I had a smile on my face the whole 1/2 hour I was out there, wishing the rain would let up so I could continue, but realizing that I've got tomorrow, and the next day and so on....for a while.

The air is pleasant and clean, despite the death that lays along the shore and the remains that the bears leave behind. The High Bush Cranberries are almost gone, only the tough ones remain clinging to the branches, just waiting for someone or something to pick them and enjoy. It will be a race between the bears and I to get them and savor the tart but juicy little scarlet red berries.  Tomorrow looks like it will be a nice day, and by nice I mean not freezing temperatures and no snow or heavy rain. Might just be a great day to take a hike or scout for some firewood.

So the funny story of the day is after cleaning some fish for dinner and tomorrow's breakfast, ( with which I'll have some eggs, the only 2 dozen I'll have during this time) and after getting in a quick work out I had the sauna roaring away for my makeshift shower/bath/cleaning time so I being the only person around for miles and miles, proceed to walk from my cabin to the sauna buck naked, no gun,(which I always carry), no clothes, just my towel in hand and a small bag of various soaps. I get about half way and up in the spruce tree are two Spruce Hens....Now that is an opportunity that I'd been waiting for but now with nothing to kill them with. I immediately drop all I have in my hands, running back to the cabin to grab my gun and get back before they fly off... I get the gun, run back, heart pounding making it hard to steady the sights, I can only see one of the two...so I put the sights right on, breathe, hold, BANG! DINNER!

It was a great feeling to have one bird, so off to the sauna I go with small drops of blood dripping down my leg... Cleaned up with bird in hand, I went back to dress and prepare the kill. I saved quite a few feathers for fly tying and made the legs and thighs for appetizers tonight before the fish. With a little caramelized garlic, butter and a red wine reduction they weren't half bad. Not game tasting, but slightly tough. I'll tenderize the breasts for tomorrows lunch or dinner and try it again. I learned a valuable lesson today. Never, even when bathing leave your gun behind. Never.