No fly fishing as my back just won't tolerate the casting stroke right now so sorry there is no fish porn. I am fortunate just to be able to get out and walk albeit along the easy hiking trails and slowly at that. Carrying the camera has become a chore as well.

One good thing about not being able to fish is that I am able to sit and observe very closely the conditions of the lake and it's surroundings. I am really enjoying watching the wildlife, the folks with their kayaks, other people fishing and got a really good study of this water after it's flooding from tropical storm Lee. The lake rose about 3.5 feet nearly taking my canoe off of its moorings. I am getting a good idea of the amount of time it takes the water to clear up from such an event.

Well I did get to see a show from mother nature. The chilly weather seems to have sped things up a bit. I am seeing an early touch of fall colors so I think they will be very nice this year. I watched various waterfowl come and go the realized I was seeing the return of the Northern Loons. Next on the scene were the Bale Eagle and the ever present Canada geese. When I started to drive away from the lake I stopped to watch a large flock of Eastern Wild Turkey. Gorgeous birds! As I was sitting there I had a large Whitetail doe and her yearling cross the road within feet of the front of the car. I was hoping to see a Black Bear and the local Bobcats but no such luck on them. I saw a lot of the winter birds returning and have noticed that all of the Robins seem to be gone already fro warmer climates. No groundhogs which is strange for this time of year. All of the fur bearing critters I did see, mostly squirrels, seemed to already have their heavy winter fur. I think my friends that this may be a long, cold winter. There is a lot of food again in the forest for the critters. We have tons of walnuts, acorns, hickory nuts, pine cones, berries and etc.....

It did help to ease the fog of pain that I am in literally 24/7 now. If only I felt good enough to pick up the long rod again. Would be nice to be able to pick up some of those walnuts and hickory nuts for my own use but not this year. Some time soon I hope to be able to pick up the long rod again as there is nothing like the art of fly fishing to heal a soul. In the meantime I am thankful for what I can do. At least I can still walk along the lakeside trail, sit upon a bench beside the lake and just soak in all that goodness that is His creation.

Thanks for letting me bend your ear or eyeball, L.o.L. Perhaps next time I will take the video camera along.