Finally

 Those of you who have faithfully followed this blog over the years will surely remember that the one thing that has always been on the top of my want list has been a shinny new backhoe.  Well, I finally got one.  It isn't new nor shinny but it works like a dream.  It is an 80's Mitsubishi Satoh Buck.  It is a 3 cylinder, 18.5 horse diesel.  Other than surface rust on the loader arms; there is nothing wrong with it.

No longer will I need to turn the compost by hand.  No longer will I need to dig out stumps with a shovel.  No longer will I have to cut sod and dig trenches by hand.  No longer will I need to hire someone to burry a horse. 

Every day I've been doing something with it and I've only wrecked one wisteria arbor, which I will get around to fixing one day.  I've also dug a trench to burry a water and electric line to one of the pastures.  I cleared over a hundred feet of berry vines that were obstructing a pasture fence line.  I've turned the horse manure compost pile twice and leveled another compost pile.  I pulled a near death spruce treee out of the ground.  Soon I will re-stone the driveway and then I plan to add some drainage tiles and stone and then top coat the round pen so we can exercise the horses during the rainy winter months.

After working on this tractor for several hours yesterday I came away with the feeling that I had an excellent day and I feel I will have many more to come.

Fishing

 

One of the biggest challenges I've found in my retirement is fishing.  I grew up fishing on the east coast. I had a good grasp of fishing there and it was easy.  I'd generally go out and get my limit no matter where and when I'd go fishing.  Oddly here in Oregon I haven't developed the local skill. I have been successful on the odd occasion which only emboldens me to embrace future failure.  

When people walk by and ask if I'm catching anything, my reply is often, "I'm weeding the lake or river one cast at a time", which is often the case.

I go out mostly to relax and enjoy the outdoors.  Yes it would be nice to have a catch every once in a while, but I don't get upset when there is nothing, except the other day.  I was fishing the south side of Coffinberry Lake. I had the dock and the picnic table all to my self when along comes this guy asking if I minded him sharing the dock.  I agreed and he was a nice enough guy, but a bit on the talkative side. I don't go fishing to socialize. I know I could have moved off to regain my solidarity, but somehow there was little discomfort.

We both started off trying different lures and nothing was working, and then we both switched to Power Bait.  Suddenly this other fellow got a hit, a strong hit and then he pulled in a nice fifteen-inch trout.  On the next cast he got another, and then on his next cast, yet another.

We were casting in the same general area, using the same baits and setups.  He nailed three trout and I got none.  Was it dumb luck?  Skill?  Karma??? 

I will continue putting in my time on the lakes and streams.  Perhaps I will learn to improve my odds against the house, or hone my craft, or pay off my karmic debt, but I will not give up...yet.