Jen

Sent you a PM oarfish ...

Winter Wounderland

love the blind ...awesome report

Really really warm clothes... I spent Monday in a boat on the Lower Niagara and even in our unseasonably warm weather as of late it got chilly...

Hey G,

With all of the allergies Liam has could it be something you are eatting. I know that when I cut carbs out of my diet I find I have a ton more energy... might be worth a shot, reduce all carb intake... No more McClays, but PC has a 2.5 carb alternative that isn't so bad... try it for a week and see how you feel...

Hope that it doesn't take too long to work this out for you. Nothing is worse than trying to make it through the day everyday!

Cheers,

Jen

Awesome place T.J. ... Your kids will remember every moment and that pic of the little one cleaning the birds is going to come back to haunt you when she is older... LOL

Great post. Thanks for sharing your little piece of heaven.

Cheers

Jen

Being a realtor in the Greater Hamilton Area I pay close attention to the market and trends. It would be very difficult to comment on your question not knowing the area, value of homes, future planning etc. Your best bet to get an accurate idea of what is happening with the value of your home is to call up a local agent and have them do a Current Market Analysis on your property/home. They are usually free but keep in mind do entail a great deal of research and work... so if you eventually list it is always a good idea to look at the agent that was willing to do the analysis for you.

Cheers,

Jen

Those pictures are exactly why I feel the way I do about both fishing and Hunting... The beauty of what is around us everyday gets missed when our lives are hectic... You captured a beautiful memory.

Too bad about the lack of geese but then there is lots of time left in the season for a couple I am sure.

Cheers,

Jen

Moments you will treasure for many many years to come... Never forget the simplicity in life... not only did we see it in Liam's enjoyment but we heard it in your laughter... That my friend is PURE JOY! Not something you can plan or buy, just something that happens when one is taken by a moment.

What a beautiful moment in your life to share... Thank you for reminding all of us what being a parent and letting the simple things just happen.

Cheers,

Jen

Me Me... Don't forget ME in the morning Sonny... and that would be WE if anyone wins... hehehe

You always forget my expertise and advice helps you win these things...

I freeze at the best of times so when I was looking for something to not only keep me warm but cool I picked these. With neoprene the fit just wasn't right and the breathables with the boots built in didn't fit my feet... so I went with stocking foot and bought boots one size bigger than my foot so that I could layer on socks...

So far so good, they keep me dry, and warm , although not a fashion statement I am very very happy with my purchase.

When we met and talked in the summer time you told me about the chamber you would be having to spend the better part of your days in... WOW, I had no idea that it would look like that... truly not what I pictured... Thank you , not only for sharing the visual journey of your challenges but for having the forethought to share the emotional one as well. I am sure this post above all others will bring second thought to anyone who was maybe wondering if there was something wrong, wasn't feeling well, or was waivering when it came to booking a check up at the doctors...

You must have an angel on your side Steve.

May your everyday be filled with joy!

Always

Jen

Congrats on your first voyage... I read your posts and think about all the things that you have done/accomplished in such a short period of time and am in awe.

Does anything stop you guys? I have to say I would have been a little nervous on my first trip out in a newly aquired boat... not to mention the weather wasn't perfect... Do tell?? Do you get that feeling in the pit of your stomach wondering, worrying?? LOL, somehow I think the water and fishing all just comes naturally to the both of you... Dang, look at you with your feet up!

Have fun guys, be safe and for gawds sake keep posting... you inspire me!

Cheers,

Jen

Better late than never

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday to you!

Happy Birthday dear Mike......................

Happy Birthday to you!

Hope you had an awesome day

Cheers

Jen

Go to "my controls" at the top of the page and make sure you have the picture under your avatar rather than under your personal photos... Just a thought!

Hope it helps

cheers and Good Morning

Jen

Thanks so much everyone for all your comments... I took them to heart and sent off a couple of letters... again thank you for the encouragement and advice... but mostly for all your acceptance and wonderful inspiration!

There is a perch Steve ,however, I am certain with your skill you will be able to catch an even bigger one. I am still trying for the bragging rights, although it seems that most interest has worn off...

Give it a try, what can you lose .... there is so much to gain.

Will look for your post ...

Cheers

Jen

I was thinking the exact same thing about sticking my fingers in those cats mouths... OUCH

And nope, I won't be swimming there anytime soon!

Cheers

Jen

Those are some amazing photographs... wow...

Nice fish too... but wow how crisp and clear

Great post

Cheers

Jen

I have been wondering since you left how the hunt went for you this year. Great Post... the added shots at the end make it a total wrap up... lol

Glad you enjoyed yourself

Cheers,

Jen

When you take the bull by the horns sometimes it works out rather well.

Discovering this wonderful world of fishing and hunting has been that kind of challenge for me.

Predominately a male world finding ones place is often difficult. There are a few people you encounter along the way that grin, nod and then silently chuckle as they walk away... women + fishing and hunting... just don't mesh... The reason for this thought is still escaping me...What has not escaped me is the sheer beauty in what I have been missing all these years.

The sounds I never heard ( birds everywhere - ducks, geese, black birds, crows...the hum of wings as they fly overhead. Fish breaking the surface of still water or waves crashing against shore)

The sunrises and sunsets I have never noticed ( dew rising off of the grass in the early morning hours or coating it as dark quickly approaches)

The smell of the trees, forests, lakes... not to mention the smell of a goose still warm after you have dropped it from the sky. ( I had never even considered that a bird would smell like something)

No wonder one yearns to fish or hunt. It isn't about the catch or the kill, it isn't about putting food on the table or in the freezer, it isn't about the competition...what I have discovered atleast for me is- it is about finding peace in yourself, understanding the world around you, and appreciating what is in your own backyard.

It takes a great deal of effort to slow down in life long enough to actually see the beauty that is all around us.

Pictures can not describe adequately what one has felt and learned from an experience however they allow you to share a little of what was. (some may find them too graphic and may not want to continue reading this post) I wish I could find the words to explain what I feel inside. The closest I can come to the perfect words would be AMAZEMENT, AWE and RESPECT for what I didn't used to see and now am trying to understand.

Yesterday began with the alarm going off at 5:00am. I had decided to go deer hunting ( in a tree stand with a cross bow). It wasn't long before I woke enough to realize it was pouring down rain which means I had an excuse to bail on myself. So back to sleep. When I woke hours later I kicked myself for not at least trying. My goal for the day would be to make an effort and hunt... looks like convincing someone to go duck / goose hunting would have to be my next endeavor.

I have chosen a mentor to learn from in regards to hunting. Reading all the books, learning all you can from talking to others is definitely not enough to teach you how to hunt. There are so many things books won't teach you. Steve aka Fishmaster was willing to teach me what I needed to know by tagging along while he hunts.

Farmer relations come first and it is one of the things you can not learn about in books. You need to find a place to hunt before you can actually hunt. Thats your first step. Pay attention to where the animals are and then get permission to hunt them there. All of this is extremely time consuming but well worth the effort.

A thanks to all the farmers out there that allow hunters access to their land... and this is where my story begins.

Steve and I drove over to talk to a farmer about hunting his property, this was around 3:45pm last evening. Once permission was granted we went to get our hunting gear ready.

Hunting jacket and pants, (thankfully for me they are of the waterproof variety as it was pouring rain, we won't even mention the mud) boots, steel shot, gun, licenses and decoys....packed and to the edge of the field by 5:10.

A slow walk in and we are set up by 5:35pm... This is when we are able to finally start to slow our breathing and heart rate. Our bodies acclimatize to our surroundings and we are able to hear things I didn't even know were there moments before.

We are sitting at a small pond in the middle of a freshly cut corn field, 500 yards from a hardwood bush and probably a mile in from the road. There is a light rain falling as Steve starts calling in the ducks flying overhead. "SHH don't move, keep your head down"... moments later we hear their chatter as they circle, the whoosh of their wings as they drop to come in, and then Steve whispers the word "NOW".

Pulling up my gun I fire! Steve is shooting to the left, I have right...(all of this decided before we even reach the pond on our walk out) backs to one another, 3 rounds each... I drop one bird on the first shot, missed on the second and took two on the third... The problem with doing that is watching where your birds fall. I suppose that is training and time as I could only keep my eyes on one. Steve took two over the water on his first shot then another on his second shot missed on his third, quickly loaded one more shell in his gun and dropped the fourth and last duck from the sky over the field beside the pond. There where geese coming in... we still have not collected the ducks that fell and we are reloading. Drop to one knee and again wait... they are close, I can hear them... wings cocked to land they change their minds... maybe the ducks floating in the pond have spooked them and they take off. Three shots and very slowly one of the very graceful geese drops gradually from the sky. The thing is, he has done this two fields and a very deep ditch away from where we are. Time for a hike... ( at this point in time I have only shot birds out of the sky...never had to go after one that was injured... a little instruction on what to do from Steve and I was off.)

When I got to the ditch I realized it was fenced and much deeper than I had originally anticipated... found an opening, managed to transverse it with my gun and came up on the other side. This field has winter wheat planted in it, about 4 inches high so I can easily see the goose looking at me 400yards away... It is injured and can not fly but it can run. I am sure what followed would have been extremely comical to anyone watching. Me chasing a goose around a field... I missed on the first and second shots and finished it on the third, I could hear Steve giggling, but head shots on a small moving (running) bird are not easy, this being the first time I have ever had to shoot something that was looking at me made it even more difficult. That was a thought filled experience all in itself.

Once I was back to the pond with the goose we had 4 Mallard Drakes, 1 Mallard Hen, 1 Black Duck, 1 Goose and one bird not accounted for.

As the sun began to set we saw several other flocks coming in to take a look but none landed. The remainder of the evening was spent in quiet thought waiting for what may or may not come next.

At sunset we collected our decoys, put our ducks on the carrier and headed back to the truck.

There was still lots to be done.

A quick dinner, cup of very strong coffee and it was time to clean our birds.

Started with plucking mine... hmmm it wasn't as easy as I had thought it would be... but I preservered... I wanted at least one duck that looked like the ones you see in the grocery store... (creature of habit and all ) The rest we skinned... gutted, washed and washed more... but I learned a lot... As this time I took the time to look at how a duck works inside... Lungs, heart, quacker...now that is one amazing little bone.

All said and done, I now have the confidence, knowledge, and experience to be able to go duck/goose hunting all on my own. A huge thanks to Steve aka Fishmaster for having the patience and taking the time to teach me all that could not be learned in books.

Just a note here... Steve took Zoe out to that field/pond this morning in search of the duck we could not find before dark last night - She quickly found and retrieved it... what an advantage it is having a dog that is trained to hunt.

Cheers

Jen

I am sure you will find it much more interesting than just reading your dads input and others responses... Welcome, I look forward to your posts...

Cheers

Jen

Collins works for me as well, but then anywhere in Hamilton would ...

I rent a couple of places a year... although I love the creature comforts of cottages, what I have found is the lakes they are on do not tend to yeild many fish. Over population and fishing may have something to do with that. From looking at the pictures that you have posted the prospectors tent seems like a solution to many of the concerns one might have while camping in regards to bugs, food storage and preparation and allow for you to see a very quick return on atleast your taxes every year.

Would love to see some inside pictures and a screened porch on the front for card playing in the evenings as well as a reduction of bugs inside ... your idea is a very good one... although let me say this

I have 70 acres up north with a trailer and 10x10 bunkie... in the 10 years I have owned it, I have offered my family/friends the use of it... but because there is no hydro ( run off generators) they have never once taken me up on the offer... seems the more work involved in using a place the more ppl shy away from feeling confident enough to spend their vacation time there.

Consider making it as user friendly as possible and if you go this route, put me on the list for a week definately.

Cheers and good luck

Jen

I tend to agree with you Gerritt