bigugli

Fish head soup? Share it, I'll make it! Hopefully without actual pike fish heads... Lol don't think SWMBO would appreciate it, but she loves fish!!

G

Simple to do. I'm only guessing on measures because we have never actually measured out or written the recipe. Growing up in Gram's kitchen, you learned. Recipe can be done without the stock, simple adding 2-3 qts water instead. Makes a milder, (not as full, in my opinion) flavour. The fish heads are strictly for making your stock. Done the night you clean your fish. Last time around it was 2 dozen perch heads, tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper, pinch of garlic, 1/2 dozen allspice balls simmering in 2-3 qts. water for about 1 hr, or reduced by half. Pour into fine strainer, and there is your stock.

Get 2 fine chopped onion, saute til soft in 2 tbsp butter. Pour in stock and add 1/2 a celery stem diced, 1 large peeled carrot diced, 4-5 large taters, in 1" cubes, and 1/2 dozen more whole allspice (When kids see them in the bowl, you tell them those are the fish eyes). Slow boil for 20 minutes.

Now the good stuff. We used pike because that was the easiest way to cook pike. My folks never fileted pike. Add 2lbs boneless filets of any white fish, I'll also add clams with juice, small shrimp, scallops, seafood medley, whatever floats your boat. Let that simmer 10 minutes. To this you the add 2 qts. Milk and cream, mixed to how rich you want it. Add a little more salt and pepper to taste if desired. This will still need to cook another 15 minutes on lower heat. Stir constantly. When it's this thick it sticks to the bottom real easy. You should wind up with a gallon of hearty goodness.

It's a tough spot to be in Mike. You want your children to be able to make their own decisions on life, but you want them to make those decision based on reasoned argument, not propaganda. Sadly children are easy to sway with emotional arguments. And someone has stuck their hand in there real good.

It's a real tough one for you for a couple of different reasons. Your daughter is going to speak on the evils of hunting, and you write for the "enemy". You are being "outed" as it were, by your daughter.

Any fight with your wife regarding your daughter's best interests is a forlorn hope. Even if you are right, you are damned for eternity for interfering. Been there done that. Better set up the camp bed out in the man cave or garage.

Glad to see it move back to the March break. The difference in vendor fees is not that great.

And even if you get through, the advice given by phone is often anything but accurate. I've been burned following the instructions from the helpline. The only thing that saved me from a big fine was that I had written down, date, time, and name of the persons I spoke with, and had written down the instructions I was given.

Last spring I buggered up the tendons in the wrist and forearm from all the casting and jigging I was doing. Spent a large part of the later spring and summer wearing a support. Even with the support there were a couple of days of jigging on Biscotasi that were brutal.

March through to May I spend a lot of time chasing panfish. May I have cats carp pike and walleye to focus on. Bass opener these days is more of a non event. Far too many down here chase then before opener with all sort of lame excuses.

Dried, salted/flaked cod are a European staple, but I've never been a big fan whether it be Italian bacala al sugo, or it be Scandinavian lutefisk in creme sauce.

However I do get a hankering for Dutch lekkerbekes or kibblings like what I get at St Jakobs market. Usually, one helping just isn't enough.

Anything served on pollenta has got to be delish!

I like dishes with polenta, but polenta does not agree with me. A tad too heavy.

Automatic fail with the health unit, or with H&S inspectors

It's a toss up for me. On the one hand there's my Gram's "Fish Head Soup" . A versatile white chowder that works with just about any seafood or fish. It has been a fine end result for thousands of hapless pike over the decades.

It's also hard to top a good old bushman's/farmer's breakfast with all the trimmings. Bacon and sausage, maybe some peameal or ham. Finnish pancakes rolled up with jam. Scrambled eggs, panfried fish and taters and big steaming jugs of coffee.

I build musky baits thru the winter. sad part go in the shop its dark out. return trip its dark again. .

Perfect activity for them cold days. If it stays above -5C I'll go to the shed and cast a few hundred pieces of lead. Colder than that, I stay in, painting and tying. I've only been out on the ice once this winter.

A very talented actor. Dragging around an anchor like Shatner didn't help his career either.

I was wondering the same. Over the past week and a bit, Judy has received most her test results, all negative, over the phone. No extra trip to the cancer clinic. No lost day for us. No waste of booking space for a very busy cancer clinic.

The snow and cold are just part of winter. The front of the house is piled pretty high with snow, and I've had to dig a path in the backyard for the dogs to run.

The toughest part of this winter is keeping my 10 year old clunker running. It seems every trip to the cancer clinic either coincides with snow or a bitter cold alert.

If I have to stay indoors, not so bad. Don't have much time for ice fishing. Been too busy casting jigs on the warmer days outside, and tying and painting when it's colder. Lots of orders to fill and 2 upcoming fishing shows are keeping me very busy.

And we have more squalls this afternoon.

 

The more interaction your dog has with other dogs, wildlife, livestock, etc the more risk there is to contract something

 

I've always thought it odd that most kennels and dog sitters require paperwork for vacs, but groomers don't seem to ask

Actually, a number of groomers, the reputable ones, will insist on records of vaccination. Ours does, as does the local Petsmart.

Down here we got lots of snow on the roofs. Worse is the 4-6ft daggers hanging from many an eavestrough.

How the hell does a mass that size suddenly appear in only 3 weeks!! Somebody missed something last time around. I would be more than livid if that happened to Judy.

funny the regional difference, only 1.5 hours away (grand valley) and the opposite is true for the snowfall. i didnt see the blacktop on my road between end of november and beginning of march last winter.

December and January was a repetitious cycle of snow, freeze, melt. In the first 1/2 of February I've shoveled 10 days. Right now I'm looking out at another mini blizzard as i type.

Despite the forementioned news, we have some good news, and some not so good news. After all the testing, Judy is, touch wood, cancer free. That is one sigh of relief. On another note, one kidney has shrunk. Possibly related to the kidney problems she experienced during chemo. lastly, Judy is not a candidate for reconstructive surgery, and that really has the Mrs upset.

On another note, in the chair beside my wife was a fellow angler I had not heard from in months. I was really taken aback.

Sadly, I heard this evening that he did not make it. Over the course of Judy's treatments. Mazz's sessions often overlapped. We got to talk a fair bit about fishing. It was a welcome distraction for both of us, I guess. His wife and Judy would talk about other things . Stopped hearing from Barry before the summer, and kind of guessed the rest.

Mazz was an avid angler, and a good man to talk with. I know he will be missed by many.

Last year winter started early and with a vengeance. This year at least in my neck of the woods winter didn't get really bad until the end of January. I've been suffering for about a month now. Last year at this time I'd been suffering for three solid months.

Later for sure in Niagara this year. A lot of up and down temps from November to January. We certainly have a lot more snow this year. Now at the point we can't even get out to harvest the remaining 1/2 field of pussy willow stems

Yep. Always one in the bag one in the boat now

Don't forget the duct tape.

Buddy and I were fishing in a canoe for bass. He made a bad cast. Felt this "whomp" and then this orange and brown rubber worm with a sinker came into view hanging down over my left eye.

 

The 3/0 hook was embedded into my forehead past the barb. Tried to pull the hook out but it would not budge.

 

We had to pack up and head in to the Minden hospital. The doctor removed the hook and added it to his collection which hangs on the office wall under glass.

They've gotten a few hooks from my family, self included, over the decades.

I take my dog to my dads when the farm vet comes to do the horses. 3 year rabies and the full works every year. Why risk it with your best friend. But city vets are expensive, full works for 4 horses, 3 dogs and 2 cats usually runs 400 and change. Plus my 90 dollar scrip for revolution. In the city it seems it's 300 to walk in the door at a vet.

That says it all right there. Our vet is a tried and true old fashioned, no nonsense horse doctor. A darned good one too! Would not want to take a dog to any other.

Casey is with me at the farm most days I go out. He hunts mice, voles, rats, rabbits while I work my veggie plots. Just never know what a rodent is carrying.