Journey Into Spring: April 10, 2019

We get a warm day so we slip over to Griffy and catch some bluegill.

When One Bluegill Is the Perfect Trip

This was today. We went to Griffy Lake for bluegill. Sebastian caught one pretty quickly--though it took him forever to winch it up to the deck. After making sure its throat was okay (it might have been okay, I don't know) he posed for the happy shot. Then just after I got the hook baited again he was ready for the next event on the agenda: going to the park to "make some new friends." Sounds good to me, Buddy.

Instant Fun: Just Add Water

You get the cousins together for a fishing trip and you never know what might happen. Well, you have a pretty good idea. The kids just gradually sank into the lake up to their necks. After awhile a very stern young woman came out of the boat house to tell us that swimming was NOT ALLOWED. So they waded out and we got down to some fishing. The bluegill were hungry and everyone caught some. It ended up that the littlest cousin, who hadn't caught a fish in his life, caught the biggest one. Another kid hooked on fishing.

Signs of Life Everywhere

Off to Griffy for another adventure with Sebastian. It's a beautiful day and we put in some time getting serious about catching a fish.

But alas, we can't get even a nibble. No one else has been having much luck there either. Sebastian begins to dig deeper into one of his favorite topics: the relationship between rocks and water.

He pulls a big rock out from the shoreline. He's about to throw it to see how big a splash it will make when he notices something curious.

He calls me over to take a look. What are those gelatinous orbs attached to the underside?

We think they're frog's eggs. I begin to tell him what I know about the life cycle of frogs and am pleased to hear that they've already talked about that at his preschool. I say he can throw it in now if he wants but he carefully puts it back where he found it.

We decide to hike and while I'm packing up the fishing gear he responds to some ancient archetypal urge in the human spirit and leaves his mark on the rock. Signs of life everywhere.

Spring continues to unfurl in the woods.

Sebastian is patient while I stop to take photos.

He even helps me look for new wild flowers and finds the prize of the day: red trilliums.

We head for the truck and now I have to be patient while Sebastian pursues the art of climbing. 

I think maybe someday he'll make it back to the truck and never touch the ground.

Last Fishing Trip Ever?

Another Griffy fish and hike. He caught a fish, but he most wanted to catch a frog in the woods. I thought that would be impossible. But there it was hopping through the dead leaves, and he caught it. As for the fishing, since this trip he has told me that he doesn't want to fish anymore. Said, "I HATE fish!" More a comment, perhaps, on how much he would rather go to the playground at the park these days. He has loved making new friends there. At my age, I'm content to have my best friends be fish, but that's not something to encourage in a four-year-old.

A Few of My Favorite Things

These are a few of my favorite things on an August afternoon at Griffy.

Girls' (and Boys') Day Out

My granddaughter Iris started kindergarten a couple of weeks ago. Before the first day of school she and her Mom had a Girls' Day Out on which Iris could choose to do whatever she wanted. She chose to go fishing!

Laura called me up and asked if they could borrow some fishing stuff. On the big day, just before they were going to come by and pick it up, she called me again. Iris had decided that maybe they needed some expert advice along with the equipment. So she wanted to invite me to go along!

Attagirl!

Sebastian just happened to be free that day so he was invited, too.

We went to Griffy Lake. There were some green night crawlers left, so we baited up with those and went at it.

Then the inevitable happened.

They both got wet almost up to their necks. Sweatshirts were called for.

With that done Iris got down to fishing. She was willing to get a little assistance, but she wanted to learn to cast on her own. Sebastian was willing to let her use his rod. Thanks. Sebastian.

She really worked at it. At first her casts came straight back at where I'm standing to take these shots. She also hung up consistently in a big sycamore 5 yards off her right shoulder.

But it wasn't long before she was getting off some beautiful arcing casts way out in front of her.

We weren't having a lot of luck, even though we were getting some nibbles and pulls. Then Laura finally caught a fish. Iris helped her land it.

How did Laura ever hook this one?

Sebastian was getting antsy to go hiking. Iris wanted to keep fishing. So we split up for awhile.

Then it was lunch. Iris took some photos. About a million. It's what she's been doing since I put my point and shoot in her hands when she was two. I picked out two that I really like. Her cousin Sebastian...

And the sky as we drove back to our house.

It was a wonderful time.

Oh, and Iris loves kindergarten.