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Another Week in Maine-

September 17, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Another Week in Maine- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Another Week in Maine. Didn’t fish much this week, due to a number of factors out of my control, including the weather, which has become absolutely autumnal. Speaking of which, the equinox is only a few days away! For subscribers- if the photos don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

We had a full moon a few nights back. I tried to photograph it but got out too late. I wasn’t happy with the image I got, but am running it anyway.

I did fish on the pond on Monday. I was skipping a four-inch jerkbait across of the lily pads and catching bass. They blew up through those pads, man! It was awesome. I took pictures of them, covered with pads and weeds. When I got back, I went to download the pictures. Wasn’t I flummoxed to find my memory card in the card reader instead of my camera. Well, duh! So no pictures of weedy bass.

But another day I did get pictures of the weedy lake, and a tiny yellow perch. It was my first perch in many years.

Someone should make a lure in this color pattern.

Susan, Maryann, and I went to Diana’s Falls and Cathedral Ledge. The Ledge is a popular rock-climbing spot, but we cheated and drove up. The views at both places were quite different, but equally lovely.

I drove up on a curb and ripped the sidewall of my new tire. Wah! I bought a new one and had to go to Norway (Maine) to get it installed, which tied up most of a day.

Can’t be driving back to Florida with a tire like this.

Tuesday it rained most of the day, so we went food shopping and did other errands.

A cold front followed the rain. Thursday the high temperature was 63 degrees, with crisp blue skies and blustery winds, the kind of day it’s almost impossible to catch a fish on. I drove around sans female companionship, checking out my new tire and places I’d like to fish but probably never will. I even managed to catch a small bass on a 3″ shad.

The old channel of the Saco River.

Bradley Pond.

Lovell Landing, Kezar Lake. I pulled a 12″ bass out from under the dock.

I must have seen at least 50 turkeys this day.

Thursday night we went to the Brick Church for the Performing Arts in Lovell and watched the Bradley Jazz Cooperative make some wonderful music, an evening well spent.

After the concert I went onto the dock and photographed the Milky Way.

Friday was Susan’s birthday. Still 29! I don’t know how she does it.

We went to Waterford, where we had lunch at a place called Melby’s. The world’s best seafood chowder really was the best, but Melby’s is closing permanently at the end of the month.

Then we went looking for Kezar Falls Gorge, unsuccessfully. I bushwacked through the woods and found the Kezar River, but not the falls.

Then I stopped at the Fifth Kezar Pond, photographing the boat launch to add to my collection of places in Maine I won’t get to fish.

A trip to Bartlett followed, where we got a flight of cider at the Alpine Garden Winery on Route 302. We all decided we weren’t cider fans.

We went to the celebratory dinner at the Old Saco Inn, which put the wrap on a lovely day and week.

That’s the Another Week in Maine post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: bradley jazz cooperative, brick church, cathedral ledge, diana's bath, melby's eatery, milky way, saco river, yellow perch

Welcome to Maine

September 10, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Welcome to Maine- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Welcome to Maine. Again, lots of photos with captions! For subscribers- if the photos don’t load, click this link- www.spottedtail.com/blog.

A lot happened this week. I turned 70! Who’d a thunk it?

We had to change quarters, moving to what was quite an upgrade, still here in Lovell.

The new digs…

We’re not on Kezar Lake any more (although we still have access), but rather, on a small (=/- 80 acres) pond. No smallmouth in it, but chain pickerel instead.

I’ve loved these toothy critters since I was a child.

I took the kayak out after dark the other night and got four bass to three pounds on a popping bug in 30 minutes, the hottest bass fishing of the trip. Most days I go out in the mist, and quit when it burns off.

I went fly fishing with Registered Maine Guide Bob Duport, Western Mountains Fly Fishing, on the Rapid River, hoping for brook trout and landlocked salmon. Both those species like cold water. In early September the water is as warm as it gets all year. I had three bites, missed one, lost one, landed one.

At Pond in the River.

Across the pond!

Sasquatch guards the fishing hole.

Bob gives me a lesson.

It’s fly fishing only there.

The brookie I got was respectable, if not huge.

One of the master’s many fly boxes.

Susan and I went for a paddle around Kezar Lake. We came upon what I assume was a loon family. Two of them got close to us- I could see them swimming under my kayak, very cool.

I got a bass, too.

Don’t get the idea they were all big ones.

Sunset came, as it always does.

We went to the farmer’s market in Bridgton. I took a photo of a lady with a small, fuzzy dog.

We went apple picking. Some of the apples became pie. Magic!

We went to Grafton Notch State Park.

We bought a blueberry pie at a roadside stand- we are currently pie-wealthy!

That’s the Welcome to Maine post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: bob duport, brook trout, grafton notch state park, Kezar Lake, Lovell Maine, rapid river maine, western mountains fly fishing

From Vermont to Maine

September 2, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

From Vermont to Maine- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, From Vermont to Maine. Again, lots of photos with captions!

My last post ended with, “We’ll see what else plays this afternoon!” We went to the Goodsell Fossil Reef Reserve.

When most people think of “old,” as refers to our planet, dinosaurs usually come to mind. When the creatures whose fossils we saw here were alive, dry land was still barren, no life at all. The rocks and fossils we saw there are 480 million years old, and formed way before those reptiles appeared. And even at that, life on earth is relatively young in the 4,500 million-year-old history of our little rock. Gives one pause…

After leaving Grand Isle, we leisurely made our way to New Discovery State Park in the Groton State Forest, passing through Burlington and Montpelier on the way. We stopped for lunch in the capital city…

Yes, someone hung a motorcycle on the wall of this house. ????

The Long Trail runs the length of Vermont. I hiked some of it in my youth.

The state house in Montpelier.

The Vermont State Museum. It was closed for our brief visit.

Groton State Forest is the largest publicly-owned property in Vermont, with seven state parks. Although we only spent one night here, we certainly enjoyed our stay!

My wife, mountaineer.

View from the top!

Undoubtedly.

From New Discovery we crossed New Hampshire, stopping at the AMC Pinkham Notch Camp to purchase a trail map. Then it was on to Lovell, Maine.

You see little stands like this on all the back roads through New England.

Moose heads in pickup trucks, not so much. In St. Johnsbury, Vermont.

We’ll be spending the month of September here in a cabin on Kezar Lake. I purchased a Maine fishing license and wasted no time, catching a four-pound largemouth (which I foolishly did not photograph) on a Senko, and a fat smallie on a popping bug.

A Kezar Lake view.

I have access to a boat. And a kayak.

On an early morning paddle.

Those readers in Florida may be envious- it was 46 degrees here this morning.

In addition to exploring the nearby countryside, we’ve also gone on a couple easy hikes. I’m hoping I’ve still got enough lung power to attempt one of the more strenuous ones.

An amazing, big chunk of quartz on top of the mountain.

Someone carried a cast-iron bench up there, very nicely done!

That’s the From Vermont to Maine post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: AMC Pinkham Notch Camp, Goodsell Fossil Reef Reserve, Grand Isle vermont, Groton State Forest, Kezar Lake, Long Trail, Lovell Maine, Montpelier, New Discovery State Park, Vermont State Museum

Quebec City, and Blues for Breakfast

August 27, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Quebec City, and Blues for Breakfast- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, Quebec City, and Blues for Breakfast. This is a long post- my apologies.

When last we met, the Kumiskis had spent a day in Montreal. We returned the next day for a second round. The parking garage we had used, at 25$C, was closed. We went to the next one. They wanted 35$C. I thought 25 bucks was a little high. Thirty-five, I turned around. We left Montreal, and ended up at a winery. Not what we wanted to do, but not a bad trade, either.

The Abenaki spent the winter in birch-bark covered structures like this.

We left Montreal the next day, heading to Quebec City. On the way we stopped at the Abenaki Museum (good use of our time), and then had a wonderful lunch at a place called Le Grek, near Tres Rivieres.

The home range of the Abenaki.

Late in the afternoon we found our campsite, a fantastic place full of old apple trees and wildflowers- I counted sixteen different species of wildflowers, all in bloom! The apples had been neglected, and were all wormy, but still- very nice.

One of our campground neighbors was this nest of paper wasps.

A storm blew our screen house away and tore a screen. Susan repairs it.

The next day we visited old Quebec on our own, just wandering around the streets, taking in the sights. Although very touristy, it was fairly delightful. I wished the skies were blue for photography, but that would not happen during our stay.

At a park in Quebec City, a child runs through the fountains.

In old Quebec.

Detail from same street in Quebec.

Our best stop was the Museum of Bad Art. This is such a fantastic concept- there is so much bad art out there! It was hilarious, and fabulous, a great stop.

The day following, we met Pierre, our tour guide, at 1100. He showed our group around old Quebec, telling us about the history and architecture, things we would never have known had we not taken the tour. Did you know no one knows where Champlain is buried? Did you know no one knows what he looked like? One of the more important figures in the history of North America is a mystery and an enigma. Who’s buried in Champlain’s tomb?

Pierre the guide.

Looks like a castle, but it’s a hotel. Roosevelt and Churchill met here twice during WWll.

Quebec is still a walled city.

Flowers and street art everywhere!

We spent a day touring the Ile d’Orleans- fruit stands, fromageries (cheese manufacturers), boulangeries (bakeries), wineries, chocolatiers- oh yes, it was fun.

We bought strawberries, and maple syrup, and blueberry liqueur.

At a farm, where we bought a strawberry pie.

By an art gallery…

…as was this…

…and this.

At the fromagerie!

At our picnic stop!

We’re now at Grand Isle State Park in Vermont, on Lake Champlain. Again, yesterday we were wandering around, checking things out. I wanted to find a place to photograph the sunset. We didn’t find one, but we found the Snow Farm Winery. On Thursdays they have a free concert series, one that’s been running for 20 years! We stayed for the first set of Blues for Breakfast.

Snow Hill Winery.

Blues for Breakfast.

Friday was errands day- laundry, food, headlight repair, etc. We’ll see what else plays this afternoon!

That’s the Quebec City, and Blues for Breakfast post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: abenaki museum, blues for breakfast, champlain, grand isle state park, ile d'Orléans, museum of bad art, quebec city, snow farm winery

From Ottawa to Montreal

August 20, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

From Ottawa to Montreal- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, From Ottawa to Montreal. Most of this post is photos with captions!

For the most part, the weather has been fantastic. Upon our arrival to Montreal, however, it was 66 degrees Fahrenheit and raining. We make the best of it!

In spite of camping at some great-looking fishing spots, I haven’t been fishing. It’s killing me, but I’ll be getting back to it before long!

At Byward Market in Ottawa.

Same place, different scene.

House of Parliament, undergoing renovation.

Locks on the Rideau Canal.

Ottawa waterfront scene featuring what truly is a party barge.

Totems, National History Museum.

Totem close-up, National History Museum.

Sculpture, National History Museum.

At the National History Museum.

This is a halibut hook of the type the Northwest tribes like the Haida and Tlingit used prior to European contact. National History Museum.

Susan on a hiking trail Voyageur Provincial Park.

Bumblebee on Joe-pie weed, Voyageur Park.

Leopard frog, Voyageur Park.

Largemouth bass, Voyageur Park.

Bullfrog, Voyageur Park.

Purple asters, Voyageur Park

Voyageur Park.

Susan at the Bank du Montreal.

Mural in Montreal.

At the entrance to Montreal’s Quartier Chinois.

I had no idea what this building was. Looked like a church!

Ice cream, anyone?

One of Montreal’s oldest buildings, the Marche Bonsecours.

We’re having a small problem with the French here in Quebec province, because we don’t speak it. Fortunately, many Quebecois are bilingual! My apologies for any errors in spelling!

That’s the From Ottawa to Montreal post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: byward market, montreal, nation history museum of canada, ottawa, rideau canal, voyageur provincial park

Between Presqu’ile and Ottawa

August 13, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

Between Presqu’ile and Ottawa- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post, between Presqu’ile and Ottawa. Most of this post is photos with captions!

We had warm weather when we first got into Canada. The past few mornings have been in the low 50s (Fahrenheit), and the leaves on a few maple trees are beginning to change color.

After the drive from Hell through Toronto, we camped at Presqu’ile Provincial Park, on a peninsula into Lake Ontario.

Lake Ontario shoreline.

A family enjoys the lake.

A twelve-spotted skimmer in the marsh.

A leopard frog in the same marsh.

After leaving Presqu’ile, we traveled east to Cornwall to visit Dr. Mary Ann Perron, a research scientist at the River Institute. This extraordinary young woman went from “bush brat” (her term, not mine), running around barefoot and working in her father’s bait shop in northern Quebec, to Ph.D. in aquatic ecology. She wears shoes now 🙂 and is an expert in dragonfly identification.

Leaving Cornwall, we drove to Charleston Lake Provincial Park, an outstanding place!

Off the highway, you drive through pastoral scenery like this.

We took a ferry at Glenora.

In town, a house with an unusual paint job.

Common loon on Lake Charleston.

Common kayaker on Lake Charleston.

This large lake was very productive, with sunfish, bass, walleyes, lake trout, and more.

I believe this is a Canadian Darner, in the reeds by the lakeshore.

At a geological unconformity while on a hike in the park.

The remains of a sandstone cylinder, on the same hike.

A shoreline cedar tree clings to existence.

Our next stop was Ottawa, now one of my favorite cities. What a place! And we’re only on our second day here.

Susan and the big sign.

Clever sign at a pub. We didn’t go in!

At the National Gallery.

Inside the National Gallery. What I love about artists is that they see art in the most mundane objects!

In Major’s Hill Park. We all need more of this.

In Major’s Hill Park.

In front of the Ottawa College of Art.

Notre Dame Basilica interior.

Notre Dame Basilica interior. Rather plush, methinks.

That’s the Between Presqu’ile and Ottawa post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: canadian darner, Canadian National Gallery, common loon, glenora ferry, lake charleston, lake ontario, Notre Dame Basilica, ontario, ottawa, presqu'ile provincial park, twelve-spotted skimmer

The Canadian Canoe Museum

August 7, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

The Canadian Canoe Museum- A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post on the Canadian Canoe Museum. Located in Peterborough, Ontario, this facility has handmade vessels from all over North America. Before Europeans, before automobiles, canoes are how folks got around. I kept thinking how Tom Mitzlaff would have loved the place. I certainly did, welling with emotion repeatedly.

Canoe Museum entrance.

Paddle rack. You see this just inside the entrance, a compilation of paddle designs.

The birchbark canoe, a classic craft. A few folks still make these.

Inuit kayak, covered with sealskins, complete with hunting gear.

This is a sailing, whaling canoe, used by natives of the Pacific northwest, used for hunting gray whales. It’s an enormous dugout, made from a single log.

A piece of art- a drum made from a canoe. I foolishly failed to record the artist’s name.

A decorated birchbark canoe made by William and Mary Commanda.

Detail of the Commanda canoe.

Part of a plaque about William Commanda.

Instructions for building a birch bark canoe.

Mock-up of birch bark canoe construction.

Men used to be tougher. Blackflies have nearly driven me insane.

Rick Schuett, who hand-builds beautiful custom canoe paddles, works on one in the demonstration area of the museum. You can learn how to build paddles or canoes here.

A dugout canoe. These were built in areas where birch trees did not grow.

A beautiful board canoe, built for and used for recreation.

And as a bonus, a few highlights from our trip-

We stopped at a few wineries…

We stopped at a few farm stands, too!

An actor portrays a French soldier during the time of the French and Indian War, at Old Fort Niagara.

Niagara Falls.

My wife the angel.

A giant woodpecker near the CN Tower in Toronto.

Fishing on the Trent River, Ontario.

That’s the Canadian Canoe Museum post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: birch bark canoes, canadian canoe museum, canoe history, niagara falls, old fort niagara, ontario, paddle craft, peterborough

On Another Road Trip

July 30, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

On Another Road Trip, A Photo Essay

Thanks for reading this week’s post. Susan and I are on another road trip! I type this from a campground in western New York.

Interior, St. Mary of the Assumption Basilica, Marietta, Ohio.

Sycamore, Leith Run Recreation Area, Wayne National Forest, Ohio

Susan and Oil Well, Scenic River Trail, Wayne National Forest.

Revolutionary War Memorial, Mound Cemetery, Marietta, Ohio.

We Want Beer, Marietta Brewing Company, Ohio.

Campsite on the Ohio River, Leith Run Rec. Area.

One of many power plants on the Ohio River.

Presque Isla Environmental Center, Erie, Pennsylvania.

Susan on a Presque Isle State Park beach, Lake Erie behind her.

The Lady Kate is a Lake Erie excursion boat. We did not take the excursion!

Elk Creek, Pennsylvania, where the famed steelhead run happens.

Wild flowers along the creek.

Orchard Beach Light, Pennsylvania.

Dunkirk Pier, Dunkirk, New York.

This woman was enjoying a not hot bite on the pier.

Boating in Dunkirk!

We were a week early for these blackberries in Lake Erie State Park, New York.

Quaker Lake, Allegany State Park, New York.

A bumblebee collects pollen from bulrushes, Allegany State Park.

On the Bat Cave Trail, Allegany State Park.

That’s all, folks, the On Another Road Trip post. Thanks for reading!

Every day is a blessing. Don’t waste it- Go fishing! Go paddling! Take a walk! Stay active!

John Kumiski
www.johnkumiski.com
www.spottedtail.com
www.spottedtail.com/blog

All content in this blog, including writing and photos, copyright John Kumiski 2022. All rights are reserved.

Filed Under: Photo Essays, travel blog · Tagged: Allegany State Park, Lake Erie State Park, Lieth Run Recreation Area, Marietta, Ohio, Ohio River, Presque Isle State Park, St. Mary of the Assumption Basilica, Wayne National Forest

The I Sock at Trout Fishing Fishing Report and Photo Essay

June 10, 2022 by john kumiski · Leave a Comment

The I Sock at Trout Fishing Fishing Report and Photo Essay

Thanks for reading the I sock at trout fishing fishing report. The fish in North Carolina are all still there after four days of my mostly unsuccessful attempts to catch them. This blog will be fairly long- you might want to save it for the office!

This is what we fantasized about…

Note to subscribers– some of you have been emailing, telling me the photos are not going through. They appear in your email back to me! At the bottom of the blog email you get are links to my websites and the blog, www.spottedtail.com/blog. Hit the link, see the original blog.

Back to business…

Left Friday morning on my way to Flat Rock. Stayed off the interstate. Hated driving near Jacksonville, hope to go home a different way. Went through Folkston, stopped at Okefenokee NWR headquarters for a lunch stop and a bit of walking (and dragonfly photography).

I believe this is an eastern pondhawk, a female.

Looks like the raccoons got into the turtle eggs again!

Continued to Ohoopee River Campground. Spent the night. OK place, a little trashy. Sixteen cigarette butts at my campsite- I don’t like cigarette litter at all. The river was small, looked pretty nice though. They have kayak rentals there, and bass, and redbellies.

Saturday

morning I finished the trek to Flat Rock (home of the Flat Rock), to the Tedesco’s house, still avoiding the interstate, and met Jim and Kathy there. Jim and I planned our food and tackle needs and packed up his Honda for the trip to Bryson City.

Sunday

In the morning we headed out for the two-hour trip. Check-in at Nantahala Cabins wasn’t until 1500, so we went to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest and took the two-mile hike through these never-logged woods. AMAZING trees. I am so glad someone left us a few!

We checked in, met up with Tammy, ate a couple vittles, and went fishing in the Nantahala River. I raised a fish to a #16 caddis dry on my first cast- missed it. Raised another. Missed it. It must have been softball- two strikes and I was out. Jim caught three troutlets, the largest of which was eight inches. Like me, Tammy got blanked. Tammy’s sock and my sock react synergistically to give us way more sock than the sum of our individual socks.

Monday

We went to the Tuckaseegee. The gauge was at 3.3, running at about 2000 cfs. I looked at the water flow and depth and said, I’m not wading in that, I’ll get swept away. We ended up on the “Trophy” section of the Oconaluftee River. My trophy brown, caught on a nymph, was perhaps six inches long, and still had parr marks. I made an attempt to photograph it but it squirted out of my hand while I fumbled for the camera.

Although we could have had multiple hookups on tubers, the season on them was closed. Tammy got a junior league “trophy”, too, but we were not near each other, so no photo.

After dinner Jim and I again tried the Nantahala. Not a bite did we get.

Tuesday

Casting in the rain.

We went to a different section of the Oconaluftee. In the rain. I elected to bring a camera instead of a fly rod. Jim raised and missed one fish, but I did get some photos of them fishing.

More casting in the rain.

Yes, it’s still raining.

We did catch some elm, though.

Tuesday evening we again went to the Nantahala. The water was higher and dirtier than the previous two evenings. Again, I took photos. Even Jim’s attempt to fish was half-hearted.

On the Nantahala River.

More Nantahala.

Yes, still more!

Wednesday

The forecast was for an inch of rain. You just can’t trust weather forecasts. The rain did spatter a bit but there was no inch of rain. We hardly fished, choosing instead to look for elk and other critters in Cataloochee Valley. There was a creek there and in a deeper spot I saw a fish rise. I got my rod, cast the caddis out there, raised a fish and missed it, raised another one and missed it, too. Then no more rises. Jim tried, too. All he attracted was an audience.

Jim raised an audience.

A Cataloochee Valley butterfly.

We did see a cow elk, and some wild turkeys, and various bees and butterflies and flowers. The Cataloochee Valley is lovely. It was a good way to spend the day.

Mountain laurel was blooming.

We did not try the Nantahala Wednesday night, even knowing that to catch a fish, one must venture his bait. Sometimes it’s better to admit you’re licked…

Thursday

morning Jim and I visited the Nantahala yet again, just at one of the pullouts along the section that the rafters use. There were two men spin fishing there. I chatted with one of them, who admitted to using sophisticated bait- doughballs. He caught a trout while I watched, and added it to the six already in his creel. I thought, wow, I really do sock.

We got our rods. I cut off the fly and tied on a gummy worm. Of course it worked, although the rainbow trout it fooled was only about seven inches long. Still, it was a trout after several days of catching nothing.

Not exactly like the fish in my fantasy!

After lunch we went and got Tammy, then headed to Cades Cove for some wildlife viewing. So did 250,000 other car owners. It was stupid traffic.

That having been said, we saw several black bears (they caused most of the traffic problems), several deer, some lovely, big draft horses, and various other plants and animals. Then we went to see the fireflies.

Bears with ear tags- what is the world coming to??

I figured fireflies would be hard to photograph, and they were, but I’ve never seen as many anywhere. Tammy’s friends Mike and Jeanette told us that we missed the peak firefly nights, which are completely unpredictable. I would like to see that, but am certainly glad we witnessed what we did! Pretty danged amazing it was!

Fireflies are hard to photograph.

Shut your car off when you’re in a parking lot!