What An Awesome Week!

Is the word awesome a little over used? Sometimes I wonder if the word loses some of its meaning and power when it is used too flippantly. Who cares? We just completed an awesome week! The weather was beautiful and even though it was over 100 degrees, we had the lake and river to keep ourselves cool.

What more could you ask for? The kids were swimming, water skiing, and tubing and I was fishing. No stress, no worries, no problems. I could get used to all of that.

The fishing wasn't all that great but it was still better than working.

Most days the average size of the fish was 6-9 inches and the number I caught was between three and six. The fish were predominantly natives in that their dorsal fins and adipose fins were intact. Each displayed remarkable colors as you can imagine. I let them all go and am confident that none of the fish I handled this year we're injured in any way.

Even though fishing is high on my priority list each year, it is not always about fishing 100% of the time. There is always swimming, water skiing,tubing and all of the other water sports. I, however, find that those other sports are far less attractive. Maybe it really is all about fishing!I need to tell my wife so she's not always on my case about staying around and spending time with the family.

I just love the look and sounds of the deep, cascading pools of mountain streams.

I always prefer to slip away and envelope myself in the natural solitude that is constantly calling out to me. I know that my family can't hear the call and they think that I'm rejecting them each time I get out on my own but the intoxicating effects that I feel from the sensual bombardment via my ears with cascading streams,

wind in the trees, bugs, birds, and the visual stimulation of the colors of the water,

trees, flowers,

and fish is too great a burden to resist. They are fortunate that I'm ever able to find my way home at all.