Saturday, February 9, 2013

More of Blizzard 2013



My garage is around here somewhere.


That's my front door.


The birds were at my living room window



Blizzard 2013

Here's a couple of pics from this AM. The snow is up to my windows. I estimate I have 25 inches of snow, and higher drifts. Had some birds pay a visit. I'll get out soon, hopefully and get some seed down.

Stay tuned




Friday, February 8, 2013

Comforts in a Storm

With the impending blizzard I thought I would put together some food for comfort. The first dish is a favorite, "potato gnocchi". This pasta is made with wheat flour and potato. It's first gently boiled, and when it floats to the top its removed and drained. In a skillet some butter is melted along with olive oil. Then some sage is added along with onion, salt and crushed red pepper. The gnocchi is added and allowed to cook until the edges begin to brown. Then fresh parsley is added. You can grate some pecorino on top, then serve.


Chicken Soup. It does warm those places a steak can't reach. I make enough for at least 3 meals, and by the last one it's perfect.


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Thursday, February 7, 2013

Browns?, Brookies, a Book and a Nor'easter

With talk of an impending nor'easter that's on tract to dump a couple feet of snow on us Friday, I took the opportunity to fish yesterday. The first stream I selected was a bust. That is I busted it. access was very difficult and when I was able to drop a fly every wild trout was already in the next county. So I moved to stream two. It was in wonderful shape. Nice flow, clear water, and the sun was on the water to help warm things up, especially my bones. As I moved into position for my first cast I noticed lots of caddis, both cased and uncased. I had a small worm like pattern that was close to it as far as shape gos, but the color was different. So I cast the fly upstream a bit and on the second cast I had a hit. Good start...not. I fished that fly for at least 45 minutes without a bump.


By this time I had moved to a section where the stream flattens out and is much slower. Soon the fly was to produce. As I lay my hand into the water to lift the little fish up, what I thought was a brown, seemed a bit odd. It had a stout that was long, somewhat like a pickerel. I took a photo, and it flipped itself free and swam off.


Sorry for the poor quality, but he did not give me a second chance.

I moved downstream to an area I call the cow pasture. It's a section of stream that flows by a long pasture. It also has a nice feeder brook coming in. As in times past it proved to be a good spot to fish this day. The fly stopped its drift just past the brook. I lifted the rod and soon this wild jewel was at hand.




I would like to mention a book that I have really admired. It's essays are wonderful. They tell of real everyday regular outdoors people, told as only Tom Hennessey can. With the nor'easter a coming, I'll read from this book again.
A few streamers will be tied also....a Name "The Blizzard"




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