Enjoy the outdoors and play by the rules

I am, once again writing my column from the comfort of our cabin. My trip went well until I got to the cabin. I was greeted to the sight of a large birch tree that had fallen across the driveway. It was at the very beginning of the driveway, so I had to navigate my way to the cabin on foot to retrieve the chainsaw. I am glad that I invested in the chainsaw a couple of years ago after many years of playing Paul Bunyan while navigating my way through many fallen trees with an axe. It took about two hours to saw my way through that mess, so that I could drive my truck up to the cabin.

 

I am also glad that I purchased a riding lawnmower this summer. It makes getting around a lot easier and at my age I don’t do well when I have to walk long distances or trek through the woods.

 

I have a list of things that I want to get done at the cabin this week. Hopefully, I will get through that list, although I do have it memorized, so the chances of getting through it are pretty slim.

 

There is an air quality alert for yesterday, today and tomorrow up here because of Canadian wildfires. I have some breathing issues, so it makes it hard for me to be too active under these conditions. When I sit in the cabin looking out over the lake, I can see a definite haze along the far shore.

 

Today’s weather has been just about perfect, except for the smoke. The humidity is at a reasonable level, as is the dew point. The smoky conditions have caused me to lay low for the day.

 

One part of my mental to-do list is doing some fishing. This is one thing on the list that I will definitely not forget to do. As much as I enjoy the cabin, the thought of fishing keeps me going and gives me purpose. I know that fishing is self-serving, but it is one of the things that keeps me going. I have shared my love of fishing and the outdoors with my sons and grandkids. I am proud to have been able to share with and teach them some things about fishing and the outdoors. I am not an expert fisherman, but I have loved fishing and the outdoors my entire life and have gladly shared what I know with my family and others. This makes me proud knowing that I've passed that on.

 

Nothing made me happier than fishing with my sons and watching them catch fish. That continued with my grandsons, and I can feel good that my sons are passing on their love for the outdoors to my grandsons and granddaughters.

 

Learning to appreciate nature in all it’s wonder is a beautiful thing. The same goes for the sport of hunting and fishing. Appreciate the opportunity to enjoy these sports, and respect the boundaries and regulations. There are some who do not respect the environment and seem to be obsessed with trashing the outdoors. Most folks are respectful and don’t leave litter behind when fishing or camping, but there are always a few that have no respect or appreciation for the opportunity to use, enjoy and respect nature. A few weeks ago, I was out by Jugland dam with my brother-in-law Lynn. I spotted an empty lure container, and he found an empty nightcrawler container. This says that those who left these behind do not have any consideration for the environment. It is kind of the same after the ice goes out and you see all of the trash along the shore. Most of us were not raised like that; we were taught to respect others and our environment. That will be my whine for the week.

 

Please show your support for our troops who are now deployed. These service men and women are making that sacrifice, so that we may have the many freedoms that we enjoy today.