This Labour Day weekend we decided to finally do some fishing. After taking a fly-fishing lesson in the village a while ago we'd been slowly acquiring a fly-fishing and spinning rod and reel and some other gear on E-bay and we were ready to give it a try!

 

The weather was absolutely gorgeous, actually, as it turned out, almost too warm for fishing.

 

By chance I'd discovered that a licence in Idaho ($12.50 for a day and $5 for each consecutive one)was much cheaper than in Montana ($25/day and $15/each cons.).

Am I the only one that thinks this is ridiculously expensive either way? Nice business for someone!

Anyhow, we drove the 5 miles to Island Park, just over the pass in Idaho.

 

 

 

That's to say, to the beginning of Island Park as this 'City' claims to have the longest main street in America, which happens to be the I-20 by the way, a whopping 36.8 miles!

We chose to fish at Henrys Lake State Park (another $5 day use fee, we better catch some fish!) since that was the best place to fish from the shore.

 

 

 

 

It took us a while to get everything 'geared up', not so easy all these hooks and leads and floats and flies and. You have to know some interesting knots!

Also those darned hooks 'hook' onto anything you don't want them too, clothes, hair, grass, fingers (ouch)!

 

I'm glad there weren't too many people around (very surprising on this holiday weekend),  we must have been a sight!

 

 

Me and my shadow

It is estimated that there are 1.2 million catchable trout in Henrys Lake. The Idaho State Record brook trout was caught there several years ago. On opening day 2013 several fish exceeding 13 pounds (Cutthroat Hybreds) and 9 pound brook trout were caught.

 

What did we catch? Nothing! Nada! Niks!

 

We tried several different flies, worms and garlic mini marshmellows (serious). I had a nibble once, I could see the bugger (and he probably saw me) but he refused to bite. He was a big one. He would have tasted so good. :-(

 

 

 

Despite of that we had a great day. Next time we'll do better!

We heard that a lot of fish like deeper waters.

So now we need a boat. Anybody has an old kayak for two?

 

 

 

And now all of a sudden the weather has changed.

The days are still gorgeous, lots of sunshine but the mornings are getting 'nippy' and as soon as the sun sets it's quickly cooling down.

Yesterday morning it was even rather foggy for a while. Loved it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My neighbour thinks I'm a cross between Rapunzel and Rumpelstiltskin . What does that make me? A Rapunstiltskin? A Rumpelpunzel :-)
Still spinning the cotton I harvested in Mohave Valley, AZ. Beautiful day again on this 3d of September, so I sat outside.

 

 

 

      

 

 

 I love the close up look of this Wavyleaf Thistle. The butterfly is a Milbert's Tortoiseshell.

 

 

James still works on the bathrooms. He has 2 more showers to finish and 5 toilet-stall deviders to paint, plus some drawings to create for the other shower buildings that they want to tackle next year.

Steve, the owner would love for him to come back and do that but I hope we're going to be a state or 2 over to the East by than.

 

 

 

After a days of hard work (for some) it's nice to watch NCIS together, although sometimes it's hard to keep your eyes open.....
 

And last but certainly not least, my dearest of all friends, whom I've neclected for far too long, reached out on Google+ to reconnect with me this week. It's so good to hear from her again!

A lot has happened since we talked to each other some 10 years ago and we're furiously e-mailing and talking on Facebook.

 

I dug up an old picture that James took of us in 2001 in Old Town San Diego when she was over for a visit.

 

 

 

That 3d glass was James's. Honestly!