Family

#elkshape

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The elk trip is on.  I am rolling out with 3 good dudes the first week of September to chase elk with a bow in the high country of Colorado.  This trip has been just what I needed to whip the old body back into shape.  I might not get an elk on this trip, but I will be in shape.  I laid out a 90-day plan that's I've been marching to that includes all kind of cardio / strength training to handle the intense Colorado Rockies at elevations between 10,000 - 12,000 ft.  

I've been pretty creative and having fun with the workout plan.  But, by far the most fun is loading the kids up in the backpack and climbing the local hills.  Of course, this wont be the same as packing out a quartered elk in the Rockies at elevation, but it sure is fun and the kiddos love it.

 

 

 

Intro to Archery

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We took a recent trip to Cabelas to get a archery target for my new Bowtech Reign7.  Imagine the excitement of a brand new bow and on my first two shows, they blew directly through my old, dilapidated Block.  Even Amazon was not fast enough to get me a new target to my doorstep.   I immediately had to go to the store to get a new target so I could actually shoot.  While we were there, we came across a $10 youth bow.  I lit up with excitement as I really hadn't thought much about getting them into shooting yet, but this was a no-brainer.  The toughest decision was whether to get one bow or three.  We're working sharing and on not having triples of everything, so we opted for one.  

Now, that I had my new target, I finally was able to shoot my brand new bow at home.  But the funny thing was all I wanted to do was shoot the little orange bow with the kids.  I was so excited.  We started with a thorough safety lesson and I could hear my father's words coming out of my mouth.   Somewhere I knew he was smiling.  

The kids took to shooting like a duck to water.  Clara was the first one up and once they got the concept of what a bow and arrow was doing, it was pretty natural.  Even Hunter at the ripe old age of 3, had no issue with launching an arrow 15-20 feet down the hill.  Success at this point is not a bulls eye, but rather forward momentum of the arrow.  Of all the kids, Jack was the one that really got it quickly.  Once he got comfortable, he would pull his bow back, pause to anchor the bowstring, adjust his pitch and launch into the air.  They all loved watching the arrow sail with amazement.  

Now, every time I got shoot, I have a few little shooting buddies that go with me.  Of course, now they want to do that whole thing themselves and it takes them some time, but they gain confidence and a sense of accomplishment with every arrow flung into the air.  I am glad I kept all my youth starter bows, as they will grow into them in no time at all.

Mountain Pond Bluegills for Kids

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Every two years our family has a reunion up in the Ohiopyle, PA area.  All the kids love to fish and there is a little unknown mountain pond that we found with walking distance to the house we rent.  There is nothing more classic than fishing a worm under a bobber for some bluegills.  The kids squeal with joy every time that bobber starts dancing on the pond water until it finally darts down.  

I give the kids credit, we got drenched with a flash rainstorm on the way to the pond.  We asked them if they wanted to turn back, but they all screamed 'no way!'  So, we pushed forward and after 15-20 minutes the storm passed. Their perseverance was rewarded with dozens of bluegills and plenty of proud little fisherman.

Backpack Fly Fishing with Hunter

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I took my little sidekick on a backpack fly fishing adventure up through our favorite canyon in Virginia.   It doesn’t matter what it is, Hunter is absolutely game for anything I want to do.  I love it.  And it’s so nice when we can get the opportunity to spend time with each of the kids one-on-one.  Strapping him to my back and going on a fly fishing getaway was a blast.  He just never stops talking.   And having him a foot away from my ears and commentating my fishing was just hilarious.  There is nothing like having a witty 3 year old busting your chops for missing a fish.  And the system we had going when I did hook one was great…I’d hook em and then hand the rod back to him to hold.  Then I would strip the fly line in with the little wild rainbow in while he squealed with delight.  It’s a memory that I will have forever. 

It was also a great workout for me as I continue to get into hardcore shape for my Colorado backcountry elk hunt in September.  I had him on my back for a few hours and I am guessing the total all-in pack weighed about 40 pounds.  It was definitely work carrying him up through the stream and over boulders and good training for carrying a pack that hopefully weighs 3 times that much in Colorado.  We stopped midday on a huge rock in the middle of the stream and enjoyed lunch before catching a few more trout and hiking back out.  Great day with my little buddio.

Sunday morning @ Morel Creek

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There is no better quality family time than a Sunday hike with the family.  We went to our favorite Morel Creek spot and did a little hike for our favorite springtime mushroom.  I have no idea what the real name of this stream is, but its been a honey hole introduced by a friend years ago and we have dubbed it Morel Creek.  

I think we were just on the front end of the morel season as we found a dozen or so singles, but the 'flushes' of yellows that this spot is known for where not up yet.  But, I will be out of town on some business travel and you got to make hay while the sun is shining.  Plus, the kids were in full blown Easter egg hunt training, so this always translates well to the woods.  

Spence is now 12 weeks pregnant with baby #4 and is already showing really quickly.  I feel like it was yesterday when we were at this same spot with the twins when they were just a few months old.  We ended the morning with a stream side lunch and then it was nap time for the kids on the way home.  Time to go fry up some morels for dinner!

 

 

Chasing wild rainbows with the twins

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In PA we have an abundance of wild brookies, but not as many wild rainbows (those spots will remain very secretive)!  In the mountains of Virginia though wild rainbows can be found. 

The Cascades Creek, in Hot Springs Virginia is one of the most unique fly fishing experiences due to the amazing Cascades that plunge through the gorge AND the man-made bridges and walk ways. 

I’m not spot burning here….if you want to pay to fish this Gorge section it’s about $50.  A little known fact is with a Trout Unlimited membership, it’s like $25.  I am not the kind that likes the pay-to-play on streams, but I can make exceptions (oh, sweet DePuys...)   In this case I feel the money goes to the upkeep of the stream and it honestly keeps the traffic down.  And ‘most’ of the fisherman from the resort are fishing the stocked waters down below.  I’ve heard they put big ones in there, but we always go upstream and fish for the little wild ones on dries.  So, the only people we usually see are hikers on the ‘gorge tour’. 

I took Jack along with my sis-in-law, Meg, one day and then came back and took Clara the next day.  they were wonderful days and I really love spending time in this gorge.  It' so beautiful.  Of all the kids Clara shows the most interest, as she can just actually focus on what you are telling her and teaching.  She is a very good student for a young age of 4.5. Jack was a bit more interested playing in the dirt with stick figures.  Boy will be boys. 

The Trout pond

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A good friend of mine invited us up to his property where he stocked a pile of fish into his spring fed pond for a the kids to fish.  After a long week of work, I couldn't think of a better thing to do with the family. 

The kids were off-their-rocker excited to do some fishing.  Most of our bed time stories include camping adventures, long hikes for hidden treasures and of course fishing.  The story typically ends with someone catching the biggest fish ever, and its always a big hit.  So, for many winter months we talked fishing and now were able to go actually catch some fish!  

 

2017 Garden Prep

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In the late weeks of March and April, I enjoy anything that resembles spring.  Tying flies, calling turkeys, and watching Penguins hockey will keep me going until spring peaks around the corner.  But, I've really come to love planting seeds each spring with the kids.  Doing this for a few years now really gives me a benchmark on how much they have retained in terms of their understanding about nature and how things work.  It also give me a benchmark on their dexterity and ability to follow instruction, as seeds are microscopic!  I remember trying to give them seeds this small my first year and it was a mess.  As a word of advice, stick with pumpkin, watermelon, and zucchini the first few years.  

But, this was a great little winter break and once we planted, we made sure to revisit and water and eventually plug in the grow lights.  Every morning they want to run downstairs to the basement to see what has sprouted and how much bigger they've gotten.  They surely are interested and I cant wait to remind them of what all their hard work is turning into in the late summer / fall.

 

End of Season 9

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We had some unseasonably warm weather to wrap up February.  And by unseasonable, I mean our young kids were out running around in the sprinkler naked,...in February.  So, we took advantage of the warm spell to get Cooper out on a few Chukar.  These were planted birds, so nothing too spectacular or awe inspiring to type about.  But, Cooper didn't know the difference and he was happy to just be hunting.  And Spencer was just happy she could sneak out of the house and I was happy to just be outside. So an overall wonderful evening.  

But, one thing became apparent was that Cooper is loosing his hearing.  I had knocked a bird down that glided to the opposite hill.  It was a bad shot and I don't even deserve partial credit.  But, a retriever with a good nose can make up for a bad shot and Cooper would make quick work of this bird.  But, when I shot he bolted off the other way.  I called and called and blew my whistle and and beeped his collar, etc, etc.  But, he lost me and even though he could hear the collar beep, he had no clue where i was over the hill.  Of course, I am pissed at this point, but he's never done this before.  So even in my fit, I know something isnt right.  And so when he made it in to me heat-exhausted and half panic-stricken, I just called this hunt.  And after a few more tests, we definitley knew his hearing was going.  

On the way home we talked about timing of getting another dog, but the whole conversation got me depressed.  We just had a great afternoon hunt and the last of the season.  I know we will have many more hunts together, but things are definitely changing with Cooper at an unfair pace.  I remind myself that those are human emotions only.  Cooper just had the best day of his 9 year life and ready to do it again tomorrow.

Falconry Friday

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If you've spent any substantial time in the woods, you more than likely have seen some sort of aerial attack from a hawk or owl on a small forest animal.  I'll never forget watching a hawk nail this squirrel in a beechnut flat while I was bowhunting in my teens.  This hawk dropped out of the sky like a bullet and before I realized what was happening, it lifted this noisy little red squirrel right back into the sky.  It was totally awesome and since then I've always been intrigued by birds of prey.  I love just watching them hunt from a fence post or tree top sitting stoically, watching and waiting and hunting.  Its at this time, I am reminded that without the +$1000 in tree stand, bow, and fancy camouflage, I'm probably starve in the real wild.  They are the ultimate hunter.  Not us.  It's humbling. 

I'm not the first person to catch onto this obsession, which is why the sport of Falconry is over 4,000 years old.  It was started because the same observant hunters back then didn't have a fancy over / under shotgun and realized that falcons and hawks might be a better option than the sling shots they were running around with.  It evolved into what was known as the 'Sport of Kings' where only your status of nobility determined whether you hunted with a common hawk or an eagle.  

My 4 year old daughter asks a million questions about everything and Its so much easier to explain the circle of life by letting her watch a hawk chase a squirrel in the woods then trying to explain why some animals eat other animals.  Experience in nature is a wonderful teacher.   So, while most families spent spent Black Friday shopping or lounging around eating leftovers, we took a lesson in Falconry.  

The Homestead, in Hot Springs, Virginia has a world class falconry facility (and only a handful in the country), so we took the morning to go and learn.  The facility has hawks, falcons, owl and eagles (the eagles were currently being bred over in Europe). Our favorite was definitely this Eurasian Eagle Owl, named Sasha.  This owl is huge and very similar to the Great Horned Owl that resides in the US.  Her talons were huge and have strength of over 800 lbs torque.  Small animals do not escape.  Her most striking feature though was her orange eyes evolved for hunting periods of dawn and dusk rather then at night.     Her eyes were so hypnotizing and intimidating that I could only stare into them for a few seconds as I thought she was staring directly into my soul.   Owls are definitely mystical creatures.

 

The Falconer that led the session was great and very informative.  Though these birds are trained with raw chicken, we did get to see an aerial attack on a squirrel from a Harris Hawk, named Remy.  It was intense and you could hear the clasp of the talons as it just missed the squirrel jumping from one tree to the next.  

The twins were fascinated watching these birds fly and work and asked me a ton of questions.  It was cute.  Though, neither of them wanted to hold the falcon - maybe next time they said! 

2016 Sauerkraut stomp

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Like everything else (fishing, camping, holidays, etc) life experiences just keep getting better each year with the kids.  Stomping sauerkraut was no different.  I remember when Jack and Clara were less than a year old and I propped them up on my leg just to barely hold the stomper, in a ceremonial fashion.  This year, they were full of excitement and fought over the turn to stomp the kraut.  They had a blast and that's what it's all about.

In fact, Jack was so excited he broke his first crock with the stomper.  As my Uncle Joe told me, my Pap has broken many of crocks in his day and he would be proud.  Fortunately, we had a backup crock, so we moved the cabbage over and kept on stomping.  

 

Hiking in the Laurel Highlands

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Today, we took a family hike in Somerset county, PA and enjoyed the wonderful fall weather we've been getting lately   The kids absolutely love hiking and I am certain its the best way for them to learn and appreciate the wild and wonderful outdoor world.  

Recently, as they have gotten older and more curious, this has become more and more fun and adventurous.  It also helps that we don't have to carry anyone anymore either.  But a hike is not just a random walk from Point A to Point B.  A hike on this day was smelling the autumn leaves, picking up acorns, finding little salamanders, exploring underneath rocks, climbing trees, making hiking sticks, picking small mushrooms, and having lunch on some rocks near a small stream and skipping stones.

And recently I would trade any day fishing or hunting by myself to take them exploring in the wild.  There is no need to be quiet, play the wind, sit in a tree stand or match the hatch.  Don't get me wrong, that is where my heart lies and one day I will be able to share those lessons with the kids.  But, I am finding so much joy in just spending time with the family and watching their little minds expand and grow every time they are out.

Its amazing to me that at 4 years old, the twins know the difference between an Oak and Maple tree leaf and that acorns come from oak trees and can explain all the animals the depend on eating acorns.  The information they soak up  and joy that fills them from just a simple hike is amazing.    

 

Family Traditions

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For many decades my Pap, Dad, and Uncle have made the annual pilgrimage up to Lehman Brothers Farm in Berlin, Somerset County, PA to get the highest quality cabbage in the country.   This cabbage is dense like a bowling ball and is the secret to the high quality sauerkraut we make each fall.  

This picture of my Pap, at age 92, is one of my all time favorites.  I get lost thinking of my Pap's entire life experiences in this one picture.  For me, it's so deep.  

We took the kids up to the farm and got a very similar picture.   Similar to the picture of my Pap, I get lost staring into the eyes of these kids .   I feel like I am staring directly into the history and generations of our family.  Without my Pap and Dad now, these kids gives me so much happiness knowing the family traditions live on.  

2016 Harvest Season

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If the kids like to plant seeds and water plants, they LOVE doing the harvest.  They love trying to carry the huge zucchinis, loading up their trucks with garlic and finding red tomatoes (though they havent learned to eat them yet).  Though, by far, they love picking (eating!) all the blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries.  they have procduced on a daily cadence in just their first year.  And the wild black raspberries were such a treat.  

The kids are garden machines and love it!

 

Camping with Kids

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We've been chomping at the bit to get the kiddos camping for the summer. 

We decided to go Laurel Hill State Park and stay a little more local for this camping trip so we could make it back home if needed.  And as it turned out, we did just stay for one night with bad storms and a challenging two year old.  Hunter is still in the crib at home, but left unrestrained inside the large family tent and he was the equivalent of a highly energized electron.   Next time we're setting the hammock up for bed time. No child can resit the fire side hammock.  

When it comes to spending quality times with kids, I don't know of a better way than camping. There are no distractions and the memories are life long.  Nothing fuels their curiosity more than nature.  Everything from bugs, to 'precious' rocks, sticks, stars, animals, etc.  

 

 

 

Cicada Fly Fishing on the Jackson River, VA

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For the wife's birthday, we took a float down the Jackson River tailwater in Virginia.   The Brood V cicadas were just starting so we wanted to see if we could drum a few fish up to the surface.  On the Jackson tailwater, this would be a feat as fish just don't rise.  

As soon as we started off the cicadas were rocking.  We went into a good run of chutes and fast water and Spence missed a couple browns and had a toad of a brown on within the first ¼ mile.  She ended up catching a standard sized wild rainbow that was already pretty full of cicadas.

At this point, I was giddy, as I thought the whole float would be like this.  But the cicadas were only in the first mile of water we floated and only around the fast water.  Half way through the float the cicadas were a distant memory.  I reluctantly rigged up a double nymph rig and Spence eventually started catching them again.  All small rainbows.  No browns nymphing for sure.  But the rainbows were plenty and wild and lots of fun.  

Instead of a birthday card, the kids and I made a Stanley Cup out of juice bottle and containers and tin foil.  While we were gone the kiddos took it up a notch and decorated Lord Stanley a bit.  I like the upgrade.  Now the Penguins need to just close out the Cup versus San Jose tonight on home ice!

Planting the 2016 Garden

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Each year, the kids are learning more and more about where their food comes from and how to grow plants from seeds and that they need sun and water and some TLC.  they are so proud of their little plants and really get into it!

Virginia Fly Fishing Report

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Our family spent the long extended Easter weekend in Hot Springs, Virginia. And with a few extra sets of hands, I was able to do more fishing in four days than I did most of last summer. With the windows down in the mini van, music rocking and a mini-cooler of iced down beer, these Virginia trout were in trouble.

Lower Jackson River below Lake Moomaw - Tailwater

I've fished this tailwater more than a few times now and every time I wade out, I think "I should be in my drift boat".  Not that I am not happy to just be fishing,...but its a big, strong river more easily covered with a boat.  More importantly, there isn't many places to actually even fish this river with the Posted waters and that 'King's Grant / Crown Grant' access law which basically says the landowner owns the bottom of the river.  I've seen some landowners go as far as getting custom designed POSTED signs to state 'no wading or anchoring on their stream bed.  It's so ridiculous, I get angry typing about it.  The wild rainbows are plentiful and tailwater strong and the big browns are just plain elusive (as usual).  I saw a few blue quills emerging in the afternoon, but nothing working the surface.  All I can say is, I cant wait to bring my boat.

 

Upper Jackson River above Lake MooMaw - freestone

I've fished the Upper Jackson before in the special regulations areas and have done OK.  This time I explore the open waters in Hidden Valley and surrounded by the bait / hardware crowd.  It was a pretty section of stream, but  I dint see one fish caught (including myself) and I was convinced it was 'fished out'.  At least, that is what I will tell myself.   

Back Creek

Back Creek is tailwater absolutely loaded with 13-16" rainbows.  Before getting too excited, this is a man made stream and the rainbows were stocked.  Whereas the Lower Jackson was a tailwater, all the fish - both rainbows and browns - are wild.  These Back Creek trout were squishy pellet heads and an 8" wild Jackson trout would pull it around the stream. The one thing it had going for it was it was relatively remote and had plenty of casting room.  So, if I want to take the kids one day and get them on fish, I may return.

Wild rainbow stream

On Easter Sunday, I went hiking with Hunter in the backpack, my 3 wt and a parachute Adams.  We found a little stream full of wild rainbows.  if you can stream bust me from the pictures, more power to you.  We caught a handful of 5-9" wild rainbows and Hunter just squealed with joy each fish we caught that he wanted to touch (including the minnows).  It was such as nice afternoon Easter hike.