Tag: nature

  • Don’t Take Fall For Granted

    Don’t Take Fall For Granted

    The autumn leaves have already peaked here in the high country and I’m not sure how that’s possible. Gone are the blazing hot days of intense summer sun. We’re in what some people call “Indian summer” and although the origin of the phrase isn’t entirely clear, it was likely a period after the first frost…

  • Nowhere, Alaska

    Nowhere, Alaska

    I’ve been nowhere for a few hours and gone a day or two without a shower, but that’s about it. Alaska was different. My compatriots and I talked for months about how we’d feel when the float plane took off and left us to our own devices in the Alaskan wilderness. It was surreal and…

  • Compliments and Kindness Don’t Cost a Thing

    Compliments and Kindness Don’t Cost a Thing

    Why do some people hold back on giving compliments? Do we just not think about giving them or do we keep them to ourselves? Does it diminish us to build others up? Complimenting others makes me feel good. Building people up is oh so important for kids, middle aged folks (like myself) and retirees alike.…

  • Fishing With a Time Machine

    Fishing With a Time Machine

    If I had a real time machine I’d probably return to a few scenes of fly fishing failure and try to make amends, but that would be cheating. Instead, I prefer to capitalize on the bipolar weather/elevation change in Colorado and use it to my advantage. The flies that worked so well in March have…

  • Happy Hour

    Happy Hour

    During the Prohibition era, the concept of drinking before dinner evolved, with people hosting “cocktail hours” or “happy hours” at speakeasies before eating at restaurants where alcohol could not be served. What a novel idea! Since then, happy hour has evolved and discounted food/drinks can be enjoyed (and served) at bars and restaurants without the…

  • Signs of Spring

    Signs of Spring

    “All my life through, the new sights of Nature made me rejoice like a child.”  – Marie Curie My father and I visited Cheesman Canyon last week in search of trout and nature.  It’s a Front Range fishery near Denver, so the days tend to warm more rapidly throughout the calendar year compared to other…

  • A Day on the Water

    A Day on the Water

    No alarm set, but I still wake up early. I get to go fishing today. My coffee tastes just a little bit better because it’s Saturday. My truck is ready and willing to take me to the river and starts without a fuss. The wind is supposed to gust over 30mph later on so the…

  • Reverse Poem: The Best of Everything

    Reverse Poem: The Best of Everything

    I was reading about reverse poems and wanted to give one a shot. Read from top to bottom and bottom to top. Get the best of everything don’t settle for less and work hard for what you deserve because happiness is on the horizon Aim high battle the slow drip of mediocrity and take the…

  • Self-Care 101

    Self-Care 101

    I tell my students, family and friends to only fret about the things we can control. Well, no matter how happy, sad, angry, ecstatic, frustrated, scared or upset we are about recent events, the outcome is the outcome and it’s time for self-care 101 because the snow is already flying here in the Rocky Mountains…

  • The Shadows of Fall

    The Shadows of Fall

    Sunlight waning Shadows appear Longer, deeper, colder A new day dawns Shadows fade Shorter, shallower, warmer Seasons shift as time elapses New bonds are made near and far The first snow is met with a smile or a grimace Stubborn leaves remain as seasons collide The shadows of fall are upon us.

  • Changing of the Seasons

    Changing of the Seasons

    The past few weeks I have worn shorts, sandals, my raincoat, a beanie, warm socks, pants, a t-shirt, my STARSET hoodie, and my favorite fishing hat, which is becoming quite rustic I might add. I’ve written about this before and some people know how much I love the shoulder seasons in Colorado, but to actually…

  • The Best Laid Plans

    The Best Laid Plans

    I can’t decide if fishing teaches me about life or if life teaches me about fishing. Perhaps it truly doesn’t matter, but at some point, we’ve all carefully crafted an immaculate plan that fell flat on its face. A couple years ago, I was fishing the Fryingpan River on a simply stunning July day and got my…