Getting Outside

July has been substantially warmer and sunnier than June.  This has led me, specifically, to want to be outside more and more!  This has served Pat well, as I am up for going fishing more!  

Now, I must share with you how our fishing trips tend to go:

We head out all excited and geared up.  We cast and cast, and it seems as though Pat's casts return more often with larger fish.  I, on the other hand, tend to pick up the "self-releasing" bait sized fish.  I hate to complain as we usually release our catches anyway and mine just tend to speed up this process, but it would be nice to actually bring in a fish of measurable size.  

 This trip started out similarly, though Pat wasn't catching anything either.  We did ruffle the feathers of a couple clutches of resident ducks.  They must have had serious success in egg-laying/hatching because there were a LOT of babies!!
And just when we decided to finish our drift and then head in, I felt a tug on the line.  I checked to make sure it wasn't just water weeds, and excitedly exclaimed to Pat that I had a fish on!  To my surprise, he said he had one on too!  It was a very nice double!

 This is when I began to really have fun!!  Since Pat only brought one paddle, he kept trying to keep us in the "hole" and I just kept catching fish!  I think the night ended with me catching about 5, with one of those a very large self-releaser!  Pat's was the largest of the evening, being about 18" and mine were around 16" and smaller.  It was one of the best fishing trips I've been on in a long time!

 This tree is a hallmark of the Fuller Lakes Trail!  We took a beautiful day to go out and get a hike in this year - just for fun, not hunting!!  Rowdy loves the change of pace of hikes, and really, so do we!  It gives a change of perspective, a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us.  We are so thankful to be here, even  with possible changes ahead!

So beautiful!  Pat let me lead the way up and he led the way back down.  I was able to keep the pace up enough to feel it a little the next day, which made it even better!