Today we had some clouds. Our High was 82F and our Low tonight will go down to 63F. The chance for rain was only 20%. Our relative humidity was 88% and our dew point was 66F. The barometer is 30.11 and steady. Our winds were light out of the East at 3mph. The Sunrise came at 6:54AM. The sun will set this evening at 5:28PM.

Blaine with one of his first Chain Pickerel. This (for a short time) garnered him the nick name "Pike".
Here is the Bass Blaine landed on his Cotton Contrill top lure, fishing a Zebco 202 on a graphite rod. I was very proud of the kid on this trip. He really had it down my now.
Not even rain, wet and cold could dampen his mood. This guy was always smiling!
"Pike" with another chain pickerel. For some reason, he loved catching these things.

I was up before dawn, writing a letter to someone near and dear to me. Someone I care very much for. Someone who is some danger. I write a lot of letters I never send. This one goes in the mail tomorrow, and it goes off with a prayer. I started work on The Blaine Reynolds Whorl Memorial Scholarship Fund 2011 Calendar (s). I was partially through one when Ethan & Kylie came by for a visit. We gave Ethan the predator game call gift we picked up at the Bass Pro Outdoor World this weekend. It is his birthday gift. He seemed to be pleased with it, but he is hard to read. I do not think he likes to get as much as he likes to give. Todd stopped in for a visit. I paid him up for the shell pad, and he delivered a truck load of good top soil for the raised beds. We filled two beds while we stood around talking.

Todd left, and Sherry headed off for town to do the weekly shopping. I went back at the calendars. I completed two by the time Sherry returned. We unloaded the car, and went for our evening walk. I wish I would have taken along my camera, as there was much to photograph. We walked the woods through the bottom to Todd & Nancy's. The path is clear, as Ethan uses it for his 4 wheeler path. We looked over Todd & Nancy's row garden and inspected the Hog pen. The piglets (sloats) are really cute, and it would be hard to put one to the knife, although I doubt Todd would have a problem with it. We visited for quite some time, said our good bye's and headed back across town. I am determined to build a pen, and get one of these little beauties. I discussed with Todd purchasing a fiberglass out building he has laying around his lay down area. He is not using this thing, and, if I can get it at a reasonable price, I can turn it into a garden shed/chicken coop. We shall see.

I received a parcel from an old friend today. I used to fish Lake Heritage in Gettysburg back in the 80's. Blaine was just a wee lad at the time. I would take him with and we would spend the weekend fishing together. He was but 4 or 5 at the time. I would always take photos of Blaine fishing, and of what he caught. Afterwards, I would write a 'Thank you' letter to Kevin. Well, Kevin kept these things all these long years. He saved them in a journal. Well today I got the photos and the letters I had sent. It was a very touching to read the letters, and relive these wonderful memories. I have included some of the photos here. I have often (of late) told the story of Blaine and me fishing along a point where we had been hitting good bass. A boat pulled up and we were talking about fish we where catching, where and how. The fellow in the other boat asked Blaine's age. "5" I replied. "Can he fish?" asked the other boat. I turned to Blaine and said "...Son, hit that piling..." at which time he took his Zebco 202 push botton with a Contrill Top Bait and cast at the pole. The lure hit the pole and fell to the water, at which point a HUGE bass hit the lure. Blaine landed the fish next to the boat where I easily netted it. Man, was I ever proud. The buttons nearly popped off my jacket, my chest had swelled so from pride at my boy's fishing abilities. Really great memories. I will scan and load the photos here. I owe Kevin a great debt of thanks for these small mementos. I have so few. I always thought I would have plenty of time to gather up a life times worth, but I was shorted by time. These mean all the more to me.

Here is the Letter, in full;

"September 26th, 1988

Dear Kevin,

Thanks for allowing Blaine, Bill and me the use of the cabin. Even though we were unable to connect with any lunkers, we all had a really great time on plenty of pounders. Small fish are better than no fish at all, and it really gave Blaine the chance to "get his feet wet" on fresh water. By the time Monday came around, he was casting like Roland Martin. Now it seems like a day doesn't go by that he won't ask when we're going back to Kevin's to fish. I think you can see by the photos just how happy he was to be there.

I can't tell you how much I appreciated the opportunity to take my son on that fishing trip. Raising kids is a lot like raising bird dogs, and although I haven't taken to putting cigars out in his nose,when he hard mouths or shooting him in the ass for hunting wide, I hope that the more time I spend with him, the better we'll know each other. Remember when Bud was a pup? He'd mess up a bit, but you always took him. Now you wouldn't think of going bird hunting without him. I guess it's the same with me & Blaine. I'll let him mess up a bit now, and later, well, maybe he'll take me. and who knows, maybe he'll take you along too.

Thanks again Kevin. It really was a great trip!

Your Friend,

Steve"

I followed with a hand written PS, "Me & "Pike" Whorl, we'll be back up next month. Pike's looking to get a "wall hanger"! Hope he connects. See you than, S."

These are the memories that keep me going. These are the memories I cherish more than any possession.