Fish Like a GIRL

I am ready for fall. I have had enough of the heat and I’m ready for fall hoodies and a big old pot of venison chili. I still look forward to hunting season, even if I don’t get out as much as I used to.

The memories of crisp fall mornings and hoping for “tracking snow” on opening weekend do not seem that far removed, nor do those big pots of venison chili made to use up the last of the previous year’s spoils to make room for this year’s freezer-filler.

As a kid, my dad and I hunted birds more than deer. I have likely mentioned that before. He was not a big fan of all the work that started once a deer was down, but we cleaned many a bird in the back woods by the swamp. I do miss those days as well. Obviously, the time spent with my Dad in the woods are some of the best childhood memories. 

It was later in life that I actually got more into deer hunting. When my late husband Rod and I got together, it became a pretty big deal. I miss the camaraderie of the group of guys he used to hunt with and the fun of being out in the woods as a group doing drives. His last fall we were able to drive out and see the guys, but he couldn’t take walking and hunting any longer. But it was still good to feel like a part of all of that.

Now my falls focus more on fishing. Chet and I will be fishing into October at least. As long as it stays fairly nice out, we will keep fishing. Fall fishing is always a great time. There is less traffic on most lakes, obviously, as schools go back into session and many of our visitors in the Northwoods head back to their homes and their daily lives. There are usually not as many anglers on the water, even, once fall comes around. 

Of course, those of us who know how much fun it can be tend to stick it out until the cold, bitter end,

Another thing about fall fishing is that fish are hungry. They know the cold, dark days of winter are coming, and they want to fatten up before that happens. I feel like they school up more in the fall, too. At least I seem to catch more fish in one spot than at other times of the year. So that makes for a fun day on the water.

Fall, to me, also means more time for crafting. I taught myself to crochet when Rod was sick, and I have made more afghans than I care to count. But this year I decided to go back to plastic canvas. My plan was to find a plan for a Christmas train. I made one way back in the day, but I have not done anything like that in years. I figured why let something silly like a pattern hold me back. I grabbed some graph paper and decided I was going to make my own train. The one I made previously had five or six cars and an engine, so I am modeling this one after what I remember of that one. In reality, it will probably be totally different, but I am fine with that. I have no idea what happened to the original train, so the likelihood of coming across it again is small.

One challenge I did not expect at the beginning of the project, though, was that I would be bringing two small kittens into our house after losing both of our dogs this spring and summer. I am still a dog person through and through, but these kittens have made their way into my heart, at the same time. 

Kittens + Yarn = Fun! At least to the kittens. To me? It means some difficulty in working with craft projects, to which I am sure anyone with kittens, or even grown cats, can relate. They are a bit sneaky and have learned to take yarn from the other end of the skein, or a different skein of yarn in my yarn tote, so I do not realize what is happening until they have yarn strung across the living room, around the couch and halfway up the cat tower. This has happened not one time but several. I cannot help but laugh, which thwarts most any attempt at correcting this behavior. I understand that, but it still cracks me up. 

The jury is out as to whether this project will be complete before Christmastime. I try to grab the project tote out of the closet as soon as the kittens fall asleep, but for some reason, just the turning of the door knob on that closet (which must contain exceptionally fun things in their minds, as the door is always closed), is enough to get them up and running around the house again. Then the chase is on. The word “no” and the squirt bottle really only seem to thwart attempts to do things less fun than playing with yarn. Yarn trumps water, apparently, in the eyes of kittens.

Speaking of the holidays, although they are still some time away, it will be my first experience since I was in single digits in age having cats and a Christmas tree. Wish me luck! I already have plans to anchor the tree to the two walls in the corner where it will go. The cat tower is not in the picture window where the tree used to go. I thought it better to not attempt to move the cat tower anywhere else in the house and replace it with a real tree. I am sure there will be some tales of tails to tell this holiday season, so I hope readers stay tuned for that.

Beckie Gaskill may be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].