First of all, I’d like to point out that I’ve not missed a single Sunday blog entry all season! I can’t guarantee such a hard-core work ethic for the remainder of the season but I will certainly try to maintain the standard to which you have become accustomed:)
We’ve got it goin’ on at Tall Pines Camp! We had a really good week last week! I had to write down all of the Big Fish Award recipients for Wednesday’s potluck! Pictures are supposed to be coming. For walleye 24″ or greater released, we had Nick (24), Jennifer (25.5), Gene (26.5 x 2!), Karly (27); for northern 36″ or greater released we had Mark (36″); for smallies 18″ or greater released we had Austin, Natalie and Emma; and for musky–yes, you read right–we had Colten with a 51″er that he is going to have made into a replica! Here he is with his brother Cody:
Those guys had a great time with that fish! Here’s the best pic, though: Grandpa Richard (who celebrated his 80th birthday while here) was caught by the camera when that fish came in
I’ll try to nudge people for more pictures for our page.
Weather was much improved last week, until Thursday. The humidity arrived Thursday and stayed until last night. It was awful–so thick and close:( We were supposed to have incredible nights for viewing the meteor shower and Northern Lights Wed. and Thurs. I stayed up “late”–a relative term–both nights. Wed. I saw nothing; Thurs. I did see many meteors but no Lights.
Luckily, berries are affected the same as fish by weather conditions! I was able to guide Sun., Mon., Tues., Wed. (because I had a guest chef for potluck), and Thurs. The berries are schooling up so nicely this year! Alice and Joyce and Dean and Andrew all joined me one day:
Dean and Andrew gave almost all of their berries to those nice ladies! How sweet:) I was able to pick enough raspberries to make Gruper a full-sized pie:
The raspberries are beautiful this year. I looked like I’d been to war when I finished picking, though. The bears are enjoying this year’s berry selections as well:
Good thing there’s enough to go around, eh?
Check this out. I was picking bb’s when I heard a scraping noise. I glanced up to see what it was (because I’ve learned to do that over the years), and there was this big, fat caterpillar! I scooped him up for a photo op:
Notice that I did not pick him up. That’s because he had an angry thorn on his butt and was fully prepared to use it:
I’m going to get in two photo fests today: Bob’s and Vicky’s! I still have Karen’s and Mary’s for sure and probably a couple I’ve forgotten! That is where I am falling behind! Let’s start with Bob:)
Bob and Joyce have been visiting us for many years. They are a lovely Iowa farm couple. Over the years we’ve met their son and three of their four grandchildren. Bob has always wanted to get all four grandkids up here together. They’re all involved with different activities and Matthew is heading into the Air Force next year, so the time was now! Kevin brought his boys from Missouri and Matthew and Megan rode along with their grandparents. Here’s Kevin:
His boys are Kyle and Seth. They did some good fishing during their stay:
Seth caught–and released–a nice crappie off the dock!
I loved this pic of him fishing in the evening:
I previously shared this pic of Matthew with a beautiful walleye:
and what looks like some dinner:
He and his sister Megan live in Minnesota. They come from tall stock! Here’s a great pic of Meghan in the boat:
Here are all four kids hanging together:
and enjoying a vacation as cousins should:
Of course we did some berry picking. The whole family enjoyed the results:
Bob always manages to get some beautiful scenery photos for me (probably really for him, but I enjoy them as well)!
Hopefully he and Joyce will get to have all four grandkids with them again soon. We’d sure love to see them all again at Tall Pines Camp!
Unlike Bob and Joyce, Vicky, Jeff and Ceranski have only visited us twice. These people have a very fun time while they’re here:) Ceranski brings his best Coach bag for the trip:
Jeff tries really hard to be an angler:
OK…he does catch bigger fish than that!
as do Ceranski and Vicky:
Rumor has it Vicky does her best hook-set in trees!
They also enjoy a bit of exploring:
and time together:
I hope they come back so I can ask about this pic:
Karen is up for the next photo fest. I’d like to promise a mid-week session but seriously doubt that will happen. We have bear hunters, friends, berry-picking, etc., all happening. I might even get my first pedicure of the season tomorrow!!! Let’s shoot for next Sunday.