A Much Needed Night on the River

June 26, 2018June 26, 2018 / doubledacres / 5 Comments

Smallmouth Bass caught on the Big River. (13 and 3/4 inches long.)

Finally on June 23, I was finally able to feed my addiction, I spent the night on Big River near Leadwood, Mo. They were calling for rain both days however I only got sprinkled on a couple of times. To top things off the night sky was sporting an almost full moon.

My adventure started around 5 p.m. Saturday afternoon. I put the yak in the water and headed up river. I fished as I went along, looking for places to set my limb lines and a place to set up camp. I had opted not to take a tent and was looking for a place sheltered from the west in case a storm blew up. I finally found a perfect gravel bar that had a 10 foot bank sheltering me from the west winds so I continued up river so that I could let the current bring me back down the river. That would make it easier to fish that stretch of the river.

As I fished my way back to the camp site it started out a little disheartening. Fish didn’t seem interested in anything I had to offer. Then I caught a rock bass and even though it wasn’t very big it was a start. I ended up catching several panfish and 8 smallmouth bass under 8 inches. Then I hooked something of size and the fight was on. When using an ultralight with 4 pound test line you can’t rush things. I had no idea what it was then it came straight up out of the water and did a tail walk. It was a largemouth bass. We went back and forth for around 10 minutes and then it did its fifth tail walk, gave me a big grin and spit the lure out of his mouth and I am pretty sure he was laughing at me as he hit the water and disappeared. Damn the luck.

I made it back to the camp site, unloaded the yak and got a fire going. Now f you have never started a fire with wet wood you probably have no idea how frustrating that can be. With no fish, Vienna Sausages were on the menu. I had 7 limb lines out so I rigged up a line to fish tight line from the bank, baited with nightcrawlers. I ran my lines at 11 p.m. and all the bait was gone and no fish.

I ran the lines again and still no fish so I went back to camp. Around 15 minutes after I got in camp I heard a growl come from up on the bank. Now there are many different kinds of growls. There is the I don’t like you growl, stay away growl and the I am going to scare this old man. This growl wasn’t any of those. It was more a kick arse and take names kind of growl. I slipped over and got my 45 out of the water tight box and stood real still. After around 5 minutes, but it seemed like 5 hours, it moved on. I let out a sigh of relief and went back to fishing.

Around 3 a.m. I heard something making a racket in the direction of one of my limb lines so I shove off and head in that direction. I shine the limb that my line is tied too and the limb is shaking up and down and going in all directions. I ease up and grab the line and start pulling it in and on the either is a huge snapping turtle. It decides it wants to come aboard my yak and the fight is on. Only problem was I didn’t have room for a 30 pound snapper. I finally got him loose and headed back to camp.

As the darkness started retreating and the light started to flood the morning sky I heated up some water to pour into my MRE and made some coffee. Around 5:30 a.m. I began breaking camp and loaded the yak and headed back up the river for some fishing action. At 9:30 I heard the awfullest racket coming from downstream around a bend in the river. Finally I see several cows making their way up the river crossing the river and heading up the hill on the other side.

That was pretty much my weekend in a nutshell and what an enjoyable night it was. I needed to recharge my spirit and the adventure in nature was what I needed. I can’t wait to see what the next river adventure brings.

Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did my river adventure. Stay safe and spread the love.

John Muir – “Father of the National Parks

June 14, 2018June 14, 2018 / doubledacres / 28 Comments

“The practical importance of the preservation of our forests is augmented by their relations to climate, soil and streams.” – John Muir

My blog today is about a man who every outdoorsman, or one who loves frequenting the National Parks, should know. He was a naturalist, environmental philosopher, glaciologist and activist for the preservation of wilderness. His name was John Muir.

John Muir was born in Dunbar, Scotland, on April 21, 1838 and died December 24, 1914. He was also known as “John of the mountains” and “Father of the National Parks”. He also founded the Sierra Club. He was well known for his writing. He published two articles about Wilderness Preservation in The Century Magazine that influenced the US Congress to establish Yosemite National Park in 1890.

“Only by going alone into silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and chatter.” – John Muir

The Muir family left Scotland in 1849 headed for America. They started a farm near Portage, Wisconsin. The farm was known as Fountain Lake Farm and it has been designated a National Historic Landmark. He enrolled in University of Wisconsin – Madison at the age of 22 and in 1864 moved to Canada until 1866. Indianapolis was his new home and he went to work in a wagon wheel factory.

In September of 1867 Muir began a 1,000 mile walk that started in Kentucky and ended in Florida. You can read about his journey in his book A Thousand – Mile Walk to the Gulf.

“Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.” – John Muir

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John was very active his whole life trying to save the wilderness and was at home in nature. Some controversy followed him concerning some of his activism, but his love for the outdoors prevailed.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Hope you enjoyed it. Remember, spread the love.

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” – John Muir

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Memorial Day

May 27, 2018May 27, 2018 / doubledacres / 4 Comments

This grave is located in the Masonic Cemetery in Farmington, MO.

Those who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy forget in time that men have died to win them.” – Franklin D Roosevelt

Memorial Day is upon us. I know some of you out there aren’t going to believe this but there is a real purpose and reason for Memorial Day other than going out and seeing how hard you can party for three days. It is a holiday with true meaning and really shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Memorial day was first observed on May 30, 1868 and in 1971 by an act of Congress it was declared a national holiday. The day of observance was also changed from May 30 to the last Monday in May. It is also referred to as “Decoration Day”. The practice of decorating soldiers graves has been a custom for some time even before the Civil War.

In 1868 Memorial Day ceremonies began at Gettysburg National Park but wasn’t known nationally until 1913. That year veterans of the United States Army and Confederate Army converged on Gettysburg to commemorate the most famous and bloodiest battle of the Civil War.

Picture taken by me in the Masonic Cemetery located in Farmington, MO.

There will be a special ceremony at this Revolutionary Soldier’s grave tomorrow but I am sorry I don’t know the time.

“For love of country they accepted death, and thus resolved all doubts, and made immortal their patriotism and their virtue.” – James A. Garfield

My office at K of P Cemetery located in Farmington, Mo.

As I sit here writing my mind is taken back many years ago when I was a child and we would go camping upon the banks of the St. Francois River at a place we dubbed “sandy banks” located just below the Lake Wappapello dam. There are a lot of great memories on those banks. It has been at least 45 years since I have been there but it just seems just like yesterday.

War brings so many casualties and adds to the populations of the cemeteries. This is the day that was designated by Congress to remember those that lost their lives while serving in the military. To all you party revelers out there, you have had two days to play and party hard. I ask that you take one minute of your time today and have a moment of silence for those brave men and women who paid the ultimate price with their lives.

I mow three cemeteries and know for a fact that a lot of graves never receive flowers or visitors. I would like to see a movement in this country where folks adopt one of those soldiers graves and decorate it with flowers. You don’t have to know them to place flowers on their graves.

My great grandparents headstone located in Arkansas.

Many areas of the country also decorate the graves of their family members regardless of them not being a vet.

In closing I want to wish everyone a safe holiday and if you are traveling be careful. Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed it.

Bonne Terre, Dragstrip

April 8, 2018April 8, 2018 / doubledacres / 10 Comments

“If you want to make a million dollars racing start with two.” – Ken Shrader

For many years the ground that Bonne Terre Dragstrip sits on was a place to pump tailings and water from the mines. Eventually it was turned into a 300 foot sand drag strip. After a lengthy time of sand drags the track changed hands many times then finally closed down.

Then it was given a new life when Jarrod Keen purchased the property and made several improvements to the property. One of the improvements ended the chance of ever having sand drag races there again. An eighth mile track was built and a drag strip was born. That was in 2014 and it is still going strong.

“I’ve been upside down, backwards, and on fire, faster than most people will ever think of going in their life.” – “Big Daddy” Don Garlits

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Bonne Terre Dragstrip is located at 7640 Blackberry Lane, Bonne Terre, MO. Presently racing is on Sunday and gates open at 10 a.m. Friday nights is “Test and Tune” and starts at 6 p.m. Admission is $10 at the gate. Kids 12 and under admission is free when with an adult. I have been there a couple of times and it is well run and a great place to take the whole family. They do have a cook shack and the food has been good and priced right. Make sure to check them out this summer.

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The world of drag racing is very exciting and if you have never been to a drag race, by all means put it on your bucket list. Hint: You may want to take some ear plugs with you.

Thanks for taking the time to read my post. It is really appreciated. Remember to share the love.

My Thoughts on Fishing

April 6, 2018 / doubledacres / 8 Comments

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.” – Henry David Thoreau

I have been fishing for a lot of years. I had the big bass boat with the big gas guzzling motor on it. I fished bass tournaments, mostly held on lakes. Then one day I was diagnosed with melanoma and had to have it cut off. They didn’t get all of the cancer cells so they cut some more and this time got it all.

Growing up we always fished the rivers. So I decided to sell the bass boat and head back to the river where I had learned to fish and I have no regrets. I bought a kayak and started fishing with ultra-light gear. I prefer a spinning reel loaded with 4 pound test line. I like a medium action rod. If you catch an eight ounce fish on this rig it feels like it weighs five pounds. I have a lot of fun with this set up on the rivers.

Two of my favorite crankbaits, Wee Craws by Rebel.

“Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed, turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation, some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self.” – Ted Hughes

My favorite way of fishing is with a fly rod and reel. set up. Personally I have a difficult time trying to cast from the kayak.

Minnow and shad look- a-likes that I love to use on the river.

There are all kinds of different artificial baits one can pick from. There are soft baits, jigs, crank baits, spinner baits, top water lures, just to name a few. For those of you who would prefer using real bait there are worms, crawdads, minnows and crickets.

Here in Missouri I would say the 4 most sought after fish are large mouth bass, small mouth bass, crappie and the catfish. In Missouri we are blessed with some great places to fish. I fish the Big River and the Missouri Department of Conservation has designated several miles of the upper part as a Small Mouth Trophy area.

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Large mouth bass

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small mouth bass

“There’s a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot.” – Steven Wright

I hope this post helped inspire some of you to pick up some fishing equipment and head out to the river or lake. It was short so feel free to ask me any question you might have.

I hope you enjoyed my post and thank you for taking the time to read it. Remember to share the love.

Goodbye Winter; Hello Spring

March 9, 2018March 9, 2018 / doubledacres / 11 Comments

Soon winter will lose its grip and spring flowers and plants will brighten this area.

“March is a month of considerable frustration – it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activities in our yards seems light years away.” – Thalassa Cruso

The seasons will soon come full circle once again. In a few days winter the winter season will be over and spring will be the new sheriff in town. Mother Nature will begin a rebirth and the countryside will be filled with flowers, tender young plants and newborn forest critters.

Baseball spring training camps will become a hive of activity. Farmers will begin preparing their fields for planting. The hillsides will come alive as Mother Nature paints them with the colors of the wild plum, redbud and dogwood trees.

Mother Earth will once again renew herself and the circle will begin anew and once again end with winter. Here in the Midwest I can remember when spring lasted for awhile. However in the last 5 or 6 years it seems like we go straight from winter to summer with just a smidgen of spring in between.

“Behold, my friends ,the spring is come; the earth has gladly received the embraces of the sun, and we shall soon see the results of their love!” – Sitting Bull

With the spring comes the spring rains and the flooding. Man has done a real good job of causing historical floods by building their levees. The floods use to clean out and remodel the riparian area of the river which was good for the river. With the levees the water backs up and stays put for a longer period of time and I think this makes the flooding less effective at clearing out some of the debris. Oh well that is my story and I am sticking to it.

We have had some big snows in March. I remember when I was a youngster, one Easter we woke up to 6 inches of snow on the ground. We have a couple of sayings here in Missouri though about the weather.

“Don’t like the weather you say. Stick around for it is sure to change in a couple of hours.’

“Here in Missouri you can experience all 4 seasons in one day.”

A Sign of Spring

Here they are calling for high of 50, low of 36 and Sunday high of 39 and low of 37 with a chance of rain or snow. Winter is still holding on.

“The coming and going of the seasons give us more than the springtimes, summers, autumns, and winters of our lives. It reflects the coming and going of the circumstances of our lives like the glassy surface of a pond that shows our faces radiant with joy or contorted with pain.” – Gary Zukav

I don’t know if we will have a lengthy spring or the scaled down version but I hope it takes a while to give in to summer. Time will tell and we will have to take whatever Mother Nature deals us. That is part of what makes life interesting.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. Hope you enjoyed it. Remember to share the love.

A March sunset in the Midwest.

Nature In Its Beauty

February 28, 2018February 28, 2018 / doubledacres / 12 Comments

Monsanto Lake, St Joe Park in Park Hills, Mo

“Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves at one with the secrets of life.” – L. Wolfe Gilbert

This morning I am sharing the pics from my fishing trip yesterday. Fish weren’t biting however Mother Nature showcased her beauty and splendor. Glad I had the camera with me. I also added some of my favorite quotes about nature.

Monsanto Lake

“Nature always wears the colors of the spirit” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monsanto Lake

“Looking at beauty in the world, is the first step of purifying the mind.” – Amit Ray

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“Water is the driving force of all nature.” – Leonardo da Vinci

I call this “Diamonds on the Water”.

“I believe the world is incomprehensibly beautiful and endless prospect of magic and wonder.” – Ansel Adams

Monsanto Lake

” The beauty of the natural world lies in the details.” – Natalie Angier

Monsanto Lake

“A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.” – Henry David Thoreau

I hope you enjoyed the pics and quotes. Thanks for taking the time to look at it. I dedicate this blog to Dr. David Tripp a very accomplished artist, writer, and fishing buddy, who has inspired me in my work. Thank you for your undying support. Remember to spread the love.

Benefits of Fishing

February 7, 2018 / doubledacres / 35 Comments

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“Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed, turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation, some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self.” – Ted Hughes

Well the little rodent says that we are going to have six more weeks of winter. That tells me that I am going to be fishing in the cold. If you have never fished before you won’t understand but those of you who have, well you understand totally.

Fishing is something that can be shared among friends. It is a way to get together and enjoy each others company and catch up on old news. It is relaxing and a good way to recharge your spirit. It is a great place to find yourself and cleanse your spirit of all the negativity that has latched onto it.

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My friend David and me at Bonne Terre Lake

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Mark’s grandson, David, Me, and Mark ready to float the river.

Mark and David during a float on the Big River

We have been on a couple fishing trips and we all three graduated together so there is always lots to talk about and we always have a good time. A fishing trip is one hell of a friendship bonding agent. We try to schedule a fishing trip at least once a year. it is always a good time.

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My fishing buddy (grandson) Catfish Kid

Catfish Kid strikes again.

One thing I love about fishing is you can share it with the young-uns. Me and the Catfish Kid caught some fish. He sure does love to fish so we have drowned a bunch of worms.

Following pictures are of fish that I have caught.

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Channel Catfish

Largemouth Bass

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Smallmouth Bass

One of the Big River’s panfish caught by David.

Last but not least. If you have never been fishing on the river before, the scenery can blow you away. One of my favorite times on the river is in the fall when all the leaves are changing colors.

Big River

Big River at Leadwood Access

I hope you enjoyed my little piece on fishing. I can’t say enough good things about it. If you are looking for a new adventure be sure and check out fishing. It is laid back and very enjoyable.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed it. Remember to spread the love.

(All photos were shot by me)

My Addiction

December 18, 2017December 18, 2017 / doubledacres / 2 Comments

“I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright.” – Henry David Thoreau

My adventure began December 16, 2017. I went to the property we own in Frank Clay that morning and had been cutting wood. It was a gorgeous day and I was having withdrawal symptoms. My addiction hadn’t been fed in awhile and I knew the longer I neglected it the worse it would get.

I arrived home around 2:30 and fed the horses. I then went to work unloading a load of wood that I had brought back. When that was done I went to work organizing the necessary items for a night in the woods.

I arrived at the property at 5:30 p.m. so I would be setting up in the dark. First thing I did was get the fire started so that when I was finished setting up I could rustle up some grub.

My palace for the evening.

It was 47 degrees when I arrived at the property. They were calling for a low of 40 and light rain by morning.

Once I had supper behind me I began reflecting on the day and the early night. The temperature had dropped to 40 degtrees and I could feel the fingers of the cold tugging at my toes and feet.

As I sat watching the flames of the fire dancing around the wood I began thinking just how fortunate I am to be able to experience Nature in this way. I think we tend to get so caught up in our everyday routines that we take our freedoms for granted. In our minds we tell ourselves that it will be there. We seem to forget how fragile life is. It can change in a matter of seconds and we lose the luxury to enjoy the things we hold so dear to our hearts.

As I sat there absorbing my surroundings I tried to imagine what it would be like for someone that has never experienced Nature in this way. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t wrap my mind around what it would be like. I realize that a lot of people don’t exactly have this adventure on their bucket list. To those people I say, find your “Nature experience”. That one experience that fills your heart with joy, recharges your spirit and cleanses your soul. That “me” time that we need to clear our minds and help us cope with life. Now close your eyes and think what that is. You got it? Hold it dear in your heart and don’t ever hesitate to go there and enjoy that time.

Another passion of mine is Dutch Oven cooking. My favorite is the ten inch. It is quite versatile and I carry that with me on my camping excursions. It also works well as a skillet. That was my choice for Sunday morning. It is great for cooking the complete meal in one pot. This morning I chose potatoes, sausage and eggs. Food tastes so much better when cooked outside, or at least that is my opinion. As I sat there eating breakfast I watched as the forest came to life. I watched as two deer made their way past camp and it must have been a squirrel family reunion. Several were enjoying the mild December weather. I had ten coyotes visit camp the night before. They didn’t stay long. They must have been looking for that roadrunner that was always picking on their cousin Wiley.

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” – John Muir

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog. I hope you enjoyed it. If your passion is say Bingo, then take the time to go to that place and renew your spirit and cleanse your soul. I know it is sometimes hard to find that time you really need. Learn to schedule this much needed time in your life. Remember to spread the love.

Silver Mines Recreation Area

October 8, 2017 / doubledacres / Leave a comment

Turkey Creek meets St. Francis River/Silver Mines

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity.” – John Muir Our National Parks