There is an office … space.

Yes, we’re retired. However, we still work on projects.

This blog/journal keeps us busy, when not fishing or exploring. And we have tasks that eventually require our attention.

Our most current,  “straightening the office,” has been on the back burner because it’s a bit like housework. (See Rules to Live By in Fossils, rocks and turkeys post).

As with nearly any furniture placement, eventually it will require some tweaks. When it came to the office area, Jack set up his fly tying bench, assembled a desk, and plugged in the computer. He then called it good.

Jacqueline figured there could be a better arrangement and set about tweaking the space.  What we have now is many times better than the jumble that was in here and it makes getting these posts ready much easier.

 

River Dog games

There’s a spot on the Upper Deschutes river that has become a favorite of Tip’s for swimming / fetching.  On exiting the car he will locate  a stick and lead the way down the trail.  Then it’s game on!

Summer Salad part IV

This final installment of our Summer Salad Series is Salsa (try saying that five times fast).  

Considered a sauce, we’ve chosen to elevate our salsa to it’s proper status … Tomato Salad Extraordinaire. The moment summer tomatoes begin to make their appearance, our fridge always has a deli cup full of fresh salsa. It’s importance can not be underestimated .. so we’re including it.

The ingredients need to be chopped fine and we think a mince of fresh cilantro is important, however not critical, Nan. What you don’t want to omit is the jalapeño and needless to say, the quality of your tomatoes plays a huge role in the final product.

Also not a salad … the one egg omelet has become a staple breakfast at our house and salsa must always be included on the plate. This video is an experiment in food photography style, rather than thinking you need a tutorial on cooking an omelet … but we hope you enjoy.

Super Simple Salsa

Ingredients

  • 4-5 Compari vine ripened tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 lime, freshly squeezed

Instructions

  • Chop tomatoes and fresh herbs of your choice.
  • Dice red onion.
  • Seed jalapeno and dice.
  • Squeeze 1/2 fresh lime.
  • Combine ingredients and stir. Place in container and refrigerate. Use within 2-3 days.

A Bug Hunt

With any hobby there are varying levels of involvement. We tend to be involved. So when it comes to fly fishing, aquatic entomology is part of the process.

Streams are much more alive with insect activity subsurface than you might expect. The best way to know what fish are eating is to sieve up some information … literally.

Three types of insects make up a majority of food sources, caddis, mayfly and stoneflys. The best imitation for an aquatic invertebrate is part latin name and part fisher folklore. Mostly you’re looking at size and color. Information obtained from the sample tray is taken to the tying bench and applied to a standard pattern.

It’s not clear if all this leads to more fish. The immersive nature is part of the fun. Plus you get to see lots of interesting creatures. Lately we’ve been pointing the macro lens at the collection tray and the videos are otherworldly, but a bug hunt is also part of the fun.