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Monday, May 10, 2010

An Un-Mother's Day

For once, Mother decided to take the day off and just be Susan. We spent time with our kids and grandkids on Saturday (Aimee had to work on Sunday), because we had an ulterior motive......time alone...outdoors...on a beautiful day!

David, after many years of thinking and planning and thinking some more, has decided to pursue his dream hobby....fly-fishing. He has been studying the local streams known to have abundant trout populations. How nice that one of them is in our most favorite area in Ohio--the Hocking Hills region.

We started early and packed a picnic lunch, including treats for Lucy. Then we filled the SUV with fishing equipment, a folding chair and a book for me, sunglasses and hats, and the dog, and headed for the hills. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.



















































After David fished again in the afternoon, we were both tired and hungry and it was time to head home to our own little patch of woods. It was a good day.

38 comments:

California Girl said...

Hi girl! what's "retirement"?

Looks like you had a really nice day in which to do really nice things. Those are the best and usually spur of the moment. Happy Mother's Day!

Tattered and Lost said...

Just looking at the shots relaxes me. Now I'm thinking I need to consider putting Ohio on a vacation list. It was always the state to rush through to get to Pennsylvania to visit relatives. Just lovely.

Sandy Nawrot said...

I might ALMOST relax just looking at your pictures! Hey, we moms just have to give ourselves time to be us. Which is what I did yesterday too. Hope you had a great day!

Susan said...

Remember, Cali Girl, I said he is retiring (next year)! Wives never get to retire. We're worker bees until the day we die! ;-)

It was a great day...very satisfying. We deserved it.

Susan said...

Tattered, I think you should put Ohio at the top of your list! And my door is always open to sweet friends like you! It would take a week to show you all the great things in Ohio. Got a week you can spare?

Susan said...

Sandy, I don't think the word RELAX is even in your vocabulary! I could teach you a thing or two about that! I know how to slow down...got it perfected!

It was a great day! Glad you got one, too.

The Bumbles said...

My kind of day! Glad you were nice enough to share it with all of us. Very lucky to have such a pretty spot nearby.

Ruth said...

Before too long, Susie, David's fly fishing gear will be worn in, and maybe you'll even be out there with him (?). The log home, the butterflies, the guinea, the picnic, the smart maneuver to get off by yourselves, and the sun and sky that cooperated must have all filled you right up. So happy - or should I say un-happy?

alaine@éclectique said...

Susan, did he catch anything?! Did David ever go in to check out our site? If not, here it is again - www.kossiedun.com.au - some great tips and stories there.

It is a lovely pastime; I take the newspaper and a book but sometimes he's having such a good time that I'm left in pitch dark, sitting in the car, waiting, waiting. It gets quite spooky!

GailO said...

Looks like a relaxing, very enjoyable way to spend Mothers Day...Love your nature photos...and how did you label them like that?...very pretty...

Fly fishing certainly makes for great photo opportunities!..I'm challenging myself to learn how to fish from our sailboat this summer...

Judy said...

This sounds like such a wonderful day! We had rain in my part of the world.

Wanda..... said...

Beautiful photo of Clear Creek, Susan, just viewing the scenery would be relaxing!
♥...Wanda

CottageGirl said...

What a lovely way to spend Mother's Day! Peacefulness with your hubby enjoying the simple beauties of nature. That's the way to be pampered for sure.
You do so very much for your family, it's good for you to have a little "me" time.
Hugs to you my dear friend.

Susan said...

Molly, there are so many beautiful places in Ohio, but that whole area is my favorite. We would love to live there.

Susan said...

Ruthie, it was a very happy day with some sad moments; so, not to worry, dear friend. We were blessed with a perfect day of peace.

I don't know about the fishing...it does look kind of interesting...maybe I'll read a book about fishing. :)

Susan said...

Alaine, that is a lovely website! He loved it! Spent the whole evening looking at yours and some videos on YouTube. I don't think he even noticed when I went to bed, because he had earphones in! Now I'm thinking that if we ever get to your neck of the world, he will want to take a few lessons from Mick!

He did catch one on Sunday, but released it as it was under 12 inches. You would have thought he caught one as long as your arm! I haven't seen him this excited in years!

Susan said...

Oliag, thank you! I used the Polaroid frame in Photoscape and then just added captioning right on the picture. I like doing that because they have a lot more font choices than blogger.

I missed the first fish catch. I was sitting in the car napping and reading, reading and napping. I'll try to capture the next one.

Susan said...

Judy, we're getting your rain today! That must have been a slow-moving front, because it was beautiful here again yesterday. I bet they have some good fly-fishing rivers and creeks out in your area, too.

Susan said...

Wanda, it was very relaxing. I had a hard time staying awake! Have you ever been to the Hocking Hills? We love it there!

Susan said...

Dear, sweet, CG, thank you for thinking of me. Mother's Day does have its bittersweet memories, but all in all, it was a very good day. I felt very peaceful and fulfilled.

I'm glad you had a lovely MD, too, especially with that new little girl to kiss and cuddle. She's so sweet!

VioletSky said...

I must admit, fly-fishing sounds wonderful to me. I wouldn't mind trying it (retired, or not).
love your photos, too.

Cora said...

A beautiful story through your photos!! All are beauitful and I know yall had a great fun time in nature!! Nothing like it!!

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Oh the glory!! :) My father and grandfather used to fly fish in Oregon on the Dechutes river. I remember it well...what a fascinating thing it was to watch.
I am so happy to have my music back and I owe it all to you!! How kind of you to take the time to help me!!
I pray every day that there will be a TRUE cure for cancer. I have lost so many of my friends and family..two husband, both Mother and Father...friends, so many of them...all to cancer. I fear since it is in my genes, that I will also go that way!

Cindy said...

Ahhh... lounging in a chair reading a book by the river can never be bad!

I grew up in a fly fishing family, so I can tell you it's a very relaxing, calming sport. And where we fished on the Metolius River, the fish were few and far between, so there was plenty of time to relax and watch the river go by.

Dutchbaby said...

My goodness, I needed this! After all the running around I've been doing, I needed a nice walk in the hill country. Thanks for taking me along. You must have the patience of Job to have captured those butterflies so perfectly on "film".

Susan said...

Thank you, Sanna. It is the sport if you like solitude, quiet and competing against yourself. It's right up David's alley. The same reasons he likes bowhunting. So now I've got him covered for all seasons!

Elle Bee said...

Sounds like a wonderful day! Lovely pictures.

Susan said...

Thank you, Cora, it was a lovely day!

Susan said...

Mona, I'll bet you have some wonderful memories of your dad and grandpa wading the streams.

And you're very welcome...I was glad to be able to help.

Susan said...

Cindy, I think watching the river go by is an excellent way to spend an afternoon, whether you wet a line or not. I'm sure you have lovely memories of time spent with your family.

Someday I'm pretty sure we'll head out to Montana again. I know David has been itching to fish there ever since we saw 'A River Runs Through It'. We were there in '88.

Susan said...

dutchbaby, I'm so happy that my little post helped you catch your breath!

I don't think patience had anything to do with my captures! It was pure luck that the butterflies settled down long enough for me to get a few shots.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful pics! I love the Hocking Hills area. Seems like we always end up there at least once every summer. I didn't even know what a guinea fowl was!
Thanks for showing how beautiful Ohio can be :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, my goodness! What a beautiful place. Who even cares if you catch anything? Wonderful way to spend retirement or to practice for retirement.

Love that pic of Clear Creek with the trees hanging over. Looks like a perfect way to while away the day. Good on you.

ds said...

Practicing for retirement--ha ha! Sounds like a wonderful relaxing day for you both (the joys of "escape" should never be underestimated). And thanks so much for labeling your photos--I saw a red admiral yesterday & thought it was a baby monarch...

A chair, a book, a river, ahhhh. Perfect.

Susan said...

Thank you, Elle! It was very nice!

Susan said...

Stacy, I'm glad you agree with me that our state is very beautiful and not the blah one that a lot of movies and TV shows portray it to be. For anyone else out there reading this, Ohio is a Shawnee word meaning "beautiful". It lives up to its name.

I'm so glad you enjoy the Hocking Hills! I hope after the baby comes, you will take the little one hiking with you someday.

Susan said...

Thank you, Bella, I'm sure you would love it there. Of course, you have so many beautiful places to explore in your own state of Virginia! One of my favorite states.

The fly-fishing is being encouraged by me as a way to keep himself busy and out of my hair in the warm months! Sly, eh?

Susan said...

ds, I'm so happy I could clear that up for you! I didn't know myself and had to look it up. There's also a very similar butterfly to the monarch, but it is smaller, and it is called 'viceroy'. Fitting name, eh?

David also went fishing this past weekend while I was off on a girls' weekend with my best friend Cindy. He caught 8 small ones yesterday. Woo-hoo! Had to throw 'em back, of course, but he was thrilled!