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Saturday, May 24, 2014

The littlest fisherman in the North Woods

A couple of days ago, Jackson and his Dad packed up the canoe for his first fishing outing at Clayton Lake. He was pretty successful in catching 4 brook trout all cast and reeled by himself!


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He doesn't only love to catch the fish, he and his little brother love to eat them. There are probably only a handful of three year olds in this world who can say they've caught their own dinner.

Fishing is the topic of the month and probably will be for years to come. His favorite show right now is Animal Planet's River Monsters, and it has only accentuated typical fisherman story telling.

When outside, he can be found in the same spot turning over mounds of grass that the plow ripped up this winter, searching for worms. I never know what is going to be brought to me when he comes to the door. A handful of worms, a slug, a big chicken, a baby chicken, a dead woodcock, or small carcasses that he's found left over from winter. Those are a few of the pleasant surprises I've had this month. :)

I'm so thankful that he is content to be here. We are learning new things together. The names of different flowers, birds, fish, plants, and how to recognize the sound of a woodcock, grackle, gorby, bittern, and woodpecker.
10403097_789655857714251_1028108936272053242_n "....A northern Maine summer is really something to look forward to. We had in our front dooryard what thousands of city people would give a great deal to enjoy--a spot of woods that only a few sportsmen could have access to."
Helen Hamlin said it perfectly in Nine Mile Bridge. We are excited and thankful to be able to experience our first summer at Clayton Lake.

4 comments:

  1. I love it!! He is such a little fisherman - go Jackson!! Miss you all!

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  3. You should write a blog post entitled "Look what I did tonight: adventures of a warden's wife" that details cleaning up after the giant cookout with the baby strapped in the baby carrier, including hubby's dinner which he did not get to eat because he had to go run on a call. This was tonight as a warden's wife, Wisconsin version. =)

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  4. Cassie Werner, my husband's family is from Wisconsin. I've been there, it's not like here, as remote. You would never "get" how remote Clayton Lake is. I know this because I grew up with parent's that were Forest Rangers on Rocky Mountain & Escourt Station. My great aunt & uncle lived, worked, and made their living on Clayton Lake. My Aunt Ester Caron & Uncle Lionel Caron, lived there all of their life without running water, electricity, and worked like galley slaves. They loved their peaceful life on the lake, with their only son. I can't remember if my Uncle was a Forest Ranger or a Game Warden, or neither. I know they worked for J.D. Irving at some point, then became Maine Guides later in life. Believe me, a lot of " Wardens Wives" clean up while their husbands are sent out to dangerous calls no matter what the occasion.

    I can recall riding up through nine mile on our way to Clayton Lake with my grandmother, stopping to pick some fresh blueberries on the way. To this day, I can't find blueberries in Central Aroostook Cnty as good as those up there. I have many of fond memories from my childhood trips through the North Maine Woods with my Grandparents.

    It's funny how you become used to using outhouses, fetching water from the lake or streams, drinking water from a spring. When I told my children about not having an indoor bathroom as a kid one remarked; " Where did you grow up, on Little House On The Prairie!?" Now that I think about it, it was like that, God was the center of our life without television, The Bible was our book of choice, and my parents were married 57 years before my mom passed from cancer. I'd say that life was pretty great. What a lot of people don't understand is that part of Maine is the lower 48 Alaska. You get 7-8 months of winter temperatures, and live it up to prepare all summer for the next winter. I'm born and bread Northern Maine, and have loved every moment of it, not a city bone in this girl! Take me to a city and my internal compass always heads NORTH!

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