ANIMAL HOUSE…

So Ally sent me this photo last night which pretty much sums up her life in lockdown in Pullman, WA while she is attending Washington State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Just about everyone in her 2nd. year class has animals, including cows and horses. This is why we have great Vets. !!!

Ally and “Tater Tot”, HERO’s new best friend. “Tater Tot” is blind. She belongs to one of Ally’s study partners and likes to perch on Ally’s shoulders…

HERO in his usual mode when friends don’t drop by…

 

NEXT: Working on a tying SBS…

 

 

PT/TB

Another year…but who is counting ???

On June 18th, I celebrated 26 years of sobriety. Which is a big deal for someone who could not stop starting. I celebrated this year’s cake tour with my family at home where – it was most most appropriate considering the experiences I went through in the last year and being made acutely aware of my limitations by some very good doctors…

The medallion…

Cake from my family with Lil’ Moo…just grateful to still be above ground and breathing…

 

Next: A tutorial I never posted on the Retro Caddis and a fish or two by Michael on the East Branch of the Croton…

 

 

PT/TB

Finally…The North Fork of the Clearwater River…

It has been a long Winter and Spring. None of the family have gone anywhere except frequent Zoom meetings to keep up with what’s going on and the rapid growth of my new Grandson Cairo, who is not ready yet to make his appearance on this BLOG. Ally, HERO and Nick broke the ice with a brief venture over to the North Fork of the Clearwater River in Idaho to wet a line…

Somewhere in Idaho where it’s real green…

An anticipatory HERO on the road…

The North Fork of the Clearwater River in Idaho…looking upriver…

Looking down river…

HERO and Nick doing their thing…

A Cutthroat Trout to hand in net…

Ally’s butterfly feet…

A pooped HERO….

The view around here for the last two months…Lil’ Moo (Miles) and Mom (Nadia)…

 

 Next: I will come up with something to fill the void…

 

 

PT/TB

MUSSO and FRANK and DESERT in SILVERLAKE…

Michael and Aimee flew out from New York in mid-October to spend time with the families and to visit a favorite eatery in Hollywood. In the next posting, a baby shower for Aimee in San Clemente to welcome a new male member of the Barker clan who, for the time being, we call “Baby Bean”…

 

In the parking lot…

Old menu in the hallway entrance from the parking lot…check the prices…

Nadia gives side eye while Greg looks for something VEGAN…

Aimee and Miles…

The gang…Michael, Aimee, Mini Moo, Nadia and Greg…

Bet ya’ can’t just eat one slice of this sourdough…

Part of the menu…

Caesar Salad !!! Yummmmmmm…

Something I can longer have…

No Pacino, Pitt or DiCaprio at the bar…

There they are…in the MOVIE

My parents always sat in the empty corner booth on the far right. I have been coming to M&F since 1950…

Shrimp cocktail that Miles thought was gross…Big MOO finished it off…

Creamed Spinach…Bernaise Sauce 👍👍👍👍

Rings & Fries…

NY Steak…medium rare !!!

Linguini for Mr. Vegan – Greg

The last guy to finish eating – always…

Can’t take these two guys anywhere…

I texted Ally and asked if I could have one for digestive purposes…Yeah, RIGHT DAD !!!

This I can have…

Desert Menu…

Oh yeah…Crème Brûlée…

Something that Nadia had…Cheese Cake…New York style with strawberries…

Parking lot group photo…

A Latte and more desert in Silverlake on Sunset Blvd. …

Big MOO with Ice Cream…

Miles and Dad…

 

NEXT: Welcoming “Baby Bean” in San Clemente…

 

 

PT/TB

 

Big MOO Day on The East Branch of The Croton River…

I was under the impression that Michael would be traveling to upstate New York to spend a day on the East Branch of the Delaware but he fooled me and decided to fish closer to home outside of New York City. He had a good day…

 

East Branch of the Croton on one of Michael’s previous visits…

Sunday, November 3, 2019…

Nice Brown to hand…

Blowdown on the East Branch of the Croton River…

A Rainbow…

Another Brown…

Flat section of the East Branch of the Croton River…

Last Brown…All were caught on the two fly patterns below. A Black Serendipity designed by Kelly Galloup and my Buffalo Jump…

Brown, Winston BIIX, 9′, 5WT., Tibor Reel & Hat of MOO…

 

Next: A visit to Los Angeles by Michael, Aimee and “Baby Bean”.

 

PT/TB

Lochsa, Selway Rivers and Marble Creek…IDAHO…Fall 2019

So I informed Ally that I need some photos of water and fish to add to the BLOG while I am slowly recovering from my kidney surgery. She, Nick and Hero are always happy to oblige so I can get my thrills vicariously during this down time. Michael and Aimee came out last week (October 18) for her baby shower in San Clemente, CA for my new Grandson, expected to arrive in January 2020. I will post some photos of that fun experience by the beach and another family visit to the fabulous Musso & Frank Grill in Hollywood the next day…

The Lochsa River , October 5, 2019…

Marcus Point Trailhead Bridge over the Lochsa River…

Another view…on the bridge…

Above the Lochsa River on a cloudy and cold morning…

Some Lochsa whitewater…Well, this can’t be staged…good work Ally !!!

Another view downriver…I would break my neck trying to negotiate that terrain right now…

This is an attractor dry pattern that was developed for this river called the “Lochsa Special” – tied here by Scott P. on a #12 dry fly hook…when I get back to tying, I will do about two dozen of these for my guys…

A cutty from the Lochsa that would probably like that fly…

Frosty, wet pine needle from a nearby tree on the Lochsa…

Some of the locals on the way over to the Selway River…

One approach to the Selway River…

HERO…Rockin’ the Selway…

Nice Cutthroat !

The Selway…broad and full of boulders…

One more Cutty from The Selway …

Ally and Hero, along Marble Creek, a tributary of the St. Joe River, October 26, 2019…This is a steam powered “Steam Donkey”near an old mill site on the creek…

Marble Creek…

Trail buds…Ally & Hero on a very cold day...

Tipped pines in the Marble Creek drainage…

Nick working the creek…there is a Trout splash just off his feet if one looks closely…

Nick with a hook-up…

Hero…needing to get in the mix …

 

 

NEXT: Some family stuff…

 

 

PT/TB

 

 

 

A New Journey…

I want to give a big thanks to the surgeons who removed my left kidney on Wednesday, September 4, in Westwood, CA. They had to deal with a bunch of scar tissue and adhesion from my previous abdominal surgery in May of this year, in order to safely remove the organ and attached clear cell carcinoma tumor. They said they got all of it and I now have a 7 inch horizontal scar under my left ribcage to mark the occasion. My daughter Nadia got me this lid because  almost everyone in this facility, who has served, wears one on their head to identify the branch and service they were in…

I was told it would be about 6-8 weeks of recovery before I feel somewhat “normal” again…There is considerable pain on my left side where the incision to remove the kidney was made…

 

NEXT: Some waters over in Idaho that Ally, Hero and Nick fished recently…

 

 

PT/TB

 

Big MOO on the Upper Deschutes River…

During his trip to Oregon, Michael visited the Upper Deschutes River a couple of times. These are some of the photographs he passed on to me … Although he didn’t catch any Trout of gigantic proportions, he caught a lot of smaller guys that kept him busy. The scenery was enough to keep him satisfied…

Checking in…

That is a dramatic shot !!!

Down in the canyon…

A  plunge pool…

The guy who took the photos…Michael, AKA Big MOO…

A Rainbow !!!

A lot of fishy water…

Along the cliffs…

Another view upstream…

Another small Rainbow Trout…

I want to be there ! …

Calm…

Sunset on the Upper Deschutes…

Brewskis…Three Creeks Brewing Company…

 

NEXT: I will be having surgery this week to remove my left kidney which has a cancerous tumor…it’s up in the air as to what my next post will be about…

 

 

PT/TB

Big MOO on the Metolius River…

Michael and Aimee traveled West to Oregon for her family’s bi-annual get together. This time, they chose a big family visit to Sisters, Oregon. After get acclimated to their new surroundings and a visit to a nearby lake and stream, Michael got serious and headed up tp Camp Sherman for some advise, information and local flies…

Big MOO at the Camp Sherman store/ Fly Shop…

Neat little Fly Shop !

Seeking information on locations and fly patterns to use…

A visit to the nearby Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery…

A little creek that Michael visited…

Callibaetis from a nearby lake…

Free living Caddis on a rock from the above creek…

Another Callibaetis and a Caddis Fly…Michael likes to photograph bugs…

Finally…Michael in the Metolius River…

A selfie…with the Winston BIIX, 9′, 5wt. …

I like this water…

Another perspective…

Metolius River near Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery…

Rigging flies on the Metolius River…

Another good looking stretch of water...

Michael working the water…on the Metolius River…

Around a bend, late in the day…

Ok…this is THE PLACE !!!

A Trout…

 

Next: Big MOO on the upper Deschutes River…

 

 

PT/TB

Pullman to Los Angeles…

Aly and I left Pullman to head down to Los Angeles on Thursday, July 25. She went to visit her Mom and friends and I came down for further medical care in Southern California…I will be down here until there is a resolution of those issues. I look forward to being in Pullman once again and fishing in Eastern Washington and Idaho. I have already received an invitation to fly fish with a friend on the Madison River, in Montana, next Summer…I would like to do that as well…

See ya’ La Casa…

How is all this stuff going to fit in that tiny car ???

Belted up and ready to zoom …

Next stop Winnemucca, Nevada…

Scorching the Palouse on the road to Lewiston, Idaho for the last time… for awhile…

Past the Town Hall in Uniontown, WA…

Until next time…Clearwater River, Idaho…

South on U.S. 95 in Idaho…

Past Riggins, Idaho making good time…

Junk food from a gas station in Riggins…

Canyon driving in Idaho…Ally and I saw a horrific accident shortly after this photo was taken…

Along the Salmon River…

We saw a lot of folks in watercraft on the river…

Coming down into Whitebird, Idaho…

North of Payette, Idaho heading into farmland and the flats…

Hops for brewing near the Idaho / Oregon border…

More farms … Oregon is a few short miles up the road…where the hills are , in the distance…

Right up there…

HERO and Ally take a break…

Ally’s rental “Rice Rocket”…amazingly, we stuffed a ton of luggage and stuff in there…

The great expanse of Eastern Oregon…

Owyhee River near Rome, Oregon…

As we entered Northern Nevada, the clouds and lighting were downright splendid…I took a bunch of photos all the way to Winnemucca…

More #2…

More #3…

More #4…

More #5…

 I made Ally stop the vehicle, about 60 miles North of Winnemucca, for this one…Thanks Ally !!!

The usual spot to spend the night…

Dinner !!!

…and for Allo, a cocktail which did not ward off the mosquitoes…

Cheese and Beef Burritos with the fixin’s and rice…Yummy…

6AM up and out …gas at the Mini-Mart…

Hero…ready to roll…

No…that’s my seat…

Pointed West and it is raining…

Walker Lake, just North of Hawthorne, Nevada…

Preppers delight …more ammo bunkers than anywhere else on Earth…

On Hwy. 6, approaching  the White Mountains in Western Nevada…

More of the White Mountains close to the California state line…

Americana…Benton Station, CA…

Almost to Bishop in the Chalfant Valley…

North of Bishop, near Five Bridges and the Lower Owens River…The Sierra in front…

Turn left…Here…

395 in Bishop and my favorite Mexican joint in the Sierra…

Big Pine…Lawd help us !!!

Lookout point for Tule Elk on the left and Charlie’s Butte  just ahead…pointy, black, shiny objects made from obsidian…

Worth the drive from Pullman…Frosty Chalet, Lone Pine, CA …

Lunch at Spainhower Park, creekside, in Lone Pine, CA…

Dogs with mustard, relish & onions…Rings too !!!

Back with this guy, in LA…

 

NEXT: Michael on the Metolius and Deschutes Rivers…

 

 

PT/TB