Not too soon to think of trout season...

Or blog about it.

Obviously, I've avoided this site for a while. Seriously considered deleting it. But over the last five years or so I've done some writing here I liked and haven't had the energy to archive it anywhere else. And I thought someday I'd begin blogging again.

Actually, that day was just a little while ago. I started another blog on an unrelated subject, and it felt good to write again. It's been a long time since I wrote something that wasn't job related, and even that was perfunctory, brief, inconsequential. Comments on student papers. A portion of a grant app. Nothing one could mistake for serious exposition or reflection. Blogging on my other site made me realize keenly that I couldn't let things go on like that; it showed a light on the stagnation in my life.

So I return to my efforts here.

I've received a number of comments over the last year or so that I've neglected to moderate--sorry. Some were very interesting. Many were spam, and others I assumed were and deleted the notice without reading them. I'll be more diligent about handling those.

As for what's happened since last spring...still teaching at the university, still living with Kristine and Sully in Ann Arbor. Kristine still is in school, not working full time, though she has had steady freelance graphic design work. I am enjoying this winter. We bought snowshoes at Christmas and have been out three times, cross country skied once. It is nice to have more than a few inches of snow that actually sticks around for weeks at a time.

Continued duck hunting last fall. Went at least once a week, got a few birds, even. I think I was more rabid for that than I was for the last season of fishing. I think I spent less than a dozen days trout fishing last year, which may account for the lack of posting. I only fished the Huron three or four times. I spent last summer busy with everything but the outdoors. The saving grace was our community garden plot. Finally we got a sunny spot that would make tomatoes, beans, greens, and everything else we desired grow with abandon. We actually struggled to eat everything we grew, and we gave quite a lot away besides. We'll be back at it this summer, and I'll surely be posting about it.

Of course, trout are filling up my thoughts more and more with April approaching. The Stockerfest opener is on April first, and I don't have to teach that day. Reportage and photos of that f'sho.

Don't be a stranger. If you comment...it wont' be neglected.