Lake Street is Burning

I live far away now
among the the trees and ponds
wind in the pines and scent of plum blossoms

But once long ago
I shared lunch and smoked weed with the brothers
my brothers
as we watched a foreign war from the ship yards of Philadelphia
and neighborhoods burning on both sides
of oceans

Yet we were brothers only of the day
as they went to their quarter and I mine
after our daily wages were won
theirs likely skinnier for their precious time
and we would not together
know the dark

The skies were grey from smog and smoke
the river putrid then
oil in the wind and tar on the soles
as protests raged that hot and humid summer
nearly too much for a Minnesota boy
to comprehend

all those miles from home
race
equality
environment
the ghetto
the violence of authority
the War

Will we undo now
what we knew as truth then
that we were different
different
in language
and mannerism
and humor
and color
and experience
and for no good goddamn reason
different
so I went to my quarter
and they theirs
at the end of the same day's labor

Lake street is burning

and the toads began to Sing

Finally the weather has warmed.
Several daytime highs approaching 70 have produced signs of spring most welcomed.
Last night the panfish were reliable biters, even in the easterly wind that has dampened anything resembling a good bite for the past week.
Then at dusk a toad sang.
And after dark a full chorale

Toadie hybrid

General Fishing Opener

A week ago, the general fishing season began for the inland waters of Minnesota. Pike, walleye, bass, and trout in lakes became legal quarry for anxious anglers.
Known to all Minnesotans as "The Opener", it is a great circus event that kicks off the tourist season, whereby hundreds of thousands of hopefuls plug up all the highways, small towns, and boat landings up north - and spend oodles of money at the resorts, bait shops  motels, restaurants, gas stations, gift shops, etc.
Covid-19 changed much of that this time around, forcing plans to be modified and in some cases, cancelling long standing traditions altogether.
A statewide "stay at home order" was in effect.
One of my chums referred to me as a "good Minnesotan" because I elected to be a non participant in the annual event.
Easy for me.
I fished off the dock at home.
And the weather was fabulous................... 2" of new snow in the first hour. And don't you just really groove on a stiff NW wind gusting to 35 MPH.
I lasted about 90 minutes before being chilled to the bone.
Fabulous I tell ya !

 Thirty one inches of pull. Ms Winklestien enjoyed a few licks of slimy pike.

Pearlies on a pike tail, or perhaps goldies. Who knew ?

The pike were on it though, and there were seven that slid onto the dock, with this one getting clunked on the head and relegated into a crispy fish dinner. 26.5 inches. Just legal and just right.
Generally speaking, it was generally pretty damn fine.

 

Socially Acceptable Gangster

Fishing close to home the other day, I purchased gasoline on the return trip.
Exiting the store, I saw this image on the side window of the truck.
No one had batted an eye, gotten excited, called the cops.
Nothing
A changed world indeed.

Sub-nine

At last they arrive
beginning perhaps
the finest time of the fishing year........