GETTING JUICED

 Beau and I picked a bushel and a peck of apples from over the chicken coop.

 He wanted to take some home pressed juice back to CO with him

 It's a lot a work grinding and pressing out the apples so I was glad to have the help.

 But well worth the work to see the amber juice flowing.

Beau froze his for the ride back and Susie fermented ours for a holiday treat.

 After all pressing matters we did a family hike on the new trail from the state park to felderman park and to grandpa's parlor for ice cream.

We finished off our sunday with a trip down to Bomb Fire Pizza.

HIKING THE TRAIL

 Beau and I have hiked this trail for over 20 years

 It's Beau who has to wait up for me these days. 

Beau at the Devil's Oven 

The descent down to the stream a hundred feet below the bluff.

 Fatman's squeeze 

 Things are pretty shallow at the first little pocket we hit.

 a vocal kettle of vultures overhead

 As we work our way down stream the water gets a little deeper and the fish a little larger

 We all know the battle for competition is fierce 

For a brief moment I had all the points.

First fish

Largest 

Most

Most species 

and two points for each Trout.

Fish netted that was four points for me.

 Then Beau wanted to make it two points for a crappie, prior to this catch.

I missed one and moments later he landed this one

  

Don't give up on a $3.69 lure.

WE'VE BEEN BUSY.

 setting trail cameras

 Exploring

Burning 

 Getting back out on the river

 With the Governor 

 Rain

 or shine

 4 hours later after 2 hours of rain and about 1/2 hour of darkness we finely make it off the river.

first of several texts on Friday 

another 

 Friday was Maquoketa's homecoming .the parade was more successful than the game.

 After the parade I took off for the old fishing road.
It looks like they've done a little work on the back side of the boy's old place.

 Trout hooked and netted.

After a cool one or two we walked over to the memorial to look for grandpa's brick.... we found them both

A LITTLE WELL DESERVED FAMILY TIME.

To celebrate Beau being back Susie put together a great spread of food.  Complete with one of Beau's favorites, eclairs. 

 Lady's night with Kimber back with Kensley and Alana, Steff and Cheryl.

Flying baby.

 This kid is getting bigger all the time

 Beau and Mallory looking good at Adam and Steff's wedding

The Family Becker didn't look too shabby either.

DOWN THE HILL FOR ANOTHER SHOW.

 Marvin took us on a hay ride back down to Codfish Hollow

 Three Bands  Jay Roddy Walston and the Business,  SLEEPWALKER & 4 on the Floor

 Family photo in the gallery

 poser

 Mallory backstage

My few by the end of the evening.  :)

A LATE AFTERNOON FLOAT

 Beau went out to Roli and worked a popper with the fly rod and caught a few blue gills

 Some nice large mouth and a few small ones

 So he had already caught a few before we got the kayaks on the water at 4:30 and off just over two and a half hours later.

 Beau missed a few and caught one before I caught my first little smalli

 It was a beautiful evening out on the water and so nice to have my fishing partner back home for a while.

 I finely managed to get this 16'+ smalli in the kayak after a great fight that took me a 100 yards down stream from where I hooked him.

As always, We practice catch and release with hopes of catching a 20 incher in the future