Slow your roll Tsunami.

Post op.

The full leg stabilizer was recommended for the next ten days. 

The two big nuggets that I've been dealing with for the past decade.

I always imagined they'd be smaller and rounder. 

Sewing doesn't seem to be a strong point but it looks like it's healing up nicely three days after post op.

Now it's time to focus on rehab and keeping things clean.

Give me some time and I'll be back on my feet in no time.  But, for now I'm just going to have to follow my nurses advise and slow my roll.

 

JULY GETS BUSY

As the hive populations build bees start to swarm. This is the second swarm for Marts hive this year.

The first was 50 feet up a tree and out of reach.

This second swarm was only about 20 feet up but that's still a climb with a box and a lid.

These bees originally came from a swarm I captured in 2020 and gave them to Mart in appreciation for all the help he gives me.  

And this swarm I gifted to Jace for his modified top bar have 

So, the scramble is on to pull some honey and do a little hive management  prior to my 

scope, knee surgery this coming Thursday. 

Sticky sweet.

 

What's the Point?

Thursday we went North to get away for a bit

I think Jimmy was telling Mart that at one time this white pine was only this big.

Not always High and Dry.  We hit the stream then checked out the primitive campgrounds but spraying for bugs and a loud generator drove us right out of the park and on to Joy Springs

From there we pointed the camper North and ended at a  new stream 

This time of year it's tough to get good access to the stream with all the weeds along the banks

Would corn be considered artificial bait?

Well even though we didn't slam the trout, the point of our campout was to celebrate retirement  with this guy. 

Tea time

Breakfast tater packets

And one last stop on fountain springs on the way home.

all in all only 2 trout in hand and a couple creek chubs  

How many points?

HOMEWARD BOUND

We made it back to the Springs  after a long day of driving from Bozeman.  We hit some single track bike trails and worked on Beau's fence for the couple days

     

It was fun and Beau was nice enough to let me ride his mountain bike and he took the nashiki

After another long day of driving I made it back to Bellevue and added Beau's new batch deer and 

 elk sheds to the entryway.

HEADING SOUTH

With rain in the forecast Beau and I broke camp and headed south for Yellowstone.

Not big fans of tourist attractions 

We bit the bullet and checked out some of the many hydrothermal geological sites

and a few drive bys.

Out fished twice in two different states

Note: Yellowstone has it's own set of fishing regulations.

South to the Teton's and then on to the Springs

 

A HIKE TO EMERALD LAKE

Beau and I took the advice of the fellows from MTTroutfitters and went in search  of Emerald lake

With our gear loaded we started off on a five mile hike into a remote alpine lake

Getting there was half the fun... with a 1850 foot climb in elevation

We passed spectacular meadows of wildflowers and the towering cliffs of Mount Chisholm

and Waterfalls

It wasn't long before Beau hooked into the first of several artic grayling 

landed 

and fish in hand.

The Arctic Grayling is a native species to North America and MT is home to only population in the lower 48 states.  We thought we would have to wait until we made it to alaska to catch one.

In 1805 Lewis and Clark made note of these 

"new kind of white of silvery trout".

Along with checking Grayling off our list we were each able to catch a cutthroat trout as well.

Now that we've had our fun we'll have to make the five mile hike back not as much fun for this guy but I made it.  What a Great Adventure!