The last couple of days started with rain which cleared up around noon.
Yesterday, I got a call from the gentleman who does brush-hogging near the property. I went out there and we walked the area I wanted cleared.
He gave me a homework assignment. I am to clear out all of the brush over 3" in diameter. Between this, that and the other thing at the property, I spent three hours out there.
 |
| A hair rig using corn for bait |
Today also started with rain. I made a light day of it. I fiddled around with assembling "hair rigs" with super-glue. The idea of a hair rig is to not bury the hook in the bait. That leaves the entire opening of the hook exposed to catch the lip of the sucker or carp or whatever fish inhales the corn. Carp fisherman use surprisingly small (to me) hooks when using hair rigs. Size six hooks are not uncommon.
 |
| #6 hooks are about perfect for crappie. The distance from the point of the hook to the shank is about 3/8" or 9mm. |
Hair rigs are almost a necessity when catching sophisticated carp in Europe where they are a prized game-fish and each specimen is caught and released many times. Those fish get pretty smart.
The basic game plan is to wrap a ball of corn and biscuit mix around a rock and then freeze it. Later, chuck it into the water where you expect carp. The biscuit and corn and rock sink to the bottom and the ball of dough thaws thereby releasing "chum" into the water.
Toss your baited hook into the water near the chum and wait. Better yet, have two or three rods going with the chum/hooks far enough apart that they are unlikely to tangle if you hook a fish. Smart yet, put a worm on one line, corn on another and a doughball or cut bait on the third.
Cutting scion
I cut pear, plum, walnut, chestnut and hazel scion today. It is light-duty work.
Seeing what is really there
Quicksilver gave me an education the other day. We were going to be out-and-about and I wanted to be sure that she could find me if we became separated.
 |
| I decided to wear a bright, orange hat to make myself easier to find |
She immediately responded "Green".
"Stop joking around" I told her. "What color is my hat?"
"Green" came the answer again.
That was disconcerting. She KNOWS her colors.
It took a couple of minutes to sort out the issue.
This is what she saw from her perspective. Yes, it is green.
A similar thing happened on the way to our "event".
I was stopped at a light and she said "Go".
I told her "I can't. The light is red."
To which she said "No, the light is yellow."
And, by golly, she was right. More than 90% of the area of the light is yellow. It is more "yellow" than "red".
I have been trained by countless repetitions to completely ignore the color the fixture is painted.
You would be surprised at exactly how much of our 'vision' is actually brain processing. My second cataract surgery was Tuesday a week ago. They were three weeks apart. I am very nearsighted, worn glasses since I was six. I'm having to learn to 'see' again. My brain is going through a retraining process of the picture projected on my retnias. It is most certainly not the same one provided by external corrective lenses. I do thank God we have people with skilled hands to do such work.
ReplyDeleteMy surgeon says the talent is all God's, he just letting him use his hands. I told him how beautifully humble I found that remark.