A Propelling Story

When the first human, “Ug” entered the water he probably figured out that he could float on logs to sneak up on prey, catch fish or just have fun. The obvious next step was to propel and maneuver the log. "Ug" picked up a stick and used it as a way to propel and guide the log. The other members of the tribe must have been awed by this brilliance. The stick became the choice in which the tribe traveled the water ways. Unknowing to "Ug", this was a major breakthrough in watercraft propulsion.

Sometime later, "Ug" began to understand that the shape of the stick made a big difference in how well the log could be guided and propelled. The paddle was born. The paddle could be used to go up stream and into deeper water. Ug’s life was better, much better except when "Ug" was up a creek without his paddle.

After many, many years the outboard motor was born. To a very small degree, we all have Ug to thank for today’s outboard motor. I have a couple of antique outboards. One such motor is this 1946 Western Auto Wizard. It is model number WD-3 and is a neck snapping 3.2 hp. Before the war, the outboard motor wasn't too successful, however after the war the motor became as hot as an Ipad, well almost. 

Carl Kiekhaefer produced this outboard and later he became the founder of Mercury. The motor is not worth much, but I was thinking that maybe I can make it into a coffee table. Do you think it's too "Ug"ly? 


Hope you enjoyed! Remember: What's in your woods, river or lake? You have to get out to find out. 

TANGLED IN A WEB!

I BELIEVE I am the first person to actually get tangled up in the web, but I out smarted the spider. For the last few weeks I have been working my butt off on my web site which is about Lakes, Rivers, and Bays etc....  I know a little HTML and am pretty good with graphic programs so that helped; however I always exceed my abilities and that's where I got tangled up. I've made some major improvements and added a bunch of stuff. The colors I used are quiet dark but that makes the pictures pop. Please give me some feedback. You will find the address below. Thanks!  

www.oldfieldstudio.com
Click the address above for a trip to my web site. Remember: What's in your Woods, River, Lake, or Bay." 

My attempt at making a fishing pole lamp.

I decided to make a trout fishing pole lamp. Why? I’m not sure why. I guess just because I can, well I think I can. To begin, I sketched out a design that I liked and then off to the home supply stores I went. I purchased an 18” round wood base, an 8’ foot long, ½ diameter tube, wood, ball, wire, a trout, a hot dog and coke. Oh yeah, I was hungry and ate the hot dog & drank the coke. I didn't eat the trout, it's wooded. I planned on using it as the big catch on the end of the pole. 

After a lot of sawing, trimming, bending, scratching my head and re-sawing, re-trimming and then assembling, it was finished. It actually works and it wasn't too hard to make. The electrical cord is hidden and runs inside of the pole which is a tube. What I like best about the lamp is that it bends over the chair to provide light on to whatever I am reading.  What do you think about the trout fishing pole lamp?    

Check it out! Click on it for a better view.

I added a red and white float and placed the light fixture on top. 

The reel is antique and I added the trout.

I think the base needs something. Maybe rocks? Hope yeah enjoy. Oh yeah, if you would love a beautiful decor map of your favorite lake, river, or bay, then check-out my website leolakes.com. Makes a treasured gift for the lake lover!

Birds doing human things?

Sometimes when you see birds you can just about understand what they are thinking. That is when you add the human element.

I'm so pretty! Check-out my new fish net hose and golden slippers. The boy's at the dock are going to die when they see this.

I wish I had hands. Have you ever tried to scratch your eye with a pitch fork?

Bummer, bird yoga is for the humans.

Quick, it's All You Can Eat Fish at the dock!

Motivation! Don't get all worked up about it! 


 "What's in your woods, lake, river or bay?"

Osprey Two

Sometimes when taking photo’s outdoors you just don’t know what you’re going to get until you get home and review. That’s the case with this photo I call “Osprey Two.” After a close inspection of the picture, I notice a white streak in the sky. Looks like a jet vapor trail across the blue sky. But you know, I have never seen a vapor trail take a right turn so quickly. Maybe it’s a UFO? On second thought I never did hear of any other reports of sightings on that day, which surely I would have. I know it’s someone parachuting with the smoky thing attached so you can see them fall to earth. Nope, that can’t be right. 

Its Osprey poop! Dang, check out the quantity, and how straight, long and powerful it is. It could be used as a weapon. I certainly wouldn’t prefer to be under or behind this projectile. It probably showed up on radar.  Oh yeah, notice the title, “Osprey Two”, it fits don’t you think? Remember; what’s in your Woods, River, Lake or Bay, if you don’t know go find out! 

I hope you enjoyed the poop and remember; what’s in your Woods, River, Lake or Bay, if you don’t know go find out! 

The Village Idiot, Every Village Has One, or Two or more.

Every village has a village idiot and ours certainly does. What does it take to be the village idiot? Most likely it’s the cunningness to do things that should never be thought of, considered, contemplated or attempted. When you hear the words “Hey ya’ll or use guys watch this,” then you know the village idiot is about to do something that should never be done. I know that you know who they are, but I don’t think they realize that they are the idiot until just before its too late. These are not accidents because they do know what they are attempting, but fun over comes brains. Lucky for them, there are the folks, like you, who come to the rescue of the village idiot and help them out of their predicament and tend to their injuries. You know what they say,” It takes a village to raise an idiot” and that’s because the idiot would have never lived passed the age of 5 if it weren't for all the help from villagers like you.  

Now you may be thinking that the village idiot is human, not always. Sometimes there is an animal behind the silliness. This fishing village idiot is only 2 feet tall.  Here we have Ralph the Raccoon wrestling a Gator over a Bass. What an idiot. 

He He He, Remember: “What’s in your woods, lake, river or bay. Get out and find out.”

Monster fish tosses lurer - A Kentucky lake Treasure.

I have discovered that a treasured paradise doesn’t have to be miles and miles away from your home and have palm trees, sand, with aqua blue water. It can be as near as the post office. You probably have a local outdoor paradise that you treasure. In fact, some of these beloved locations may be a paradise to only a few. It may be because of the time spent there, the wonderful memories attached, or the location of where that monster fish tossed that lurer into the brush.

The reason may not even be apparent, but it’s the warm feelings that come with the location that determines your paradise. It’s more the sense of being in the right place, at the right time. Kind of like the moment you feel the tug on the pole and realize this is big or the time you cast out while fishing with chicken livers and find that the liver has come off and attached itself to the top of your fishing buddies left ear. These places and times end up being the treasured paradise that you go to in your mind when you need a break from a rock and a hard place. Go there now, I will see you back in a minute.  One such place for me is Kentucky Lake. I have painted a map of Kentucky Lake in my old treasured map style. Click on the picture to enlarge.

Kentucky Lake is the largest man-made lake by surface area in the U.S. If you travel across the dam and look down the lake, there is a spot that you can’t see the shore. It’s hard to believe, but if you add the area of Kentucky Lake and Land between the Lakes together, it’s half the size of Delaware. Kentucky Lake is a Treasured Paradise. Remember: “Adventure outdoors and find out what’s in your woods, river, lake or bay”.

Hunting for Wild Mermaids!

Not real hunting, but more like searching for wild Mermaids. I should tell you that I am a non-believer. I do not believe in the actual existence of mermaids, ghosts, witches etc. Now that I have that out of the way, what is a Weeki Wachee? It’s a beautiful river in Florida. The waters are so, so crystal clear, I could see the bottom down 15 feet deep or more, which makes it very easy to spot wild Mermaids, that is, if they’re actually real. Rumor has it that they're several wild Mermaids living on this river and they play tricks on you while paddling down. The water temperature averages in the mid seventies year round and the trip is approximately seven miles long and takes about 3 hours, which is perfect for wild Mermaid hunting. Also, you go with the flow. I like going with the flow.                                                                

I began by paddling down the Weeki Wachee with the family. One thing that I did learn on this trip and that is, “somebody can’t paddle and it’s not me.” Two canoes and only one person that can paddle properly, now that’s an adventure! Oh well, back to the story. I am thinking that wild Mermaid hunting is like Snipe hunting and I don’t want to be holding the bag, if you know what I mean. But I did feel a tug on the back of my shirt while paddling around a bend. Could it have been a wild Mermaid? Nah, probably a limb, and then up ahead I saw a few canoes gathered around an area in the river and I heard the word Mermaid.

My immediate thought was, paddle faster. But it took awhile because I had to help the other canoe. Miss Can’t Paddle At All and Mrs. Can’t Hardly Paddle spent most of their time cleaning and inspecting tree limps or collecting spiders near the bank of the river as most beginning paddlers do. Finely, after much struggle we made it. Dang, there’s no wild Mermaid. Its just some fish. No wait. It’s wild Manatees. Cool, two adults and one smaller manatee. They are just chilling under the water and every once in a while they come up for air. This is nearly as good as seeing Mermaids.

What a great Outdoor Adventure! We finished the trip and we never did see a wild Mermaid, but I can say that I saw wild Manatees, can you? Also, was that tug on my shirt a Mermaid, I may never know? Remember "What’s in your woods, lake, river, or bay?" Get out and find out! LEO.