July 28, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

Unlike yesterday, this morning was sunny and warm. The temperature at 10:00 a.m. was 73 degrees, the sky was mostly sunny with just a few big, white fluffy clouds and the wind was relatively light at 5-10 mph out of the WSW.

I enjoyed a several cups of coffee while sitting on the back deck. It was just a week ago that Kathleen and I drove from St. Cloud so Kathleen could catch her flight to San Francisco. Although it's only been 7 days, it seems like she's been gone for a long, long time. I sure wish we could figure out a way to live here at Leech Lake year round.

I surfed the web for a while reading about the Olympics and other news before deciding to go fishing. I made a sandwich, gathered some cold drinks and then went next door to the boat lift. With the wind blowing out of the SSW I motored out past Second Duck Point and let the wind push the boat north up Sucker Bay and out from shore toward the middle of the bay.

I fished for about 90 minutes and in that time I caught only one medium sized pike and possibly the smallest fish I've ever caught using a jig; a tiny 2 1/2-inch perch that was no bigger around than my little finger. I'll give the little guy credit, he was willing to hit a bait that was the same size as it was, a 2 1/2-inch pearl white Gulp Alive! minnow.

Once back on shore I finished eating my sandwich then set to work applying Thompson's water seal to the stairs next to the harbor. That took me about an hour, and by the time I was done, I was hot and sweaty from working outside in the hot sun and a temperature of 85 degrees. It was time for a plunge in the lake.

I took a very enjoyable and cooling camp bath that truly did cool me off. After drying off and coming inside it was time for A Prairie Home Companion on MPR. It was a compilation show with bits and pieces I've heard before, but it was still fun to listen to.

With Garrison gone for another week I made dinner and then settled in to do some reading online and listening to music. I sure wish Kathleen was here to play dominoes, cribbage or Scrabble with me. We do have fun playing games in the living room.

An uneventful, but pleasant evening on the shores of Leech Lake.