An actual adventure

Razorbill

 On Wednesday my friend Sue found out from a friend of a friend ( Jan and Mike ) that there were a lot of Dovkies and Razorbills in the Cape Cod Canal. Though a few Razorbills can be expected in the canal during the winter Dovkies are much rarer. 

   Sue and I decided to meet up and see if we could get lucky with some photos. Neither bird would be a lifer for us. We were actually standing three feet from breeding Razorbills last year on our trip to Machias Seal Island. However, at least for me, a photo of a Dovkie would be a life photo no matter how bad. 

   We pulled in at almost the exact same time near the marina on the island side. We saw quite a few birds including close Razorbills. There were some Dovkies but they were usually flying right past us. We aimed and shot, hoping our pictures would be in focus. 

 

Dovkie, a miniature flying football

   A bonus was that Sue found a  Black Legged Kittiwake swimming with two Bonaparte Gulls. Despite being too far for a good photo, that was worth the trip.

   Towards the end of our adventure a Dovkie did decide to swim a bit in front of us. It was on the other side of the canal. Although we wished it were a hundred yards closer, it was cooperative and we watched it for five minutes. There were plenty of sea ducks, loons, and gulls to keep us entertained in the brisk wind also.

  We left about 3:15. I only had a short ride back to Laurie's house in Norton while Sue had to drive back to Westerly, RI. All in all, I was thrilled to get out and see some good birds. Despite doing my normal Physical Therapy exercises that night, I still had to ice my back in the middle of the night to get back to sleep. A price I was hoping not to pay, but the adventure was still worth it.  

Heavily cropped photo of a Dovkie on the 
other side of the Cape Cod Canal. They aren't much
bigger than a tennis ball.

Wild Brook Trout on Cape Cod

    One of the things on my East Bucket List was to catch wild brook trout on Cape Cod. Both the Quashnet and Mashpee Rivers have wild sea-run brookies. These fish have access to the ocean since both rivers empty into Waquoit Bay. I have wanted to fish for these wild trout since I first learned about them. I went to a seminar at one of the fishing shows many years ago about these trout. The speaker was a guy named Ronald Lasko. He wrote a book called "A Tale of Two Rivers". I bought the book devoured it.

   This summer I got a chance to go down to Mashpee/ Falmouth and fish for them. I had never seen either of these rivers so I considered it a scouting mission. I really wanted to catch one but if I didn't I figured I'd still learn a lot for a future adventure. I accepted I would probably get skunked, but really was playing for one. One would mean I could check off this experience off of my bucket list. Catching one would mean I wouldn't have to take the ninety minute drive again if I didn't want to. But it also meant I would be really excited which meant more to me than the check mark.

   I started my adventure on the Mashpee. I stopped at the Mashpee Conserve first. It is where my GPS took me. I walked down a path that parallels the river but even though parallels it, the river wasn't even in view of the path. So I went further north and tried another spot. There was a path straight to the river but the access was muddy. I decided to try the Quashnet. If I didn't find access I still had many hours to explore the Mashpee. 

   I found a parking area along the lower Quashnet and decided to really explore the river. I put on my waders and walked down the path until I found a fisherman's path toward the water. I was hoping to bring my little six foot/ two weight fly rod, however I didn't have the right size fly line for it. So I had to use my nine foot/ five weight. The problem with the long rod was it was jungle fishing. Most of the river is covered with trees and limbs right over the water. Multiple times I had to duck under branches to move up river. There were multiple runs where I couldn't even cast because there wasn't room. Even if I had my six foot rod, there wouldn't have been room to lift it.

   So

I made due with my nine footer. I think it worked out okay. Using my fly rod I'd hold it straight up and cast my leader in front of me. At no point in six hours of fishing did I have more than two feet of fly line out. There just wasn't room. The good thing about the long rod was I'd flip the  leader upstream with a fly attached. So each "cast" was about eighteen feet. If I had my six foot rod, and flipped the fly in front of me, my "cast" would have only been twelve feet. 

   The Quashnet is only about fifteen feet wide in the widest places and under eight feet in others. As I was walking upstream I started to build confidence that I might actually catch a trout. I worked my way up river casting at any place I had daylight above me and tree limbs. 

  After only fifteen minutes I had a hit on my ant fly. Very happily, I hooked the trout and actually landed it. It was a beautiful wild brook trout in spawning colors. I took a few photos and let it go. A quick note- these two rivers are catch and release and artificial lures only. Meaning, you can't keep any trout and you can't use bait of any kind. I didn't even bring a spinning rod. It was catch them on a fly or bust. 

  I was ecstatic that I caught one of these little wild treasures. Obviously I didn't stop fishing. I hooked a little tiny brookie a minute or two later. Still, it was beautiful. Long story short, I hooked and caught a few more. I hooked about a dozen more fish and landed about six. Most of the fish were in the eight inch range. They are not big fish. I foot long trout would be a trophy. You don't fish for them for size. They are beautiful and wild non-hatchery raised trout are a rare treat in Massachusetts.    

Things that I am thankful for

   

This photo is on my wall and the first photo 
on the right of my blog. Both Dave and I
caught keeper stripers on a rainy, raw night in
January. 

   Every year that I have kept a blog I have done a post at Thanksgiving about all of the things I am thankful for. Usually I write about how much I love going to New Hampshire and Striped Bass. There is usually a line about bear, alligators and moose. If I went on vacation, I mention a favorite memory. For the most part, if I write twelve things I am thankful for seven or eight are the same every year with new memories to replace ones from the year before.

   That changed with last year's Thanksgiving post. Two big events happened in my life last November, both were fresh in my mind when I wrote my post. First off, as you may recall, I almost drowned at Key West. I went snorkeling at a beach. Laurie didn't have her fins so I gave her mine. I went to swim out to a jetty and the water was rough and the current strong. I made the smart decision and turned around. On my way back, my mask started filling with water and I had a panic attack. I couldn't control my breathing and it felt as I took every stroke I was no closer to the shoreline.

   When I was twenty feet from shore but still well over my head I went under. I don't know how I found the strength to pull myself up. Fortunately I did because even if anyone saw me go under, they never would have found me. Visibility was almost zero and with the current, I would not have been near where I was last seen with in seconds. When I made it to the shoreline, I sat at a picnic table for twenty minutes before my breathing calmed down.

   Also in November, I lost the cousin I was closest to due to Covid. I had gone on vacation with my cousin Mark and his wife Dottie to Florida once and I visited them in Maine on a couple occasions. We had a falling out due to politics and we hadn't been close for a couple of years. Despite not talking with him, and having completely different views, I still loved him.

   So last year writing my post, it wasn't about vacations, gators, or moose. It was just about being thankful for being thankful. All my life I have been appreciative of all the good things I have encountered. You could make an argument that I am this way because I lost my mom when she was 45 (and I was seventeen), but even before she died, as a kid, I always seemed to know life was precious and to enjoy it. Obviously for me, that pretty much meant nature. Whether it be fishing, birding, or quahogging, I love doing those things and never once took any of them for granted.

   So even though I lost a cousin and almost lost my own life, I wrote last year's post with my heart. It wasn't nearly as self serving as every Thanksgiving post the years before. After my near death experience, I went snorkeling two days later to make sure I wouldn't have fear of the water. I rarely think about it now. 

   Mark, on the other hand, I think about several times a week. I think about how stupid it was to stop talking over politics. We were both in the wrong and I only take fifty percent responsibility. However, if I would have known how little time I would have left with him, I would have done things different. However, when I think of Mark, I don't spend much time thinking about politics or our falling out. Instead, I think about the fun we had. We went fishing almost every day in Florida. We had great conversations. When I visited him in Maine, we ate so much steak tips, steak, and potato salad that we should be ashamed.

  Which finally leads me to this year's post. What I am thankful for. Well, if Thanksgiving were in June, I would have been thankful for two amazing vacations. Seeing the Washington DC cherry blossoms was the highlight of my year. On that same trip I saw Sika Deer and Delmarva Fox Squirrel at Blackwater NWR. North Carolina was even more amazing. We saw everything from Dolphins to wild horses. We watched Cottonmouths for hours and had Black Bears walk right behind my car feet from where I was standing.

   Part two of this year has been quite different. Since the end of June I have been in pain every day. Whether it be my back that won't heal or the nerves in my stomach that feel like fireworks. Throw in the diabetes diagnosis, and this has been the hardest five months of my life with no end in sight.

   As I write this, it feels like I have an arrowhead stuck in my spine. Leaning against the back of a chair is not an option. I have an MRI the first week of December which will hopefully lead to a Cortisone shot and be pain free (hopefully). The nerve issue is awful and I've gotten some nerve blockers that have helped but not taken away the pain. 

   So as I write this, I'd say it is much easier to be thankful when you have your health. It is easier to be thankful when you just got back from an amazing vacation. It's easy to write about stripers when you catch thirty pounders at the Canal, or get photos of bears from eight feet away. 

 

My best friend at Black Pond, NH

    However, what I am  most thankful for are the people in my life. Every year I do include how grateful I am for Dave and Laurie. However, this year, as I have been dealing with issues, I appreciate them more. I am basically living in Laurie's spare bedroom. The bed is much harder than mine and I am in less pain. There have been many nights where Laurie and I were going to hang out but because of pain, or pain meds, I'd be in bed before 8 pm. She has cleaned up after me multiple nights. She drives almost all of the time when we go places. I could write paragraphs about how great she has been.

   I've known Dave for years and I also consider him a best friend. We fished together A LOT. I could be hanging out with him fishing every day except it kills my back to drive. Fishing would be fine, but the driving, especially the ride home, no matter how short can be excruciating. Despite this, Dave checks up on me at least once a week. We talk for quite a while. The conversation usually starts with him asking how I'm doing. I give him an honest answer whether I'm doing good or bad. Then he gives me words of encouragement. Followed by a fishing report and some gossip about the fishing world.  He is a great friend and I can't wait to get out fishing with him again.

To both Dave and Laurie, neither of you will ever know how thankful I am to have you in my life, I love you both.

I am thankful my brother has been guiding me through diabetes info. I'm positive he knows more about the disease than most doctors. Without his advice and more importantly, his calm deminer I would have handled the situation much worse. Thank you. 

   I am thankful for the other people that have checked up on me. There are some work friends and some birding friends, and of course, relatives that have asked me how I'm doing. Some of them have kept in contact multiple times. Thank you.

    Because of how much I birded the last three years, I know ninety percent of the people I run into birding. Some of them are mere acquaintances. Many, I am friendly with and others are friends. However, there is a core group that I consider family. I care about them just as much as people I share DNA with. I have more in common with my birding family than I do with most of my blood family because birding can become an obsession. Unless you are obsessed, it is hard for an outsider to understand it. It is impossible for a non-birder to comprehend standing in one spot for three hours in January waiting for a Yellow Breasted Chat to show itself.

   For those birders that I consider family, I am grateful for you. I have used the word love in this post many times, but make no mistake, I take the word seriously. I can honestly say I love you. I won't name names for fear of forgetting someone, but chances are you know who you are. Thank you for memories of Block Island, pelagics, Christmas bird counts, sharing your vacation stories, and road trips But most importantly, thank you for the time we spent just talking and being in each others company.

My proudest achievement and one of his 
students.

   Lastly, but probably most importantly, I am thankful for my son. Words can not describe how proud I am of him. I always talk about him being an adventurer which he is. I envy his ability to travel to foreign countries.  He figured out a way to live the life he wants. For the last couple of years he has been teaching in Cambodia. He loves it because he feels he is changing the world by being a teacher. However, he also has a bartending license and he worked at the fancy El Tovar restaurant at the Grand Canyon. Meaning he could get a job anywhere in the world. He is 27 now and no longer a kid. He is a man closer to thirty than his days as a Cross Country captain. He is a good man. He cares, he loves, he lives life to the fullest. I could never have hoped for a better son. 

  If you read this entire post, you obviously must be thinking I am more emotional than you are used to seeing. You would be correct. Pain and diabetes, for sure, has made me emotional. I have not cried from the pain, the diagnosis, or that there seems to be no end in sight Not because I'm a tough guy, but because I'm not letting the pain or diabetes win. Not once, Fuck them. That said, my feelings and emotions are much stronger than they used to be. For better or worse, that has happened. While I have not cried, I am more emotional. When DJ and I are talking and I tell him I have to go to bed, and he says I love you first, I can't tell you how much that means to me. For that and all of the people I mentioned above, I am thankful!

Type 2

    This is a post i have been stalling on. Not because I'm afraid to write it, but just because I haven't had the motivation. Without going back on all of my posts to confirm, it is a good bet that between my post about Marge in Paris and this one, it is the longest time span between posts.

   Simply put, I haven't had a reason to write. I am still dealing with my back issues that I've had since late June. Though the pain is no longer constant, it can still be really bad. Last night I did not fall asleep until 3 am due to it hurting and that was only after icing it at 2:30. 

  However, I have another problem that is also slowing me down. Last month I was diagnosed with diabetes. As you can imagine, this was not welcome news. Diabetes does run in my family. My mother got it at nineteen. My aunt and my brother both have it. I suspect I was destined to get it at some point.

   The problem I am facing is, because of my back problem, I can not really control the sugar levels with exercise until it heals. The day after I was diagnosed, I went for an easy six mile walk around a pond in the Blue Hills. My back hadn't hurt for a few days and I was told by both my doctor and my Physical Therapist walking was okay. However, walking that far was not okay. After less than three miles my lower back started to swell up and there was pain up my spine. It took almost ten days and three physical therapy sessions for it to get almost pain free. 

  So right now, I am at a stalemate. I can't do much walking or cardio. Also, no matter what I eat, I can not seem to get my blood sugar to go down to optimal levels. I check my blood sugar level multiple times a day, and have eaten extremely healthy. When I have "experimented" with foods I hope to include in my diet, it hasn't gone so well. For example, two weekends ago, Laurie made a pumpkin pie but we used a sugar replacement. Didn't matter, sugar level spiked. 

  I have a doctor appointment a week from tomorrow and I suspect they will up my medication. On top of that, I need a referral for an orthopedic because my PT guy thinks I have a slipped disk and may need a Cortisone shot. Not looking forward to that. I do all my stretches and exercises at home twice a day faithfully but the pain seems to have it a wall in the healing. 

   I write all of this not because you want to read seven paragraphs on my medical history, but so you know why I haven't wrote anything in a month. I really haven't done anything. I have gone fishing twice in the last four months. Once for wild Brook Trout and once for Albies. Both times I was successful. Besides my walk around the pond in the Blue Hills I haven't went on any good hikes. 

   I did go camping twice. Laurie drove and I lied down in the back seat. I took muscle relaxers to fall asleep on both trips. That is the extent of my summer. Two times fishing, two camping trips, and a walk around a pond that basically crippled me for ten days.

   Hopefully I will be better soon. It has been very hard to be optimistic. When you go to bed at 9 pm and you are trying to lie in any position that will make the pain go away for six hours, depression will set in. It was tough to waste away my summer and it has been equally tough to watch these beautiful autumn days slip away knowing that cold weather is just around the corner. 

   None the less, I'll keep doing what I am supposed to. Hopefully the orthopedic and a Cortisone shot will work. I don't have a timetable any more because every time I think "I'll be better in a month" the month comes and goes. I would love to be able to contribute to the Christmas Bird Counts at the end of December but I will have to wait and see.

A special shout out goes to Laurie Devine for being there for me through all of this. I have basically lived at her house for the last month or more because her firm spare bed has been easier on my back. She has been an angel. Also, Dave Pickering calls me at least twice a week to check on me and encourage me. Sine I have fallen off the face of the earth, it is nice that he checks on me. I've had other friends call/text me to see how I'm doing and I appreciate all of you. Thank you.

Marge in Paris Part 2

   

Arc de Triomphe

   My good friend Marge Bradley went to Paris this spring. I asked her if I could interview her about her trip and she graciously said yes. She gave me so many photos that I could not have possibly have posted them in one post. I did my first post about her trip before I left for North Carolina in June. I planned on doing Part 2 when I got home but am just getting to it now. Below is the transcript of our "interview" I posted this in Part 1 also, but it is all great info so it deserves to go along with these photos. 

   Marge sent me close to one hundred photos. She worked harder on this project than I did. This post is long overdue by at least two months. Yet Marge never once asked me if/when I would do Part 2. I want to thank her for that. Looking at all of her photos and itinerary, I learned a lot. There are a few things I wouldn't do that she did. On the other hand, she gave me so much info on the places I want to go that my experience will be much easier due to her knowledge.  Thank you again Marge. 

 1. What was your itinerary for each day you were there. This can obviously be short answers because it is the longest answer.

1.  Itinerary:  Friday  Day 1 ---  airport to hotel, naps, food.  Take Batobus (water taxi) on Seine down to Eiffel Tower (8:00) admission tickets - wander around tower - take kids to buy souvenirs and ride carousel across the street.  McDonald's for supper at 11pm
2. 
   
3. Day 2 -- I spent 2 hours at Montparness cemetery, birding.  breakfast at 1:00 (our systems didn't  know what time it was) ... shopped local little places for picnic - cheese, bread, fruit, pastry, wine.  Subway to Jardinne des Plants - walk about, eat.  Walking tour Marais neighborhood, stop in very old church - Museum Pompidou (modern art), late dinner, back to hotel
4. 
   
5. Day 3 -- Early breakfast with Em & Greg, walk to St. Suplice for mass, took subway to Atelier des Lumiere's (an interactive, laser art show .  another subway to Muse Montmarte for Easter egg hunt for kids - walk around outside of Sacre Couer (too crowded to go in), walking tour of neighborhood, found tiny French restaurant for dinner, back to hotel
6. 
   

7. 

   Joan of Arc statue

   
   Day 4 -- Breakfast in hotel - subway to Louvre (very crowded) only stayed about 3 hours - quick shopping at mall attached to Louvre.  Walk through Tulliereis - park with statues and giant trees --- another Batobus ride down to Notre Dame - dinner
8. 
   
9. Day 5 -- Versailles - subway to train then 1/2 mile walk to palace.  Toured palace, grounds, leisurely lunch, bike rides and kids took rowboats out -- train back dinner at Gladines (very French)
10. 
    
11. Day 6 -- Covid tests (took too much time) shop local shops for souverniers  Museum d'Orsay - 4 hours ( my favorite museum.  Galleria Lafayette and Printemps (giant stores), subway to Arc d"Triumph - back to hotel - take out dinner, pack
12. 
    
Day 7 -- 5:30 check out - Uber to airport -- home

2.Where did you fly out of?

 

   Flew out of Boston 

3. Was there a layover?

 No layover

4. How long was the flight from leaving home to landing at Paris?

    6 hours (time change messes with you though..... left around 8pm got there at 8am!

5. How did you get from airport to Paris, bus, subway, taxi, etc? How much did it cost?

   Uber from airport to hotel -- $80 for regular car - $100 for van - 4+ passengers

6. Did you stay in downtown? Where did you stay, a motel, airbnb, etc?

    Stayed in neighborhood called Montparnesse outside downtown area - small Hotel Raspail

7. Did you use public transportation to get around the city?

2. Public transportion only,.  Subway, bus, boat & train to Versailles

 

8. If yes, was it easy, what issues did you have? Was it overwhelming?

    Easy to manage - app for phone - maps in all the subway stops - not overwhelming. 

9. Was signage in English ar all or just French?

 

   Some signage in English - especially at the vending machines to buy tickets...   all major attractions clearly marked at appropriate stops.

10. How long were you gone for? 

       in Paris Friday - Thurs - 6 days

11. What was the weather like? Did it rain often?

2. no rain - sunny, 50 to 70....  very nice

12. What did you bring for outer layers? Did you need a winter coat?

2. work denim jacket, others fleece --- guys wore shorts and shirts 2 days

Question Part 2 

. 

1. Did you eat at any of the extravagant restaurants? If so, what did you eat?

 we didn't do any really fancy restaurants.  Small, local spots only.   I had a shepherd's pie type dish with duck, coq and vin (chicken with wine sauce and 3rd French restaurant i had escargot in a creamy sauce and a casserole with white beans, chicken and sausage.  Other meals,  2 Italian and McDonald's 

2. I looked at your itinerary, you didn't go to Rodin Museum?

   no, sadly, didn't get to Ridin.  just not enough time

3. Did you use cash or credit card to use subway?

credit card

4. Could you use card at most attractions or did you use Euros?

   mostly used cards, euros for small meals and misc small stuff, tops

5. Did you ever see any pick pocket crime? 

   saw no crime.  always felt safe

6. What was your favorite food that wasn't sweet? 

   Bread was unbelievable 

7. What was your favorite food that was sweet?

   toss.... best strawberries ever or a small slice of cake called a Royal from local bakery.  almost flavored cake with strawberry cream

A couple paintings 
from the Orsay Museum
The top is a Van Goh
self portait

8. Did you ever feel unsafe?

 

never.  French military (heavily armed) outside all attractions  

9. How high up did you go in Eiffel Tower?

Eiffel, 2nd floor only.  none of us live heights

10. Did you buy tickets in advance?

bought tickets ahead

   

11. Cost of Eiffel ticket for level you went to? 

     17 Euros

12. If someone were to go to Eiffel Tower from getting there until leaving, how much time do you think is appropriate? 

     I think a minimum of two hours

13. Did you buy tickets in advance for Versailles?

     Bought Versailles tickets ahead also..  timed entry is great..

14. How long was train ride?

      20 minutes

15. I assume you toured most of the grounds, did you rent bikes? 

      did tour grounds, rented bikes.  I don't know cost, Emily paid

 

16. How long did you stay there?

we stayed at Versailles almost 6 hours, including lunch at Cafe M

17. Any advice for Versailles or Eiffel Tower?

 

  Go to Eiffel Tower after dark or at sunset.  Tower lit up is pretty impressive and at the top of every hour the lights twinkle.  All the souvenir vendors sell the same stuff at about the same price, don't bother hunting for something for less or something different.   Versailles,  take a history refresher before you go.  Spend more time outside that indoors, gardens are amazing.  And lunch on the grounds was worth the price and the time.

Below are some more photos she sent me. I grouped them as best I could by attraction.

               

 

                                                Outdoors at Versailles 

                                                           Inside Versailles 

The photo below is of Napoleon Bonaparte being crowned Emperor. It is tradition for the pope to crown then Emperor. However, Napoleon was so arrogant he put the crown on his own head. You can even see the expression on the Pope's face that he isn't too happy about it. 

King Louis XIV the Sun King

Other Photos Marge sent me-

The Entrance to the Louvre

Cezannne painting

Statue of Liberty inside the Orsay Museum which
is a former train station

I would love these cheese shops

Seine River from Eiffel 

Marge did some birding. 
Mandarin Duck

A good way to end this post.
Good night

A Few Dollars More

   A few years ago, a guy I know from work went to see the Rolling Stones at Gillette. It just so happened that very same night I saw the Beach Boys at Bold Point. Obviously, both bands play oldies music. I know I had a great time at Bold Point and I sang along to all the Beach Boys songs.  I can only assume that the Stones put on a great show and the guy from work was equally pleased. 

  The differences of our two experiences was price. Laurie and I got the tickets for $25 each and we probably bought an over priced soda for seven bucks. For a grand total of $57 for a night out. On the other hand, my friend bought tix for himself and wife. After buying the tickets, parking, a few beers he told me we dropped about a GRAND!

   This guy is a hard working middle class guy. He is not rich or made of money. And here is the other thing, I don't think he made the wrong decision to spend a thousand dollars on a concert if it was worth it to him. He didn't just look at the Stones concert as a night out, he looked at it as a once in a lifetime experience. When you put something as once in a lifetime, whether the Stones, a trip to Disney, or a Super Bowl, then the money shouldn't matter. You only live once (YOLO). 

   Obviously, there is no way I would pay a grand to go to any concert. Paying hundreds of dollars for tickets to see millionaires, I just can't justify. I also find it hard to justify going to Gillette Stadium anyway, mostly because I hate it. The place is huge so unless you do pay the hundreds of dollars, you're watching the concert on the jumbo-tron anyway. Parking is $60. To top it all off, its going to take three hours to get out of the parking lot. To me, its just not an enjoyable experience. I haven't gone to a Patriots game or a concert there in years. 

    I seem to put a value on everything, because I have so many hobbies, I am interested in going to everything from most sporting events to Civil War battlefields. Also, many of my favorite things to do are free anyway. Hiking, birding, snorkeling, photography, fishing, and quahogging only cost me the gas to get to them. So if I want to spend money on anything else, I weigh if I actually want to take away the day doing those other things anyway. 

   This does not mean I won't spend money. Obviously, I do go to concerts and musicals. My one vice that costs me money is boats. I love going on whale watches and pelagic trips to see birds. Though a whale watch might cost me $75 while I'm on the boat I never think about the price. I just love being on the open sea. The irony is I do get seasick about half the time despite taking medicine and doing as much preventive maintenance as I can.

   The one place I am finding that spending the extra money is worth it is at small venues. I am finally getting to the point of this post. While the difference in price from the great seats to the nose bleeds at a Kenny Chesney concert at Gillette may be hundreds of dollars, at smaller venues it may only be ten to twenty dollars. 

I have realized I do enjoy going to a concert or musical more if I have good seats. When Laurie and I go to the Stadium Theater every year to see A Christmas Carol, we get the same seats. Third row Center, end seats on the left. This is standard for Stadium Theater for us if those seats are available for any show. These seats are about ten dollars more than the lowest price level but to me they are worth it and still a good value for a night out.

   Last month Laurie and I had a fun Saturday. We went on a whale watch out of Cape Ann. After the whale watch we went to see the Buddy Holly Story at the North Shore Music Theater (side note, my back is still killing me and it was an expensive day, so I self medicated to enjoy the day!) The tickets to the venue are pretty pricy ranging from $63-$78. We figured if we were going to pay that much anyway, we may as well get the good seats. We ended up with third row seats. They were great. When the musicians came to the edge of the stage, we were making eye contact with them. They were interacting with members of the audience. 

   Sitting where we did was much more fun than if we would have gotten the next price level down. I actually know this from seeing the Buddy Holly Story a few years back (2016) at the Hanover Theater. We had mid-priced seats and they weren't bad.  You could watch the action and listen to the music but even at mid level, you couldn't really see the expressions or the faces that well. Comparing the same musical up close, there is no comparison. So, so  much better. 

East of the Mississippi Bucket List

 I've spent a lot of vacation time and driving time hitting up as many things on my "East of the Mississippi Bucket List" as I possibly could afford in both time and money. It's not much of a secret that if I could spend a year traveling in the American west I would do it in a heartbeat. I make many financial decisions knowing that will be my ultimate goal. I would very much like to pack up and visit everything from the desert southwest to the Seward Peninsular in Alaska. I have a six foot bookshelf dedicated to hiking, fishing, bird ID, and national parks to prove it. Someday

   However, in the meantime, I have tried to see everything I have wanted close enough to do so. Since I got vaccinated in May 2021 I have planned vacations and getaways based on priority on what I most want to see and do than say price or convenience. Even when I've gone to places I've already been I've made it a point to include bucket list items. For example, when we went to DC to see the Cherry Blossoms (which in itself was something I've wanted to do for 30 years). We also included daytrips to Civil War battlefields and Blackwater NWR. I've wrote about all of my journeys on my blog so I won't relive them here. 

   Since I've really put in this effort, I spent a little while this week really coming up with what is left of my list and try to figure out if or when I can do them. I try not to put down every native fish on my list. There are a few fish species I really want to catch. 

   Same with birds, I try not to have a hundred different birds on my list. What I usually do is have a most wanted bird. Once I see it, then I'll figure out a next most wanted. When I first got serious about birding, I most wanted to see a Painted Bunting which happened in Florida 2019. After that I wanted to see Roseate Spoonbill, which I missed on that 2019 Florida trip. I saw my first one at Brigantine NJ in 2021. Then my next most wanted bird wasn't even a lifer. I wanted to Black Necked  Stilts. I'd seen one roughly twenty years ago. I only saw the one but didn't get a photo. I saw them at Pea Island this year and got decent photos at Bombay Hook on our way home from DC. The new bird on my list is Elegant Trogan which only lives in a small area of southeast AZ. As for birds east of Big Muddy, I haven't picked a new most wanted yet.

    Anyway, here is what I have left. Admittedly, this is a personal list for me, and may possibly be nothing the reader wants to do, but maybe it will get you thinking about accomplishing things on your own list.

Florida- When I say east of the Mississippi, I should also write north of Florida. Since FL is so much different than anywhere else, it has special animals and places like nowhere else in the lower 48. I want to catch a Peacock Bass and a Tarpon. I do not need a two hundred pound tarpon. I'd like a 25-40 pounder(s). I'd rather catch a few than fight the same one for two hours. There are also two places I want to bird/hike/ wildlife watch Merritt Island and Myakka River. I didn't get to these two places on my Florida trips. I'd also like to go shelling either to an island and/or Bowman Beach at Sanibel Island. 

  Of course there are many things I want to do again like snorkeling. Two places I want to snorkel are Looe Key and Sombrero Reef. I'd absolutely swim with manatees again. I'd stay at Bahia Honda and snorkel there again. Basically everything I've ever done in Florida from looking at Alligators to  eating Key Lime Pie in Key West I'd do again. I have so many memories from my Florida trips.

Fish- Besides Peacock Bass and Tarpon, there are a few species of fish I really want to catch.

   Chinook Salmon. I'd love to catch a Chinook Salmon from a Great Lakes tributary. Either the Oswego  River or the Salmon River. This may be the most exciting thing left on my list

   Northern Pike- I tried for a full day at Moore Reservoir, NH last year. I had one follow and caught a few Smallmouth. I will try again this fall.

   Catfish- I want to catch a big catfish. It doesn't matter to me if it is a Channel, Flathead, or Blue Cat. And size is irrelevant. Both the Blue and Flathead can reach up near one hundred pounds. I will be happy with any over ten pounds. Ten pounds is still a decent fish. I'll be happy with bigger, but anything over ten will make me happy.

Get a photo of a bull elk after it shed its velvet off its antlers. This may seem easier in the western part of the country, and you are probably right. But there are plenty of eastern states that elk have been introduced. They are famous enough in PA to have a county named after them. Elk can also be found in large numbers in eastern Kentucky and the Great Smokey Mountains. I have a friend that moved to western PA and said I could crash at his house if I wanted to go there. This would be a late Sept through early winter thing

See the AC/DC tribute band Dirty Deeds again. Seeing them has been something I've wanted to do for years, I saw them on Wednesday, but I missed the first twenty minutes. They sound and look just like the real AC/DC. 

Gunpowder Falls, MD Gunpowder Fall is one of the premier tailwater fisheries in the east. I tried to go there on my NC trip, but it was too far out of the way. I just want to catch one wild trout, species is irrelevant.

Cape May Birding- I'd prefer to go there during spring migration, but fall migration with thousands of hawks might be better. I just want to go there.

Conowingo Dam- is where dozens if not hundreds of Bald Eagles winter. The photo ops are endless of them fishing and trying to steal each others fish. Of everything on the list, including individual fish species and seeing a tribute band, this is the least important to me. But if the opportunity arose, I'd go. 

Two things very close to home are on my to do list this fall if possible:

Fish the Mashpee and Qhashnet River in Falmouth and catch a sea run brook trout. They are wild fish

See a Copperhead. There are Copperheads in Connecticut and someone told me where to look. I hope to make it there to see them.

   That's pretty much it. I could do everything north of Florida in a two week trip in September and early October. A Florida trip just focused on my bucket list would only take a few days, but there is so much to see and do in Florida, I'd spend a lot longer than that. Especially since I love to snorkel so much, I'd want to do that as much as possible. Still, this list was a whole lot longer a couple of years, some puffins, and many species ago!

Barely Anything

  I haven't done much this summer. Been nursing a sore back since the end of June. Still, if you barely do anything, that is more than doing absolutely nothing. So over the last six weeks I have accumulated a couple of memories despite spending most of my time lying on the couch. 

   By far the most important thing that happened over the last few weeks was seeing my son. After three years of living in Cambodia, he visited home. He was home for about ten days. Obviously, we didn't do a lot because of my back. Add to that, it was ninety five degrees almost the whole time he was home, there was a lot time spent by his mother's pool. We did get out twice. Once we looked for snakes, having a very memorable encounter with a huge Black Racer. The other time we went birding. The highlight was seeing a Peregrine Falcon on the mudflats at Charlestown.

    This weekend Laurie and I went to a skating competition in Norwood, MA. Unlike last year, there were very few former Olympians at this event. The field was not deep and there were a lot of falls. My back was hurting so the quality of the competition was only adding to my agony.  The best two people there were an American named Amber Glenn and a Canadian named Maddy Schizas. Neither performed to their potential. Though Amber bounced back the second day. 

Maddy Schizas

Other than seeing my son, the highlight for the last few weeks was a life bird I saw on Monday. My friend Patrick Felker found a  Red Pharalope in Newport in the morning. All day people were deciding if it was a  Red Pharalope or a Red Necked  Pharalope. Later in the day, my friend Sue Palmer refound the bird and confirmed it was a Red Pharalope. So I ran down at 7 pm and got it. I only know of one other in RI since I got serious about birding.

Today I went for a walk looking for Red Bellied Cooters. I didn't find any. I really didn't see much but I came across a Red Squirrel that did some really cool poses.

Local #10 and 11 A Water Snake and a Black Swallowtail

   Not only are gas prices keeping me local but so is the heat and my back. The heat is self evident. It is hot. My lower back has been messed up for almost a month now. I've had very little desire to take long drives to see birds. Last week I did go to Francis Carter but other than that my rides have ben short.

   A few days ago I went to Stony Brook Wildlife Refuge in Norfork, MA. It was a quiet day there. I saw a hummingbird, Purple Martins, and a big Snapping Turtle but not much else. I didn't write about it because, frankly, there wasn't much to write about.

   After a late morning I went back to Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary today. For the second time this year I saw a Northern Water Snake eat a meal. Today's unlucky contestant was a small frog. The light was bad and I was too close for good photos but it was fun to watch. After it's meal, the snake moved into a little opening where I could at least get a photo of it.

   Before I left, I ran into two Black Swallowtail Butterflies. Since I'm "collecting" photos of butterflies I've seen this year I was happy to get some photos of them. 

Black Swallowtail

The snake trying to turn the frog for consumption

Local #9 Red Admiral at Attleboro Springs

Red Admiral Butterfly

   On my way home from work I stopped at Attleboro Springs Audubon Sanctuary. This place sits behind La Salette Shrine. This local spot didn't cost me anything for gas because it sits on my route home from our Rehoboth store. I'd been to this place once or twice in the winter but never really explored it. 

   The best part of the refuge is Brothers Pond. There I saw multiple Bull Frogs, Green Frogs, tadpoles and a Water Snake. So far in my herping experience, I have seen more Northern Water Snakes than all other species combined.

   The highlight of the day was probably a Red Admiral Butterfly that was on the ground right near the water. I couldn't get the right angle for photos due to the brush, but it was still pretty to see. 

I walked all the trails of the property for a couple hours. I checked out the pond's shoreline multiple times. It was a pleasant afternoon

Butterflies and Local #8

Aphrodite Flitillary

    I've been asked if I gave up birding since I've spent so much time looking for snakes, frogs, and turtles. The answer is no. I still look for birds. This is a slow time of year for birding, so bad that I purposely take my vacation in June. The shorebirds will be back soon and there will be birds to look at again.

  When I go to Francis Carter, I'm looking for everything. I look for the grassland birds, snakes, and butterflies. Anything worth a photo makes me happy. Today, I went to Carter and all I saw were butterflies and a few birds. No reptiles at all. The highlight birds were an Indigo Bunting posing on a dead tree and three Orchard Orioles. 

  Butterflies were awesome. The highlight was an Aphrodite Fritillary. It was only the second I've seen. I also saw Monarchs, Eastern Wood Nymphs (everywhere), Juvenal's Duskywing.

  I also went to the Breachway mudflats today. The only good sighting was seeing my friend Carlos Pedro. There were a couple Piping Plovers but for the most part, it was dead. 

   

Huge Fowler's Toad

So I decided to head towards home and go local. Uxbridge may not be next door for me, but it is an easy ride, and I've been spending a lot of time there. Today I found a huge Fowler's Toad and I caught a Pickerel Frog in my net. This ha taken me repeated tries. I did manage to see two snakes today. I saw the back end of a Garter slithering away and part of a Northern Water Snake thar was obstructed by vegetation.  All in all, not a bad July day.

My defeated quarry not realizing he would be free
with one hop. Pickerel Frog