Monthly Archives: December 2014

New Year’s, Fore and Aft

Posted on December 31, 2014 by rivertoprambles

With a little help from a Roman god named Janus, I can glance backward at the year and then hope to look ahead, as well. I’ll be able to state that my year outdoors and on the water went pretty … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "River's Edge", annual fishing report, Blue Ridge, brook trout, brown trout, Climbing the Runs, Founders' Rod, Heddon 35 Peerless, Janus, John Fahey, New Year, Rivertop Rambles 2014 report, Spring Creek, Steel Guitar Rag, Top 10 Fishing Goals | 16 Comments

Healing the Wounds

Posted on December 28, 2014 by rivertoprambles

“One of the penalties of an ecological education is that one lives alone in a world of wounds… ” —Aldo Leopold In the season of great holidays with all their heightened emotional baggage, we’re all aware of global problems, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Aldo Leopold, fracking ban, healing, hiking, holidays, nature, New Year, traditions, world, wounds | 12 Comments

“Astral Weeks” at Holiday

Posted on December 21, 2014 by rivertoprambles

Many an evening in the early 1970s I would lie in bed late at night drifting into pleasant, edgy dreams while listening to Van Morrisons’s great album Astral Weeks on the stereo. All these years later, I can still give … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged astral weeks, camouflage, Christianity, Christmas tree, dream, Fish Whisperer, music reviews, mysticism, paganism, soul, Sun, Van Morrison, Winter Solstice, Yule | 8 Comments

Old Woodenhead

Posted on December 18, 2014 by rivertoprambles

[Old Woodenhead is a likeness of the author, given to him several years ago as a Christmas present from his wife. It was carved by the Coudersport (PA) folk artist, David Castano. O.W. has appeared previously on this blog at … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Allegheny River, celebration, Christmas, Doors, Dylan, family, folk art, my friend the sun, NYS fracking decision, Old Woodenhead, rainbow trout, Sun, winter fly-fishing, Winter Solstice, worship | 17 Comments

The Lake District (UK), Part 2

Posted on December 14, 2014 by rivertoprambles

If from the public way you turn your steps/ Up the tumultuous brook of Green-head Gill*,/ You will suppose that with an upright path/ Your feet must struggle; in such bold ascent/ The pastoral mountains front you, face to face./ … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beatrix Potter, dales, Jeremy Fisher, journey, Lake District, Michael, mountains, nature, poetry, stone circles, UK, Wordsworth, worship | 6 Comments

The Cedar Run Experience, Part 18

Posted on December 11, 2014 by rivertoprambles

I got a break from the weather, frozen days and nights brightening into a Sunday morning with the temperature rising toward the low 40s. I drove to Cedar Run and steered gently toward the headwaters over the icy lane of … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "River's Edge", Cedar Mountain, Cedar Run, Cedar Run Experience 18, holidays, ice, recollection, wet fly, wfranklin fly-fishing book | 10 Comments

The Lake District (UK), Part 1

Posted on December 7, 2014 by rivertoprambles

No, I haven’t had a chance to visit England’s Lake District yet, but my daughter, who’s revisiting Scotland for a while, made a recent trip to the famous land of fells and lakes and waterfalls and sent some photos and … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beatrix Potter, England, fells, Lake District, Lake District Nat'l Park, Lake Poets, moors, walking tours, Wordsworth | 6 Comments

Southern Mountains, Growing Fins

Posted on December 1, 2014 by rivertoprambles

I recently had an opportunity to spend five days near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and in Shenandoah National Park. With snow covering the mountains above the North Fork and with the sun on my back, I took Thanksgiving morning … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Black Friday, Blue Ridge, brook trout, Captain Beefheart, family, fins, fly-fishing, foot, friends, grow fins, holiday, mountains, North Fork Moormans, thanks | 17 Comments