Tag Archives: Winter Solstice

The Return of Old Woodenhead

Posted on December 21, 2021 by rivertoprambles

[In which we hear an echo from an earlier post or two at Rivertop Rambles, now an excerpt from my book Wings Over Water (available from Amazon, Wood Thrush Books, or myself). That said, Old Woodenhead, my Christmas confidante or … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged beer & bourbon, Christmas, David Castano, fly-fishing, Kettle Creek Tackle Shop, Old Woodenhead, sculpting, Walt Franklin, Wings Over Water, Winter Solstice, writing | 13 Comments

Old Woodenhead’s Appointment

Posted on December 19, 2016 by rivertoprambles

Old Woodenhead is a carving of an image of yours truly made by artist David Castano, by request of a special woman I know. Old Woodenhead, the fly-fisher, replete with a fishing creel that I have never used, has appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged carvings, Christmas, death, family, fly-fishing, hiking, Life, mother, nature, Old Woodenhead, photography, tradition, Walt Franklin, Winter Solstice, writing | 34 Comments

A Light in the Forest

Posted on December 15, 2015 by rivertoprambles

Leaving behind the holiday parties and the jingly shopping marathons, I traveled to the Pennsylvania forest. The unusual December warmth and overcast sky contributed to a feeling of relief and abandon. En route I passed a bald eagle perching near … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged color, eagle, fishing, forest, grouse, headwaters, hiking, holidays, light, music, nature, photos, Pine Creek, rare bird, religion, spiritualism, trout, Winter Solstice | 14 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 Angler, Cast in Wood

Posted on December 22, 2013 by rivertoprambles

“Walt Franklin on the Stream” is a wood carving that Leighanne gave me as a Christmas present several years ago. This example of “Pennsylvania folk art” was produced by David Castano, a full-time wood carver from Coudersport, PA. Castano’s approach … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged D. Castano, fishing/work, fly rods, Kettle Creek Tackle Shop, PA folk art, Polar Express, winter fly-fishing, Winter Solstice, wood carvings | 20 Comments

Even the Eagle Says

Posted on December 20, 2013 by rivertoprambles

Even the eagle says, “The fishing’s tough out there; the ice is on the water and the sun has gone away. It’s time to adapt, or fly. Venison isn’t bad. A frozen roadkill or a carcass with a bullet in … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adaptation, bald eagle, bonfire, light and shadow, venison, walt franklin poetry, winter landscape, Winter Solstice | 3 Comments

Winter Dreams, With Fish

Posted on December 11, 2013 by rivertoprambles

Of Nature Writing Nature writing, at its best, engages readers with the raw, unmodified earth, the wild planet found in such disparate locales as a city park or the ice plains of Antarctica. In a day when people are increasingly … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged bridge supports and fishing, creation myth with fish, earthquakes in the East, Nature writing, smallmouth on a fly, steelhead on a fly, walt franklin on writing, Winter Solstice, writing purpose | 8 Comments

Welcome Winter

Posted on December 22, 2012 by rivertoprambles

Once again, the world ended, this time on the Winter Solstice. The modern interpreters of the Mayan Calendar were right. Here in western New York the world went to sleep at night under stormy sky then woke up to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged blizzard, Holiday traditions, Mayan Calendar, New World, Welcome Winter, Winter Solstice | 4 Comments

December Rain

Posted on December 21, 2012 by rivertoprambles

The long awaited rains were falling. I was on the upper river at noon, in time for the rain to finally get serious. I waited in the car for five minutes to see if it would ease a little or if … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged freedom, gun control, mental health, rainbow trout, winter flyfishing, winter rain, Winter Solstice | 4 Comments