January 10th, 2013- Ice & Bluffs

"As the shadow of the kingfisher moved up the stream, a big trout shot upstream in a long angle, only his shadow marking the angle, then lost his shadow as he came through the surface of the water, caught the sun, and then, as he went back into the stream under the surface, his shadow seemed to float down the stream with the current, unresisting, to his post under the bridge where he tightened facing up the current.
         Nick's heart tightened as the trout moved. He felt all the old feeling.
         He turned and looked down the stream. It stretched away, pebbly-bottomed with shallows and big boulders and a deep pool as it curved away around the foot of a bluff."

-Ernest Hemingway, from  Big Two Hearted River: Part 1

Last of 2012

My apologies for the unoriginal title...

I'm not very much into making New Years resolutions, but on January 1st I decided that I had waited long enough to get my last roll of film from 2012 developed and therefore resolved to make the trek to Walgreen's and do so. I was glad I did, because it felt purposeful and was an easy enough resolution to fulfill. As for healthful revelations and steadfast promises, I will save them for when I am old and slow. 

Reflecting on the past year, I would say that 2012 was, all-in-all, pretty cool. I did some traveling, formed real friendships, caught a few trout, and made some important decisions on where I'll be living and what type of profession I will be pursuing in the foreseeable future. I also dropped out of college after four and a half years at UWEC (sorry mom and dad), but I think that even that was for the best. In fact, I can't recall another time in my life when I have been so thoroughly excited to seek out fresh experiences and move somewhere new. So cheers to 2013!

As for this winter/spring, I plan on keeping busy with fly tying, writing, and serving people coffee. 

And taking photos...I may even save my tip money to purchase a couple more film cameras this spring. I love my dad's Pentax and think it takes sweet pictures, but unfortunately the light meter is f-ed up and that sometimes makes low-light situations and appropriate exposure tricky. But regardless, it's a fun thing to experiment with and I kind of enjoy speculating whether a roll of film or a specific photo will turn out or not. 

I hope you enjoy the hodgepodge of photos I have assembled below, all of which were taken in November and December of 2012. 

Cyber-wizard Nate Wick silently cursing and writing code for our upcoming website.

I think the out-of-focusness here kind of works? 

Summit Ave. light trails.

The inside of "The Red Shed," where Loras Thier and I have had many memorable conversations.

Halloween on the Bois Brule.

A pretty gal from a deep pool. She took me through some rapids before letting me kiss her.  

Two passionate steelheaders swapping fish stories...or possibly just discussing what type of beer they will be drinking that evening.