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"Standing tall is a very admirable thing. There are very few stories in history of heroes who slouched to the rescue. Likewise, most individuals don't look up to people who are drooped over."
from Leven Thumps and the Wrath of Ezra by Obert Skye

my family

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Foto Story Friday #50-- fishing genes

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek


Fishing Genes

This is my Grampa Sam circa 1973. There are many things that remind me of him. On Monday I didn't have any extra kids so Troy and I spent the day with the twins. We asked them what they wanted to do, go riding 4-wheelers or fishing. I think we were a little surprised when they both yelled "fishing!" Fishing as mentioned here, was one of Grampa's favorite past times.
Here's Grampa Sam sitting outside his home circa 1976. This was his typical attire... that hat and a button-down shirt. I wonder what he was thinking when this photo was snapped.... his garden, his bottles, his next fishing trip or had he just finished singing? I'll never know, I was only 2. One of our favorite things to hear him sing was the ZYX's. Grampa learned his alphabet both directions and he frequently sang them backwards to us kids. He would always ask if we'd learned our ZYX's yet. One time I sat down and did it, I learned them! I was SO proud of my self that I couldn't wait to show him. My sister also learned them we thought we were hot stuff. I remember Grampa was pleased with our accomplishment as well. Whenever I sing the ABC's I have to then sing my ZYX's! I've yet to convince my kids that it is a handy trick to have up ones sleeve. Point in case, in high school we had a history teacher who thought he could pull a fast one on the class. He told us to take out a sheet of paper, then he'd time us to see how many times we could write the alphabet backwards. I kicked butt! (the next year, Ryanne was excused from the exercise .... he wasn't going to be showed up twice!)
But this is a fishing story....
In the above photo, you can just see a man with a fish in the frame. That is Gramp Sam with one of his catches, surrounded by a poem my dad wrote about one of his fishing experiences.
Sam, the Rocks, and the Steelhead
When Sam retired, he moved
to Orofino with his wife.
Lucile worked at the hospital,
and fishing was Sam's life.
It was a good place to live
because the river was nearby,
but Sam did say you had to lie
on your back to see the sky.
The Clearwater River cut a deep
and narrow gorge through there.
To build the highway, they hauled
in boulders, large, jagged and bare.
Sam hiked up and down the river
with his fishing pole in hand.
They bought a little smoker and
Lucile smoked the fish Sam caught,
while Sam spent the day searching
for the very best fishing spot.
Before too long, Sam found what
became his favorite hole,
and those big rocks got acquainted
with Sam and his fishing pole.
Sam hooked a big steelhead one day
at his favorite fishing spot.
The fish was programmed to spawn
and was not about to be caught.
That lure Sam threw out there, that
looked so good, did not suit its taste,
so that fish postponed its spawning,
and headed downstream with haste.
Sam had no time to waste 'cause
that fish moved like a tornado.
The drag on his reel was maxed.
His line was short. Sam had to go.
Over those sharp rocks he scrambled,
he leaped, he stumbled and fell,
and whether he did a flip
or two, he said he could not tell.
But he chased after that fish
and never let go of his pole
until that trout finally
got tired and stopped at a hole.
Sam was standing there huffing
and puffing and looking around,
When he checked out his pole and line,
a huge knot is was he found.
That knot was the size of a baseball
and looked like spaghetti,
and if he untied that he'd rate
a parade of confetti.
With a snarl like that, there was
no way he could reel that fish in,
but for a fisherman, to let
that fish go would be a sin.
Sam found his pocket knife then
cut that line fore and aft that knot,
and the fish resting on the bottom,
was just as good as caught.
Calm as a cucumber, Sam then
tied those line ends together,
then began to work his reel
with a touch light as a feather.
That fish was no different
from the others after it was smoked,
but with each bite Sam ate,
memories of those rocks were evoked.
Copyright 1997 by Daren Flynn
(if interested in more poems by Daren Flynn contact me.)

I think my Grampa Sam's fishing genes got passed along to his great grandchildren. They sat there and waited for those darn fish to bite.
With patience and determination.
Hands at the ready.
But we got dogged.... I think they might have had better luck if I had not been along!

26 comments:

Jaina said...

How neat. I've only been fishing once...I caught a little fish that my cousin and uncle actually made me hold long enough to take a picture before throwing it back...and I also caught a crab.

Cecily R said...

What a fun peek in to your family history...I bet Grampa Sam LOVES that he has little followers!

Anonymous said...

I love the stories and that fishing has been passed on! That is something all my Uncles love to do and something I will always remember them doing!

Are You Serious! said...

♥ My grandpa, dad and brother are fishing buffs too. They've converted my husband who now think he needs a billion fishing poles! Great stories! :)

Emily said...

I think patience is definitely the mark of a good fisherman! Great story!

Izzy, Emmy 'N Alexander said...

What a fabulous poem! Such memories to have and so many more to make. Great PSF!

Happy Friday!

Robyn said...

Great story! Hopefully they won't be discouraged.

Shellie said...

What useful skills he passed on-ZYX's and fishing!

Maggie May said...

He sounded a great guy and his genes live on!
Great PSF and I love the pictures of your *fishermen*.

A Crafty Mom said...

I love fishing so this is a great post!!! What a wonderful grandpa, for sure!

Alex the Girl said...

I love fishing, but hate taking them off of the hook. Esp. catfish. I always get stung. Great tribute and photo friday.

Leah said...

I miss my Grandfather!

Anonymous said...

Love the story about your grandpa and the ZYX's thats hilarious! Sorry you guys didn't catch anything, bummer.

Lisa @ Boondock Ramblings said...

My grandpa was a fisherman too. He died when I was 2 so I never got to know him,but my brother did. My brother used to fish with him and wrote this amazing poem several years ago about the fishing they did together. Later in life I liked to fish too, but my dad really wasn't into it. He still took me fishing and now he says he regrets he didn't do it more. But I still have fond memories of that one fishing trip we had together and don't fault him at all for not taking me more. Thanks for bringing back some very nice memories.

Lisa said...

Passing down family history is a beautiful thing. How wonderful a little bit of his spirit has been captured by theirs. Great shots.

Lisa

latree said...

the fish were to shy to see you around ... ;)

Holly said...

What a fun remembrance of your Grampa Sam. I love the ZYXs story!

kayerj said...

what a nice memorial piece. grampa's are such fun. Hope you can stop by to view my photo hunt Thanks so much.

Ryanne said...

Oh I miss him so much! Every fourth of July my heart hurts cause I miss him. He as the BEST Grampa ever!

Carrie and Troy Keiser said...

Ry, you made me cry! :P

Hoosier Homemade said...

Awesome! What great memories! Thanks for stopping by my blog!
~Liz

Aunt Claudia said...

See if you can nudge Nana's memory - she too could always do the backwards alpha. Maybe you could have Emmy stir it up...Wonderful, warm memories! That's what families are for.

Momisodes said...

What a wonderful story. Sounds like grandpa offered some great memories. That's wonderful his great grandchildren are following in his footsteps.

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

You won't see too many kiddos who can do that! A testament to how well-behaved they must be :)

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Isn't it neat when you can see the special things passed on so clearly.

Laura said...

I loved the family history connection. I, too, am amazed your twins would sit and wait for those fish to bite!