Apples, Turds, and Fishing

 

One of my guilty pleasures is Apples and yeah, it’s only August 12^th, but damn if I am not already thinking about the apple harvest.  My family and I are so lucky that there are a ton of orchards nearby to take advantage of.  Between the apples, apple cider, apple donuts, apple cakes, and any other baked good they can come up with is awesome.  My mouth is already watering and I gotta wait til October.  Damn.

Advice.  According to the Farmer’s Almanac, todays advice of the day is “To avoid dying, never shave at night.” 

CFB.  As we dive deeper into August, we now know that there will be almost no College Football, at least in the Autumn and while that sucks, I don’t really care about the power five conferences anyway.  It’s the same old shit in a different season. 

But what I do see as intriguing is this rumor I continue to hear about possibly Ohio State might be a part of an SEC this autumn to play in that conference.  Of course, the SEC President or whatever is laying out a whole bunch of reasons why that won’t happen.  Figures.  However, I wonder how hard those “reasons” would be to overcome if it was Rutgers or Maryland or Indiana.

Worst Franchises in Sports.  The other day, somebody had asked about the worst franchises in sports.  Well, in my own way, this is my take:

·         MLB – Miami Marlins

·         NBA – New York Knicks

·         NFL – Cleveland Browns/Detroit Lions/Washington

Now this is the list right now, but I reserve the right to change it, but this ineptness is part of a bigger issue to discuss, and that’s…

Sports.  You know, as I’ve grown older I’ve really cared less and less about sports.  When I was young it was all I cared about but now it doesn’t matter.  Maybe it’s my age (55) and my differing interests, but it’s just not something that I’m so invested in. 

The more this virus lingers, the more people are noticing that they can get along without sports, and maybe that’s a good thing.  But then again, it could be a bad thing – giving people more time to have nothing to do, getting them into trouble.  Aw hell, I’m digressing…

Final thought.  I have for some reason found poetry of late.  While I'm not a fisherman, this particular poem seems especially appropriate for finding some fun in August.

In August

By Paul Laurence Dunbar

When August days are hot an' dry,
When burning copper is the sky,
I 'd rather fish than feast or fly
In airy realms serene and high.

I 'd take a suit not made for looks,
Some easily digested books,
Some flies, some lines, some bait, some hooks,
Then would I seek the bays and brooks.

I would eschew mine every task,
In Nature's smiles my soul should bask,
And I methinks no more could ask,
Except--perhaps--one little flask.

In case of accident, you know,
Or should the wind come on to blow,
Or I be chilled or capsized, so,
A flask would be the only go.

Then could I spend a happy time,--
A bit of sport, a bit of rhyme
(A bit of lemon, or of lime,
To make my bottle's contents prime).

When August days are hot an' dry,
I won't sit by an' sigh or die,
I 'll get my bottle (on the sly)
And go ahead, and fish, and lie!

Whether its fishing or something else, take some time today to smell the roses and celebrate the positives of the day.