It's all downhill from here

Yeah, I don't understand
this shit either

At 05:30 UT this morning the Earth's axial tilt of the northern polar hemisphere was the farthest it's going to be from the sun this year. If I were a pagan, I'd be out doing my solstice dance celebrating the forthcoming lengthening of days and the hope for more warmth and rising trout. I'm not a pagan so I'll celebrate by wrapping up some work, heading to the UPS store and getting a few last minute presents.

The dream of rising trout is very premature unless you're willing to travel to the Southern Hemisphere where things are completely backwards opposite. But there's plenty of good winter fishing to be had as long as the stream flows remain relatively constant. Of course, it seems to consistently rain two days before any day off; the rivers have not accommodated my desire to fish for trout. Maybe the trout are complicit in this global warming thing. They seem to be winning; more water and less fishing.

My real hope for the post-solstice is that my psyche will begin to shift into a more positive place. The process of going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark certainly makes gloomy days gloomier. During the summer, when the hours are equally as long, I leave the office with at least the possibility of a fishing jaunt. I rarely get to wet a line but the possibility keeps hope alive. In the winter, hope sputters and fades in the long shadows cast upon the streams.

On a more positive note, I tattooed the new car last night. The old car had accumulated some personality over time including a collection of fishing related decals adorning the rear window. Most of those were irreplaceable. The new car just looked barren and I couldn't bear it any longer. Fortunately, the folks over at Boneyard Fly Gear and Bugslinger still have a nice selection to get me started.

I'm looking forward to the longer days. It won't be warmer anytime soon and the real snow is yet to come. But those winter shadows will shorten and additional sunlight will nurture the hope that in the not too distant future a Crocus will rise from the soil, peepers will sing, and Hendricksons will fly. It's all downhill from here.

I originally wanted the car in silver, but this color was all they had.