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The crappie at Lake Paradise were quite finicky last night. Paddy and I caught about a dozen fish over the course of three hours, but the fishing wasn't easy. The fish weren't particularly aggressive. In fact, there were times I didn't even feel them bite, and only set the hook when I noticed slack in my line.
Obviously, on this occasion, hooking a crappie required serious concentration. As a result of that concentration, I was only vaguely aware of the passage of time. On some sub-conscious level, the slight chill of early evening seemed to register in my psyche, and I seem to remember realizing it was getting increasingly difficult to see my line. I'm not sure what broke my concentration -- perhaps a mosquito buzzing in my ear, perhaps the sound of a mallard quacking, or perhaps the sight of a great blue heron lumbering over the lake. It doesn't matter, I just know that I suddenly became aware of my surroundings.
Taking my eyes off the water, I realized the sun had nearly slipped below the horizon, and what I saw was breathtaking--- the searing pinks, blues and oranges above the horizon and the shadowy blacks, purples and reds on the water gave the world a surreal edge -- a head-on collision featuring Vincent Van Gogh and Peter Max.
Just as I was thinking this evening could not get any more glorious, a cool breeze swept across the lake. The breeze was not just physically refreshing, but it seemed to flush the dust and pollen from the air. It was so sweet--- so primally satisfying--- that I closed my eyes to savor the moment. At this point in time, there was no place on earth I would rather have been. I breathed deeply -- drinking in the freshness, the coolness, the taste of the air. This was clearly a Top 10 moment.
My eyes were closed for just a few seconds. By the time I re-opened my eyes, Paddy had gotten the boat ready for the short trip back to the boat ramp, and our car. I plopped my butt down in the front of the boat, just staring at the world around me, trying to figure out a way to make the moment last. Just as I thought it couldn't get any better, Paddy pointed the boat to the north, aligning us and the horizon with the shimmering-white sliver of the moon. Apparently my fascination with this spectacular evening was transparent. Without my having said a word, Paddy stopped the boat a good distance from shore, both of us taking the time to appreciate the stunning display Mother Nature had provided.
By the time we reached shore, darkness had enveloped the world. Physically, the moment was gone. However, the scene is forever etched in my mind. I only wish I had an iota of artistic ability, because the scene deserved replication on canvas.
As we drove home an hour later, an interesting thought crossed my mind. This evening had been truly spectacular. Normally I only take the time to fully appreciate the beauty of a lake when fishing is lousy. While fishing wasn't great, it had been good, and I'd had the chance to share it with my favorite person in the whole world.
That clearly makes it a Top 10 evening.
:)
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