The Photo Bin - December 2015

I'm not much for looking back so you'll get no in-depth review of 2014 around here. What's visible in the rearview mirror - just about a month's worth - is more than enough for me and just perfect for the Photo Bin.

I said that last year and haven't changed my mindset all that much. 2015 had its moments, but, quite frankly, not enough of them. A couple of kick-ass destination fishing trips (Beaver Island and Alaska), a great week of summer camp with the grandkids, the rekindling of an old electric flame, a winter escape to the islands, all good. And, of course, a fair bit of local fishing and the day-to-day joys of living here with the lovely lady of the house and the Led head. (That's the dog, folks, not me, though I have my moments.) But you've heard those few stories and the rest of the year seemed a bit of a dud, so let's just let it pass, unexamined, and look forward to a new beginning.

Wait, the December bin first.

The waders hang on the back porch, above, for the final time in 2015 after a year-ending trip to some western Carolina Appalachian waters. Like most mornings, this month, the fog was the feature. And the rain, of course. It was grim.

And speaking of grim, a bigfoot sighting at the Western NC Fly Fishing Expo. On minute David Grossman was there, then the next, the yeti ate him. That's how Southern Culture on the Fly rolls. It's always good to get Asheville-way to see that crew, bigfoot or no.

I told you it was a foggy month. We saw this view from our bedroom window more mornings than not. Soft edged gray monochrome. Lovely, really, in a subdued, melancholy way. Made you want to pull the covers up once again. Often, we just did.

Here's the sun setting on my last day on the water for 2015. The winter solstice pushed us back towards the launch much too early after a cool afternoon searching for Lake Jordan stripers. We found a few and enjoyed what little of the day there was. A nice way to end the fishing year.

Okay, I know that you're getting tired already of shots of my new toys. But the focus here is the amplifier stand. I've finally found a good use for the Chicago Manual of Style (as it's quite obvious that I don't use it much in my writing.) I posted this shot on Facebook with some witty comment about Chicago blues, but my buddy Ethan Smith (he of Smithfly fame) trumped me (so sorry for that reference), saying Chicago, so much better than the AP blues.

Writers' humor.

And I suppose that a December bin is incomplete without a holiday image. We spent Christmas in the Windy City with the kids, as we have the past couple years and it's always a joy to be around little ones during the holiday season. Here, the calm before the storm.

I hope your holiday was as joyful as ours and that the coming new year elevates you in every conceivable manner. And may it exceed 2015, for all of us, by leaps and bounds.

Let's get to it!

What is a Photo Bin?