January 14th, 2012
How do Western New York Anglers survive the long, cold winter?
I will assume you mean other than avidly watching Buffalo Bills football and Buffalo Sabres hockey games, how do avid anglers in Western New York survive the long, cold winters?
Well, some ice fish of course. And while folks don’t actually get wet there’s not need for a wetsuit! However many folks DO WEAR WETSUITS under their gear when ice fishing! Why? To survive the elements!
The key to surviving the frigid cold is to dress in layers, and shield yourself from the wind. A bodysuit does just that very effectively!
Although Many avid anglers enjoy steelhead fishing throughout the winter between the months of November and April. This is true particularly after the first ice thaw. That’s when the Lake-fed steelhead come running. They were bred to live in the waters of this type of region and there are an abundance of steelhead-catching opportunities available to anglers all the way from the mighty lower Niagara River to Cattaraugus Creek which is one of the premier streams in the state, to other smaller streams.
They are an excellent fight fish for their size (which varies) and are best caught using either live bait or artificial lures.
ice fishing
Tags: ice fishing, wetsuit
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January 2nd, 2012
GUEST POST FROM MARCIA W….
Besides Crappies, what other fish do anglers catch at Black Lake?
In early spring after the ice goes out, crappies and northern pike are the main catches at upstate New York’s Black Lake. Northern pikes can be landed that weigh in the 10 to 15 pound range and are trophy size. The nighttime spring sky is lit up by campfires and the shoreline lanterns of bullhead fishermen. Perch measuring 10 to 13 inches, and ¾ pound bluegill can be reeled in either from shore or boat. They are caught year round as are walleye, catfish and monstrous muskies.
In the summer, largemouth and smallmouth bass are the catch of the day. Catching a 5 pound bucket of mouth is nothing out of the ordinary at Black Lake.
No matter what kind of fishing you enjoy, Black Lake offers it all. The setting is serene and peaceful. The air is fresh and so is the water. There are no factories on or near this Lake and there are no New York State fish eating warnings as there are no pollutants in the water. The fish you catch at Black Lake can be eaten at Black Lake …. or frozen and enjoyed later in the year at home long after the amazing fishing vacation is over.
Black Lake
Tags: Black Lake
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December 23rd, 2011
Christmas movies are as much a part of our Christmas traditions as eggnog and lighting the tree. The best Christmas films hold up year after year. Animated movies have the ability to stand up over the years. They are the movies we remember watching on Thanksgiving and Christmas break in anticipation for the big day. As we get older, the same movies take on new meaning as we understand the underlying sentiment in our favorite films. Here is our list of animated Christmas movies that remind of us the wonder of childhood, and promises to do the same for our kids.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966)- This 1966 animated film is the only version that captures the sweetness, bite and heart of the classic Dr. Seuss book. Hateful and bitter, a grumpy hermit hatches a plan to steal Christmas from the Whos of Whoville. Disguised as Santa, the Grinch descends on the village to snatch all their Christmas baubles and gifts. The Grinch is tragic and funny and eventually heartwarming as the true meaning of Christmas is artfully revealed. This is possibly the perfect holiday movie.
Frosty the Snowman (1969)- Frosty the Snowman is another timeless holiday special that stands the test of time. Based on the popular song of the same name, a living snowman and a young girl fight to escape a nasty magician, who is after snowman’s magic hat. Experience the awe of the first snowfall, and the power of kindness and friendship. You may shed a tear but in the nick of time Santa Claus saves the day.
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) – This has to be the most adorable claymation movies ever made. Sam the snowman narrates a story about a young misfit reindeer who teams up with a few memorable characters for an unexpected adventure. Burl Ives’ friendly, warm singing voice as the snowman holds it all together. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer remains the king of all Christmas specials.
A Charlie Browns Christmas (1965)- Though the animation is crude, there is something very powerful at the heart of A Charlie Brown Christmas that restores faith. When an earnest Charlie Brown complains about the materialism he sees during the Christmas season, Lucy suggests he direct the School pageant. It proves to be a frustrating endeavor. Linus helps him learn the true meaning of Christmas with an amazing speech that still resonates today.
Polar Express (2004)- Based on the beautifully illustrated picture book, this IMAX film makes the best Christmas movie list for its ability to inspire young and old. The story is of a young boy on Christmas Eve who boards a magical train bound for the North Pole. During the ride the young hero embarks on a voyage of self-discovery. The entire look of the film is visually stunning in the vein of the original illustrations. It leaves you breathless and teaches us to believe in the wonder of life.
Even if you don’t have a favorite, just getting your whole family together and watching one of these classics (or a NEW classic) will create memories that will last a lifetime, and maybe even a new family tradition, for generations to come.
NOT A SHOT OF US
Tags: Best animated Christmas movies
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December 22nd, 2011
**** GUEST POST ***
There are few things as beautiful as a drive to view the beautiful outdoor Christmas decorations. Even better than the commercial areas are the different styles displayed in each neighborhood. With many types of decorations to choose from, everyone can find a way to express their Christmas spirit with outdoor Christmas decorations.
Deck the Door – Just decorating the front door can give big impact. One idea is to give it an appearance of a giant present. Pick a sturdy gold or silver wrapping paper and neatly wrap and tape the entire front door. Use a wide velvet ribbon to make a large loop bow to affix to the door. A more subtle approach is to make a simple natural wreath out of cones or pines. There are also beautiful wreaths you can buy to give a dramatic effect.
Old World Glow- Candles in each window dates back to the 1800’s. The warm glow they radiate is also represents friendship and peace in the Christmas season. Today, there are endless selections of electrical versions that look just like the traditional window tapers. Candles are a classic understated way to decorate the exterior view of your home.
String it Up- Christmas is the season of lights and there is no better way to give the added twinkle than string lights. Opt for the festive colored bulbs or simple white lights. String them on eaves and around windows to outline the features of the house or accent outdoor trees and columns.
Adorn the Trees- No reason why the only ornamented tree should be inside. Decorating outdoor trees create a lovey outdoor display. An advantage of decorating a tree with ornaments instead of lights allows people to view the decorations day at night. There are many outdoor decorations with the proper scale and durability for the elements.
Spotlight- Smartly placed spotlights can be all that’s needed to step up outdoor Christmas decorations. Shining a spotlight on a wreath is a quiet and classy way to bring the eye directly to the focal point.
Set a Scene – For those who believe bigger is better, there are plenty of wonderful figurines you can exhibit in the front yard. You can use presents, an artistic nativity scene, a wooden Santa sleigh pulled by reindeer, or even a blow up Santa. Whatever outdoor Christmas decoration you chose, your Christmas spirit will be evident.
deck_the_home
Tags: Christmas decorations
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December 17th, 2011
***** GUEST POST *****
One of the best known fishing spots in the entire state of New York is Black Lake. It is located north of Syracuse in the Thousand Islands region and it is as beautiful of a location as it is an angler’s paradise. The 20-mile-long lake is about 4 miles wide at its widest point. Thousands of anglers travel to Black Lake every year and every May, my husband Bill is numbered among them. He and his long-time fishing buddies faithfully make the annual five hour drive from Western New York to Black Lake for a week of rest, relaxation and mainly to catch crappies. He and other Black Lake anglers have proven that crappie action at this location is second to none in the Northeast United States. The crappie limit is 30 per person per day and each fish kept must measure 10 inches or more in length. In May of 2011, my husband and his best crappie-fishing buddy both caught their daily limit at least two days during their week-long stay and this is not at all unusual or difficult to do at Black Lake.
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For those of you with only time to head for Grandma’s for Christmas, sans any fishing, you can still get some ‘fishin’ time ‘virtually’! How? You can Play Fishing Games on your computer, or that Ipad you got for Christmas!
Keep you OR the kiddos busy when they get bored at Grandmas!
black lake
Tags: play fishing games
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December 8th, 2011
How about sending your kiddos this coming summer to Tennis Training Camps?
It’s always good to learn new skills and tennis will teach, even a country kid, a lot. Structure, dress, class….
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November 24th, 2011
Authored by Leandro Delgado
When I first bought my house I was really overwhelmed – I had no idea what needed to be done first and I found myself drowning in a sea of warranties and Gexa power information.
Thankfully my mom showed up after a few days and really helped me get organized. It’s only been about 2 months and I haven’t had any huge hiccups. I love that there’s something for me to do here every weekend but you know, it’s nice that I ended up getting the house that didn’t need too much work. That way I can live here and not have to worry too much about not being able to live in the place while I was working on it since most of the stuff I had to do was painting and changing out tiles and getting the floors redone.
I can’t believe how great the place looks and I know that when all is said and done I’m going to have a totally great place to live. That’s the goal!
The above posting was a GUEST post – we let those in every now and again.
Tags: guest post
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November 22nd, 2011
Ya know, I live not too awful far from the OU football stadium, well a half hours drive or so, but we hardly ever go.
A non-credit card holding relative recently asked me to get them some tickets for an event there and since I’d never actually bought any that way before, well, I had to go lookin.
Did you know that you can buy almost any sporting event ticket online?
Sure ’nuff!
Don’t have to be local, or within driving distance of a ticket counter, nope you can order horse racing tickets, tennis events (if you’re into that sort of thing), motor sport and even Formula 1 Tickets!!
Sounds like a man-road-trip to me!
formula_1
Tags: road trip
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November 22nd, 2011
A fella at work recently went on his first camping trip with a church group. His FIRST!
I found it really hard to believe that someone in Oklahoma could grow up and never have camped, or slept outside, or fished.
He was so enamored with the process that he went out and bought NEW everything he thought he’d need. Cot, sleeping bag, an online fishing guide, warm hat, gloves, tent and even took all the newspapers from work for fire starters.
Now, I suppose not everyone is cut out to be an outdoorsman. He already has all his stuff on the bulletin board for sale!
Guess who now has nearly new gear?
SCORE!
tent
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November 10th, 2011
There have been times when we’ve had to ‘rig’ up parts on our older vehicles. You know what I mean, wire something together to keep it running.
When we first moved ‘way out here’ in the country, we discovered pretty fast that these old beat up dirt roads take their toll on our vehicles, pretty fast. We actually ended up buying a second ‘parts’ truck, just so that we’d have spare parts without driving (the other vehicle) a ton of miles, just for a part.
That second vehicle came in handy many a time.
These days, the roads are better, our vehicles are newer (most of them) and we tend to order our Truck Parts and have them delivered.
Times sure have changed, for the better too, don’t you agree?
truck
Tags: parts truck
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