Monday, November 17, 2008

Rainbows - Have a great day, unless you decide otherwise





Received this email and photo from our "Italian" friends (Adrienne, Nick and Leo) this morning:





We woke up to a dreary, rainy Monday morning. In the usual scramble to get out of the house (chasing Leo's naked splendor from room to room to get him dressed, searching for a missing shoe and finally finding it in the toy tractor's rear cargo space, remembering to look in the mirror before I leave with banana plastered to my cheek...) I glanced out the window and saw the view attached. It took my breath away. I put the mad rush on pause, grabbed my babe and the camera and thought - oh, what a beautiful day!

The only thing rivaling this beauty are pics of the aforementioned "Leo"-

Monday, November 10, 2008

Man Plans, God Laughs

I think this is the obvious maxim for 2008. I started listing supporting evidence and events, and quickly realized they are many and obvious.

It's ok though, He is just chuckling and letting us know He has other ideas.

Hopefully "this too will pass" takes place in 2009.






Sunrise at Haleakala, Maui. Some say you can see Pele behind presenting the sun.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Colombia River Sturgeon


August 27- 28, 2008



My brother Bill has been on the front line facing the challenge of this very difficult real estate market and really needed a break…. Sounds like a good rationale, ‘err I mean reason for me to plan a fishing trip!

Bill and I have previously had success on bait for tarpon in San Juan, alligator gar in Texas, and sharks on Sanibel Island--
A little web surfing brought me to this video on youtube:
You tube video-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYNd0oDD114&feature=related



As a young boy I had a Disney book about the tale of Hiawatha and the Giant sturgeon, based on Longfellow’s poem about Hiawatha. The concept of a giant fresh-water fish towing the great Hiawatha in his canoe was too cool for me.
A very unique fish- check Wikipedia-
So Giant Sturgeon sounded right up my alley!

A little research led me to Capt. Dennis Hull, who fishes the Colombia and Williamette Rivers for Giant Sturgeon, keeper sturgeon, Salmon, and steelhead- www.NWFish.com
Check out his blog there. I contacted Dennis and booked two days of fishing the end of August.

What a great choice! We met Dennis at the dock—his boat newly painted, clean, efficient, all the riggings…. More important, the guy just plain knew his S**t.

He told us they brought several 6 to 10 footers to the boat the day before—to which we chuckled and thought we just might have heard that “shoulda been here yesterday stuff “ before. Twenty minutes later we were a mile upstream, baits in the water, eagerly watching our line tips. Dennis complained the action was slow as a half hour went by, then some major tugging started on the left rod, which was softly slipped from the holder, walked to the stern, then pow – a major pull to set the hook. Battle on!


Dennis released the boat from the anchor float and started up his 8 HP trolling motor to follow the fish—line screamed from the reel and the 80 lb. rod bent like a willow! Dennis had the drags cranked down to almost dead tight, and I levered all my weight and strength, pumping and reeling furiously for the first fifteen minutes… before I realized I was expending way too much energy too quickly… this was going to be a marathon, no a sprint!

Bill and I gaped as the giant sturgeon ran several hundred yards and decided to leap fully from the water; it was unimaginable that a fish so large could be so acrobatic!
Forty-five minutes or so later – with superb boat jockeying by Capt. Dennis, we had the fish at the boat, my hands in its rubbery, toothless mouth, as we measured it up around 10’ along side the boat.
In the U.S. it’s illegal to pull the fish’s head from the water, or to get in the water with the—length and girth estimates the fish around 450 lbs! I was ready for a deep tissue massage and an oxygen tent!

Less than 20 minutes later, Bill was into his first giant—a magnificent sturgeon which proceeded to leap three times in a row, then once more on the way to the boat—measured up by the skillful and lucky angler Bill in 10 minutes! Figures the younger strong guy gets the fish that wears itself out.



Fighting these fish is like tying a fishing line to a young steer and reeling it in— then when you finally get it to the boat, it proceeds to circle, dive under and otherwise attempt to tangle and cut off your line (a six foot piece of braided nylon mason’s line).

We have pictures of the five fish we caught day one, and the 6th on the second day at:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bciliberto/PortlandSturgeon82708#

The largest nearly 13’ long and estimated 700 lb, we think we hauled over 3,000 lbs. of sturgeon in the two days, on a river surrounded by world class beauty!

Many thanks to Capt. Dennis for a remarkable and memorable trip in the Colombia Gorge!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Micro rod Smallie!


What a great night-- Cydney got me a J. Austin Forbes micro fly rod for Christmas, which i just started using the last couple days. I've been wet wading in the Neshaminy cause the water level is too low for the kayak. The rod makes panfishing a blast-- it's 30" long, check it out at http://www.jaustinforbes.com/micro.html.
You really get to feel the take and it takes some delicacy handling the fish.

Last night i caught 50+ fish up to 10" , 5 young smallies , couple Largemouth, rock bass, sunnies, bluegills, all fishing the undercuts and tree overhangs.

Went back tonight, a little earlier so i could get further down stream. Caught another three dozen or so fish -- then found a tree fall in the water and started fishing the leaf scum line---- caught 5-6 fish, then bam- the beauty in the pic grabbed my epoxy minnow fly and ran me in and out of the tree for ten minutes-- what a beauty! Went right back in after the pic and caught it's slightly bigger twin brother, then another an inch shorter, but fatter.

three terrific smallies on a micro rod, on a beautiful evening, fishing the stream i used to practically live on when i was a kid.

Packed up my rod, and made it back to the truck at dusk, grateful for a wonderful, memorable outing. Never dreamed I'd have so much fun with such a tiny rod!

Friday, July 11, 2008

Wine, wine, Wineberries!





Morning runs are special this time of year-- at 2.1 miles there is a large patch of wine berries, and i grab a dozen to enjoy on the last mile. They are a special combination of sweet and tart.
Thanks!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

Brick Oven Lunches- #3 in the books!



We had our third Brick Oven Pizza lunch on Wednesday-- 10 visitors, 12 pizzas and 4 stromboli-- big hit, a great time and very well received! Everyone got along famously! I'm trying to make it a regular thing when I'm home this summer to have a weekly lunch.
Note the serious discussion of world events above after consuming the pizzas-- some heavy duty thinking going on!
Attendees included Judi Bayer from Worth & Co., Don Billingsley, Gene Levin, Larry Sternthal (I'm told his reunion story was a real hit), Ray Thibodeau , Greg, Don Geary,Carl Mangione and Peter Rotelle.

The evite system seems to work pretty good for the invitations- http://www.evite.com/pages/archive/eviteDetails.jsp?eventID=RFVRSDEBLCKTBOUCQQTN&src=evitedb

so far over 30 people have come for lunch, and 50 + for dinners! Next up Saturday night for 12 or so!

I thoroughly enjoy the oven, baking pizzas and bread, from building it to watching people chew!!!!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Autumn's Big Day!



Congratulations Autumn!!!

Sorry the rain sent us packing, but your pics look great! 2008 Central Bucks west grad off to Penn State- Berks!

Good luck at college, and hope you have a wonderful Summer!

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Wavewalk Hits the Neshaminy Creek






Cydney dropped me off at the Castle Valley Park 7:30 for my first outing on the Neshaminy with the W kayak. I plotted out a 2 1/2 mile drift to the Bridge Valley Park where she would pick me up at 2:30. http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DKUS,DKUS:2006-36,DKUS:en&q=castle+valley+pa













Used a set of steps as a launch access-- it was a magnificent morning- 75 or so, much cooler than it has been.














Around every bend it was just beautiful-- accessing the sections of the creek which few see, the fishing was good, but i spent most of the time getting used to the drift-- steering , hopping out to pull through shallows, avoiding rocks (the rocks are in FRONT of the ripple in the water).

Saw hawks, deer, huge gray owl chased by blackbirds, two swans, and no people until i landed at 2:30! large turtles, scads of bass, sunnies, carp... everything was beautiful. Actually got back to a place-- Deep Ford-- which has been off limits for 50 years from shore, went there with my dad when I was seven!

Quite a day- caught couple dozen fish, got comfortable in the W, felt like I had the whole creek to myself...... sweet!










Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

E S H Foundation

Our small foundation-- check out www.ESHfoundation.org - has made some very interesting and supportive contributions. legal aid, NOVA victoms support, Montessori school program, Delaware Valley College walkway, Habitat fo Humanity, local fresh food pantry and a pledge to the Bucks County choir!

We are trying to "leak" the word out, so we don't run out of money too quickly!

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Greg's Graduation

Congratulations Greg!














Seems the time went by very quickly while you were at Central Pennsylvania College.

http://www.centralpenn.edu/

And how about those trips! Ireland, England, Australia, Japan...New Zealand, I think they really helped you succeed, along with Dr. Sands and Mrs. Hepner!

Quite an accomplishment, everyone is proud and glad for you! Job well done, including your internship at Worth & Co.

Good luck at Wagner Cat!

Love ,

Dad

"W" Kayak- Fun and a Back-Saver





Tried fishing-- carp on a fly-- last year from sit-atop kayaks, but in no time my chronic back issues reared up and i spent 4 months in PT!


Working from an inflatable boat ( http://www.seaeagle.com/FoldCat.aspx ) got me through the summer, but its a little bulky for chasing carp.


as my back improved i bought and tried a Flatstalker -- first one in Pennsylvania-- http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=qMnVsliKheE


not bad, but still a little heavy, and i fall off once everyone 6 outings.


This winter i found the W -- wavewalk catamaran kayak. My PT thought it looked like a much better setup for me-- you straddle a bench, can stand or sit, or ride like a horse. Bought one two months ago and I am delighted-- the manufacturer added me to his web page:




too cool-- now i just need time away from the oven to use it !


Had a fine outing with jim Kosa and Ray Thibodeau at Baylor's lake, and some luck at Nockamixon. Want to do a float down the Neshaminy (back to boyhood ) soon!


Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Wood burning Oven Link

http://picasaweb.google.com/bciliberto/2008_WoodBurningOvenConstruction


Above is link to the oven ppics in progress. Coming along-- expect May completion. Real help from Ivan!

My Vail Bench

as this is an oft used expression for me, i was pleased to find this bench on Vail, on the way to Grand Junction with Greg.Posted by Picasa

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Benny's Brick Oven- Part 1

Been a while getting back here!

Ok- the project for the year:

Build a brick oven and learn how to bake bread and pizza in it!
This one grrew out of seeing Lew french's masonry work on the Sunday Morning show (Paxson called me to watch it while it was on)-- his work is amazing!
Thought I'd like to do a masonry project again this year (since y back is feeling good for a change). In looking for projects came across an oven, thought how i like baking, ... and we are off!
Here's Lew french's book:

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781586854430&itm=1

Sarah ordered the book for me for christmas, but it's been out of print ... ok though, cause i have a long way to go before starting the stone work!

Found out that a mason and baker named Alan Scott is the guru of brick oven construction:
http://www.ovencrafters.net/

and that Alan and Daniel Wing wrote an invaluable book called the Bread Builders http://www.chelseagreen.com/1999/items/breadbuilders


which has details on construction of a barrel vault oven and great bread baking info.

Forno Bravo ovens, which sell ovens -- provides a free plan for building a pompeii domed oven:

http://www.fornobravo.com/

There is a great debate over the pros and cons of the two oven types-- i decided to go with the pompeii oven (guess it's my heritage).

Researching the ovens, and bread and pizza baking has been a delight! there is so much information online...

i joined the yahoo brick oven group ;-):
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brick-oven/

and the sour dough bread group:

rec . food . sourdough


After a month of thought, Cydney and I decided on a location next to the garden for the oven and planning and execution got underway!