GERMANY BOUND

WELL PASTOR RICKY PHILLIPS IS AT IT AGAIN. WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR MAZEPPA PASTOR AS HE IS HEADING TO GERMANY TO STUDY IN THE HOME OF MARTIN LUTHER.

LAST WADE OF 2010 ?

WELL I GOT ONE LAST DAY TO WADE THE CREEK AND FISH AND WHAT A GREAT DAY. NOT AS MUCH WILDLIFE IN FACT I ONLY SAW 2 CRAWFISH AND UNDERSTAND AS THE WATER WAS MORE THAN A BIT CHILLY. BUT IT WARMED TO THE MID 70'S BY MID AFTERNOON AND GOT KINDA NICE. DID SEE LOTS OF DUCKS AND MY BUDDY THE GROUNDHOG JOINED ME AT THE FISHING HOLE. SOME GREAT PICTURES OF THE TREES AND I GOT 12 FISH THE LAST A 9 INCH BROOKIE. FIRST TROUT I CAUGHT IN MAZEPPA IN 25 YEARS. WHEN I GOT TO THE CAR AND CHANGED SNEAKERS MY FEET WERE SNOW WHITE. YES.......THE WATER WAS COLD.

DUCK HUNTER

WAS SO STUNNED TODAY AS I WAS FISHING TO RUN INTO A DUCK HUNTER. FIRST TIME SINCE I FISHED THE CREEK I EVER HAD THAT HAPPEN. AND I HAVE BEEN WADING THE CREEK SINCE ABOUT 1966 WHEN WE MOVED TO THE FARM. MID 70'S TODAY AND A NICE FALL BREEZE BLOWING AND IT WAS JUST A FUN DAY TO BE IN THE WATER. THE LEAVES ON THE WATER MADE IT TOUGH TO FISH AND ONE OF MY SPOTS WAS BASICALLY IMPOSSIBLE AS IT'S KIND OF A LAGOON TYPE SPOT. GOT 5 IN ALL AND MOST AS I FISHED MY WAY BACK UP THE CREEK AND THE CHUBS WERE HEADING BACK DOWN STREAM. A COUPLE OF DUCKS AND THE FOX SQUIRRELS WERE OUT. BUT ONLY ONE KINGFISHER AND 1 BLUE HERON. A FEW DUCKS BUT THEY WERE SAFE UPSTREAM AND AWAY ELMER FUDD.

ONE MORE WADE

WELL AT LEAST ONE MORE WADE IN THE CREEK AND WHAT A GREAT DAY. LEAVES ARE STARTING TO TURN AND LOOK FOR A PHOTO BELOW THAT I TOOK JUST UP FROM MY FAVORITE FISHING SPOT. GOT 11 FISH TOO AND SAW THE FOX SQUIRREL AGAIN AND THE MINK. THE TURTLES KEPT ME COMPANY AGAIN. JUST WITH THEY WOULD HAVE SUNG......HAPPY TOGETHER......FOR ME.....HA,HA,HA REALIZE THAT JOKE IS FOR THOSE OF US OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW THE SINGING GROUP FROM THE 60'S.

NEED HELP WITH INFO

GOT AN EMAIL FROM A GAL THAT WOULD LIKE INFO ON A FARM ONCE OWNED BY A FAMILY NAMED........KLECKNER. I LOOKED THROUGH THE BOOK I HAVE BUT DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. CAN ANYONE HELP OUT WITH ANY INFO ?

LAST WADE ?

OUT TO FISH AND WADE THE CREEK YESTERDAY AND MIGHT BE THE LAST TRIP DOWN THE CREEK AS IT WAS PRETTY CHILLY. BUT WE SHALL SEE WHAT MOTHER NATURE ALLOWS. SURE CAN SEE FALL COMING ON NOW AS THE SOYBEANS ARE EVEN TURNING COLOR AND A GREAT PICTURE I PUT IN THE ALBUM THAT LOOKS ACROSS WHAT USE TO BE OUR CREEK FIELD.
SO WORRIED ABOUT THE LACK OF RAIN AS THE CREEK IS SO LOW. BUT YOU KNOW IT IS THE CLEAREST I HAVE EVER SEEN BUFFALO AND I FISHED THIS CREEK SINCE THE 60's. THE SEWER PLANT HAS CERTAINLY MADE A DIFFERENCE OVER ALL THE SEPTIC TANKS THAT USE TO BLEED INTO THE CREEK.

FALL IS COMING

SURE CAN TELL FALL IS COMING AS THE VEGETATION IS DYING BACK AND LOTS OF LEAVES FLOATING DOWN THE CREEK. MORE GREEN HERONS FOLLOWING ME UP AND DOWN THE CREEK AND TURTLES. GOT 10 FISH AND ONE DANDY SMALLMOUTH.
FIRST STEP IN THE WATER YESTERDAY WAS DEFINITELY CHILLY. BUT IT WARMED TO MID 80'S AND GOT REAL NICE. BUT THE DAYS OF WADING THE CREEK IN 2010 ARE COMING TO A CLOSE.

WEEKEND IN THE CREEK

WAS OUT TO MAZEPPA BOTH SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. 2 GREAT DAYS TO BE IN THE CREEK AND LOTS OF WILDLIFE. SURPRISED TO FIND ANOTHER TREE HAD FLOATED DOWN BUFFALO AND SNAGGED ON THE TREE I USUALLY FISH AROUND. BUT THE TURTLES WERE HAPPY AS IT GAVE THEN A SPOT TO CRAWL UP AND SUN THEMSELVES. CAUGHT SOME DANDY CHUBS ON SUNDAY AND ONE WAS 15 INCHES. HAD A GREEN HERON FOLLOWING ME UP AND DOWN THE CREEK ON SATURDAY AND FUN WATCHING HIM FISH FOR MINNOWS. ALSO A HUMMINGBIRD WAS FEEDING ON THE FLOWERS BY THE CREEK. SATURDAY I TIMED IT UP PERFECT AS I JUST ARRIVED AND OUR OLD NEIGHBOR JIM BRUBAKER CAME BY MOWING DOWN THE BANK. FIRST TIME IN 25 YEARS WE SAW EACH OTHER. LOOK FOR SOME PICTURES IN THE ALBUM THAT I TOOK THIS WEEKEND IN THE CREEK INCLUDING THE TURTLES AND THAT MONSTER CHUB.

FEEL OF FALL

FISHING SATURDAY IT SURE HAD THE FEEL OF FALL COMING ON. SOME OF THE VEGETATION IS DROOPING OVER A BIT AND LEAVES FLOATING DOWN THE CREEK. I KNOW THAT DAYS OF WADING THE CREEK THIS YEAR ARE DRAWING TO A CLOSE. BUT A GREAT DAY AS I GOT 14 FISH AND I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MANY DUCKS. ALSO WOODPECKERS ALL OVER INCLUDING A GORGEOUS PILEATED WOODPECKER RIGHT ABOVE ME IN THE TREE. AND A FIRST FOR ME AN ALBINO CRAYFISH. JUST AS WHITE AS CAN BE.

MY DAY IN THE CREEK

WELL A RATHER INTERESTING DAY OF FISHING AS I SMACKED MY ANKLE WITH A STONE, WHILE WADING DOWN THE CREEK. THEN WHILE TRYING TO FIX A SNAG IN THE LINE I DROPPED MY RAPALA LURE IN THE MURKY SPOT I WAS STANDING.......BUT I FOUND IT SO ALL IS WELL......AND I DID CATCH 9.....MOSTLY SMALLMOUTH TOO. SOME NEAT PICTURES I GOT OF WILDFLOWERS AND A DRAGONFLY. POSTED IN THE PHOTO ALBUM SO CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE THEM. ALSO STOPPED TO SEE THE OLD SWINGIN BRIDGE SINCE IT GOT RENOVATED BY LESTER NOLT. WHAT A WONDERFUL JOB HE DID AND SHOULD NOT ONLY BE APPLAUDED BUT REIMBURSED FOR HIS WORK. AND PICTURES OF THE NEWLY RESTORED BRIDGE WILL BE IN THE ALBUM TOO.

SANDPIPERS

WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY IN THE CREEK TODAY. ONLY 10 FISH BUT ENTERTAINED BY THE WILDLIFE. SOMETHING WAS SWIMMING IN THE WATER BUT REALLY COULDN'T TELL WHAT IT WAS. TOO SMALL TO BE A BEAVER AND NEVER DID GET A GOOD LOOK. KINGFISHERS , HAWKS , AND THOSE ADORABLE SANDPIPERS. GOT A REAL LAUGH WHEN I GOT TO SEE A HUMMINGBIRD CHASE A SANDPIPER. ONCE IN A LIFETIME MOMENT AND WISH I ONLY HAD A CAMCORDER. ON MY WAY BACK UP THE CREEK A BLUE HERON WAS FISHING IN THE SHALLOW WATER. I WALKED TO THE ONE SIDE AND HE SLOWLY WENT BEHIND SOME CREEK VEGETATION AND HUNKERED DOWN. AS I WALKED UP THE CREEK HE WOULD POP HIS HEAD UP TO SEE WHERE I WAS. I WAS SO CUTE AND AGAIN WISH I HAD A CAMCORDER.
FUNNY SOME PEOPLE FLY ALL OVER THE WORLD BUT ALL I HAVE TO DO IS TRAVEL BACK HOME TO MAZEPPA. CLOSEST THING TO HEAVEN I CAN FIND.

28

HAD MY BEST DAY YET OF 2010 FISHING WISE......CAUGHT 28. GREAT DAY TO BE WAIST DEEP IN BUFFALO CREEK AS IT WAS MID 90's. FINALLY GOT SOME MORE RAIN LATER ON AT NIGHT AND THEN SUNDAY. GOOD AS THE CREEK IS SCARY LOW.
LOTS OF BLUE HERONS AND KINGFISHERS AS YOU WOULD EXPECT WITH THE EASY PICKINGS FISHING WISE FOR THEM. AND SAW A DEER AS I WADED DOWN BUFFALO CREEK. JUST A WONDERFUL DAY.

26 MORE

SPENT ABOUT 6 HOURS IN THE CREEK YESTERDAY AND SNAGGED 26 FISH. AND THE KINGFISHERS WERE FUN TO WATCH AS THEY DIVE BOMBED FISH. NOT THE 60'S GROUP BUT TURTLES KEEPING ME COMPANY TOO. NICE VARIETY OF FISH TOO WITH THE USUAL CHUBS AND ROCKIES,SMALLIES,SUNNIES AND 2 PICKERAL.
JUST A GREAT DAY.

15

WHAT A GREAT DAY OF FISHING TODAY. NOT AS MUCH WILDLIFE TODAY AS I GOT OUT JUST AFTER NOON BUT 15 FISH TODAY AND A NICE VARIETY TOO. SUNNIES,ROCKIES,SMALLMOUTH AND CHUBS. WATER WAS GREAT IN THE 90 PLUS TEMPS BUT GETTING SCARED AT HOW LOW THE CREEK IS. WE SURE NEED RAIN.

GOOD - THE BAD AND THE UGLY

AND THATS WHAT COULD ALMOST DESCRIBE MY DAY IN THE CREEK YESTERDAY. RIGHT BEFORE I LEFT I FELL IN THE CREEK AND I HAVE A BRUISED BUMM THIS MORNING. BUT CAN'T OVERSHADOW THE DAY IN BUFFALO CREEK. AS I STARTED TO FISH I HAD A RACOON JOINING ME. ALTHOUGH HE WAS FISHING FOR CRAYFISH , CLAMS AND OYSTERS. 2 BLUE HERONS, THE KINGFISHERS WERE OUT, TURTLES, SANDPIPERS, AND LOTS OF OTHER BIRDS. THE HIGHLIGHT WAS WATCHING A DOE BRING HER VERY TINY FAWN DOWN TO WATER. WATCHED THEM FOR A GOOD 10 MINUTES AND THEY NEVER SAW ME.

MAYBE THE BEST DAY EVER

HIT THE CREEK TODAY AND MAYBE THE BEST DAY EVER. GOT 8 AND EVEN A PICKERAL AND HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE OF THEM IN MAZEPPA IN OVER 25 YEARS.
KINGFISHER, TURTLES, MERGANZER, SCARED A DEER, CRAYFISH ALL OVER, CEDAR WAXWINGS AND MUCH MORE. IF THAT AIN'T HEAVEN TELL ME WHAT IS. ALMOST HEAR JOHNNY DENVER SINGING.......ALMOST HEAVEN......WEST MAZEPPA...

WILDLIFE AT BUFFALO CREEK

OUT YESTERDAY AND ALSO THIS MORNING TO FISH. ONLY CAUGHT 5 OVER THE 2 DAYS BUT THE WILDLIFE.......QUITE THE VARIETY. SAW THE MERGANZER AND THE BABIES......BALTIMORE ORIOLE.....FOX SQUIRREL AND A MINK. THE CRAYFISH ARE FINALLY OUT AND ABOUT AND TONS OF FRESHWATER OYSTERS. ALSO THE BLACK DRAGONFLIES ARE ALL OVER TOO. WITH THE WEATHER NEAR 90 IT WAS A GREAT WEEKEND TO BE IN THE CREEK.

DEER

WENT FISHING AGAIN TODAY AND........BINK WENT ALONG. NO SOONER IN THE WATER AND 3 DOE WADED ACROSS THE CREEK. NOT SPOOKED AT ALL AS THEY STOOD AND LOOKED AT US AND SLOWLY MADE THEIR WAY INTO THE WOODS. AS FOR FISHING I ONLY CAUGHT 2 BUT THE DAY WAS PERFECT FOR WADING IN THE CREEK........ABOUT 90. SAW LOTS OF WILDLIFE AND MOMMA MERGANZER WAS WATCHING OVER THE AREA I THINK SHE HAS HER NEST.

2010 PARADE

WELL THE 2010 PARADE WAS JUST WONDERFUL. AND WHAT A CROWD THAT CAME OUT TONIGHT. NICE GROUP OF FOLKS IN THE PARADE THIS YEAR TOO WITH BETH IN THE MG ESCORTING SPEAKER JOHN DEPPEN. HUBBY CHARLIE WAS IN THE 4 WHEELER AND HAD TO LOVE THE TROESTER GANG WITH THE MILK PROMOTION BANNER. JOHN HAD A SUPER MESSAGE AND MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PHOTO ALBUM TO SEE PICTURES FROM THE PARADE.

FISHING

GOT OUT YESTERDAY AND TODAY FISHING AND CAUGHT 6 YESTERDAY & JUST ONE TODAY.
BUT I AM STILL TRYING TO LAND THE WHITE FISH I KEEP SEEING IN THE ONE SPOT I FISH AND ACTUALLY HAD IT HIT MY LURE TODAY. MY ONLY GUESS IS IT'S A PALOMINO TROUT. BUT THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT IS TO LAND IT. DID HOOK A BROOKIE TODAY BUT JUMPED OFF JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO GRAB IT SO.......IT DOESN'T REALLY COUNT. THE MERGANZERS WERE OUT TODAY AND SAW 4 ADULT FEMALES. BACK OUT TONIGHT FOR THE PARADE AND LOOK FOR PICTURES ALONG WITH ONES I TOOK THIS WEEKEND OF PLANTS ALONG BUFFALO CREEK.

JEFF BAKER

WHAT A WONDERFUL ARTICLE ABOUT JEFF BAKER AND HIS CHALK ART USED TO SPREAD THE GOOD LORD'S WORD. A GREAT ROLE MODEL AND LOOK FOR PICTURES FROM THE ARTICLE IN THE PHOTO ALBUM. JEFF CAN BE FOUND AT
www.drawinghisglory.com
MAZEPPA IS PROUD OF YOU JEFF.

IN HONOR OF BERT

GOT AN EMAIL FROM RICKY AT THE MAZEPPA UNION CHURCH. I HAD ADDED A LITTLE TO THE RENTAL OF THE SOCIAL HALL AND ASKED THAT IT BE USED FOR SOMETHING IN THE CHILDRENS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS, IN HONOR OF BERT. RICKY SAID THEY SENT AN IDEA TO COMMITTEE AND I AM SO ANXIOUS TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE COME UP WITH.

DAY FISHING AND WADING

WHAT A WONDERFUL COUPLE OF HOURS IN THE CREEK YESTERDAY. CAUGHT 10 AND ALL KINDS OF WILDLIFE. SAW WOOD DUCKS...MERGANZERS...GEESE...SAND PIPER LIKE BIRDS I HAVE TO IDENTIFY AND LOTS OF OTHER BIRDS.
I USED MY NEW CAMERA PHONE TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE 2 HUGE CHUBS I CAUGHT BUT DOPEY ME......FORGOT TO STORE THEM. I WILL GET USE TO THIS PHONE YET AND WILL GET PICTURES OF THE FISH I CATCH.

PARTY

WELL THE PARTY WAS EVERYTHING I HOPED IT WOULD BE. GREAT HOW IT WAS NEVER A BIG CROWD WITH FOLKS COMING AND GOING ALL AFTERNOON. AND CLASSMATE , STEVE RICHARD WAS THE LAST TO ARRIVE AT 4.
EVEN BETTER WAS ALL THE DONATIONS FOR CAMP VICTORY. THAT REALLY MADE ME HAPPY.

PARTY

WENT OUT YESTERDAY TO GET THINGS SET UP FOR THE PARTY. 4 MONTHS OF PLANNING AND THE DAY IS FINALLY HERE. SO EXCITED NOW AND WILL POST PICTURES.

GREAT DAY

WENT FISHING AND WADING TODAY AND EVEN THOUGH I ONLY CAUGHT 1 CHUB IT WAS A GREAT DAY. LOTS OF WILDLIFE INCLUDING MERGANZERS...CANADIAN GEESE AND TONS OF RED WINGED BLACKBIRDS. LOOK FOR SOME OF THE PICTURES IN THE FOLDER.

PARTY

HEAD OUT TOMORROW TO GET PARTIALLY SET UP FOR THE PARTY. GETTING PRETTY EXCITED NOW FOR THE BASH. WILL POST PICTURES AFTER IT'S ALL OVER.

FIRST FISHING TRIP OF 2010

WELL I MADE MY FIRST TRIP TO BUFFALO CREEK AND CALL ME CRAZY BUT I EVEN WADED AS I FISHED.........NO WADERS. THE FEET WERE A TAD BIT CHILLY.
BUT A NICE TIME WITH NATURE AND I CAUGHT 3. TWO HUGE CHUBS AND ONE WAS A HORNY CHUB AND PINK BACK TO THE FRONT FINS. NOT KIDDING IN SAYING THIS CHUB WAS 12 INCHES. JUST GORGEOUS. DUCKS AND CANADIAN GEESE KEPT ME COMPANY.

PASTOR RICKY

WELL PASTOR RICKY HAD QUITE THE DAY IN WASHINGTON DC. ACTUALLY GIVING 2 PRAYERS AND MAZEPPA COULDN'T BE MORE PROUD.
MAKE SURE TO CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOLDER TO SEE A PICTURE OF RICKY WTH SENATOR ROBERT CASEY.

PASTOR RICKY

WOW.....WHAT EXCITING NEWS AS PASTOR RICKY PHILIPS IS GOING TO WASHINGTON DC. LEADING THE SENATE IN PRAYER
THIS THURSDAY, MARCH 25,2010.
WHAT AND HONOR AND REALLY ANXIOUS TO HEAR ALL ABOUT HIS EXPERIENCE.
WHAT A REAL HONOR FOR PASTOR RICKY. COULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED TO A NICER GUY. CLICK ON THE LINK TO THE PHOTO ALBUM TO SEE A PICTURE OF RICKY.

ALL SET

WELL I HAVE THE FOOD AND THE CAKE ORDERED FOR THE 50TH BASH. GETTING EXCITED FOR THE BIG DAY AND SEEING OLD FRIENDS. ALSO ANXIOUS FOR THAT FIRST WADE IN THE CREEK AND FISHING.

CHURCH

WENT OUT HOME FOR CHURCH SERVICES AND TO SEE BETH AND THE KIDS DO THE PUPPET SHOW.
WOW.............IT WAS GREAT.
AND SO WONDERFUL TO SEE OLD FRIENDS TOO.
DOROTHY WAS RIGHT........NO PLACE LIKE HOME.

HAM AND EGGS

THE WORLD FAMOUS MAZEPPA HAM AND EGG SUPPER IS APRIL 10.
MAKE SURE TO BE THERE.