This morning there are dozens of fishermen around Jefferson Lake. Today marks the end of “catch and release”- now they can take their bounty home to eat. I’ve heard that folks have caught 9 and 10-pound trout through the winter- On another note, this morning I was reminded of how myopic I can be. At the gym I found the BBC news on the TV and learned of record snows in Japan and record cold in Europe. I’d been paying no attention.

Later- On the way back through at 8 I saw a raccoon, a fine big old raccoon, dead in the street near a sewer outlet. He must’ve just been coming out for his night’s prowl and some unseeing, or uncaring, motorist just ran right into him. He hadn’t been dead long, was still warm when I took him out of the street and put him under a tree. Poor raccoon, just living his life. There are lots of raccoons, but even so I hate it when we run over the critters.