Outdoorsy Stuff...

Hi there,

For starters, I'd like to take a moment to Thank You for coming here and to extend a hearty Welcome, to my new Outdoorsy Hub, over here at Hubpages dot com. :-) I just became a Hubber in the last few weeks and I think I'm hooked already. :-) What a kool concept!

This Hub's aim, is to steer YOU to More Outdoorsy stuff this year than ever before. We all need more reality based outdoor stuff, in our lives. Get yourself out the door this year, early in the morning, with a little pack on yer back for essentials and stuff! Pick a direction, and then go in that direction. No place in mind? Good, adds to the adventure level when you don't even know where your destination is. Lots of folks can't operate that way. They should try harder then and look for freedom not rote.

Here's a little bit about how and why I got into all this kool outdoorsy stuff, what I get out of it even to-day and why You should perhaps get into it more too, especially if you have children...

Almost everything in the Outdoors, turns my crank to some degree or other. There are so many things to see and smell and hear and taste and touch, in the Outdoor world. Your learning sessions outside are easier and way more fun than sitting in a boring classroom somewhere surrounded by four walls. You'll discover lots of new things every day if you seek the Natural ways...

larryb

Life's little realities...

Ever since I was a young tad of about five or six, I have been fasinated with the outdoor world. My favorite aunt, Siiri, got me into the world of nature study when I first went to visit her and my uncle for a week-end at their rustic one room camp on Crooked Lake, near Sudbury Ontario. Siiri and Dennis (aunt and uncle) had a neat little garden there too, so I was soon learning the basics of developing a green thumb. Before I knew it, I was learning the names of a lot of flowers which she grew and would help with the watering of them, by carrying pails of water from the lake to the flower beds and garden a couple of times a week.

There were a lot of songbirds around there as well, so of course I would describe a bird that I saw and this amazing woman would identify it for me. Every time. Along about the same time, Lipton/RedRose came up with a set of 48 beautiful Songbird cards in every big box of tea purchased, and she started saving those for me and asking her relatives to do the same. I had the full set in no time. ;-) I used those very cards quite often in the coming decades to help many people ID various birds. By the time I was eight, I had named and identied in the field , over 30 different birds that lived in the area because of those cards a a library book or two. Ya, I'd often go and sit quietly near the garden for hours, and watch the critters all come and go and what they ate and how they moved, in the branches, on the ground, and in the air.

Learning where they made their nests, I could dig even deeper into my studies and observe them as they reared their little young ones. I watched them grow up after seeing them hatch from those beautifully symetrical eggs. My mind was filled with these beautiful natural creature's methods and their ways of showing PURE LOVE to their offspring...

The lessons continue...

This amazing aunt of mine, (such a one of a kind woman) seemingly, could not be stumped when it came to knowing about birds, flowers, bugs, trees and even all the wild plants. I guess it was only natural then, that I learned so much "outdoorsy" stuff, so fast and deep, for my age.

You see, to my way of thinking...

"When you learn from those who know, you learn truths. When you learn only from those who SAY they know, you learn, at best, half-truths" ...lb 08

You probably understand by now, that my awesome aunt Siiri, was a Very motivational woman. She was a very positive person who was always looking on the bright side of life. All those around her, where-ever we went, loved her and loved to hang around her. This remarkable lady was full of life. It oozed from her. She taught me that all of these "natural" things, were as real as life gets and that I could always be entertained and benefited if I kept up my interest in them. She was right. I was never bored as a youngster. As a matter of fact, I can honestly say that I can't remember the last time I was bored or had nothing to do or whatever. ;-) NO TIME for boredom when you're INTO the OUTDOORS...

I remember also, spending hours upon hours, at the Sudbury Public Library, adding to my nature knowledge base and expanding my interests in outdoorsy stuff. When other kids were playing all the various kids games, I was exploring the woods and fields, the streams and the hillsides. There weren't many kids at school that I knew anyway that dug this type of stuff back then, so I spent lots of time alone or with a few hand picked buds over the years.and we became quite good at getting along on our own. That of course helped me immensly in my teen years when I started going on major (at least to me back then) hikes with a little packsack on my back and a desire to discover secret places and hidden spots off the beaten track.

Side bar...Oh how I wish I could have packed a camera along on so many of those early trips of mine back then, that are now of course only fading memories. Fortunately, Pictures can tell their story, even after our own memories are appearantly gone. A picture will "trigger" memories of it's time and place etc. Sure am glad that I have my slick little Optio, point & shoot, with me everyday now... :-)

The fishin' bug bites...

I was introduced to basic fishing 101 by this very same cool aunt Siiri, when we went to visit one of her six sisters that first summer, who lived at that time, on the shore of a little lake near Wanapitei, Ontario. There were plenty of Perch, Sunfish and Mudpout, in it's quiet and semi-secluded waters, I was to find out.

Aunt Siiri's, Crooked lake camp, unfortunately for me, was on one of the lakes "killed" by acid rain in the Sudbury area years before, so I had no real opportunity right there, to get into this cool sport. However, while visiting her sister that day, we all used old fashioned Willow and Birch poles, cut right there from the lakeshore. Thick black nylon line was tied to the end, and the other end of the line was baited with a smallish hook and a nice, fat, fresh dug, jucy worm, which I had dug from the garden that morning before we left for the visit.

The neat part of all this is that it all worked. Those first few panfish and mud-kittys were enough to get a young puppy such as myself, totally hooked on fishing, right then and there. I had been bitten by the serious fishing bug...

I was soon looking with wide open eyes and ears, into that part of the outdoorsy world too. Before very long, this Fishin' stuff had become my favorite subject to not only research at the library, but also to talk about with anyone who would listen. I checked out EVERY Sporting Goods, Hardware store and Canadian Tire store in Sudbury, every week, gawkin' and pawin' at all the neat Fishin' gear they all stocked. Fishing Tackle just mezmorized me and I started getting into collecting artificial lures and buying one a week with my allowance for doin' my chores. That gave me the incentive I needed to do the chores. :-)

This fasination with man's favorite sport has carried through my whole life. Not to brag but just to state a fact, as the years went on, I started getting pretty good at finding and catching fish, consistantly. Where ever I went. I played pretty serious ball, out there with those fish back then, but ALWAYS enjoyed my day out, even when the fish weren't biting so well. There are so many neat things going on out there during a day on the water. It's not always about the fish...

Someone once said "there's a lot more to fishing, than fishing" and I definately tend to agree with them, whoever they were. :-)

Take a look at my new Fishing Hub if you get a spare moment or three...

http://www.hubpages.com/hub/FishingStuff

The saga continues...

When I became a teen-ager, I started hitch-hikeing to many fishing spots and started spending week-ends in the bush alone by a river or lake and fished for fun and for food as well. I only kept enough for a meal and always released the others unharmed. It's kind of an old Native person's thing. Take only what you need. Ever. Always leave plenty for seed...

Looking back now, I can say that the outdoorsy world in general, has helped me to get through many rough times in my life that I'm not sure I could have made it through, without that love for the free places. I've introduced many people to my favorite sports and hobbies and a few have even gone on to become very proficient (pro's) because of our meeting, I'm very proud to say! :-)

If you don't do very many outdoor things these days, I'm here to tell you, that you are ripping yourself off, for some of life's coolest experiences! Being out there and knowing what's going on around you gives you a feeling of being a part of nature and not an alien there. There's not much to fear when it gets dark or a storm comes up or others talk of wild animals eating you and stuff like that, when you are aware of the truths that nature offers to those who listen. You don't need wilderness, by the way, to feel this stuff. All this can take place as near as your closest City Park. I've taken photo's of wild birds and rabbits and a deer, over Pinecrest way, in a little green, creek lined cooridore over there. Take a look around your area for a neat little park or greenspace. Then, get those wonderful kids of yours outdoors with you too, so you can check out some of this stuff, I'm yakkin' about in here and on my lenses and webpages and blogs, too... :-)

At some point along the way, about the same time I went for my small game licence, I got pretty intersted in being able to survive in the woods by my wits and knowledge, and my little 22 cal repeater, alone. That knowledge quest made me out as a pretty mature boy for my age. I was also quite proud of myself for being able to do such a thing. Then too, after workin' pretty hard and doing all I could to learn from those who went before me, it only makes sense.

Knowing which plants to pick and how to get my own food from the wilds, led me to even more adventures and satisfaction than any kids games could ever do. It all taught me the values of real stuff and what man really needs to be happy. I admired our forefathers for their ability to cope with seemingly harsh environments and create a life out of the wilderness. Those pioneers were tough people who would not be detered by stuff that scares modern day folks. I admired the native people more even because they were the masters of anything bush related. They could survive anywhere with nothing and were some of the healthiest and most interesting and inteligent people I have ever studied.

To-day, sadly enough, most men are weak, out of shape and ignorant by comparison. We have lost so much over the years and have become a very whimpy race of cry babies and whiners and complainers or total over the top, do gooders that want to protect us to death.

Most of to-days people would sadly enough, perish, if the lights went out and the stores and businesses closed down for more than a week or month. It's a little scary but we have unfortunatwly become SO dependant on society and having it take care of us for every little thing, that most folks would not stand a chance of making it on their own if and when the SHTF. Especially the elderly Gentlemen and Ladies from the early ninteen hundreds...They already ship those ol' folks off to the Old Folks (retirement ) homes now a days, pretty quick like. Does nobody respect nobody anymore? :-(

Most of to-days children are taught to stay OUT of the woods and the dirty rivers too and they are instead encouraged to play with their stupid video games. They learn from and live in, a world based on fantasy and rough talkin' government leaders and all their support and rule-ings and other tricks and stuff...

You know, the way I see it anyway, we are all getting further and further away from reality as the years go by. Nobody, wants just the basics anymore, like we did back in the day. Everyone wants more, bigger, better, smaller, more power, more money etc.

Ya gotta dig the little pleasures in life, first and formost, I say. I'll always treasure that precious auntie Siiri, for what she did for me in gettimg me steered towards and started down, the Natural Path along the shores of Crooked Lake... Even though this gracious woman has been gone from this earth for more than twenty years, her teachings are still there with me to this day and always will be. I've passed many of those teachings on to others as well as my own children, over the years. Thank You Aunt Siiri... Thank You SO Much for everything. I miss You so much...

Spring forward a bit...

These days, I try to share the outdoorsy experiences thingy, by making web pages and blogs, lenses and even a Hub now too. Just so that I may spread what I know to be true and good, to anyone who will take the time to read my stuff.

I've spent the last ten years getting Google to know of my existance so that others like yourself perhaps, can find my stuff and perhaps be influenced in some small way by some of my writings and ideas or pictures. Or even have some memories stirred, because of me. Just Google "larrybass" or even "outdoorsy Canadian webmaster" and watch the links that this powerful search engine comes up with for you to check out.

With Google as your guide, you'll soon see that I have been a pretty busy boy for the last decade plus. Yup, when it comes to making an effort at spreading the word about the benefits of looking into the outdoorsy life for you and or your children, I'm there for you. There are so many different angles and variations to stuff with that Outdoorsy flavor seeping through them. Go get some for yourself today!

Here's a picture taken right about in the middle of Ottawa Ontario, which as you can see, depicts a little urban fishing, available to many of us, no matter where YOU live. Ya just gotta go and Do It! :-)

later,

lb

Outdoor Stuff Rocks!

http://larrybsblog.blogspot.com/

Over the years I've put together a nice group of Survival items that are usually carried in my pack while bushin' it. Here's a picture of a small group of said gear. The basics are always covered. A knife and a way to make fire. Of course, a large plastic garbage bag is stuffed in there too, so that I have protection from the rain. The cost factor here is very little, considering what this stuff can do for you in your time of need. I'd suggest that anyone who ventures into the woods and off the beaten track, to put together a similar little group of gear so that you too are ready for a night or two in the woods, if something bad goes down...

Just picked up an extra compass/magnifying glass/whistle/thermometer gadget like the one in this pic to-day while out on my urban tour. How could any bush guy resit such a kool back-up unit for a buck? :-)

Here's a link to my little Survival page over at Tripod. They've been hosting my websites for FREE, for over a decade now and I Love 'em!

http://larrybass.tripod.com/Surviving.html

I haven't had a car for over twenty years now. Of course that has slowed me down somewhat but I've adjusted to it quite well. Most times I use an older 21 speed mountain bike to take me adventuring in and around Ottawa, where I've lived for the last 35 years. You don't need a fancy or expensive bike to take you fishing. To prove that, here's a picture of my wheels. This one is a good example of a tough two wheeler that has taken me to many kool spots and did NOT cost me an arm and a leg. :-)

Notice the fishing rod there at the ready, just waitin' for me to pedal near some water. The Rideau River and the Ottawa River are my stomping grounds and this old cycle gets me there and back like it was made to go fishing. Sometimes I'll take a bus or two to get where I wanna go but usually this ol' style bike gets the job done and done well. Once in awhile, I'll put it up on a bike rack on the front of a bus and go to the end of the line, where my adventures then begin when I pull it off there and set it down on some new turf. There are SO many places to explore in the Ottawa area that I will never run out of scenery or single track places if I live to be 75! :-)

Take a little boo over to my friendly little Biking web site if you've got a spare moment or two. :-)

http://larrybass.tripod.com/Biking.html

Cheers!

Keeping your mind open...

Among the various outdoorsy things I like to do or have done a lot of in the past, metal detecting has been pretty high up there on the list for over twenty five years now. I built a little lens over at Squidoo recently, to share some of my thoughts on this fascinating hobby. Maybe you could take a little tour over there and check it out for yourself. Here's the URL...

http://www.squidoo.com/MyAmigo/

Hope you dig it!

lb

Oh, and ya might even get yourself one of these Cool little Lenses for yourself or your bud or your dog, cat or whatever. :-) It's FRE* and easy to boot!

Later, ;-)

LarryB