After we got Nathan and Darren on the right hunting road – Jon and I met up with a friend to troll for salmon on the Siletz River. She has the cutest boat that is the perfect size for four. I had my own little bench with a cozy seat. The boy shad shared the stadium sets up front. They had water guns and would randomly shoot birds. We spent two hours and then enjoyed the most beautiful pink sunset. The sunset showed while I watched them load the boat on the trailer so I don’t have pics – but it was purdy. 🙂

We saw quite a few slides in the mud  – we imagined little river otters slipping down into the water, so many mammal tracks along the edges of the banks. The sounds of waterfalls merging with the river. The wind through the crunchy leaves. Little tiny fish popping up and splashing back down. The large kerplunk of the salmon slapping the water as they swam with our boat. The bark of the blue heron – the cry of the lone gulls. Chipmunks twittering in the trees as we floated by. The humm of the Minn Kota as we silenced the 20hp engine. The crisp entering the air as the sun dipped behind the hills. The smell of the earthy mud, sweet water – and the the saltish taste in the air as we got close enough for the brackish waters. The roar of the ocean in the distance. Children playing in the yards. Lammas. Cows. Horses. The wave of hello from other fishermen. 

The thankfulness of living in the Pacific North West – near the rivers and lakes and oceans. Unspeakable.