JACKIE TAYLOR | August 3, 2022

Election upon us

As of this pulpit, Election Day begins in a few minutes. All the hoopla concerning candidates, constitutional amendments, etc. will become hindsight, memories, or congratulations for many.

For me, it’s waiting to see what fellow Americans decide and a very positive feeling for the future. Of course, keep in mind, this is being written prior to results being released.

Since I took advantage of early voting, I was done with everything last week. What’s left for me is transferring vote tallies to the paper so readers can see how the county voted.

Given high gas prices, high food prices, lack of items of need on many shelves, impending doom in our energy sector, the economy looking to move into recession and more – I can’t see how America could not vote for change.

The mid-terms are not normally a high numbers turnout election; this one looks to be different as the constitutional amendment question is on the ballet and Independents can vote on the question with Republicans and Democrats. Our own county had high turnout for the  advanced voting opportunity.

Anyone who says people didn’t have a say in the outcome is living under a rock. Millions and millions of dollars in advertising has been poured into Kansas on both sides of the question. Voters needed to do a bit of digging to see through the inaccuracies that some were casting, but there was plenty of time to do that.

On the bright side, once Aug. 3 comes and the Primary Election is over, we only have three months more until the General Election is over and we can begin listening to 2024 election ads next January.

On a sadder note, my rooster, Zeke, died. I believe he got injured and died from pneumonia and complications. Obviously, I’m not a vet – but I plied mom medicine to my bird and conjured up a concoction for him.

I was hoping it would work, but apparently his desire to die was stronger than my ability to home vet him.

So a few feathers were plucked from my friend; they will be used in the next set of fly fishing flies I make for those wily trout – thank you, Zeke.

Not wishing to upset Zeke’s girl’s day, I bought Roscoe. He’s young and rambunctious – he’ll give the girls a run for their money when he gets old enough to do so. Right now, he’s paying his dues to the old hens that are for now ruling the roost.

Sunday was hot and muggy, but still a good day to try out my new pond. 

I had it dug out about three to four years ago. I’ve been adding redear blue gills, crappie and perch; but I’ve never caught anything in there to prove what lived or died – until Sunday night.

I had broken the tip off my good fly rod. Temple Fork Outfitters replaced the rod and yesterday was my first time using it.

I tried a couple things that trout like; but to no avail. I put on a fly that looked like a small perch and amazingly I caught a small perch. Match the hatch and the food supply – a good rule of thumb.

I sent the fly out again and caught a couple redear blue gills. 

Next, the fly enticed several small crappie – and, where small crappie are, momma and daddy crappie live.

Needless to say, I was sweating bullets, temperatures were high as was the humidity – but time with a fly rod in hand is precious time – even on my little farm pond. After losing three pounds due to intensive sweating, the sun was going down and it was time to call it quits.

The big question of whether there are fish in my pond was answered and fun times are ahead.

Congratulations to all of the winners of the 2022 Primary Election. I will still pray for the unborn that are eliminated by choice prior to their births – whichever way the vote comes out.