Who Woulda Thunk

Posted byGary FultzPosted inabundant life, accomplishment, adventure, Boundary Waters, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness photos, BWCAW, canoeing, dreamer, Gary Fultz, Gary Fultz Blog, goals, intentional, Nature, nature pictures, Northern Pike, Outdoor Adventures, outdoor scenery, perspective, Photography, Planning, quality of life, Uncategorized, victorious living, wilderness adventure, Work HardTags:, , ,

The sun came up to a cloudless sky this morning and it started snowing. Totally weird. I thought it was frost coming off the trees. I guess at 20 degrees (Fahrenheit) the moisture in the air began falling out of the sky in the form of snowflakes up to 1 1/2 inches big. I tried to take a picture. Don’t judge my skills yet please…

Yea, Snowing on a clear sunny day

Sometimes the unpredictable, weird or “didn’t see that coming” happens. I talked to four other guys in the area this morning and we all got the same kind of snow.

Yep, snowing in the sunshine
Look, an animal shaped snowflake on the deck. It measures an inch and a half. looks like several flakes bonded in the air.

Something else happened today that took me totally by surprise. I received my first “like” on a blog written 10 years ago. For all I know they were the first to read it. I wrote it under the assumption that if one writes something, others will read it. 10 years later I know better. Like all “Likes” received I had to look this person up. All the way from Germany (My home country on the Fultz side) a delightful artist found my old blog. Check out Roswitha’s delightful painting-artists blog depicting a modern day Emmaus walk after Easter click here. It’s worth it. I wonder if Roswitha is related distantly to several of my Geisler friends in northern Minnesota?

Me and one big Pike. we won’t swim in that lake anymore!

Please check out my old blog. My writing is changed a bit since then but I made a decent case for taking a wilderness adventure. I caught and released the big pike (pictured above) from a canoe on a wilderness adventure trip. Check out my old blog here It will be worth it as the pictures alone will make you want to go. I have a June BWCA trip (#65) planned.

Who would have thought that Ohio and other states would have their biggest snow storm (at this point of spring according to an old college room mate) in 120 years over night? As my grandfather used to say “Who Woulda Thunk”?

So…You and I. What are we still doing writing blogs? For what? It’s a question worth answering. 10 years of writing for me and I’m working on a book. Who Woulda Thunk? Not me.

10 years of learning how to write. Learning to connect with people in writing, edit out the 90% fluff, connect with people in their comments, figure out SEO, connect with people in their blogs, listen, learn and hear. Last of all, I feel as if I’m finally becoming connectable as a person. I care and just maybe it shows. WWT (I heard that grandpa).

Gary

Published by Gary Fultz

Outdoors Man, Hunter, Fisherman, Guide, Writer / Author, Photographer, Public Speaker, Musician, Song Writer, Story Teller, Follower Of Jesus. Love God and family and total strangers

67 thoughts on “Who Woulda Thunk”

  1. 10 year trajectory here too. Can’t answer why we’re still writing blogs except to connect to people who care. It’s a big world out there. Who knows how any of us actually find each other. People click on my old blog(s) too. Makes me wonder if I did it better back in the day. Don’t go back, keep moving forward. Right? Anyway, workin’ on a book too. Thanks for the laughs, Gary. 🙂

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    2. Right Deb, forward!
      I guess I could impart my vast knowledge to the world (all 6 pages) but I’ll just be happy if my passion to get into God’s word and allow him to grow us daily will leak off the pages and taint the reader for tasting God’s goodness (and laugh a little while doing it).

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  3. Hey Gary,
    We had 4 inches of snow today, though the large flakes came from dark, brooding clouds; an interruption to spring Sent by the King . . .
    By the way Gary, I’ve tasted of the connections you speak of, and find myself very grateful for you brother!
    ~Ron

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    1. You have a huge heart for people and God Ron. The connections with guys like you are whey keep me coming back to the table. I do marinate my words more than I used to. A good thing I suspect.
      4″ sounds nice and white for a day or two. If I had room I would stick a snowman in the freezer and bring it out mid-summer with a big sign “Are you ready?” The witnessing snowman! HA

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    1. Wow Mandy, freezing rain is a bad thing. It got up to 30 today here, snow tomorrow. I hope to take the canoe out and take pictures from the lake (small lake less than 100 acres) if winds are down.
      Yes, the #1 rule when out in nature is “always, always stay warm”

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      1. I just checked our forecast and to my surprise it actually says we have 1% chance of snow! Really. Right here in sunny Southern Oregon. Have a nice evening Gary.

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    1. LOL, I think you need a wilderness experience with a bear in camp first..
      You will at minimum get acknowledgement as the guy who kept pushing me at every opportunity Ted

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  9. Last night the low in my area was 36 degrees (Fahrenheit). I thought, “That’s cold enough to snow!” Guess what–it snowed! It was gone by afternoon, but it was weird. Yesterday I mowed grass in 65 degree weather, and today, snow! Though we have gotten snow in April before, and we’ve had some pretty chilly Memorial Day weekends too.

    Snow on a sunny day! Did you see a snowbow?

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    1. No snowbow seen but i didnt look very hard. The snow seemed to just materialize no higher than the trees. So odd.
      36 is cold for your area but it seems the nature of spring is to let winter back in the door once in awhile. You have some nice spring pictures on your post.

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      1. Thanks. Believe it or not, some of the pictures on the blog were taken with disposable cameras, though I can’t tell you which ones. I figure God gets the credit, because He’s the one who put the scenery there! I just record it! 🙂

        Spring and winter do battle it out for awhile here, ’til spring finally wins.

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  10. Gary, how interesting that you know people who are also called Geisler! They may have emigrated from Germany to America. The name Geisler is not so rare in Germany and I don’t know whether it could have come from my ancestors in any way.
    Gary, i love the photo you caught a big pike in. I love it because my dad went fishing almost every day. The pike he caught were often just as big as the one you are proudly showing here. We have a lot of beautiful lakes in the middle of the woods here in my area where you can fish with a fishing license. Unfortunately, my father passed away nine years ago. That’s why your wonderful photo touched my heart and soul.
    Gary, I wish you all the best…
    Rosie

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    1. Rosie, I sure would have liked to have fished with your dad. My dad only fished a few times a year. It’s fun to see all the connections we may have half a world away. I am glad such a fishing connection exists as well. I believe your pike get bigger than ours. In many states in America the pike never get even half that size. I live in an area close to 50 lakes and lots of thick woods where many species of fish get fairly large. I guess I would fish every day if I could. I wish you the best as well Rosie. The Geisler’s are a good bunch of people over here!

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      1. Gary, I can’t tell you how many pounds the pike my father caught weighed. But my father won a lot of prizes in fishing competitions. And my mother cooked wonderful pike dumplings, which were famous among all friends.

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    2. Pike Dumplings huh? Now I am intrigued Rosie. I will look up how to make pike dumplings unless you feel free to share your moms secrets, We only fry, bake or boil pike (or any fish here)
      Your mother complimented your dad well, both being famous for their skills. I keep a few of the neighbors in fish and do neighborhood fish frys. I find that many people do not know how to make fish taste better than good.

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      1. Gary, it’s not that difficult. First fillet the pike and cut it into cubes. Whip 100 g of ice-cold cream a little – but it must not become stiff. Set this aside first. Then quickly process the fish and 300 g of liquid (!) Cream and an egg white into a farce in the food processor with a cutting insert. Then fold in the 100 g semi-hard whipped cream. Now brush everything through a fine sieve to remove any bone residue.
        Then cut off small dumplings from the farce with a spoon and let them slide carefully into a vegetable and white wine stock. With the lid halfway on, let it simmer for approx. 15 minutes. In addition a white wine sauce with dill…..yeah.

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    3. Thanks so much Rosie, I’m going to try it as soon as fishing season opens up. no fishing while the game fish spawn so I will have to wait till mid may.. I pride myself on filleting everything boneless except small trout…they are too good on the grill as they are. Thanks again.

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  11. Looking forward to your book! We had a big thunderstorm in Virginia yesterday and the power went out. My sister got snow in West Virginia. This time of the year, it is hard to know what to expect with the weather! Love your photos! 🙂

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    1. Thanks Linda. The book will be quite a project. A bit like taking 10 years to get a 4 year degree so I’m hoping to be well along end of year. I’m still deciding how much of my life each day to interrupt.
      I guess we should just enjoy the roller coaster rides of spring weather flirting with winter and summer in the same week.

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      1. I know you have much to sift through for your book…so much ‘good stuff’ to share! I wish you blessings as you ‘harvest’ the best of your bountiful crops. No doubt, it will trigger more seeds for future harvests…You are one who needs to be telling the stories, and also living new stories all the time… Perhaps, just setting a time limit for book writing each day would be good. With each sunrise, your need for adventure will beckon you come outside…maybe, some ‘outside’ book writing in the early morning. 🙂

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  12. I clicked over to see the Emmaus painting last week. Co-inky-dink?
    We say things differently in my family: for instance, “co-inky-dink” and “Who’d’a thunk?” Maybe it’s because we don’t have German heritage in our blood, that I know of. 😉
    As for writing / blogging: I started my blog about three years ago, but it was after I finished writing a book. Maggie Tiggles is my main character, and my long-range plan was to do a series of three or four. When the first one was finished, I was just “done.” Every once in a while I fiddle with the idea of continuing, but the impetus / inspiration just isn’t there any more. I haven’t done anything with the book; it just sits there. I will wait for God to give me nudge if He wants anything done with it. As for the blog, I do it to share the love and truth of God, Jesus, Holy Spirit. As an unexpected bonus, I have found, and delighted in, other bloggers, such as yourself.

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    1. Kathy, you just described my fear of writing a book. Would I really do anything with it? Other bloggers are really quite a bonus for me as well. I have probably benefitted most in writing and reading in my skill level of public speaking which I have done on and off for 30+ years. Mostly camps, special events and retreats. So we just trust God in all we end up doing as he is the master at using the puzzle pieces of our life and making them fit for his and our final reveal

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    1. Thanks Mercy, The first picture was a same day picture (actually the sunset). As far as experience in writing, If I had written a blog a day for one year I would have more experience but less evaluation time.. I guess it’s all perspective

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  14. The beast on your deck appears to be a precipitacious hexagonolus, a short lived species thought to be extinct since the 1950s when snow was more abundant! Glad you caught this one on camera, but afraid the Smithsonian only wants a living specimen. 😄

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    1. Ha Ha, I just knew there was someone out there who could identify that alien thing. Too bad about the Smithsonian rules, their loss.
      There was a bigfoot sighting about 15 miles from here…maybe I will get lucky on a bigger specimen.

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  15. There’s an old wives tale saying, “If it’s raining/snowing today and the sun’s out, it’ll rain/snow tomorrow.” I’ve found, for the most part, that this is true. Did it snow the next day? =)

    As for blogging…yup. This year marks 9 years for me. I started because I needed to get past my fear of others reading my writing. Now I still get freaked out about others reading my stories, but I love the connections I make through blogging. Social Media seems to tend toward making people meaner, like they’re comfortable saying things through FB or Twitter that they’d never say in person. On blogs, however, I’ve found the opposite to be true. It’s an amazingly supportive community.

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    1. No it didn’t snow but the sun shone the next day. I think the wind moved to the south and stared a warm up to hole the airs moisture.
      We live in a google it, Copy paste world without going through many brain cells (sad and jaded here).
      You are so right on the bloggers DNA and culture Jennifer. I am going to cancel my facebook and never got to twitter. Perhaps it’s self serving to say that bloggers are the cream of the crop in writing to make the world better.
      Most bloggers experience a vulnerability in posting a part of themselves. I have come across some mean people and they tend to fade away as no one follows them for very long. most of us are looking for insights, wonder, relationships and heart felt interaction that happens in blogs and comments. People are also looking for good material to read and jump start their own thoughts and writing. My wife is reading one of your books and enjoying them on kindle as we speak.
      Of all the people I would love to sit around the campfire discussions, I would select a bunch of bloggers to be in that group (as well as family and friends). All of which are creative and have wild imaginations yet connected to God.

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      1. Although it might be self serving for me to say as well, I agree about bloggers being the cream of the crop. I have some blogging friends that I met all those 9 years ago and we still interact and encore each other 🙂

        It’s a blessing to hear your wife’s enjoying my writing! If she’s reading The Adventure, I apologize for how wonky the hyperlinks can be. I’ve yet to figure out a good way to format that’s streamlined for the adventure stories on an kindle.

        As for sitting around a campfire with blogging friends, yes! That would be an amazing experience. Add some s’mores and I’m there.

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    1. Thanks Alan. There is much to write about. Thankfully some of it seems significant enough to share and hopefully connect and nudge others in a good way in their journey. You do well in that arena with your posts

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  17. Pingback: Guest Blog by Gary Fultz: Who Woulda Thunk? | capost2k

  18. Lately I have had writers block. I just can’t get it together. I write for entertainment and and try to get readers to think. I just hope I am getting the job done. You my friend are one very talented writer and I love reading your posts. Loved this one. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thanks Wayne for your kind words. I relate on writers block. For me writing is a side effect of an adventure doing something with camera, canoe, boat or just being my accident prone self. My camera makes me see the little things as I tend to just see the forest if I’m not careful.

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    1. I was actually blown away by that thought (3650 days later). We just don’t know the timing of the things we do and say. God being out of time can make sure our smallest deeds and prayers can be a part of his plans and connections. Yes, a good reason to keep it for sure. You know all about praying through History!

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    1. Thanks Kevin. I started writing only because I couldn’t work for a couple years from a job injury and to work on my communication skills….My communication skills are now great…I can stand in the boat and yell “FISH ON” …you know, skip the long intro and get right to the point.

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  22. Who woulda thunk. Such a good phrase! Connection is a good reason to write I reckon, in whatever medium we happen to be writing.

    Good luck with your book, I’ve started seriously working on one myself this past year. Fantasy adventure novel. What is your book going to be about? 🙂

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    1. I’m collecting a bunch of insights taken directly from nature and putting it into a format for small groups to use and also space for personal journaling and writing out a prayer from that insight. Using my photo skills as well.

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      1. That sounds brilliant. Our small group seems to often search for what scriptures to study and where we would see our have seen that in our world, so insights directly from nature will be beautiful.

        Go well into the hard and rewarding work of getting that book published.

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  23. Great pics!! I think of my old posts that get a like here or there and wonder how someone stumbled upon it, whatever the reason I always hope something resonates within them and points them to Jesus!
    Good post!

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    1. So true Alicia. I still, after all these years of haphazard posting, wonder if many will find what is posted and actually read it. Pictures are my crutch and yet it’s just a part of my form of connecting with people that may not be interested in what I have to say.

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  24. We’ll be talking about last Tuesday’s weather for years to come! When the subject of unusual weather comes up I still find myself relating the story of the snowstorm on May 5th or 7th (?) in the Chicago area, mid-1960s. Enough to cover the ground; enough to make snowballs before we boarded the school bus. Just the same, snow in May is NOT acceptable–even if it all melts before dismissal time. As for blogging, the connections with other writers these past 8 years has been a delight. Two bloggers I’ve been able to meet in person–an even greater delight. I’ve found so many gracious, humorous, faith-filled, personable people in the blogosphere–like you, Gary!

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  25. Nancy, I have a vivid memory of getting 4″ of snow after two days of rain and sleet end of May. I was wilderness camping with a group of guys over memorial weekend one year. It was the worst surprise ever. It was windy and 19 degrees (F) at the lowest point. We were 12 portages (way into the BWCA) and had crossed several very large lakes to get there. Two of 3 tents flattened in the heavy snow middle of night. Thankfully we had enough experienced guys and good clothing layers to see everyone through. I agree on some great bloggers out there with keen insights…you are definitely on that list Nancy

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  26. I totally understand the wonder of having a past post liked… isn’t that the beauty of a blog (any writing)? The chance to be “read” years afterwards, even after we have passed from this life… Like you, I do wonder what the reader’s story is, how they came across that post. Life can be a wonderful mystery.

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    1. Thanks, you get it!
      I constantly marvel at the connections that people can have, crossing time, distance and culture. It is the beauty of writing something hopefully worth reading even when we are gone.

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