Steven A. Ellis
Kennesaw, GA
At 10:58 PM 8/24/02 -0400, you wrote:
>Hello all just wanted to pass along some somewhat random thoughts,
>
>I am very active in the aquarium society scene here in Erie PA (and the
>surrounding areas), and I often get asked from my "tropical" aquarium friends
>why I keep, and especially COLLECT native fish. For me the keeping is the
>extension of the collecting, and the collecting is just a very good excuse to
>get outside and enjoy God's creation. I often collect alone, and while its
>always nice to have a buddy to collect with I often REALLY enjoy the solitude
>and peacefulness of doing it alone.
>
>I had one such magical experience tonight along a rocky creek in Warren
County
>PA. This creek is in the foot hills of the Allegheny Mountains, very remote
>and stunningly picturesque. I had spent a few hours collecting and was pretty
>worn out. Dragging a 4x4 seine all alone through heavy current will do
that. I
>was ready to had back to the car when I noticed it was going to be a stunning
>sunset. So I decided I would watch it. I sat down on a small gravel island in
>the middle of the creek to observe. As I was watching the colors fill the
sky,
>I noticed that the air was filling with huge mayflies. They too had picked
>this night to come out and see the world. I felt sad that this night was also
>going to be their last, but if they had to pick the perfect night THIS was
it.
>From my island perch I could look west across 20 feet of water and then a
wide
>open field leading to woods and hills. As I watched the sun begin to dip
>behind the hills the water would splash and boil from time to time, it seems
>the creek chubs and smallmouth bass were happy about the mayflies too. Just
>about then I saw a huge doe and her now large fawn come down to the creek for
>a drink silhouetted by the fire in the sky. I was being so quiet and still
>that they had no idea that I was there. Then I heard a scamper on the other
>side of the creek it was a large raccoon just waking up, he was hoping for a
>crawfish and mussel dinner. About then behind me in the trees I heard the
>cackling and beating wings of a flock of wild turkeys settling down for the
>night.
>
>Before long it was getting quite dark, and an hour had past. (an hour without
>phones, fax machines, deadlines, email, or voice mail) So I began to walk
>across the waist deep water in the dark on my way to the car, I could hear my
>friends say "so why do you keep natives" I looked around at the last bit of
>light sinking behind the hill and thought "for times like these".
>
>Wally
>
>"The Heavens declare your glory, the Earth the work of your hands"
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