Saturday was beautiful, after a day of working hard putting up hay at the farm in Rich Hill, we drug an old row-boat down to Walnut Creek and slid down the muddy hillside into the water.

My Grandson Cody and my Granddaughter Holly sat aft and fore while I plowed away with the old wooden oars. As we made our way in to the swollen river we found the current was pulling us along pretty well.

Shortly  after coming out of Walnut Creek, we saw several fishermen at the usual spot by the old Haymaker Bridge. They waved as we passed by, trying to stay as far from their lines as we could. We had to work pretty hard to avoid all the trees and debris in the river.

We rounded the curve in the River into the Bates County Drainage ditch and the current slowed a bit. We passed by some folks in a small motor boat, that were kind enough to slow down and say howdy.

About four miles I figure; by river, we wound up pulling ashore at the Bates County Water District pump house. The new facility is almost done. Mostly dry we called my wife to come and get us. Grandpa Milt Enlow and Grandma Sue Enlow came with her to pick us up. The kids and I had a great time sitting on the toolbox in the back of the truck watching the dust kick up behind the trailer. Don't tell anyone but I actually let Cody drive us back. He loves to drive and I figure if it's good enough for Alan Jackson (Drive) it's all right for this thirteen year old too!

We made the trip of roughly four miles by river in about an hour and fifteen minutes. That means with a little rowin' we rode that ol river at about 18.75 miles per hour. 

Not bad for grandpa, but I had some help from the current.

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Hunting In Bates County!

I was out at the Marais des Cygnes River today with my Grandson Cody. I got some really great photographs but we didn't score any turkeys.

My Grandson Cody was helping with the deoys. had a great time, but we never did see any turkeys. We spent the rest of the day, listening to the birds sing and the Marais des Cygnes River run by. We took some time out to visit the other side of the  Marais des Cygnes where the old hay maker bridge fell in. We found some really drunk spoonbill fishers. Seems you can't snag spoonbill properly unless your really drunk.

We had a great time, even if we didn't find any turnkeys. Seems turkeys are scarce this year. I was reading a blog about Midwest hunting and it seems that the turkey population is pretty poor this year.

We thought we had some decent pictures, so we just wanted to share them. The bridge is the old bridge over the  Marais des Cygnes River. While it is not the old Hay Maker Bridge it is one of the old river bridges that has survived all this time. We took a bunch of photos as the sun was going down. I was hoping to get a shot of the old Nyhart sign, but it has disappeared recently.

Wishing I was back home on the marais des cygne river!

I hate living in the city, I look forward every week to heading south, working my but off at the farm and listening the sound of my beloved marais des cygne river.

Last weekend I was down there, it rained all morning, but my grandson Cody and I sat it out and scouted for turkeys and morel mushrooms. We didn't find any of either, but we did at least get the turkeys to talk to us.

When the rain ended, the sun came out, we laid in the dew covered grass and listened to the sounds of the frogs singing, the birds  chirping and the marais des cygne river rushing by

I look forward to Saturday, when I will once again be down in Rich Hill, wandering the banks and listening to the beautiful sounds of wildlife and my beloved river.

Come on out and go fishing with us, we're usually near the spot where the old Haymaker Bridge was. It fell down many years ago, but it still draws many fishermen and campers to the site.