Well, we finally went to Elephant Butte and did something really really different..........and, no, it was not catching a real fish greater than three inches long..........No, it was fishing at night.

Howard had been wanting to fish at night for some time, but I was....... (how can I say this without sounding like a wussy worry wart.....) ......scared.

Well, who wouldn't be??? It's dark. There's DEEP water everywhere. What if we get lost? How will we get the boat back on the trailer?

The BIG DAY (or NIGHT in this case) finally arrived. We had almost a full moon, a huge spotlight, a smaller night light, lights on the stern and aft, and floating lights to attract bait fish.

It was so cool!! The stars were beautiful, the water glowed in the moonlight, and the lights worked like advertised...... Were it not for the fact that the wind suddenly kicked up, I could have stayed there for hours.

We even caught fish! Howard caught a small mouth that afternoon, and I caught a small mouth, a catfish (on a lure!), and a white bass. Hooray! There really are fish in this lake!

In other news, the garden is still going strong, even as we plant the first of the winter crop.

We've got two rows of lettuce, collards, and cabbage growing nicely, and, of course, a whole section devoted strictly to turnips.

I keep waiting for the okra to stop; in fact, I went on an okra strike for a few days. When they were about a foot long I finally went out there muttering under my breath, chopped them off, and tossed them on the ground. I can't stand to cook another okra. I take a bag with me everywhere I go----Master Gardener's class, pottery class, homeless shelter.........

The days are growing shorter, but wonderfully cool in the mornings. Howard and I are ending our third year in this, our home. My children are healthy and happy, and I have a wonderful life with a man I'm crazy about.

Life is good.