PYC junior learn to sail classes

we just registered our 2 older boys for sailing lessons this year.  there are a few programs in the Detroit Metro area that offer sailing lessons for youth during the summer, but the location and/or times vary quite a bit.  we chose to use Pontiac Yacht Club (PYC) on Cass Lake.

PYC has a junior/youth sailing program that starts with a “beginner” class, followed by an advanced/intermediate class, which could lead to junior sailing if your child is interested.  we are starting both of them in the beginner 2-week class, and we’ll see how things go from there!

This class includes learning water safety, parts of a sailboat, wind direction, basic sailing direction and knots. The majority of the class time is spent gaining experience on the water in club supplied Optimists, Bics or 420 two-handed sailboats.

today’s tunes: demons (Guster vs The National)

for today’s tunes, you get a twofer Tuesday, as I present two songs – both titled “demons”.

the 1st version is from the band Guster, off their 2nd album Goldfly (1997).  Guster has long been a favorite of my wife and I – I think we’ve seen them live multiple times now.

Honest is easy
Fiction is where genius lies
Cause it’s easier sometimes
Not to be involved
Somehow I make you believe

_____________________________________

the 2nd version is from the band The National, off their brand new album Trouble Will Find Me (2013, just released this week).  I LOVE this band – and have everyone of their albums, plus a smattering of live stuff as well.

The worried talk to god goes on.
I sincerely tried to love it,
Wish that I could rise above it.

But I stay down,
With my demons.

what do you think?  vote in the poll below on which version you prefer:

an interview with my2fish

earlier this week, I did an interview by email for Shoreline Sailboats, which they’ve now posted on their website: interview with my2fish

it’s a nice summary of how I was introduced to sailing, how my passion for Sunfish sailing has developed, and why I started blogging about it here. most of the information can be found on this blog if you want to dig down through the archives, but the interview pulls a lot of information into one place.

Shoreline Sailboats is an authorized Laser Performance dealer in Lake Ontario and Finger Lakes region of western New York, selling Sunfish, Lasers, Optimists and various other sailboats manufactured by Laser Performance. 

Shoreline Sailboats began as an idea in late 2012. My brother and I had noticed a decline in sailing in our area that started in the 1990s…

…we both agree that the Sunfish was the one boat that gave us access to the water on almost any day of the year. Our family’s Sunfish was one of the most forgiving and thrilling sailboats we have experienced….

So, our new business begins out of the nostalgia of youthful days on the water, and a desire to bring families back to sailing. What better way than by offering used and new Sunfish and a line of LaserPerformance sailboats to sailors young and old.

Shoreline has a nice “blog” section of their website to check out as well.

Sleeping Bear movie

this is the official movie trailer for a movie coming out titled “Sleeping Bear” – looks pretty interesting!

HT: @AwesomeMitten

sunfish sailing art: the flip

I found this cool sketch on the email list for the Greater Detroit Sunfish Club (GDSC).  the sketch is by Anne Knight Weber – “an artist, writer, photographer and cartoonist”.  (the sketch is available as a notecard for purchase.)

The Flip – by Anne Knight Weber

you can see more of Anne’s work at her website:

http://www.anneknightweber.com/

or at her Tumblr page:

http://anneknightweber.tumblr.com/

morel mushrooms

a spring tradition in Michigan is morel hunting out in the woods.  we’ve gone out looking for them twice this past week out at the homestead, and came home both days with some morels.  Thursday we found a small patch of them (weighed them to0 – 3.6 oz), and then this afternoon, we brought home about twice as much (8.2 oz) as Thursday.

today’s haul included this monster morel.

so tonight for dinner, we used some leftover steak and baked potatoes we had cooked on the grill last night, along with chopped onions and sweet peppers to make a delicious hash to pair with the sauteed morel mushrooms. check it out:

Steak, potatoes, onion, sweet peppers, & fresh #morel mushrooms. vine.co/v/b0DXvgIE7AI—
thad g (@my2fish) May 12, 2013