tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30967339782178723822024-02-18T21:52:02.918-05:00The bamboo fly rod maker's widowOne woman's journey into the
bamboo fly rod making abyss.bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-7630718991035893312019-05-10T13:54:00.002-04:002019-05-10T13:54:39.657-04:00WE MOVED...BAMBOO FLY RODSTHE BAMBOO FLY ROD MAKER’S BLOG HAS MOVED:<br />
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<a href="https://bambooflyrodmakerswidow.com/">https://bambooflyrodmakerswidow.com/</a><br />
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See you there!bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-35546786379512670132018-07-18T22:21:00.001-04:002018-10-04T13:03:37.873-04:00 Twenty years of Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img alt=" " border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRixgmQk6p3HD2I5AmYS3FCTdEXePbqsuYhOj9jVWsgr_7UCb60oHBpHwgligyoQde51GimnlFUaFQsg1_aQaqLt73sIoU8qbE9U6mQ2p3zp9FJSrC_tmOFh-9m_mKhwEyFIZVgvo2olsp/s640/2o+years+of+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+bill+engraving+riley+g+black+and+white.jpg" width="640" /></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1005" data-original-width="1600" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhezP8zA4rT4leaJ6uPDsFk5SixDEChwaTYofeFRXoGEuP5217JPF6MnmCRYZ-BED1iuk0E3MroEU-Yz4dsea94eTNJCTYINK1Ueoj-m_PNiNq62bOx67hdbiJgCGyPHWlYXJeFa0ya-cDJ/s640/_Oyster%25252020%252520%2528Transparent%2529%2528Zoran%2529-03.png" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Celebrating 20 years family, Heritage, Bamboo fly rods, the American Craftsman and Small Business</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt=" oyster bamboo fly rod 20 year anniversary timeline family photo" border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1280" height="444" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUSUb0wRA1zWCqwp2iTo8tS4UuET_mT2QM_COUhfQ2xYmbSS89DzOjSc779rQAAAGEq7a3oQioO3PafaDh1VEftadGvn9VvCAtP-80FMQaAN19auQq8o6_zle2FSssS7TJosorx7lVyRPP/s640/family.bmp" title="oyster bamboo fly rod 20 year anniversary timeline family photo" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Here is one woman's interpretation of a </span><span style="font-size: large;">20-year </span></i><span style="font-size: large;"><i><a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making </a>abyss.</i></span></span></h2>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcl9JePakjYlRYxPpc58cKwBNjP31YNQyvmZS93GWr_onhCpg3E6C1veuJqco8QKsehbehVmqr2imhOgw3pkCoWtCkQ0Kk0FE5EF6CKVlhuk_qKQLIeWPXEgw3UDSnl0ysEagZrh8SqNl6/s1600/the+prequel+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="729" data-original-width="1600" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcl9JePakjYlRYxPpc58cKwBNjP31YNQyvmZS93GWr_onhCpg3E6C1veuJqco8QKsehbehVmqr2imhOgw3pkCoWtCkQ0Kk0FE5EF6CKVlhuk_qKQLIeWPXEgw3UDSnl0ysEagZrh8SqNl6/s320/the+prequel+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" title="oyster bamboo fly rod 20 year anniversary timeline family photo" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTi-t6oJIbYV4-V-GqsgkKPUKAEmdq11EW3d1mq3rhjzEY9Hb72yw18SUZCEBL6UqYeBDtATWAZFZMpMiJ0RDgscql9q3MwBeg8_hAJKozVnZx1RUcy5N0GBVrs9Jk93exAwYJ_EFOqzq/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018++bill+and+shannen+wedding+1994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" border="0" data-original-height="479" data-original-width="306" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTi-t6oJIbYV4-V-GqsgkKPUKAEmdq11EW3d1mq3rhjzEY9Hb72yw18SUZCEBL6UqYeBDtATWAZFZMpMiJ0RDgscql9q3MwBeg8_hAJKozVnZx1RUcy5N0GBVrs9Jk93exAwYJ_EFOqzq/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018++bill+and+shannen+wedding+1994.JPG" title="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" width="204" /></span></a></div>
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<i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"You may say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one"</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Girl meets boy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boy is noticeably hungry</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Girl makes boy meatballs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boy and girl get married (those were some seriously good meatballs)</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppqt_ruS8ImuHHZt5F-898ga5jYK0CTpE_Yh2GQeJXRIBb0sovEOMZXXr10pcZwDE9kKH1RxxNchohOkvzrIYV53ZdGP9Mav9kgPvmnndlI6ntb2AvNzOS7n5zLuLz4iU2fZR5URrK0kP/s1600/IMG_2827.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjppqt_ruS8ImuHHZt5F-898ga5jYK0CTpE_Yh2GQeJXRIBb0sovEOMZXXr10pcZwDE9kKH1RxxNchohOkvzrIYV53ZdGP9Mav9kgPvmnndlI6ntb2AvNzOS7n5zLuLz4iU2fZR5URrK0kP/s320/IMG_2827.HEIC" title="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" width="240" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boy and girl experiment with adulthood</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ri7A6WOwDBNhWP8xtDOQ7xL9M-jyyH1sm1EiB7kO92m-uzmcHBzoiWb8m-MKJBLqDYGiBgIEyQ-CK-0hQm6r_KDcDL3yS3X_GLPA0X3ONNGYpiYNfmr6zmFHWIvyQZ2OSdoTTzVO7kke/s1600/sailing+prequel+oysters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" border="0" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="1600" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ri7A6WOwDBNhWP8xtDOQ7xL9M-jyyH1sm1EiB7kO92m-uzmcHBzoiWb8m-MKJBLqDYGiBgIEyQ-CK-0hQm6r_KDcDL3yS3X_GLPA0X3ONNGYpiYNfmr6zmFHWIvyQZ2OSdoTTzVO7kke/s400/sailing+prequel+oysters.jpg" title="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods wedding 1994" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Young, broke and escapists at heart...they knew the best was yet to come...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FIm9IR_pGnCHB7-9AKFb8XrRZL__vGA4oMjQ3G0TjSr7EGBQyjsjOUoK5ffKh9o4t7QT2fdb88EsfkKiJh-j8ivTe8UOsfhUEafvwZ-rDHGQ4EI7clKsqvhKZcg4anL5tv8LsOWVVTK2/s1600/IMG_2872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4FIm9IR_pGnCHB7-9AKFb8XrRZL__vGA4oMjQ3G0TjSr7EGBQyjsjOUoK5ffKh9o4t7QT2fdb88EsfkKiJh-j8ivTe8UOsfhUEafvwZ-rDHGQ4EI7clKsqvhKZcg4anL5tv8LsOWVVTK2/s320/IMG_2872.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Said experimentation included Bill's professional competitive road racing career (we fondly refer to this as his "mainstream job"...it was during this time that Bill sought respite in the sport of fly fishing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEySPwljCPrHcOhLliLgU1V-jrSl0XNBdzcZoR4D4KsbHUxFUZc6c3tNK-b52EW_VtcvxLo9n4v87m0XIvX17y_jNZn0SOYDo9Hjo8cH6OXXRBD5B2YF0gFoRYjL-azRvZN4ln-Mb0ZHea/s1600/20+years+of+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+bill+oyster+cyclist.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill cyclist" border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="1600" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEySPwljCPrHcOhLliLgU1V-jrSl0XNBdzcZoR4D4KsbHUxFUZc6c3tNK-b52EW_VtcvxLo9n4v87m0XIvX17y_jNZn0SOYDo9Hjo8cH6OXXRBD5B2YF0gFoRYjL-azRvZN4ln-Mb0ZHea/s640/20+years+of+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+bill+oyster+cyclist.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill cyclist" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(<i>FUN FACT) It was while racing in Seattle, Washington in 1994 that Bill made his first bamboo fly rod related purchase beyond the $7 used paperback book. He found a set of VHS instructional videos on "how to make a bamboo fly rod" that became the <strike>excruciating</strike> soundtrack to our lives for the next 3 years. </i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzI8epN9A_-uSs0t9GieL2rJp5E3tgXivG3eD-3oa8S3Se-x4Sw4BbaR4qnC6y-PR41YhvuLv4Zpzh143hXaWOcUQMSgiOy_LpT7k6gKsNEu-J2dM4vIw6MAb2MgxAlEN1Y6qpGefRGsR/s1600/young+bill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods early days" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguzI8epN9A_-uSs0t9GieL2rJp5E3tgXivG3eD-3oa8S3Se-x4Sw4BbaR4qnC6y-PR41YhvuLv4Zpzh143hXaWOcUQMSgiOy_LpT7k6gKsNEu-J2dM4vIw6MAb2MgxAlEN1Y6qpGefRGsR/s640/young+bill.jpg" title="bill and shannen oyster bamboo fly rods early days" width="640" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">oh, and Bill fished...a lot</span></i></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bill's obsession with fly fishing grew at an impressive velocity. We spent these years gathering nearly a lifetime of experiences on the water and in the woods. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strike>My incessant whining about the excruciating travel and training schedule</strike> A succession of natural occurring events and a nasty training accident ended Bill's cycling days but fortunately freed up plenty of time for an equally bizarre avocation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Spoiler Alert...</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1di0-eKs-QnhK87yhuh-Mz2U4o9xVlpA3sRo0dU4-kKVRyYJ4nnAa5V1Sd0YA_k-klsvCWzDzZiFcGnSUJoNUXgHC4q0OPpDyThtkmedxwBy3mtE6_1IjgATgSngxN-xGqVaHEjWZooO4/s1600/TT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1600" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1di0-eKs-QnhK87yhuh-Mz2U4o9xVlpA3sRo0dU4-kKVRyYJ4nnAa5V1Sd0YA_k-klsvCWzDzZiFcGnSUJoNUXgHC4q0OPpDyThtkmedxwBy3mtE6_1IjgATgSngxN-xGqVaHEjWZooO4/s320/TT.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywzm3hMl5di-Iqac2FmyednIROR1mUJx4enXHkMtASNVtPMvlOJDPtAUzGpwuPCt1Bgx5__qSfFHYjU-DUziJo_GFGCgAZmpDF_9mDzwQ1eXw40s6AV4TwKNqnYmaUqaOE4KhSoqUpCF_/s1600/1998+%25282%2529+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1004" data-original-width="1600" height="125" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjywzm3hMl5di-Iqac2FmyednIROR1mUJx4enXHkMtASNVtPMvlOJDPtAUzGpwuPCt1Bgx5__qSfFHYjU-DUziJo_GFGCgAZmpDF_9mDzwQ1eXw40s6AV4TwKNqnYmaUqaOE4KhSoqUpCF_/s200/1998+%25282%2529+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the beginning</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlruYVMBQGAKqjIpycPm_FMIp8rmPqgKGCtp2O2xH6Qjl_3pGAkYhpjTE6vlY9NbaOW6cqOlLQwjjyQ7BC4SAtUeIvEbDaoInwIxLSQd_Ggqz-5u9mbOZCxmRWcGnQawvnUjRyPyoP2P_/s1600/IMG_2807.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqlruYVMBQGAKqjIpycPm_FMIp8rmPqgKGCtp2O2xH6Qjl_3pGAkYhpjTE6vlY9NbaOW6cqOlLQwjjyQ7BC4SAtUeIvEbDaoInwIxLSQd_Ggqz-5u9mbOZCxmRWcGnQawvnUjRyPyoP2P_/s400/IMG_2807.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As our peers peeled off into the <strike>real world</strike> corporate world, we deliberately set out to make bamboo fly rods for a living <strike>and avoid reality altogether</strike>. Bill had completed his first rod after years of research...(remember that the <span style="background-color: yellow;"><span style="background-color: white;">internet</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></span>was NOT a resource at that time). That first struggle rod will forever be Bill's favorite rod. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oyster's wait list ensued shortly thereafter.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQuNXQUWNWn9hgIwCTSD9rD6tjxU33H9PysorM_lleGgWlJsORsyBPBGDAQw-KNZap9tq6TzonjiC2xxyWnbEgUWJsQcfyQG9sf3dCuHCvjOaJKcyjktIqhWe5kt7IG0GWmCHahWXKfQs/s1600/gg5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="262" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilQuNXQUWNWn9hgIwCTSD9rD6tjxU33H9PysorM_lleGgWlJsORsyBPBGDAQw-KNZap9tq6TzonjiC2xxyWnbEgUWJsQcfyQG9sf3dCuHCvjOaJKcyjktIqhWe5kt7IG0GWmCHahWXKfQs/s400/gg5.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="217" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">By 1998, we had a fully functioning 200 square foot, one man bamboo fly rod making shop in the basement of our home complete with sheet metal walls and a homemade hinky bench. It was step up from the "prequel" version of a shop which involved our sweltering hot loft, old coffee table workbench and staircase with holes in it to accommodate the varnishing room. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">(FUN FACT) Bill's stripped the wheels from his racing bike to build out his varnish room. I think that is what is referred to as a "full circle" moment. Sorry...</span></i></div>
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<i><br /></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqQ_mMKphYmVd50Dis01Qwyed3iSlx_tyL1uYvqDWIBIjEbk7EUtymd27H4N8T26S79HB0iYQdQOr-x9Y1gq6W7q4XPRx9Vog8JRyhFj3tlb7TIve4dhEtLl6wFWejS-5gf-BUa4pP0Wy/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+20+year+anniversary+1998-2018+bill+oyster+fishing+and+yogi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibqQ_mMKphYmVd50Dis01Qwyed3iSlx_tyL1uYvqDWIBIjEbk7EUtymd27H4N8T26S79HB0iYQdQOr-x9Y1gq6W7q4XPRx9Vog8JRyhFj3tlb7TIve4dhEtLl6wFWejS-5gf-BUa4pP0Wy/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+20+year+anniversary+1998-2018+bill+oyster+fishing+and+yogi.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hdbGe_OARiGQq1_krEgduRU8c8Fca3kaehaP8xYyWtToj-Pdo7_65UsvVQbMPYg5FUIalt6uxQlQAUGUh4GTeZ5A_xurfzJwVnNZPd5q-ubd7zdsnea6fbfyawyrZQhI01NAJ0JMsLkq/s1600/1999+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="1600" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_hdbGe_OARiGQq1_krEgduRU8c8Fca3kaehaP8xYyWtToj-Pdo7_65UsvVQbMPYg5FUIalt6uxQlQAUGUh4GTeZ5A_xurfzJwVnNZPd5q-ubd7zdsnea6fbfyawyrZQhI01NAJ0JMsLkq/s200/1999+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the learning curve</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTHPSckoZ-ltxObQODiQnZqHGj_eTb5JAsyMTf1k_6T7B__d3Y_ZStmxDXsAfuppKvnrxotnkxJKgv6LYLMTS82Qx7Pi1rZO_Nl8ZODUuZOBzLfiV5dBJTO5O0UbTR-qPkMBL7fC1QRJA/s1600/all+rods+picture+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1111" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhTHPSckoZ-ltxObQODiQnZqHGj_eTb5JAsyMTf1k_6T7B__d3Y_ZStmxDXsAfuppKvnrxotnkxJKgv6LYLMTS82Qx7Pi1rZO_Nl8ZODUuZOBzLfiV5dBJTO5O0UbTR-qPkMBL7fC1QRJA/s320/all+rods+picture+%25282%2529.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="222" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Internet dial-up access and more resources for learning the art of bamboo fly rod making were on the horizon<strike>...but not really</strike>. Most makers feverishly guarded their art and were not sharing information with <strike>us </strike>anyone. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bill would wake up each morning and say that bamboo fly rod making was <strike>a series of relentless failures</strike> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">an endless cycle of..."trail and error". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little did we know...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our little one man shop had plans for us...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwL02faVOFwoPS6YG0AFOGg6yjDdWJ-BFuTKHrcYAPPv3e24eNUoqXlIFIiGXGaqoDGUp31sL8NE1HN__x-P9wzSE1eDYzhGV_eCpq6WbNj0vh5T9DszcwBLtyTWZd9JuEGLNmjVszrKl/s1600/Bill+Oyster+catch+of+a+lifetime+news+article.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1236" data-original-width="1600" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwL02faVOFwoPS6YG0AFOGg6yjDdWJ-BFuTKHrcYAPPv3e24eNUoqXlIFIiGXGaqoDGUp31sL8NE1HN__x-P9wzSE1eDYzhGV_eCpq6WbNj0vh5T9DszcwBLtyTWZd9JuEGLNmjVszrKl/s320/Bill+Oyster+catch+of+a+lifetime+news+article.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After receiving a call from a bamboo fly rod maker telling Bill he "better not start building bamboo fly rods"...(yes...this happened), I distinctly remember Bill hanging up the phone and saying:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>"If I ever get truly adept at this...I am going to teach others."</em> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5yAYh0zTJVCWd4dlk3eDHKXykWtZ1yEmvzM7jlXQEWiCs-trf01TV7nsz6X8M4qW23XmRq_nWh40Tv65lojdGP96e5PZ4R9NTCxlgnCQqO7ficn78LAuhVVhHEZqjrjS9mVbMeoyOXx/s1600/IMG_2877.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcI5yAYh0zTJVCWd4dlk3eDHKXykWtZ1yEmvzM7jlXQEWiCs-trf01TV7nsz6X8M4qW23XmRq_nWh40Tv65lojdGP96e5PZ4R9NTCxlgnCQqO7ficn78LAuhVVhHEZqjrjS9mVbMeoyOXx/s320/IMG_2877.HEIC" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh9d4knnauVVcnLzOkGif9suo77cUQlb0qRWTBvGgCWosv2cVFnlEEAMWeRyFbvq69tI99j3qkCXxaaVgG56-UCpN4Okr24s0vTuw08VDvSnePuY8IpvLiQtRVK55ZJsB_xSKWrJDIdGP/s1600/2000+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimh9d4knnauVVcnLzOkGif9suo77cUQlb0qRWTBvGgCWosv2cVFnlEEAMWeRyFbvq69tI99j3qkCXxaaVgG56-UCpN4Okr24s0vTuw08VDvSnePuY8IpvLiQtRVK55ZJsB_xSKWrJDIdGP/s200/2000+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the basement years</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Little shop. Big Heart.</span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz8IbiGqYlHRkYxb5vTtbVboUgF1gQGdWEQGEX4Ii8MYuS147PZnsx4gtHVgySa43KjIV5k27xJzicsJJn1GTAgdX-jarzbiFk2tdoevgD2TywDKX3aDTaVg_jl1KruaBFTAhusEM2_qq/s1600/class+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUz8IbiGqYlHRkYxb5vTtbVboUgF1gQGdWEQGEX4Ii8MYuS147PZnsx4gtHVgySa43KjIV5k27xJzicsJJn1GTAgdX-jarzbiFk2tdoevgD2TywDKX3aDTaVg_jl1KruaBFTAhusEM2_qq/s400/class+4.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">many many hours in this basement...</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC0u18Ffr1knu-ph8lX1e8WTtGTB1nNcWYLyAmw9ViAM6LrLshQr3X2GHT1gxl5YriIlNWWs0ZTvxRLDtSVliGZKMkFHP5V1PY_UkkcLTU5WDz_rHuUDfwimVADIcDGHrH5UxRlX60jfk/s1600/DSC_0726.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1063" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaC0u18Ffr1knu-ph8lX1e8WTtGTB1nNcWYLyAmw9ViAM6LrLshQr3X2GHT1gxl5YriIlNWWs0ZTvxRLDtSVliGZKMkFHP5V1PY_UkkcLTU5WDz_rHuUDfwimVADIcDGHrH5UxRlX60jfk/s320/DSC_0726.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Every shipment of bamboo was more <strike>of a commitment</strike> exciting than the last...</span></h3>
<h2>
this was happening</h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While Bill continued to hone the craft, I set out to decode the business piece of the puzzle. Not surprisingly, there was not a book written on "How to get rich making bamboo fly rods" at Barnes and Noble. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We quickly realized that if this business was going to work, we could not follow any script. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For years I handled the business minutia. It was about half way through this 20-year barrage that Bill handled the larger optic on the business side of things. But for now, it was basic and chaotic. We made up systems as we went along...<strike>another random stream of failures </strike>"trial and error". </span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTr32d4j5iQWcyYAcObS3AGlKKNLHHRL3tGC-oSAPv9oEpIEorbq_9zCzo11zvzbWGmLvr3qzVYpHedE9qD9irSS1A7XM3ak9XAvrq_0zlIO8a4x4gXrNMCL2VnU0dc-1GdUXSjJxnZ6hd/s1600/Bill+Oyster+floating+river.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1057" data-original-width="1600" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTr32d4j5iQWcyYAcObS3AGlKKNLHHRL3tGC-oSAPv9oEpIEorbq_9zCzo11zvzbWGmLvr3qzVYpHedE9qD9irSS1A7XM3ak9XAvrq_0zlIO8a4x4gXrNMCL2VnU0dc-1GdUXSjJxnZ6hd/s400/Bill+Oyster+floating+river.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2jTTazCtXuOLnSI_G8UsnmZyQ2DUk6awk3no5wW7SrhsQenfZla828TXkiXBSubl6HhCw4y7FAi09s09EX-Mzvwizy8YWZ4gOj25dMbx3tiRpdA7GTXDNnfl8z35dRBj1cJuuibMRWTH/s1600/2001+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA2jTTazCtXuOLnSI_G8UsnmZyQ2DUk6awk3no5wW7SrhsQenfZla828TXkiXBSubl6HhCw4y7FAi09s09EX-Mzvwizy8YWZ4gOj25dMbx3tiRpdA7GTXDNnfl8z35dRBj1cJuuibMRWTH/s200/2001+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the wait list and the great equalizer</span></i><br />
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<h3>
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Thanks to the internet, you no longer have to be the biggest. </span></em></h3>
<h3>
<em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">If you are the best, they will find you."</span></em></h3>
<strong><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-Bill Oyster </span></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDkKByvhiQVAk5l63lwggXNCOS4ceWgkzFWtdqoJlVscVzARLlCokWtV6jDqy5bB7FyzZPghRO78DLW3Qlc6dVTQyV5Rxd789-OKHe0IkSqtdOAvvAGE-73nh0Tle3su6A1AxjG_Epovt/s1600/Bill+Oyster+AJC+news+article.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1135" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDkKByvhiQVAk5l63lwggXNCOS4ceWgkzFWtdqoJlVscVzARLlCokWtV6jDqy5bB7FyzZPghRO78DLW3Qlc6dVTQyV5Rxd789-OKHe0IkSqtdOAvvAGE-73nh0Tle3su6A1AxjG_Epovt/s320/Bill+Oyster+AJC+news+article.jpg" width="226" /></span></a></div>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2001 ushered in the year we genuinely feel like bamboo fly rods "chose us".</span></h3>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> After some welcome press and the advent of solid marketing on the internet, this "world wide web" exposure became the "great equalizer". </span></h3>
<em></em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Im7seSQ26rWNMONrm_0apFN2P4BMaXsE7_WI1WktkdE5BI-TbdLIrMtUSlDUJpJo7vvNSBpD2EbLussirv_M3Cl7hp2_4ugpBA3x-_gJlgbRGXfvmVWOIqH62NRihZO8j7c8qL3EODa4/s1600/rattan.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Im7seSQ26rWNMONrm_0apFN2P4BMaXsE7_WI1WktkdE5BI-TbdLIrMtUSlDUJpJo7vvNSBpD2EbLussirv_M3Cl7hp2_4ugpBA3x-_gJlgbRGXfvmVWOIqH62NRihZO8j7c8qL3EODa4/s320/rattan.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></h4>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oyster's "answering machine" was suddenly filled with voice mails inquiring about orders. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>A lot of orders...</i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Another turning point ahead </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">We had been working rather inefficiently on a wait list since day one but this was an entirely new development. This was an unexpected exigencies for our little business. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<h4>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Bill picked up the phone to call everyone back and tell them how we do not have the resources yet to fill all of these orders...except he did not...He filled up a legal pad full of names and called each person back and took down their custom details. This process took a few days. </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> <i> We have never looked back and we have never caught up on our waiting list.</i></span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjrHexYYbv0fNKm6wCRXjjsMZuAZI-vJrua_wHogRl4rXhc2j6Ab3r3SXGSKuaFHkamPkpc3ZGvsRg7wKBTT9pK_rfzwAdAmgjuaoZceVQGaoJHNlKzYy4tb6lqsctNwbgvzo_Oe8t3TK/s1600/Bill+oyster+cover+page+AJC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1096" data-original-width="1600" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjrHexYYbv0fNKm6wCRXjjsMZuAZI-vJrua_wHogRl4rXhc2j6Ab3r3SXGSKuaFHkamPkpc3ZGvsRg7wKBTT9pK_rfzwAdAmgjuaoZceVQGaoJHNlKzYy4tb6lqsctNwbgvzo_Oe8t3TK/s320/Bill+oyster+cover+page+AJC.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLjrHexYYbv0fNKm6wCRXjjsMZuAZI-vJrua_wHogRl4rXhc2j6Ab3r3SXGSKuaFHkamPkpc3ZGvsRg7wKBTT9pK_rfzwAdAmgjuaoZceVQGaoJHNlKzYy4tb6lqsctNwbgvzo_Oe8t3TK/s1600/Bill+oyster+cover+page+AJC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFHdoTBJocfl3krUpldBPNhq8RdIkYeG_E7SgMOahM-C-7-Q1bvskJGKEu7qW5lFc9VQ02yK48GnmiRM4pmTZLWtecTLSyyZunxSMZE_LQv-8ZG5xeXfb4JDsdk4UXoK2QvdUIkYJ0GyT/s1600/2002+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFHdoTBJocfl3krUpldBPNhq8RdIkYeG_E7SgMOahM-C-7-Q1bvskJGKEu7qW5lFc9VQ02yK48GnmiRM4pmTZLWtecTLSyyZunxSMZE_LQv-8ZG5xeXfb4JDsdk4UXoK2QvdUIkYJ0GyT/s200/2002+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> the trade show years</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZn_aH-mtHCBJrePpxw1VTEHCdEj8EVZlUB9BXhPdZWsyH3xQqNZfK9W9uNeXoglDfs3Tihu8kDV61bJOqkSg9Dg8lo4uNQmk3XO7v6dKVRFCYiu5IQNruWr9d1n_a5oPGoZsWdCF73FQ/s1600/class+3-9-08+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZn_aH-mtHCBJrePpxw1VTEHCdEj8EVZlUB9BXhPdZWsyH3xQqNZfK9W9uNeXoglDfs3Tihu8kDV61bJOqkSg9Dg8lo4uNQmk3XO7v6dKVRFCYiu5IQNruWr9d1n_a5oPGoZsWdCF73FQ/s400/class+3-9-08+004.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So many shows...so little time</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We started our trade shows years with a uhaul, no sleep, a full rack of rods to sell with a homemade hinky (sound familiar) display, copies of our flyers from the closest local Kinkos (we rationed them out at the time) and a</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> FULL heart. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Man, we were <strike>naïve</strike> young.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When we first arrived on the trade show scene, bamboo fly rods had not made their recent renaissance . There were a handful of makers but they were not only disinterested in the Southern US as a market, they were even less interested in a 20-something becoming part of the fold (except Rick Robbins...just saying) but we were an absolute <strike>freak show</strike> anomaly. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the beginning, people reacted to us at trade shows in one of three ways:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. confusion</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. awe and wonder (thank you)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. annoyance</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We received the most support from the fly fishing community at large, First and foremost, Bill is a hardcore fly fisherman and the industry people at those shows had respect for his abilities not only as a craftsman but as a sportsman. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, I am proud to say we powered through the onslaught of uncertainty and enjoyed those shows...we made friendships that are lasting even <b><i>(if not especially)</i></b> today. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">An enormous amount of gratitude to the fly fishing industry for the support through the years. Wow.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="bruce oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="1446" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUznD8iciMoW_we_svezqHg4_YjgxID_B02AE9B_0WQkuKSyuuJt9wg1GkPMpu3llWZ9D1Hu1IV5wLrdAWLvBr6XUm1PhKD9DHYsowJH7K6bKQacJUHaoaBP8Izds82N59aSD7GoX9Kp-9/s320/daddy+fishing.jpg" title="bruce oyster bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Speaking of support...this man...my <strike>Daddy</strike> father, Bruce. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He championed this little business from day one.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2014/06/do-you-remember-day-you-realized-your.html" target="_blank">My homage to him is here.</a></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbms-nriJdk7wPoIzDYuEF_vq1Al06q5yLno4s70KJ-MMK7e8P96E90g_WXXHrJiDfa8uRlKwW8NeXBH_BFWzT2HqGwWyyotlFLuaqN7el2Em0YTyvSA462vjSJOksbDE677pMnsbb3su/s1600/Bill+oyster+with+trout+and+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1600" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCbms-nriJdk7wPoIzDYuEF_vq1Al06q5yLno4s70KJ-MMK7e8P96E90g_WXXHrJiDfa8uRlKwW8NeXBH_BFWzT2HqGwWyyotlFLuaqN7el2Em0YTyvSA462vjSJOksbDE677pMnsbb3su/s320/Bill+oyster+with+trout+and+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZXY9y7Z6CGXXS6mYO_P6gbaG8AYnufcqIPmFNcOamoCUY1yZ1xNNMt6IHxreCn8vUH4_BVEM4QOvoN4Q3G9nBHfnHpG4Y3dXQdi9f2ykRM_6am0vpn29u7-2jqQfUbS1uWex9ih8QhCT/s1600/2003+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZZXY9y7Z6CGXXS6mYO_P6gbaG8AYnufcqIPmFNcOamoCUY1yZ1xNNMt6IHxreCn8vUH4_BVEM4QOvoN4Q3G9nBHfnHpG4Y3dXQdi9f2ykRM_6am0vpn29u7-2jqQfUbS1uWex9ih8QhCT/s200/2003+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">teacher</span></i><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><em> <span style="font-weight: normal;">"<span style="font-size: xx-small;">To every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered a chance to do a very special thing, unique to him and fitted to his talents. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour."</span></span></span></em></span></span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">-Winston Churchill</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLLcr-QDb_XDYocjE6OAsReXYld3LAvo2l78wFzjLKWtUY9_JvgfNJPodl1iUbHE65rjwA7sSfiqvdbSaxuCjq1e93rBHUFOmaKhfkannZAuB422_aa75XPU0NOBpVIgMdrcKnTooDxkw/s1600/bill+oyster+and+ted+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+early+days+in+the+basement.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLLcr-QDb_XDYocjE6OAsReXYld3LAvo2l78wFzjLKWtUY9_JvgfNJPodl1iUbHE65rjwA7sSfiqvdbSaxuCjq1e93rBHUFOmaKhfkannZAuB422_aa75XPU0NOBpVIgMdrcKnTooDxkw/s400/bill+oyster+and+ted+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+early+days+in+the+basement.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bill made good on his promise and starting teaching bamboo fly rod making classes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He started with a single student. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<h4>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>This was the beginning of a beautiful thing.</em> </span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvQmaXRZycNFQy2JnAQW8Km_TNVK_ZUZjXuRwYr7rsmXAahRNrmyp87vJt9wWQBALbL9auuAK59DpG4WKiHr5rFxfQwuSN_8kHIA7qGUWkK30dbzKgM5EiwzNUC22FMt3jWFAMACc6QU_/s1600/2004+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyvQmaXRZycNFQy2JnAQW8Km_TNVK_ZUZjXuRwYr7rsmXAahRNrmyp87vJt9wWQBALbL9auuAK59DpG4WKiHr5rFxfQwuSN_8kHIA7qGUWkK30dbzKgM5EiwzNUC22FMt3jWFAMACc6QU_/s200/2004+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">bet on ourselves</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO96UKkjYO-AtJ10gyGyLZsLXeOCTRbXZxyan3ifvSWXkmruxUOBKF6X7hdlzWcDek830-bOTcLbQRsNMv52HQ9-SxbJ4fR_TAVUYCPWWRkIpGGnH9xAKR9i41zUMk3qKWPFj_7GAKEps/s1600/nov.+class+2007+boo+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJO96UKkjYO-AtJ10gyGyLZsLXeOCTRbXZxyan3ifvSWXkmruxUOBKF6X7hdlzWcDek830-bOTcLbQRsNMv52HQ9-SxbJ4fR_TAVUYCPWWRkIpGGnH9xAKR9i41zUMk3qKWPFj_7GAKEps/s400/nov.+class+2007+boo+016.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Because I continued to <strike>overbook the bamboo fly rod making classes</strike> fill our bamboo fly rod making classes and our custom bamboo rod waiting list continued to grow it was time to make the first of many decisions where we </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"bet on ourselves". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We had clearly outgrown our current sheet metal concoction, rod orders were backing up, I needed a larger office, a bar was painfully missing from the picture, multiple workbenches with planing forms were necessary, the varnish room was below my staircase that we used on the main level <strike>and Bill put holes in said staircase</strike> and we needed heat.</span> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI53ugd3X7S-Nl65nQRuoWZ3z-3RFG2AJv8gnqwxLpzgELNvFfZxoppIBNdyYeHdvX2qxp8-4FmWFl8Rttv57YXQmE4yqGZ2__d5M0ERSEtiGATmzEJ9_BXxDIc8naMAQwTKI4XOBb_0BV/s1600/class+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI53ugd3X7S-Nl65nQRuoWZ3z-3RFG2AJv8gnqwxLpzgELNvFfZxoppIBNdyYeHdvX2qxp8-4FmWFl8Rttv57YXQmE4yqGZ2__d5M0ERSEtiGATmzEJ9_BXxDIc8naMAQwTKI4XOBb_0BV/s400/class+final.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And, ESPN called...just a little "bit" about us on Fly Fishing America but this felt like another opportunity <strike>for an excuse to justify spending more money</strike> to grow so when the host called to "vet" us and mentioned meeting us on a local river, I bragged about our remarkable 1500 square foot workshop complete with walls of benches and tools for students, a fireplace and a bar.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oh, and I may have mentioned something about meatballs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He thought it was a great idea and we agreed on a filming date less than 6 weeks away...I went into our cold little basement shop and said to Bill...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have 5 1/2 weeks to build out this basement into a 1500 square foot bamboo fly rod making shop complete with a fireplace and bar. Okay? Go! I have to make meatballs!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, we dug deep and made the first of many large investments directly back into ourselves with the belief it will all culminate into reward.</span> </i></span></h3>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsClRnVHVnnCpr-VVIWx-eg16kBF94WV081Wtq49vpM8mjd9gwC29XrRAep_h1FojCvdT4Q5AsNeVs_eghzV7VFnOuqJlxeEApkvaVHuaC1Wc5EPWQiVFcmj4bNGsfLS67TxXJdsURtI-/s1600/2005+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsClRnVHVnnCpr-VVIWx-eg16kBF94WV081Wtq49vpM8mjd9gwC29XrRAep_h1FojCvdT4Q5AsNeVs_eghzV7VFnOuqJlxeEApkvaVHuaC1Wc5EPWQiVFcmj4bNGsfLS67TxXJdsURtI-/s200/2005+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">cutter jude oyster</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaU58lo1DYI_RsuGYHz38GjF3mM-ou1ppQto07y5D8c5MDLI1GsXo_llBdX9vu-GChWNaB6Fd-mIoVId01lhHS80X0g8VSR6IXmQ_msiuFYvZ7qloyTdnzzJVNsrw_b7rqTOfxj6_LF-U/s1600/IMG_2834.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbaU58lo1DYI_RsuGYHz38GjF3mM-ou1ppQto07y5D8c5MDLI1GsXo_llBdX9vu-GChWNaB6Fd-mIoVId01lhHS80X0g8VSR6IXmQ_msiuFYvZ7qloyTdnzzJVNsrw_b7rqTOfxj6_LF-U/s640/IMG_2834.HEIC" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here's where it all gets very very very real.</span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Cutter Jude Oyster was born January 10, 2005. </h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">He was lovingly named after our Cape Dory sailboat...<strike>that of course we had to sell because we had a baby</strike>. In addition to bamboo fly rods, sailing was at the center of our lives and we could not imagine a more fitting was to <strike>say goodbye</strike> pay our respects to our love for the sport. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRpzgVudFaHXB5fPm2FZjdr7om0MG9sK0aojUkbPvwww54QAQyjer3R-Wbe4xev6ogLd7YAyf8lMjOS_g1H2btDwu3XqCNlDys6Bjpu5c8YMUq5I9VlkBxXwbE0ox3eTcbKshjzmLN8SU/s1600/IMG_2856.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDRpzgVudFaHXB5fPm2FZjdr7om0MG9sK0aojUkbPvwww54QAQyjer3R-Wbe4xev6ogLd7YAyf8lMjOS_g1H2btDwu3XqCNlDys6Bjpu5c8YMUq5I9VlkBxXwbE0ox3eTcbKshjzmLN8SU/s320/IMG_2856.HEIC" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Less than 3 weeks after Cutter was born, we traveled all over the country for another trade show season. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now, pay close attention and try to keep up...things get a <strike>frantic</strike> from here.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's no longer about us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Legacy takes on an entirely new meaning in our lives. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj771wIPB_z9_QxScujJk377H0XRya_Um0LvaSaKbpRvo7iqnmhyN2xO7a1S8nQMZeHOLYmvF92vIEYHbU_Zl6uCJbpbcXisysA9eScN6zBV8Jo51aSFeG9-svSqo_wBPDmjqdCowH6LvCB/s1600/2015_019.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fish or cut bait, right?! <em><strike>Sorry not sorry.</strike></em></span></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was time to intensify the business feature of our story. It was time to take unimaginable risks <strike>or go work for UPS</strike> to secure the future of Oyster.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm5y599KNLORvsLZy-dDPm3DhsOqDtI6bo1hi4m7Izl6jS0FUcZGmRlxQIr-oH-uYvEO7Uz4aajG8gQHIojE1-dqtvTdOhgVFja080NTx0b-6LoHN1s4jTzduRzDkbEAnW9-1GdWhvvuV/s1600/father%2527s+day+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="418" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigm5y599KNLORvsLZy-dDPm3DhsOqDtI6bo1hi4m7Izl6jS0FUcZGmRlxQIr-oH-uYvEO7Uz4aajG8gQHIojE1-dqtvTdOhgVFja080NTx0b-6LoHN1s4jTzduRzDkbEAnW9-1GdWhvvuV/s200/father%2527s+day+1.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZJdMUnQaY-njFlZN-PNSaBT_sd9SAMkJmFalIzazZIwX72MXpjVSi30loqeOEk3yJpdMQIjWLIyQMzC4E1KI7IderbSUtVibej674nbGYKW6UMsi9QppKQFV2j69GrMkJm3PkmsoHDcY/s1600/2006+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoZJdMUnQaY-njFlZN-PNSaBT_sd9SAMkJmFalIzazZIwX72MXpjVSi30loqeOEk3yJpdMQIjWLIyQMzC4E1KI7IderbSUtVibej674nbGYKW6UMsi9QppKQFV2j69GrMkJm3PkmsoHDcY/s200/2006+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">engraving and the glass ceiling</span></i></td></tr>
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<b>Bill:</b> <i>"I am going to learn to hand engrave."</i></div>
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<b>Me:</b> <i>"What? Can you just learn to engrave?"</i></div>
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<b>Bill:</b> <i>"Yes...at least I am going to try."</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3TKGI7lsj88gWDCd24eJoNSdytxrO6ytkE1hNhzPVDoupZcTMJxzP7BGB4eme6RMdIq-uy1EgCjQeoYSgdauNFRfKMX0G1Vdl4PA42HqATKBQlS5jFjg6MpiBj-YCRNHzBGzGGbQFxQo/s1600/Hand+Engraved+trout+by+Bill+Oyster+at+Oyster+Fine+Bamboo+Fly+Rods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3TKGI7lsj88gWDCd24eJoNSdytxrO6ytkE1hNhzPVDoupZcTMJxzP7BGB4eme6RMdIq-uy1EgCjQeoYSgdauNFRfKMX0G1Vdl4PA42HqATKBQlS5jFjg6MpiBj-YCRNHzBGzGGbQFxQo/s320/Hand+Engraved+trout+by+Bill+Oyster+at+Oyster+Fine+Bamboo+Fly+Rods.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved fly rod" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em> size of a nickel</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRAAQZWYLX357Zcn1S1piDb2pU1xY2h7ZrHdM2lVAvclN8wv-RJGLb6n3ESNW-iq6WkIJY1Q0-lIoTPfMW9-64Whum1LoS1_0EaU8ru5WGw3gf1nzKB37g7qkR6G1NHXPuhq_6uCwFEp7/s1600/bill+oyster+hand+engraving+dog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved bamboo fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1296" data-original-width="968" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzRAAQZWYLX357Zcn1S1piDb2pU1xY2h7ZrHdM2lVAvclN8wv-RJGLb6n3ESNW-iq6WkIJY1Q0-lIoTPfMW9-64Whum1LoS1_0EaU8ru5WGw3gf1nzKB37g7qkR6G1NHXPuhq_6uCwFEp7/s320/bill+oyster+hand+engraving+dog.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved bamboo fly rod" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After a few years of outsourcing our rod engraving <strike>with less than desirable results</strike>, Bill considered learning to engrave himself. He started with a week long intro class at a school in Kansas. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It was an enormous investment and once again, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">we bet on ourselves. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Honestly, even I thought Bill was being a <strike>lunatic </strike>tad optimistic thinking he could just go "learn to engrave". </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have never seriously doubted him since. </span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/Engraving-for-Oyster-Bamboo-Fly-Rods-by-Bill-Oyster.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> There is no glass ceiling on Bill's hand engraving.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpO334iLq8D_M_3DjYgusO7eU1o1pcylUGG_7UFp_jSr6s-JC-Qgfu7KWx86ERo0w4gO2UjdnmkjKX7x3ryxqrhYzZjc_3wjOaii0VeW0-Y58XOtHefgo5ROF6P3coEWngmgJf2BIr_U-/s1600/Bill+Oyster+Hand+engraved+Oyster+Fine+Bamboo+Fly+Rods+Blue+Ridge+Georgia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved bamboo fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxpO334iLq8D_M_3DjYgusO7eU1o1pcylUGG_7UFp_jSr6s-JC-Qgfu7KWx86ERo0w4gO2UjdnmkjKX7x3ryxqrhYzZjc_3wjOaii0VeW0-Y58XOtHefgo5ROF6P3coEWngmgJf2BIr_U-/s320/Bill+Oyster+Hand+engraved+Oyster+Fine+Bamboo+Fly+Rods+Blue+Ridge+Georgia.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods bill oyster hand engraved bamboo fly rod" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Me:</b> (breathing heavily): <em>"Ummm...babe...President Carter's people <em>just called and commissioned a bamboo fly rod for him and <em>asked if we can have the <em>Presidential Seal hand engraved on the reel seat."</em></em></em></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bill:</b> <em>"I am going to hand engrave it."</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Me: </b> <em>"No doubt."</em></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVTyHmIwS2U3CNuYmYlu4RzQ6MhQL6fwy6EqYgdwOTipaG_AlS2j4AvDjMtCF-ULVriXvf9RILdvojFMoR4sZybQRKkAzFbLtqSnehvAvt8smpvnKQYEyEPnGaBqFa92GNzWkOaMhm6G-/s1600/2007+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVTyHmIwS2U3CNuYmYlu4RzQ6MhQL6fwy6EqYgdwOTipaG_AlS2j4AvDjMtCF-ULVriXvf9RILdvojFMoR4sZybQRKkAzFbLtqSnehvAvt8smpvnKQYEyEPnGaBqFa92GNzWkOaMhm6G-/s200/2007+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">39th President</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/files/carter_collage3.pdf" target="_blank"><img alt=" presidential seal for president carter hand engraved by bill oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWAc0eRnId67t0FnJHiCLCHPgQibMPOjenffxAw_BkiIasUIMVJLAVWszwoPEpw4GKVYeTBbsvzScjQcr35KT6vlBtRUkoGJL6c4Rr9BOLtW-stAvCGCjmsV6MOvNqfcUlmPAxVMDQr7-/s400/president+jimmy+carter+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" title="presidential seal for president carter hand engraved by bill oyster bamboo fly rods" width="400" /></a></div>
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We have made bamboo fly rods for myriads of people...from bricklayers to heads of state.<br />
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The common thread amongst our clientele is not only their obvious reverence for fly fishing but a commitment to fine handcrafted pieces.<br />
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So, the misconception that these soul poles are a vanity purchase is simply untrue. They represent an extension to one's self in an inexplicable manner.<br />
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So, when I receive an order for our rod, my respect for the individual is defined by a connection that is once again...inexplicable. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5reSBpEKQlJh3HZSoTGW9CUnFYi_SX6nsmDeDgZ2Pks3owZ46LOIM51jyDkTVuLU6mplzI1xjxsxZKcV_1m8XRMtBL5p4QJWB5OCjSjsR4owOg3xiG2uLhmQzvJ45CxJr6wyW_jKAtIY9/s1600/carter+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="presidential seal for president carter hand engraved by bill oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5reSBpEKQlJh3HZSoTGW9CUnFYi_SX6nsmDeDgZ2Pks3owZ46LOIM51jyDkTVuLU6mplzI1xjxsxZKcV_1m8XRMtBL5p4QJWB5OCjSjsR4owOg3xiG2uLhmQzvJ45CxJr6wyW_jKAtIY9/s640/carter+028.jpg" title="presidential seal for president carter hand engraved by bill oyster bamboo fly rods" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why this diatribe...</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">...predominantly, to emphasize that our rods commissioned for President Carter rod are special beyond the fact that he is unarguably one of the most worthwhile humans to ever walk this earth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We practice a discreet standard yet President Carter was so publicly generous with his praise for our craft and fly fishing that this sent us unwittingly on a trajectory that proved to be a pivotal point for Oyster.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMOPy-dtBl7amR1Jsvtf-rcLtrE65cROIl3VPB-TFaSnLZgUj8KBKZrVlzy7JTj5te7vERng1DZtkTOK3CcNsbiYUMXmGz6YxI2aKrn3TM7mkeBB14To8mzePxBkXX9U_SpRVNX4bZncG/s1600/IMG_3110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="793" data-original-width="1128" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMOPy-dtBl7amR1Jsvtf-rcLtrE65cROIl3VPB-TFaSnLZgUj8KBKZrVlzy7JTj5te7vERng1DZtkTOK3CcNsbiYUMXmGz6YxI2aKrn3TM7mkeBB14To8mzePxBkXX9U_SpRVNX4bZncG/s320/IMG_3110.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bill and Carter's paths continue to cross and they both get better with age.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #660000;">we went to live in the woods to live deliberately</span></em><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2008, Oyster went all in...we built a workshop B and B style for our clients in the woods of North Georgia <i>and</i> got pregnant. </span></h2>
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We signed the closing papers while watching a special on "tent cities and the dire condition of the economy" in the attorney's office.</span> </h3>
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It was then Bill said, "shut off the radio and television, stop all of your newspaper subscriptions (note that I was a journalism major and a print media junkie)… I have a family to support and I have to work and do not want to be distracted."<br />
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We will never know if "shutting out" current events (understatement) helped our business or not...but it did keep morale up and Oyster grew on every level in 2008. <br />
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Our classes were FULL, our bamboo fly rods were backlogged, Bill's hand engraving exceeded all of our expectations and more importantly gave Bill the necessary creative outlet an artist needs...<br />
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<i>We grew faster than ever expected...</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEBp5QsPj_3OzOQ9GF03gsof3tkfubLO3e4uEUOh6oPmQw7bZigHsxVxbqM5AfMTq0WvOlo1vNVuHKbghU6UVn62iMRhU_XDhkCo9gvVUZXUp8HY-NQUhTwoKs2spz7_p5gg7vykzyXCf/s1600/2009+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEEBp5QsPj_3OzOQ9GF03gsof3tkfubLO3e4uEUOh6oPmQw7bZigHsxVxbqM5AfMTq0WvOlo1vNVuHKbghU6UVn62iMRhU_XDhkCo9gvVUZXUp8HY-NQUhTwoKs2spz7_p5gg7vykzyXCf/s200/2009+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #660000;">veronica and main</span></em><br />
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Main Street, USA</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ__3UzQZSOD_6ShvPXqA5xdxmw0SFf14NArAt0Lr9Tv2ecyzib1oHH07BzQZ_A0KYcQkIGr-mXEbxQObM5VbWxudaVJ8wHTfbQSbYwKyKrg2semNvslwerdPsSflKBZXnJ9NI4QsU_pfi/s1600/flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="478" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ__3UzQZSOD_6ShvPXqA5xdxmw0SFf14NArAt0Lr9Tv2ecyzib1oHH07BzQZ_A0KYcQkIGr-mXEbxQObM5VbWxudaVJ8wHTfbQSbYwKyKrg2semNvslwerdPsSflKBZXnJ9NI4QsU_pfi/s320/flower.jpg" width="203" /></a></div>
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<b>Raising babies in a bamboo fly rod shop</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVcekCw-cFnOXxzn7RyVfKmId2Fg9kh5VwH3CKn9jlLJemmM3uk4vtpidC1mjYne6BAe62SauQtCAu7m6u5-7UUpD4pTc85a74CsiKV-BZHEe1nroriKpcZz3xBSh6xkykk-tGVsNuXzR/s1600/workshop+out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKVcekCw-cFnOXxzn7RyVfKmId2Fg9kh5VwH3CKn9jlLJemmM3uk4vtpidC1mjYne6BAe62SauQtCAu7m6u5-7UUpD4pTc85a74CsiKV-BZHEe1nroriKpcZz3xBSh6xkykk-tGVsNuXzR/s320/workshop+out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><em>Fun Fact: We somehow renovated this former "Dippin' Dots" into a bamboo fly rod making shop in days...</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><em>total demo except for the ice cream counters.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><em><br /></em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With a brand new baby (8 days old), the recession in full swing, 3 mortgages and a bamboo fly rod class starting the following week...it seemed like the perfect time (yes, that is sarcasm) to make a move.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElG58RrGI_TRHcRiVMMIPrOUI3zCR7y2u8DyUjmd97JSZ9Hw0cMTRWaGXNKYAwMdVQfVWEHbVPCojLoOPobsVmGXOe7s0GAbzcKGQHTmctSgwqiiyDgvLLmlIBjtaicLzmW8xYyFnXrnP/s1600/showroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjElG58RrGI_TRHcRiVMMIPrOUI3zCR7y2u8DyUjmd97JSZ9Hw0cMTRWaGXNKYAwMdVQfVWEHbVPCojLoOPobsVmGXOe7s0GAbzcKGQHTmctSgwqiiyDgvLLmlIBjtaicLzmW8xYyFnXrnP/s400/showroom.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="400" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8Ns67TIRLh6jIgbeCVIDpfe2exJ8AeJuMJijFL1WxJSa0G8Cf-acefWzP4MiJ86nVwRhOhtUKCv88U7-KyXV68FDgF3j_1Zpn5VE-i2GiCc7dw4ZZic8KWoeEfCUA3MdXNNh8A3t-Jlg/s320/blue+ridge.jpg" width="320" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">However, we had outgrown our "little red" shop in the woods and knew the next natural transition was a store front.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjA5Wn8GVMsylfJm-ZpiW4nXqAOnrd8mM4sxvw8d_YIZ5buF7Erb9JZmQpZIk9ktx4rnyoXLN0tfkoGYT1v1jEF6MswNmB6ugC8NXSkzkHoBWFxByLi4tnqBM9vXPvcTCP5eCttbwvB5D/s1600/billface.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLjA5Wn8GVMsylfJm-ZpiW4nXqAOnrd8mM4sxvw8d_YIZ5buF7Erb9JZmQpZIk9ktx4rnyoXLN0tfkoGYT1v1jEF6MswNmB6ugC8NXSkzkHoBWFxByLi4tnqBM9vXPvcTCP5eCttbwvB5D/s400/billface.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And while we moved to Main Street for professional reasons and more exposure for Oyster, we ended up with a community. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A community of friends, fly fishermen, fellow entrepreneurs and like minded escapists (a reoccurring theme in our lives). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2011/05/cast-and-blast-at-oyster-bamboo-fly.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We found home.</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnd__85tgoQRT3T7_HLkFzE1ro8xGS2S9j7PXS0Jvp-seMntHI_MHZGrmuHc4Z2QKnaTEoMly-pWJt4sxZyqKcEJ1MB4jvA3i4P_UuDuzpmPGrwyHG4H6RF4q85BzloaYP4b6J_1FvgX6/s1600/oyster_fine_bamboo_fly_rods_fishging_blue_ridge_ga_big_fsh_caught-310x226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnd__85tgoQRT3T7_HLkFzE1ro8xGS2S9j7PXS0Jvp-seMntHI_MHZGrmuHc4Z2QKnaTEoMly-pWJt4sxZyqKcEJ1MB4jvA3i4P_UuDuzpmPGrwyHG4H6RF4q85BzloaYP4b6J_1FvgX6/s1600/oyster_fine_bamboo_fly_rods_fishging_blue_ridge_ga_big_fsh_caught-310x226.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtGKefJ5ddDp0GBlibqqkiHXJRS1n39g4tytP8QSIRTrV0MmrNO6IaHMoYGE3kbUADO0Ob9o_bg5YPutMX5O8XyEtYe1lLCHASSbL6iyD-Ze5N6CtjlbPoo-zC4O7kHymDrFdw3rXjnAf/s1600/2010+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmtGKefJ5ddDp0GBlibqqkiHXJRS1n39g4tytP8QSIRTrV0MmrNO6IaHMoYGE3kbUADO0Ob9o_bg5YPutMX5O8XyEtYe1lLCHASSbL6iyD-Ze5N6CtjlbPoo-zC4O7kHymDrFdw3rXjnAf/s200/2010+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">riley</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpehPsR68B3vN9kazyOeE2kqWh8lEqvb2stiQxMmtpbf9al1iizdgGISzP6F6nq64OfAfAQ0ynu0_4GtxcLMihBoQ-iCeIUKF9s8vks124m-A8szN6nLpb8TfLf3UrGjnPc5ISrJEPAWG/s1600/bill+and+riley+first+day+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="660" data-original-width="660" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpehPsR68B3vN9kazyOeE2kqWh8lEqvb2stiQxMmtpbf9al1iizdgGISzP6F6nq64OfAfAQ0ynu0_4GtxcLMihBoQ-iCeIUKF9s8vks124m-A8szN6nLpb8TfLf3UrGjnPc5ISrJEPAWG/s200/bill+and+riley+first+day+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Riley's first day of class.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bill: </b> <em>"We have to hire that kid."</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Me: </b> <em>"We cannot afford to hire him."</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Bill:</b> <em> "We cannot afford not to..."</em></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3n0-Z9SIrtpZRF7Lg7zLdeIyeTAd4foz2CnvDQlYu0udnmIUtqAHQABkgA0hE-17FRkySQWDw-r5qmvf1A981S-39Bzmiarlzv4fGi8PQlm9y8hBlf0si8KsDB9ErDHH54WZ3YiRSILd/s1600/oyster_fine_bamboo_fly_rods_fishing_blue_ridge_ga_3_RIley.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="157" data-original-width="223" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA3n0-Z9SIrtpZRF7Lg7zLdeIyeTAd4foz2CnvDQlYu0udnmIUtqAHQABkgA0hE-17FRkySQWDw-r5qmvf1A981S-39Bzmiarlzv4fGi8PQlm9y8hBlf0si8KsDB9ErDHH54WZ3YiRSILd/s320/oyster_fine_bamboo_fly_rods_fishing_blue_ridge_ga_3_RIley.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><em>baby Riley</em></strong></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Riley James <strike>Oyster </strike>Gudakunst came down from Michigan with his father to take a bamboo fly rod making class with us for his high school graduation gift when he was 19 years old.</span> </div>
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Essentially, Riley never left.</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqZz1Af_qYznqVQfzj5o7faGuPvq0qo_fQn2uLfvt2IWF_dLzcgKSAFRe6PBtAGbuUwvAihQcowqKZghiWHv5ATxGTZGtQc6KVu3_VQ7wTa2JNB0LQxTE64Mqn621YR4jnHw53btlFzev/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga+bill+and+riley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijqZz1Af_qYznqVQfzj5o7faGuPvq0qo_fQn2uLfvt2IWF_dLzcgKSAFRe6PBtAGbuUwvAihQcowqKZghiWHv5ATxGTZGtQc6KVu3_VQ7wTa2JNB0LQxTE64Mqn621YR4jnHw53btlFzev/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga+bill+and+riley.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Riley swiftly transitioned from employee to friend to best friend to family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And he came with a package deal...his childhood sweetheart, now wife...Quinn.</span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIA3KTQzR_f-O6sUP7UF8pznLiCDcAQVk9euUOqgPjtsmI1m1AL5UQ4T5oUC5BZ6bB2lL-sf1FxCb-ewzkmKLNgGRfHh15wGwgxYS8BDKvleagREYhXtoszh5HOwcHI6SW2KWNthE2oy/s1600/quinn+and+Roni+in+workshop+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHIA3KTQzR_f-O6sUP7UF8pznLiCDcAQVk9euUOqgPjtsmI1m1AL5UQ4T5oUC5BZ6bB2lL-sf1FxCb-ewzkmKLNgGRfHh15wGwgxYS8BDKvleagREYhXtoszh5HOwcHI6SW2KWNthE2oy/s320/quinn+and+Roni+in+workshop+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinn and Roni</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpur2VB1KTMa4DrcBAkLHOCVmPerQnOP99dabZ_-NDX5tHubLjeSYtd6mmy6TmRFeV3coHH_HAVqn_IzRw6-rAEho5Mu0rJScQ2BZco1rmdpI_UsTAxL5MM4beebCzBRE8O_FlBHJyH6H/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018+quinn+and+shannen+.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="638" data-original-width="632" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDpur2VB1KTMa4DrcBAkLHOCVmPerQnOP99dabZ_-NDX5tHubLjeSYtd6mmy6TmRFeV3coHH_HAVqn_IzRw6-rAEho5Mu0rJScQ2BZco1rmdpI_UsTAxL5MM4beebCzBRE8O_FlBHJyH6H/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018+quinn+and+shannen+.jpg" width="316" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls on Quinn's & Riley's day...</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Quinn fit in disturbingly well...so, these years brought growth on a deeper level. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Our band grew.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-IyNGOeM9Zr4KC4goJUkWAuYW5ukzUbrVMcEZKzQtRANDCqB02EOtMqhUDUk0wFxmPmqLio9XIDPOG0v9DN6PAhSECuq7DovGT5iUYl73hyphenhyphenfV42SZt4YcZyAmVb3zRrIfouG6GfAuv_n/s1600/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+19+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-IyNGOeM9Zr4KC4goJUkWAuYW5ukzUbrVMcEZKzQtRANDCqB02EOtMqhUDUk0wFxmPmqLio9XIDPOG0v9DN6PAhSECuq7DovGT5iUYl73hyphenhyphenfV42SZt4YcZyAmVb3zRrIfouG6GfAuv_n/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+19+2013.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sigh</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Riley and Molly</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">american dream</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDTioYu9qWEl41xG3VRPC6fdpmLFW_8040o9fbTzKZbNmrre4lx2bXDxeaWd9IhVun7kNa_OLAaGkaXHEJdYF-nIIStxy3YPpb8cuyJOJ_p9TrUgUzUIHxBs-gkFegwSXzKOCRafdQjMn/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+salt+series.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDTioYu9qWEl41xG3VRPC6fdpmLFW_8040o9fbTzKZbNmrre4lx2bXDxeaWd9IhVun7kNa_OLAaGkaXHEJdYF-nIIStxy3YPpb8cuyJOJ_p9TrUgUzUIHxBs-gkFegwSXzKOCRafdQjMn/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+salt+series.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank">OYSTER SALT SERIES</a> </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After discovering how much time we were spending fly fishing on saltwater, 2009 was also the year we started our "Salt Series" line of bamboo fly rods. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">To-date, our 9 wt. Salt Series bamboo rod is one of Oyster's "greatest hits".</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2MvpHde97UYZ0Glcps1F17jpqfL5WaFIdgN9ybRoUCaFNGHDA02PLSQ-ChcCKUY2-d0dMHhXi3M6flgM8zAoouSn_DikkjWhvZzC6U-aqpA60xIe1bcuF-qZod7UxWRMqDjnQwmx3P_V/s1600/bill+oyster+and+riley+bamboo+fly+rods+saltwater.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN2MvpHde97UYZ0Glcps1F17jpqfL5WaFIdgN9ybRoUCaFNGHDA02PLSQ-ChcCKUY2-d0dMHhXi3M6flgM8zAoouSn_DikkjWhvZzC6U-aqpA60xIe1bcuF-qZod7UxWRMqDjnQwmx3P_V/s400/bill+oyster+and+riley+bamboo+fly+rods+saltwater.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Equally as important, 2011 was the year we bought land on Main Street in Blue Ridge, Georgia. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The land was one of the last available sites in a historic district only a few doors down from our renovated former ice cream shop. This <strike>freaked me out</strike> seemed necessary. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Renting was a drag and designing our own space was <strike>daunting </strike>intriguing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And this move made it all feel like a rite of passage for our own</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2011/11/american-dreams-and-oyster-bamboo-fly.html" target="_blank">AMERICAN DREAM.</a></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL64ZK-l6DaJjKY6uzWWQSS9OWvZ5e4fIa8Kdc-QTzT92xzhNG3TEtRmugJF8lqB6i61Rsnoj63g9_ZBJT25GOx5gn02ziIwMLQbe8vdrmmMNntDOUPTYmC5tERCI4KmLTFSJ6G20kphXn/s1600/bill+and+shannen+oyster+in+front+of+future+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+workshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1196" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL64ZK-l6DaJjKY6uzWWQSS9OWvZ5e4fIa8Kdc-QTzT92xzhNG3TEtRmugJF8lqB6i61Rsnoj63g9_ZBJT25GOx5gn02ziIwMLQbe8vdrmmMNntDOUPTYmC5tERCI4KmLTFSJ6G20kphXn/s320/bill+and+shannen+oyster+in+front+of+future+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+workshop.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The day we closed on our land...sigh</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNdys1natR6fqEIhP9UpgcD1IfJAr2Am2EP2MPN-Ge-J80KLHDudzAaz5awUcHs0zr_YrxBZBwXcIiRD_ytDWttTL5khI_tfWVAWfwQI5fBoFJocHkODWmttazL07DhCJaTL_TsR4s0ce/s1600/2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUNdys1natR6fqEIhP9UpgcD1IfJAr2Am2EP2MPN-Ge-J80KLHDudzAaz5awUcHs0zr_YrxBZBwXcIiRD_ytDWttTL5khI_tfWVAWfwQI5fBoFJocHkODWmttazL07DhCJaTL_TsR4s0ce/s200/2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">the house that bamboo fly rods built</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIPZbbwlGb8e8eCoJbUIE31atULkvvNtPdlvJDjQehKAPyTcx5XeuSTZlSLf9frEC-pK-_SyA5i2AYQ-c12QGtCSDTyxFs0pb7JmBM11ourCDuxeTg7G2MXRHL4dHPTuMwGU45lsUF-IA/s1600/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="the house that bamboo fly rods built" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinIPZbbwlGb8e8eCoJbUIE31atULkvvNtPdlvJDjQehKAPyTcx5XeuSTZlSLf9frEC-pK-_SyA5i2AYQ-c12QGtCSDTyxFs0pb7JmBM11ourCDuxeTg7G2MXRHL4dHPTuMwGU45lsUF-IA/s320/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" title="the house that bamboo fly rods built" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While building new digs may not be a big deal to most...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">it was a behemoth move for Oyster. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2012 was a rousing year of <strike>fear</strike> growth and change. </span><br />
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<a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2013/01/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods2012-year-in.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">OUR 2012 RECAP IS HERE</span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHQ9OQtdXxuHToiASPuCO2nCR6cU9xGbrcdzovIUHQFksInwgQn6UtBWW1p0K_m1GExacZ1kFB344hgXlX1lhDGzKvRjlAPXlZwJoUGipVK6hUXsxZzO-B6looN3d7Ex7pi-F-CXTGzQs/s1600/2013+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqHQ9OQtdXxuHToiASPuCO2nCR6cU9xGbrcdzovIUHQFksInwgQn6UtBWW1p0K_m1GExacZ1kFB344hgXlX1lhDGzKvRjlAPXlZwJoUGipVK6hUXsxZzO-B6looN3d7Ex7pi-F-CXTGzQs/s200/2013+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"><em>welcome - settling in</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As we settled into our new shop, Oyster expanded the bamboo fly rod making class size yet again. After carefully considering this option, Bill realized he had no choice because <strike>I mistakenly overbooked the class again </strike>it was a fantastic decision.</span> </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG08beyKBwXOBh-zpzgPtfxdvweY5WdmDeakEfbXtaPeVYRMFDGNwxy51XiZ9CQmnkoZjhaTOPSJS0t0ADdOAuIdaUW3WzjBDBC9ZcLtAxNhG94m1iJsp2yFjHDNWqsj1huKb2qM5425uw/s1600/DSC_6337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rods bamboo fly rod making class" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG08beyKBwXOBh-zpzgPtfxdvweY5WdmDeakEfbXtaPeVYRMFDGNwxy51XiZ9CQmnkoZjhaTOPSJS0t0ADdOAuIdaUW3WzjBDBC9ZcLtAxNhG94m1iJsp2yFjHDNWqsj1huKb2qM5425uw/s640/DSC_6337.jpg" title="oyster bamboo fly rods bamboo fly rod making class" width="640" /></span></a></div>
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And then there were 8</h2>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Our new shop also brought more productivity, a new showroom for the public, the Cast and Blast Inn, fly fishing trips near to far and a never ending roof leak (just keeping it real).</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFOEQUeHh95QEENHO5Ebz_ZbrWo4EHPVNQIAG5rqhyphenhyphenCdnySaWAfG5f8ImYHhNdNb4dtXraQD6ZBVui5WbVVlbzNtQR_j2Apq9KHMkD8ptQbBlBa5KxEmWk5MFhZTcVrulcLG7LkgmFBCV/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+hand+engraved+by+bill+oyster+gold+inlay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rod hand engraved hardware by bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsFOEQUeHh95QEENHO5Ebz_ZbrWo4EHPVNQIAG5rqhyphenhyphenCdnySaWAfG5f8ImYHhNdNb4dtXraQD6ZBVui5WbVVlbzNtQR_j2Apq9KHMkD8ptQbBlBa5KxEmWk5MFhZTcVrulcLG7LkgmFBCV/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+hand+engraved+by+bill+oyster+gold+inlay.jpg" title="oyster bamboo fly rod hand engraved hardware by bill oyster" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3PjATPe2_8JUfG-lezc8eMCZD2mCekVCQ3XQ2J-aETUFSW-cfNX_U4-LxfjayLOY6wiBO-ohvm8J8-fMmuhJoYfgFQVPcL4ou29QFBFMwvCgqiX7HMOQvIDkINqGurJmGE4RjqA4gwz1/s1600/april+2017+engravings+by+bill+oyster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rod hand engraved hardware by bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy3PjATPe2_8JUfG-lezc8eMCZD2mCekVCQ3XQ2J-aETUFSW-cfNX_U4-LxfjayLOY6wiBO-ohvm8J8-fMmuhJoYfgFQVPcL4ou29QFBFMwvCgqiX7HMOQvIDkINqGurJmGE4RjqA4gwz1/s320/april+2017+engravings+by+bill+oyster.jpg" title="oyster bamboo fly rod hand engraved hardware by bill oyster" width="320" /></a></div>
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Gold inlay on fly rod hardware by Bill Oyster</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNggOfaw6EirQ_iN9zC3YvYvAcOza3lt21RTzlx2hqZ2vQVdX28g-2g7Ktabohuz3gwlEcP1WCmjF830tzoRU0-XLDIJZIoCzRRuMjgIMXmBuix4iOjW3wed6Fuw6JdNw9yXVD8y2IleOr/s1600/image5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNggOfaw6EirQ_iN9zC3YvYvAcOza3lt21RTzlx2hqZ2vQVdX28g-2g7Ktabohuz3gwlEcP1WCmjF830tzoRU0-XLDIJZIoCzRRuMjgIMXmBuix4iOjW3wed6Fuw6JdNw9yXVD8y2IleOr/s320/image5.JPG" title="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></a></div>
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These two...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDK5FNMpSYV6B55f6yiIVr62TjeJ48Zh7ocByxI8ecBDQNqP6IyhPQUSDe1dKo3GMvvG6fqMKD4YwP3CW8fAFgWv9D9rFfzLpuISm8tP21W1SlNN0RQNssRZBEm9u3dQVJ32bAi7lAm1d/s1600/2014+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDK5FNMpSYV6B55f6yiIVr62TjeJ48Zh7ocByxI8ecBDQNqP6IyhPQUSDe1dKo3GMvvG6fqMKD4YwP3CW8fAFgWv9D9rFfzLpuISm8tP21W1SlNN0RQNssRZBEm9u3dQVJ32bAi7lAm1d/s200/2014+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span style="color: #660000;">wide open - go - travel</span></i></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-y6dbT5r-kg3kcw7aM6rZkPuUmwehldGF1SxEitm4mwwHPePnRoBj-j-rAcrSCBCoTFBl3ThVVedyvj5zGIW2njkCmUIFzn2dTi0dUFLXgwKNZDyFXguByc0zgFtBuM9C0oUNkyTG8bwL/s1600/Bill+Oyster+fish+on+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-y6dbT5r-kg3kcw7aM6rZkPuUmwehldGF1SxEitm4mwwHPePnRoBj-j-rAcrSCBCoTFBl3ThVVedyvj5zGIW2njkCmUIFzn2dTi0dUFLXgwKNZDyFXguByc0zgFtBuM9C0oUNkyTG8bwL/s400/Bill+Oyster+fish+on+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" title="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" width="400" /></a></div>
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Since 2010, Bill has traveled with Oyster clients on fly fishing trips centered upon our bamboo fly rods. After several years of Patagonia jaunts, we expanded the bamboo fly rod tour.</div>
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In 2014, the Oyster Travel Club was formed as we actively assembled trips for </div>
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<em>"those with a common bond for an uncommon passion."</em></div>
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The Oyster Travel Club is yet another layer of our <strike>lives </strike>business created organically from a need that arouse over the years. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUdW0awjhiPweYXHpeuGLuVxX0Ydh8TCihKhG_1o1Roe-jZx7Zn0kB_RuyAW8K_NwPEnYSUATQp8V00mB9g_prus-f68rdUIuWRXg2UamEBobPOTto004jMpq3eYNN_fgmiNpKxhHh6UL/s1600/group+photo+patagonia+oyster+fine+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="538" data-original-width="960" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFUdW0awjhiPweYXHpeuGLuVxX0Ydh8TCihKhG_1o1Roe-jZx7Zn0kB_RuyAW8K_NwPEnYSUATQp8V00mB9g_prus-f68rdUIuWRXg2UamEBobPOTto004jMpq3eYNN_fgmiNpKxhHh6UL/s400/group+photo+patagonia+oyster+fine+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBg3K-cagzD8HkIE8TbvE7odvC-JyEeNizquiJ7Fxx3Wq2pAUsW3Sl6TUyHXhKWI2DoC5-3kuIkIwhfuHUAbIqK02AS0U0Y5ybsm1xhGAkdwlL6BJ7r-hyV5iEwUq4L40SA7rp_VrjTaS1/s1600/Bill+oyster+golden+dorado+in+northern+argentina.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1280" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBg3K-cagzD8HkIE8TbvE7odvC-JyEeNizquiJ7Fxx3Wq2pAUsW3Sl6TUyHXhKWI2DoC5-3kuIkIwhfuHUAbIqK02AS0U0Y5ybsm1xhGAkdwlL6BJ7r-hyV5iEwUq4L40SA7rp_VrjTaS1/s320/Bill+oyster+golden+dorado+in+northern+argentina.JPG" title="oyster travel club bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTepWoYY8MNd75tNcoeLqqnnKs87hQnPoDB4MUmQOhVfRWl18N00bHfH-GDPSCRf7cVCUgA8AjxQacthTf9GUYdU3NcrlJUlJZTXQoNRUxNJt3jC17P9vS03ZJUybnOXuyiYnjQiSqlRe/s1600/IMG_8608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrTepWoYY8MNd75tNcoeLqqnnKs87hQnPoDB4MUmQOhVfRWl18N00bHfH-GDPSCRf7cVCUgA8AjxQacthTf9GUYdU3NcrlJUlJZTXQoNRUxNJt3jC17P9vS03ZJUybnOXuyiYnjQiSqlRe/s320/IMG_8608.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBKNjfKoNurnHdnCYUMz54V7JFILKGMzDhHf1oozVLPuECj5uSsSLOr4s-iuSIv9g54Z7hM_fL0dmlmVwyJ3xXR48nT1A6Lntmfer3WLze012gL5hk93YyjhZCqsbAumZ09e5RQ7iBraz/s1600/oyster+travel+club+belize+dinner+2017.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1050" data-original-width="1600" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBKNjfKoNurnHdnCYUMz54V7JFILKGMzDhHf1oozVLPuECj5uSsSLOr4s-iuSIv9g54Z7hM_fL0dmlmVwyJ3xXR48nT1A6Lntmfer3WLze012gL5hk93YyjhZCqsbAumZ09e5RQ7iBraz/s320/oyster+travel+club+belize+dinner+2017.jpeg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oyster travels near and far and we have a hell of a time. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLahUV52sTD98OB93WjIKbkNqfzNB1g9V88JN4O5N65ET1blpnBMMdhXB2sbZ7SDh62I-pkMdK3OMNUuzvIwUAcW9OMdR8X7HYPBEpFJqvq_mF2iuILxQVCgPzTO6XC6bh9kqTudgTdTZv/s1600/2015+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLahUV52sTD98OB93WjIKbkNqfzNB1g9V88JN4O5N65ET1blpnBMMdhXB2sbZ7SDh62I-pkMdK3OMNUuzvIwUAcW9OMdR8X7HYPBEpFJqvq_mF2iuILxQVCgPzTO6XC6bh9kqTudgTdTZv/s200/2015+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">bang bang</span></i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbCvqMlk77SSE8hlIPsRIvceeYDaKks0mwQlJMWSQ09l_gYUKaf1V4I-xPSa39BwWktL39MxU84gaezHWFlAqvT5dD6p5F7-DvxIRMavr_Im2qoY-sZCEUW1jdr07jBqSAD57j1AUvBPQ/s1600/2015-10.oyster.web+%25282+of+38%2529-%2528ZF-2580-36496-1-003%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved gun by bill oyster" border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbCvqMlk77SSE8hlIPsRIvceeYDaKks0mwQlJMWSQ09l_gYUKaf1V4I-xPSa39BwWktL39MxU84gaezHWFlAqvT5dD6p5F7-DvxIRMavr_Im2qoY-sZCEUW1jdr07jBqSAD57j1AUvBPQ/s400/2015-10.oyster.web+%25282+of+38%2529-%2528ZF-2580-36496-1-003%2529.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved gun by bill oyster" width="400" /></a></div>
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In 2015, our bamboo fly rod sales and bamboo fly rod making classes were at full tilt. </div>
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Meanwhile, Bill's hand engraving had taken on a life of its own.</div>
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Bill was granted an opportunity that we seized <strike>as soon as we were able to carve three months out of Bill's schedule </strike>immediately to completely hand engrave an entire shotgun sent to us in the "white". </div>
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/oysterbamboo/hand-engraved-gun-by-bill-oyster/" target="_blank">Click here for photos of the gun</a></div>
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In 2015, Bill earned the distinction of being asked to become an instructor at the GRS engraving institute. GRS is the cornerstone of hand engraving in the U.S. as well as renown worldwide. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeQzp-oDcm7FThrng7lb9tHC5cCZ5r_fHR2TvXT4QVTFeTx9n8XE0REyoD2EzcAKorWYtDbvf5NtXgX-1_m5GT-vkDGodVQ16W8Vge01Q6DswrWdIHiss-XfV6uODRk996P-w_M6sY24K/s1600/taigan+ferules+bill+oyster+master+series+hand+engraved+ferrules.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1181" data-original-width="886" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeQzp-oDcm7FThrng7lb9tHC5cCZ5r_fHR2TvXT4QVTFeTx9n8XE0REyoD2EzcAKorWYtDbvf5NtXgX-1_m5GT-vkDGodVQ16W8Vge01Q6DswrWdIHiss-XfV6uODRk996P-w_M6sY24K/s320/taigan+ferules+bill+oyster+master+series+hand+engraved+ferrules.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTR_wLZRoMBB0fGuE1x6o1NCiQRl21Gq8NH9EWrGKQlkuvsXsAgKLMOI2EOu8DGwuR7nGxticup1f7kLOdThYYUIbxIQTpQEIkuCE04odDmNxYRy7dmfdzY9FcmRJx5a5FAe0lgHLvPFg9/s1600/2016+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTR_wLZRoMBB0fGuE1x6o1NCiQRl21Gq8NH9EWrGKQlkuvsXsAgKLMOI2EOu8DGwuR7nGxticup1f7kLOdThYYUIbxIQTpQEIkuCE04odDmNxYRy7dmfdzY9FcmRJx5a5FAe0lgHLvPFg9/s200/2016+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">heritage</span></i><br />
<em><span style="color: #660000;"></span></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEWCHc32jkdMl-31GIv21-4yJpwK5gLueXyB8uHjQhqWwoT-dwmUKD0FKodBj8xhPB90sLaTcTkxsWX9bD7FA-hM1KoJ2MQgmOjv1iVPP09ldlYpGKvqy93An4W-Eh5dWfDNwgEdav0Yr/s1600/1+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Rods+custom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEWCHc32jkdMl-31GIv21-4yJpwK5gLueXyB8uHjQhqWwoT-dwmUKD0FKodBj8xhPB90sLaTcTkxsWX9bD7FA-hM1KoJ2MQgmOjv1iVPP09ldlYpGKvqy93An4W-Eh5dWfDNwgEdav0Yr/s320/1+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Rods+custom.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" width="213" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 2016, Cutter made his first bamboo fly rod. He took our July class with seven other students and hung in as well as the rest of them. We cannot be certain but Cutter is probably the youngest person to make a bamboo fly rod from start to finish</span>. </h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRD42P3-HH4sCdBPw2ouMLom1ALiQUvo5bxHfSpr-JvUce6aoU7aXxAksSUaDJC58B4y380svI0bsnzgW5qpChGTtZ0DsQTjdN7-L3bAddS7iWsrwNxbAycRK-9zcqkFptTo1YwluV4TtQ/s1600/cutter+oyster+and+bill+oyster+making+bamboo+fly+rods+july+2016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRD42P3-HH4sCdBPw2ouMLom1ALiQUvo5bxHfSpr-JvUce6aoU7aXxAksSUaDJC58B4y380svI0bsnzgW5qpChGTtZ0DsQTjdN7-L3bAddS7iWsrwNxbAycRK-9zcqkFptTo1YwluV4TtQ/s400/cutter+oyster+and+bill+oyster+making+bamboo+fly+rods+july+2016.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BHvdlRij9xZ/?taken-by=oysterbamboo" target="_blank">He took over our Instagram account here and worth a read.</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRQvBd0uCQYPLhnKxN60-UzG8JNMQH1lCS_ZvI-JJuzH2SSjgdvQZpXxCL8YL5PkHPift12RIiMbuUtR7PbZUi_PPXTKk5cneGJRREWGSiUbroOmEH7x76SAb7TvNI8CBjxNiKxVH-cT2/s1600/kathy+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+10th+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtRQvBd0uCQYPLhnKxN60-UzG8JNMQH1lCS_ZvI-JJuzH2SSjgdvQZpXxCL8YL5PkHPift12RIiMbuUtR7PbZUi_PPXTKk5cneGJRREWGSiUbroOmEH7x76SAb7TvNI8CBjxNiKxVH-cT2/s320/kathy+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+10th+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2016 also revealed Oyster's first student to take 10 classes. We met Kathy at a trade show 15 years ago and she has been threaded in our lives ever since. Sometimes we just get lucky. We could not let this momentous occasion go without a celebration...and a cake. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While we NEVER expected this to happen, we realized there were quite a few students approaching their <strong>10th class.</strong> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So...we started the "Oyster 10 Class Club". We can proudly say that our wall is filling up with semi-retired aprons.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9nRFjrAcVAyI5hHO_PaZNzHc8arqDiKyx84EK-QqrukfFNqWEBpymHk-c41EyHWEHn5H7DEDTVeqJfemgYjl5LQoIn7laNN6xNM0cZAitsaDTKEJZvSGHl7G3UXacAjQE9DxZBluQ2F9/s1600/2017+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV9nRFjrAcVAyI5hHO_PaZNzHc8arqDiKyx84EK-QqrukfFNqWEBpymHk-c41EyHWEHn5H7DEDTVeqJfemgYjl5LQoIn7laNN6xNM0cZAitsaDTKEJZvSGHl7G3UXacAjQE9DxZBluQ2F9/s200/2017+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #660000;">handcrafted</span></i><br />
<em><span style="color: #660000;"></span></em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UqrRdXtG58GVfb0DzGubziaFckC6VBfZID7z-FJxmzGpiK8dP8TVq9Ix6_iLleoU6ljYGx4dglL-kRfLjxWiYX6EefWnX_rmIWVgDzdFAXXgmMGrMbgayFby-m9i8yxX0oXg3KUROlT3/s1600/bill+oyster+bamoo+fly+rods+splitting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UqrRdXtG58GVfb0DzGubziaFckC6VBfZID7z-FJxmzGpiK8dP8TVq9Ix6_iLleoU6ljYGx4dglL-kRfLjxWiYX6EefWnX_rmIWVgDzdFAXXgmMGrMbgayFby-m9i8yxX0oXg3KUROlT3/s400/bill+oyster+bamoo+fly+rods+splitting.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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</h3>
<h3>
2017 was time for a showroom redo. </h3>
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This space in an extension of our reverence for the handcrafted bamboo fly rod. </h3>
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Welcome.</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmqhyxeJsa5dj0WhszI-M_yRmLw_Ze3hOZyvXuSXaag0kAIpGs_o5mTxYevSZNpguhug_z4O5WdHUPMt8mdTs9CiknBlKYLMazWOPlsMS34zIs9URzOKp_uggXMC7ytc32Kp574nfrb4F/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+showroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="582" data-original-width="1600" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSmqhyxeJsa5dj0WhszI-M_yRmLw_Ze3hOZyvXuSXaag0kAIpGs_o5mTxYevSZNpguhug_z4O5WdHUPMt8mdTs9CiknBlKYLMazWOPlsMS34zIs9URzOKp_uggXMC7ytc32Kp574nfrb4F/s640/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+showroom.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMFVIr0tXNsLiDKXwRXbuN3H7_5rfDFvM_09__I3cIF_3hy6GLqYruaTrQCSr6h7E08Xtko6V8YrXzyUTla_Kl4Vtr9kmiEiPkcJ3R5Xnm-HS0CTAUD3UCaJ4VHq6eAESxkVYIPkFTsuk/s1600/hand+engraved+redfish+knife+with+gold+inlay+and+9+wt+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" border="0" data-original-height="876" data-original-width="701" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPMFVIr0tXNsLiDKXwRXbuN3H7_5rfDFvM_09__I3cIF_3hy6GLqYruaTrQCSr6h7E08Xtko6V8YrXzyUTla_Kl4Vtr9kmiEiPkcJ3R5Xnm-HS0CTAUD3UCaJ4VHq6eAESxkVYIPkFTsuk/s320/hand+engraved+redfish+knife+with+gold+inlay+and+9+wt+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods hand engraved fly rod" width="256" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji41ATYhvvHpAs67dzhHSkhLzmVeUw8P1mFERohoLecKdjM4L883SWBhrgIggfL_ZczAY6sP74whwJNkATbgDVDRfELXRDoPaFf7HMVjx7yKd0Z3MFRC7_hbbfSYIhNfO5k5Si5JG1CaLE/s1600/bill+oyster+artist+in+residence+garden+and+gun.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods block plane" border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji41ATYhvvHpAs67dzhHSkhLzmVeUw8P1mFERohoLecKdjM4L883SWBhrgIggfL_ZczAY6sP74whwJNkATbgDVDRfELXRDoPaFf7HMVjx7yKd0Z3MFRC7_hbbfSYIhNfO5k5Si5JG1CaLE/s320/bill+oyster+artist+in+residence+garden+and+gun.jpeg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods block plane" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVhsrTj7QRcsme9OdmM715F07CaL8bTC6mitm0OgMqp6vOYrvF4FhAlxXL9gKVfkTIwm0iCKB0jOYjrdnnj0toobXwxyF-iACxWGA7_FqulmBFvLPBx1IVx7xCoYw4KUnwWjKl2d3ZvOn/s1600/Remodeled+Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+showroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="1600" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQVhsrTj7QRcsme9OdmM715F07CaL8bTC6mitm0OgMqp6vOYrvF4FhAlxXL9gKVfkTIwm0iCKB0jOYjrdnnj0toobXwxyF-iACxWGA7_FqulmBFvLPBx1IVx7xCoYw4KUnwWjKl2d3ZvOn/s640/Remodeled+Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+showroom.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoy1R-JRf2pnfZIcOl4ntSc1OJXlA9ffgHoKsLsQ6Fu0gc9ydNx6n1F7NyTvxKqle_hexYFzJYZA6sZOWk-w09d4jlZKTXLJ3d43-YmkK9700_tWVDbvQS5AaE_fDD-PkAH4J7TkQUtej/s1600/2018+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="872" data-original-width="1600" height="108" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGoy1R-JRf2pnfZIcOl4ntSc1OJXlA9ffgHoKsLsQ6Fu0gc9ydNx6n1F7NyTvxKqle_hexYFzJYZA6sZOWk-w09d4jlZKTXLJ3d43-YmkK9700_tWVDbvQS5AaE_fDD-PkAH4J7TkQUtej/s200/2018+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+logo+for+blog.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #660000;"> <b><i>perseverance and enjoying the struggle</i></b></span><br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqkcjUGMDm5_BpV5pUgChp-MIptmjgaxVtlSH35F-FoSd_6QG3lnSBMH8iVMGa4cR2Qe-Kke8isyzkAbQOg4y624s3ZrTMmKJ8GOcKjAycB1aiNdsOrbv_sJx674sinyhbs-h7kiP4x3/s1600/Perserverance+benjamin+franklin+hand+engraved+by+Bill+Oyster+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Rods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5oqkcjUGMDm5_BpV5pUgChp-MIptmjgaxVtlSH35F-FoSd_6QG3lnSBMH8iVMGa4cR2Qe-Kke8isyzkAbQOg4y624s3ZrTMmKJ8GOcKjAycB1aiNdsOrbv_sJx674sinyhbs-h7kiP4x3/s320/Perserverance+benjamin+franklin+hand+engraved+by+Bill+Oyster+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Rods.jpg" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"></span></em></strong><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
20 years ago, Bill set out to make the world's finest bamboo fly rods. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
We were among the youngest exhibitors at the fly fishing shows and our craft had not yet experienced the renaissance it enjoys today. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
We carved out our own version of events...a parallel universe per se... both professionally and personally. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
Along the way, we became full-time craftsmen, parents and business people. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
We powered through a major recession, laughed, loved and lost...</span></h3>
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</h3>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
We persevered.</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"></span></em></strong><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"></span><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">We flourished in the struggle.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"></span><br />
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</h3>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
20 years ago, Oyster started with a couple of<strike> escape artists</strike> idealists, a 200 square-foot workshop, a bamboo fly rod that took 6 months to complete, perforated business cards and took every opportunity afforded us. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
20 years later, we make the modern standard for the revered hand engraved bamboo fly rod with as much efficiency as time affords, own a 6000-square-foot brick and mortar shop solely dedicated to the art of bamboo fly rods in the mountains on Main Street, ascend with our tribe, unarguably teach more people to make bamboo fly rods than anyone in the world...ever, travel, fly fish and connect with the earth and it's tidings. </span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ00A0FkCH8b2TvVnEzbfYoGwrn5j_OYZCyiYHis6gZk2jhZ8xGKwlogMTRp2aBQG5BpRHH3k_bhcqFMcB1finwZbvC1SXJcPASsmLzbaAQaU9JoIvmhNZszY85fwjDyXlZVyJTOWfoVTU/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018++bill+and+shannen+love+story.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" border="0" data-original-height="1168" data-original-width="1562" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ00A0FkCH8b2TvVnEzbfYoGwrn5j_OYZCyiYHis6gZk2jhZ8xGKwlogMTRp2aBQG5BpRHH3k_bhcqFMcB1finwZbvC1SXJcPASsmLzbaAQaU9JoIvmhNZszY85fwjDyXlZVyJTOWfoVTU/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+20+year+anniversary+1998+to+2018++bill+and+shannen+love+story.JPG" title="20 years of oyster bamboo fly rods" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Boy meets girl</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Girl loves boy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boy makes beautiful things</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Girl tells everyone</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Boy still loves her meatballs</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><em>Boy and Girl know the best is yet to come.</em> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">"For the American </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Fly Fisher,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">the Bamboo Fly Rod</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">is our</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large;">Samurai Sword."</span></div>
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-Bill Oyster</div>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comBlue Ridge, GA 30513, USA34.8869359 -84.3752329999999834.4697104 -85.020679999999984 35.3041614 -83.729785999999976tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-89317084220338742872017-03-01T11:49:00.002-05:002017-03-11T15:38:57.543-05:00So, you married a hardcore fly fisherman? <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf9Z0zGbN7Tg6M1sHHK68uh1D8BiR_Hb1FhjHJZu1S8Rzm8Bxwjxrtg-USz9or_ilcOSFwVJiQXCOV3UampUhrkhRYRSmomGy38AtyTF8SwTq813delRbOIyivJGxCN6E7gvIV5WkT385/s1600/snow+day+for+bill+oyster+and+riley+G+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZf9Z0zGbN7Tg6M1sHHK68uh1D8BiR_Hb1FhjHJZu1S8Rzm8Bxwjxrtg-USz9or_ilcOSFwVJiQXCOV3UampUhrkhRYRSmomGy38AtyTF8SwTq813delRbOIyivJGxCN6E7gvIV5WkT385/s640/snow+day+for+bill+oyster+and+riley+G+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The postman has nothing on the fly fisherman. photo credit: David Cannon</td></tr>
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<i>So, when I met Bill...I knew he was a fly fisherman. In fact, on our first date we went fly fishing (technically the second date but this time around he actually talked to me *see introvert references and Bill being a man of very few words).</i> </h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The early years...yes, I married this.</td></tr>
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I did not think too much of it at the time. I love fish. I fancy myself a mermaid of sorts (*see 8-year-old at heart reference). I enthusiastically professed to Bill that I was the "outdoorsy" type (I mean...I did own a pair of Vasque hiking boots) and I spent much of my youth fishing in our suburb pond that was so polluted with yard perfecting chemicals that I once tried to rescue all of the brim by placing them in buckets and brought them home to be my pets. We all know how that <strike>scarred me for life</strike> ended. <br />
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From the beginning, it was clear that Bill had "fish brain". <br />
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Every book he read, gift he requested, trip he coveted and thought beyond a basic need was about fish. Yep. I knew who he was and he made zero effort to conceal what can I can clearly now describe as being possessed.<br />
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Don't get me wrong...I have total respect for any passionate diversion from life. I grew up in a family that celebrated any interesting avocation...namely hobbies. Hobbies defined us in our household. We were pushed to explore all that was available to us and "full immersion" into any extra curricular activity was a highly regarded behavior. <br />
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I knew his kind. <br />
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Or did I? Most hobbies have an expiration of sorts. You either evolve, master it or simply age out. It appears as though that does not occur with the fly fishing thing. It's the ever evolving sport in it's own right, impossible to master and well...I know more than one person that actually died of old age while fishing (it's true).<br />
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Let's just be honest...the signs were clear from the beginning (*see first date we went fly fishing reference). And, did I mention that he "left" his fly rod in my car insuring another meeting? Oh, and he also left a copy of "A River Runs Through it" in my car (*see cliché reference...so be it).<br />
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There were other signs. Some subtle and then the not-so-subtle. For example...after being married only a few short months and our cat walked by me in the living room...shaved...shaved all of the way from his hind legs to his belly. Bald. When pushed, Bill finally admitted that he needed orange tying material. Poor Peanut. That was only the beginning...<br />
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Here's my own personal collective of...<br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">TOP 10 (okay 11) WAYS YOU KNOW YOU MARRIED </span></h2>
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<span style="color: #444444;">A HARD CORE FLY FISHERMAN</span></h2>
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<i>#1 Your child learns to tie a fly before his shoes.</i> </h3>
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<i>#2 Waders have become acceptable décor (huge sigh here...).</i></h3>
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<i>#3 When four hours of a vacation day (any random vacation day) is hijacked by riding around some random town looking for a random brim popper or whatever other random fly pattern may catch some random fish in some random golf course pond.</i></h3>
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<i>#4 His favorite activity at Disney is feeding the giant carp in the ponds outside of Epcot. </i></h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep</td></tr>
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<i>#5 He cannot find his underwear in the morning yet mysteriously is able to navigate miles and miles of a primitive back country trail leading to a small stream...full of trout. Or, how about this...he cannot find ANYTHING pertaining to everyday life but can find a tarpon/redfish/snook in the middle of the ocean!?!?!? Am I right?</i></h3>
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<i>#6 When his insistence to share the love of fly fishing and the desire for you to catch trout with him is so intense that he straps you to his back with a belt and trudges in rushing chest deep water across the Frying Pan River to get to a honey hole full of Rainbows. (editor's note: I did indeed catch a lot of fish that day until the bear thing).</i></h3>
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<i>#7 When you receive a text like this:</i></h3>
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<i>#8 When your 5-year-old little girl can double haul.</i></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kXVk31gyZ_AT_q569G_-_EgZeh4I9mOTEZCcAsMWFDt7X6VyjhOrYOV0CrQ8PzOvTsBt-zVayODOk4IRGGmal_7ITACtfaw9Wi4GKQHbQftQC0vjDkHa2u9vcWHmEsiGAbS5t3SxWZGL/s1600/roni+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+casting%2521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kXVk31gyZ_AT_q569G_-_EgZeh4I9mOTEZCcAsMWFDt7X6VyjhOrYOV0CrQ8PzOvTsBt-zVayODOk4IRGGmal_7ITACtfaw9Wi4GKQHbQftQC0vjDkHa2u9vcWHmEsiGAbS5t3SxWZGL/s400/roni+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+casting%2521.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i> #9 When you bring up the idea of buying a boat for the lake and he convinces you that a 17 foot flats boat is indeed family friendly. So, when we go to the lake for "family day" we cram 4 adults, 2 children, one huge cooler and 2 paddle boards on this formidable vessel. No really...it seems almost normal until I write this...</i></h3>
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<i>#10 When the hatch is on...Bill is gone. Gone gone. Like so gone...</i></h3>
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<i>#11 Ummmm...when you live in the mountains in rural North Georgia to be close to fish and make <a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rods</a> for a living.</i></h3>
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<i>I would be remiss not to mention that because of Bill's said "excessive enthusiasm", I am fortunate enough to travel to the most exquisite destinations on earth </i><strike><i>(except that one), </i></strike><i>meet some of the most fascinating people on earth </i><strike><i>(except that one),</i></strike><i> learn the most thoughtful sport on earth and live an unimaginable life...</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i> ...a life that I could have never even dreamt of on that first date sitting on a rock in the woods, starring at the my Vasque hiking boots being lulled into love while listening to Bill discuss the merits of a woolly booger pattern.</i><br />
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slo<br />
<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-76153148658390708362017-01-26T21:57:00.004-05:002017-01-26T21:57:40.192-05:00Space, Time and the Bamboo Fly Rod<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9N06ko_ruKYWXWiQQFapuseP4cvX0K7hBJae4pdVhMrDOEs_UxfprgeLwfsI6pz3xS3_qwOXvp5eClyOJS-Jbm8X0DcOip4t0nSvI72AO5x-HyFLXxcRGhw5byft5ENO2AqzjInWBiEU/s1600/IMG_0287.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9N06ko_ruKYWXWiQQFapuseP4cvX0K7hBJae4pdVhMrDOEs_UxfprgeLwfsI6pz3xS3_qwOXvp5eClyOJS-Jbm8X0DcOip4t0nSvI72AO5x-HyFLXxcRGhw5byft5ENO2AqzjInWBiEU/s400/IMG_0287.png" width="327" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>word</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br /></blockquote>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
It’s a new year…well kind of…</h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
can we still say it’s a new year
when it is almost 7% over </h3>
<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
(I did the “mathish” on that). </h3>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">In usual form, Oyster lunged into the New Year with dust
kicking up all around us oblivious to the inevitable reflection and pause
experienced by most as a “New Beginning” was celebrated.</span></div>
<br />
<h3 style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
It’s just space and time, right? </h3>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8n4gGaw13cFPW-J4YcPoZrUnIzBKBPoAGnGCIQisGfnNjG1BC4Of3wPkeDXn8Ho6Ed18qanxuX9nuoxEg1tAjnStSH4sXMddWDr82uA4dnS-PcgpZ1X4weoLpI0EGxaEnn4Uq3HKzuh6/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+october+2016+blue+ridge+ga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN8n4gGaw13cFPW-J4YcPoZrUnIzBKBPoAGnGCIQisGfnNjG1BC4Of3wPkeDXn8Ho6Ed18qanxuX9nuoxEg1tAjnStSH4sXMddWDr82uA4dnS-PcgpZ1X4weoLpI0EGxaEnn4Uq3HKzuh6/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+october+2016+blue+ridge+ga.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eTs7CLI35qqpVFSaYlL_aE9V_h1ha-3DiHfZq14-pTiy5aU4Puc3d4x7f4fFzhn6rFlj0SL0xg6cNV4QNPf0J36Fx_cQ2ILpi82bmJyQI5EQTIXrqgq1GNGEyyB6INIuoxbTXgH-0NdT/s1600/oyster+love+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eTs7CLI35qqpVFSaYlL_aE9V_h1ha-3DiHfZq14-pTiy5aU4Puc3d4x7f4fFzhn6rFlj0SL0xg6cNV4QNPf0J36Fx_cQ2ILpi82bmJyQI5EQTIXrqgq1GNGEyyB6INIuoxbTXgH-0NdT/s200/oyster+love+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The Oyster Tribe Vibe</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
So, we exited 2016 completely shocked that it was already
over dripping with gratitude that once again Oyster was able to flourish in
every possible direction. We dug in
harder as a tribe, made several technical and creative innovations with our
<a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rods </a>and explored new fly fishing destinations. This
inevitably led to a deeper understanding of ourselves, our business, our
treasured clients and our beloved trade.</h4>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYzxNWSiiTWDY0y4yq7maJQsWjU3N1lK5b0X2PqGSitrWvgrM2B6EJkRSqz79o-xGA-JipImr9ShKDU6lmOhZHnNByb3rFvbv1uDwx1ORtb507rZXZaggGz0eOLl-thyfaLTev68zNKM2/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+reels+and+lightest+bamboo+fly+rod+one+piece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvYzxNWSiiTWDY0y4yq7maJQsWjU3N1lK5b0X2PqGSitrWvgrM2B6EJkRSqz79o-xGA-JipImr9ShKDU6lmOhZHnNByb3rFvbv1uDwx1ORtb507rZXZaggGz0eOLl-thyfaLTev68zNKM2/s640/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+reels+and+lightest+bamboo+fly+rod+one+piece.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Oyster growth in the form of 3.6 OZ one piece and new Tibor reel collection</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background: yellow; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">Of course, all of this growth </span><s><span style="font-family: "calibri";">exhausts me while trying to
keep two children alive </span></s><span style="font-family: "calibri";">leads to my inevitable (yet humorous and
heartwarming) reflection of another year gone. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Sigh.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">If it’s just space and time and some form of inexplicable continuum
of whatnot…then I really should feel privileged to remember any of it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvAYDU8_97Nn_14bEyR-xv2-8IrUP9V_oQtrLCQrD6xc1zxI2GPDtOH9ODt0ByH7YoFwE8NS228xMjtGCl8ewSnUsTdhdPsxCG-6j8AnAHsuTPH_ZYvw08NPvNNJK27ZNEp4BnaYl8Yo3/s1600/jim+k+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+colorado.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWvAYDU8_97Nn_14bEyR-xv2-8IrUP9V_oQtrLCQrD6xc1zxI2GPDtOH9ODt0ByH7YoFwE8NS228xMjtGCl8ewSnUsTdhdPsxCG-6j8AnAHsuTPH_ZYvw08NPvNNJK27ZNEp4BnaYl8Yo3/s640/jim+k+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+colorado.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, fish, fish</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">And while we have already dragged out the 2018 calendar and hung it on the wall for the imminent reference... </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am present and grateful beyond words… </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";">I am beholden to each and every moment…</span></div>
<br />
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 11px; text-align: center;">
<i>Beholden to our </i><a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2011/11/american-dreams-and-oyster-bamboo-fly.html" target="_blank"><i>American Dream</i></a><i>. It is such a privilege to have successfully taken advantage of the opportunities provided to us not only through our own grit but that of our ancestors</i>...</h4>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i>Beholden to each and every moment spent with our <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/classgallery.html" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making students</a>. You know who you are...your presence, stories and adulation for the craft of bamboo fly rod making and fly fishing rests forever within our walls... </i></h4>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ6FUSZ7jGLa3I-lXfUuGdeU9W2N85DJW9i3i_HfK7uYUKTOqFP8opOlsMrrYy_-Yhj3YGQQG2GXs7TsyXVFdy7h_Atd3tI6MAfXlUBjsPepDYm-ADAE0zH5vGYfXTG04P8x9cOX953Lo/s1600/students+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+2016-2017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJ6FUSZ7jGLa3I-lXfUuGdeU9W2N85DJW9i3i_HfK7uYUKTOqFP8opOlsMrrYy_-Yhj3YGQQG2GXs7TsyXVFdy7h_Atd3tI6MAfXlUBjsPepDYm-ADAE0zH5vGYfXTG04P8x9cOX953Lo/s640/students+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+2016-2017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><br /></span></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi880DQfLLbM0KrH4FHSsTUty1kA3RTaVPbJC8rbv0Oc5M3dXmre9DmArQtVmyc8DOxQsVFxfs1N870O5Q5MVz8urZS32fObjpXryih3_03um0NfMko0enaHp4uigOkpCxuul-Vb78pOo6/s1600/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi880DQfLLbM0KrH4FHSsTUty1kA3RTaVPbJC8rbv0Oc5M3dXmre9DmArQtVmyc8DOxQsVFxfs1N870O5Q5MVz8urZS32fObjpXryih3_03um0NfMko0enaHp4uigOkpCxuul-Vb78pOo6/s320/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" width="256" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi880DQfLLbM0KrH4FHSsTUty1kA3RTaVPbJC8rbv0Oc5M3dXmre9DmArQtVmyc8DOxQsVFxfs1N870O5Q5MVz8urZS32fObjpXryih3_03um0NfMko0enaHp4uigOkpCxuul-Vb78pOo6/s1600/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><div>
</div>
</a><i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Beholden to the curious who unwittingly stumble into our shop on Main Street in Blue Ridge, Georgia and have a visceral reaction to our small family business..</i><i>.</i></h4>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Beholden to every dinner invite, photo sent, thank you note, bottle of wine, thoughtful gifts and trips to the general store for Cutter and Veronica...</i></h4>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
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<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i>Beholden to our Oyster bamboo fly rod clients who trust us to preserve their legacy through Bill's hand engraving...</i></h4>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Beholden that we are able to raise a family and run our family business side by side...</i></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Beholden to our clients who repeatedly choose Oyster. YOU have no idea how much we will never take your faith in us and loyalty for granted...</i></h4>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgMJGAYGfIFVag1guLesCY62dvPK9iayTVOCc2Bi1uvhRcfZymLUcc-6YHPN3w0kqjcvbIAmbW3UsuSUOLPmuKTJ9pl66GHp2VpcRJFCV_T6-RCwfWSxMW3oeZQfbCdmPTCw3_VXZ7w7e/s1600/shannen+and+babies+2017+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgMJGAYGfIFVag1guLesCY62dvPK9iayTVOCc2Bi1uvhRcfZymLUcc-6YHPN3w0kqjcvbIAmbW3UsuSUOLPmuKTJ9pl66GHp2VpcRJFCV_T6-RCwfWSxMW3oeZQfbCdmPTCw3_VXZ7w7e/s400/shannen+and+babies+2017+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ummmm...it feels like </i><strike><i>1997</i></strike><i> 2016 was yesterday.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4 style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 48px; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<i><br /></i></h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgMJGAYGfIFVag1guLesCY62dvPK9iayTVOCc2Bi1uvhRcfZymLUcc-6YHPN3w0kqjcvbIAmbW3UsuSUOLPmuKTJ9pl66GHp2VpcRJFCV_T6-RCwfWSxMW3oeZQfbCdmPTCw3_VXZ7w7e/s1600/shannen+and+babies+2017+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><br /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"><br /></span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
But, it’s just space and time, right? </h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM2nF1rVlwwaRk6_9oc_p-XnAX-9spE_MScKDjmDqzgX7dSUzn_kYe6p3VJhcR4Apl1vWbR9i1ndFmVCsyyOLVtxvgkNLl6qPM1NYMd_R_ukpThAVCOm0SbEehXX8uxILPNLssmHwXBBY/s1600/shannen+oyster+round+and+round+bamboo+fly+rods.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikM2nF1rVlwwaRk6_9oc_p-XnAX-9spE_MScKDjmDqzgX7dSUzn_kYe6p3VJhcR4Apl1vWbR9i1ndFmVCsyyOLVtxvgkNLl6qPM1NYMd_R_ukpThAVCOm0SbEehXX8uxILPNLssmHwXBBY/s200/shannen+oyster+round+and+round+bamboo+fly+rods.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 11px;">
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</div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-38603391109899436472016-11-27T16:49:00.000-05:002016-11-27T17:20:03.063-05:00Small is the new Big <div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">
Them:</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">"You should franchise Oyster or try and build your brand large enough to sell it."</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">
Me:</span></b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">"No."</span></i></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm-OiJbM0IkfX37ecyNvvNqrwltHQvWNqa-RUqTEF8p9tT19CAVpc2nPQRNz-9AdN2DkdLAJh3crf-ova8avs682TIOja623B2WN_Hp3e-QFcd_BIhW7W_P76_hDIAXEzIQK7V0Pp_0WL/s1600/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivm-OiJbM0IkfX37ecyNvvNqrwltHQvWNqa-RUqTEF8p9tT19CAVpc2nPQRNz-9AdN2DkdLAJh3crf-ova8avs682TIOja623B2WN_Hp3e-QFcd_BIhW7W_P76_hDIAXEzIQK7V0Pp_0WL/s320/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
20 years ago, we decided that <a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">making bamboo fly rods</a> for a living was a good idea. Why? Why would we ever dream that our passage into adulthood commerce should be anything less or more than a simple choice regarding the direction of our lives? Everyone else was doing it...not building bamboo fly rods necessarily but our "contemporaries per say" were getting out of school and <strike>jockeying for position</strike> obtaining jobs that seemed to make a serious impact on the remainder of their lives as well...<i>at least it felt that way in your 20s.</i> <br />
<br />
So, let's be brutally honest HERE. Bill and I grew up in the 80s. The honeymoon for "big, fast and cheap" was simply incubating with ambitions well beyond our imaginations. By the time we finished college, disposable products that made an impression no matter how temporary dug in and enveloped our culture.<br />
<br />
<i>Bigger. Faster. Cheaper.</i><br />
<br />
In some ways, the same mantra applied when most of us chose our careers. It only made sense. Following your dreams and ultimately doing what you love was<strike> just a bunch of bullshit told to you by well-intended strangers</strike> seemingly reserved for the three people we watched succeed at some obscure art in a documentary once and <strike>people with too much time on their hands</strike> the independently wealthy. So, really...we were actually being guided all along not to explore our dreams but instead to ask ourselves..."What do we do to make as much money as possible as easily as possible so we can ideally pursue our true interests on weekends, paid vacations and just before we die <strike>if we are lucky enough to live that long</strike>?"<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF5FWHiQbgq5Ils8xOnb2uWQFcDt_Runrz0FMznLuK_V_GRrglZIpS1nKNS8a6TwsE5Z5dipz3luZVxMWshvdgWThF3KBss_0pQluwuNJXhvYac2_6Pvz_9AnMVa0E5JpzMhdHJxUa5uS/s1600/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwF5FWHiQbgq5Ils8xOnb2uWQFcDt_Runrz0FMznLuK_V_GRrglZIpS1nKNS8a6TwsE5Z5dipz3luZVxMWshvdgWThF3KBss_0pQluwuNJXhvYac2_6Pvz_9AnMVa0E5JpzMhdHJxUa5uS/s320/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+35.jpg" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No memo here...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
Except...we did not get that memo. And, honestly, we still do not know why we chose the smallest most ill-conceived hand crafted limited obsolete profession possibly on earth. And then MOVED to the smallest most ill-conceived ridiculous most obsolete little town on earth.<br />
<br />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Bamboo fly rod making chose us. </h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwO9fTbuOUB2c3CkICDpKc8JUrcwH9HMUnnyNvnZ9GRIVHb2oJELhk-l2wTMgWlbiLwrmupw4VFriyYK43KSfg7GQd20mIo0JZUmEp2ey2zVyfdt8HIPaZPmoPhj-kN5RzsgQWOoQ1hSQ/s1600/extraordinary+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+hand+engraved+heirloom+bill+oyster.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwO9fTbuOUB2c3CkICDpKc8JUrcwH9HMUnnyNvnZ9GRIVHb2oJELhk-l2wTMgWlbiLwrmupw4VFriyYK43KSfg7GQd20mIo0JZUmEp2ey2zVyfdt8HIPaZPmoPhj-kN5RzsgQWOoQ1hSQ/s320/extraordinary+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+hand+engraved+heirloom+bill+oyster.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Blue Ridge, Georgia chose us.</h4>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLtFjrjm2GBqMHUNbmNCc3aI2YIZba6Cf3lCjOn4gmQ3tLSEz-bsCQMEqi7CBTA4Lyb3Y7WCNxPnELFGwcdJiJP4JYHnVVfwt3fZItGv9B8GpyTP6zsgLVDIhLF6E712-f7-NgvlQ4kqk/s1600/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqLtFjrjm2GBqMHUNbmNCc3aI2YIZba6Cf3lCjOn4gmQ3tLSEz-bsCQMEqi7CBTA4Lyb3Y7WCNxPnELFGwcdJiJP4JYHnVVfwt3fZItGv9B8GpyTP6zsgLVDIhLF6E712-f7-NgvlQ4kqk/s320/class+at+bamboo+fly+rods+by+bill+oyster+14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Or should I say the overwhelming desire to pursue our lifestyle chose us. </h4>
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<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Small. Slow. Real.</h2>
<br />
We can all agree that times have changed over the past two decades. Small businesses command more respect as does the craftsman and the virtuousness of the handmade item...not to mention bamboo fly rods in the fly fishing industry. <br />
<br />
In the beginning, fly fishing trade shows were the most effective way to reach potential clients. The internet was still in its infancy and fly fishing was basking in "A River Runs Through It" Renaissance. However, bamboo fly rods were not having any sort of "rebirth"...yet. (see faster and cheaper reference...fly fishing was not immune either).<br />
<i></i><br />
<i>The "GO BIG" </i><strike><i>misconception</i></strike><i> mentality about our business was prevalent from day one. We would sit at these trade shows in the 90s, 2000s and beyond and </i><strike><i>get giggled at </i></strike><i>receive (again) fatherly advice from the sympathetic (after they stopped giggling at our ambitions):</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftW752gozS5N_iDpDjZj-9_soI_zUWTdGQYlMD0L2bj8RSmK5ZG2baxl52wL-1oZzinE4dM5jatDwgLZOi677eExqP3G3cl7itOkMV8K_ffTYvXJzpsnYmG61BKhqKqQvhiBIw_kAxMtD/s1600/class+3-9-08+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgftW752gozS5N_iDpDjZj-9_soI_zUWTdGQYlMD0L2bj8RSmK5ZG2baxl52wL-1oZzinE4dM5jatDwgLZOi677eExqP3G3cl7itOkMV8K_ffTYvXJzpsnYmG61BKhqKqQvhiBIw_kAxMtD/s320/class+3-9-08+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OLD school trade show photo!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<b>Them:</b> <i> "Hmmmm...you can only make money at this if you have the blanks made in China and use your name."</i><br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>"No."</i><br />
<b></b><br />
<b>Them:</b> <i>"You should work for Orvis, Sage, Winston..."</i><br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>"No."</i><br />
<br />
<b>Them:</b> <i>"You should move to Colorado."</i><br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>"That would be nice but...ummmm...no."</i><br />
<br />
<b>Them:</b> <i>"You cannot possibly do this on your own. You should get a professional sporting or collectables representative."</i><br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>"No."</i><br />
<br />
<b>Them:</b> <i>"See...here is how you sell custom bamboo fly rods...make people wait...a really long time, limit their customization options because customers will kill you on those details. You tell them what they want."</i><br />
<i>*editor's note* This sentiment was told to us repeatedly...really.</i><br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>"No."</i><br />
<br />
<b>Them:</b> <i>"Aren't you afraid if you share your knowledge of the craft with others...you will essentially be teaching your competition."</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"No."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApNrI6_YdQ3NQ95ib99csrsYyl1-VNnVtuPUMTo4WqwYIXy7N45DGtzNdbnybiJD0lkzXnNQq3rw_RWcywhhX353xmXxmgfXiBmmSuNj9RA5pMXHp_933x3sz_w6mthC1v3G2t-4pyYf1/s1600/cutter+wrapping+oyster+bambo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhApNrI6_YdQ3NQ95ib99csrsYyl1-VNnVtuPUMTo4WqwYIXy7N45DGtzNdbnybiJD0lkzXnNQq3rw_RWcywhhX353xmXxmgfXiBmmSuNj9RA5pMXHp_933x3sz_w6mthC1v3G2t-4pyYf1/s320/cutter+wrapping+oyster+bambo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
And while this sounds like we say no a lot...we truly DO listen to our clients and have become a successful small business because we listen. </h3>
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Bamboo fly rod making...that looks cool. Will you teach me how to make one?"</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"Yes"</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Will you build a rod and tailor the taper specifically to the type of fishing I prefer?</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"Yes."</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"I need a very special rod built for a very special retirement/birthday/anniversary/holiday...but we need it soon. Will you please try and squeeze us into your schedule?"</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"Yes."</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Is it possible to tell a story on my favorite bamboo fly rod? Will you learn to hand engrave to forever preserve the legacy of such a heirloom."</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"Yes."</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Will each and every one of your bamboo fly rods live up to your near "beyond reproach" standards aesthetically and performance related?"</i><br />
<b>Us:</b> <i>"Yes."</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Will you always push modern limits while preserving and respecting the tradition and heritage of the hand crafted bamboo fly rod?"</i><br />
<b>Us</b>: <i>"Yes."</i><br />
<br />
<b>You:</b> <i>"Is it possible that you are exactly as you seem on your antiquated web site? Are you indeed a small little shop on Main Street making awesome things while raising children underfoot in an absurd little mountain town in Georgia?"</i><br />
<b></b>Us: <i>"Yes. We are simply not savvy enough for smoke and mirrors."</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal6EcKywEGRbNXr4xyMEZ5mm0y7Vjpa49_6OdfMfKIMoxdY7g25EdrEyFT9HZKxx-GN0toVpzu39Gdz2BPaOYLqDYRciN5EB-fy1BdThkPvTZqtT9pf6IzECiDqOeZF_nL09TRUUpr6jb/s1600/three+redfish+on+oyster+bamboo+9wt.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgal6EcKywEGRbNXr4xyMEZ5mm0y7Vjpa49_6OdfMfKIMoxdY7g25EdrEyFT9HZKxx-GN0toVpzu39Gdz2BPaOYLqDYRciN5EB-fy1BdThkPvTZqtT9pf6IzECiDqOeZF_nL09TRUUpr6jb/s320/three+redfish+on+oyster+bamboo+9wt.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Small. Slow. Real.</h2>
<br />
And while we do not aspire to have our logo cantilevered over any given highway peering out from any given strip mall...we do realize there is merit applied to starting a business alone for profit and growth. We have just chosen <b>lifestyle</b> over a <b>bottom line</b> of any sort. <br />
<br />
Bamboo Fly Rods...<br />
<br />
Unarguably the worst business idea ever.<br />
<br />
However, the best lifestyle choice ever.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Small is the new Big.</b></i><br />
<br />
Shannen<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS5Sh11AN4a_PfkWmExhc7hl1i2XqLvMVR88t6KgIQoWG24AK8I59W_nhkgtTod_2bLF1mkEvJTnS3RlsTJPKIvZlOxKI9r2qg7FRMTMugBmfNPF642yf8pHLx0iqMBR_1h7o41ScTBCu/s1600/me+at+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKS5Sh11AN4a_PfkWmExhc7hl1i2XqLvMVR88t6KgIQoWG24AK8I59W_nhkgtTod_2bLF1mkEvJTnS3RlsTJPKIvZlOxKI9r2qg7FRMTMugBmfNPF642yf8pHLx0iqMBR_1h7o41ScTBCu/s320/me+at+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-53391403064175778412016-02-19T00:11:00.000-05:002016-02-19T08:03:19.302-05:00Career Day and The Bamboo Fly Rod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc8TWWdZ7HGzmSmbpBdWdqwMaLVk7dPNGodTLWSzl8nw_Nx9VyNRl8RU9DGIbJR8fXIG_P-kvXyXTAXlfhbj5gey7AYvxD4YRy0O6xi20XbG9H4HlmahyNv6KzDHh16qwdu90LdKkMBDW/s1600/career+day+and+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDc8TWWdZ7HGzmSmbpBdWdqwMaLVk7dPNGodTLWSzl8nw_Nx9VyNRl8RU9DGIbJR8fXIG_P-kvXyXTAXlfhbj5gey7AYvxD4YRy0O6xi20XbG9H4HlmahyNv6KzDHh16qwdu90LdKkMBDW/s640/career+day+and+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Career Day at Blue Ridge Elementary</h2>
<strong>Bill:</strong> <em>What is your favorite thing to do in the whole world?</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<strong>Barrage of answers from the kids:</strong> <em>"Drawing!" "Hunting!" "Basketball!" "Writing!" "Hunting!" "Video Games!" "Horseback riding!" "Hunting!"</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<strong>Bill:</strong> <em>Now, imagine that you are able to do that "favorite thing" your entire life and make a living. .<a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">www.oysterbamboo.com</a></em>bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comBlue Ridge, GA 30513, USA34.8639719 -84.32408699999996334.8118594 -84.404767999999962 34.9160844 -84.243405999999965tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-25925015118404121812016-02-11T11:55:00.001-05:002016-03-21T16:54:52.253-04:00Main Street, The Bamboo Fly Rod and Love<h2 style="text-align: center;">
"Find what you love and let it kill you."</h2>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
- Bukowski</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb0IA55o1x5Q9CtfYKIttVL28sV4bX4qaOSl57uzCRAGlBg3oMCpsmKSB_3iVc_mq18UCIJfde9rEPqzHy_s2Sw_OtSJQvR0F6ipQbXOGHDMG3dcE8y6EKXmJ87mMD2JuJr3izkzXz97o/s1600/bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow+main+street+valentines+day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb0IA55o1x5Q9CtfYKIttVL28sV4bX4qaOSl57uzCRAGlBg3oMCpsmKSB_3iVc_mq18UCIJfde9rEPqzHy_s2Sw_OtSJQvR0F6ipQbXOGHDMG3dcE8y6EKXmJ87mMD2JuJr3izkzXz97o/s640/bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow+main+street+valentines+day.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinn, me (hiding), Roni and Cutter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPqb-PTdydBGMOjkwxXt5Xg5JPlBptA07Vgfi7JEPTXH7kKrjyKsonim5a974DKfQ0JtyLhMqUlIfQTt7qr0cd2DhCjr4bE9pS0rOo-4dT0FrYH16HFM_HU7tUKv1UOBSiP5W7gMQAtcY/s1600/my+girl+michelle+main+street+masseria+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvPqb-PTdydBGMOjkwxXt5Xg5JPlBptA07Vgfi7JEPTXH7kKrjyKsonim5a974DKfQ0JtyLhMqUlIfQTt7qr0cd2DhCjr4bE9pS0rOo-4dT0FrYH16HFM_HU7tUKv1UOBSiP5W7gMQAtcY/s640/my+girl+michelle+main+street+masseria+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My girl Michelle and her baked goods...that just happened to look like a heart today...really.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Bill and I don't celebrate Valentine's Day. We have never properly observed this particular holiday...well...we did once...23 years ago. While our memories of this fateful day are <strike>completely different </strike>vary just a bit, apparently it involved some rant on my part (say it ain't so) about <em>commercializing love, delusional expectations and exploiting a woman's insecurities. </em><br />
<br />
I know, I know...I groan as well looking back on my 22-year-old self for a variety of reasons (think of an even more absurd version of my current self...now, think of an even more absurd quasi adult and my 22-year-old self starts to come into focus). Give me a break please...I was in college. I was in Athens, Georgia. I was in the Journalism College. I worked for the art paper...in Athens, Georgia while studying journalism...this response was completely <strike>clichéd and expected</strike> rational given those circumstances.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
However, <strike>Bill refuses to let me forget how stupid I was </strike>we continue to ignore Valentine's Day year after year even if I <strike>want those new boots for a present </strike>have grown immensely. In our defense, We honestly don't need any one day of the year to celebrate love. <br />
<br />
Wait for it...<br />
<br />
Get ready to groan boorishly...<br />
<br />
We celebrate our love every day. We don't need a special day to single each other out. We say it, show it and feel it every day. <br />
<br />
Okay...sorry...exhale...<br />
<br />
However, except for my family and like 2 other people...ever...and the random dog...I personally do not show love to anyone else. I feel it but do not express it. And I don't feel like that's a detriment...just a "quirk". <strike>Or so I've been told.</strike><br />
<br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
But this year is different! </h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
This year I am DRIPPING with LOVE. This year my self proclaimed Valentine is Blue Ridge, Georgia...more specifically Main Street. Okay, a paved surface is a relatively inanimate object but it's a start.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9iBZx7v4n99zxBJ9vb0O27a7peIXc0_1lk3rplWpU4lufjrjEktqVXdPQxRb5bu0ALLkwSOkIl9N0mVc7YfPM-ZTuEq8Oryk8l7H7IDi_VCNiWvX0Nzh56jNm_-y98lDHzHEB2DpC6CK/s1600/back+yard+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9iBZx7v4n99zxBJ9vb0O27a7peIXc0_1lk3rplWpU4lufjrjEktqVXdPQxRb5bu0ALLkwSOkIl9N0mVc7YfPM-ZTuEq8Oryk8l7H7IDi_VCNiWvX0Nzh56jNm_-y98lDHzHEB2DpC6CK/s320/back+yard+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of our building on Main...below is the view from my office. See the bucket truck in the background? This random moment was captured when our sign was being installed...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8qEGqEe2HuoWkK0Uygj70RfPOJo5Z2OMVai-P_A1B9nf07aB-3cnz8t9cfaNvo1clhfgQeMiKPu0n2zrc0ip3_W9vs6WzYxhSOq5xUXW1qIu-wZVlGLy3GnCycf61ucsRcdDSb0wf60q/s1600/downtown+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8qEGqEe2HuoWkK0Uygj70RfPOJo5Z2OMVai-P_A1B9nf07aB-3cnz8t9cfaNvo1clhfgQeMiKPu0n2zrc0ip3_W9vs6WzYxhSOq5xUXW1qIu-wZVlGLy3GnCycf61ucsRcdDSb0wf60q/s400/downtown+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes...there is a train in our back yard.<br />
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Like any love story, the affection I feel for beloved Main Street has grown over the years. When we moved Oyster "on the Main", I found myself unexpectedly caught in a deluge of memories from my childhood. Typically, I grew up visiting the North Georgia Mountains on vacation to escape the Atlanta suburb's <strike>lunacy </strike>"hustle and bustle". My childhood was scattered with countless weekends "looking at the leaves" in the back seat of our family station wagon listening to <strike>my father ramble on and on about wanting to be a forest ranger </strike>John Denver and Willie Nelson music all while my father made long term plans to "leave it all behind" and "live in the mountains one day". </div>
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Fast forward decades...it's 2008 and I am pregnant with Veronica. The recession is in FULL swing and <strike>Bill impulsively decided</strike> we meticulously thought out our next<strike> preposterous</strike> logical move to Main Street. After almost 12 years as a home based business, we opened our<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rod</a> making shop in a <strike>fishbowl</strike> proper retail setting. <br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Think Mayberry with churches and beer.</h3>
These few downtown blocks that encompass Main Street are genuinely and organically old school in terms of community. We have found ourselves joyfully content within a square mile. Seriously...within walking distance we have everything. <br />
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We walk the kids to school. </h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbbWCOAULouPqIm9vKl0pfbxmy1zLNYbexm1ppTEenqc-fMtpN-vQ50kooZIi4nrdJjwPvLn5Gt2eH5tSYJDwiBh4KBx3te6RySV9jK0gjXewabo1iyN7MziC8EFMLkOncrXTS7plu_I4/s1600/kids+at+blue+ridge+elementary+blue+ridge+ga+main+street+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlbbWCOAULouPqIm9vKl0pfbxmy1zLNYbexm1ppTEenqc-fMtpN-vQ50kooZIi4nrdJjwPvLn5Gt2eH5tSYJDwiBh4KBx3te6RySV9jK0gjXewabo1iyN7MziC8EFMLkOncrXTS7plu_I4/s320/kids+at+blue+ridge+elementary+blue+ridge+ga+main+street+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Bill started Blue Ridge's first chess club</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rGvlXEiPkbm2NA0FKpXbWltmGbM9IkIMH-qp9piSYVDaETQhg2L4EvmS9XUTf6WrM5FPu6blMmhKUxvOL5QbhoDG3ImXk8rvAHfF2iY6R_q4wFBTtUSIapZFBcntS56122ZzdVTv0L5E/s1600/v+day+blogblue+ridge+elementary+chess+team+bamboo+fly+rod+maker%2527s+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4rGvlXEiPkbm2NA0FKpXbWltmGbM9IkIMH-qp9piSYVDaETQhg2L4EvmS9XUTf6WrM5FPu6blMmhKUxvOL5QbhoDG3ImXk8rvAHfF2iY6R_q4wFBTtUSIapZFBcntS56122ZzdVTv0L5E/s320/v+day+blogblue+ridge+elementary+chess+team+bamboo+fly+rod+maker%2527s+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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The Chess Club grew so much...that we had to recruit Riley to teach...of course!</h4>
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We eat our meals, pick up our prescriptions and dry cleaning, visit our doctors and dentist, go to Crossfit, play on the playground and buy just about anything you can imagine that a tourist town has to offer within this city block. And, while the shops and restaurants are obviously our main attraction, the people are undoubtedly the covert vibe that you feel...<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
We Crossfit...and make our coach and dear friend Robbie run with Roni!</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ65pISExvIDMGnnxLOCTEGbeA8UPuiXQRDWQXTJT3ItB_XZFTgvsKgCGxAyF-t6loV-0xgkjy1-jAqkWlLtIi-TRZWcnFOGaIBGr7_aug_IyyQdNFVVHvzgBgrpGaLFAU_DIIxt5nfzRl/s1600/robbie+and+Roni+crossfir+30513+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ65pISExvIDMGnnxLOCTEGbeA8UPuiXQRDWQXTJT3ItB_XZFTgvsKgCGxAyF-t6loV-0xgkjy1-jAqkWlLtIi-TRZWcnFOGaIBGr7_aug_IyyQdNFVVHvzgBgrpGaLFAU_DIIxt5nfzRl/s320/robbie+and+Roni+crossfir+30513+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Every holiday is honored.</h4>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTskqIJIhF1LSF90WoJYJ3-AjrPJ_G4eJq29eyAavNTHDFBYYntTl7NcPSUuyaeZDzn-6O_atHskJ2SY54tJa7SIbVtdZm046oyp59cMmsXfEdPmTCVfMI9f2HG2f8a4LzRYkA4Yu7ZlG/s1600/Fall+festival+parade+downtown+blue+ridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTskqIJIhF1LSF90WoJYJ3-AjrPJ_G4eJq29eyAavNTHDFBYYntTl7NcPSUuyaeZDzn-6O_atHskJ2SY54tJa7SIbVtdZm046oyp59cMmsXfEdPmTCVfMI9f2HG2f8a4LzRYkA4Yu7ZlG/s320/Fall+festival+parade+downtown+blue+ridge.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parades for....well...everything on Main!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NNhleNt_8xgpQ7nEo-fGE79hPE_Iilr0-ph3jTHhS4vApqvvvhQBNKHD93t5I-Dn70Xs2PDTpMKc7Okhgr4WvT6c2mWve19ioYAx4mlFHyz3hw9XfXpPBr5fQoFID7Jg657s6R2euHJ6/s1600/christmas+on+main+street+blue+ridge+ga+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9NNhleNt_8xgpQ7nEo-fGE79hPE_Iilr0-ph3jTHhS4vApqvvvhQBNKHD93t5I-Dn70Xs2PDTpMKc7Okhgr4WvT6c2mWve19ioYAx4mlFHyz3hw9XfXpPBr5fQoFID7Jg657s6R2euHJ6/s640/christmas+on+main+street+blue+ridge+ga+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So Merry</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj08uB-QfAXlyP3GNsiT-ZWSqH4ohhOCt4jGAFU7OFnTBxNyylMqLk76EHvGBTmdNKCOrfR0bduwhlDGCIw87GWH-gaCCq7xTzUThvlazRiyRvKPjt60ayK0NVnA3PQZ8I1Pv-e2E5eXI/s1600/halloween+downtown+boue+ridge+bamboo+fly+rod+maker%2527s+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj08uB-QfAXlyP3GNsiT-ZWSqH4ohhOCt4jGAFU7OFnTBxNyylMqLk76EHvGBTmdNKCOrfR0bduwhlDGCIw87GWH-gaCCq7xTzUThvlazRiyRvKPjt60ayK0NVnA3PQZ8I1Pv-e2E5eXI/s400/halloween+downtown+boue+ridge+bamboo+fly+rod+maker%2527s+widow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main Street and our infamous Halloween</td></tr>
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<h4 style="text-align: center;">
</h4>
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Our fishbowl</h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIKNjr7JlyPsYZiyU6n5kmzXSmpOQhSxZv3wAsoHLfXOfZ6E_qAMWkGTYYAg8xs-QE1TAcCTuUKSb4AWFPI89XeXtMRRQMBMlHn8-WVeNQa45QTVRSQAA_cO6gyiEDpj_8ofrDDmBUPa8/s1600/oyster+kids+tying+on+main+street+blue+ridge+ga+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLIKNjr7JlyPsYZiyU6n5kmzXSmpOQhSxZv3wAsoHLfXOfZ6E_qAMWkGTYYAg8xs-QE1TAcCTuUKSb4AWFPI89XeXtMRRQMBMlHn8-WVeNQa45QTVRSQAA_cO6gyiEDpj_8ofrDDmBUPa8/s320/oyster+kids+tying+on+main+street+blue+ridge+ga+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfzqAML0vZzr8dNF2vsYFY8xxmMOmXqgTa7Pz7nai5K_Wt53iQ-4kKPXx5JIdNGljymxPUhJ1Ovyn7WOYcP466zjFifbsZD0k8GeZIF6VUItQJGn1FImJuulHYbQY8rYeADG6W-c78Hjv/s1600/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFfzqAML0vZzr8dNF2vsYFY8xxmMOmXqgTa7Pz7nai5K_Wt53iQ-4kKPXx5JIdNGljymxPUhJ1Ovyn7WOYcP466zjFifbsZD0k8GeZIF6VUItQJGn1FImJuulHYbQY8rYeADG6W-c78Hjv/s320/FullSizeRender-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny dancer...and bubbles</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaOOt20ySjMfYAVHH2sJOCm-sa5NRifvdvm6NcPTrnRAx49jlrru4ArXGX-badR4klZu5F-gZv-YFqHudU5DYu_Rd03ifpdgF5ci8ApRWOkwP75z8A_8RgEDhx6EZ1r_ogljNs-SYFfw9/s1600/oyster+the+dog+visiting+blue+ridge+min+street+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWaOOt20ySjMfYAVHH2sJOCm-sa5NRifvdvm6NcPTrnRAx49jlrru4ArXGX-badR4klZu5F-gZv-YFqHudU5DYu_Rd03ifpdgF5ci8ApRWOkwP75z8A_8RgEDhx6EZ1r_ogljNs-SYFfw9/s320/oyster+the+dog+visiting+blue+ridge+min+street+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting dogs...this one is named Oyster! :)<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course...bamboo fly rods</span></h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNznlBhCM5eNd8ehah6EY69Ba8zQbXHO5ydJwJDbHkhWiNJRSNCR1GMYRLqYTqxDCezEQSySoaD3TGaNyasF0XsS10tlrg-XqOjbMK8eH6LA0MHFnddlNAYMNeeXYxyytgdGQAdDvhavTL/s1600/harvest+on+main+blue+ridge+ga+main+street+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNznlBhCM5eNd8ehah6EY69Ba8zQbXHO5ydJwJDbHkhWiNJRSNCR1GMYRLqYTqxDCezEQSySoaD3TGaNyasF0XsS10tlrg-XqOjbMK8eH6LA0MHFnddlNAYMNeeXYxyytgdGQAdDvhavTL/s400/harvest+on+main+blue+ridge+ga+main+street+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Another unexpected improvement in our lives upon moving here is the small talk...or lack there of...<br />
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Let me explain. EVERYWHERE we go outside of this bubble, we get blank stares, awkward head tilts and even chuckles when people inevitably ask us "what we do" and "where we live".<br />
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It's different for shop owners and their trusted employees... we don't have to spend our first dozen conversations (if it ever gets to that) explaining the intricacies of entrepreneurship, impossibly long hours and living in a bubble.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Once our "career path choice" or lack there of is ingested by the morbidly curious, there is usually a barrage of innocent enough comments and questions:</h3>
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1. Wow! That is really cool. I really want to start my own business too. How long did it take you to save enough cash to fall back on if it does not work out?<br />
<em>Ummm...I'll let you know when that happens. (see necessity is the mother of invention proverb)</em><br />
<em></em><br />
2. Your hours must be so flexible.<br />
<em>If by flexible, you mean having the ability to work all of your waking hours...then yes...super flexible</em><br />
<em></em><br />
3. Did you study this in school? Do you have investors? Is your Dad rich?<br />
<em>No.</em><br />
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4. If Bill can not engrave because he is hurt, traveling, sick...etc...who do you get to engrave your rods?<br />
<em>The engraving fairy! Just kidding. If Bill can not engrave...our wait list gets even longer...</em><br />
<em></em><br />
5. You can't ever get fired!<br />
<em>True...except that time I fired myself by text (long story). I went in for rehire a day later.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
6. Who is your IT department?<br />
<em>Me.</em><br />
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7. Who does the finances?<br />
<em>Me.</em><br />
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8. Who does the marketing?<br />
<em>Me.</em><br />
<br />
9. Who is your ... ?<br />
<em>One of the three of us...Period.</em><br />
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10. It's just business, right.<br />
<em>No. It's all personal. If it was "just business", our end game would be money over lifestyle. We love it that's why we do it.</em><br />
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We do not own these questions. Each shop has their own adaptation. It is comforting to have people right outside your door that share your same unique perspective on our life's ludicrous events. It's lovely to have the luxury of eliminating the niceties and sincerely connect when we get a spare moment (not many of those...see #2). It's understood. It's our own mysterious hamlet. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjPsb8NDnakiaLihO59d7pEqXtaVQ206Mory6arbkGBBIBAH-uzF1BkWmARyc5rtPPMQj5DZaTbPB7aLRtyppK6GxzO5LsD_6N5hiZa9YuRcpkoBQ6XQNWXQvCqjYBvOpTeU30fkHUDW/s1600/have+chess+will+follow+chester+blue+ridge+ga+main+street.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJPjPsb8NDnakiaLihO59d7pEqXtaVQ206Mory6arbkGBBIBAH-uzF1BkWmARyc5rtPPMQj5DZaTbPB7aLRtyppK6GxzO5LsD_6N5hiZa9YuRcpkoBQ6XQNWXQvCqjYBvOpTeU30fkHUDW/s320/have+chess+will+follow+chester+blue+ridge+ga+main+street.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have chess...will follow. Chesters. :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0UEimtzwecuJnBPyNRPBrRo0x-JhHmLn7q2QCbv4jjn4n0RtPHqNaV6cGlgI2pdIVy973QvSHbz50ynPybRaclmq5nmWTDXxTNHVynSK2VRmLvX41hPRC_yVsX8cUK2qeZFk8IPOWtWh/s1600/father+brennens+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB0UEimtzwecuJnBPyNRPBrRo0x-JhHmLn7q2QCbv4jjn4n0RtPHqNaV6cGlgI2pdIVy973QvSHbz50ynPybRaclmq5nmWTDXxTNHVynSK2VRmLvX41hPRC_yVsX8cUK2qeZFk8IPOWtWh/s320/father+brennens+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Father and Danny...Masseria...more church</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwLGcLtM_0fVIQcE-0yq8FkOre4AkJsrRJhZ3TPYwLLw7BFVOtgjQcdFtEMQTDgNnOo207Xk6uvY1OHCKxRoZtfoZkThNMnZXqSP74zB0mBE7PHS67dI9_TIE3zc0YGimk5JW03dq8k5y/s1600/babies+at+blue+ridge+brew+main+street+ga+blue+ridge+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwLGcLtM_0fVIQcE-0yq8FkOre4AkJsrRJhZ3TPYwLLw7BFVOtgjQcdFtEMQTDgNnOo207Xk6uvY1OHCKxRoZtfoZkThNMnZXqSP74zB0mBE7PHS67dI9_TIE3zc0YGimk5JW03dq8k5y/s320/babies+at+blue+ridge+brew+main+street+ga+blue+ridge+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby sitting services at the Blue Ridge Brewery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
My Main Street. My Valentine. <br />
<br />
My original intension was to single out those who have become like famiy and write some version of "roses are red" to each and every one but I am afraid that that's nearly impossible. I honestly have such strong feelings for these people that words are inadequate. <br />
<br />
You all know who you are...<br />
<br />
I must make the disclosure that our town's undertow is strong...nothing is perfect. However...and maybe I am just in a good mood or delusional...I believe conflict is necessary to stay a veritable entity. We are all bound daily by joy, tenacity and random bouts of grief.<br />
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Upon further refection <strike>oh shit...look out, </strike>it makes perfect sense that Main Street has become one of the greatest loves of my life. If love is at the center of it all for us (which clearly it is...it's certainly not money, fame or power) then loving where we live is the perfect compliment to the love we feel for our family, friends and profession.<br />
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Moving Oyster's </span><a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">bamboo fly rod making shop</span></a><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"> to Main Street was </span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">strictly a business decision. </span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"></span> </h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Staying on Main Street is entirely personal.</span></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"></span> </h4>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">These are my people.</span></h4>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I look so tired because this one (Quinn) wears me out. Thank you.</td></tr>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-23217384998642599752015-07-20T09:56:00.001-04:002015-07-20T09:56:16.952-04:00Karma and the Bamboo Fly Rod<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRa8FhA52OSYKRULu6hK0LzXXrOGPvGBFA0guVCP_gTA-kYeMp2j97o2NuL1k5_bivkvNRlt422PQfur3-h0cdrl8-uzTSrn_-2BiSoh-l4IBcmypQlMTMCncUUGzcRRIkR7_ArYjAjDP/s1600/karma+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRa8FhA52OSYKRULu6hK0LzXXrOGPvGBFA0guVCP_gTA-kYeMp2j97o2NuL1k5_bivkvNRlt422PQfur3-h0cdrl8-uzTSrn_-2BiSoh-l4IBcmypQlMTMCncUUGzcRRIkR7_ArYjAjDP/s1600/karma+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />
In the spirit of full disclosure I must admit that the following is most likely inspired by my birthday. I turned 45 yesterday. Forty-Five. Four Five...Fifty less Five. Thirty plus Fifteen. Half of Ninety. <br />
<br />
When we started <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods</a>, we were in our late 20s. In contrast, the majority of our clientele is and always has been...ummm...<strike>older </strike>wiser. I can honestly say that we have received the benefit of said wisdom on many occasions. Through the years, Oyster clients have generously offered up some tidbits about <strike>getting old</strike> securing your place in life's phase two...<br />
<br />
1. Getting old ain't for sissies. (Yes...oldie but goodie)<br />
2. I have been spending the second half of my life making up for how terrible I was in the first half.<br />
3. If you have not learned anything by this age, you are not paying attention.<br />
4. Bending over to pick something up is just hard now.<br />
5. Teach your kids to <strike>fly fish </strike>row the boat.<br />
<strike></strike><br />
So, why do I feel young? I do. Why do I feel as though I am in my prime? <br />
<br />
Time has become illogical. It has flown by in one sense but stood tortuously still in another... As I look back on <strike>yesterday<a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2010/07/be-present.html" target="_blank"> </a></strike><a href="http://bambooflyrodmakingclass.blogspot.com/2010/07/be-present.html" target="_blank">my entry from five years ago</a> exactly, there has been a lifetime squeezed inside the confines of only half a decade. <br />
<br />
Oh wait...<br />
<br />
I just purposely deleted an hour of writing with two paragraphs of clichés' about what I have learned in the past five years...<br />
<br />
...Really...but I will say this about being 45 years old.<br />
<br />
<strong>I own it.</strong><br />
<br />
This has been the absolute clearest path I have ever taken in life. After "getting out of my own way", letting go of superficial hang ups and crossing over into a more refined vision of my second act, I own this age.<br />
<br />
Fear and loathing is seriously over rated and the adage "getting what you give" bellows with such great force in my daily routine that it has become sacred.<br />
<br />
<strong>You Get What You Give.</strong> <br />
<br />
If you accept that energy can not be created or destroyed...only transferred...this makes perfect sense.<br />
<br />
True giving is not exclusively spoken for by a league of pre-determined people. It's in all of us. It's often the most visceral reaction to any of life's event. <br />
<br />
Giving is quite possibly the lowest common denominator that connects us all...so why is it so difficult? Personally, I have found that life's distractions and overpowering need for perceived self preservation can dull down the senses into apathy. <br />
<br />
However, <strike>if you pull your head out of your ass long enough to realize the universe was not actually created for you </strike>if you exalt kindness and compassion, life's possibilities and tidings are<em> endless</em>. <br />
<br />
Endless. Energy. Endless.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRzRopmTzrd4zxuwk-TtybabDVpEUAPqGGSq7GO0S8rL9Cdd3Ceu1a2n_xSd3sea3OUOLS6BO46tLxABgK7qwZKnuM6SPX0YwdoiHlkC3eqUa826wOrm1z6ZdW5Zky1GYdCatopyWwo1Y/s1600/my+birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwRzRopmTzrd4zxuwk-TtybabDVpEUAPqGGSq7GO0S8rL9Cdd3Ceu1a2n_xSd3sea3OUOLS6BO46tLxABgK7qwZKnuM6SPX0YwdoiHlkC3eqUa826wOrm1z6ZdW5Zky1GYdCatopyWwo1Y/s400/my+birthday.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-21525262329242405532015-03-26T14:12:00.004-04:002015-04-02T15:14:01.786-04:00lost, found and bamboo fly rods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Many years ago, while mountain biking on the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains, I literally panicked near dusk at the bottom of a treacherous decent...</strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Me:</strong> "Babe, we are lost."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Bill:</strong> "We are not lost...we can always go back the way we came."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em> </em><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1993</td></tr>
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<br />
Bill and I met over 21 years ago in Athens, Georgia. We were both in school at the University of Georgia but that is not where it all began...I worked at the music magazine in town and Bill was a professional road cyclist (please note that even then we both had <strike>low paying</strike> interesting jobs). The bike shop and magazine shared the same building on Broad Street and we would literally pass one another several times a day. <br />
<br />
Bill quietly <strike>ignored me</strike> came and I went without notice while he trained and worked as a bike mechanic when not on the road racing.<br />
<br />
I demurely <strike>threw myself at him</strike> tried to get his attention over and over...to no avail...let's see...<br />
...I made friends with his friends<br />
...I would repeatedly "visit" the bike shop to "borrow" the vacuum<br />
...I would "cool myself off" at the only available AC window unit in the building in front of his bike stand (okay, this is where I went too far...but COME ON!)<br />
<br />
Here is how our first date happened. The following is true. It's early evening circa 1993...Bill is sitting on the back of a car in our building's parking lot drained after a long training ride...I am leaving the magazine with a stack of albums (yes...the vinyl kind...I even remember what I was carrying...Pylon, Superchunk's <strong><em>No Pocky for Kitty</em></strong>...to be exact and Stevie Nicks), <br />
<br />
<em><strong>Bill: </strong></em> (head hanging and body slumped over after riding 10 million miles on a training ride barely making eye contact) <em>Hi</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Me:</strong> "Hi, wanna come over on Thursday? I don't have cable TV but I just rented Fast Times at Ridgemont High...we can watch that.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Bill:</strong> "Ummmm..."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Me:</strong> "Also, I make killer meatballs."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Bill:</strong> "What time?"</em><br />
<br />
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<br />
<h3>
We were married on a Thursday a few months later...really...here are some highlights...</h3>
<br />
<span style="background-color: #990000; color: #990000;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">I wore</span> my mother's dress</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">It was the first marriage ceremony that our priest performed</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">Bill threw up in the middle of our ceremony (google introvert)...really</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">My brother video taped said throw up</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">The food at the reception was delicious</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">My parents had to cut the cake, made the toast and danced in our place (see Bill threw up)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #990000;">My sweet niece, Rebekah, was our flower girl</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzP5bRk724ZWC6DR8eTvHwp3Cd28QiB16HyP1EleNUuIE8S6c-619pIPn31kIfBTURSFOCePtW6jwvhpsfgnnTXDFbLXAwgSinrKFxvYOOTrllmIrfpO7L0l9mva999TRxeir6gk6piwG/s1600/lostcoll3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbzP5bRk724ZWC6DR8eTvHwp3Cd28QiB16HyP1EleNUuIE8S6c-619pIPn31kIfBTURSFOCePtW6jwvhpsfgnnTXDFbLXAwgSinrKFxvYOOTrllmIrfpO7L0l9mva999TRxeir6gk6piwG/s1600/lostcoll3.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">young, dumb and in love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We lived on so little. We traveled simply (except for the garage full of gear we always dragged along). We perused our dreams. The remainder of the world thought we were <strike>delusional</strike> too young to understand the reality of it all. We heard a chorus of chatter about the "living in the real world" and "just wait" <strike>from everyone but my father</strike> on a regular basis. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Here's some<strike> presumptuous</strike> helpful advice through the years:</h3>
<strong></strong><br />
<em><strong>"You cannot marry one another after a few months...just wait."</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>"What?!? No corporate ladder with benefits?" (remember 20 years ago...this was ridiculous)</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>"You cannot live on love alone...just wait."</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>"You cannot just buy a sailboat in New Orleans, drop it in the ocean and take a left! You will die."</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>"You absolutely cannot pay the bills making an <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">antiquated fishing pole</a>...just wait."</strong></em><br />
<br />
Yet, we spoke openly to one another about living sincerely...never losing sight of us. It seemed as though the easiest way to find ourselves was to stay as close together as possible. In fact, the entire catalyst for our bamboo fly rod making company was to do something in tandem. Go with your strengths. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI6qHvq5eEvQb7-uYJG4PAxjnL_UT6GPNaJ1lxpfMcJjbnhUlrGv11wDgSRzfsCq4I-C36TbNH1aALiXrrwS87feh6pwBv3OQQ5_BEpUYTUahej9wFhy3eRvwa9n5yK26saytic12rMl2/s1600/lostcoll5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVI6qHvq5eEvQb7-uYJG4PAxjnL_UT6GPNaJ1lxpfMcJjbnhUlrGv11wDgSRzfsCq4I-C36TbNH1aALiXrrwS87feh6pwBv3OQQ5_BEpUYTUahej9wFhy3eRvwa9n5yK26saytic12rMl2/s1600/lostcoll5.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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We spent our 20s and much of our 30s creating<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods</a>, sailing (hence my son's name Cutter), mountain biking, reading books, fly fishing and traveling (rinse and repeat). We worked and played hard. We zigged and zagged through life's obstacles and always landed on our feet. <br />
<br />
<h3>
Then came our Rite of Passage... </h3>
<br />
<strike>Shit got real.</strike> Life complicated itself. We navigated through births, deaths, illnesses and life's unavoidable floods and assholes. There has not been any one event per say but there were days that it felt like we were being swallowed whole and the life we created actually lost sight of it's very own visceral origins. It's so true that your measure as a human being is how you handle inevitable complexities. All the while, we kept our sense of humor and allowed joy to ground us but there were days that we felt umm...lost.<br />
<br />
<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
This feeling is the impetus for our future.</h3>
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
<em><strong>Me:</strong> "Babe, we are lost."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em><strong>Bill:</strong> "We are not lost...we can always go back the way we came."</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>It's true. You are never so lost that you can not go back the way you came. Everyone has a different interpretation of this but for us...it's about immersing ourselves in wonder. It's about our little family, the nature about us, cooking meatballs to the lull of Tom Waits and knowing (and I mean knowing) that we ultimately always find ourselves in one another.</em><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSG5ZBfbJj2KwiZ-U24K8YcBal4hPL8XopZpJvmbXmp7R44ADFcnHasg3GS201FwlHUt382gUfxhaHas5gWXbavYkhQEsfg4Sx6IkFUFnszYogBMuMJj1SFODqEZPQuD5icFZTuXtHJyO8/s1600/lostcoll4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSG5ZBfbJj2KwiZ-U24K8YcBal4hPL8XopZpJvmbXmp7R44ADFcnHasg3GS201FwlHUt382gUfxhaHas5gWXbavYkhQEsfg4Sx6IkFUFnszYogBMuMJj1SFODqEZPQuD5icFZTuXtHJyO8/s1600/lostcoll4.jpg" height="248" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ4Re24TtV6i7WPwABPHJWd9m4NtU-s7eKrFlEGqCa-wHvLo2Bj4Mvk3CpHmmFaai0TYoaLrDmMvo0oIR2jDT3VKeQwVy-AIJcSiFOHN5hgqkkxk0-Aas4BNtCMY9bJW3nIvV9Y28s1Yv/s1600/lostcoll1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZ4Re24TtV6i7WPwABPHJWd9m4NtU-s7eKrFlEGqCa-wHvLo2Bj4Mvk3CpHmmFaai0TYoaLrDmMvo0oIR2jDT3VKeQwVy-AIJcSiFOHN5hgqkkxk0-Aas4BNtCMY9bJW3nIvV9Y28s1Yv/s1600/lostcoll1.jpg" height="100" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">then and now and now</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-56134113386849799882014-12-31T13:01:00.000-05:002015-04-02T13:30:33.387-04:00EVER and bamboo fly rods...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvTycZnKzIp6fi3cIOB_g2nIDA6UBr4dEI_fAqTPz7Dg-gfZTQHfT5LU_5u47-fJI3jUzPEwgCgtM5UkiJIkzE_2mCMXn-R1IUxMzHRUYtyDwJX18dV3nRtu8qNaFz8dfvJDUNtTGiLu7/s1600/campaign+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvvTycZnKzIp6fi3cIOB_g2nIDA6UBr4dEI_fAqTPz7Dg-gfZTQHfT5LU_5u47-fJI3jUzPEwgCgtM5UkiJIkzE_2mCMXn-R1IUxMzHRUYtyDwJX18dV3nRtu8qNaFz8dfvJDUNtTGiLu7/s1600/campaign+3.jpg" height="424" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-34143660170995411082014-10-19T12:37:00.002-04:002015-04-02T15:14:20.559-04:00Summer of 2014, Oyster's Sequence of Events and Bamboo Fly Rods<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-f6xkoYwirswPmMfDKwvNGuwYR11cJ33VzExq7dDe6e3ZsLO-1SYRhWVZxLdkEKQ7vosr9y-eUC3PwuH3lYwXgjXIAX2RMgq1IdOIL6vTdK_lvptOoMEdbhFrKvw-OIsaiAVM43oFr6tJ/s1600/z8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-f6xkoYwirswPmMfDKwvNGuwYR11cJ33VzExq7dDe6e3ZsLO-1SYRhWVZxLdkEKQ7vosr9y-eUC3PwuH3lYwXgjXIAX2RMgq1IdOIL6vTdK_lvptOoMEdbhFrKvw-OIsaiAVM43oFr6tJ/s1600/z8.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of school</td></tr>
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<h3 class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Fall is ON! Summer is o-v-e-r. Where did it go? (see theory of relativity). It was here...then stuff happened and now it's in the review mirror.</h3>
<br />
Life...it's just a sequence of events, right? Some good<strike> awesome</strike> some bad <strike>horrendous</strike>. It's just that simple. <strike> Most of us know</strike> We all know there is probably more to it than that. However, contemplating this concept does have a sting of truth to it.<br />
<br />
Life. Things are good. Things are bad. Things just went from good to bad. Wait, things are good again. When does the other shoe drop? Oh, just did... Bad again. Look...things are good again. Oh, and that was just last Thursday!<br />
<br />
I prefer to really relish in the good (even create our own) and navigate the bad <strike>with 15 minute increments of Italian rage</strike> with grace and dignity.<br />
<br />
Right now...our world is so good. I want to bottle up each day and keep it forever locked away and remain impervious to change. However, we all know that's not possible...and I strongly believe that if it was 70 degrees and sunny every day...the bittersweet perfection of our "sequence of events" would be lulled to sleep forever.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmBn6bhy1GxTPt-FU9KMYsXsBegR1meiVJM5gTRNBXPgAcOOjK4HUvNZuZaGmRXly2_Nr7sUNujY5xYIRJKfOPDJQihUEjuBQrUoTaEb-lqjLpMQ6j9Zd65d3roL-il7jhtJrNUvX4PCS/s1600/10561625_10154427821950032_3002437330009212265_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMmBn6bhy1GxTPt-FU9KMYsXsBegR1meiVJM5gTRNBXPgAcOOjK4HUvNZuZaGmRXly2_Nr7sUNujY5xYIRJKfOPDJQihUEjuBQrUoTaEb-lqjLpMQ6j9Zd65d3roL-il7jhtJrNUvX4PCS/s1600/10561625_10154427821950032_3002437330009212265_n.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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I will say that here at <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods</a>, we have all worked HARD for our good. Daily choices by all of us drive this little company. Good. It's there...simple really, right?<br />
<br />
This past summer of 2014 has been <strike>one of</strike> THE "best" sequence of events in my adult life.<br />
<br />
Speaking of "making your own good"...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Riley</h2>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vWjYbyrLLfhVwIAMBIWrqItL5K-2udqr2wg_Z1-oPz0ZX6O2X2BjfzeRykloix8LoVk7mfOZsTbASpVFYkQH_J2pCPILWz2xnnAntJmfJKqnvGCf0DmmCvqYxCIW_c5iO7clvwSO13mI/s1600/riley+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vWjYbyrLLfhVwIAMBIWrqItL5K-2udqr2wg_Z1-oPz0ZX6O2X2BjfzeRykloix8LoVk7mfOZsTbASpVFYkQH_J2pCPILWz2xnnAntJmfJKqnvGCf0DmmCvqYxCIW_c5iO7clvwSO13mI/s1600/riley+collage.jpg" height="640" width="492" /></a></div>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Five years ago, a teenager (yes...nineteen years old) came to our June <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/bamboo-fly-rods-classes.html" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making class</a> from Michigan with his father. When we first met, I had just given birth to Veronica and Riley was a complete smartass made me laugh (genuinely laugh) within 60 seconds. Side note...that's my only adult requirement for any relationship (well that and don't be an asshole.)...if you make me laugh...we are friends. I'm a simple girl.</h3>
<br />
So, essentially Riley never left Oyster. Bill saw something in him and we offered him a job. That kid packed up his car and drove down from Michigan in the middle of a massive snowstorm in pursuit of his "good". While this decision makes sense to most of the<strike> life has practically passed me by and I hate what I do for my profession and should have pursued my passion</strike> older and wiser set, it was a bold move. Riley left the only life he knew...including his childhood sweetheart, Quinn.<br />
<br />
While it took some tweaking (not twearking...although that would have been funny)...Riley made a comfy life for himself in <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge, Georgia</a>. <br />
<br />
Fast forward a few years and Quinn graduates from college. She leaves her life as well, takes a leap and moves to Blue Ridge. We did not know Quinn yet...this whole bamboo fly rod making thing is a pretty male dominated world. What on earth will a real girl think?!?! Not knowing any better, I am assuming at this point that Quinn will be repelled by at least some of the goings on in the shop. Please...don't act surprised...we offend our own selves daily.<br />
<br />
Well...let's say the first evening we all went out upon her arrival...Quinn really made an impression. She's the gorgeous girl in the sweet dress, million dollar smile with a cold beer in one hand and a cold beer in the other. Have I mentioned she was raised by a college football coach and she's ashamed of our lack of football prowess around the shop? Yes, Quinn is the "needle in the haystack". <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_1kfyO77F7ErSKXG9djZCeWlsqqPMQTD_CdlnHZl5aDYmD6u5M8e-BMT0hlUiwlm6U3TRe3zcFvio0VwN1264YYtsjw6WJcSrEBwXIDpPp6lfRteGiMt-yFHPx0IYiruwsWPVlWZeeHf/s1600/603000_10152464104925032_243091869_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm_1kfyO77F7ErSKXG9djZCeWlsqqPMQTD_CdlnHZl5aDYmD6u5M8e-BMT0hlUiwlm6U3TRe3zcFvio0VwN1264YYtsjw6WJcSrEBwXIDpPp6lfRteGiMt-yFHPx0IYiruwsWPVlWZeeHf/s1600/603000_10152464104925032_243091869_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> BR Brewery with Quinn </td></tr>
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All kidding aside, these two <strike>kids</strike> grown ups have really made a life at Oyster, Blue Ridge and the world at large. Riley and Quinn are solid people...in no small part to their parents...these two were raised by quality families that gave them both an enthusiastic push out of the nest by raising independent, thoughtful and strong human beings.<br />
<br />
So, our summer was threaded with loads of rod work, a record number of <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making classes</a>, retail follies, tourists, more bamboo fly rod making, Crossfit, big bacon and bourbon party for Riley and Quinn, family, and most importantly<em><strong>...the wedding</strong></em>.<br />
<br />
Riley and Quinn's single most important event in their young sequence...<br />
<br />
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<u>5 July, 2015</u></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7DOvsaLuBjqtQgX7Nx28YmUTDFhPlKbMFwSUjUoP-W0GUXzaxOjLJlJmAYfKRC5vBr-WgGmrxXKcY9MrX8yqDBNf6MwVV2_PHr9XsZtCcW6B6ZhTzdSjZS9Gl4Rwggb67WXYHUXqPpby/s1600/wedding+blog+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7DOvsaLuBjqtQgX7Nx28YmUTDFhPlKbMFwSUjUoP-W0GUXzaxOjLJlJmAYfKRC5vBr-WgGmrxXKcY9MrX8yqDBNf6MwVV2_PHr9XsZtCcW6B6ZhTzdSjZS9Gl4Rwggb67WXYHUXqPpby/s1600/wedding+blog+1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one in the far right is my favorite...okay and the Crossfit photo is just FUN!<br />
That's Roni bear bottom left and Cutter as a junior groomsmen. Pause. Again.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CbB2oVIYzXDAdFedwJZ3SayrCqGwHaESzTYLm5QIzMnjKJiS1yT1DWycl5nuFwv08ZNXGsRTmRWFEu5P1-MXRXHIePdm4c3jO5spGVy_TZeL0Q2HdBZ17j4JcCMd9KZgFR8dPYiKRfQP/s1600/wedding+blog+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-CbB2oVIYzXDAdFedwJZ3SayrCqGwHaESzTYLm5QIzMnjKJiS1yT1DWycl5nuFwv08ZNXGsRTmRWFEu5P1-MXRXHIePdm4c3jO5spGVy_TZeL0Q2HdBZ17j4JcCMd9KZgFR8dPYiKRfQP/s1600/wedding+blog+2.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bhuhh6kPXmV9_IDqxeR9waRxZQXJx_MtBm6ZejF6cObq58FJh3xVUWwGwO9780OdxqhskiwsG0V8x8q6isqk_itYPVxn0cIIbEi1fpLXGj4tGYAdAF17Hsu7UjA3F86q4mxD5FZToc9I/s1600/wedding+blog+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Bhuhh6kPXmV9_IDqxeR9waRxZQXJx_MtBm6ZejF6cObq58FJh3xVUWwGwO9780OdxqhskiwsG0V8x8q6isqk_itYPVxn0cIIbEi1fpLXGj4tGYAdAF17Hsu7UjA3F86q4mxD5FZToc9I/s1600/wedding+blog+3.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at Quinn! </td></tr>
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<br />
No sooner was the wedding over...and we <strike>had to get BACK TO WORK</strike> had our July <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/bamboo-fly-rods-classes.html" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making class.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzBbofgCfwA_7Xs6xgRIQkaHW64Q212n9AH7-OE5G3m6fCtLryC3Ms42sgG3coWNWTZ2CnGAGX-uz2U8mQ-GM3LsiPMQCAOPoVKwfnmtWihrVcJjhtYu8hPk7EYvJVuXYzE6vrKpZbb_-/s1600/classblogcollage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghzBbofgCfwA_7Xs6xgRIQkaHW64Q212n9AH7-OE5G3m6fCtLryC3Ms42sgG3coWNWTZ2CnGAGX-uz2U8mQ-GM3LsiPMQCAOPoVKwfnmtWihrVcJjhtYu8hPk7EYvJVuXYzE6vrKpZbb_-/s1600/classblogcollage1.jpg" height="640" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
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It went fabulous as usual but the day after the class unraveled the personal experience of my lifetime.<br />
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Class ended the day before my birthday. I woke up on my birthday with a brand new<br />
<strong>Game Of Thrones </strong>novel with two tickets to an Eco Resort in Costa Rica...for the NEXT day!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUPimrUQqmxB4EXaVPZmFQ4l3KJfKdmKJ6MwQilDakqDRchKW_H03W7jK1MdUlOxfIbedFiARqW_hosuBlb3CwhAU-ItEV0xW7CqpSjbLzDZKbGvMpxE4meqK6GGH1Loqvms80hUo-7Up/s1600/got.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdUPimrUQqmxB4EXaVPZmFQ4l3KJfKdmKJ6MwQilDakqDRchKW_H03W7jK1MdUlOxfIbedFiARqW_hosuBlb3CwhAU-ItEV0xW7CqpSjbLzDZKbGvMpxE4meqK6GGH1Loqvms80hUo-7Up/s1600/got.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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I <strike>panicked</strike> was thrilled! Off we went a few hours later...It took one big plane, a cab ride, an overnight stay in San Jose, a bus, one VERY small plane, another bus and a 2 hour boat ride in 5-6 foot swells in the Pacific to finally land in destination. It was worth every second of it...another game changer...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMqOQWCLLDOmNFsMCMKe7jvuhJbvvrS3q21AkE8k7MZvVXFYI_XntcYP9Mbw0GV_NfOV7xnKpCMYL1iHYafmMtpUg-Znik5WojUIJyUIcsILn1OFdX4pMjuaSOfcIZMkLXBRB0J_usIrZ/s1600/CR+collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMqOQWCLLDOmNFsMCMKe7jvuhJbvvrS3q21AkE8k7MZvVXFYI_XntcYP9Mbw0GV_NfOV7xnKpCMYL1iHYafmMtpUg-Znik5WojUIJyUIcsILn1OFdX4pMjuaSOfcIZMkLXBRB0J_usIrZ/s1600/CR+collage.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank you, Bill.</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
Summer moves on...</h2>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
More Bamboo Fly Rods...More Bamboo Fly Rod Making Classes</h3>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3G-ThNAafDFoxEKW48a-k9Xa4lK4KmHUlhPv6vriJt_-UR9SaeRKrux2MMIPK1Q16FMfhj0BWdNBmAWVzbrkrAeO_88Xy_KePtp-NiMtI2flFqlOrHPkA7J9JkXElJ5AbQN8cYhtIK5-/s1600/class+collage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr3G-ThNAafDFoxEKW48a-k9Xa4lK4KmHUlhPv6vriJt_-UR9SaeRKrux2MMIPK1Q16FMfhj0BWdNBmAWVzbrkrAeO_88Xy_KePtp-NiMtI2flFqlOrHPkA7J9JkXElJ5AbQN8cYhtIK5-/s1600/class+collage3.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo fly rod making classes...and fishing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77AsK3lcWpVpxEA1FczFu7bqLeiv685PUfk5-DDyyLJad_a0PaHu7bC64CBp5MxMznRfe_9MwupqAR9cWvi4vAGClGogd2W2sij3Wu1GAXKhtUITY50QfTJZ1wpEDIFUxBssPCZXSfm3Z/s1600/Rod+collage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77AsK3lcWpVpxEA1FczFu7bqLeiv685PUfk5-DDyyLJad_a0PaHu7bC64CBp5MxMznRfe_9MwupqAR9cWvi4vAGClGogd2W2sij3Wu1GAXKhtUITY50QfTJZ1wpEDIFUxBssPCZXSfm3Z/s1600/Rod+collage1.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo Fly rod making and summer shop days on Main Street...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMRRLHs7JLY8rGuMqitZY83K275mIhmtG0leGzaMLQSkJ0L94hgTADF4bLz28vryInGB9_fe7nw6CFipvLKS1UCzE9yuEiTlZqDbUvS1mHgIqy6lmT1eyJa4lqIFLrjm55vvpVuiHJrmZ/s1600/rod+collage2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiMRRLHs7JLY8rGuMqitZY83K275mIhmtG0leGzaMLQSkJ0L94hgTADF4bLz28vryInGB9_fe7nw6CFipvLKS1UCzE9yuEiTlZqDbUvS1mHgIqy6lmT1eyJa4lqIFLrjm55vvpVuiHJrmZ/s1600/rod+collage2.jpg" height="640" width="616" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More rod work...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1Q264G0VYTr94iDwHP7E5TravpfSUgXjZgTlF5Dm1XPzzWRuTKKP4SSrBn8k0G-W0_EWAPcRqnIbSQ28pX4gYd4R8ltW4JXdlu8_uu6exoVsjdYjI5oFciSxcg5NIU3uqqKEGojOe0b9/s1600/rod+collage3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm1Q264G0VYTr94iDwHP7E5TravpfSUgXjZgTlF5Dm1XPzzWRuTKKP4SSrBn8k0G-W0_EWAPcRqnIbSQ28pX4gYd4R8ltW4JXdlu8_uu6exoVsjdYjI5oFciSxcg5NIU3uqqKEGojOe0b9/s1600/rod+collage3.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill hand engraving...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapkxhLLlJSHnYrUG5xSzmHTT6HUCTXQgbxY-K7loiyL4jwMi3UQikeMcT59IdL3B97IXorh_wyEZByf6SgUuzS8uszxNoGAU9s6kwAm7vUIBP8Ljr0Dp24e_j6ynQfzg1DcaTwKc5sP63/s1600/rod+collage+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapkxhLLlJSHnYrUG5xSzmHTT6HUCTXQgbxY-K7loiyL4jwMi3UQikeMcT59IdL3B97IXorh_wyEZByf6SgUuzS8uszxNoGAU9s6kwAm7vUIBP8Ljr0Dp24e_j6ynQfzg1DcaTwKc5sP63/s1600/rod+collage+4.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods</td></tr>
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So...That's our 70ish days of summer...I can confidently say that it was a special sequence. And, as always...as we plow forward to our next set of self inflicted events (stay tuned), I insist on reflecting back upon this time of our lives as the best yet.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiF_dk1iqFi5imfdclF1w9Y9WMxZ9NxvGXXwtNuEzjuNyLJ8J2Gc5ZSP6ENVpw6uiRBH_kQnSl3reHNvL0m212ddxc_0ePEJKrgkyoQIdw34dCtN0-5WVQa5OKDVxWAJVsI8qc3CbjEoh/s1600/10501645_10154427913620032_2642009460231124108_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGiF_dk1iqFi5imfdclF1w9Y9WMxZ9NxvGXXwtNuEzjuNyLJ8J2Gc5ZSP6ENVpw6uiRBH_kQnSl3reHNvL0m212ddxc_0ePEJKrgkyoQIdw34dCtN0-5WVQa5OKDVxWAJVsI8qc3CbjEoh/s1600/10501645_10154427913620032_2642009460231124108_n.jpg" height="448" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My beautiful life. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.</td></tr>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-45424579241332117992014-06-12T13:56:00.002-04:002015-04-02T13:41:19.176-04:00"Do you remember the day you realized your father was not perfect?"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoKJmgkp_BoXa5bAR9LnkJY4LuYzHTKJMJ3VnydmMiVGVkQTlBR3ubr9-0PYLHFzl_ecXelgtqvnpBdjfoddFe3_3r_a4bJufhs-jq7vAadOOWjDJdZKtuLOpP2tLX0wrHNN4lyyOOJDt/s1600/daddy+and+me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKoKJmgkp_BoXa5bAR9LnkJY4LuYzHTKJMJ3VnydmMiVGVkQTlBR3ubr9-0PYLHFzl_ecXelgtqvnpBdjfoddFe3_3r_a4bJufhs-jq7vAadOOWjDJdZKtuLOpP2tLX0wrHNN4lyyOOJDt/s1600/daddy+and+me.jpg" height="304" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">circa 1971</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<em>"Do you remember the day you realized your father was not perfect?"</em></h3>
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That was the question posed to me on a mountain bike ride years ago and it has nagged me ever since. I will protect this friend's identity but she went on to tell me about that "fateful" day in her youth when she saw her father as a normal person...flawed and real.<br />
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When I sat down to write this post, I initially thought it would be about Bill. He is an extraordinary father. It's just that simple. However, my mind continuously wonders to my own <strike>father, dad, parent</strike> Daddy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcW538h5f2ILbae7AMHnaGU0EPv6bZN6U8OoKl3MvNbFAEtexlrwUaozmIxWpzpaKr9PsJQ2Xo7JAmQZJqbB0EFhEdiTeadkbiB2JRKrUw_PaZNyAR9DaIVwRvw-kEoCRuefblq3nJuwl/s1600/daddy_varnish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHcW538h5f2ILbae7AMHnaGU0EPv6bZN6U8OoKl3MvNbFAEtexlrwUaozmIxWpzpaKr9PsJQ2Xo7JAmQZJqbB0EFhEdiTeadkbiB2JRKrUw_PaZNyAR9DaIVwRvw-kEoCRuefblq3nJuwl/s1600/daddy_varnish.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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Many of you know him...he is Oyster Bamboo's self proclaimed "GQ effect".<br />
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Bruce Ronald Diaddigo was born 70 or so years ago in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. His parents were gritty and resilient Italian immigrants that worked in the local steel mill and fully embraced their European culture on a daily basis...<strong><em>Family, Food, Religion and Tradition. </em></strong><br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
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Looking back with clarity (which improves exponentially as I accrue more wisdom), my parents provided my brother and I with a rather idyllic childhood. Our weeks consisted of a set routine. If we did not hit the road in search of another historical site, our weekends had a rhythm as well...often, my father would start a sauce on Friday night that became a big spaghetti and meatball dinner on Sunday after Mass. Everybody was always together. It was simple. Again, looking back...I now know that was not an accident. It seemed so effortless for him...devoted husband and father.<br />
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Side note: For those of you that have eaten my meatballs...thank my father.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6txnlGcx8Vvl6jWUktvUKRZaeqhyHDjgpquTX1ZPUl73emCxhiLUF0n9JOhMSbPlgELSsTuEtjbmCoAwIO1ZgQHxEtzhJcimMxKv4nI1rnNhvH_ZmgEVPvSNdBz8ipvs4JAdq34sC1gH/s1600/daddy+fishing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6txnlGcx8Vvl6jWUktvUKRZaeqhyHDjgpquTX1ZPUl73emCxhiLUF0n9JOhMSbPlgELSsTuEtjbmCoAwIO1ZgQHxEtzhJcimMxKv4nI1rnNhvH_ZmgEVPvSNdBz8ipvs4JAdq34sC1gH/s1600/daddy+fishing.jpg" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
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Of course, most father's have an endless flood of <strike>ridiculous advice </strike>encouragement and guidance. Mine is no exception. Here are a few of my favs...<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: #990000;">Words of Wisdom</span></em></h3>
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<span style="color: #990000;">1. Be a forest ranger.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">2. Never let a man treat you like his best hunting dog.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">3. Make your own way.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">4. You <em>are</em> the company you keep.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">5. Don't cry. Fix it. <em>(editor's note: when I did cry...he fixed it)</em></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxycgpJ2Me1ZZ6e7ErgiFOkAl8G8HFexn89MwJUhF591pdCWQhmi3KVwWMe3EkkkmedE97VYL4GMqbagdb_DW5XqIYbrDG2KVKffyd9-MSRwrgZknCN9tBGb6HA4Uv6Ix2bbI3JExyaG/s1600/mom+and+dad+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUxycgpJ2Me1ZZ6e7ErgiFOkAl8G8HFexn89MwJUhF591pdCWQhmi3KVwWMe3EkkkmedE97VYL4GMqbagdb_DW5XqIYbrDG2KVKffyd9-MSRwrgZknCN9tBGb6HA4Uv6Ix2bbI3JExyaG/s1600/mom+and+dad+2.jpg" height="320" width="311" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and Mom on the road...as usual...</td></tr>
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<em>(insert sarcastic tone here)</em> This may surprise you but I <strike>gave my father bleeding ulcers and my mother a heart condition</strike> was a "handful" growing up. I'll ask my father on occasion how he did not accidently "lose" me at one of the car shows we frequented in downtown Atlanta. It's a big place I say...you could have cut me loose and never looked back. Really...it was the 80s. There were very few cameras, zero social networking and more of an ambivalence towards mankind in general. People got lost all of the time. Dad always smiles and says he had a lot of patience. Ahhh...the ever elusive patience. Speaking of lost...just saying...<br />
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<strike>Except for that one time in college</strike>, my father has never really been genuinely angry with me. Do the math...I am 43. <br />
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That's a patient man. <br />
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
</h3>
<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: #990000;">He did not lose his patience with me...</span></em></h3>
<br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I totaled a half a dozen cars. Seriously. </span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I left the tub ON while trying to <em>bath the cat</em> and the bathroom landed in our foyer. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I repeatedly brought home stray animals (a few were even pregnant). </span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I came home with <strike>purple red pink white</strike> orange hair (or shaved my head).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I ran over <em>his</em> mailbox with <em>his </em>car while <em>he</em> watched and I kept going...long story.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I sent all of my loser friends to him for a job (whom he generously employed).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000;">Not even when I maxed out the credit card he gave me on boots...repeatedly.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqpDimIw6P5_l414RXD9G2-UIOsSCzlKilkhYSZjF6OZmBnvROopr_spoOGgrIrxXh3ksnp9SEXj5M42eKbide7h9EGYWnfa_c2LqYmwj9gpVMOkl80hgrsMJd22JIUlpDR69_wmcrw8x/s1600/cars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqpDimIw6P5_l414RXD9G2-UIOsSCzlKilkhYSZjF6OZmBnvROopr_spoOGgrIrxXh3ksnp9SEXj5M42eKbide7h9EGYWnfa_c2LqYmwj9gpVMOkl80hgrsMJd22JIUlpDR69_wmcrw8x/s1600/cars.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two of the 6 cars...in my defense...my father did buy me an Alpha Romeo! That's an accident just in wait...</td></tr>
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I realize this paints a picture of a spoiled rotten child and an overindulgent father. So be it. However, this is the same man who instilled a "go big or go home" work ethic in my brother and me . He always says that respect is earned. Work for it. We do.<br />
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When I told my father that I was dating a professional cyclist (Bill's former career before going mainstream with <a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod building</a>), he thought for a second and said "cool". He seriously admired Bill's aspirations. My father taught me that ambition is not exclusive of corporate culture and carries over in most aspects of your life regardless of your vocation. <br />
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It's easy to understand that my father is enthusiastic about our bamboo fly rod making career choice today. We do okay. But my father was supportive of our <strike> absurd</strike> commendable career path from DAY ONE. For years, he may have been the only person on the planet that believed in Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods. Don't get me wrong, we had a lot of people "cheering us on" but this man BELIEVED. There is a difference and I know he made the whole journey easier for us.<br />
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Most importantly, my father (through his example and words) taught me to settle for nothing less than a strong, kind, compassionate and skillful husband. Done.<br />
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So...back to that mountain bike ride and the question that has intrigued me for almost15 years...<br />
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<em>"Do you remember the day you realized your father was not perfect?"</em></h3>
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<em>No. I don't.</em></h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Happy Father's Day. I love you.</td></tr>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-83805569125330726862014-03-28T00:31:00.000-04:002015-04-02T13:44:43.642-04:0010 things we can not live without at Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods <div class="vk_ans" data-hveid="46" style="margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: center;">
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Sometimes<strike> all of the time</strike> I feel like we live in a bubble here at <a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo</a>. Really...if you have taken a class, picked up your <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod</a> or even visited for more than a few minutes...this becomes evident. </h4>
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<span data-dobid="hdw">sub·cul·ture</span></h2>
<div class="lr_dct_ent_ph" data-hveid="46" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="lr_dct_ph">ˈsəbˌkəlCHər/</span><span class="lr_dct_spkr lr_dct_spkr_off" data-log-string="pronunciation-icon-click" style="display: inline-block;" title="Listen"><input height="16" style="height: 16px; width: 16px;" type="image" width="16" /></span></div>
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<i>noun</i></div>
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noun: <b>subculture</b>; plural noun: <b>subcultures</b>; noun: <b>sub-culture</b>; plural noun: <b>sub-cultures</b></div>
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<strong></strong>a cultural group within a larger culture, often having beliefs or interests at variance with those of the larger culture.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7TNm2qVXD7OgITjBkkD6I-LO_4x_jJO6hEpOTN3szCNeuOrRsLpz-QYQkBG8lhdEv0WvH_vrlukB3F2-arpHA2aPyGGOI6m1_4oj0JLp5I3XMl5c2AvxW4963FXDIAgSDc1pPnjZbRg/s1600/Oyster+Bamboo+Roni+and+Cutter+making+flies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cutter and roni oyster selling flies on main street blue ridge ga" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7TNm2qVXD7OgITjBkkD6I-LO_4x_jJO6hEpOTN3szCNeuOrRsLpz-QYQkBG8lhdEv0WvH_vrlukB3F2-arpHA2aPyGGOI6m1_4oj0JLp5I3XMl5c2AvxW4963FXDIAgSDc1pPnjZbRg/s1600/Oyster+Bamboo+Roni+and+Cutter+making+flies.jpg" height="300" title="cutter and roni oyster selling flies on main street blue ridge ga" width="320" /></a></div>
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This <strike>chaos that took shape against all odds</strike> meticulously maintained and well thought out life has enabled us to have our own language of sorts. If there was such a thing as a bamboo fly rod maker's cliche', we would probably be it. Our days are filled with <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rods</a> (of course), all things <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">fly fishing</a>, strong coffee, cold beer, steaks, cigars, shotguns, wild stories (most of which are wildly exaggerated...hey, I said we are a cliche'!) and scotch on occasion. </h4>
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However, I thought I would share some of our favs around the Oyster shop...</h4>
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Oyster Bamboo's 10 favorite things that have <strike>almost </strike>nothing to do with fish</h2>
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1. Bacon from the Blue Ridge Grocery. </h3>
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<img alt="oyster bamboo eats bacon at the blue ridge grocery" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4dWdmeQ63ic7uxp85eitWN35G2tH0_yXO2MDFZ6qitOwJPdmSg1pFbDo3Q_Oa0pt5vADud7oxM-d-yXGN4l8ElOhnNAiyWLOmhiBrMjap_dzxvKSmZdrg4XWJPFcsQv0iBowtGWa0jRai/s1600/539725_275494409252690_727134642_n.png" height="111" title="oyster bamboo eats bacon at the blue ridge grocery" width="320" /><span id="goog_793366579"></span><span id="goog_793366580"></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIK9t2ROJtVM22HCdo56yccdFBmczhtFN3OlTNUuDE1rHi0vXVlxaNgLrqE87w1c3MU-2EpBfwNhxI0pB5ZYKMaCd-hQp7IsJWl-xSkLzp_5ewJxeMASDc1JX4udGpPIyEnXr8M4FoNYDg/s1600/bacon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIK9t2ROJtVM22HCdo56yccdFBmczhtFN3OlTNUuDE1rHi0vXVlxaNgLrqE87w1c3MU-2EpBfwNhxI0pB5ZYKMaCd-hQp7IsJWl-xSkLzp_5ewJxeMASDc1JX4udGpPIyEnXr8M4FoNYDg/s1600/bacon.jpg" height="179" width="320" /></a></div>
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<em>In addition to owning Harvest on Main, our very good friends started this remarkable grocery a few doors down from the shop with the lure of bacon, hand crafted OJ and meals that allow us to never have to go home and eat...why would we!?!?!</em></div>
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2. GAME OF THRONES</h3>
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<i>Winter is coming...</i><br /><div>
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3. Our dogs...okay all dogs. </h3>
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<em>I regularly chase strangers and their dogs down Main Street. Sorry in advance.</em></div>
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4. Crossfit</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfZetlV4pOR_jwv7uvws66gfnHj4VQA4tgfMm9sNSWDas2ent1Dbomxkv1OknZ9pflkueWvxOARsEu8-_u0m7dVma6OHGmh56qZovecaitWkAVBGl6TE9oXBLW2pJ1UtkFSwzvIXoxlPp/s1600/30513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMfZetlV4pOR_jwv7uvws66gfnHj4VQA4tgfMm9sNSWDas2ent1Dbomxkv1OknZ9pflkueWvxOARsEu8-_u0m7dVma6OHGmh56qZovecaitWkAVBGl6TE9oXBLW2pJ1UtkFSwzvIXoxlPp/s1600/30513.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
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<em>
After a way-too-long sabbatical from taking care of ourselves physically, we walked across the street into </em><a href="http://www.crossfit30513.com/" target="_blank"><em>Crossfit 30513</em></a><em>. It's been a year and a half and we can honestly say that this has been one of the biggest game changers in our lives. 5-4-3-2-1</em></h4>
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5. <a href="http://gardenandgun.com/" target="_blank">Garden and Gun Magazine</a></h3>
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<em>When Oyster Bamboo was asked to be in the premiere issue years ago (almost two years before the first issue went to print in 2007), we had no idea how phenomenal of a publication Garden and Gun was destined to become from day one. This magazine has set the new standard for print media</em>. </div>
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6. Motorcycles (this one is Bill's fav)...and only a dual sport...</h3>
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<em>Bill loves this thing. <strike> I hate it.</strike> I am so happy for him.</em></div>
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7. Apalachicola</h3>
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<em>Okay, so it's a little fishy...</em></div>
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8. <a href="http://blueridgebrewery.com/" target="_blank">The Blue Ridge Brewery</a></h3>
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<em>Perfect...the ideal hang in town. The type of public house you only read about...</em></div>
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<em></em><br /></div>
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9. Shakira - you read that correctly...</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X3foRC9-SbtS7q_FXZfOBPH3tleO_LvQ7myC3JnTsytsNobzjNZwWMi-MsCJFMKxM8zwG_jWsUdQcli_gL_CdPVcV2JJUtpuJvqeJ8_FTvA3INUbdXziBMS3gcFQbjYW1uzOibBn8dfp/s1600/thCA04UA5G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2X3foRC9-SbtS7q_FXZfOBPH3tleO_LvQ7myC3JnTsytsNobzjNZwWMi-MsCJFMKxM8zwG_jWsUdQcli_gL_CdPVcV2JJUtpuJvqeJ8_FTvA3INUbdXziBMS3gcFQbjYW1uzOibBn8dfp/s1600/thCA04UA5G.jpg" /></a></div>
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<em>In the showroom we play the usual suspects...Tom Waits, Avett Brothers and White Stripes (okay...not so usual for <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod makers</a>). However, I had the speakers in the workshop separately wired free from public scrutiny. So, on any given day...you can catch Bill and/or Riley dancing to Shakira and like music. What can I say...the boys love them some Shakira.</em></div>
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10. Our Imaginations </h3>
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<em>Our children remind us every day that we are only limited by our imaginations. </em></div>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-26887747251858487562014-01-25T16:26:00.001-05:002015-04-02T13:48:51.271-04:00Bamboo Fly Rods, Blue Ridge and the Five Year Itch<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<h2 class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Bamboo Fly Rods</a> and the Five-Year Itch</span></h2>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJ7Vjarox7z_EzSZbEMOn_G3wnifsfmfMkdDBq2NPQ1VAd2mtc152KgL29MmUsZDvpEKzt82hmfQltkex7hv_5NuOW-OMxgv1DnLXvh8hnCmB3rGUxvAepoNCgmQ4-80AY_17Wdx-lQ7K/s1600/oyster+bamboo+family+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCJ7Vjarox7z_EzSZbEMOn_G3wnifsfmfMkdDBq2NPQ1VAd2mtc152KgL29MmUsZDvpEKzt82hmfQltkex7hv_5NuOW-OMxgv1DnLXvh8hnCmB3rGUxvAepoNCgmQ4-80AY_17Wdx-lQ7K/s1600/oyster+bamboo+family+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Five
Years.</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Five
years ago today, we moved to the mountains of <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge, Georgia</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Within the confines of my family...much has
changed (we moved, relocated our <a href="http://www.oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod</a> shop downtown Blue Ridge,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Veronica was born, Cutter "grew
up", we built a new building on Main Street...oh, and we <strike>got old</strike> ushered
in our 4th decade of life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Many move to an environment like Blue Ridge pursuing a dream of some sort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were <strike>no different</strike> more realistic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
honeymoon was over before it began...really...the economy crashed while
at the closing table for the loan on our new home/workshop </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(literally...we were watching the news and Lehman Brothers fell that morning). C</span>an anyone say "top dollar"?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were working so hard that Bill did not
even have time to enjoy the trout fishing out our back door that lured us here
initially and the much coveted "privacy" we desired turned into an
annoying self-inflicted sort of seclusion that was surprisingly annoying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">However,
two very important things grew in spite of any hindrance:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
ridiculous amount of love that our family has for one another (insert
sophomoric and banal sigh here) and 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our little <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making business</a> not only grew during this time
but it evolved and thrived.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>I can not possibly chronicle
all of the discrepancies between our former life in the suburbs of Atlanta and
our new found place in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So,
while I am <strike>being honest</strike> inspired, here are a few highlights for your (and mine)
amusement.</span></h4>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <b> </b></span><b>HIGH HEELS LOOK RIDICULOUS!</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I don't care how well you walk in heels or
how important it is to look "polished" and to add
"height".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you are in Blue
Ridge for more than a few hours, you will spend a significant amount of time in
DIRT and GRAVEL.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>High heels are not
"hot" in dirt and gravel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxHXd6hD4KT1d_7TTgoxLZNO_1AoNjVuXvyupIFpzQo2gZbqF8RPEXnvlqJxqZjgHBv6edfOilfzasRMbUG10GJAmlDryJt_ikhk-zzOMrVrsMVJ-rx5D0x62w7D5jduY7zJnYVZzBIQr/s1600/oyster+bamboo+dubarry+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglxHXd6hD4KT1d_7TTgoxLZNO_1AoNjVuXvyupIFpzQo2gZbqF8RPEXnvlqJxqZjgHBv6edfOilfzasRMbUG10GJAmlDryJt_ikhk-zzOMrVrsMVJ-rx5D0x62w7D5jduY7zJnYVZzBIQr/s1600/oyster+bamboo+dubarry+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat boots...preferred footwear.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<i>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><b>"One-upsmanship"</b> </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">is no longer
related to the size of your house or amount of luxury cars you own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">"One-upsmanship" </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">in Blue Ridge is
about the size of the bear on your front porch and the number of scorpions you
wrangle in your home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>True.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl08NM-NV6eRUarlPHv5UrOAXgo7Ri7enB9ve_vbl55Sf30XlBwe6dZ3byINFI9c8dNntCEwYmaKgxoEM-eBHacqmElUSsBNu6sC4wsNN1Hl6lnHRjra4KWaa4bJ1HKPPUZkTdzG_fYuKl/s1600/blue+ridge+bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl08NM-NV6eRUarlPHv5UrOAXgo7Ri7enB9ve_vbl55Sf30XlBwe6dZ3byINFI9c8dNntCEwYmaKgxoEM-eBHacqmElUSsBNu6sC4wsNN1Hl6lnHRjra4KWaa4bJ1HKPPUZkTdzG_fYuKl/s1600/blue+ridge+bear.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Strength</b> is far more attractive than Skinny.</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9X5W3YaT4DSfCYRp1VFog3-BTGs6FK_eXuprQtQ9Z6XZ5HxdbbBiggVz7IkT3mh9_kwVXsLdlV07yHYeDVoFSEEkwUG3VQkZjCxDEJR66jEpspRr87NfDxTbF3RehyphenhyphenSNhYaAAxVigtgK/s1600/oyster+bamboo+crossfit+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq9X5W3YaT4DSfCYRp1VFog3-BTGs6FK_eXuprQtQ9Z6XZ5HxdbbBiggVz7IkT3mh9_kwVXsLdlV07yHYeDVoFSEEkwUG3VQkZjCxDEJR66jEpspRr87NfDxTbF3RehyphenhyphenSNhYaAAxVigtgK/s1600/oyster+bamboo+crossfit+blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" height="316" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Charity is about helping your neighbor </b>not a
marketing effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please note that this
does not diminish larger charitable efforts...it's just that here...charity
really does start at home.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <b> </b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>Organic meat is not bought at Whole
Foods</b>...it brought to you in a zip lock mere hours after the hunt.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>Shotguns</b> (not handbags or diamonds) are the
ultimate status symbol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xsOXMjfmBU-bgjVIrQt8o44cmvmO7q8fjiHViiuJhSGvY7I-4TOit4HExuNqgFApZAE08iI9QS6RqEvpLbb0Wy8KUMRbc9vVXc5Y9IHa8btJN_YLUeQaRuBxg1R5e7-zcqVGEQWNAO9V/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+a+blue+ridge+ga+shannen+out+shooting+beretta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xsOXMjfmBU-bgjVIrQt8o44cmvmO7q8fjiHViiuJhSGvY7I-4TOit4HExuNqgFApZAE08iI9QS6RqEvpLbb0Wy8KUMRbc9vVXc5Y9IHa8btJN_YLUeQaRuBxg1R5e7-zcqVGEQWNAO9V/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+a+blue+ridge+ga+shannen+out+shooting+beretta.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clutching my shotgun...not handbag.</td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Garages are our <b>sheds</b> (clean cars are an
eyesore), <b>tractors</b> are our lawn mowers, <b>trails</b> are our sidewalks, <b>meadows</b> are
our lawns, <b>fireflies</b> are our light posts, <b>mountainsides</b> are our driveways and the
neighborhood pool is <b>Lake Blue Ridge.</b></span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy79yBowHWNC2c8UhbNy5R4WZn7D-3GcLcdmzP85zFIV8BdTP47fOUOM9hk1NMFUf-UWoZ1NDxBD-nQq5-qVydjhpExy5TLo7NdXuK8ok1mgT3Q29FbRYlZL8GpqG8yBeX4erxqorgApoT/s1600/blue+ridge+georgia+mts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy79yBowHWNC2c8UhbNy5R4WZn7D-3GcLcdmzP85zFIV8BdTP47fOUOM9hk1NMFUf-UWoZ1NDxBD-nQq5-qVydjhpExy5TLo7NdXuK8ok1mgT3Q29FbRYlZL8GpqG8yBeX4erxqorgApoT/s1600/blue+ridge+georgia+mts.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When meeting others for the first time and
they ask, <b>"What do you do?"</b>... they are not asking <b>"What do you
do for a living"</b>...normally, they are actually curious about <b>"What
you do" </b>in terms of <b>"Who you are"</b>...not your perceived
socioeconomic status.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Our Movie Megaplex is an actual Drive-In Theater from the 1950s.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't feel bad
for us...we have first run films and the concession stand has funnel cakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we were traveling and took Veronica to a
traditional theater, she yelled, "INSIDE?!? Are we going to see a movie
inside?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>INSIDE?!?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is going to be so much fun!"</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A <b>beard</b> is a must...oh wait...Bill has always
had a beard in the winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess manliness
transcends all geographic areas. </span></i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOa9DSdEMdvcUS-HnnuCdmjQ7cNkRPt6qJ6fpqabakVOK0wjiDEuJLULiu-m-8hVEXBOuu0AxUwQL7GeSPWLrUzrKtnNGJmLxSNC_F9ipfTJ2mNBVg5zWNGmf0qiSHRVpv2TQv3ccmxw-/s1600/oyster+bamboo+bill+oyster+beard++blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOa9DSdEMdvcUS-HnnuCdmjQ7cNkRPt6qJ6fpqabakVOK0wjiDEuJLULiu-m-8hVEXBOuu0AxUwQL7GeSPWLrUzrKtnNGJmLxSNC_F9ipfTJ2mNBVg5zWNGmf0qiSHRVpv2TQv3ccmxw-/s1600/oyster+bamboo+bill+oyster+beard++blue+ridge+georgia+bamboo+fly+rod+making+widow.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roni taking care of her father's manly beard.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Naturally,
I get asked if I miss anything about my more formal surroundings on a regular
basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example...</span>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't you miss having everything at your
fingertips?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, my definition of "everything"
has changed.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't you miss being "informed"?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Huh?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't you miss the mall?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, the lights always made me nauseous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strike>I spent way too much money there.</strike> </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Q:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don't you miss...</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e7vS5L5ug-cgrelx3jHO8Ow5L9lY2mu89xNotKD2uBtnYxlMa0HdipQfR7Dr5DLT3XDcEE0gPT6OPEIunlVn1gLmSKSJOAUSXth4hOLQhfmaHiCH4SRHmkHtUOsreT748ZAjg4J1YogR/s1600/downtown+again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0e7vS5L5ug-cgrelx3jHO8Ow5L9lY2mu89xNotKD2uBtnYxlMa0HdipQfR7Dr5DLT3XDcEE0gPT6OPEIunlVn1gLmSKSJOAUSXth4hOLQhfmaHiCH4SRHmkHtUOsreT748ZAjg4J1YogR/s1600/downtown+again.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQfYMMaGf_ntiFJFuO89Cjn-WTYSFRYqCUcZv2xEaL4h-GXAf0tNBTk35dO_Fm3MYhRl3YmQR4VtSbl5w2ILdo0eU860ECHM4GCq1CkJ9yT8DT1aA6vJcPiXRxiJMiKFzXYvtTP76mOtI/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue++ridge+ga+train+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgQfYMMaGf_ntiFJFuO89Cjn-WTYSFRYqCUcZv2xEaL4h-GXAf0tNBTk35dO_Fm3MYhRl3YmQR4VtSbl5w2ILdo0eU860ECHM4GCq1CkJ9yT8DT1aA6vJcPiXRxiJMiKFzXYvtTP76mOtI/s1600/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue++ridge+ga+train+2.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My new mall...<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">downtown Blue Ridge</a>.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If
pressed, I am sure I could make a list of what I do miss...like access to a
great haircut and Ikea.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">For
me, the most distinguishable difference between my two microcosms is the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strike>insert overused word here</strike>
"authentic" approach to life that is woven into our daily rhythm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People, places and things..."more real".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, by default (or even on purpose), you
become "more real"...more connected...more present and (best of
all)...your actions require less effort. *see footnote below*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">*footnote* It's
important to note that authenticity has a dark side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Living in the mountains has not insulated us
from the world's lunacy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact,
without the pressing nature of the exhaustive suburban "civilized"
life, people are less inhibited and respectable behavior is underrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <strike>Don't ask.</strike></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>organically...through the years, we have
found a home here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our "home"
does not consist of four walls but of an intense connection to everything
around us...from our own family and trade to our relationships and nature at
large.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Five Years...no itch...yet.</span></h3>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-48138083445655784692013-10-20T16:51:00.000-04:002015-04-02T13:50:09.776-04:00Bamboo Fly Rods and my Baby Boy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N58EVSix3Uf-0KHP2_X3rChMM15VylY33l-57KpWP6r4HjGHScEBhc9JkRLQVSfkTFYh0oHNsOXsXN8yArfxDuTTkvqrIRktmD0iAx5an3zmGZotfdeOIzOODs88LY4XLPUnjCWAn1vC/s1600/Cutter+Oyster+and+his+snail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9N58EVSix3Uf-0KHP2_X3rChMM15VylY33l-57KpWP6r4HjGHScEBhc9JkRLQVSfkTFYh0oHNsOXsXN8yArfxDuTTkvqrIRktmD0iAx5an3zmGZotfdeOIzOODs88LY4XLPUnjCWAn1vC/s320/Cutter+Oyster+and+his+snail.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
This past week, Bill took <strike>my baby boy</strike> our son on his first camping trip on the Davidson River in North Carolina.</h2>
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<h4>
Sometimes less is more in the words department.</h4>
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<h4>
Pause.</h4>
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slo<br />
<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-5486618037384384982013-08-08T15:05:00.002-04:002015-04-02T13:53:09.505-04:00Facebook, oversharing and bamboo fly rods<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rod's children and big trout" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYws-dJbHldqAHSU1Nr1fWIzTve21syBQtTjEi6YVlb-7qJ6x2vr8ztrVd4YxRnYLyYMlnRYGG3CFsRX2_oFRMPjz7aNcbEJGx5m7VqmRcyFA4Pkn7hIIktP7E0PcG1auhFmYMvdwJzNFR/s640/kids+blog+bamboo+fly+rods+brown+and+rainbow+trout.jpg" height="320" title="oyster bamboo fly rod's children and big trout" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank">POST! Okay...these photos belong on Facebook...my children and Kory with their bamboo fly rods and huge trout!</a></td></tr>
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For years, Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod's marketing department (me) has deliberately "opted out" of the Facebook phenomenon. Deliberate or not...and among other reasons, this marketing department (me) prefers oversharing the old fashioned way (face to face with a bottle of wine).<br />
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In fact, this blog (and if you are reading this...you know that it's fairly difficult to even find this link on our web site) originally was a passive way to share our story a bit more in-depth with future students coming from afar. Then, you (my flock...and you know who you are) talked me into digging a little deeper and I now must admit, I enjoy chronicling this zany little life that chose us. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rod making class in blue ridge ga" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRXvCrlfR8ixTiVYOgcRzk_seTK7RRRYad6lpwoqgLy_HpCxckCMkNU4Q8Khz2Vg4h37FtA2q0UFILJD79R2P1c4HZYI-GCC3hD8_mLouIjYlFkV2CJGRKJ79s0oVpJqoOERvtPZOGuJkM/s640/face+blog+bill+photobomb+riley+turned.jpg" height="640" title="oyster bamboo fly rod making class in blue ridge ga" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank">One of Oyster's first Facebook photos...Bill photo bombing Riley during a class...look close.</a></td></tr>
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I see Facebook as a third party presence that looms over pop culture in most situations. I won't bore you with all of the "everybody's very own editable reality show" references but I will say integrating "camera courage" into our lives has been fun to watch from the safe haven of an "observer" <strike>non-participant</strike>. So far...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPgR7awrTHF59PPS5Tls8oHYw5SEX8P1AUSU4WpvSXR2fe8Gsd7yo2FJ5PEWk9WWTcuvpgfPYsFaK418CwN908S3uy-hE9nIxgrsq9xR4IehONHNWeHwWqPXpA_g8eNwKs4jH0QMmW94uA/s320/face+blog++horse+main+street+oyster+bamboo.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank">Is it "post-worthy" when horses regularly cruise Main Street? Do others find this as amusing?</a></td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
I have heard from Facebook <strike>bullies</strike> advocates for years concerning the benefits of sharing your life online... </h3>
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<b>You can keep up with your friend's children.</b><br />
<i>I would love to but I have a hard enough time keeping up with my own!</i><br />
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<b>You can reconnect with friends from your past.</b><br />
<i>See above...</i><br />
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<b>Facebook allows you to play games online with your friends! </b><br />
<i>Really...</i><br />
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<b>You can tell everyone "what's on your mind"...</b><i></i><br />
<i>Do you know me at all? Because if you do...this is not a very good suggestion. </i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rods on facebook" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZaaoQ7p1kd-InBEG02dybe5W2rhJILjBQ0AOjqShTMYMS_XGE3aG3r36NjkmDUq8hUuETlD2djttrPa88GQtRiRUoc-MQkI9YfgifjL0M3QYf_K75ozLsFuMYgSeltPZHUQx2Fx4fA1us/s400/face+blog+rods.jpg" height="300" title="oyster bamboo fly rods on facebook" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank">POST!</a></td></tr>
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So, you know where this is going, right?<br />
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After much cajoling from <strike>the peanut gallery</strike> Riley, <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods</a> went Facebook official a few weeks ago. And, even though I do not use my personal account, this little company is personal. Period. Now I must learn how to properly navigate all of this or just move forward and maneuver as always . For Oyster, there is no other possible approach than to just put it out there...our genuine nature. "Like it or not".<br />
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And then there is the cat and mouse game with the newest "age old" question: </div>
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<b>To Post or Not To Post!?!? </b></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="molly at oyster bamboo fly rods workshop in blue ridge, ga" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BHe1r2pZUvBqRIzfMWqW1axnmLSpxFSmueNW_2cCUDqKz9gMpp69g-EPzForzwxqz2zKOuJTx2vRvr_01Ks3DWvmgBh4pgeOqWlqPBobK3Qz2rbA3dbxrZ_IM4qe2spA8DT_N2YaRzM2/s320/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga+molly+the+dog.jpg" height="240" title="molly at oyster bamboo fly rods workshop in blue ridge, ga" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank">POST!</a></td></tr>
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<br />
So, will this be some conversion on my part about sharing my personal, private, professional and family self more readily with zeal and vigor? Is this blog going to end in some cathartic revelation about the integration of Facebook into my life? <br />
<br />
Probably not. However, I remain flexible on this issue.<br />
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rods on facebook" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQjoo0PamFfLP5UgB_xnOIE1PY860h2fARSLtiYvDeFXuZiqJNbCqafp0Eve2jY-CNxZzuEmqr_xfVtjS3WlbWpKzcAHBmhI_t4C8ZvbZIkuJZ_o6Fh8NF6AbKg7LZZXfunLdgY2Wjj1H/s1600/oyster+bamboo+facebook+image.jpg" title="oyster bamboo fly rods on facebook" /></a></div>
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One more confession regarding why Facebook makes Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod's marketing department (me) uncomfortable. I was raised to keep my true personal feelings at arms-length. Therefore, <strike>begging</strike> asking for your approval on any level feels <strike>wrong </strike>unnatural.<br />
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
So... </h2>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
I'll employ my secret weapon (I hear animals and kids are a big hit on Facebook) </h4>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank"><img alt="veronica oyster at oyster bamboo fly rod shop blue ridge ga" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF7c8h7w4_8suby7B-tP7vp65gvykszxwJbZwLgCs2anTe2EIdBbmR-dguSGheG0vXIbwTnMw5KvE2xX-ErpoCHA1xIZIbp9dx10IjAczOUqwTtQDjrPicR-2obE4w1flyhaKKDTrqccXP/s640/face+blog+roni+mermaid+turned.jpg" height="640" title="veronica oyster at oyster bamboo fly rod shop blue ridge ga" width="480" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/OysterFineBambooFlyRods" target="_blank"><b>LIKE ME!</b></a></h2>
<div style="text-align: center;">
In a much more subdued voice...</div>
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<b> </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>please and thank you</b></div>
<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-9794362081690076012013-05-12T14:53:00.000-04:002015-04-02T13:55:54.263-04:00Mother's Day, Bamboo Fly Rods and the "Best" Lifestyle<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv62mbP8oz2RT2oOoqj_28H_65wq7NPbFbDgQlcC4U25XJXht7VM92vVSFA8-JHqOOJ0lNo9DQqWW_TkX-joZEBqgFSrMtMoCnfC6UlOrjvhTlu5zpVvMtyrPDY3cZyhYHeXEciMSYWrA0/s320/cutter+i+love+you.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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It's Mother's Day. Naturally, I am <strike>feeling proud, content and superior to all other mothers</strike> full of self doubt! In the weeks leading up to this sacred day, our culture inundates us with the images of "perfect mothers" by showering <strike>them</strike> us with accolades, flowers, perfume...blah,blah, blah. Sans the perfume...that's how my day began as well...but it did not take long for me to question the deserving nature of it all. <br />
<br />
While the catalyst for moving to a rural community in the <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">North Georgia mountains</a> was finding a proper place to raise our children, the reality is <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/classgallery.html" target="_blank"><i><b>our children spend most of their time in a bamboo fly rod making shop</b></i></a> on <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank">Main Street</a> in a busy little tourist town surrounded by eccentric shop owners, fly fishing guides and the mountains are simply our backdrop. And, most days this feels natural and "best". <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipSIQuu2jRdZdEMHDPliWEB06wRMsCLaDMH_X9nl3dci3MuIZ78pm3h9XhL1u9JybvVIAFhHFUgrDJ9YcV9Oj54kt6KkL1p1NBqASLhOxIT9fNFiDM4U_yTd2Cdq1gaT1SoRTzD0JRbPG6/s640/may+blog+cul+de+sac.jpg" height="128" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our "CUL_DE_SAC"</td></tr>
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Some days I wonder if the infamous "cul-de-sac" culture is "best". I shut my eyes and remember my own upbringing...a two story brick house on a 1/2 acre lot in a subdivision north of Atlanta with the outstanding schools. Children were everywhere...all of the time. There were block parties, go carts, swimming pools, tennis courts, trampolines, ponds stocked with fish, paved roads and stay-at-home mothers with the sweetest nature about them <strike>(although now as an adult I realize most of those mother's were simply drunk)</strike>.<br />
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Then I snap out of it. Indeed, I had a fairly ideal childhood. Because I have chosen to do something different does not interpret into either choice being right or wrong. <br />
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When we visit the suburbs, I can not help but notice other little girls sitting quietly, holding a purse with their legs crossed clutching the latest and greatest advertised toy. I think (for a second)...where did I go wrong? This stark contrast haunts me (for a minute). My little girl does not even know the meaning of an "inside voice"...does not sit long enough in one place to cross her legs and her favorite toy is the shop's pic ax (don't judge me).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qiL8HgSlS6YiQfGAIPbQ3GTZzXl44o2nJtkA8NAuIh9PQCKbwCTN40pjHdWipMd0MMX7s71Ry97_H5IlKjf3B0tDLC5WDUpa-42rdwyOYzFft9jC2HXPsW7547kJkF1YUayjPswBwrGq/s640/may+blog+friends.jpg" height="128" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roni and Cutter's life inside the shop...friends...new and old...real ones.</td></tr>
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My self doubt eventually gives way to that unabashed maternal confidence that comes from deep down...not a perfume commercial.<br />
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Our lifestyle is good. Our children are happy.<br />
<br />
The environment we provide for Cutter and Roni exposes them to hard work, an enormous amount of love, art and nature on a daily basis. Even though there are not a lot of other children (<i>they do have a few quality friendships</i>) around the shop, their "peers" are Oyster clients (who are truly some of the most interesting people on earth) and their lives are enriched because of them.<br />
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<i><b>This is probably the most valuable lesson I have learned about motherhood:</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>There are infinite ways to parent well. There is not a "best" way to raise a child. Do what feels natural for you and your family and it will all work out.</b></i><br />
<br />
Regardless, your children grow and hopefully flourish.<br />
<br />
Speaking of...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9gLU-nshgPL3BgW6ms2-k3jljCFgN54hDbOTk341orVMawedmaKykbYHHA4hOujY_ttfowpcGWEzrTt7ZHEjhFPMLIc-CutFsuyOZEO-T0Bryc43daNPKKKD0HelQ-VEyx7PNcVlXjzie/s640/show+me+veronica.jpg" height="128" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">show me happy, show me angry, show me sad, show me confused, show me shocked</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
...Roni turned four last week. Her party was in the local park and the guest list was...well...varied...it included the entire family, 2 friends, one Oyster client who surprised us from Colorado and mostly fly fishing guides.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3PizUwhcMRKg7RW9PIM60LK1AXHljoqIbxNO1YiCH1WosPjHh9N4hYjmw9kY1fjSRdm_BGAuR7HkW7NfCk_NRtNDnf2r6n8PhqNySRhgMHkFwuzGdF5wjfhVoWTnZfFJ9h7GLC4lDWt2/s320/show+me+4.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">show me 4</td></tr>
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Case and Point (see "best" reference above).</div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTgl8OwnCtTIe1znUP-9P7L3drWmBE52spKx6Cnad6MAVzjFsLtLz2trQqYIKJE2K_SgbLYsMJ-vGzI739si5Hbk5hg8I1Y5LKqJSTPDL9atm9FQ32_6awbSAeoUDdcQsTwkzGBx4SVD3y/s640/may+blog+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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Our groove has simply improved each day with the new building...it already feels like we've been there forever. Also, there have been significant improvements made to our bamboo fly rods recently as well...both aesthetically and artistically. After a decade of planning, we have a new <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod</a> that is quiet revolutionary in our tiny little sub-culture. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQzigiwTVvdKS_xi7lbvY_nTpIx3zvG9zIKF0Wq1yumiuv4JDI3vFx-g4AfaUuedpNhKwidry6wbCwRXB1a3sm7REmYnHzD3ynDLdOjz8zBpuXF-KfLV8cf-y_gtvl4s0GJjKFPm-eC54m/s320/love+from+cutter.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutter Love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Since it's Mother's Day, I'll save the real "shop talk" for later.</div>
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However, I will tell you about my new shotgun! It's a Beretta Perennia 20 G with a 28" barrel. I love it and it loves me back. It does. Don't judge me. </div>
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Of course, it's spring in the <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge mountains</a> so we fortunately have made time for shooting, fishing and even dusted off our mountain bikes. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOiwyNAy8D3dOQ_D6_U_pqjb57vJYBUTZqKEI0cEy4OZzB35BcB6_Q-guq3y0Nj0Y15F5K7gPaCNju5ygIHUNKcaSPrYQKLvaw0KNHCtZ1tZVeeOpHX0mAX8cJ353nBvnOSLhmZbtIg8oX/s640/may+blog+bang+and+fish.jpg" height="330" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fish, bang, FISH</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Here's the crazy thing...it Mother's Day and I have everyone's blessing to do whatever I want...</div>
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So, I am going to the shop to see my family and meet some new friends </div>
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(a bamboo fly rod making class started today).</div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBdNzGUmNccupuZTdtU09PuhbYw2E70PPJd1bw1c0-p_EAMgRCuvulWUsSiw-L4nOyZFI9LWayNeeNBZVCku7EhVUMzOwzudtR8kxQt_uOIaLfIkISFHa9OcQ2XXFTghCrcAb7VTB8QsWH/s320/main+street+sign.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-71332518355354775932013-03-30T07:29:00.001-04:002015-04-02T14:00:16.394-04:00My Bamboo Fly Rod, a Can of Worms and the Sentimental Nature of it All<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzRq7tuM1oqL98b2j_eq0x9S199l67lrx_uNw1-w8mUtx85g5N5-i0gHa-n5saEZgyxfijjOjyJDSw-hwJa6ou_SSAd4z2yZrYjOXntgGvSblNCWIizRgDTDXydWN6-QLxn-SVGfwOky1/s640/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+6+2013.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLly904jva9k4h-_HycUJR6aE6q1euExd5e799RPTI_OmEav1bqGU1FG_fO2Fh4EQ-umpGVHh_xdzjG38qZM2DfU7M15EnzD0BIWHHEjkHBApe30evOPtdNAlMJnce73qKDMxpq61lIQp/s400/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+12+2013.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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My class was on March 3rd and through all of the ups and downs...I
successfully made another bamboo fly rod without <strike>crying</strike> impaling anyone.<br />
<br />
About a month before my class, I sent out an email asking for advice concerning my new <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod.</a> I asked Oyster clients to help design it...I did it...it was my fault. I'll own it here for all to scrutinize. I asked for your input and I heard you all...loud and clear. A lot of you. I opened the metaphorical can of worms.<br />
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There were so many heart felt, well thought out responses. Thank you. Of course, I also received the obligatory ridiculous responses as well (you know who you are...Richard Rones). <br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhJ70TvoEK9Jl2XoqzPtdUl0YNN-vqPknpUVz0r15uAFQb-nJrfFu_NLL0V35E50Q6H28BYmqY_BlN75RsYPMTM0DBCnWG6jaaLDLnLb0XvfvbpU8KfkZZ_0DpWjOXzsDiq7kQkB-7Khw/s400/shannen+oyster+bambo+fly+rod+making+class+3.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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There were so many responses related to donating my rod...point well taken. But, there is one complication concerning that plan...I don't have my own trout rod. I borrow, steal and plead. Bill has never had the time to build one for me (or himself for that matter...have you seen his beat-up rod?!?!) so I opted to make a <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo rod</a> for myself. Donating a rod? I thought hard on this one...Next year... <br />
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I normally only write one of these blogs if I have a"moment"...so... <br />
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Here was the <strike>unexpected</strike> inevitable revelation I had while sifting through your responses about designing my rod: <i><b>The bamboo fly rod is a sentimental thing </b></i>and I personally take this for granted. Life has a way of blurring the lines between pleasure and responsibility regardless of what you may do for a living. It's almost a relief to be reminded by YOU that I am surrounded by our future's history (yes, that makes perfect sense to me) of craftsmanship not only at Oyster but also by the legacy that each rod crafted by our students carries on for generations.<br />
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Each hand crafted<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rod</a> has a story.<br />
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Each story is unique.<br />
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These stories live on for future generations and allow us (as the makers) to leave a piece of ourselves with those who will only know us through others and what we leave behind...<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i><b>So, here was my final choice for the rod I made this year...</b></i><br />
<i><b>Technically the rod is a 7' 9" 6 weight, very dark flamed with clear wraps with a medium fast taper. It is one of Bill's favorite rods to fish and make for Oyster clients.</b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Now,the real details:</b></i><br />
<i><b>I built this rod for my daughter, Veronica Flower Oyster. The story I want to leave with her is this:</b></i><br />
<i><b>She is strong. She will bend but not break. Her pedigree is strength. </b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>"Find your grace through Strength" </b></i><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZqYQvatz3L74f2IJX1e6CNKRyTpH2Aybz9ocYHdktAmljWplnILc22gFRuLlTUBQW5dQCq_2bpC6hBG74DcSkXcRjJwh444JNgRQBo-VErdGWmcVyV66WBbOLw7NBMegCRnvYUC4Sgu_D/s640/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+5.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">wrapping day ... single homage on right before varnish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i><b>This rod's story is strength. </b></i><i><b><br /></b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>These single turn wraps are an homage to our family. There are four wraps (pink, red, orange and green). The Pink and Red represent my mother's arduous battle with cancer and heart disease. The Orange represents my brother's kidney cancer as well as his relentless survival spirit and the Green is for Bill's father. Bill's father died in 2003 of Appendix Cancer. Green was his favorite color (there is not a color to represent this rare cancer). Bill's father was the epitome of strength and courage. He changed lives and was undoubtedly the toughest human being I have ever met. </b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
<i><b>Finally, because Veronica and I both feel that we are Mermaids doomed to walk the earth (don't judge me), Bill engraved his best yet. It's my opinion. </b></i><br />
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Simply put...my class was FUN! My Aunt Terry from Seattle was here again as well as our dear friend Kathy and her friend (and now ours) Cathy.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPP3Y9jBYFtty7p0NP3mvsHSTIG0fbSBatpslC-8WQqWHch98_F_aT0rY_r5Nmpm66HjUTJHNKCFN_kLUaEZRSU7sX3OQoB9xuvq8E_hzXK9pIgaotYOuSos6XznE_3aB-nD6eDPDt8Ecd/s640/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+mic.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH9jc5IfeaYf3VELxqPyxgGrCaM2bA5ThymNPnp_xo_veY2oesIRP5a2hT0mG8-a8E7pU8umFuRKiLeP0T_9xJ8AiNG1CbsfghRlcWQyzAx47GNtN9jEGPyfdQEYIf_ynyFdR4E6LT9QAJ/s400/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+day+1.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9esiEooiyDNisBxVKgQBWh3vSKVSJtpr5Oz7bDrGh21bImqkKKlLlL5rTrqJo85ScDql038qDARXh0pzhQ7XKRJUtNnArL2PWMHbxpRwQP0TWWVPu-vabsvqOwU1GVraZOtas-eRcD18v/s640/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+maing+class+day2.jpg" height="211" width="640" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #990000;">I can not resist sharing my top 5 insights during my class week: </span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #990000;">1. We need to update our waivers.</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">2. Don't wear white on day 2 (this was advice from a February student as well...point taken)</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">3. Listen to Bill</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">4. Wrap in clear!!!</span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #990000;">5. A small amount of blood never hurt anyone (see #1)</span></b><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZbhAJ_tZ7ZSzji5E7iCFEF8Jtor1Jq9vQUq6DAdCwJWr5jwoDoymu_dzYwTxgD5tsJpr9wOpm6PE6z5xXeqNoF3TYCqsLIrR1HjJH9p_lqNnuXjanjvb-3uajFmY32EZDCgc2IrX3DX3/s640/fire+and+ice+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire and Ice Trout!, Hunter's devotion to fly fishing and pizza, Kara loves my crown</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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A few other notables over the past month or so...<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge</a> had the annual Fire and Ice Festival. It may or may not surprise you that I was crowned Ice Queen during the festivities. I will say that it came as a bit of a shock because I thought to be the queen of anything, you must first leave your office?!?! The picture above is my assistant (Kara) who was a wee bit more excited than myself about the crown. I hear this honor requires that you ride on a float for the 4th of July parade...hopefully, this will be overlooked.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojWc7lJ7-3t2Ug7JYDUJfI6QK-bDbfEopqjfMHPeTtPJSI8c-RU0tOfHWv_11cOxh5omSfiHR5ugFIcaL_oK4ic1vWZdZBgy9zEYjp30DYtMWjhRJ4-4Hd3N4q9ECckyTdf2zJw3z_fMU/s320/Worth_cover_cropped.jpg" height="320" width="240" />Oyster in Worth Magazine</a></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8u4lW88y6LKw7ZfhPKYnbvccZJdYiKXY2OlQgJANfoMkz2_XtnLnl_hyclEFLlgK_uU90Ws1czuYw-H-ZdsTm_iDSX6_abIdqNdrGRmtXu3ebEipvXAKL1DZ4O50AFvi3vOdzD6V9dHWq/s320/page_cover_of_article_cropped.jpg" height="320" width="245" />http://oysterbamboo.com/files/Magazine_final.pdf</a></div>
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Also, Oyster was fortunate enough to be in a few publications. A few regional magazines were kind enough to mention us in addition to<i><b> Worth</b></i> and<i><b> SW Georgia Magazine</b></i>. These publications are a refreshing source of information in our digital age. Nothing can replace the touch and feel of print (I graduated from the UGA's Grady College of Journalism...so I really do mean this).<br />
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Humbled, Happy and Blessed<br />
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Shannen</a><br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWVXaIZpgXUPZQkf2TUqFAI92sG9HPWQenDWASKP7bxSyXmgzdTOo_id1eJRSGaLabaBkvPhpjQHNDj-0HW3fclHaJuJHzVJoy5rlXoTCiUtMYDcobBWcWrNZCutfI44u0SLBzBkkhdlDo/s640/class+2.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-69036089701710840002013-02-06T23:21:00.000-05:002015-04-02T14:02:19.968-04:00Shooting in Pajamas, Bamboo Fly Rods & letting go of the Martyr<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKskEqNeWTAUoR2lutbYRha0N38luqeUv4dTmvNaYrvkZUf1lT6clgmeZauIDFm3K4jNs8mvrWj1iVTPmzu6AEpLKJmzH4Xa6uzitMKmxg9_3NwHYmBakKOFeM9hVKcgC2M80wlHj5UKwt/s320/shooting+in+pajamas+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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When I woke up this morning, I had no intention of shooting. With Bill <strike>on the other end of the planet</strike> on his annual trip to Argentina for a few weeks, my schedule goes from hectic to quasi insane...not to mention lonely (days are good...nights stink...see reference to my co-dependent nature). <br />
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Self admittedly, I could probably go a bit easier on myself and not bury every waking moment in so much work during Bill's absence but that would go against my <strike>urge to be a martyr</strike> nature.<br />
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So, there I was this AM standing in my closet planning for a slow day downtown (think Wednesdays in the southern bible belt) anticipating the load of paperwork I will catch up on while desiring comfort over all else. So, I wore my pants that look suspiciously like pajamas.<br />
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Around 10:30 at the shop, I looked up from my computer and found Ian, Derek and Hunter staring down at me...here's how it went...<br />
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<strong>Hunter:</strong> <em>Let's go shoot.</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>Now? No.</em><br />
<strong>Hunter:</strong> <em>Why, come on!</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>No. I am in my pajamas. </em><br />
<strong>Derek:</strong> <em>Is there anything I can help you with?</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>(insert snarky tone here) Do you want to try and navigate all of this obnoxious paperwork?</em><br />
<strong>Derek: </strong><em>I will if you want. Let me try to help you. </em><strong> (okay...now I feel bad...a little)</strong><br />
<strong>Hunter:</strong> <em>Come on Shannen...Bang, Bang!</em> <strong>(insert some strange dance Hunter does here)</strong><br />
<strong>Me:</strong><em> No.</em><br />
<strong>Hunter:</strong> <em>Why? (now think begging man child)</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>What will I do with Veronica?</em><br />
<strong>Derek:</strong> <em>Ian and I will watch her.</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>How will Cutter get home from school?</em><br />
<strong>Ian:</strong> <em> I'll pick him up. No problem.</em><br />
<strong>Me:</strong> <em>I sold my favorite gun.</em><br />
<strong>Hunter:</strong> <em>I'll go to your house and pick up what you need and bring some of my shotguns that you love to shoot (think pump gun...yeah, I said it...I like pump guns).</em><br />
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As I <strike>systematically placed obstacles in my way</strike> tried to explain that I can not just leave in the middle of the day and I was convinced that I had taught them all an important life lesson with my unwavering commitment to<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rods</a>...I heard my little voice...<br />
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<em>Go. Let go of the martyr for just a few hours.</em><br />
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That's all it took...well, that and Hunter whining in my ear...<br />
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Bye.<br />
<br />
Hello Bang Bang!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WTz8x6j5SDxRzwd5Af3aN21wrThxYyzX1xptqF4QEZgrCeLsG6VGNOhirmKZjhSCbO_lNu9ipF0EF5OnQQmrpumCducOeIaP5U31D5aulwYj7ku05S7IolDJbs8QX-bezwDpwnP6kjmt/s320/shooting+in+pajamas+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+2.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Station 10 always reminds me of why we moved to the <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge mountains</a><br />
(it's easy to forget sometimes...or take it for granted...gasp). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Even in the absence of my favorite shotgun (sold it...waiting for my new favorite shotgun )...I had a beautiful day and shot just for fun. Shooting sporting Clays and letting go of my martyr allowed me to connect with three important things today that I otherwise would have missed: <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysertbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfT9otn82IebsxXf1_esdJ7Ge8yzlkg39Hv7Q-XIhGVf4vCPuOpEbTR5W1tC0KAdKsKxqXxDOY1VS-ZHlMaT9Ils6jDny0MgohuKSyB5ERE70QDy3aRvFZ2AI71ZTdIbU4UBLTBl75B-ww/s640/shooting+in+pajamas+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+3.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Station 3 Clay Graveyard</td></tr>
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(1) My <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod</a> community of <strike> wayward boys</strike> that were so willing to help me have the break I needed.<br />
(2) <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge and the mountains</a> that lured us here to begin with...<br />
(3) My pajamas that held up even under the pressure of several hundred rounds.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWUtdBykMltQjxxLfefUvAcz43tNTFBwo-zGUwPeuCDYqnyxZAPy7GmZs-hf3DbGAlXP0-XT11ZJHKWWXz0sMQVCg_ZA_nul1WnBni7ijkpJY5BO1shIEfdBTTxtWTjbhnsuVhJqZAj0rb/s400/shooting+in+pajamas.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pajamas are the newest in chic sporting gear...pass it on.</td></tr>
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. bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-41472374675363994002013-01-18T19:02:00.000-05:002015-04-02T14:15:40.108-04:00Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods...2012 Year in Review...The Best Laid Plans of Bamboo and Fly Rods <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rods in blue ridge georgia" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieEZRu4yvmPX6EFtNmTes7rLlkc8zvanB6KM8G2fF9RxgCyptE-ftotekBEmOhiF4NvaUcFXqIyu9g2f6SNi4vWmYc7bQh1CzL1at-soH2MRgavFRoOOXABtDqXR9O6QysQuTr3iTe-d4-/s640/oyster+bamboo+main.jpg" height="320" title="2012 in a nutshell..kind of!" width="640" /></a></div>
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"If it were easy...everyone would do this."</h3>
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Those are the words that Bill whispered in my ear almost daily in the beginning of 2012. As the year wore on, Bill's whisper grew into a dull roar and those words' final resting place became my mantra. At the end of 2011, we had a plan for 2012. </div>
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<i>What's the expression...<strike>no good deed</strike>, "the best laid plans"?!?</i></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: center;">
Here are a few highlights:</h3>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD2sPcgYGxBQ1m6wwotJfSZBc8OGKrb5ihDszvp7M_HbyQL54JbNMVcQ6CCDWTUc7kGxtvT4Oh0w2vn0cv7u23a5ihXq2GnLrkKpinlBDyklFyINUd5lbzVZL3jhsMIPeXo-ONnsb5-x-/s1600/january+cal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqD2sPcgYGxBQ1m6wwotJfSZBc8OGKrb5ihDszvp7M_HbyQL54JbNMVcQ6CCDWTUc7kGxtvT4Oh0w2vn0cv7u23a5ihXq2GnLrkKpinlBDyklFyINUd5lbzVZL3jhsMIPeXo-ONnsb5-x-/s200/january+cal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="bamboo fly rod making classes" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdT0LFlrwD252IyYyF7BhNp1qqrl-CMkJxHmYqCdhff-h4zJlFL1b5wbnYQUtCtqGcmo9IlIyaRz0VEjG1wiqw3dT5wqnE6r4PmC7RsIqGx70sy_1roxEbIFtK5GChRh5jeRagg-aUcW1t/s640/january+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+2.jpg" height="212" title="bamboo fly rod making classes" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New building coming along slowly but surely in January, more bamboo fly rod making classes and <br />
(of course... many more bamboo fly rods). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://blueridgeflyfishing.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Blue Ridge Fly Fishing" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL2K1S9FsBDdG1Pj7Wopy13mKosOvQz1xiJQD8tfv8_iP_5ibk3MyDAdcxjHCjqxp7ou5cpgA_GnCacILAZ1-6iWy8bIqeitgMs3gjD2WLOGZaJrt5nw_MVmqTDg2V4qOBeCDRWJAHO4Tn/s640/Blue+ridge+fly+fishing+january+2012.jpg" height="212" title="Blue Ridge Fly Fishing" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We bought the local Unicoi Outfitters and aptly changed the name to <a href="http://blueridgeflyfishing.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge Fly Fishing</a>!</td></tr>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<i>How did you end up owning the <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">local fly shop in Blue Ridge</a>?</i></h2>
<h4 style="text-align: center;">
Well...at the end of 2011, our good friend, Jimmy Harris of Unicoi Outfitters, asked us if we wanted to buy the local fly shop in town. It was the <strike>worst </strike>best timing possible. This was certainly NOT in the plan. However, our new building literally shared a wall with the fly shop and Bill is authentically passionate about our local fly fishing scene. So, the old exterior brick wall is now Oyster's super cool interior wall and the new/old wall of Blue Ridge Fly Fishing (referred to as BRFF). After closing with Jimmy, my father, Bruce Diaddigo, whom many of you know and love...bought half of BRFF and now is officially a fly fishing bum along with the best of us. </h4>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods in London Financial Times" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn_e95i23GafG9z8RDH3C0XUYL92a5PdI9EsCJelRNzr9JKEMK_VEcnyC8mUwHA-4QlValFxUPeJDuFcXcFA6y0UoTFq_j0oMdjDdySQ585hyphenhyphenxaG12BD9_0QVAFuaLq56yaFM2wW5rDPVX/s320/london+financial+times+cover.jpg" height="227" title="Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods in London Financial Times" width="320" /></a></div>
As January came to a close, <i><u>The London Financial Times</u></i><br />
was kind enough to do a<br />
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/files/Flashlondon_financial_times_oyster_bamboo_fly_rods.pdf"> feature on Oyster Bamboo...</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3p-wpb6nHniFpjl7hIf2hDbdML4f55xlSIEDPx2Y7ggIbcC2iYr1FCnkIPDmmyeJmpK_f6ep0QXTdM5-_gzuMh1w1XWLg8RdbUWONIuNdvXpUn1Q6S11X7EDLY138e4dvD3gK-m1_pF9/s1600/february+cal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3p-wpb6nHniFpjl7hIf2hDbdML4f55xlSIEDPx2Y7ggIbcC2iYr1FCnkIPDmmyeJmpK_f6ep0QXTdM5-_gzuMh1w1XWLg8RdbUWONIuNdvXpUn1Q6S11X7EDLY138e4dvD3gK-m1_pF9/s200/february+cal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Here's the conversation that occurred with some regularity in 2012:<br />
<br />
(phone ringing)<br />
<br />
<b>Me:</b> <i>Hello</i><br />
<b>Landlord:</b> <i>Hi Shannen, are you moving into your new building as planned this month? I have contractors lined up to start the renovation on your current space.</i><br />
<b>Me:</b><i> Well, I know we told you that the building was going to be complete in January, but it does not appear to be happening. Can we please stay a bit longer? We are trying to get things to go as planned. I'm sure it will only be another month or so...</i><br />
<br />
Rinse and repeat for months and months...that is my last mention of it. February was the month that reality set in...we own a new fly shop and our building is not going as planned.<br />
<br />
Adapt. <br />
<br />
We did.<br />
<br />
Oyster pulled together it's talent and ran Blue Ridge Fly Fishing. The fly shop began to flourish with an on site owner and a new caring and passionate staff.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Big Fish with Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrTqWGeDSKCUhazgXDm2Znh7wg4zsongw0zweXtAwNEmqYqkENQFIW3-luXd2Bl-7h7HtaZOglGmIKugaczulyZ76nKruQOB_U9qRbnbBuEsXMo3MYii6jzyoHn8bX9hM6vdlcVVQtFJeU/s320/richard+with+blue+ridge+fly+fishing+guide.JPG" height="240" title="Big Fish with Oyster Bamboo Fly Rods" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Meanwhile, we frequented the new building site next door to the fly shop while spending late nights in the shop making several <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/bamboo-fly-rods.html">Oyster Epic Series Rods</a> due by month end.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Cutter in my future office on Main Street, Blue Ridge GA" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6cpd-GlIfaR44vZ4MO6z7rfAirFtX2aJZc2_EJ3DQm8ORXNIdF1zB40rMB96DnIlmnLN1AFRnpL7W_Lb5dkgbFgRrFPCP-fHAg1GUpGoo2OI4ZiOH8odfVGxC7nILkgXsgQfJ1-fjXJd/s320/feb+building.JPG" height="320" title="Cutter in my future office on Main Street, Blue Ridge GA" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My future office.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
We had two <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod classes</a> officially graduate in February 2012. As usual, our <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making</a> students represented all over the country (from Vermont to Texas to New Jersey to Montana and back to Blue Ridge again) and fun was had by all...<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod Making Classes January 2012" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8NYRFT1kbV0-gWHROHqOisu6HXCpMR3TWzfr65w5sSM8qF5aKnZoLYRxAV3oOXc_46Ti6h-lnstDJZgPzkwazyASwxT-6CpcEdpQ6dxWBlLsEW8iL5JbGZplb2eyXZBKumh1T5Buy3Xc/s640/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+feb+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+grads.jpg" height="168" title="Oyster Bamboo Fly Rod Making Classes January 2012" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oyster unleashes 12 more bamboo fly rod makers upon the world this month!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ21Jz9z9db5HMIzhFdLzMwECrrI7zOicXk_tFP3iCJJZ_3ZKSGJj_2zxp36qA210_cteETP16y_Z3EQvNZwam35b-cMy2Y3WMzDbWePJgv51IodFKC4vQB2Qhuke9G5hpQUE1oaz-EMqJ/s400/oyster+in+private+J.JPG" height="400" width="322" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oyster in Private Journey Magazine</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We were also in Private Journey Magazine. This magazine may be one of the finest magazines in the world. We were honored to be included in their <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/files/Oyster_Bamboo_in_Private_Magazine.pdf">Winter 2012 Edition.</a> <br />
<i> </i><br />
<i></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WU8OVaZTlJRT2MeBlX6iSqKfW1g81s-YNnHulrr2M8HZv_MjGomrLgtG3-FQFsavt02nhFw9iMOibXeyLjXok3PbMTkFJ93OJ-KtQurZ7wu7RheJqn6ss8Ra93yrKnOu5XIMmImi2pfy/s400/Feb+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
On February 29, our beloved Yogi passed. Even today, my heart still aches. He was my best friend. If all dogs go to heaven, Yogi is the gatekeeper.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP25VviooYU7eSkITQCWlNYL1HiesPpioNmbBFbdjOn1wMX_hBjPnLzgfqrIEk9yQJqBrOs3Nw4hP_SF_4MeEQJnkeNHuE0Mx75U9-Svd1I7IkNJDQkZjUaNVfoRb4XkX5whUM9jEPP0i_/s1600/yogi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP25VviooYU7eSkITQCWlNYL1HiesPpioNmbBFbdjOn1wMX_hBjPnLzgfqrIEk9yQJqBrOs3Nw4hP_SF_4MeEQJnkeNHuE0Mx75U9-Svd1I7IkNJDQkZjUaNVfoRb4XkX5whUM9jEPP0i_/s1600/yogi.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yogi the Bear <br />
1998-2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FNAJu9wQCmQ5WS0ZVQDIj5zXwoiUPNXLqUdm8qo1q_BwsfFSi9LNdVwgUbJBXG4DkMh3PT9ibeVvB6x4PpsC_YVrXBna0UMcukC97jnshyoUNSj5-1RtNqfMQ9YqtgQVG0p96kB4hIhS/s1600/marchcal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-FNAJu9wQCmQ5WS0ZVQDIj5zXwoiUPNXLqUdm8qo1q_BwsfFSi9LNdVwgUbJBXG4DkMh3PT9ibeVvB6x4PpsC_YVrXBna0UMcukC97jnshyoUNSj5-1RtNqfMQ9YqtgQVG0p96kB4hIhS/s200/marchcal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<span class="DefSyntax"></span><br />
<h2 class="PhoneticHeadWord LeftFloat" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="DefSyntax">
a·dapt [ <a class="Nym" h="ID=domain,5007.1" href="http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/Search?q=define+adapt&Requester=PronunciationDTP&form=DTPDIO">ə dápt</a> ] adapt</span></h2>
<span class="DefSyntax">
</span>
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<h2 class="PhoneticHeadWord LeftFloat" style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<div class="ResultPron LeftFloat" id="PronID" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="DefQuick"><i>verb: </i><b>change</b> to meet requirements: </span><span class="DefBody">to <b>change something to suit different conditions</b> or a different purpose, or be changed in this way - </span><span class="DefQuick"><b>adjust</b> to something: </span><span class="DefBody">to become, or make somebody or something become, used to a <b>new environment</b> or different conditions</span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeeMAhSrDtI1q0f1Gtrsju5XY9vRGA0KgKhTPSl_dOSAlqNCMvZCvs4ZqU6piA2S3w310JmJfZL2QXsV7LLrM5Er3YdHwqrjMRj-nAKAZXQGaEFgOE8jiZ27NxC32WyJkwDf0fpLJaagN_/s640/march+2012+collage+1.jpg" height="160" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
Ahhh...March 2012 will go down in Oyster history as the month Bill had his absolute most aggravating student...ever!!! So, while the chaos of life, kids, business at large and the building hummed away in the background, I built an 8' 9 weight rod (see November Apalachicola Redfish trip for proof of my bamboo fly rod making prowess). <br />
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<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikx8yn6drcNiRqg_ejJn79XlM5Li6f2g_hrXAs1gXuAdR9orlQWJJVlGjt6J0UJn7d7LkgPn6X-TEt259A8ApM7P5lohc96NK1myi2eKkzzHkq8KKgv8rc-jA7-41yDYeWNOHcrvf98fFt/s640/march+2+shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand, Drink, Plane</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9M0dc1b3N2XeYSraOlW7m8rZJjjGiUixOM9ps9zag23kX4zYA_BvCXM-87y5Nf6Ja0Ht0Yd-AYlrCIjqSV05ApAL4PJ56w708qnpik_ctAtr5qAYGuc23nFRMDdvRgIhdxK4_0UqncdBH/s640/oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+class+shannen.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best part of class...fishing...oh, and my Aunt Terry from Seattle!!! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVKelgAVuNc2hWwdWZpKYq0uq7vJY_k7v2eAbY0tVBUU8A67YbzWnC9auM8Qgsagr_LRPigDpFWuxtJ6N-hz7L5FRMnZ-i_Cj3ppsHg_uYTZO14fTQChaAqeqLqiwaQlhleFnLEu_eUdti/s640/march+second+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class+clark+rod.jpg" height="211" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clark's custom rod and another March class...James (pictured in the middle of class came for his <br />
second class and made saltwater rod with my taper!) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
March also brought family hikes, more<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> Bamboo Fly Rods</a> to be made and another class full of civilians (non Oyster family members). <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh! And I almost forgot that we became official Beretta dealers this month. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Obtaining our FFL license was <strike>as difficult as giving birth </strike> part of the plan! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgSOqLgdiSje8G0IDZUyMOKyb8HusRVuzBQ0Z3w2rnhJLWR3aH30NKGavxhAB1e1SGZ450vi6ctrycDz5336ymeut2R5BOzrL8uqRLM-YdK_M94fCpIuhfgdw_FBUxyZzSQMNkTQIwqwJ/s1600/shotguns+at+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEgSOqLgdiSje8G0IDZUyMOKyb8HusRVuzBQ0Z3w2rnhJLWR3aH30NKGavxhAB1e1SGZ450vi6ctrycDz5336ymeut2R5BOzrL8uqRLM-YdK_M94fCpIuhfgdw_FBUxyZzSQMNkTQIwqwJ/s320/shotguns+at+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGj8bfeiCt5Y-pCBNMz7Aw66ohVEeKfqdPWrke4G_KkDKT2X04MNGSvMaTbMpbArGZHARy6ehfbO0-BTTJRClyfSInNWqj10xwnUBZiBo7ix57gjVmfyo8mdzMx1Owf58PUlezrR46zql/s1600/10x10_Beretta-Logo_V01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzGj8bfeiCt5Y-pCBNMz7Aw66ohVEeKfqdPWrke4G_KkDKT2X04MNGSvMaTbMpbArGZHARy6ehfbO0-BTTJRClyfSInNWqj10xwnUBZiBo7ix57gjVmfyo8mdzMx1Owf58PUlezrR46zql/s320/10x10_Beretta-Logo_V01.jpg" height="226" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZMCRD2ouqgwz9_7de9ZKf08eqAZar5Y2rtsNch0qOFXcgmL9gaNqECICEI2OvRY5VdCrtDBXdRFFTicK8XP_UFPOrSSbQdk6f1GW80C9vv7vXCv1-WXhhZucxbQrGlbmPvc588kRvLmk/s1600/aprilcal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2ZMCRD2ouqgwz9_7de9ZKf08eqAZar5Y2rtsNch0qOFXcgmL9gaNqECICEI2OvRY5VdCrtDBXdRFFTicK8XP_UFPOrSSbQdk6f1GW80C9vv7vXCv1-WXhhZucxbQrGlbmPvc588kRvLmk/s200/aprilcal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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April is time for strawberries in Blue Ridge <a href="http://www.mercier-orchards.com/">...Mercier Orchards</a>...</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjzeinWQPpZLtn9POnNs6FA23I8KRI0P3y6p76kPH-gJOIWvrMrzpz82E_gNzTg7z2AVP7hAxDtvWe5YWPqE0dzAI-hTaPf-BTznbTRwsGRKSH0t_8SaIk8ZFgUhZ8Zu_nxz9Ixy4MkBM/s1600/strawberry+blue+ridge+ga+Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjzeinWQPpZLtn9POnNs6FA23I8KRI0P3y6p76kPH-gJOIWvrMrzpz82E_gNzTg7z2AVP7hAxDtvWe5YWPqE0dzAI-hTaPf-BTznbTRwsGRKSH0t_8SaIk8ZFgUhZ8Zu_nxz9Ixy4MkBM/s400/strawberry+blue+ridge+ga+Collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />
We had two more full classes in April. In our late April class, one of our favorite students (and subsequently good friend), Dr. Alex, came back for his 7th? class! Every year, he makes his pilgrimage to us for his annual rod building class. Dr. Alex calls the <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making class</a>, "an outward bound experience where you end up with the bonus of a rod at the end".<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, the building chugged along and we managed to resume our regular sporting clay schedule because the weather warmed up and the "pull" (excuse the pun) of the beautiful outdoors and my beloved shotgun. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPgZfzEgI5CCx5I_DXRMkMrqA8mU8pvejJGvMbpYL2tZMnTFtlik1vaqZb0JtXQAbvwcvzarOdCJHsOaZgbo8X8mUTMS0OZ1-XcuhGBBt2csDeuuRbCvzaAu7CeLIaH4ojH-sMs5Qd-jK5/s400/april+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+collage.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish, Class, Building</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
As usual, the workshop was busy busy busy with <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">fly rod building</a>, visitors, local energy, fish talk and planning the future. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosdYt966yhdqceHb4qxXY85ZQ64EDLDdUnZGTpULMu429A_sG0lCG9O4JXIN4Zlv2qgcmlX_L3WULAGqSw0OKN9KDV3hVp9p5JPGZY5kN37vNaXhFLPTkkrMJX3Rl08IDSAywWrkFFdfe/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+shotgun+station+7.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy Anniversary! Bang! Bang!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXt-XNcW2KICoGi0IoS4Rf07LkiQzs1K2w5MW6DiF_iqGxe8EP1B_BasP-brLSdvH4u8hO7p_Flqh78Tst_Y46gHZ5jfnbdAjq-Vz-GIK23M4j0InsnivjGrg-4djZayL7fUrcP939cMW/s1600/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+ga+Cutter+butter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXXt-XNcW2KICoGi0IoS4Rf07LkiQzs1K2w5MW6DiF_iqGxe8EP1B_BasP-brLSdvH4u8hO7p_Flqh78Tst_Y46gHZ5jfnbdAjq-Vz-GIK23M4j0InsnivjGrg-4djZayL7fUrcP939cMW/s320/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+ga+Cutter+butter.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN7AiK-PATUU7VUUVCnubleWE9ekhRpmeSqg86Ts4k6XfSDsJj_MnBux2KIp_nY1P-7dM0SpgvsZJoQ4rX5CQ2D0U5Ni09kZ3RJiP-gpBWUocLTPeW3aCcUkl0pQJfuLXRp5HLYzFPHI5/s1600/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+gaphoto-43b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="oyster bamboo fly rod's and main street blue ridge georgia" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIN7AiK-PATUU7VUUVCnubleWE9ekhRpmeSqg86Ts4k6XfSDsJj_MnBux2KIp_nY1P-7dM0SpgvsZJoQ4rX5CQ2D0U5Ni09kZ3RJiP-gpBWUocLTPeW3aCcUkl0pQJfuLXRp5HLYzFPHI5/s320/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+gaphoto-43b.jpg" height="320" title="oyster bamboo fly rod's and main street blue ridge georgia" width="240" /></a>Personally, we celebrated our18th wedding anniversary. When asked what I wanted to do for our big day...my answer was easy...sporting clays. The children continue to be raised on Main Street and thrive in the face of change and long hours...my little family...always together.<br />
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And then...there's the fish. Eventually, it all comes back around to the fish, right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="Oyster bamboo fly rods' super clients and super bamboo fly rods!" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihqjlkL6YYZev6Wbf0Yh_Osfqn_lYlLyRDPNeQAMUn_LzG8elP6s4xFs9HmClDGF3d1NNper6gho3_GpgOB2kOGuGL0v7jFSvQY9GCjLhHZSpOvwcOlKKz9NkfaQEeAsCj-L7n-b8TSMFa/s640/may+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods'+clients.jpg" height="212" title="Oyster bamboo fly rods' super clients and super bamboo fly rods!" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fish, fish, fish</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V6g1laljqaoXEY0R9uIL2eWAZg6cPjQmEBnpGGn21fzkaY-oMA0KSd4oteH3hAZ5F0Bq_KrnsSu0NYQDYQETqcOyq1tMD8T_QcweY-N_qPjgQ5G1eWDaFAwmC2p8iQGCe8P72eAk2lwV/s1600/maycal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-V6g1laljqaoXEY0R9uIL2eWAZg6cPjQmEBnpGGn21fzkaY-oMA0KSd4oteH3hAZ5F0Bq_KrnsSu0NYQDYQETqcOyq1tMD8T_QcweY-N_qPjgQ5G1eWDaFAwmC2p8iQGCe8P72eAk2lwV/s200/maycal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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To the best of my memory...this is how Bill ended up riding his </div>
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motorcycle to the southernmost tip of Mexico in May:</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErs4BqJFZ38B6-MypYmJ72P8iTiTtDKcoefjtfj3-T1lKgkh8km6iu7EOS4rBQ0cMDfU6FsiwzmLuuJITZs5nz5ju_cYbwqT6kVDBEC8Un9FTibveXRO5Dg_ZEBwEyWZOVPr9DzeBt_T4/s1600/bill+oyster+bamboofly+rods+in+mexico+with+wes+apex+cycles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErs4BqJFZ38B6-MypYmJ72P8iTiTtDKcoefjtfj3-T1lKgkh8km6iu7EOS4rBQ0cMDfU6FsiwzmLuuJITZs5nz5ju_cYbwqT6kVDBEC8Un9FTibveXRO5Dg_ZEBwEyWZOVPr9DzeBt_T4/s400/bill+oyster+bamboofly+rods+in+mexico+with+wes+apex+cycles.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nowhere Mexico...ask Bill about this...not me...I will pretend that I do not hear you.</td></tr>
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<b>Bill:</b> <i>Babe (that's me), you know Wes and I are leaving for our Mexico trip in a few weeks, right?</i></div>
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<b>Me:</b> <i>What trip to Mexico?</i></div>
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<b>Bill:</b> <i>No time for denial, babe. We have been planning this for five months.</i></div>
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<b>Me:</b> <i>What trip?</i></div>
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<i>Note to reader...you will have to ask Bill or <a href="http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=806946">read his rider report here</a> for more on this so-called Mexico trip. The denial continues in my world.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV5ohdhVX04hy9q3DeIn4pbQMSOiDuL0sEIRW0Rm8Ca-hk041iuzzGsvGTDNCv_ANdAYnLZVXww26rktr63UXhRt-GEGnDseS0Cnz0k52HZr7IA68d4R_ulYeEBf0gFNqlQnFv7fQEVVPN/s640/may+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="211" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Class, Building, Rods</td></tr>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJzaXVGkgXuS5gfpJmraGGcazYNEZyz1F3IOs9CPOwezxdns677Pz3t5rrNeRIXL7Q_s3PXKPV6tFiazQzBo5NNzquZWUyRQRzT3tX4FxkLKgrF2xf3rOo7BrfXvhz0W4mXYELXbXfycj0/s320/april+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Collage.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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One more significant thing happened in May. And this was not part of the plan...we set a drop dead date in June to be out of the old shop regardless of our building's progress. While June 18 was our unofficial move-in date...our move out date <em>was</em> official. <br />
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Off we go. <br />
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Adapt. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CwGq-QZRxA-NPU-WIU2jVzFwFeBxp6Me8DklO3SvTBa2nXsLGGC7YpV2tA5qxj6ff-txBLkLhyaXlkUS7Ev8bEImOPXg9H3NyiFx34lTZvfpxzLPqEy2DD-did_iLvGhbjgwagseF1F3/s1600/junecal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9CwGq-QZRxA-NPU-WIU2jVzFwFeBxp6Me8DklO3SvTBa2nXsLGGC7YpV2tA5qxj6ff-txBLkLhyaXlkUS7Ev8bEImOPXg9H3NyiFx34lTZvfpxzLPqEy2DD-did_iLvGhbjgwagseF1F3/s200/junecal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkKJoUmRcRMCFtUz7YPIHxsiOGo3MSp0X-STe6iMI_y28t4mHyzDz6gFIbHDQ_vO_0KHLxN2K0ABV8gsK9yY8YumSWF-eBK4WHRTY2GBgmUY2y-8Iyovs0JcbDRZaNjC8rLrUuxMyNRT5/s320/moving.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo loaded up!</td></tr>
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In June, we bid a final goodbye to the old shop. It was harder than expected. That dumpy little place grew on me over the years and it held more sentimentality than expected. With that said...we called the movers and planned the move between our two June<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rod making class dates</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9b8uo2IJqj7BbEgmYBYUnA_3zLpe4YdFsq0DT3jMeB7a5ViCrBwlKDF93mpBddI7u9i6bykTAZfaY4M2M7XzkBkwHtXNTmZ3Ilf2ly6fh9cA4aMsbsLQnNH-sLhN2iYUHCh_pFrg8wAG/s1600/oyster+june+move+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL9b8uo2IJqj7BbEgmYBYUnA_3zLpe4YdFsq0DT3jMeB7a5ViCrBwlKDF93mpBddI7u9i6bykTAZfaY4M2M7XzkBkwHtXNTmZ3Ilf2ly6fh9cA4aMsbsLQnNH-sLhN2iYUHCh_pFrg8wAG/s640/oyster+june+move+2.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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Now, the building being ready is an entirely different story (as promised, I will not address this directly). We had our final <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making class</a> in the old shop in the beginning of June and had a few days before the next class started. So, we planned the move for one day from start to finish to have things in order for the next class.<br />
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Yep...that was the plan...<br />
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...until the movers did not show up. <br />
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Adapt.<br />
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We moved ourselves...the entire shop (16 years worth of accumulation). We piled everything into Riley's drift boat (over and over) and walked what would not fit down the street. We even managed to toast our experience with some champagne given to us from our friend, <a href="http://www.outofzbleu.com/aboutoutoftheblu.html">Sarah Auman, of Out of the Blue</a> in town. I should do my own "ode to Main Street" at some point. This community we have is so supportive of us personally and professionally...especially with the children <i>(think "it takes a village").</i><br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRGBaHCXXlofKKNUtesCy0A10kttU2t6BqqfGXs7WCkPZSVzBdpfM7BnVBWEmAOi3R4gbcp0NnjKggnlarG_wmGB4LVbbKETT0OvH6ySSJuPDIBrFzVPvLG3ps_kbpOCmL2rVkDebJ73J/s640/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+makers+widow+moving+1.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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The workshop itself was the one area that was functional (part of our modified plan). So, we moved in literally on top of the builders and went about business as usual. <br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCxio9MCBVePUn_LbrK6aQ0MNGkBevW33om91nCvg-_dwbKT4MyQbijACCR1y838Dr-7biCUGeyu2SnETlyzs6G-8Ir8jBwJlVVzYhKjaVHMytZ6EZy8HpWIIilkGxx8DWVOqqFk1COuT5/s400/june+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
We were featured in Virginia Sportsman and Bill taught bamboo fly rod making to the usual suspects - 12 of them this month!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuzwH0UB8ZkHg7tEEKMkxXSCJTc9Bxg9Ymq-AJO68fW00lodNFG_GMuQPbZdWrMCwq4kU9ca7PUc6kO8PBey_AYQvgwyW80ikrPXqmW-TfFrBxx5SDr579gD_n-WAhf37oSrrzLBg-FlyT/s320/quinn+and+Roni+in+workshop.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinn and Roni say BYE to old shop</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FHOUM7AuSGz6xw-zo-omzZcplcpY34HOKv1pUzsjnaW-uV9XsldHtdqsRm2Z5lyXqZ_0hCayfCyy9e2ooJ2tAU-0jfFWuf1aNYdPkaPOeXGncE4mk5In0TVf-9bfx6KN2HgHkanlyBKc/s1600/julycal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1FHOUM7AuSGz6xw-zo-omzZcplcpY34HOKv1pUzsjnaW-uV9XsldHtdqsRm2Z5lyXqZ_0hCayfCyy9e2ooJ2tAU-0jfFWuf1aNYdPkaPOeXGncE4mk5In0TVf-9bfx6KN2HgHkanlyBKc/s200/julycal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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July...time to <strike>pass out from exhaustion</strike> pull together the rest of the shop and become official retailers and Inn keepers! Oh...and what's this about a grand opening in October?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ_0NUoY-fF-elLmkWwPminL0prln2WyB7SPS4aOmbjsHn8zDBjg25D2MRCYa1gqCUl3N0IXCT2kQAa0m5I5PIHBRdqpzOkFEMZ0q6KAOsqT7oePagtmTz_O0xtZhn2BrIp8Jk0AZ9VA_A/s640/july+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutter takes up mining, Oyster's fish survives the move and some more fishing from SUP</td></tr>
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We did spend a few splendid days at the ocean...nice. Bill even fished a little.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxWhNDejPZtXTGXjL8iiJXbZkO7XzSLdkG5VzdCk4K6fMe2Ob89mA-f0GIOmoXwVMZ8xMRvw33nfINJZGC95t89_UZCo1RAWZDhDy0KXG0CU0F_9dXMpZfR-Lwn6s-NjuGeg5GcFtnfng/s640/july+2012+summer+vaca+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="160" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand, SUP, Fish and Doughnuts! An Oyster beach trip!</td></tr>
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A new tenant arrived this month as well. A fellow artist rents our lower level. She's Blue Ridge's beloved Lynn Kemp of <a href="http://gawdybobbles.com/our-new-production-studio/">Gawdy Bobbles.</a> She transformed her space into 2000 square feet of fabulous (and I don't take that word lightly...it's overused as it is but there is no other way to describe this)FABULOUS!!! <a href="http://gawdybobbles.com/our-new-production-studio/">Check it out!</a> I am actually wearing some Gawdy Bobbles in the picture below...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv2rWfiXjsZHldRAMAdxdGCcMZ9r2-DQ0twiu9APFGmyRtcnqKlrTujGYMDMEmgg66USWhdJh9jRnXCtXkSl_Sgrvs0t92ix2lI4MukvRcDWC-3I3NFGIp_-V0QjTgIxoItIrrCYEnFYD2/s640/May+2012+shoot+and+fish.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long July days gave us plenty of time to fish and shoot. </td></tr>
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We take a break from classes in July but not<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rods</a>, fishing and shooting!<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyUCw04jpWbuqHb_evSTzRTH3HIKtEGgvMzddQsL68iKATsYQ-AnLS2fGZC6n5CuIKDtTleZBdKd9GnTa443aePpAXbj6xLdz_x4icvp1MmK3kAFl4GNnyi1dN1Uw571fBm2pQ2-rs1Zoy/s400/july+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+hand+engeaved+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="132" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2H_axf1V4UMNcEFaOBKA9qeCRPDu-wZpheym-XfCXM_3MpLe9NdroKk_XTOQ4tOxCwnvTWI1n3Gte6BMUHLOOaHXjPG7XUHpw8F55ZAN4sy94e_dLyvdtgSprm2xbScf_Vn3JkTEHS-G/s1600/augustcal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2H_axf1V4UMNcEFaOBKA9qeCRPDu-wZpheym-XfCXM_3MpLe9NdroKk_XTOQ4tOxCwnvTWI1n3Gte6BMUHLOOaHXjPG7XUHpw8F55ZAN4sy94e_dLyvdtgSprm2xbScf_Vn3JkTEHS-G/s200/augustcal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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Because the retail area of the new building was not complete, we papered the windows and took some inadvertent down time from the public. Actually, I recommend this break for all retailers every 5 years. At first, not being so exposed was refreshing. We were on our absolute worst behavior for over 2 months!<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydZJjwLIaxYJAS8A3iJlJmcsJNt9M4ltpBUPz0Qcdb1nuw7cftzmHMZywrlNo5Txc-d5ibD-aFlnPrRfXGk-lnw2drbL4eTwzzqv9tWsN21TyHeyZv2OkzKk9ePFqQN-YrMYaFJ_bSF_D/s400/August+2012+no+parents.jpg" height="200" width="400" /></a></div>
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However, after a few weeks behind papered windows and locked doors...I started to have separation anxiety with...well, everyone. We had grown to love our daily interaction with people and without any exposure, our daily rhythm was thrown off. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtkMpltKjh3KTT8b0dav0KKYh5H7UgBUXiYYknw4kv5Vj0EhFO92_ejyXiGQhOxC_xAah9MPL4ftCdbr1q4y_s2VtQu7uEB0GJIckVUNG4GjOfZohGzKUqYRuOQahwnsi4mvGheFt6Zy9M/s640/August+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+inside+new+workshop+ofnew+building.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paper up, Doors locked but Bamboo stacked and Shop in full swing</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr2ueCqfbOdOtcsWDBhILquTYdNJbAlnw63Dn2zq3TbERXXRPHPGB4NG7NiNRuUKn0W3BoEFP31vTUmxXrbt51qHt-tuwI0GbfNV504cT_eI2S-d_GNdBfN6ojEZssea2yFlCsLFkPAvEY/s640/August+20l2+oyster+bill+oyster+and+speaker+david+ralston+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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In August, Bill made the trip to the Georgia State Capital to present Speaker of the House, David Ralston, with one of our hand crafted <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rods</a>. We were commissioned almost a year prior to make this rod for the Speaker for a variety of reasons. First, Speaker Ralston is from Blue Ridge, second he is a fly fisherman and third...well...Bill is the always the obvious choice for crafting this type of "legacy item". <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJNG0dj0x7Gmy4px1HvRONXXNpGcKQ_hvN8fRfmALRqw8IWNDqaz3TyrnZTsn8eN8XpudeX_OXi19Hsg71sGaLRcEA26HD4njg8Tv6XjyuhMIznycas0W4iEDr0PZIDMabp10VGlvCsWq/s1600/aug+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+retail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJNG0dj0x7Gmy4px1HvRONXXNpGcKQ_hvN8fRfmALRqw8IWNDqaz3TyrnZTsn8eN8XpudeX_OXi19Hsg71sGaLRcEA26HD4njg8Tv6XjyuhMIznycas0W4iEDr0PZIDMabp10VGlvCsWq/s320/aug+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+retail.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJ90fsk38LNMz2JxogKr8QXqbizZ_I4jIJ2bylKybFc8wckidBMlsvdCZWgG7XSfs5fZLfsToSnd99o1Qcd5gDb_ZjNSiamikCKQUj9Ijma0yK2FlWSy1y9Xn4nnURvEYDS2bfhW_n2tW/s1600/august+beretta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWJ90fsk38LNMz2JxogKr8QXqbizZ_I4jIJ2bylKybFc8wckidBMlsvdCZWgG7XSfs5fZLfsToSnd99o1Qcd5gDb_ZjNSiamikCKQUj9Ijma0yK2FlWSy1y9Xn4nnURvEYDS2bfhW_n2tW/s320/august+beretta.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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Meanwhile, I continued to design the <a href="http://tour.getmytour.com/public/vtour/display/80396">Cast and Blast Inn</a> for our top floor, firm up our brands for the new retail area and make arrangements for October's Grand Opening. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezvICaU9DzkBI3ytOF1Xsq5wEl1up9iBQmwjxuMywyoWoUlskIEilvjsiJq-EvrfO7RimYQ80U75OBsPbfx53oQ4NewKC_KHKlXMVsbV646JYdwcIxUye2QnQYz6A2Yso8YXKDq74_B9o/s640/august+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridgega.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry and his first fish caught on the rod he made in the class and Derek (our awesome to Fly Shop manager at Blue Ridge Fly Fishing at NCF)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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While the Oyster clan was going at full tilt, we tried to keep some stability in our schedule for Cutter and Roni. It's simply amazing how well these children <em>adapt.</em> We all look forward to tomorrow.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg64C0HHX1oEYRMdy4pUVKihAu5jKNWql2vvlX6gAJWsN2Lnqwvi3Fo8BegOi1RZlUq0WdLpB2KIFqrD86TZ6nVnLuyojfVrxazr4JpVeQFlOh1yQyZ3mI2pWbMHH2a6H7tqmH2Q8lmW9HP/s640/children.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweeKsNVEc2ePd05JRVipOprjtzIRbJuy9t0o4XqJwfpss_trrUW8b8IquyAU6qfr5JknZWLZHA09jrgNCGxjJnkia4okfshtBIuubwBx7B2G7GjLujqJwbi2ys_3zPYhFPfg8qz5QsCoj/s1600/septembercal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgweeKsNVEc2ePd05JRVipOprjtzIRbJuy9t0o4XqJwfpss_trrUW8b8IquyAU6qfr5JknZWLZHA09jrgNCGxjJnkia4okfshtBIuubwBx7B2G7GjLujqJwbi2ys_3zPYhFPfg8qz5QsCoj/s200/septembercal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcf2a8k-ySoii6qqj8uY3-apGsjlL76bGHgQ_nY6VkULJIJo9_yWzGy4CZr7He_-7b6cI5fnO8IhmFRCfidPtGyEUYEYDHSPLwcGYC5uZ4j1a1Xs79i_b_diyWJveAnxX0khdI4ore3n_/s640/sept+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Classes, Bamboo Fly Rods</a>, Oyster Shop Time</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3E9Kr8uGR40Bi2cj33lj9vEVBdo8t0GL3TmO_PUd5CDujDF7sa4sGzCfe0JcC2fh20jzE-Eppvnyh7_zM91WaWT4udnGgbz1V4we83AJBIv1-UFE37T3JRmLSYQ-Qtm0ZTf9i4vGpgOk/s320/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+ga+photo-48.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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"Is it really September?!?" I don't now about you but at this point...it was clear that 2012 was succumbing to time in an almost exaggerated manner. The blur of the past year was behind us but the real work lay ahead. Here we go...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYo1kKBTVQbqkQCMn8U3Rh0wDUtOpWwa3Rna8i1yGjsbarfvAeTpo1pEStv0eGwCIz0knQU420_jasKxFSTM0Nrs4cuUCFuOP95Z5mIosoZKjBXLnyGaoeK2MAUweI67fxHXuLXJ74d6g2/s640/september+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+blue+ridge+ga+.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Take down paper on windows and ready retail area, Hang on Main Street, Shoot with our friends Kelli and Don </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnjq0hqXp57gzws3Me9StVmWPI6kdZp2hbgjvIPXMn3q8MQekAJw0PmcNx0P-xPoxGOM07B5_66K9m8H0sQRGeTXWackys_UHv99FMG5jYOOb-6pyzNRXEwBmdkOKFIFcZcvJaSVnBiBc/s640/september+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+classes.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classes, Classes, Classes...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZqb0ewolRMeeZC9JhNpOUdHwJ9JhuQIIn0n66BT2JdMVmyRNIPFn32iIgdqDyhfT7zN1ekoZ26axiQzcShJtG9QhqIRXTvWEu3-ek58qn-CE4C0OgLE0Nrb0qNwIPyvt_-2R6N5xENuQ2/s640/Septmeber+2012+Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+shoot+fish.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite sporting clay station, Us, Fish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Construction and design was completed on the <a href="http://tour.getmytour.com/public/vtour/display/80396">Cast and Blast Inn</a> in September. Let me say...it exceeded our expectations is every way possible. One of our September classes christened the Inn with guests from all of the U.S. Good stuff...the class had so much fun together after hours that they never even turned on the common area television. <br />
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They said all talk, cigars, books, fish, shotguns and <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making</a>...<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdW62pmWrWL387TXcVQGZ40pahG9lQd6O3v4gID8jjb7zHSEjsH-fgXP7R1ps5WIz8LYAq-8NoMeXPEIRnt0TFeUmE0qlpkgOyYx9GXBu1dhVR86NRa-1O1fCJ8uuqaPr4zm3Fs6S-3Ejt/s320/December+2012+death+in+the+long+grass+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauqARMS575_Os0zhl3IXz5my_Qflg3SCV9-fxhc47EwRqpi1jqHIlV9iGc8gDrNqtoT-G6ib-h861P2B4KDC0gowxnotW4DhG6Fh8PFRTm08_ivW9F54hTTwLqReQ3SaQBdtcdDIBHA4c/s1600/octobercal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiauqARMS575_Os0zhl3IXz5my_Qflg3SCV9-fxhc47EwRqpi1jqHIlV9iGc8gDrNqtoT-G6ib-h861P2B4KDC0gowxnotW4DhG6Fh8PFRTm08_ivW9F54hTTwLqReQ3SaQBdtcdDIBHA4c/s200/octobercal.jpg" height="200" width="178" /></a></div>
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
October was big for us on many levels...drum roll please...</h2>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4xy2ihr2ojT03OYZJg_K_vV0zj6w7Fre9qlG-ktpd41cvaha0FI2i2JT9mQDgSB_X5_GJqBKT3WJyKmpS-yDtrUhHFAQVYNPXINjUvtvweEFm3Y5qhTqKpglY6Zwj6yuVxBAnVDerGHv/s640/Outside+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Making+Shop.jpg" height="640" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The House that Bamboo Fly Rods Built</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We closed on our new building in October 2012. Grand opening anyone? Well, yes...<br />
The grand opening was always planned for October...even when the <i>plan</i> was to close in January.<br />
I thought that would give us months and months to pull it all together and shine for our big debut. <br />
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Nope.<br />
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My 9 months of planning was reduced to one (or 22 days to be exact). <br />
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Adapt.<br />
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How did it go? <br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjimEg8gruq5BaxqnM6NptRC1JfJnwWaY9F0OqWqRjYYBuwKcPsOGMvSJnqlrJtcKyJN976Q3n5Cm4GtjrSiC3ZGuD8ou8opZZk5MyJ-ODSZnUJfLJueymk3XBiytdG2D1jsAj5EQb2qNTx/s640/grand+opening+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+maylay.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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9 months or 22 days...our grand opening was remarkable. It was insane! We had four events over a three day period and I knew at the very least it would be fun. But, here's one emotion that I did not expect...<br />
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I was humbled. Completely humbled by the outpouring of support from our family, friends, neighbors on Main Street, the community at large and (of course) our clients (who really...most of the time end up our friends).<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_jh-QhjmnrYAXLdWvhsYtMSelHSEw33My6lcidXZf0IHg-n4iOaQ0WFaX2kxVRXzU1JQvPO5plXasI2oxZT_ykfY1aKwIEu20YBpnx45De8Ke9sCtWDwwLB4_8VvypCS0fe2wsa2CepW/s640/grandopening+october+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="236" width="640" /></a></div>
NEVER EVER (yes, I am screaming) did I expect the response from our supporters during these special days for Oyster. Clients drove and flew in from all over the country to help us honor our little building (and fish and shoot)!<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPNAz-FufZtZHMy5zynBcjrgu9FOq0RfVJovDfei_eJU0fmrzp8ks0ml3VQGz3JNFaKJcKOQeAKfPNCPfo_yabx4CSJri7-YwmFIYAaH7XkMAqbBG40RZdqygyjzUiP3p_k0lV7Sad22MB/s640/grand+opening+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+2.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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Honestly, I was so <strike>overwhelmed</strike> busy with the event at large that I completely forgot to take many pictures. We had hundreds and friends and clients help us break in the new digs that weekend and the one regret I do have concerning the whole "no time to plan" festivity thing is the lack of proper documentation. Above are a few photos of our fishing, shooting and hanging out time but the star of the show was the food that our dear friends at <a href="http://harvestonmain.com/">Harvest on Main</a> catered and the people (loads of people) that showed up to help us celebrate.<br />
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Thank you. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwlUcMDPTPJBq95Z_iyUbMVOgRkVbJw5LhVJUn4VcoCtyNmRdRXwlsK5hANwqmKllXG2HQ8zq0P-kI6PCoEXBhPQd80FTChMltoP-Lxh9JWSOnqAjDkk9_FCWqqp48d7zZkVRGXwgYz3qS/s320/oct-dec+14.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Last Call</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Even with the grand opening <strike>chaos,</strike> we managed to have a class and get rods out to custom order clients and have a full rack of for sale rods (that incidentally all sold out during the grand opening). </div>
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Crazy. Humbled. Thank you.</div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_MI2lQsC2BZ-bmjM8jXgbb8w5BimEtBou4lQQsZLYmd0KO5feC2h5a0LgB88mbexMImnYj6Y2nLDhBFqjCT-F6GO3bFUXfJmO-abLGpy6Qhf3jaXlpWrPBpPFp-TTOfEl_z2PvGFcry0Z/s640/october+billy+payne+2012+bamboo+fly+rodsblue+ridge+ga.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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As usual, <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">downtown Blue Ridge</a> was host to thousands of Halloween goers on the 31st. It's an impressive scene. Because we have very few traditional "neighborhoods" in the mountains (and the walk from house to house would be quite daunting considering most have acreage) children from North Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina descend upon <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge's Main Street</a> once a year while the merchants give candy out as fast as their arm is able to move. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boo!</td></tr>
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A few days after Halloween, some of my favorite honorary Oysters rolled into town from Arizona for another <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod making class</a>. A "varied" group to say the least but their love of <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rods</a> and the craft in general leaves me warm and fuzzy when they arrive and sad (with a touch of separation anxiety) when they return home. Really...I think I like them all so much because Dan (my favorite of the bunch) reminds me of my Dad. Also, I should give a shout out to Barry (student number 6 in this class) for putting up with our Arizona crowd! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3k7nDddrw-vhwB7byjudjRVG1IKuXHYFndxFXUxEqdzEtIGX3Gqj0Ownf9EAK5RQKfolFd9_-wVBb3-C1MXVL0F4oUekXfNCSEASRB0kUe7cJnFNFzT-NjY18sZfMYcQzQaO_FkGuYms/s640/november+classes+2012+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="234" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Time for a small break...so, we loaded up the Jeep and went on our annual pilgrimage to Apalachicola for some red fishing with the <a href="http://flaredfish.com/">Robinson Brothers. </a><br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeA3wdMhX66X9J7LiC948vYYvfmWU2K7sZcY9QD2fBc5zcp-EURayzIA7R6SJpZWTeFBczceGW0ZDwRa7_Os3f4nkANon0SltUPvQ-DBfmA1XBmuSsUBFmBiHSanfqaBRaAkBy8hd4mur/s640/november+red+fishing+in+App+with+oyster+bamboofly+rods+saltwater+robinson+brothers.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></div>
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November added yet another dimension to Oyster...retail...retail...retail...oh my! Love it!!! I think we did this whole retail thing so I can buy thousands of dollars worth of BOOTS!!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlisJFo4Ca7_JT3187CtozBscCTSFkesJMLT1FF4Ji3wNq-z17lMAmvV5R1zjbzJvf1ol1TnzgRlJW1p4mKnqbYTagLZqvWEII-u6y2c78lWsS33-NZCudlMjOHE_5IJQSZjodTpH8UYe/s640/november+retail+oyster+bamboofly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our retail in full swing!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-63bxTYscX9ZSOAKcKu2tX0kjN62m9Q07RZ2Icfcgv9Nj-UfHFQgW8Hjwc4kfXw1TUMK5nUA6fo5wKgSfB3_TmHH13PEGrvr94QubRtLp3eBKmSUHpbufXRWFn9vABQ2E68UGqic-vInl/s640/November+relaxing+chair+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="364" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Various ways to use the chair in our showroom.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHZxCGQHZLUQVOa0BXw4mAVn6KcsX1o-0GU92IbrFAiibe8S16LxqukuPPa8xQG7fehqjkmRvrZlK8J3VYX1JI9bR5t6z7hbZk7sbWLcOBdeANJezTDTym8q8GTGSv0hHqGfTIoBAQgHO/s640/november+2012+thanksgiving+in+bamboo+fly+rod+making+shop.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes...we even celebrated Thanksgiving in the workshop. Awesome or mildly pathetic? You decide!</td></tr>
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And, of course...no month would be complete here at <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo</a> without a lot of custom rods going out the door finding way to their rightful owners.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XJzQwEe4DcCSoq9giUMDwq1zglwdztoOr6PUZiWqKj3AncH7RbZ-ApNgL_SIK8pggG3T8y-aEF6QkSgvyBFzUKj7ybBFka0NxovQhc5122ECiY2vTAAnt1EBvDFXXDnyFjls1nhoOxp_/s320/Oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+Blue+Ridge+ga+photo-36b.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoBa2e1t-CmToayyXvLPQHef7FrVCVg98JxrOsNd9fERaENFlXbXglwy7lhaWhCwCqut_vJyfkTAqrtI_Il6elvL9nrmvPFZ3jzMWI_PPLTNwtlW4HUpNEVtYpf-F8PuFklG3vpfetETOR/s320/Hunter+casting+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+in+snow.JPG" height="211" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hunter (aptly named) test casting new bamboo rod on the tracks behind the shop.</td></tr>
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Tis the season</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkCVZaRi_r5OdaGzD2LxcfZ5REakCar3Q1JW0oM7RoYJZgyrhExOGAXbbNHEQA0xjozOi_cAfJNf8aS9f9E0hJ9UBRl8IK3U-YIB33WXx3hptnjO_0adTBe4FNpmhzLeA-UsnmzBgz4yFL/s400/november+shotgun+and+sporting+clay+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bang! Bang!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyyCsXXhugqEbWORXzYf7RCnz_evj3ugdvcDFGU3-at44_M1vB8bfKJeNPha83TdvXepKOOcowUobOiw_WnNKDx6SwshhbrXcWtIBs8kfXjBFUuS22Bfq2fd5W4KBYWQOa9sUKhhoCVeuo/s640/decemember+retail+oyster+bambo+fly+rods.jpg" height="212" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMosi6Xn5W6jKp2FED2p6SUwFzjVKfbHYbLD0AOb992DVfbiKWVbVYv2Qm3B7glA_0ODbyJUTItl-kws8GQtBKlxy3wJRvveK0UKD4KiYhUiiGKeHm650RmRMJosn4L04wc88ti9sbVJGf/s400/decemeber+2.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8tABFRe3V8yBzlhzbrtRkqDC7KG0WbVsYMzf8PaKPmJEp2-7WVB0uTkJejwS6wnTOl8X4grmD4qEuqApuMfVBfD7_aRHBqPxQfSp62i5Yr40-cqhba5xWMlgRMIqsD6mVu2EtKlWJQ6g/s320/december+unknown.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hMEwbydRjBQvL2uMsQw0dCKFkvHtGXaVruVVhJwLuU5ay5slNa7z5R2gBorR6vYfSkpQvIljQFpyZJ2pMOC3fgfuFNfTpumHk1D1TQSGpfPBHA-Ru2TKCef9phsTRRXHlimIHjF5__Oh/s640/december+flying+fish+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutter Butter, Flying Fish & our biggest kid...Riley</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P8uREJCUXkuId3xtzpNcoHSAzao3rXWukX2-k1760OVRUBZnsHoTMC8rHpW5tWC5N4NHZUnOxWub_L8rHjQ2ldg-66EyBPSRlyTue747KkZRFpalXzu5m8nIUGvsz2W6NeVAQbL_QVRF/s640/decemeber+engraving+view+area+in+retail+area+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window in showroom to shop that shows Bill's engraving in real time (see TV in right hand corner)</td></tr>
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So...while 2012's original plan zigged and zagged and we were met with surprises all year, we ultimately pushed and pushed until our goals were met...</div>
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Hmmm...it's almost as though our plan worked after all...</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jZGYUAWUt8KlEMMh1hMiI33kcs-T3QL51ksd5Aonjyjryy-PNaoAreNvymUmzy2QntzoOlXNkFF4PgMIQBSGWrFTI8BKhWwbDKo0k3EqqkyVzJXHdZEdsL2Y9jr4etBR1GgdHX_r2kHV/s320/kids.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bye 2012.</td></tr>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-64783485629577258482012-09-17T11:44:00.000-04:002015-04-02T14:16:16.589-04:0010 reasons why I love my shotgun more than a diamond.<h4 style="text-align: center;">
While diamonds are presumably a girl's best friend...</h4>
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my shotgun has become my BFF.</h4>
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This blog needs no introduction.</h4>
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10. Even if I gain 10 pounds, my shotgun still still fits!<br />
9. A diamond does nothing but just sit there and I swear my shotgun loves me back...it does.<br />
8. Having my shotgun "sized and fit" included a full round of sporting clays!<br />
7. I don't have to wait for a proposal or some special occasion to buy a new shotgun.<br />
6. You don't have to "take off your nice shotgun" when visiting a questionable area.<br />
5. It's much more fun to "dust clays" than simply "cut glass".<br />
4. My husband can engrave my shotgun.<br />
3. The beauty of a shotgun stock and receiver is only limited by our imagination.<br />
2. My shotgun goes "BANG"!<br />
1. Regardless of the price or size of your shotgun, skill is the great equalizer.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAraFu_tuvkKCQ7vLJF4Fw7wI7Q3xjkEpbt0VSh5I7B9Zefh77qUViYTl75vPrp53x7r0BMJAJ0t6DOFxER1rEch-R4bfQnzHlV4cXbxUNLtvit6h3uR2u5iTPYDMxI-Amrwb7inDqPWQ/s320/shannen+oyster+at+NCF+bang!+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-68989889472117674852012-06-07T23:39:00.001-04:002015-04-02T14:23:57.069-04:00Bamboo Fly Rods, Change and the Accidental Retailers<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span class="sqq">“If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or
reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is
left is compromise.” - Robert Fritz</span></h2>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi5D4ZNGJvZ9hiUq_4VbPP216SDiEIKaWqOfEpDLAwGCkUgjXvcgOXQIfAUDZ69thZE5eKZmkNWd8dhzoINiRU5vC9T86_eWiunvmtkF66M7SfvbYyrKrpznN2iM8MacM0BrFLJELskWgP/s320/us.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Late night in the shop...my class!</td></tr>
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Over three years ago, we had outgrown our "cottage" inspired home workshop after a decade plus and needed more space immediately. So, with a <b><i>three day old baby</i></b> in the back seat, we set out to find a workspace that could fit our ever expanding <strike>family</strike><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rod</a> business.<br />
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While roaming around, <i><b>we literally took a wrong turn down Main Street </b></i>in our new hometown of <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank">Blue Ridge, Georgia</a>. Then, while trying to get off that one way street, the former run-down "Dip n' Dots" in town and big "FOR LEASE" sign caught our eye.<br />
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"Yuk", I said.<br />
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"Ooooo...that's cool", Bill said.<br />
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"I am not cleaning it", I said.<br />
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"Let's call the leasing agent", Bill said.<br />
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"I am not cleaning it", I said.<br />
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<i>A few minutes later...</i><br />
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"The agent will be here in 15 minutes", Bill said.<br />
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"Do you think the ceiling is supposed to be on the floor, Bill", I said.<br />
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"I'll see if we can move in Thursday", Bill said.<br />
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"I am not cleaning it", I said.<br />
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After a mild negotiation and a professional cleaning, the run down old Dippin Dots in town was all ours...<br />
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And, by Thursday, we were ready to work. However, there was a big surprise on the horizon...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ZAs4thyphenhypheno40fLtrz24WFPmP5NCEG1XykNgct43qRD5wO1xK2HMNZt5Gd8RmZeNHIyWr8YumNYHNn8cUOpCJjhKR_Oxnja8muSIs53pYz1Xdpju2oIksAnNvS3U4Hu2v0n0wCcPHSnm85-/s320/Bill+and+Roni+in+bamboo+fly+rod+shop.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New baby, locked doors and hanging tarps times.</td></tr>
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Because we were on Main Street in the rapidly growing tourist area of <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Blue Ridge, Georgia</a>, people would just walk into our shop...just come in as if they were entitled to some piece of us. At first, this freaked me out so bad I locked the doors, hung up paint tarps in the windows and left out of the back door of the building so no one would even see me. Okay, so I had just had a baby...give me a break. For those of you unfamiliar...when you have a baby...you get a little crazy. I am assuming there is no need to elaborate.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_WpG47oVhDIqMDr_V8tr8_haL2ZIojA6WW5qI5cQMVgXEUhUsVBrWxsqvbUrib-83ImWwzafpWLv-iO7k6VDpc3QqwCRpAtDhynNgAavoY_lgdZFErX85Py4kzHz_t2aduZIXCuLZOUF/s320/web+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+outside+workshop+sign+main+street+blue+ridge+georgia.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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So, here we are...on Main Street trying to make<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rods</a> for a living, bringing in students from all over the country to teach and raising two small children all in a run down ice cream shop.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxNyrY5aE1sSvxpGx3EvxJrUrMb4bf_qg2_ilCCqnVQO2z2gl5Nx48QUfMMkrgBLcvBsZLqj13WbNmnr1tc06Ux2znNrea8Fd69oBX32d-inHw9jTynttC97np-lnOtcGFjh6rDWs17Guz/s320/Bill+Oyster+and+Henry+Williamson+infront+of+Oyster+Bamboo+Fly+Rods+workshop.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill And Henry Williamson in front of the shop</td></tr>
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You know where this is going, right? Eventually, we unlocked the doors, tarps came down and we used the front entrance instead of sliding in and out of the back unnoticed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8hzSaOusF1gosikIKiSzpxiLXWecWzdPY9eXB_hhBb4WKnaYziIiG7Ac9t21JSAtuOw67flBbVaoz9NM_1ibtvtpTtDfV2T38qj1uU36xwGgFVUOGeDnddHeaHPBcnqeRpbyt18AXG5sj/s320/showroom+in.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doors unlocked...Oyster showroom</td></tr>
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We were warming to the retail lifestyle. We renovated the shop (as much as possible), filled the "showroom" with "merchandise" and opened our hearts to the life of a retailer...sort of. Most of all, we became part of something bigger than us...we stumbled upon a sub culture of fellow business owners, artists and group of dreamers like ourselves.<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank">Main Street in Blue Ridge</a>, Georgia is the true "Street of Dreams".<br />
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We are honored to be a small part of it.<br />
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My children are almost a science experiment (the children raised by Main Street). <br />
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When Bill called the leasing agent (who...by the way...as a direct
result...is a dear friend of mine now), our lives made a drastic
change. <br />
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<i> Change is hard. </i><br />
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<i>Change leads to growth.</i><br />
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<i>Growth is good.</i><br />
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<h3>
As I sit in this "dump" for one of the final times, I can not help but remember...</h3>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vJaVahyphenhyphenD_EuXpFcPGPeRfGq4yEolo_yM0ginDiMjHTOxMdBPXvQJKAyA1_fMiCXxgYI0cZYjJkQ48ybvayBhpMDYolo1BufqnEWBTKqSakChKhGMMTMVVkCfvcwRronENSmzgxSQ-plU/s320/workshop+roni+in+the+shop.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Roni has literally spent most of her life rolling around the floors beneath me.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Aw1yCTltIa9MK75MS9CdqAfJOrbshuDWUEZyHEJjumdngJBY1YO1rJY3PI98vaq6aXXq1NWGBrcWQ6sINCq-NLHDd8HGliHA12MD3vQT12hUuivJNOmligkrZJDq9oQ0n35pxpeW2pN0/s1600/tie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Aw1yCTltIa9MK75MS9CdqAfJOrbshuDWUEZyHEJjumdngJBY1YO1rJY3PI98vaq6aXXq1NWGBrcWQ6sINCq-NLHDd8HGliHA12MD3vQT12hUuivJNOmligkrZJDq9oQ0n35pxpeW2pN0/s1600/tie.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Cutter became a full fledged boy in front of my eyes here fly tying and breaking away.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgravvFAkH96mKgyoQOMVQNjWSpHO9Tx1NrJU854bj3SJLXGL0jf1ZeHeXGpBuGndOcH51VFzkqrt0M7uPqeJxFw60kPy4x9ti4dmgdWuDytrt-Ue8ojqZCWWQSgvi-RemcbDrG_EBn4tC-/s1600/vice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgravvFAkH96mKgyoQOMVQNjWSpHO9Tx1NrJU854bj3SJLXGL0jf1ZeHeXGpBuGndOcH51VFzkqrt0M7uPqeJxFw60kPy4x9ti4dmgdWuDytrt-Ue8ojqZCWWQSgvi-RemcbDrG_EBn4tC-/s320/vice.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Bill's mother moved here from South Georgia after visiting and enriched all of our lives to infinity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">Oyster Bamboo</a> grew as a company in every possible way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Total strangers have walked through our doors and left as our friends.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...My own connection to my parents and my past deepens as a stroll Main Street remembering how we would visit here on a regular basis growing up.</span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIqoeQ174vogN6RHOfVsZGlFz2C8nvkInCSB4c_WdaUxdfuhU6x75bWie4E18P3CrbfQYpDPCFgg4-vc04gO5Yd-qrOCs3rhiXaF2pgaepNq-gChXMtG6YCbEtn7VtzV7s8C6j3x7GPkg7/s320/linda+and+roni+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+workshop.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...We have made friends...real friends...the kind you never expect to come your way as a grown up.</span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijIuRvjL2lJcLVn3Xhj5ERO8HcImvvg_ZLorjxOlzsjpI8XNGH7bs7druZioPJG0IP2c9ANs7AmHr9UJSjSpo6aKuue9VY3aR2zr9NOI8ZtuRxhHZ9vA4aAZyQztoiEWVCYU_FpheqXOcI/s320/me+and+yogi.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Yogi spent his last hours in my arms here.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3FITsyHPl8cI0wTFnVz_k6cyPfHSXq-Jjb9lCpk7hRaK_Ed3DBiDh7WM1Fb4uylrnvpclEkYnHMDV-Il-p1HmfYS3cYRqGEce_9DVhY26mSYeB4cVBuDY6TWeYR5df_2dUuWMR_khTcB4/s320/riley+and+quinn+oyster+bamboo+old+workshop.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riley and Quinn</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> </span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">...Just when I thought my heart could not grow any further, Riley,
Quinn, Ian, Kara, Tristan and Molly the dog came into our lives and proved me wrong. We have them because they entered through our newly unlocked doors.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3AmcGh8WzQQBR3LutQMpSIHCo00dGMNka0ZSddQRtOVyUp-KiIqWswaChxFdEfNzLwYUiKwZNC3pXqAy-y8-4xhgS4IztNtrFHZSZaYxVrYS2C2A4-OaO99yPOEtTEEjD6QbX4kuTMaHX/s320/IMG_0051.JPG" height="320" width="249" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinn aka "SuSu"</td></tr>
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So...why so nostalgic?<br />
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We are moving in our new space (four doors down) in the very short future and <i>I can not believe I am about to say this</i> but I am going to miss this place. While I have affectionately referred to it as "the dump" for years, I now see it as a stepping stone of all kinds.<br />
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<i><b>That wrong turn turned into something very right.</b></i><br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aLNh1O3vYuwfEcRPNBm1vieggXL7r7QL5chMKQ46-8xsKp-q4E4ACZHshlyDEtwwDRHfPREXS8v719cGEsLIPEEbFNQimRnmxcShKf7bBdwlgT0cXwXpAeVU6dU3r7jyi3JPKoygfzqQ/s1600/photo-26.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQHfNmBXjPm-NM_8k35mr6sSp6q7n-MukcVSE64E_VqINKIdsvxzvYrkr4kfFyoNcVv8BfnSygCKYlH7dSAHAIeIFrRZxwblkhLdoRF0KFE_yAxTNUCnwlc2O_DYH9XeMrBf_JqmNxibO/s1600/shannens+iphone+pics+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfQHfNmBXjPm-NM_8k35mr6sSp6q7n-MukcVSE64E_VqINKIdsvxzvYrkr4kfFyoNcVv8BfnSygCKYlH7dSAHAIeIFrRZxwblkhLdoRF0KFE_yAxTNUCnwlc2O_DYH9XeMrBf_JqmNxibO/s320/shannens+iphone+pics+113.JPG" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
Go figure. <br />
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<span id="goog_1902354084"></span><span id="goog_1902354085"></span> <br />
<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://oysterbamboo.com/cast-and-blast-inn-blue-ridge-georgia-ga-oyster-bamboo-fly-rods.html</a>bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-77794081672680075182012-03-11T21:56:00.000-04:002015-04-02T14:25:17.100-04:00My tribal bamboo fly rod!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 18pt;">The above photo is a direct result
of the following:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">6 months of planning, 7 friends (including my Aunt from
Seattle) and 74 hours of work (I was slow and others had to assist me...hence
the "tribal" in the rod)...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Originally I had planned to write out a thoughtful blog each
day of the class but that was <s>completely unrealistic</s> a bit
ambitious. So, where did we leave off? I forget...but will tap into
whatever memory I have left after a week of being inundated with <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboofly rod maker</a> responsibilities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Riley's sense of humor...my name is spelled Shannen!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Have I mentioned that straightening the strips almost killed
me? Again, I will not bore you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">After this week, I have a new respect on every level for
Bill's undeniable patience and seemingly endless volcano of talent. This
week was special for a myriad of reasons...</span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSm2vEuJZH6DLwRnFArlCj2GILxExO2Ak4o5f-3XQY4nRLBwlZPt0n7v2I2FY9LCqFE8KndlsHX1oTVkoLO8W3bh5vmi7cfnUvRq9iIuezAFHE2LuRw1B9QpkVBTBgduowmRQXc5k_L16k/s320/photo+%281%29.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My space...brand new perspective these days.</span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lLp8zGOla31WTr0cv2mgjKZjR7MZ4ZwXv47kQczCojvB5l2NtIq925Oaw7g5S5XgdDf5jbAYv4m0QNP9Zy8tCxIayQAILN28Dlf37DJBkf5BxFhJUHX92ZbaC2S8VGQJwYenp0t6SYmU/s320/shannen+oyster+planing+9wt+in+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0ACk51YYwnvUjQ3zydlAcN781NNmeJBb1kGJ2SXkZ_LZTMp06NScYiLMMvdtJVTyF-_N2tyw-NK4-PVEOvyKoDBxUmD8gSo3oVfi9H3jr4SC1BZPe_iIzKDhoPoD4pNMJopBNCfBUPnN/s1600/shannen+oyster+planing+9wt+in+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">My favorite...planing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> Strangely enough, I really enjoyed
planing the rod. Once I got into a rhythm, it was <s>almost</s> relaxing. </span></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fPPPt6WQDKx6041c2Z5YE4qXzJunuLIJ-vMTjhoD975nsojV7O08rCNQnfF9_vROz4Yd7th6JuC5QrssEexgaU91-9ZaQ8tl0FcfP2mBObOd5A8xQFFjp_W8cU00_dPnTnQFsA3xcEQT/s640/planing+form+8ft+9+wt.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">9 weight!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisci_13kmznHIXv12_QRBfjtfn5W_qrS42HZNh7cVM5yp4Pzrv7eKgj1cl-520M4shYDytpx77sasYDjiy83hbhFuoBI-UUE8e2r2kIm6iHuavPoUNL0vre3jMLaYibMpJHs2oSoarztBu/s1600/photo-28.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none;"></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br /></div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiMvIGfNsrv17KPHv9-y2dSncscrvptzelIVf9GEDc6kqiu7Tldlnjyehla8kIrhmAyL12Xl7VUHD_GjReARvr5mToMljh0K_0SKOLeDhu5yQUdqgAIGlGqW_bgcjLh_TF4H4Xm4Lr6iln/s1600/photo-28.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPohzUw95S8UopXFRk3EJk3NSuXJjJHn74-goq3BEI05uOR0l1O8npyKO1Lh2LWsKt_fmb9nHgHm2Rr4AAorjhKveRL6oe0r-9dX-DPMtpg6K2Fz840G_fNmc_6Mbq1KehVM5Ys8Dxo_xH/s1600/shannen+oyster+binding+in+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Binding</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
I have skipped about 1000 steps but do you think that I may the first person to ever build a <a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank">bamboo fly rod</a> in big hoop earrings?!?</div>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKH9ETdkYbdUpZvdu8PrLfC3i3Xpk6HuIczukAmThiX3p3fcdTT7ih-GIIzlqS52V9_E3whvxxWINVna0ShAuzegHtLtdeHvvqVa9gCXRCKfJvnHWvqdMz0vW0d9lyB8kYnMgEImNlGATh/s1600/shannen+oyster+pre+grip+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWWPxxjV05vjb0PPpZdJ_Gdp1ZHHfyTbllgbcc120PWA-0HgiDgX5yJLbPPC96NGTc_FQk3R_-tzaANgGZe59H532A6-aPa-ZvWFShKzADKK48WeyZWUn4WlMuwW7V3QHVVt1zzXWzR4d/s320/us.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Us</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoqVHkxwk6YiHzK-p4KVVdYKasRiUXr4MPmfeZgFWdAeCNsBqp6EZMhdPg44g0H-L2TEPDvcEOH9bFuNKipiv_TALeXalOpmu19OtNmzCUswlcS4y5Ra6wv8HhRnDyy_qARvLmPSn18Q2b/s1600/shannen+oyster+shaping+grip+in+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grip shaping </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgedXR_nbaxQ2dL64m6g6w2ZTNlg6dvFTCo2oJD6XJ5E6i08_srkVlHd4lmsgkPazmmy6rQ91_R1w4dXIQGAdFG3eqYpHkvZckxlIE2hspEcp1WQWz01EqHqmwQhsHcdIIuuVcuqOfEHvLs/s200/coating+the+wraps+in+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class+-+Copy.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coating wraps</td></tr>
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1R4XKJ_dAm7dKnkDT6sKoqXbA1061s1-avqJ8aFZWsQAlDEv-ST-Yz8_ox1xzm6Gj-bhDFtV5gepJy3mxkxY3Q7HyXHaDPHoruxNXABUOWvn1_mMo4q-Vtt2wdcABz_wcmq2xAex1-d4h/s1600/coating+the+wraps+in+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+class2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjczaFvq-SQQLx_nuAbJpTpu3FD4v_bFMUjXRDOfPtW5ifoV2FT2pM-6jKBmhoHtJgQQAU4JWU9Hr-XYqQAM1PO_9HNZ_DCJYnHDX6zQSbNhU9T_GP4yRVTtC2a63ZK5YLvEkWe5i-Mjjq_/s400/oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+end+result.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Tribe...Bill, Roni, Me, Rick, Linda, Doug, Terry, Jeff, Kathy and Riley</td></tr>
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bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-19544083877493433342012-03-06T23:01:00.000-05:002015-04-02T14:26:05.299-04:00About last night......and this<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"> bamboo fly rod making class</a>.<br />
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Okay, I skipped a day because the second day of class started out with straightening strips and the night ended with math! So, I decided not to tell the tale. However, I got through it and finally tamed my bamboo strips.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyABv0gvPLB3nV5eHoOdjIgdTI-GTr8Truvwj78lxDkajDYv_jMUF36xUG67xkBBLF9ZQII2J6ccKo-63DYnZa7tGR-FYo-JgNRmaZFFG2Ev5Ma2WcMFzESCkd-4yVS422b6XB2Jaw5gYu/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rods+straightening.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is how the day started</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9zWBXbU9uFfM9m7Bvw1TaLK7ccQLoQrZzZYxscpWpczalzw4RONKO08CWOGbRyloc1cpc_AJ5Fcn1IUw0_SbNpXOJddeDJFPnHclTJuVOCGa3eZF5I5wACR_1wIf9raTQL9-cka_DFCk4/s320/shannen+sanding+bamboo+fly+rod+strips.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the only way to end a day after wrestling with bamboo strips</td></tr>
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<br />bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3096733978217872382.post-11356912835738134652012-03-04T22:35:00.000-05:002015-04-02T14:26:47.694-04:00Bamboo Fly Rod Class Day One...<br />
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<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/oyster-bamboo-fly-rods-main-image-page.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHTG_9wCQQy_r3JrPWTKkJtesiYPZJ-3eetQJ4C5YHMRWhH0UsOxyqHvKHtwXzMiwMjfQsPXZZF-FJHiRnd6NLa_W0WVJuBhSnLJsRfU17P4qgaY5aazMwDFd9vUqKvsedXXnAYgJS3pm/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+march+2012+group+filing+nodes+shot.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
After my first day in class making my first<a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/bamboo-fly-rods-classes.html"> bamboo fly rod</a>, I have discovered the following:<br />
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<i>Bill's job is so much better than mine.</i><br />
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Of course, we started with a raw stalk of Tonkin bamboo and 9 hours later ended up with something that kind of resembles some (12) strips of Tonkin bamboo. Surprisingly, it was fun! I especially enjoyed the flaming and scraping...so much better than paperwork.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_zSO8Dr8T8F6tWdV6iGuHSF8_v7CrTwEJ4qvSpF18YbONc7c-LjEVwndJYtdy1fUk3VA4B39qQVyyB9giRDXu2KmJufEuiONbPmr4JD0lUQ5MFZ4J1k83jQpF5kt1QTodYqXFcnnoYiC/s320/DSC_0696.JPG" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And so it begins...</td></tr>
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Each step was a bit of an out of body experience considering I finally have a "dog in the fight" when it comes to using these tools and manipulating the bamboo. In fact, the bamboo takes on a life of it's own.<br />
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I'll introduce the "players" tomorrow...or not...Bill keeps us busy.<br />
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Of course, the kids are getting along fine without me. No blue paint...yet. My parents are staying with us to help out, my Aunt from Seattle flew in for the class and our friend Kathy is here at the house/class as well. The unexpected added benefit of this week is that we are all together for the second evening in a row and my parents cooked for us like we were little kids. Nice.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1bJjVLZs0BjSlyDNcCMnuuGlS5kCatwTuFnrTMcymUvOfBI7QE5ziVfl8M-JJWOxlSHw8pYEbnprZTjY4ccVqr4pEJG-cwiT52IvsEGqor-0OCqOFC7QKMFQpWuL1TQY8Kn6sEuKI9WY4/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+march+2012+group+flaming+shot.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flaming...surprisingly fun!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://oysterbamboo.com/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3iGmOzTwFqymAHVhlen34vzqQe-iocWezd5sdPbn9e3uCfbDA2hQ6sg3v-Shv7bwH-y9ITG2ajgGsod6GnPaUy1zWwPgt1g7S29hRJIpHg3h1YCSqRRt0mXxlIgTIiuzQ7WkAuP2zCMl8/s320/shannen+oyster+bamboo+fly+rod+making+class+march+2012+group+scaping+shot.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scraping...fun as well!</td></tr>
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So, tomorrow is another day. Me and the bamboo.bamboo fly rod maker's widowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16589755110467261840noreply@blogger.com