A Gift Trout

I'm not lost for words very often.  And since I'm struggling here, I'll use as few as are necessary.

I believe it is necessary to recognize that Ralph, aka author R.E. Long and curator of Ralph's Fly Box, is a man blessed with enormous ability and talent, plus the motivation to use it.  Just look what arrived in the mail for me recently.

Taking its place among the classics, at least in my heart.
Click to enlarge.

He said he was inspired by my profile photo on Blogspot/Google+.  I caught this baby on first trip to the Missouri River in Montana in 2011.  It was also my first ever trip in a drift boat.

 

I am not capable of producing such art, nor can I adequately express my gratitude.  Instead, let me offer with sincerity some words I recently quoted on another blog with sarcasm:

What a piece of work is a man! How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty! In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god! The beauty of the world.
--Shakespeare, from Hamlet

 Thank you, Ralph.