Welcome to the New Tenkara Path blog! January/2023

ON THE PATH

I am very excited to be presenting this new format for the Tenkara Path blog.  As you will see, there are some great new features to explore and enjoy.  Its a little like a newsletter with each month offering some regular features. This new format is going to be a lot of fun as it allows you to explore different topics and find some wonderful places to inspire you.  I hope to take you on a journey across the landscape of tenkara and continue offering you my own insights, experiences, and stories while also sharing some interesting content from across the "tenkarasphere."

I am always interested in hearing from readers too about their ideas or things they want to share. Please don't think twice about sharing articles, information, hacks or even recipes with me.

Oh look here comes a story now...
If you didn't catch my December debacle on my Instagram account, Let me catch you up a little on what happened to me in December. The month started out okay and I was very excited to run a sale on everything in my etsy shop. That sale would be quickly pulled though as I had a little run in with my chop-saw and my left index finger.  Fortunately it wasn't about the blade of the saw but rather the piece of wood I was cutting. The item twisted at a weak spot and snapped sending the piece flying across my finger. Eight stitches later and a sigh of relief that I didn't cut the tendon, I had to close down my sale, refund back orders, and take a day or so to think about my life a woodworker and maybe more importantly as a professional magician a serious consideration. Its hard to shuffle cards when you have one less digit. While my finger healed I had some time to think about my mistake.
Should I quit woodworking? Why did I feel I needed to rush?

Experiences in life happen to us all. Accidents usually happen though because we are rushing. I was certainly rushing through the process when this happened. When we slow down to see the messages in our experiences we can actually grow. For me this was a reminder to be in the moment. Cutting corners can sometimes cut off fingers. I want to be more aware of the things I am doing. It is easy to get swept up in the culture of fast results, quick fixes, shortcuts, express lanes, broadband and even food.

---

Just in Time..
The timing on this event was actually "just in time". Each year I pick a single word to reflect on and dedicate my practice to each year. I was waiting for a word for 2023 and now I have it. "Slowly". 
SLOWLY flies in the face of conventional living. A word that flows into my life as the approach that I need most. If we don't slow down and be present then life will certainly make us slow down.
So I continue this new year with a deep focus on being present and being in a place of things moving more slowly.

Kanji for "Slowly"

And now check out the features below!
-Just click on the photos to be sent to the feature-

---

Click on photo to visit

READ THIS!
LANDING A FISH ON TENKARA (ARTICLE)
The nuanced practice of landing a fish is covered very nicely in this Tenkara Angler Magazine article "Landing Fish on Tenkara"
by A.J. Moore

---

WATCH THIS!
FISHING JOZANKEI, JAPAN (VIDEO)
NKH World Japan Video
"Fly Fishing in a Secluded Mountain Stream in Jozankei"
A fun video of Spring fishing.

Click on photo to view

PATH NOTES
NOVA SCOTIA OAT CAKES  (RECIPE)
I have been making these for a few months now. Dialed this in to its most simple recipe. These oat cakes are a great source of energy, fiber and nutrition on the trail or at home. 

---

TIE THIS!
"Redheaded Blondie"
a futsu kebari variation created by my friend,Jonathan Antunez.
 Fish it dry or wet. This is one diverse and useful fly

Click photo go to recipe

TENKARA AS PRACTICE 
"Live Like A River Flows"
Life does change and we can go with the flow but we also have the ability to make choices in its course

click on image to see article

FEATURED ANGLER
You may already know and love him.  I couldn't think of a better guy to kick off this feature with. T.J. Ferriera

Click on photo to view

DEJAVU
Forget Resolutions
Flash back to this post from January, 2018. Let's look back at the idea of living the best life we can using the Japanese practice of Ikigai.

Click image to visit

 In closing, I want to say thank you for checking out each of the features above. I am excited to continue the evolution of this new blog and format. Tune in each publication to see the changes and evolution happen.

-Dennis