It’s still gray & gloomy out this morning as we enjoy sausage & fresh blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Fishing is a priority today and Caroline takes no small satisfaction in letting Father know that his team is behind and he could bear lasting witness to all present here as having acquired one of the Fruits of the Holy Spirit (wisdom) by just giving it up already.

After breakfast, Fitz leads all the young ‘uns out to do some fishing. Fitz, Caroline & Zoe in one canoe, while Aurora & Isaiah team up in the other. They’re able to find a hole a short way from camp and spend the next few hours adding to the tallies. Meanwhile back in camp I continue processing some firewood before Father Brandon cajoles Naomi & I into a game of Ticket to Ride which he ends up winning – although we notice a few extra game pieces stashed under his chair as we cleanup & put the game away, calling into question the legitimacy of this fishy victory.

Perhaps I should say fish-less when describing Father Brandon?! The fishing party returns, and the totals are lopsided to the extreme. Caroline feels that this walleye blood also speaks more eloquently than that of Abel as she rejoices in the festal lakeside gathering that puts Father to shame. For his part Father claims “BWCA Brandon” knows where the walleyes are stacked up, so his team has no need to worry once he hits the water. Zoe exhibits serious doubts and sides with Caroline & Aurora but, apparently St. Jude (patron Saint of lost causes) is Isaiah’s patron as he continues to stand by his uncle despite the overwhelming odds.

Eager to learn more about all things outdoors, Naomi joins Fitz & I as we paddle over to the nearby island to clean the catch. She’s a quick learner and we quip she’s already surpassed the wilderness acumen of BWCA Brandon! Fitz provides further instruction and explains that larger walleyes have edible cheeks that can also be cut and then fried up. However, once back in camp, BWCA Brandon mercilessly razzes Naomi for falling for such a seemingly obvious ruse. I don’t think poor Naomi knows quite what to believe, even after the rest of us solemnly assure her there are/is such a thing as a walleye cheek.

Unlike her uncle, Zoe is on the cutting edge of the coolest trends that are currently all the rage. And some of her sayings gain some lasting traction. One such example is that after she hears anyone use the word “massive”, she instantly perks up and counters; “You wanna know what else is massive? My loooow tapered fade!” (Unbeknownst to this clueless BWCA trip reporter until after the trip is over, that this refers to a current hairdo/cut. Not sure how this relates to anything that anyone was talking about at the time but, if we heard it once we heard it 50 times throughout the week!!! Eventually, everyone else was saying it too.)

Needing a reprieve from the incessant harassment (he’s mostly brought upon himself), Father Brandon announces we’ll have Mass before supper. With a heart-stirring flotilla of diminutive pine crowned islands of Iron Lake serving as the backdrop, we put our current rivalries on hold as we all gather to celebrate the Holy sacrifice of the Mass together. Above all it is these moments in the wilderness that I am so grateful Aurora is getting to experience for the first time. There’s even a first for the rest of us as Father Brandon sets out the monstrance and we have a short, yet profound, period of Eucharistic Adoration immediately following Mass!

The bounty of fresh walleye is fried and supplemented with some delectable vegetables from Naomi’s Garden as everyone eats their fill of everything. It didn’t rain today but it did remain overcast most of the time and this continues into the evening as we only catch fleeting glimpses of a few stars tonight before turning in.