Re: [VFB] How do you organize your fly tying bench?

[Byard Miller]

Organized? Me organized? Absolutely!

Let's take a short tour. Might as well start right here in the office...I do not tie flies here, so there can't be any tying goodies here. Oh...well except for that very neatly "organized" pile on the floor to my left. Hmmm...what's in there anyway? Oh yeah...there's the proceeds from the ages ago dubbing swap...and the yarn deal too...and those hooks I've been meaning to try...oops...there's that Cree Whiting I failed to mention to anybody...and that Midge Griz saddle that I will not part with...what the heck is that box of floss doing there! Hmmm...forgot about the closet here in the office...top shelf has 4 or 5 large moth-proof containers with premo deer hair...bear...elk...a pound and a half or so of strung marabou (private stock)...a few large bundles of strung saddle hackle...a couple of pheasant skins...my treasured urine-burned fox...etc...etc. What's there on the floor? Oh I can't poke through that stuff...but I do see that bag of mottled turkey feathers and the baggies of woodie that my Uncle gave me last summer. I really should move that stuff up to my tying room. And why are there 6 'possum skins hanging on the wall? Should I open this chest of drawers?...nah, I don't think so...there can't be anything in there! Ummm...did I mention the tanned kangaroo tacked to the office wall?

Shall we abandon the office and head for the kitchen? I guarantee there is not one fly tying item there. Damn...there's that pair of fine-tipped curved scissors. I can't tell you how long I've been looking for those! Oh yeah...DonO's little mousy sits on the shelf by the kitchen table and stares at me with his beady black eyes while I have my morning java fix. But that's all there is there...really.

Now the dining room is another story...it has this really neat closet with like six shelves...suffice it to say...they are filled...;^) Uh oh...what's over there in that corner on the chair...it's the pile of pine squirrel hides that I dyed up olive last month. I really should move those up to the tying room.

Peeking in the bathroom...nope...nothing here...well you're not counting Fly Tyer magazines are you? Hey...a body's got to read ya know!

Now the living room...hey...I've got an excuse here ok? That's where the Whiting Swap is being organized...and I use that term loosely...vbg. We better include the dining room in with that project too. No real need to mention those couple of packs of Awesome Hair on the end table is there. Hey the game was on the tube, but I also wanted to tie up a couple of Bunkers. Is that like a crime or what? I'll put 'em back...really!

Time to head upstairs...not too much in the bedroom. Well the closet does have some mighty handy shelving. Hey who needs clothes anyway. Did I mention those neat low profile boxes that slide under the bed...;^)

Now my daughter's bedroom. She moved out last Thanksgiving Day...onto bigger and better things. Well her room is now the official tying room. And it is very organized! Nice bookcase that holds most of my fishing literature...topped by Fred...the Whiting Platinum grade fully mounted Cree Rooster. And there on top of the TV is...yes...a flower vase filled with incredibly long eyed-peacock feathers. Then the desk with a couple of drawers...neatly arranged. And the materials cabinet on top of the desk...again neatly arranged. And the roll-about drawer cart...neatly arranged. What a neat room. It's got a closet too...not so neatly arranged...lol.

That's about the extent of it...we won't take you up to the third floor. That's where Line's End resides...and we all know there might be a couple of fly tying goodies up there...;^)

So you asked...am I organized? Absolutely! I know where each and every feather is...well at least now I do!

keep tyin'...byard