DOUGLAS AND THE GHEENOE ON TELLICO LAKE

It is hot!  This would be a good day to go for a boat ride.  The ski boats would be off the lake and we should have the water to ourselves, at least until people start getting off work.  It's been a long time since I've cruised Tellico Lake.  For the past two years I have been launching on the rivers because of the photographic opportunities for wildlife are greater.  Today I thought it would be nice to just let the motor unwind and cruise upstream.  Douglas hasn't been on the Gheenoe for a good ride in a while and this would be a nice day to spend with just him.

He was ready.  He jumped into the boat before I had to call him.  What a little guy!

If you haven't noticed by now, there is a lack of buildings in the photos on this blog.  That's because I believe, to me at least, that new structures lend an impression of litter.  I prefer wild, natural scenes.  I know that the shorelines of the big lakes are inundated with large super homes, and they are very elegant.  To me, they don't belong on the shoreline of a beautiful lake.  I categorize homes on the shoreline with washed up plastic Coke bottles and old tires.  It just ain't natural!  With the homes come all the problems with the humans who occupy them.  Oh well;  that's a discussion better saved for after dinner conversation.
We sped North admiring the natural parts of the shoreline.

Tellico Lake is not as built up as much as Ft. Loudon Lake to the North.  Tellico sprawls left and right of the main channel around islands and up little known creeks that were widened and deepened with the advent of the reservoir.

 We passed the peninsula that the old state park and ruins sits on.  The road that runs into the lake came up on our left.  That road and access to the old park are well camouflaged.  It's a good thing it is or boats would start hanging out there.  It's the place where my kids swim.   The tree that Douglas fell from last year can be seen in the following pictures.  There was no water under it the day he fell.  Frightened me to death when he did that trick.

Recently I wrote about my astonishment of finding a rose bush near the place where the road goes into the lake.  I took a picture of a few roses.  I believe they aren't wild.  Maybe so;  but, I doubt it.  How they got here I no not.  But here is what they look like from the water:

They are beautiful and their thorny vines have crept up onto the overhanging tree limbs creating the most beautiful backdrop.

There are a lot of roses there.  A lot!

I can actually smell them from this distance.

The roses should show up fine if the pictures are enlarged.  They are beautiful!
Douglas is getting hot and I better create some breeze for him.  He loves to feel the wind in his face.  I'll find a nice spot and let him loiter in the water and on the shore line for awhile.

There are some really pretty farm fields along Tellico.  The shorelines are mostly soft and grassy.  I believe I'll pull over and let Douglas swim next to a farmers field.

Ah;  the perfect spot.  Kind of shady and a grassy bank.  Perfect.  I always pull into the shore nose first and let Douglas off;  then I disembark.  It's easier for me to get out of the boat if he isn't occupying space on the deck.  The Gheenoe isn't a wide boat and I don't need a 90 pound dog bumping into me and trying to beat me to the shore.

I can't say enough good about these Gheenoes.  They are simply fun to operate.  They're light weight and run in the most shallow water.  Their stability is amazing.   Anything can be upset but, you would really, really have to try hard to upset the boat you see above.  They turn on a dime and fit into the tightest coves and channels.  All I can say is they are a delight to operate.

There isn't any cool water in these low valley impoundments.  The water temperature at this spot on Tellico is 85 degrees.  The coolest water I've found today was 83.4 degrees on the surface.  Thats like bath water.  Douglas seems to be enjoying it though.

Douglas has wandered up into the field.  Looks like wheat.  Look at the color likeness  of Douglas with the wheat.  I'll have to call him wheat dog.

Look how sweet he is!

This is a very pretty shoreline.  There are butterflies all about.  I'll try to shoot a few;  I mean photograph a few.

Looks like chigger country to me.  I guess I'll find out tonight.

Spring Azures again.  Must be "THE" butterfly this year.

They appear to be much smaller than the ones I photographed at the old park yesterday.  I'll have to investigate their growth cycle.  These may be young ones.

Douglas is being such a good boy today.  He's hanging right with me.

A Cicada struggles to remain on the sand and not be washed away

We have to nose about and head back down stream.  We have come many miles north on the water.  It is a great day.

I have to drive to Douglas Lake tomorrow to watch a house inspection.  That will pretty much kill the day.  I'm glad Douglas and I got out together today.  It was just a nice day.  This is how I spend my time.  This is how I live.  This is how I remain sane in an upside down world.  Until next time;  be kind to a dog and brake for squirrels.