REMINISCING

I've been just messing around looking at my own blog and wondering about-- stuff. I've come to the conclusion  that in the short almost 7 years since I have move to Tennessee; I have done more "stuff" than the average guy can usually do in almost a lifetime. I mean I just click on one blog entry and go to another and on and on and on. I don't do city activities, but as far as wilderness type experiences goes I've done and seen a lot. And I feel I'm just getting started. The canoe has opened up an entirely new avenue for adventure and camping experiences. The Gheenoe is waiting to go wherever I point it. And the motorcycle is ready right now to take me to BC if I ask it to.   I've got the best friends in my dogs a man ever had; and they are always ready to surprise me with some antic. I am, and always was inclined to do things in the wilderness areas and enjoy the minimalist experiences. Never did go much for bars, restaurants and malls. I haven't even been in Knoxville in two years. The biggest town I have been to is Maryville and that's where I worked. Even there, I took the country road back home to my little warehouse hole in the wall home.  It's nothing more than a big dog house really. The dogs outnumber me six to one. Sometimes I feel like I'm the visitor here. Tennessee has presented an opportunity to really get away from people and humanity when I need to, and to wander around over water and country that has the flavor of wilderness and remains unencumbered by private ownership. Pennsylvania doesn't have the endless forests and doesn't have the huge waterways as does Tennessee. When hiking Pennsylvania woods and trails back in the early 90's, the only forest creatures I could come across were porcupines and deer. Occasionally I would come across a rattle snake or a skunk and squirrels. But here in Tennessee I see a multitude of wildlife. Every trip on the lake is like a trip through a wildlife kaleidoscope. On any excursion I can see deer swimming across a lake, great herons, otter, vultures at the lake's edge, wild boar, beaver, black bear, loons, storks, egrets, osprey's and bald eagles.  The voices of song birds fill the air and delight my senses.  The wild boar are so plentiful along selected lake edges that one must take care on selecting a camp site. Douglas is a comfort in that regard as he is the best alarm there is. He hears and sees all.

I have not bettered myself financially with the move here but, I have greatly enriched my life. I've met new friends and have lost one very good one. I would have never known him had I not moved here.

I Miss You Perry

I have fallen in love for the second time in my life and have not been able to handle the experience. A weakness on my part. I will not allow love to happen in my life again. I have even had the good fortune of landing a job with the prestigious TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency).

A Young Douglas & Me.  2005 I believe

  And I currently just retired from the best motorcycle dealership on the planet; Smoky Mountain Harley Davidson.  My dogs are my family now and each of them has a personality that I must fuel with understanding and compassion. They depend on me as I do them. They are comfort in the cold of winter and offer companionship at all times. They give me their undying dedication and ask for nothing in return. They are simplistic in their needs and I go overboard trying to protect them and give them comfort when all they need is a shelter, food and water. So It's been a fast 7 years since I've arrived in this beautiful place. If the health holds out there will be lots of adventures to come.

You may have caught the part that I retired/resigned from the Harley Davidson dealership.  I did that two months ago when I became disabled with a debilitating ailment called sciatica.  The sciatica is all over now and good riddance.   While overcoming that issue;  I had the good fortune to be considered for a TWRA position in Fisheries doing exactly the same job I did six years ago for the agency.   I was scheduled for an interview and offered the job.  I accepted the position with a grin ear to ear.  I know in my heart that this job is "me."  It broke my heart when I left the agency the first time but, I got the call to handle some financial difficulties in Pennsylvania and had to leave.  I'll not give it up ever again.  They'll have to drag my dead body off the lake to get rid of me this time.    My personal description on this blog states that the sky is my ceiling, the lake, my floor and the shoreline my walls.  That is all true with this job.  Once again Douglas will stand tall on the point of a TWRA boat pointing the way.

The Boat Assigned to Me----and Douglas

 You probably noticed a lack of entries to the blog this month.  That is because I've been searching for a property to move to.  I have to move to the work area that I am assigned to.  That would be Cherokee and Douglas Lakes located about 90 miles East of here.  It's been a lot of work and effort but I have found the property and am working out the closing.  My first day on the job for The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is the 20th of this month and I am looking forward to that day.  I've been very busy to say the least.  But, it's all coming together. 
     
That's what I've been up too.  The pieces are falling into place and the adventures will begin again soon.  I wrote a few stories while working for the TWRA and the characters were called "The Golden Dog and the human character was called "The Uniform."  They are some of the first stories I have posted to this blog.  Looks like the Golden Dog and the Uniform will once again be riding a government boat on two of the largest lakes of Tennessee.  Now;  you'd think there would be an adventure or two in there somewhere....Stay tuned in......