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I am enraged at the advertisement intrusion onto my blog without my asking or knowing about it.  If you look at the entry Calderwood a Disappointment, you'll see certain words printed in red and underlined.  I didn't do that or want it.  Unwanted advertising spam is doing that.  I can't understand how it is legal doing that considering all the laws we are carrying on our shoulders in this country.  I despise advertising - period.  There are enough hands in my pockets.  I can't get my own in there for anything and when I do there's nothing there.  I noticed almost invisible advertisement pictures floating around on the blog and downloaded "Ad Blocker" which took care of that.  I have no idea how to stop the highlighted words in red.  It's a shame one can't just be left alone in peace without someone trying to sell something in a despicable way.  If anyone has any ideas how to eliminate the red, underlined words (which are in reality, links to other sales sites) please let me know.  I apologize for the intrusion but, I'm at a loss how to rid the blog of these unwanted spam additions.  I just noticed words underlined and in red all over the blog, even in this paragraph I just wrote.  This is unacceptable!  I am enraged!  I won't accept it.  If I can't get rid of this crap I'm tossing this computer in the lake and quitting.  Why don't they just come on in the house through the front door and make themselves at home?  Got no patience with this junk.  None!

DOUGLAS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYOUblzQw8M&feature=youtube_gdata

AMERICA

Below is a video I hope you'll like.  It's called "Oh America We Hear You"

CHEROKEE LAKE, TENNESSEE

This slide show appeared a couple entries down in a lower format.  I have been trying to create it in a larger format that U Tube would post.  This is it I guess.  The photos for the slide show appear in the original entry two entries below.  Click the U Tube box on the movie square and play it full screen on U Tube.  Sorry for the repetitive entry but, I gotta experiment.

What Life is about

RAIN'S COMING TO THE RIVER

"Where am I?  Everything looks different.  Sure was a long winter.  What's that loud sound behind me?"

"What's that big white thing in the river?  Somethins movin on it too.  Things sure have changed since I went to bed last Fall."

"That's it.  I'm goin back in my hole and I ain't commin out till tomorrow.  Maybe things will quiet down.  What is that big white thing behind me and what's that movin around on it?  Guess I'll move the hole further inland next Fall.  This disturbance is terrible"

We here in East Tennessee are scheduled to get some heavy rain late afternoon.  A few sprinkles fell early here at Beech Creek.  I should be able to make my rounds on the river and be off before the heavy rainfalls.  The critters know it's going to rain.  They are experts and move to sheltered, overhanging shorelines and into the thick foliage of trees.  I can see rough winged swallows flying into the holes in the vertical river bank.  Everyone is halting activity early.

 Tree Swallow

The local osprey didn't seem to care about the weather.  I could hear his mate shrieking from across the river high up on the stone cliff, their nest hidden by a wall of thick green leaves.

The birds of prey always perch high forcing me to photograph them against the sky, which is usually white or gray in color.  That's a tough exposure situation.  I got im though.

He soon lost his patience with me and flew back across the river.  He took me by surprise with his take-off as can be seen in the next shot.

The next series of photos shows a great blue heron fishing.  Look at the size of the fish he pulled out of the water.  There's no way he can eat that thing.  I've seen one other heron with a monster fish last fall.  Two black vultures followed him all around and finally relieved him of the fish.  Poor thing.

That is a really big fish for him to handle.  I watched the whole process of catching that fish.  He slowly extended his neck and he plunged his bill into the water as fast as lightning and up came the fish.  The other interesting thing is that he never moved his feet an inch.  This means that the fish was right against the shoreline behind that wood you see in the picture.  There is only about a foot distance from the log to the shore.  Wonder what that fish was doing so close to shore.  No doubt there is space under that log for him to swim to and from deep water.  Spawning probably.  I can't tell if it's a bass or not.  He didn't eat it in the picture below.  He put it down on the ground.

The rest of the time on the water was uneventful.  I checked on the two mother geese and one mom is still on the nest and the other has had her chicks but, she has them stashed back in the grass and I couldn't see them.  I'll take their pictures eventually.

I have searched and searched and can not find one otter.  The trappers have had their day.  I despise trapping.  It's an insidious, cowardly way to kill animals.  If you are a trapper - don't even consider leaving any comments.   I don't want to get started.  I've got reams of data that indicate that trapping has outlived its time.  This section of river is one example of the usefulness of trapping.  Last Fall the otters put a smile on my face all day long.  They played and showed their curiosity at my presence.  I saw them each and every visit I made to their water.  After trapping season I have not seen even one otter.  Why can't humans look, watch and enjoy?  What is the motivation that drives man to kill beautiful things?  I hope the Chinese enjoy the firs of these beautiful, unique creatures because that's where the hides go.  Of course, the carcass is tossed onto the land fill.  What a tragic end for such a non threatening, beautiful animal!  I almost took off on a rant there.  Sorry.

We'll see what tomorrow brings.  It's been a really nice visit to the river.  All was quiet and serene - just like I like it.

PEACEFUL MORNING

Go here to see this slide show on U Tube.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOnZwzLVwAs&feature=youtube_gdata
If you play it on the blog movie - don't hit the full screen box.  Play it as is. I'd recommend clicking the you tube link.  I think I have a way figured out to fix the loss of definition when enlarged.  I'll try my fix on the next slide show.

I lost Windows Live Writer so, I can't create and post movies to U Tube and the blog simultaneously.  I have to use Windows Live Essentials which is sadly lacking.  The images on U Tube lose much of their clarity and definition.  It's better than nothing though.  This slide show is indicative of where I spend every day of my life.  Yes - I know I'm truly blessed to have this environment as my office.  I'll never quit my job.  Someone will have to come to the lake and carry my dead body off the boat when my time comes.

I have posted many of the slides below that show in the slide show so you can see the crispness of the pictures.  I hope you like them.  Thanks for being interested enough to check out my blog.  I appreciate you - each of you.

Its a pretty neat office to report to work to every day, isn't it?  Cherokee Lake isn't any favorite of mine but it beats most offices in town.

Northern Rough Winged Swallow

 Great Egret

 Belted Kingfisher

Bored yet?

OK - I'll cut it off.  I will clue you in about something I found out about Shade in the next entry.  That dog amazes me every day.  She broke my heart today, in a good way.

I'll be on Beech Creek tomorrow so we'll see if I can scare up any baby ducks or geese.  Look at this proud fellow below:  

 NO - this isn't the proud fellow I spoke of earlier.  I forgot about this guy.  But, he's proud non the less.

This is whom I spoke of previously:

See ya tomorrow