CHEROKEE IS VOID OF WILDLIFE

"We're all set Dad.  Where we going this morning?"

"Would you guys just go?  We go through this every morning.  I'm trying to sleep!"

I was able to get Shade out the door without Happy squeezing through.  Happy is getting pretty smart in the mornings.  She stays right on top of Shade and tries to get through the door with her when I take her along.  It never stops.

We were running on the big bay area at the lower end of Cherokee Lake today and I looked forward to photographing some critter - any critter.  As luck would have it there was not one bird or critter on the shoreline.  I couldn't even turn up and osprey.  Cherokee's a piece of work.  Some days it's surprising.  I've found Artic Terns and Pelicans on Cherokee already but, mostly it's empty of wildlife.  I'll be on the mud hole, Douglas Lake, after December but at least there are very interesting birds on that lake to include bald eagles.  Then, there's that great birding area at Rankin that I call the flood plain.  

Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) is dropping the lake by about three feet a week and it's starting to show on the shorelines.  Mountain tops are starting to stick up through the surface too.  It's Fall.

Cherokee Lake does have some very scenic views.

 I thought that island way out there would make an interesting picture.  The more I look at it, the more intriguing it becomes.

I found a little cove for the dog break.

Shade inspected the island while I scouted around for an interesting piece of drift wood for the yard.  There was a ton of drift wood on the shoreline but, I couldn't find exactly what I needed.  The good pieces were too large for me to handle alone and the small pieces were uninteresting.  Shade was having a blast with her inspection of the grounds.

I looked around for an interesting flower or plant that was unique enough to photograph.  I couldn't even find a flower.  What a place!

I did find a button bush with what looked like Spanish Moss clinging to it's limbs.  

We took off and cruised along the islands in the center of the lake.  There are some really pretty views on Cherokee - they are short lived as the water level is dropping very quickly and soon the mud shorelines will overpower any scenic beauty.

The leaves are changing rapidly down here which makes me wonder what they look like on the high mountains.  I'll be taking the canoe to Calderwood Lake this week and I'll get some Fall color shots up there.  I can't wait.

I noticed a canoe along the shoreline and went over to have a look.  A guy was using kayak paddles to paddle the boat and was fishing in between paddle strokes.  Seeing him gave me the urge to go get my canoe.

Well, I got a few pictures out of the day.  I wish I could have run into a bird or two.  This is a strange lake.  I'm back on Cherokee tomorrow and I may not even take the big camera as I'll be running on the extreme lower end of the lake by the dam and I know there isn't any critters down there.  I'll take the little camera though, just in case.

We'll see if the government shuts down or not over Obamacare.  I'm hearing statements saying that America isn't the world power it was once and that America doesn't back up what it says.  Remember this - People saying things like that aren't talking about America.  America is perfect and it remains a gift to all of us given by men and women who had ethics and were selfless in the endeavor to build this nation that has always been a model for freedom to the world.  Any negative references to America need to be directed to where the problem is - corrupt, greedy, power hungry, unethical, politician vermin who are dedicated to their own self interests rather than that of the citizens who entrusted them with America's bounty.  The term "ethics" is what is lacking.  Keep the faith and I'll see ya soon.