WHERE'S HAPPY?

Where could she be?  "Happy, Happy - where are you lil girl".

 "Oh, there you are.  Always the last one up".

There's never a dull moment around here.

ODDS AND ENDS

I know its hard to see it but that's a beaver in the above shot proving they are indeed well established on this tail-race.  The fellow above is clear across the river on a well wooded shoreline that is not privy to invasion by humans.  He may just live a decent life if he keeps a low profile.

I passed this pretty girl on the way to the Leadvale boat ramp today.  She's sleeping, believe it or not.  Sure is a pretty thing.

I notice all sorts of things in my travels and not necessarily all wild things.

 I just couldn't pass these two guys up.  Look at their size!  Wow!  I like chickens and would get maybe four of them if I thought the dogs would leave them alone.

And again, below, all a man needs to face the turmoils and challenges of life:

I'm off tomorrow and may take the Gheenoe and Shade over to Chilhowee Lake and the old Scona Lodge site for a hike about.  It's been a long time since we've visited over there.  Off again on April 2nd and 3rd and if the weather is warm I think a lake camp out is in order.  We'll see how it all works out.

I heard from the place where I sent the 500 mm lens and they are sending me back the repair fee and sending the lens to the manufacturer, again, for repair at no charge.  Bet that's gonna work out well.  A few more days and nights of winter and Tennessee should be out of the winter blues and into the summer smiles and it can't come too soon.

SPRING YET?

It looks like Spring but the temperature is dropping to some unthinkable degree down toward the bottom of the thermometer tonight and only getting up to 40 degrees tomorrow.  The company I ordered my native grasses from isn't shipping until March 30 which upset me at first but now I'm very glad they are holding back the shipment.

Northern Mockingbird

I noticed that the great egrets are migrating back to the lakes as I noted them today on the tail-waters of Cherokee Lake.   I'm very happy to see them as they brighten up the muddy shorelines of this waterway.

Of course I had to swing by and check on the eagles.  The mother eagle is sitting on some sort of ledge just inside the nest as a good portion of her can now be seen.  I'd love to have a look inside that nest up close.

I really miss my 500 mm lens every time I stop at this nest site.  That extra 100 millimeters would bring that eagle right into my lap.  The 400 mm isn't that bad but it isn't as good as.  I'm really upset that the repair company sent the lens back to me in the same disrepair condition as when I sent it to them.  That concerns me.  It's back in their "capable" hands again with a diplomatic note from me explaining my disillusionment relating to their inability to fix my lens.  We'll see what happens.

I ran across an odd looking duck today.  It isn't a Muscovy but appears that some little girl held what ever it is down and drew lines on its face with a tube of lipstick.  What are we doing to the wild critters?  It was a long camera shot and the pic isn't that good but you can see the thick red lines on the face.

And some good old friends are returning to these waters.  Below...The double crested cormorants are back from wherever it is they went over winter.  I didn't think I would miss them so much.

Check out this old building.  I assume it was once a house.  It is built using the tree as part of the structure to give it strength.  This is good old southern innovation - I think, or it could be the builder just ran out of wood at that corner.  Or, maybe the trees just started growing up through the roof at some point in time.

 This is all a man needs.  Basic shelter.

I like mockingbirds

I guess this is enough for tonight.  Its 7:30PM and I got to get my rest you know.  I took Shade to the vet today to have the stitches removed and she got the ok to resume life from the doc.  We blasted out of that place and went straight to the nearest boat ramp so she could jump in.  Point is that she's fine and back to normal, thank heaven!  And now---------------------------

I'm out-a here!!

A FLY FISHING STORY

http://garysoutdoorwanderings2.blogspot.com/2006/03/professional-fly-fisherman.html

I wrote this some time back.

A FULL DAY AND THE DEVIL DOG

I just snapped this shot on the way to the river this morning early.

Of course a quick drive by the eagle's nest is in order -- just to check on them.

Everything is fine and dad is out hunting while mom stays with the babies.  I might add here that my big 500 mm lens arrived from the repair facility two days ago and I quickly attached it to the camera for a try out and discovered that it was in no better working order than the day I shipped it off.  It's as if nothing at all had been done to it.  I can't imagine why or how anyone could box that lens up and mail it back to me with the knowledge that it is not repaired.  That tells me they don't care about anything but the money.  It's the sign of the times.  If it breaks - may as well toss it out in the back yard and get a new one because technical ability in this country has been trashed.  I won't get started on that.

I finally got some fair shots of the dog that I initially called a coy dog and later devil dog a few weeks back.  I see him occasionally in the same area of woods that borders my route to the river.  These shots show a beautiful black German police dog, according to a good friend who is knowledgeable in such things and I have to agree on his assessment .  My friend also made another observation I had overlooked.  He stated that the dog appeared not to be thin or have any indications of hardships and that he may just be travelling around his territory on a daily basis, in short - making his rounds.  I hadn't thought of that.  The fact he has no collar, and hasn't had one for weeks, indicated to me that he was lost, tossed out or a runaway.  I figure that surely in that time any owner concerned about him would surely attached a collar to him. A collar is any dog's lifeline.   I've decided to hold off trying to pick him up and just monitor the situation.  He's gorgeous and solid, shiny black but where does he belong?

All of the above was the day before yesterday.  Yesterday found me at work on Douglas Lake and the fishermen were so numerous I couldn't even drive the truck through the boat ramp parking lot let alone park.  I had to keep driving back and forth on the main road and turn into the lot when a boat pulled out of the water.  Then I would check his fish and interview him.  It was a mess.  They take their fishing seriously over here.

 These pictures show how crowded the parking area was at the Leadvale ramp.  The runway extends farther out to the river section of the lake and cars, trucks with trailers were parked on both sides of the roadway.  If I ran into a truck coming out of there, I'd have to back up 500 yards to let him by.  It's nuts.  This situation is temporary as these anglers are fishing for the crappie, sauger and walleye which are concentrated on this end of the lake and these species are highly active this time of year.

I did what I could and called it quits a few hours early.  Trying to set the truck up to weigh fish in this mess wasn't working and I couldn't put the boat in the water and drive upstream to this point due to shallow shoals.  It was turning out to be a dog day.

Speaking of which-

I thought there was enough light left in the afternoon to take the dogs out for a much needed bit of exercise and headed up to the wildlife management area a Buffalo Springs.  I know I said I'd never take them back there but I have no choice.  It's the only game in town.

The first shot above shows the picnic area which is located down near the fish hatchery.  This area is kept very neat and has an antique flavor to it.  I enjoy hanging around there.  However, it is a deception to think the rustic feeling is extended to the rest of the place.  Remember the devastation that occurred when all the trees were removed to create something called a Savannah.  I still don't get it.  Savannah is a project I don't quite understand but it required the removal of old oaks, poplars and many, many great pines in order to create it.  So far all I see is muddy bare fields. That's what we need around here.  More fields.

 I mean, look at that mess!

It all has something to do with bird hunting I hear.  I'm not sure.  But it's a hell of a price to pay to feed a few quail.  This was a gorgeous forested area that was a joy to wander through.  Mud is in I guess.  

The dogs were having a great time and that's what these couple hours is about.

 And then the fearless Chestnut Hound started baying and sent a hapless critter up a tree.  I rushed to see what monstrous creature the brave hound treed.  It was a cat - a rather large cat I might add.  You can see the cat in the tree in the above shot also.

The girls came to me at once and the cat was left to his own devices.  Bet he stayed up there a long time with these vicious dogs on hand out there somewhere in the darkness.

 Shade's wound has healed nicely and the stitches come out tomorrow morning so I saw no reason not to allow her some joy in the cold water and she took advantage of it.  This dog loves to lay or sit in the water.

 This is the prettiest stream with vivid green water grass growing it's full length.  I wish it were located in some other out of the way place.  The dogs love it and it is a pleasure to be here if for only a brief visit.

The time came to leave and we all piled into the truck.  It was only then that I smelled the dead fish.  Not again!  I can't believe this.  The workers around here have the terrible habit of throwing bushels of dead fish out just about anywhere, instead of burying them.  These dogs found a pile of "almost decomposed" fish and rolled in them.  This burns me up!  To throw dead fish out anywhere is the mark of laziness and disrespect to anyone else who might care to walk through this land.  It is a public place.  Dig a damn hole, deposit the dead fish and cover it up.  Problem ended.  Lazy, lazy, illiterate and uncaring.  What other opinion can be derived from this situation?  I've reported this and it still is ongoing and that's why I try to avoid coming here with the dogs.  I've been here three times and the dogs rolled in dead fish three times.  

When I got home I had to wash three dogs, myself and take the truck to get it power-washed inside.  All that because of lazy, slovenly, uncaring employees.  No, I'm not that angry about it.  I am very, very disappointed that I have coworkers with that mentality.

EYE ON THE EAGLE

I was back on the Cherokee Tail-Race this afternoon and couldn't wait to check on the bald eagles down at the river.  Both eagles eventually made their appearance.

The male just left the limb in the shot above and headed out over the water.  Mom eventually got all situated in the nest over her brood and all settled down until dad returned with dinner.

Dad soon returned and mom moved over to one side to let him in.  Can't wait to see the babies.

Hope I'm not overdoing it with all the photos, even though I know I am.  Both parents aren't on the nest together very often and I wanted to capitalize on the opportunity.

I'll be back in the boat tomorrow down in the mud hole.  I'll see if I can dig up anything to photograph there.  I received notification that the 500 mm telephoto was repaired or replaced and is in the mail back to me and may be in my hands as soon as tomorrow.   See ya then.