EASING DOWN CHEROKEE

I checked and have a record 27 entries on the blog this month.  I think that's an all time record.  I enjoy working with the blog and I also enjoy hearing from the people all over the world.  I get emails from the Netherlands, England and more as folks comment on the posts.  If I didn't get that feedback I probably would lose the impetus to keep the blog going.

 The Great Blue Heron

Today was an easy going day with temperatures near 80 degrees at sunup.  I took Shade with me as the morning was fairly cool.  I will not allow her to accompany me in the afternoons as the sun can be brutal on a boat here in East Tennessee in the afternoons. 

The morning was uneventful and I cruised along at 18 miles per hour.   My area of responsibility was all bay area and it is huge.  There is no time to linger on the shoreline eating peanut butter sandwiches.  I did stop one time for fifteen minutes to allow Shade some shore time.

Cherokee is indeed beautiful when at full pool.  Can't deny it.  She has many faces controlled by the seasons.

Ha - so, what is that?  It's a fishing bobber - the result of a poor cast.  It will dangle there until, well, until the wind blows it off the foliage or the fishing line rots I guess.

Funny thing - I didn't take any photos of shade today.  Needless to say, she was a perfect companion all morning.
I noticed an osprey nest dead ahead.  No osprey was on the nest.   All of a sudden two ospreys swooped down close to the boat.  Guess I'm too close to their babies.  Yes, they have babies in the nest.  Ospreys, as all raptors are, defend their nesting sites with their lives.  Wonderful!

He watched me closely - never straying far from the nest.

He would leap off his perch and fly about just above the boat shrieking loudly about his disapproval of my encroachment onto his territory.  His mate was on the nest  with her babies.

The babies will be peering over the edge of the nest within the next week..  How wonderful and beautiful!  These raptors will defend their babies with their lives.  Nature is all powerful.

The defense of their nest and young are the focus for the adults.  They will give up their lives for the defense of their turf.  What power!  And, they are described as dumb animals.  Far from the truth.  

This is a great access to an island which would be fantastic to camp on.  I logged it into the GPS.

As I said - the morning was uneventful, which is a good thing.  I'll be back on the Holston River in the morning which is my mecca on earth since moving to this area.  We'll see what I can turn up on that water.  I'm planning a trip to Pennsylvania within the next month.  Part of the route North will be the Blue Ridge Parkway.  You won't want to miss that.  My concern is that I shall have to board the dogs.  They haven't been away from me at any time in their lives and I am concerned they will not react favorably to my absence  and to their new, temporary environment.  My human mind says they will think I've forsaken them.  In reality, they won't think that.  They don't think.  They react.  But, they experience emotion and that's what I'm concerned about. Time will tell.  Gotta go.  See ya tomorrow.