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Today finds me floating down the Tennessee River on quiet, smooth water. I left all the dogs at home and set aside this morning for just me. I'm experiencing some varied emotions sitting out here. When I pulled into the boat ramp area I noticed a dog laying in the middle of the parking area. Yes, another unwanted "family member" that someone decided ate too much food or cost too much money to have around so they probably just opened the car door and pushed him out here in this isolated place where no one could see. He watched my truck intensely as I drove in. All my attempts to approach him were in vein as he was aloof and very nervous at my approaches. Oh yes, I would certainly have brought him home with me if I could have caught him.
I have been half heartedly attempting to do some fishing. I caught a couple large mouth bass that were of respectable size and a catfish. I did get a photo of them. Of course I gently released them back into the water after the photo's were taken. While all this intense fishing activity was taking place; I kept hearing the strangest bird call. It wasn't the KaRee, KaRee, Chirp, Chirp, Chirp of an Osprey. But sort of a chirp, chirrrrrp, chirrrrp. The sounds were not an excited communication, but more of a contented, easy, soft series of sounds. Then a return churrrrp, churrrrp came from a tall stand of trees with snaggley, bare limbs. There perched a Bald Eagle and I soon saw the second one thirty yards lower on the stone cliff.
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I think I captured some favorable photos of this magnificent bird. I waited for one to prepare to fly so I could catch his out streatched wings.
Just as I suspected. The photo is blurry. A new, great camera is on my list of purchases in the future. Digital zoom leaves a lot to be desired. The photo above would have been a life time greatest shot had it been crisp and clear. There will be another time.
Most of these shots were on 1/50th of a second. This is far too slow of a shutter speed. But what could I do?
And then I saw an eagle fishing at a distance.
And then It struck me. "Why don't you take movies of them?" I could have captured the chirping they were making also. I just didn't think of it. Next time.
I am floating past a cave I have been interested in for a couple years. I would enter and explore it if there were another person with me.
Cave exploring is something I have never done and this area is wilderness and I doubt help is nearby if needed. One day though-------one day.
Early morning on the river is best. Critters are about and fish are jumping.
The air is cool as I notice a movement on the shoreline.
A deer is walking along the waters edge. I have freightened it by my presence.
But lots of time for pictures. Wow, she's a fast one.
She's making me work here. The light is terrible. She is in heavy shade and the lense opening is not correct. What a situation!
I can always think when I'm floating on the boat. It is so peaceful! I have relived story's I've read in books in my mind. I see the story as a movie. I've envisioned episodes of the French and Indian war in my mind more times than can be counted.
The Wildeernes Empire by Allen Eckard is a fascinating book of history written as a novel. I almost know each chapter by heart.
But today it is not the French and Indian War I am thinking about, nor the political climate of our great nation. I'm thinking about a friend who is gravely ill. We have ridden motorcycles together and we work together.
Constant back pain agrivated by standing long hours drove him finally to the doctor. It took awhile to diagnose the ailment. But the information was not what anyone expected. Lung cancer was the diagnosis. The prognosis is yet to be determined. My thoughts are constantly revolving around this good friend as we laughed and talked about how things were in the military and compare them to the work place. I am still in denial. It is difficult for me to accept that this good man is in a struggle for his life, and there is not one damn thing I can do to help him. I feel so helpless. Encouragement is all I can do for him. I want to kick some cancer ass but the enemy is a master at guerrilla warfare. Even better than the Viet Cong. One thing in his favor though; he knows the battle field better than the enemy. That should give him an edge. My heart and thoughts are with him. Get well, my good friend!
I looked for the stray dog back at the dock. He was nowhere to be found. A melencoly feeling has overtaken me today and I need some time with my guys at home. Douglas, Shade and Happy should be good medicine. Oh, and the two beagles I am caring for. Well, I like dog's. What can I say???
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Wow! I mean Wow!! Here we are; Douglas, Happy and I sitting in front of the tent, on the shoreline, in a very remote area of Santeelah Lake, North Carolina. Santeela isn't a huge lake, like I'm used to, but it is primitive. Santeelah lies just off Route 129 inside North Carolina. The beauty of it is that her waters extend far into the Cherokee National Forest.
No roads and no noise. No boats and no people. It's just too far for the tourists to bother with it seems. The Gheenoe is beached about thirty feet away from the tent and my two fearless guardians are on duty; ready to fight off any vicious denison's of the forest that may come along.
After arriving at and preparing the campsite on a great beach area, I noticed I had forgotten the dog food. It was left in the truck
So Happy and Douglas will have to make do with the honey, oat and all grain natural granola bars that I brought for late at night. Yep. They will be fine. I, however, will have to go unrewarded for my hard day's struggle across the lake.
It felt good to sit back and catch up on some writing. It's so quiet!
I got my foot wet pushing the boat away from the dock area, so that is a bit uncomfortable. I keep forgetting it's Fall and the nights are cold. The sun is falling behind the mountains now and the lake is assuming its night time surface texture of glass. It's simply beautiful......
I'm not planning an extended stay this trip. I'll tool around the lake to gain the flavor of it and probably be on the road toward home by noon tomorrow. The tourists will be flocking all over route 129, the dragon, and it will be choked with crotch rockets blasting as if there's no tomorrow. I would like to beat that bunch across the mountain.
Fall is definitely here. I've got my winter jacket on and fortunately I picked up the goose down sleeping bag. Oh, I have Happy as an additional source of heat. Douglas and Happy are great dogs!
Night is almost upon us and my thoughts turn to my good friend who lies in a hospital undergoing cancer treatment. He is holding his own and fighting hard. Time will tell. Time will tell!
It looks like Douglas found the mud flats I had hoped he would miss. I've got to get him to jump in the lake one more time to wash off the mud. He's having a ball!
I'll use up the rest of the light reading a chapter from "Natural History's" by Stephen Bales. It is a book about the Tennessee Valley filled with information about the flora and fauna of the region. Mr. Bales is a naturalist at Ijams Nature Center in Knoxville. A very knowledgable gentleman.
My sweet little boy. It's all for him.
