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Everything is green around me. Red Buds are blooming on the shoreline and rich, green mosses are covering the ground near rocks and boulders. I found a soft boulder to sit and lean against. A stream is tumbling down the ravine behind me creating a symphony of natural water sounds. These sounds I hold precious.
Today, for the first time in my life, I feel old. I have been burning the candle at both ends from work to a remodel project that is taking all my spare time. It has been wearing away at me for the past months and the ten hours a day at work combined with the project are taking a toll. Days off are spent on hands and knees laying slate tile and trying to handle dry wall installation. And I'm not doing too well at it. Plumbing is in there somewhere. None of the above have ever been attempted by me. The pressure of trying to do a good job while learning how to do it as I proceed along are burdensome. Try spending nine hours a day bending at the waist and kneeling on a floor with moments of walking fifty feet to cut a tile and return to the kneeling position again. Do it three days in a row week after week. Ouch; my back!
It is with an aching back and legs that I paddled across Chilhowee Lake this morning to this beautiful spot. I could have brought the Gheenoe and saved the effort of paddling, but theres something about this canoe paddling business. I think its the peace about it.
No noise; no engine. I really appreciate that. I do, however miss Douglas. He can't come in the canoe because he's just too much weight moving around. If I get back at a decent hour, I'll take him on an evening spin on the Gheenoe. Happy is about the biggest dog I think I would want to deal with in the canoe.
Happy is the most loyal, dedicated little dog I have ever seen. She will not leave my side for a moment. Not one moment!
When I sit down; she sits down beside me.
She is totally committed to me. What a great little companion! She's just a mutt. Just a mutt. But I've never known such loyalty from anyone or thing to match hers.
I would like to read a few pages of a book that my friend Paul gave me. I will at some point today.
But right now I can't tear my eyes off the view that lies directly in front of me.
It is Easter morning and the roads are empty. There are no sounds at all coming from the direction of route 129 across the lake. All I can hear are the sounds of water falling and birds chirping and singing. Spectacular, loud silence! My faithful companion has decided to doze off for awhile. I'm the one who did all the paddling. Bless her heart.
This may be the last canoe outing for awhile as I want to visit some places at the other end of the state and that will require the motorcycle. Somewhere in all this "doing stuff" I need to get up to Pennsylvania to visit friends and the one relative I have left. The remodel task has me tied down for now. It won't last forever. Oh, I have a temporary guest at my place.
He is a gorgeous Irish Setter. He just showed up. No name tag and no collar. He did have a electric fence collar with a dead battery in it. But no dog tags. Dog tags with contact information is vital to a dogs well being.
One would think common sense would prevail in matters of dog security, but then, I'm talking about humans. He is very thin so he's been out on his own for a few days at least. I'll fatten him up in no time. If anyone is interested in adopting him you can contact me through this blog. There will be a reasonable fee as I must get him shots, vaccinated, heart worm tested and neutered. But he is gorgeous, majestic, intelligent and he doesn't just walk. He has a show dog walk. He walks in a stately manner. Where did he come from? Such elegance!
This spot on the lake shore is where I tied off the Lowe aluminum boat I used to have a couple years ago. I've been stopping here ever since. Douglas was with me at the time and we walked along the mountainside together when there in front of us were three wild pigs. Douglas was ready to charge but I grabbed his collar to hold him. Wild boar are nothing to fool with for dog or man. They can not be trusted to run away. I'll never forget that outing. All went well as the pigs scurried off into the brush. The important thing is Douglas was safe. A wild boar will attack and kill a dog; given the chance if pushed. And maybe they would anyway if not pushed. Interesting place, "this Tennessee."
A favorite flower of mine. (Fire Pink Radially)
One more thought: What is it about water that I've been missing my whole life? I wonder why thoughts about water are so valuable to me now.
It is soft and pliable on a windless day. The droplets fall off the canoe paddle and splash inaudibly into the lake. The sound of a tumbling stream causes relaxation and plants thoughts of lethargy in the mind.
It can also be an angry force moving all that dare confront it. Powerful and overwhelming to everything. It can be slowed down but not caged or stopped. And in the end, it will prevail and live on.
It is a free entity that humans mess with. But when it's all said and done' the water will flow free. Sort of sounds like our freedom here in America. You can run America in a screwy fashion and folks can toy around deciphering her constitution and creating laws for this or that. But after the bending and contorting of her values; America's freedom and strength will prevail. Real Americans can sometimes be lead to the cliff. But it's another thing to get them to jump off. And there is where the fight will begin.
A last note: Google Bill Mason on your computer. He is no longer with us. He was a cinematographer, artist, photographer, painter and a master canoeist. A film of his, "water walker," is on "U" Tube. Its a beautiful piece of work, from a beautiful human being. They're rare these days. Until next time - don't laugh at the hat. Below is the (AWWWWW) photo of the day.
Tommy, above, and the newest temporary addition to the group is a gentle one year old Irish Setter. He is a temporary visitor until I can get him a permanent home. He is such a gentle, sweet guy. This dog is truly amazing! He loves to lay down beside me and put his leg over me. He just has to touch me in some way. He will lay his muzzle across my neck or on my leg as he draws a couple deep breaths and drifts off to sleep. He stays so close to me he is constantly under foot. An exceptional partner. Someone is going to be very lucky to adopt this sweetest of sweet dogs.
Sal, above, is a tiny, tiny adult beagle. She is another temporary inhabitant here at the dog habitat. She also is up for adoption. This little beagle kept getting through the fence and I could not understand how. Then I noticed her stuck halfway through the hole I cut in the wooden part of the fence so the cats could come and go. She actually laid her little front legs back along side her body and wriggled through the hole like a fish. Amazing! Her name is Sal but she responds best when I call Beagle! Beagle! Shes a darling. And I'll miss her sweetness when she is adopted.
And then there's old Sigh above. No one knows her age. She has been with me a long, long time. I can hear her snoring. I laid an old sheet over a dog cage and she thinks it's a cave. She has been sleeping in that thing for years. I think it's a security issue. Occasionally Happy or Beagle will slip in there and fall asleep and Sigh stands and whines until I oust the offender. She bounds in, lays down and starts snoring within minutes. Funny lady. Happy sometimes sleeps with Sigh in the cave. Those two have been friends ever since they met.
Then there is Happy. The name of Nutmeg was suggested but this little dog is so full of joy that the name Happy just stuck. There has never been a dog that displays total dedication to a human like this girl. She lives for the moment I can be here. Happy has actually placed herself between me and new dog guests several times to keep them away from me. I guess I could say she is possessive. She is not a rare beauty but she is the epitome of what a dog should be to a human.
And then there's Shade. She is the big goof of the bunch. Ever ready to play. Ever ready to be touched and petted. She listens when she wants to and rarely does. But oh, what a loving dog. She presses against me and sits and stares at my face. When I lay down in bed and shut off the light; I can reach back behind my head over the edge of the bed and it will rest on the top of her head. She sits there just waiting for a final touch from me each and every night. I withdraw my hand and she lays down on the floor with a solid ka flop and sleeps silently. It makes me overlook how bad she is during the day.
Heres my boy Douglas. He's the main guy. Douglas and I have been together for over four years now. We have had many adventures in that time, especially when we worked together for
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Douglas would go to work with me morning, noon and night. He was my constant partner. We still go out weekly together with the other family members, but it's not like old times. The addition of other pack members has relaxed the intensity of our relationship somewhat. Where he used to respond instantly to my commands; he now seems to test me in my resolve to lead him. But I soon let him know who's who in the relationship. He is my main and best friend. When I take him out, just him and me; it's like old times. He responds well to my guidance. When Happy, Shade and he go out together; the temptation to follow the crowd is sometimes greater than my influence. But he's my partner and I love him.
Thats the family. Each is unique in his or her own way. Each compliments the other and each has found the level within the organization that allows peace to exhist among them. Different breeds and different sizes. They all live harmoniously together.
We all co exhist here in this warehouse room. A motly crew for sure. But, on this damp, chilly rainy night their company is welcomed. They are all sleeping now and they all look innocent in their calmness. Each is truly innocent. Totally so.............
