OUTRAGEOUS COLOR!

 Endless fields of color!  No - I didn't stumble on heaven but, this is an impressive sight.  Seems indeed - endless...

It's an unbelievable display of Fall color accented by flowers.  They do, by the way, extend as far as the eye can see.   I've not seen a finer display of flowers in the wild anywhere.

These flowers are put out by TWRA annually.  I didn't know they extended as far as they did.  They go for acres and acres without end.  Gorgeous!  I'll have to look up the Wildlife Management Manager and congratulate him on this spectacular Fall production out here.  They aren't planted for the public or anyone in particular.  They are out in the - well - woods.  I think they're for the animals to enjoy.  No one really knows about them.  I like it!

The variety of flowers is dazzling.  If the sight of these gorgeous flowers in this Fall woods doesn't make you feel happy - yer dead already   !

It's 3 AM right now and couldn't sleep.  I fell asleep in the chair at the computer at 7 PM last night.  I'm all whacked out, I think, with these pain meds and all that has happened lately.  To top it all off - I almost sunk the loaner boat this morning.  I forgot to put the plug in.  The drain hole is the size of the bottom of a coffee cup and by the time I got back down the boat ramp the aluminum boat was sitting fairly vertical in the water - stern down.  It looked so bad that I hesitated getting on board to try and insert the plug.  But, I did and successfully got it tightened.  Fortunately the bilge pump worked, sort of.  It's always something.

  I'm sitting here planning the day and getting nowhere.  Lets see - the canoe - the motor boat - the motorcycle -  What?  What decisions!   You're probably thinking, "wish I had his problems."     I'll figure it out.  Thanks for looking in.  Hope you liked the colors.

A Happy Girl!

NOT MUCH GOIN ON & PLANNING THE WEEKEND

Pied Billed Greeb

A pied billed greeb floats silently past my boat that I call my junk yard tin can.  Douglas Lake is trying hard to put on her fall garments but in my eyes, falls far short of the challenge.

The shoreline colors are not consistent and the ugly mud and rock shorelines ruin any attempt at presenting the glorious colors of fall in a fashion that knocks one's eyes out.  It's impossible to achieve a quality fall sensation, in my eyes, because the shoreline is dotted with the reminders of human habitation in great numbers.  Their homes and numerous boat houses and docks totally eliminate any possibility of a natural fall experience on the lake.  Sorry - I'm spoiled by Calderwood and Chilhowee Lakes.  The fall colors are spotty at best.  They're pretty but there's always a house with a red, green or copper colored tin roof nestled right in the middle of the fall color show.  They shout "look at where I live!"  Litter!!!!!!

Don't get me wrong - I'm not down or grouchy today over this.  I am, however, disappointed that the entire lake has been sold off to the highest bidder and the wildlife take what's left, which is precious little.  I ran a morning shift on the water today and could not find any wildlife on this area of the lake to photograph.  I only saw one great blue heron and a few killdeer's.  Not even a mallard duck was floating anywhere.  That speaks highly for the impact that human intrusion has on wildlife.  Oh well.

Killdeers

Type Calderwood Lake or Chilhowee Lake in the search engine of this blog and look at "real" fall colors on a real lake.  Wow!

In reality, I'm the happiest guy in the world with my life.  My job is unbelievable in that it allows me to be out here where I love to be and to realize my passion of wildlife photography and observation.  Douglas Lake is an OK lake.  It isn't perfection - far, far from it but, it allows me to be away from cars, hoards of people and the community type experience where people are in one's face constantly.

 I'm really beginning to like this little boat that was loaned to me.  The engine ran horribly and required some carburetor adjustments.  I'm sort of competent with mechanical things and got it running wonderfully.  The thing is very, very fast.  It starts by breathing on the ignition key.  Don't even have to turn it.  It's an old boat but a very durable boat.  She was made in the seventies and they made things to last back then.  I like it!

I'm on a morning shift for work tomorrow then off a day and on another day and off three in a row.  I will try to take my boat up on the river tomorrow afternoon to see what's happening with the bald eagles up there.  I'll be on the motorcycle  Saturday cruising over the Cherohala Skyway to see some mountain leaves.  Sunday will find me with the canoe on Beech Creek.  Monday will put me on Chilhowee lake or possibly Indian Boundary Lake.  That's a fairly busy schedule.  

 Early morning on Douglas Lake

The dentures are still in the ash tray of the truck.  I put em in this morning for fifteen minutes and couldn't stand them.  If you want to lose weight fast - eat nothing but yogurt and chicken and rice soup.  Yum!  Watch the inches disappear from the waist.  What I wouldn't give for a pizza and a big bag of chips.  

Please keep an eye on the blog.  There will be some interesting things appear here shortly.  I can't wait to go to work tomorrow.  Wish it were morning right now.  Do I love my job?  You bet I do!

JUST DREAMIN

So, there I went cruising down the water in my loaner junkyard boat just soaking up the early morning sun when out of nowhere an observation swept over me.  I've been all discombobulated over cheap as opposed to expensive dental insurance for the past four months.  I can change companies this month only.  But, the fact is that I don't have any teeth.  What am I worried about?  I laughed out loud and continued chuckling for twenty minutes.  I'm free of that financial yoke of dental insurance..  Wow!  The realization was starkly apparent.  The dentures that don''t work right have a warranty for 7 years.  What could I possibly need a dentist for?  Why do I need great insurance?  I guess I should keep the insurance just because it would be un-American not to have it.  I'll think on it some more though.

 Fall is my favorite time of the year and I like to enjoy the leaves on my favorite lakes.  I also enjoy forays into the mountains on my little mule of a motorcycle.  The air is sweet and cool and the leaves waft by in my passing.  The wheels kick up the dried leaves off the road and I can see them swirling behind me in the mirrors as I pass over them.  It's going to cost me "gasoline" but I have to get back west of here to visit my very favorite lakes.  Indian Boundary, Chilhowee and Calderwood Lakes are tops on the list.  Abrams and Panther Creeks rate high.  I want to walk upon the ground where Scona is buried and ponder those great years when she was young and vibrant.  I want to relive moments when Douglas, the golden dog of the lakes and I roamed through Scona's history together and shared precious moments when he and I were as one.

Oh, I know I won't get to all those places this Fall but, I like to roll the idea around in my head.  Those places aren't just places.  They are all an accumulation of precious experiences.  They are embedded into my mind and heart.  They, to me, are what makes Tennessee a magical place.   Four years ago I raced Douglas to the top of a mountain bordering Abrams Creek non-stop.  He waited every 50 yards for me to catch up.  I never stopped to rest though.  I was proud of him for sticking with me.  Eight years ago I discovered 13 wide, stone steps at the base of a mountain in a wilderness that would lead me on a path of exploration driven by passion that ended with the discovery of a magical creation called Scona Lodge.  I've paddled a canoe on Calderwood Lake many, many times - sometimes with Douglas - and have enjoyed being the only human being on or near the water.  My mind was prompted to escape centuries back to another time lending false adventure to my simple paddling day.  And, I can't forget watching the Mistral Canoe float slowly away from me, just out of reach, down Abrams Creek until it disappeared around a bend in the waterway.  I had never felt so helpless.

 
For me, all the outdoor experiences I enjoy are not for the present - they are for that book I'm creating that illustrates the past.  All the memories, friends, animals, wild places and the inhabitants there-in, are written into the book of my mind where I can leaf through the pages at will and relive the times I hold sacred and valuable to me.  It is there where Douglas resides, ever faithful, waiting to emerge as if real.  It is there where Mom and Dad await me to turn the pages where a life on a farm with them established the foundation of who I am.

I've not forgotten, my golden boy - and never will.  Someday - someday---

 I'm not a planner at all and I act upon the thought of the moment so, I have no plans that can go awry.   I awaken in the mornings with an urge to go here or see that and I just do it on a whim.   I can, however, promise you that I will bring the wild places home with me to share with you as long as you wish me to.   Go out and enjoy life!