JUST RAMBLING ABOUT STUFF

 A very scary thing happened the other day with all the girls.  It seems that some disagreement occurred between the girls ending up with Happy getting mauled by Chestnut hound and Shade.  Yes, I said Chestnut hound, the backward recluse who is afraid of her shadow and my sweet, mild Shade.  The attack happened right in front of me at my feet and I am glad I was right there but even though I acted quickly, Happy was bitten several times with one bite in particular serious enough to take her to the vet right away for treatment.  I kept her close to me for the past few days to allow her to calm down and to find security with my presence, which she has done.

She has accompanied me twice on the boat since the altercation and twice in the truck along the tail race.  Yesterday was the first day I left her with the other dogs and everything went well.

These three have shared life together for years and yet this happens.  More than three dogs is a pack and that pack mentality rules and defies common sense, at least human common sense.  More than two dogs of different breeds is a dangerous thing I believe and a precursor to future social problems among them.  I saw this before with a hound named Sigh.  She lived with 7 other dogs for years and years.  She slept, ate, played and went on hikes with all the other dogs.  One day they all turned on her and almost killed her.  This is how I acquired old Sigh.  I took her out of that dangerous situation.  I believe the others sensed her weakness and uselessness to the pack.  I firmly believe they wanted to eliminate that weak link.  Not sure what the deal is with Happy right now.  It may have been just a food issue but its hard to say and bears watching.  Things seem back to normal now, however, but Happy keeps a safe distance from Chestnut which indicates to me there is some social unrest at play.

 I had to post these bird bath shots.  That bird bath is one of the best things I ever got for birds.  They use it constantly all day clear up until dark. 

 Next year, when I renovate the yard by moving all the flowers, there will be limbs and roses around and over the bath which will shade it and provide even more security for the winged visitors.

 Yes, I'll be relocating all the roses and many of the forsythia plants toward the house end of the yard and replacing them with thuja pines which will provide a solid wall of green that will separate my land from the neighbor's, who I despise.  Don't care if he reads this or not.  Asses were once used as beasts of burden but the modern ass is simply dumb.  Hence the term dumb ass.  I got one who lives about two acres away and I don't even want his place in view at all.

I'll investigate the cost of a privacy fence but I believe the fast growing pines may be less expensive.  Don't know at this point.  I just don't like people I guess and I'm not especially proud to be a part of that species.

So transplanting roses and other plants will occur in the Fall or early Spring when they are dormant and about 70 more thuja pines will arrive here early Spring for planting.  Either that or the high, solid fence will be installed on the outskirts of the property.  Some people belong in cities and should stay there.  They are a blight on the rural areas where they bring their city bad habits, loud music, propensity for cutting down trees and anything else green and replace them with metal buildings that erect in an hour and rust in one year.  Loud children replace the sounds of the wind and crickets and leaf blowers frighten the wild animals away.  Sucks!!!!

HOLSTON JUVENILE EAGLE UPDATE AND JUST FOOLIN AROUND

I've been running up and down the Cherokee Tailrace for the past three days in a row and it gave me time to visit the juvenile bald eagles on the Holston River.  Finally, I've seen both the babies together in the tree at one time. 

As usual, they are harshly back-lighted and any possibility of quality photography is out the window but proof is provided that both are healthy and safe and noisy.  They are shrieking loudly and continuously.

They both are on their way to become prince and princess of the skies for it would take a natural disaster of unimaginable magnitude to prevent their success, or worse - human intervention.  Humans can't be trusted.

And then we have the lost souls of the Cherokee's to think about - those humans from a lost and forgotten era who lived and flourished in and with nature in a bygone day, and who were eradicated by none other than John Sevier, the first governor of Tennessee, then depicted as a hero for ousting the Cherokee Indians from their birthright.  And he was made a governor.

They are neither human or spirit, but captured in a space, a void that will not allow their spirits to complete the journey that was begun.

History shows they were murdered long ago on a beautiful morning along side the Little Tennessee River in East Tennessee in the name of white retaliation for wrong doings by their nation against the progress of pioneers who encroached upon their sacred lands.

They struggled viciously against the onslaught of the white man who took their lands, their homes and destroyed their culture, enslaved many and murdered the rest.

Their shallow graves were covered by the waters of the Little Tennessee River when the dam named Calderwood was erected thereby desecrating their final resting places and condemning their spirits to wander aimlessly along and among the thorn trees that cover the mountainsides of Chilhowee Lake in an endless search for spiritual peace.

Their spirits take on the shapes of the animals they held in high esteem and wander through the high places of Tennessee on their impossible quest for rest and peace.

Heavy stuff that!

On a lighter note, I found the perfect early American fence.  Check this out below:

 This is an outstanding stretch of fence line that exhibits exactly what I want in my yard.

 The only negative thing about it is that it requires a lot of wood to create. 

 But how beautiful the lines of the thing are!
That's it for tonight.  Hope I didn't scare you with the Haint stuff.

PROFILES OF AN EAGLE

The most remarkable photo opportunity came along yesterday afternoon while cruising along on the Holston River at Rogersville.  I had just photographed a few flowers along the shoreline when I happened to look up and noticed I wasn't alone.  The male bald eagle of a pair of eagles that live on this mountain was sitting in a tree just in front of and above the boat.  Thank heaven I had the engine off.  He acted like he didn't notice me and probably didn't because all was quiet and I wasn't moving.  He probably landed above me when I was still and focusing the camera on the shoreline.  The result of the encounter is an eagles profile.  Hope you enjoy the shots.  This quality is tough to find, especially for me.  Notice the lack of back lighting.  YES!

 Great Egret

 I'll break up the eagle shots with other pictures I deemed worthy to put in this entry.

 He looks directly at me and yet remains unconcerned.  I am not moving and the Gheenoe is the right colors, green and doe skin, and he does not perceive it a danger.  Wow!

He is magnificent!  I always say this when in the presence of bald eagles, but its how I feel.  These huge creatures can make one feel a bit insignificant when the encounter is close.

Now, there's a picture!  Oh, hes looking right at me.  Wonder what he thinks.

Had to post this shot again!

In the Shade

I just came home from an oral surgery where my jaw was relieved of uneven bone structure and tiny bone spurs and let me tell you it hurts like the blazes.   The anesthetic just now wore off and a full dose of hurt replaced it.  I'm glad I stopped for the prescription for pain meds.  Oxycodon Acetaminophen is the stuff and it is just starting to kick in - thankfully.  Yep, nothing like painless dentistry.  I didn't think this would be that big of a deal but, I was mistaken. 

This ends the entry for today and I have to say it was delightful gathering the information from the river to produce it.   I am so very thankful for the opportunity I've been given by fate to be able to participate in the lives of the creatures I love so much.   I hope you folks enjoy the sights and sometimes sounds that I post here on this blog.  Thanks very much for your participation.