GEESE ON THE RIVER

You've heard that song, I'm sure, 99 bottles of beer on the wall?  I couldn't believe it when I unloaded my camera and I had 99 pictures of geese. I managed to toss 53. Jim always offers to get me down to ten pictures, but, I tell him I intend to paint some day and I need models.

It was tough to pick photos because we are getting close to our limit on bytes. These geese look like they should be on the Christmas platter.

This one was just poking its head under the water for a morsel, but often they turn upside down, and I found myself laughing to see three butts in a row sticking out of the water.

I felt I learned a lot about geese observing them for most of the day while I sat on this gorgeous river bank and read my book with my camera close by.This is a mad goose, steaming through the water, head down, chasing a flock away from a particularly popular log so his bunch could move in and take a bath.

This is that same stance, this time a mother head down, challenging anyone to interfere with her goslings as she made her way through the crowd.

Later in the day, they moved onto the grass to feed on bugs and grasses. They feed in a group with an ever protective gander watching over all.

Actually, these mallards had the log first and got chased away by the geese.

I took a short walk along the river's edge where bright flowers grow in the sandy soil.
Folks, including me, appreciate the river on a hot Saturday afternoon, quiet and soothing.

Fishing, kayaking and canoeing are popular. I was grateful no one used a noisy skee-doo. It is quiet and beautiful here at the Elks Club where we will be parked until I fly to Las Vegas on the 5th. It was hot yesterday and the river is cooling.

I spotted this little turtle making a bee-line to the water. The minute I got close enough to take a picture, he stopped and hid from me. As soon as I walked away, he completed his journey.

From out of the woods came this mystery animal. Some type of rodent, I think.  At first, I thought it could be a baby beaver.

I got a good look at its tail. I remember beavers having a flat, rounded kind of fleshy tail. I looked up nutria and they have definite rodent, rat-like tails. This is a mystery animal. If anyone knows what it is, let me know.

CHEROKEE LANDING.

Cherokee Landing is the name of the park we’re camped in near Soulsbyville, Tennessee. It is green and beautiful in this part of the country as we follow the lush area along the banks of the Tennessee River.

The Park has a small lake we visited on a mid-morning stroll. Placid and pretty.

We inadvertently frightened  geese feeding on a shaded bank of the lake.

Which then gave us the added pleasure of watching them swim toward the opposite bank.

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They made fast for an area with a nesting box, though we have seen no goslings-yet!

The lake so still it made a perfect mirror.

After dinner, we took a second stroll by the lake. The drake above set apart from the flock, perhaps ostracized because he has a dead foot. He must have been injured some time ago. A determined survivor.

The evening shadows long and milky.

A welcome wildflower patch that looks to be related to violets.

A pine bow, ripe with pollinating catkins. Soon cones will grow. My intention is to rest and slow the pace and heal while I’m here so I can again regain strength enough to keep up with Jim. (It is tough to limit oneself when I’m used to doing anything I want.) But, life is good.