Beach Life - Between families - Oct 9

October 9
A day sandwiched between David's family and Laura's family. We got in a morning fishing trip and another at sunset. Hooked up a sting-ray in the am. At about sunset we hooked two redfish at the same time and got tangled. We managed to land both.

Big sting ray at the jetty in the morning.

28 pounder

A little smaller

Beach Life with Whitakers - Oct 3-8

October 8
Whitaker's enjoyed the beach and surf-fishing until lunch time and left shortly after lunch. It was a short but excitingly full week.

Allison Clark Whitaker

Owen Robert Whitaker

October 7
Beach, surf-fishing, playground with Owen

October 6
Bill and I took Owen and Allison to the Naval Aviation Museum. Owen remembered it from last year and wanted to see the "shark plane." Allison loved climbing into the cockpits and pretending to drive.

October 5
A fun beach day building sand castles and sea turtles. Allison would not touch the sand.

October 3-4
Owen found a feather, stuck in in his cap and we called him Mr. Macaroni.

Beach Life - Arrival Oct 1-2

Oct 2
We arrived late on Thursday and by the time we were in Unit 308SW of Wind Drift, we had been gone from Tennessee 12 hours.  We left behind a cool morning and a flock of turkeys grazing where the barn used to be.  Woke up Friday to a blustery day. The beach was full of birds feeding on huge schools of minnows in the surf between the beach and sandbar. There must have been 50 pelicans and more than 100 gulls and terns. The day was spent getting ready.

Fall Colors

Green fading away

Reveals a color palette

Present all along.

First day of fall: the changing of a season always brings refreshment and renewal.

Cade's Cove Bear sightings

On our drive around the Cade's Cove we saw or encountered 2 coyotes, 3 bears, several deer and turkeys. A small mamma and her cub came out of the woods and crossed the road right in front of us near the Cable Mill interpretive area. Further along the road, we saw a lone male (probably) crossing a field (last picture).

Impromptu Sculpture

On our way to Cade's Cove with Henry and Jane Smith, we stopped at the Townsend "WYE" to have a picnic lunch. Also the river bank we encountered an impromptu sculpture garden, created with stacked river stones. Enchanting!

Our contribution

Elk Hunt - Take only Pictures

Hatfield Knob Elk Viewing Tower, North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area: From LaFollette, TN, drive about 7 miles north on Hwy 25W. Turn left at the signs onto a gravel road. Continue on this old logging road 4.5 miles, following the signs to the Elk Viewing Tower. From the parking lot, walk another 1/4 mile to the viewing tower. These elk roam freely, not fenced on 120,000 acres of abandoned strip mine land. We saw about 35, 4 bulls and several calves and the rest cows or yearlings.