After wandering along piers and paved walkways close to the parking lot, and then walking across the long wooden bridge that spanned the cove, and then slowly moving from paved to pine-needle filled trail on the opposite side of the cove, I ended up spending a lot of time in this area.
Just walking and thinking and greatly enjoying solitary time.
This place was filled with deep blue water and sky, the sound of quaking ducks, the sight of the odd blue heron flying low on the water with wings extended.
It was filled with the outrageous light of the unfiltered sun as well as many places of dark shadows.
The combination of light and dark was pleasing.
And it was filled with linear, architecturally and artistically interesting old wooden piers.
Some of them did not touch land at all.
Rather they stood alone and apparently abandoned 10 feet or more into the lake.
Others touched both water and land.
One posted a "No Trespassing" warning but the others did not, and the ones that I could access, I did.
I walked slowly along the wooden structures taking in the sights and sounds and lack of sounds around me.
It really is a beautiful place................
It is my oldest sons birthday today.
The smiling, drooling, toothless, spotted footy-sleeper wearing baby.
The white haired, blue eyed, sand castle building, life loving toddler.
The finger painting, Spaghetti-Os and Ghostbuster-loving little grade schooler.
The butter-bee, beetle-fly cartoon loving older grade schooler.
The football playing, Magic Card playing, midway ride hating middle schooler.
The intellectual, sarcasm filled, dry humor filled, trash-talking basketball playing high schooler.
The college student. And college student. And college student.
The intellectual, sarcasm filled, dry humor filled, easy going, football loving, professional.
The man.
Happy Birthday Babe:
A Son Is......
Trust with dirt on his face,
Beauty with a cut on his finger,
Wisdom with bubble gum in his hair,
And the hope of the future with
A frog in his pocket..............Author Unknown
As I was walking slowly along the shore I did a double take when I saw this duck, at first thinking that he was real.
I have no idea why he was sitting along the edge of the lake but he brought a smile to my face...............
My son giving me my first digital camera not long before I left for Juneau has opened up a whole different world for me.
The camera forced me to slow down and really deeply look at and consider the world around me.
I looked deeply while in Alaska.
I looked deeply while in Wyoming.
And now that I am back in Tennessee I do it here as well.
I moved from Canada to Tennessee in 1996. To this specific area in 2000.
I have driven over the Morris Ferry Bridge countless unseen and un-thought-of times.
As I stood looking out over Woods Reservoir and this beautiful place of light and shadow I was happy to see it.............
I miss the snow of Winter and wonder if the cross country skis and snow shoes I have hidden in the back of the spare bedroom closet will ever see the light of day again now that we are back in the South.
Or if I will get the chance to build on the very basic downhill skiing skills that I found in Juneau.
Maybe I will.
North Carolina and Virginia and West Virginia are not far away. The Smoky Mountains are not far away either.
I think that this is the first time I have seen ivy since returning to Tennessee, and I surprisingly came across it as it was growing up and around two very tall pine trees.................
Eventually (and actually abruptly) the soft pine needle trail ended, and there was only woods in front of me.
By that time it was 1 in the afternoon and after biking earlier and then walking I realized that I had not eaten all day, and that it was time to begin heading towards the house.
Whatever I knew about nutrition and exercise - the what and the when - has gone by the wayside over the past two years.
People I used to work with in Tennessee used to laugh at me because it seemed as though I was always eating.
I used to good-naturedly tell them that I was a "growing girl", but in reality I was simply feeding the machine and they all knew it.
I was so active so often and for such long periods of time that eating small amounts every couple of hours was simply a natural part of my lifestyle.
In addition to remembering to stretch, and remembering how to run and to bike, I also need to start thinking about nutrition again.
Not eating properly as I continue to become more active again is not gonna cut it anymore................
As I was heading slowly back the way I had come I looked up and for the first time saw this wooden half moon attached to a tree..............
One more thing attached to one more very tall pine tree.
Only this plastic temperature gauge was located at least 8 feet high.
Too high to be able to read it, so what was the point?
I had no idea............
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life.........John Burroughs
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