Wind Songs: Feeding The Ducks

Leaving LC and Jamie at home this morning I left the house early and wandered through town, stopping frequently at yard sales as I came across them.

After spending some time in town I headed onto an old two lane winding road in back of Tullahoma and heading towards Winchester.

I had driven this road infrequently when I was in Tennessee a few years ago, so did not know the road well.

In fact, in all the years I have lived in this area I have very rarely driven more a few miles on this secondary highway, instead more often than not turning off and following a road that soon leads to Tims Ford State Park.

It is a quiet and narrow road, as all of these secondary roads are in Tennessee.

As I approached the city limits of Winchester I pulled off the highway for a few minutes when I reached the city park.

It had been many years since I had been to the park. So many years that I had forgotten all about it.

On one side of the highway are ball diamonds, picnic tables and shelters, an indoor pool facility.

Across the road is more green space, one of many many coves that make up Tims Ford Lake, and a boat ramp.

Winchester holds a very successful fishing derby every spring, and fishing is an extremely popular recreational activity throughout not only this town but the entire region.

Tennessee folks love to fish.

There were 15 or so trucks and boat trailers parked in the parking lot close to the boat ramp, and I parked away from them in the shade.

Although the morning was incredibly blue and filled with sunshine it was also windy and 20 degrees cooler than it has been for weeks now, and I stood briefly in the shade beside my truck briefly looking out over the water, and regretting that I was wearing only a short sleeved shirt.

The day was truly beautiful and I was glad for the quiet and the alone time I was now spending beside the water.................

After walking the length of the pier that extended out into the water, and after exchanging brief pleasantries with a man who was casting a line from the pier (smile, nod and keep walking Karin) I crossed over the boat ramp and walked down towards the water, greatly enjoying the sight of one pure white duck in the lake.

Alone and close to shore, he caught my attention because he was a flurry of activity.

At first I did not know what he was doing, but after watching him for a few moments I realized that he was fishing.

Swim upright, dive for fish, come back up to the surface, shake water off feathers, rinse and repeat.

He replayed the same series of events over and over, and after smiling to myself and watching him intently for a few minutes I mentally kicked myself for having not already dug out my camera.

I reached into the outside side pocket of the same UAS (University of Alaska South East) dark blue pack that I have been wearing for the last couple of years (time for something new), dug around for my camera, and continued to watch this same lone duck performing his same lone ritual.

He was pure white, big and healthy, and intent on his work...............

His actions and my observation of him was quiet and pure and simple.

I never saw him bring a fish to the surface, but I loved this short reprieve from the world..................

I tried a few times but could never catch him facing me when he constantly lifted up and out of the water after shaking off...............

The water is still low in many places.

I have to believe that sometime in the next month or so the dams that control water levels throughout the area will release their water and cover what are now sandy and rocky shores.................

I had been so intent on the lone white duck that for a while I didn't even notice the other three (one more white and two colored) ducks who had been laying quietly on the shore.

Eventually my fishing duck joined with his compadres.............