Foto Fridays in the Mountains

 

I did a little better with taking pictures this week:

During one of my early morning walks, I came upon the duck couple resting right next to the sidewalk. Gurl Dogg wasn't with me so they allowed me to get this close to them:

I tried not to linger because I didn't want to disturb the female's beauty sleep!

Using shovels as flag poles, Old Glory was being shown at the pavilion in the park where I walk. There are some men who work out a little later than when I walk. I'm not sure if this was placed by them or if it was other guys.

This isn't the clearest picture since there is a screen on my window. I switched to suet feeders hoping it would deter the squirrels. It does to some extent, but they have figured out how to get a little snack between bars. The red-bellied woodpecker is just beautiful. The head is so vibrant, it really gets your attention!

CH wanted to go for a ride in the mountains on Sunday but I was able to hold him off until Monday by telling him it would be less crowded on Monday. We went to my happy place: Cades Cove.

As for it being less crowded, I think it was although we ran into a "bear jam" on Loop Road. Someone saw a bear so of course, people had to stop (and probably get out of their car to get close which is the most stupid thing you can do). We sat for about an hour, which is the longest I think I've ever sat in a bear jam. As we entered Loop Road we saw this guy struttin' his stuff for the ladies:

Because of the bear jam, we ditched the original plan of taking a road that is halfway through Loop Road and took a road that cuts through to the other side. Then we took another cut-through to go to CH's favorite lunch spot. There's a stream so I took advantage of it and did something I haven't done in a long time:

We saw a lot of these little frogs hopping around the stream:

As we were leaving Loop Road we saw people stopped on the side of the road (and out of their car) to get a better look at this:

CH spoke with someone who said that there was a mama bear with her 2 babies in the field. She shooed the babies into the tree and then went after some kids who got too close. The stupidity of some people just makes me shake my head. There are reminders on the road to help them out:

The sad thing is that because of the stupidity of some people when a bear attacks that bear is caught & put down. So, thanks, stupid people. 

Another picture from an early morning walk:

The morning before I saw 5 bunnies in a different part of the park. Two of them were playing around, chasing each other & I got to see one of them actually jump over the other one, then hop over to their mama who was munching on clover nearby. 

That's my week in a nutshell. Morning walks, a drive in the mountains, and watching the birds. Sure signs that I'm getting old!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like the Hodgepodge

1. Let's talk holiday decorating. On a scale of 1-10 where do you fall? (1=Scrooge and 10= Clark Griswold). What's your favorite corner-room-table-space to decorate? Is it done?
I'm probably about a 5. My living room bears the brunt of the decorating; I've never gotten into decorating the rest of the house. I haven't even started yet. I used to have to wait until after football season, which ended  the first weekend of December. I'm sure I'll get around to it at some point. My decorations stay up until Epiphany, but I found out that they can stay up until the Baptism of Jesus...so, YAY! The tree can stay up a few more days than it usually does!

2. Is there a nativity scene in your decorating somewhere? Post a picture or, if it's special to you in some way, tell us why. Or do both-it's Christmas!
I have one that I put on the front hallway table; it's not really special, just one that I picked up at Belk after Christmas.

3.  Do you live in a social neighborhood? If so are you glad? If not do you wish you did?
We don't live in a subdivision, but we did in SC...and Ga. We have great neighbors, but we definitely don't socialize with them like we did in our other houses.

4.  As the saying goes, 'there's no time like the present'. How does that ring true in your life right now?
It doesn't. I'm just trying to get through the next week and a half (until Christmas Break!)

5. Do you dread Mondays? Why or why not?

Not really. It's just another day.

6.  Poinsettia, Christmas Cactus, Amaryllis-which on the list is your favorite holiday plant? Are any of these on display in your home right now?
I love Christmas Cacti; they remind me of my mom. I received one last year from a student, and it started blooming.

Something must be going right, because, even though my hibiscus looks like it's not doing well, it's blooming...something it didn't do this summer when I repotted it.

7. Share a favorite quote from a Christmas movie.

You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life, for God's sake! (Iris Simpkins....The Holiday)

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
I made my first batch of Texas Millionaires on Sunday to give away as a gift. I don't know how much baking I'll actually do this year...it seems every year I tone it down a bit. Hopefully I'll get more in the spirit by the time break rolls around. It just doesn't seem like the holidays...too much going on in this part of the country!

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