Charlie

And then I was like . . . OMG!

More Charlie, below the fold . . . (click on read more)

Rattlesnake

Found slithering across the road that runs from the Hemlock Falls Trailhead, back to Moccasin Creek State Park.

Update: At first I had this identified as an Eastern Diamondback, but a commenter says it is actually a timber rattler. I've compared it to photos of both, and I'm not really sure which it is.

Crossing a gravel road on your belly can't be much fun!

You can see the 'pit' sensor, between the eye and the tip of the snout. This allows the snake
to detect the heat of warm-blooded animals at close distance, while night-hunting.

Our snake has shed his skin about eight times

What's so great about him?

Charlie and Great Uncle Bob

Kayaking

Laura and Bob

Super what?

Yeah, stand right there, Nance . . . don't look behind you. Okay, perfect!

Sunset cruise, May 25

 Sunset cruise with Brother Bob, Nancy, Nancy's brother Bob, his wife Mary, Jake and George.

Sunset over the Appalachian Trail, west of Lake Burton

Sun sets on George

Cap'n Robert

Sun goes head-to-head with Jake, gives up and slinks down below the horizon

Cruising out from the head of Timpson Cove: Bob and Mary, Bob and Nancy

Downstairs remodeling done!

Downstairs sitting area. TV is to the near right, out of the picture.

Downstairs bedroom.

Flowers, jasmine and trellis, outside new space.

Funky mirror, reflecting the funky bedroom beyond.

Rock-a-bye room, with beer/baby-formula refrigerator.

Old School Community Garden

We signed up for a plot in the garden behind the old Clayton Elementary School, and got assigned one just about a week ago. So, our start is about a month after the last frost date, but we're hoping for some good stuff. We've got several varieties of 'maters and peppers, some cukes and squashes, basil, radishes, and some flowers.

George planting marigolds around the tomatoes.

Mystery flower; leave a comment if you know what this is.

Fearsome plastic owl; George in the background,
with hat, and behind her, the old school.

Purple poppies; hope this isn't an opium crop!

Luna moth

Taylor found this at the recycling center. Awesome mimicry of a twig with buds!

Not my photo, but shows more clearly the "eyes" mimicry on the hind wings.

The luna moth is one of the largest moths found in North America, with a wingspan up to 4.5 inches. In the Southeast, they produce as many as 3 generations each year, laying from 100 to 300 eggs each cycle. The adult does not feed; it lives only to mate, and dies after about a week.

Charlie at the Blue Fish

We call this his Tennessee Department of Corrections outfit!

Looking for parks and recreation information?

Our son Taylor has created RecPlanet, a web resource for parks and recreation information. Give it a try!

Garden owl

Tile installation

Russ sawing tile outside.

Working his way back into the bunkroom; the skipped tiles
are his walkway, to be filled in tomorrow.

The pocket door into the bunkroom hasn't yet been erected,
but he has left bare concrete for that to be put in later (where the level is resting).

The garage entry ramp has been leveled, and tile won't be set until
tomorrow, when the leveling compound has cured.

Flowers

Native azaleas, across the cove at Doc and Beverly's

Red rhodos are opening up about a week or two after the pinks

Pink rhodo

Bugs for dinner

Our resident male bluebird, with a buggy snack in his beak. Often he'll take such
a treat to the birdhouse, to share with his mate. This telephone wire is where he
stops to ponder, whether to share.

Remodeling

New windows in the blocked-up former garage-door opening, with temporary trim;
also put in an entry deck, to avoid having to walk through rain puddles on
wet days, going between upstairs and downstairs.

View out the new rec-room windows

Old glory

Red, white, blue and green

First hummers of spring

Taken with our motion-activated game camera

Here he is in video; be patient, he flits in and out of the picture. This was also taken with the game camera, in video mode. He's gone for good, after 0:18.

Downstairs remodeling

Before: two garage units, a bathroom, and a very long bedroom area.

After: one garage unit, the same bathroom, a bunk-room (cave), a nice-sized bedroom, and a play-room.

Right garage door blocked-in (open space for two large windows). Salvador,
the mason, spent the full day laying that masonry, which is completely filled with mortar.

Job-site conference between George and Serio
(the plumber, drywall guy, carpenter, etc.)

Doorway into bedroom (on the right), and pocket-door opening into bunk-room,
on the left. Still waiting for HVAC guy to move those flex-ducts!

Salvador cleaning up, after a long day slinging block and mortar. This is the
window opening in the new play-room.

Spring flowers

Rhododendron, beside stairs

French Broom bush, over the hot-tub

Pink azalea, near hot-tub

Mystery flower, from Chattooga River hike

Another mystery flower, same hike

Third mystery flower, same hike

Wild iris, along Chattooga River

Bartram Trail, downstream of Russell Bridge

Another exploratory hike along the Chattooga. This one started from the Highway 28 crossing (Russell Bridge), following the Bartram Trail downstream along the Georgia side of the Chattooga River. Being early April, Sunday, and sunny, there were some fishermen casting for trout along the river. And when I returned to the truck at the end of the hike, there was a church youth group from Midland, Michigan, setting out on a five-day backpacking trip along the Bartram Trail.

More photos follow; click on 'read-more' link, below.

I can't wait . . .

. . . to visit the Blue Fish Lodge!

• Everyone who wants to go to the Blue Fish Lodge, please raise your hand.
• All right, all right, Charlie; we got you on the list. You can put your hand down now.

First grandbaby. Yaaay!

Proud parents: Laura, Jake and Charlie.

Curious!