Snakely

This Southern Water Snake lives in the sea-wall stones between the spa deck and the Bill-Garden (our new share-cropping vegetable garden on Bill's lakefront). He's harmless, unless you startle easily and twist an ankle in this rocky area. He comes up to sun, but disappears down his hole if he sees you. About 3 feet or so, and well fed.

Tallulah River above Lake Burton

We explored the Tallulah River, looking at a stretch from the first bridge above where the Coleman River joins it, down to the lake. This is a possible paddle trip for the future. Looks challenging. Also, the Tallulah is a great fishing river.

Upstream from the put-in point (bridge),
the river is Class 5 stuff  like this waterfall.

Water-carved rocks

Macro close-up of a patch of moss, a miniature forest

Paddling: West Fork of the Chattooga River

This was a solo 'scouting' trip, to get an idea what this stretch of river is like.

Short answer: really nice! Very scenic, with fast, rocky stretches mixed in with deep, slow pools. Saw lots of birds and fish; paddled over a couple of 14"-16" trout. Water was just above 2' on the SR-28 bridge gauge.

Sorry, no pix!

Went from the West Fork Campground (one mile north on Overflow Creek Road, from the Warwoman Road bridge over the West Fork), to a take-out on the river-side of SR-28, about a mile south of the end of Warwoman Road at SR-28. Probably 2-3 miles on the river, about 2 miles from take-out back to put-in. Which I was doing on foot today, this being a solo trip.

The takeout has a nice spot for camping, and a rope-swing out over the river.

Bird takie-outie

This brown thrasher has picked up one of George's live meal-worm's (look for them in the fridge!), and is headed home with his meal. The wildlife camera caught him jumping up, before he spread his wings.

Taylor Creek

Went for a walk at Black Rock Lake in the state park. It is fed primarily by Taylor Creek, and is on the Tennessee River side of the Eastern Continental Divide. Saw some bufflehead ducks on the lake.

Taylor, at his creek

Black Rock Lake

Better bluebirds

How about some better bluebird photos? Last month's were taken through window and screen, and weren't so hot. Anyway, they're still here!

Dad guards his house

Mom keeps her eyes peeled for those pesky chickadees

We've been away for a while, dealing with norovirus, bronchitis, kidney stones, and Antibiotic's Revenge (like Montezuma's, but without the trip to Mexico). Better, now!

Bluebird is back

Been in and out of the bird-house, getting ready for nesting, I guess. Last year, our bluebirds moved in about a month earlier than this year.

Sorry about the fuzzy photo; shot from the living room, through glass and screen.

PS - On a walk this morning, spotted a huge pileated woodpecker, in the ravine with the shortcut path between the club docks and Finch Drive. Big, red-headed fellow!

Vogel State Park, etc.

We set out this morning for Brasstown Bald, but when we got to the road up the mountain, it was gated. Road Closed! Probably ice on the road, or perhaps trees down; but, with 2.5 miles and 2000' of elevation gain to deal with on the way to the summit, we opted not walk in.

Instead, we went a little further west and south, on 180, then 19/129, to Vogel State Park. We hiked around the lake, visited the waterfall, and generally checked the place out.

Trahlyta Falls comes off the spillway from
the dam that forms the lake at Vogel State Park.

Lake Trahlyta and start of spillway; Vogel's facilities are at head of lake.

Waterfall video below the break (click on Read more).

First boat ride of the year

With the lake unexpectedly full in early February, due to heavy rains, we took the pontoon boat out for a cruise. At first the motor was shaky, full of the winter blues. But after a while, we were able to run it out, and it seemed good to go.

Chilly but sunny, and the lake to ourselves

A cat in the tree, at the lake shore in front of the mannequin house

Side-yard fence

I built this fence to screen the side-yard between Bill's house and ours, which is full of such useful but homely items as propane tanks, air-conditioning condensers and whole-house backup generators. 

Remaining to be built is a gate, which will be hinged left and swing towards the street. The gate will match the height and style of the main fence panels, left and right of the gate opening. The opening width is 34", more than wide enough for the existing equipment to be removed and replaced, if necessary. The gate posts are set in about a foot of gravel, with another foot of concrete to grade level. The limit on post-depth was the concrete top of the septic tank, 2 feet below grade. The ends of the fence are attached to the concrete masonry walls on each side, using TapCon screws.

The lower panel on the right side of the fence breaks the symmetry of the upper fence panels (which are each 4'x4'), but was necessary because the grade drops sharply to the right. Without the lower panel, cut to fit the grade, our propane tank would have been visible. We will probably plant something climbing, like jasmine or honeysuckle, on that side of the fence.

Update, February 9: Built the gate earlier in the week, at home, then installed it today. Check it out:

Around the house projects

• 12v lighting at boathouse (bridge, stairs).
• Side-yard fence.
• Rail alongside dock at lower landing, boathouse.
• Handrail along inside of entry stairs at house.

To-do list for paddling adventure

• Paddle the portion of the Hiawassee, above Lake Chatuge. This looks like a good warm-weather activity, occupying most of the day. Check TVA gauge for water level from 2.5 to 6.0 feet, Hiawassee at Presley.
• Paddle the Tallulah, from just above Tallulah River campground, to Plum Orchard road (boat ramp). USGS gauge, Tallulah River near Clayton, above 2.45.
• Paddle two easier sections of Chattooga River: West Fork to main river, and SR-28 to Earl's Ford. Refer to on-line gauge (Chattooga River near Clayton).
• Upper Chattooga (section "00") - new rules for limited access.

Tray Mountain hike

Hiked up to the summit, from the gap just south of Tray Mountain, with Don and Carol. Cool (about 40) and very clear, after a week of rain in Northeast Georgia.

Feather frost coming out of the wet ground; sometimes called hoar frost.

George and Carol, at the start of the 1 mile (+600 ft. vertical) trail to summit.

George and Robert, at the summit.

Extreme telephoto shot of the head of Timpson Cove, from the Tray summit.

For the converse view (mountain from boathouse), see our previous post about Tray Mountain.

From the Blue Fish Lodge, take US-76 west to GA-75 south, to Indian Grave Road on the left. Indian Grave fords a small creek in the first quarter mile, then heads uphill to the trailhead for High Shoals and Blue Hole falls. From there it continues to Andrews Cove, then uphill to join with Tray Mountain Road. Go left (north) on Tray Mountain, a mile or two, to the gap trailhead and parking area. The trail to the summit is about a mile, and a 600' elevation gain.

San Diego

Went west to celebrate family friend's wedding in San Diego. Great city, lots of fun.

Botanical Building, Balboa Park

Fountain, Balboa Park

George, on beach at Hotel del Coronado

Mermaid pose, beach at Del Mar

Sunset from wedding reception porch, La Jolla, CA

Blood Mountain

Taylor and I joined with an Appalachian Wilderness Hikers group, climbing Blood Mountain from Reece Trailhead (just to the north of Neels Gap.) Not a very clear day, but got better as the day wore on, and the views from the top were nice.

Nice vistas from high on Blood Mountain.

Taylor lunches at the summit, looking west towards Suches.

Fall sunset cruise

Sunset

Cruising home

Charlie and the Pumpkin Patch

We visited Hillside Farms Orchard this morning and came back with some pumpkins.

Charlie wants a big red tractor for Christmas, just like this one!

Bluegrass at the farm, courtesy of the Front Porch Gliders:

Jake joins the Polar Bear Club

Water temperature, after a week of cool Autumn weather, is 61 degrees. Chilly!

Bungee baby

Johnny-Jump-Up was a big hit with Charlie!

Romney, Obama appear at Mountaineer Festival

Obama overheard whispering to the guy in the green shirt:
'Being a scarecrow is way easier than debating that other fellow!
You think we could sneak outta here and do 18 at Kingswood Country Club this afternoon?'

They call it that good old mountain dew,
And them that refuse it are few.
Well, I'll hush up my mug, if you'll fill up my jug,
With that good old mountain dew.

Rabun Library's scarecrow; reads, of course.
Not so good at keeping crows out of the Old School Garden, though.

Bluegrass band entertains at lunch-time, playing Love of the Mountains:

  

The burning of the green wood on the fireplace

The fallen snow around the red bud trees

The branches of the laurel by the creek bed

And the rippling waters of the gentle stream

Now a bright moon is shining in the valley

   An old wagon leans against a stack of hay

   Two graves on a hillside by the cabin

   My mom and dad are resting there today

Quilt lady puts the sales jive on Georgia . . .

Mantis Momma

Mantis mother lays eggs on broom bush overlooking the hot-tub.
Then she walked off and left her several hundred young-uns on their own.
"Have a nice life, kids!"

From Wikipedia:

The mating season in temperate climates typically begins in autumn. To mate following courtship, the male usually leaps onto the female’s back, and clasps her thorax and wing bases with his forelegs. He then arches his abdomen to deposit and store sperm in a special chamber near the tip of the female’s abdomen. The female then lays between 10 and 400 eggs, depending on the species. Eggs are typically deposited in a frothy mass that is produced by glands in the abdomen. This froth then hardens, creating a protective capsule. The protective capsule and the egg mass is called an ootheca. Depending on the species, the ootheca can be attached to a flat surface, wrapped around a plant or even deposited in the ground. Despite the versatility and durability of the eggs, they are often preyed on, especially by several species of parasitic wasps.

Sunflowers and okra

Our big successes, this time of year!

George gets lost in the sunflowers and okra plants

Paddling Yonah Lake

Taylor and I went paddling this morning on Yonah Lake, an impoundment of the Tugaloo River, which forms part of the Georgia-South Carolina border, just downstream of Lake Tugalo. (The river name ends with 2 o's; all other names (lake, park, village, etc.) end with one 'o'.)

Taylor paddles south from Tugalo Park boat launch at head of Yonah Lake

No picture of it, but as we paddled south, we came upon a massive bald eagle in a lakeside tree on the South Carolina shore, startled it, and watched as it circled around us, no more than 100' away. Very, very impressive!

Tugalo Dam, at the head of Yonah Lake.

View of Tugalo Lake, from the road to Yonah Lake. Tugalo Park is a Georgia Power
campground and boat launch, located at the foot of Tugalo Dam,
and at the head of Yonah Lake.

From the road to Yonah Lake, you can see what is probably the biggest house in Rabun County, overlooking Lake Tugalo.

Near top-center is an enormous house on a hilltop overlooking Lake Tugalo.
Photo below shows a Google Earth detail of that house.

The shadows reveal the Disneyland-like towers of this house.

Yonah Lake is the most-downstream of Georgia Power's lakes on the Tallulah watershed. From the top, they are Burton, Seed, Rabun, Tallulah Falls, Tugalo and Yonah. Burton's lake level is 1866' above sea level; Yonah's is 744', and below its dam, 670'; a total drop of 1196', most of it harnessed by hydropower turbines. Yonah has some houses around its shore, but relatively few compared to Burton. Most of the houses on the Georgia side have road access; most of the South Carolina houses are boat-access only.

Taylor's wind sock

Looking for a better mounting, but here it is!

Kitchen improvements

Two things:

1. We've built a new cabinet into the largely-unused space over the refrigerator. This will be useful for storing large, not-often used things like canning equipment, crock-pot, etc. We used tongue-and-groove boards, glued together into panels, for the cabinet side and doors.

New cabinet over refrigerator

2. We've modified the base cabinets to the left and right of the sink cabinet, so that now each contains two full-width, full-depth drawers (about 24" x 24"), mounted on full-extension drawer slides. Huge improvement, compared to getting down on hands and knees to find stuff in the back of the old cabinets! We built the drawer fronts of knotty-pine, lightly-stained and varnished.

New drawers make these cabinets more usable

To get to the back, lower section of this cabinet, before drawers,
you had to get down on the floor and do the gator crawl. Much easier now!

Bony fish

Now hanging from the Blue Fish sign, in front

Thanks, Ruthlyn!

AC and company

Johnny, Lynn, Ann Cox, Jake, Daniel and Laura

Moon set, Labor Day weekend

Moon set, pre-dawn, over Timpson Cove

Detail: waning gibbous, 96% illuminated

All quiet on the western front