2022 Feb 1, Day Trip to Guntersville, Alabama

Today, the hubby and I are going on an adventure to Guntersville. 

I had been told that there was an eagle nest along Lake Guntersville Park on Sunset Drive. 

We stopped at McDonald's along the way for a couple of apple pies and Diet Coke.

We saw several people at the park with their cameras with large lenses sitting on tripods, watching and waiting for the eagle to leave the nest. 

I had to use the restroom and went in search of one, but I did not find one, so we left.

We rode further down into the park, and there we found restrooms. Along the way, I spotted several ducks, geese, and seagulls along the waterfront, so we stopped. 

Ducks

People were walking, jogging, and feeding the waterfowl. 

I started taking pictures of the seagulls, geese, and ducks.  I spotted several sparrows scratching in the dirt, looking for food. 

One of my favorite birds is the Downy Woodpecker. 

Downy Woodpecker

I  heard a pecking, and this downy woodpecker was going to town on the side of a rotten tree. It was hard to get a good picture because he was in the shade most of the time, but I did get a couple of good pictures when he stopped pecking right before he flew away.

Hubby spotted a red-headed woodpecker. I was super excited to see a Redheaded Woodpecker, for I had only seen one in the wild. 

Red-headed Woodpecker 

I took pictures of the colorful Bluebirds.

You will not see a bluebird at your backyard feeders. 

Bluebird 

I took many pictures today, but I didn't get one of the bald eagles. 

That was okay because I got one of the red-headed woodpeckers. 

We rode to O'Bryan's in Hartselle for a late lunch. I ordered steak and sweet potato. 

We also stopped at Krogers, where we purchased a few groceries, a bouquet of flowers, and a potting plant.

The flowers that we bought at Krogers

We looked for hawks and bald eagles along the powerline near the old Papermill. We spotted a couple of red-tailed hawks. Didn't see any bald eagles. 

We stopped at Wheeler Dam, where we saw several Pelicans, cormorants, and a gray heron landing at the substation. 

Gray Heron 

2022 Jan 28-30, Focus on Nature Photo Weekend JWSP (3 days)

 Jan 28, Friday

Today, I am going on an adventure. 

My adventure began at River Heritage Park, a park that overlooks Wilson Dam, which is usually flooded with birds, but not today. 

I was not to be discouraged, I adventured across Wilson Dam to the overlook and Rockpile.

It was a bitterly cold day below freezing, and I could see literally 1,000s of pelicans, seagulls, and cormorants (snake birds) sitting on the rocks below the dam.  

There were a few that challenged the north wind foraging for food and a few white pelicans floating down the river. 

Nothing keeps the pelicans from floating down the river, even the turbulent water at Wheeler Dam.

Buttercups 

Rogersville Park is usually flooded with birds today, I saw buttercups reaching up with closed eyes. 

What adventure was waiting for me at Joe Wheeler Lodge? I am joining a group of fellow lovers of photography and nature. 

Tonight, there will be a Horsd’oeuvers of Cheese, crackers, and fruit as we mingle with others. 

There will be a signup sheet for the activities on Saturday.

Alabama weather this time of year is so unpredictable, from 19 in the mornings and 50s to 60s, sometimes 70s during the day. I am going to wait until tomorrow to decide what my next adventure will be. 

Jan 29, Saturday, 

With a good night's sleep and a light breakfast, I was ready for the day. 

We spent the morning listening to Rocky talk about the many facets of the camera and how to use them. 

Many, like myself, were still in a maze of confusion about the camera. We love the auto modes. 

Lunch consisted of a BLT with onion rings.

White Pelicans at Wheeler Dam

& with making new friends. 

At 1pm, everyone met upstairs to disperse into different groups.

One group was going to the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge in Decatur. 

Another group was going to Wheeler & Wilson Dams and other local sites nearby. 

The last group was going to watch a falconer release three Harris Hawks into the woods to hunt for food (small animals). 

It was cold but not bitter cold like yesterday, but we were bundled up. 

The groups dispersed in different directions. Ours was inside the Joe Wheeler State Park. 

Before the falconer released the Harris Hawks, he had anyone wearing fur or a colorful hat remove them. The birds may think they are small animals and attack, nor do they like bright colors. 

The birds were released for the hunt, and away we went, following them into the wooded area. 

They didn’t go too far into the woods, but they did stop to watch or even pose for us.

The hawks treed a squirrel, but the squirrel outfoxed them. No catch today for the Hawks. 

Our group walked down to the edge of the Lake near the cabins. We saw shells, fossils, wild mushrooms, and driftwood. 

We saw Spoonbill Ducks swimming in a nearby sewage area, they love the minnows that grow there. 

There was a Bald Eagle in the Day Use, and that was our next stop.

With the camera in hand, we slowly advanced up the hill, stopping for that next great shot.

Bald Eagle with his eyes on us. 

The eagle got wind of us and flew away.

At the lake, we saw a kingfisher, Canadian Geese, and a gray heron.

We sat down at the edge of the lake and watched the sunset. 

What a way to end our hike. 

Lake Wheeler, as the sun goes down
the ripples and different colors upon the lake. 

We enjoyed a seafood buffet as we sat around socializing. 

The falconer returned with one of his Harris Hawks with Q & A time.

Rocky finished the day with a slide show and several stories.

Harris Hawks 

What a wonderful way to make new friends with a keen interest in photos and nature.  

A shadow of friends 

2021 Sep 4, National Wildlife Hike at Joe Wheeler 10-11:30

 2021 Sep 4, National Wildlife Hike at Joe Wheeler 10-11:30

There were only three of us on the hike, including park ranger Sam Woodroof.

This was my first time hiking the Champion Trail.

Wheeler Lake 

We took the Champion trail, which begins at the West end of the Lodge parking lot. (1 mile; Elevation: 566.76 ft./628.17 ft.) We talked about vegetation, trees, & park reconstruction.

Purple Wildflowers

Purple berries 

2021 Nov 14-20, Carnival VALOR 5 Day Caribbean Cruise to Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico

2021 Nov 14, Sunday Day 1:

Monday, Traveled to Slidell, Louisiana. We stopped in North Port at Mapco and filled up with gas for $29.49. We ate lunch at Cracker Barrel in Meridian, MS I ordered pinto beans, fried okra, and grilled chicken. $6.53 We also had cornbread, biscuits, jelly, and water. Bought gas at 2.99 a gallon at Mapco in Northport, Al. for $29.49 and bought gas at Texaco Carrier, MS for $3.09 a gallon. We stayed at Hampton Inn in Slidedell at 4:40 PM. We watched TV and went to bed early. We skipped supper full of lunch. 

We stayed one night at Hampton Inn 56460 Frank Pichon Rd, Slidell, La. 

Carnival Valor Cruise Ship Stateroom   Deck   Muster Station  

2021 Nov 15, Monday Day 2:

Took a shower, ate Reese's cup, and finished my Sprite. We ate breakfast at the hotel. I ordered scrambled eggs, sausage, muffins, and cranberry juice to drink. We checked out, loaded the car, and headed into New Orleans. We ran into work traffic on 1-10 going into New Orleans. We parked on 4A in the parking deck, walked to the elevators, and went to the ground level to wait in line to be processed along with everyone else. A woman called out Have your boarding passes ready for inspection (not folded) We walked through several lines. We handed the inspector our passports, boarding passes, COVID cards, and the results of our Covid test that showed we were negative from the results of the Covid test. After several more lines, we were finally seated, waiting to board the ship at 10:40 AM. Our rooms would not be ready until after 1:30 p.m. After boarding the ship, we walked to Guys Burgers, where we both ordered a hamburger and fries. I got lemonade to drink. The dressing for the hamburger was on a buffet, I got onions and fried mushrooms. When we finished, we walked around the ship carrying several bags. (Camera bag with Nikon D7200, medicine bag, my purse, and overnight bag) Wanda had her backpack and her purse. Around 1:30pm, we walked to our cabin, unloaded everything, and rested. We went back upstairs to watch the ship leave the dock, and that’s when the party began. (4-5PM )We watched the sunset as the ship rolled down the mighty Mississippi, and it was dark by the time we reached the ocean. We went back to our cabin and changed into nicer clothes to dine in the Lincoln Room for dinner. I started with a shrimp cocktail, followed by a Caesar Salad, the entree was Sweet & Sour Shrimp, followed by Strawberry cake. (5-6PM) At dinner, we sat next to a couple from Tennessee near Cookeville, they had left their 13-year-old daughter at home with her grandparents because she refused to get the Covid shot. After dinner, we went to our cabin 9268, which had a balcony, and went to bed early. 

Leaving New Orleans on Carnival Valor 

Sunset leaving New Orleans on the Mighty Mississippi River 

 Nov 16, Tuesday, Sea Day Day 3:

Took a shower, and we went upstairs so Wanda could get her some coffee, and I got some cranberry juice. We watched the sunrise around 6 a.m. and then went to the Washington room for Brunch. I ordered a Parfait and had lots of nuts, Blueberries, strawberries, and yogurt. While we were at brunch, they cleaned our cabin and left a towel art lying on the bed. I ate a small taco for lunch. Today is a sea day, so we sat outside and watched schools of flying fish. Today was very windy, and the water was very turbulent. It was hard to walk, and at times, everyone looked like they were drunk. We had dinner in the Lincoln Room, and no one sat next to us tonight. I ordered prime ribs with gravy and potatoes, my appetizer was cocktail shrimp, and for dessert, I ordered custard pie. 

 

Sunset Gulf of Mexico (Sea Day)

Nov 17, Wednesday, Mr. Sancho's Cozumel Mexico Day 4:

Watched the sun come up and then went to breakfast. For breakfast, I ate cantaloupe, French toast with syrup, eggs Benedict (which I didn't like), and chocolate milk. Today, we docked in Cozumel. We took a taxi to Mr. Sancho’s, which cost us 17 dollars both ways. It is a fifteen-minute ride south of Cozumel. At Mr. Sancho’s, it cost us 55 dollars for all-you-can-eat and drink. We sampled a Margarita, & daiquiris while sitting under a bamboo roof.  There was a rain shower while we were there, but we didn’t get wet. We watched people swimming, snorkeling, and other activities, but we decided to just enjoy the view under the umbrella. We saw several birds scavenging for food. We were brought fried jumbo coconut shrimp with orange sauce, guacamole, salsa, and chips. We also sampled a Pina Colada, Miami Vice, Banana Mama, and Mr. Sancho’s special. Our waiter was Aldo, a charming young man who said he was married with a young son. He said that we were queens for the day. He introduced us to his co-worker he said the son of another mother both were very gracious and helpful. We took the taxi back to the shopping area in Cozumel. I bought a pair of pineapple teal shorts and a Burgundy top and spent $34.50. We went back through security and loaded onto the ship around 2:30PM. We watched the ship leave port at 4:30PM. We ate dinner in the Lincoln Room. I ordered Caesar salad, steak with gravy, potatoes, & broccoli. My appetizer was a shrimp cocktail,  and the dessert was chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. Tomorrow, we will dock in Progresso. 

Day trip to Cozumel 

Our waiter, Aldo, at Mr. Sancho's Beach

Nov 18, Thursday, Progresso Mexico Day 5:

Ate breakfast and saw towel art everywhere around the pool area. We docked at Progresso and embarked around 9AM with my boarding pass around my neck and my iPad in my hand. We loaded into a van, and there were 14 of us. We rode about an hour to Celestron, where we used the restrooms and loaded into three boats. There were 4 in two boats and six in one boat. Wanda said I hope we don’t turn over because I cannot swim, and our guide, Misael, said the water is only two feet deep. We saw pink flamingos at a distance. Flamingos eat small shrimp that live in shallow waters. They also eat algae & crustaceans that contain pigments called carotenoids. These pigments are found in the shrimp and blue-green algae that they eat. Next, we rode a short distance and saw Blue Herons, osprey, American Anhinga, and pygmy kingfisher. We rode through a tunnel of Mangroves where we saw several termite mounds in the mangrove Yucatán peninsula biodiversity. We stopped at a boardwalk where we saw a pygmy kingfisher. We rode back to where we had parked the van, exited the boat, used the restroom, and looked at the trinkets that were for sale. We loaded into the van and rode to the beach area where our meals were being prepared. At the restaurant, we ate chips & guacamole dip, smoked fish, veggies, and a margarita. We stayed on the beach for about 30 minutes. 

Loaded back into the van for an hour-long ride back to the ship. Our guide played the movie "The Big Year," a nature movie about two bird enthusiasts trying to defeat the cocky, cutthroat world record holder in a year-long bird-spotting competition.

We loaded onto the ship and watched the ship leave port at sunset. We dressed for dinner, cocktail shrimp, Cajun shrimp, bread, and dessert We went to a show for about 60 minutes. 

Island of Progreso 

                                                                  

Some of the birds that we saw at Progreso 

 Nov 19, Friday, Sea Day Day 6:

Sea Day, we are on our return trip to New Orleans. We ate brunch in the Washington room, I ordered bread and sausage with cheese grits. We went upstairs and got in line to purchase an item that benefits St. Jude, where I bought a build-a-bear. We watched the Carnival Valor Family & Mardi Gras giveaway with Matt, the cruise director. That night in the Lincoln room, I ordered fried shrimp, salad, ribs, green beans, potatoes with gravy, and a dessert. Watched a Dean Martin special on TV, then went to sleep. 

Friday's Sunrise 

Nov 20, Saturday, Travel Home Day 7:

 Packed the night before, making sure we had everything. We went to eat breakfast, a couple of pastries, with two chocolate milk. Grabbed our bags and met the Silver & Platinum sailors in the Lincoln Dining room. Loaded into the elevators and walked to our car on level 4A. Began our journey home. Filled up with gas at Love's in Sandersville, MS, for $28.31, We ordered a sausage and cheese muffin at McDonald's. For lunch, we stopped at Arby’s for a beef & cheddar sandwich with Curley fries and a Coke. We were at Wanda’s by 4:30pm, but hubby had not gotten home from work, so we sat around and talked until hubby picked me up.

Hampton Inn 56460 Frank Pichon Rd, Slidell, La

Carnival Valor Cruise Ship Stateroom   Deck   Muster Station 

2021 Oct 21-26, Trip to Mooresville, North Carolina with sisters (6 days)

 Day 1: Oct 21, 

Traveled from hwy 43 to hwy 64, taking 207Al, turning into 11TN through Minor Hill to 31A through Pulaski to I-65 from I-65, we took I840 to I-40, stopping in Crossville to eat lunch. We stopped at Cracker Barrel, but they were closed until 10:30 that morning. We stopped at I-Hop but they were short-handed and had a long wait. 

So we walked next door to Stake and Shake they did not have a waiter or waitress. We had to order and pay for our food at a kiosk and then pick up our food at the counter. 

It's not much fun traveling when you cannot find a place to stop and eat. 

I ordered chicken fingers, fries, and a Diet Coke. Bought gas at the Shell Station and put $45.16 on my credit card. 

Once everyone finished eating, we got back on I-40 and headed east into Knoxville. We took the I-40 through Smokey Mountain into North Carolina. We arrived at our destination around supper Paula had baked a shepherd's pie, and we enjoyed a couple of mixed margaritas.

After supper, we sat around and talked, then decided who was going to sleep where. Becky and I slept on the sofa. Teresa slept on the mattress on the floor, and Emmalee slept in the bed. 

Childers Vineyard 

Day 2:Oct 22, 

Everyone got ready and walked upstairs for the
breakfast that Paula and Tonya had prepared. 

Today, we are taking a tour of Childers Vineyard at 12 p.m. We arrived a little early (11:30 a.m.), so we walked around in the gift shop until it was time to take the tour. It was a very large group. When the tour ended, everyone was given a sample of wine. We each decided to buy a bottle of wine instead of paying $20 to sample five different flavors. 

So, we ended up with four bottles of wine, which was cheaper than doing the sampling. I bought a bottle of Muscadine Sweet wine for $11.99 and two chocolates at seventy-nine cents. 

At 5:30 p.m., we rode to Lake Norman to take a dinner cruise from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the Queens Landing Catawba Queen. 

It was a three-course meal beginning with a salad, Chicken Marsala (a lightly coated chicken breast based with marsala) with mushrooms, green beans, roll, & creamed potatoes.

Our dessert was cheesecake. We also ordered a bottle of wine.

Our boat had an upper and lower level and was full. When we finished eating, we walked outside and watched the darkness fall onto the lake. 

We began the cruise as the sun was setting. 

Another eventful day

Emmalee, Barney, and Me

Day 3: Oct. 23, 

Today, we are going to Mount Airy, the birth home of Andy Griffin. 

By the time we arrived, everyone was hungry, so we walked to Barney’s Cafe. But before we went to eat, we stopped at the public restrooms. It was a good hour's ride to Mount Airy. 

It was lunchtime, so we had to wait in line for several minutes. 

Mount Airy History Museum

Finally, seated in the back of the restaurant. I ordered a BLT with onion rings and Diet Coke. I paid for everyone's lunch. 

When we finished eating, we walked to the History Museum. We spent the remainder of the time shopping in the gift shops. We looked for the jail but kept going in circles. We were worn out from all the walking, so we headed back home. 

Later that night, Tonya lit the fire pit, and we had a Weiner and marshmallow roasts. We also made smores. 

Another eventful day

Open-pit Weiner and Smores night 

Day 4:Oct 24, 

Today, we had planned to go to the Renaissance Fair but decided it was going to be too crowded, so we decided to go to Goodwill. 

I think everyone bought something. 

Paula, Amber, and I got lunch at McAlister's and took it to Lake Norman to eat. I ordered a half Reuben and Southwest salad. 

Reuben corn beef, sauerkraut Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing, and marble rye bread. 

Southwest salad with chicken, avocado, roasted corn, black beans, mixed greens, tomatoes, cheddar, jack, blue, and corn tortilla strips with chili.

Teresa, Becky, and Emmalee went somewhere else, but they ate there. 

We meet them at the park later. The kids enjoyed wading in Lake Norman. 

We came back home, and Teresa spent the rest of the evening washing clothes, and we helped Paula clean. 

Day 5:Oct 25, 

Today, we went to Publix Grocery, where I bought some banana bread and a drink. We each had an appointment to get a massage at Hand & Stone Massage for one hour. When we finished, we rode to Cracker Barrel for lunch. I ordered grilled chicken and pinto beans with cornbread and Diet Coke. Becky paid for everyone's meal. 

Kendall and I watched movies while everyone else was upstairs talking. We watched Hocus Pocus and Nightmare Before Christmas. They all ate leftovers, but I ate nothing because I was too full from lunch. 

Packed for the trip home tomorrow. 

Lake Norman

Day 6: Oct 26, 

Travel home.  

For Breakfast, I ate sausage and biscuits from McDonald's in Lenior City, TN. We were home before dark. Becky and Emmalee slept most of the way home. Teresa and I talked as she drove.  

Traveling I-40 through the Smoky Mountains 

2021 Sep 16, Paw Paw Patch Hike Joe Wheeler

 Our hike began at the Champion trail, which begins at the West end of the Lodge parking lot. (1 mile; Elevation: 566.76 ft./628.17 ft.)

Today at 10 AM, we went on a Paw Paw Patch hike led by Sam Woodruff.  A family of five, 2 girls and one boy, they lived and traveled in a fifth wheel and traveled all over the USA. He was ex-military. A woman from Florence got too hot while hiking. Everyone stopped hiking while Sam went to get a golf cart and take the woman to her car.  He made sure she was okay before leaving her. We then continued our hike. 

We saw many different wild mushrooms, wildlife flowers, and a couple of ripe pawpaws. The little redheaded boy found a rubber snake in a tree. Sam said he had put several along the trail on a previous hike for school children to find.

 

Sam identified several mushrooms and plants on the hike. 

Seeds from the Paw Paw Patch
One of the tastiest late-season rewards for hikers and wildlife alike is the pawpaw fruit, which begins to ripen in late summer and peaks in September and October. The flavor of pawpaw fruit is often compared to bananas but with hints of mango, vanilla, and citrus. The fruit has the ungainly appearance of a small green potato and may occur in clusters on the tree. Despite pawpaw’s prevalence in NCR forests, successfully foraging for its fruits can be a challenge. Pawpaw is self-incompatible, which means that pollen produced on a plant cannot pollinate flowers on the same plant. Instead, to produce fruit, a pawpaw flower must receive pollen from flowers on another tree, and sometimes, this “other tree” is farther away than it may appear at first glance! Although pawpaws frequently grow in clusters (think pawpaw patch), the trees in a patch are often genetically identical and connected underground by roots (and thus, in biological terms, are a single plant). Nonetheless, pawpaw’s pollinators (which include flies and beetles) inevitably pollinate some flowers, and fruit hunters may eventually find a tree with fruit. Opossums, foxes, squirrels, raccoons, and birds are all known to enjoy pawpaw and are likely to be closely watched for ripe fruits. Still, pawpaw fruit can often be found by closely surveying the ground underneath a fruiting tree.

Sam holding a couple of Paw Paws and
the little Red-headed boy who was a member of our hike 

Crab Apple Tree
The animals that eat crab apples are rabbits, squirrels, mice, voles, rats, foxes, deer, and insects. They also eat the seeds, buds, and leaves of this fruit. Crab apples are also used to attract birds, and they are also used to make bird feeders.

Shelve Mushrooms 

2021 Oct 15, National Mushroom Hike at Joe Wheeler

 Today at 10AM, I took a hike on the Jimmy Sims Birding Trail with a group of people led by Sam Woodroof, park ranger for Joe Wheeler. 

We saw Chanterelles, Jelly, Puffballs, and mushrooms. Mushrooms are flesh-fruiting bodies of fungi and a variety of species. 

Mushroom Hike 

Mushrooms

On the birding trail, we could hear a woodpecker but could never spot him. The trail ended at the overlook, but several of us walked a little further across a couple of creeks. It was a great day for hiking. 

We saw some blooming Indian Heliotrope, an annual hirsute plant that is a common weed in waste places and settled areas. Widely used in native medicines.

Indian Heliotrope

Once we got back to the boating dock area, everyone was disbursed. 

I walked down to the edge of the River at the docks, and that is where I saw a couple of gray herons, & a Muscovy duck.

Muscovy Duck