Walk Around the Yard

We took a tortuous route along the bottom of the highest wall above Whites Creek Gorge. I had wanted to take a photo of this little rock house that may have been used by coal miners, moonshiners or both. We have located several of these primitive dwellings but this one is unusual in that the hearth is against the cliff instead of the colder exposed side. Smoke darkening can be seen above on the rock wall, though the holly tree is beginning to hide it. I wish I could go back in time and take a photo of it in it's days of usage. There are some old boards and metal pipe along side it and a water supply from a falling spring just a few yards away.

These formations always fascinate me. I'm curious as to the geological mechanism that creates them. This one is in a cavity in the cliff.

Just playing with the panorama feature on our little walk around camera. It was around 28 degrees at this point in the late afternoon. With the cold weather ahead, I'm really looking forward to some icicle hunting along Ford Branch.

Why We Must Protect Whites Creek

Merry Christmas Gerry!

See if these small files tell you enough. I can send the full size file if you need them. They were washed onto the cobble bar about 100 yards above our pavilion site on Whites Creek. They were very fresh with remnants of flesh still attached. I suspect some lucky bird found his dinner right before we go there. 

Cheers,

Steve

Hey Steve:

Those are Villosa vanuxemensis, Mountain Creekshell. A few years ago during a fundraiser at your creek for CFI, Peggy Shute found a live individual of this species near on your place, and it was the first record for Whites Creek. We put it back and I made a note that the species was found there, and was hoping someday to come back and look some more because there could be other species there. Any chance you could donate these shells to the UT mollusk collection?

Gerry

By the way, one of those is female the other is male.

Today at the Creek

The water level has dropped enough to see the posted sign again. Glad it survived.

From Today's Walk

Whites Creek

The grand old hemlock hugging tree...

Roan County on the right and Rhea County on the left at Piney Creek...

Eclipse 8-21-2017

We were at our friend Elizabeth's Home with a few friends for this epic bucket list event. She had her Air BNB guests well taken care of and the rest of us had a spectacular time on Walden Ridge, high above Rockwood, TN. WOW! Lucky you if you get to stay here.

Yeah...We posed it but everybody had an awesome time.

Totality was totally awesome!

The moon shadow moves over the Tennessee Valley.

For two minutes and 32 seconds Rockwood's lights turned on.

Vandalism at Whites Creek

Someone sprayed a very potent herbicide along the bank of Whites Creek in Roane County. It hurts my soul to think someone has such little regard for the creek that they would do something like this. Here it is from last evening:

Here is the creek from just a few feet away from the destruction;

Herbicides have long term devastating effects in a wetland.

What We are Trying to Save....

What they will  do to this beautiful resource if we don't work together to protect it...

Fish From the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation Snorkel Day at Whites Creek

These were taken by Pat Rakes, co-executive director at Conservation Fisheries, Inc. It's really exceptional to have a renowned fisheries biologist on hand to show you the fish and tell you all about them. 

Whites Creek Palooza 2017 Sat. June 24 1 PM til 9 ish

Adults $30 (Kids negotiable)

Buy tickets or just donate to the cause at the CFI web site.
Email stevescarb@aol.com for reservations and pay at the door.

Swim and snorkel with the world famous fisheries biologists of Conservation Fisheries, Inc. 

Barbecue supper from the Flying Pig in Crossville.
Live auction of really cool art and trips.
Music from the most awesomest Jennifer Danniels!

Eagle Children

Sorry, no photos, but we had a good view down into the Whites Creek Gorge eagles' nest today. We were surveying a line from the top of the gorge and I located a good overlook from which to put the binoculars onto the nest. 

Twins! 

And they look full grown, so fledgling day is nearly upon us. I missed it last year but I'll be watching...and listening... It's a feast for the ears, with the adults singing their amazing giant flute like calls and the babies screeching for all they're worth.

Just Now..

I really wish I had had the other telephoto lens ready for this, but that's life in Whites Creek Gorge. The eagle flew right by the moon before I could get in to grab my camera. I should know to always have it ready. Damned good evening, regardless.  Also, you would not believe the pollen blowing around due to the high winds after the front that brought us another 1.75 inches of rain. "After the front"...Is that a "Behind"?

Whites Creek Eagles at the Nest

There are two adults in this shot. Sorry but I only had my little walk around camera and it is a grey day. There is a bird in the nest. The head is just barely sticking up to the right of the trunk. I actually didn't see it until they decided to fly around and play aerial games. There were two juvenile birds sitting side by side in a dead tree just about 50 yards to the left (downstream) of the nest. 

The difference one month makes

Droughts end suddenly around here...