Texture

The Photo Friday word for the week of Febbruary 23 - March 1 is TEXTURE. This is my entry which includes several varying textures ie: Rose Petals, Thorns, Velvet, and Knap.

Photo Friday: SELF PORTRAIT

I haven't posted anything in a while and felt the need to upload this entry for the PHOTO FRIDAY subject: Self Portrait. I made this one several months ago while goofing off.

Testing

I cannot see my own blog. Very annoying.

BROTHER

My pic for the PHOTO FRIDAY subject Brother. From left to right, back to front: My grandson Blake, grandson Braxton, their cousin Austin, & my granddaughter Micah.

Illustration Friday: BUZZ

Some people complain of ringing in their ears. I have a buzzing that is with me all the time. Not some of my finer work but this is my illustration for the ILLUSTRATION FRIDAY subject BUZZ

Illustration Friday: PHOENIX

My sketch for the Illustration Friday subject Phoenix. While I am sure that most thought of the mythical bird I instantly thought of the 1965 film Flight Of The Phoenix with James Stewart; possibly one of the greatest movies of all time. Certainly one of my top five.

Photo Friday: BEST OF 2006

One of my favorite photos that I took in 2006. I call it Autumn Falls. It was taken at the end of October 2006 at Suck Creek in the Prentice Cooper Wildlife Management Area approximately a mile from where the creek empties into the Tennessee River.

Christmas Fun

For Christmas Eve night my daughter Tiffiny, son-in-law Jeff, and grandsons Blake and Braxton came over to spend the evening with us. Susan found some wierd rubber wig things and here's Braxton and me giving them a test drive. Are we not cool?
I bought Susan an old 1940's telephone which had been restored. We plugged it up and gave a test spin (ie: called a few folks). It works beautifully and has that sweet old ring that makes you think you're back at your grandmothers' house. Blake and Braxton couldn't seem to get over the fact that it was so large, had no buttons, and was not cordless. And to think, I still remember having telephones such as this one as a child!

Photo Friday: Weather

My submission for the PHOTO FRIDAY subject for 12/22/06 entitled Weather. I took this shot at approximately 7:45am last January 28, 2006 while standing on the roof of my back porch.

Zzzzzzzz

Sshhh..............sleepin' here.

Happy Birthday, Lisa

Cumberland Trail

Today we took another hike this time going a couple of miles up the Cumberland Trail. This shot is of the North Suck Creek Bridge which is approximately 1.4 miles from Highway 27. From left to right: My son-in-law Jeff, his brother-in-law Tom, my grandsons Blake and Braxton, and their cousing Austin. We estimate this bridge to be about 245 feet long not counting the ramp on the far side. Believe me when I say that this bridge does sway quite a bit as you cross it.

The picture above which was created from three seperate shots was taken by my son-in-law Jeff. He's taken some great shots that give some good perspective to the bridges' length and height above the water.

We had a little of excitement during this hike. I saw an old rotted pine tree that was on the brink of falling and decided to give it a kick or two to help it along. I gave up so Tom and Jeff both took a few turns attempting to bring it down with Tom delivering the fatal blow. My grandson Braxton had gone a short distance up the trail and when the tree did start its' fall it was dropping right straight toward Braxton. I screamed for him to run and his eyes got big as half dollars as he backed away just as the forty or fifty foot tree slammed to the ground right in front of him. He started talking excitedly about how neat this was while I was thinking that if he had gotten squashed I'd never be able to go back home and face his mother and grandmothers. I told him that if he spoke of this not to mention that he almost had a tree dropped on him. His response was that "this was one of the neatest things that happened and that he couldn't wait to tell everyone back home that this was the day that he almost got killed by his Pop".

Kids say the darndest things!

Photo Friday: STILLNESS

Mullins Cove, on the Tennessee River west of Chattanooga, TN

Illustration Friday: INVENTION

A quick sketch / collage combined with a bit of "scanner art" for this weeks' Illustration Friday subject INVENTION. I chose the acorns as a representative sampling from the greatest inventor of all.

Aahhh...Mother Nature!

Today I did something that I've been promising myself that I'd do for years. Today I hiked through parts of the Tennessee River Gorge to the base of the cliffs overlooking the Tennessee River. Me, my son-in-law Jeff, grandsons Blake and Braxton, their cousin Austin, and their friend Tyler all hiked to the cliff faces. We were guided by my son-in-laws brother-in-law Tom Ritchie. Tom grew up the Tennessee River Gorge and took us to some pretty interesting rock formations, cliff faces, as well as some very small old coal mines that used to be in operation at the base of the cliffs. We're going to try to hike to a different interesting place within the River Gorge, Prentice Copper State Forest, or along the Cumberland Trail every weekend (weather permitting). Click here to see a few more pictures that I posted on my Flickr page.

The Tennessee River flows northeast to southwest through East Tennessee. Near the southern border of the state, the river abruptly turns west, carving its way through the Walden Ridge portion of the Cumberland Plateau and creating the Tennessee River Gorge, one of the deepest canyons in the eastern United States. Where the river cuts through the plateau, two mountain remain on each side: Signal Mountain on the north and Lookout Mountain on the south. The latter mountain is a prominent peak overlooking the river and forming a backdrop for Chattanooga, which grew up at this passageway west.

Back To Nature

Today I took another hike up the creek in the Prentice Cooper State Forest. The trees have already lost their brilliant coloring from a week or two ago but this is still a great area to hike and enjoy nature. This is one of my favorite areas near Chattanooga. There are several parking areas from which you can start your hike, although I have to admit that some of them are difficult starting points as there are very steep slopes to tackle before getting on easier trails. Even with the somewhat difficult starting point that I chose today the hike was well worth it. There's something about being in this place far from traffic and other humans that is extremely relaxing.

Happy Birthday, Mother

A MOTHER'S LOVE

A Mother's love is something that no on can explain

It is made of deep devotion and of sacrifice and pain

It is endless and unselfish and enduring come what may

For nothing can destroy it or take that love away . . .

It is patient and forgiving when all others are forsaking,

And it never fails or falters even though the heart is breaking . . .

It believes beyond believing when the world around condemns,

And it glows with all the beauty of the rarest, brightest gems . . .

It is far beyond defining, it defies all explanation,

And it still remains a secret like the mysteries of creation . . .

A many splendoured miracle man cannot understand

And another wondrous evidence of God's tender guiding hand.

~Helen Steiner Rice~

Fall Is In The Air

Today I spent just a little time in the woods watching the water cascade over the rocks as it runs down Signal Mountain through the Prentice Cooper State Forest. This one of the more beautiful spots to hike through near Chattanooga. The Cumberland Trail actually runs through here and there are miles of scenic views. The river is freezing cold even in the heart of summer.

The last photograph is at my daughter Tiffiny's house. Her back yard adjoins the state forest and the nature views are magnificient there.

Photo Friday: INNOCENCE

My entry for Photo Friday 10/20/06 challenge INNOCENCE.
My granddaughter Micah.
With special thanks to Raphael.
I will gladly remove this image if it in any way violates any copyright laws.

Happy Birthday Dana

Happy Birthday to my baby sister Dana. I guess you're not a baby any more. I hope that you have a wonderful birthday. And you can still put just three candles on your cake if you want.