TnNature Photography

I’m sure the blogger network is inundated with SuperMoon shots this morning so who am I to disappoint. lol

It wasn’t the best conditions for a moon shot..kept going behind the clouds. But I played the waiting game and she finally showed herself for awhile.

I’m assuming nothing catastrophic happened because of the moon last night? I wasn’t pulled out of my bed by the super forces or anything. Unless you count Abi nudging me out of bed at 5am to go potty. lol

In other news.. my lovely daughter was whisked away yesterday by her boyfriend and presented with a promise ring. We’re pretty fond of him and think he’ll make an excellent son in law one day.

We have one more week of Spring Break left before the real world comes knocking again and I have to get up at 5:30am because I have to, not because I want to. lol Why is it when you’re on vacation or break, your sleep patterns still think you’re on work-time??

Today we have a high of 80 degrees… yes 80! The Bristol race is getting ready to start and I’m waiting on hubby to get back with some goodies to grill. I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday! Don’t forget to take a nap!

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

A Brown Thrasher watches the smaller birds on the suet feeder and waits for his turn.

Ahh finally! It’s all mine!

Hey buddy you done yet?

Sharing one of my favorite frog shots today. I can’t wait to see these beauties in the pond again. This one looks regal as he sits on his “throne”.

Visit my website to view more “Froggy Shots”, located in the “Pond Life” folder.

http://www.tnnature.com

A short blog for me today. It’s a chilly rainy day here in West Tn and the cleaning fairy and I have some words to discuss. lol I don’t understand why she can’t clean while I go get groceries??

I’m sharing some Spring-related photos today. The above is a blossom on the Cleveland Pear Tree in the front yard.

I have 1.. yes ONE Daffodil in the front yard. With as much rain as we’ve had, I fear the others are just drowning.

I paid a visit to Tigrett WMA Saturday only to find it flooded as well. While focusing on a heart shaped leaf in the water, I noticed something move out of the corner of my eye. This little guy had jumped out of the water and sat watching me, watching him. lol He continued to hang out even after I walked off.

The Hostas are beginning to emerge form the ground. I covered this one back up with leaves and mulch because I’m sure we’ll get another good frost before the month is over.

And of course with Spring weather comes the Robins. Although around here, we see them year round. It’s probably the bird you can get the closest to.

That’s it for me today! I’m off to clean. (no exclamation point necessary for this one)

It’s official..we’re on Spring Break and your eyes are not deceiving you, I’m blogging. lol

And it’s 7am on a Saturday..what am I doing up so early?? I think I’m just too excited to sleep because Spring is in the air. The temps are warmer this week, the birds are out and about and that strange noise in the background is my camera shutter clicking away furiously. I’ll be paying you all a long awaited visit today too and try to catch up with everyone.

My favorite little birds are back and nestbuilding has begun. I handed my daughter the camera yesterday for a few minutes while I picked up my son at school and told her to get some good shots. I think she did wonderfully!

When I got back I had to take a few of my own and spend a little time with those blue cuties. I’m sure I’m not the only person who talks to birds..am I?? lol

Could it possibly be we’ve entered into Spring already in West Tn.? No it’s too good to be true. The temps this past week have been in the 60’s every day and even low 70’s but his week we’re supposed to be back to normal with highs in the 40’s and even some severe weather possibly Thursday. It’s just not February if we haven’t had the tornado sirens going off.

I haven’t blogged in a few weeks but there’s nothing terribly new to report. Right now we’re just counting down the days till Spring Break (14 working days). I have a honey-do list a mile long but since honey won’t get a Spring Break, I’ll be the one doing them myself. lol Maybe I can work a little photogging in there and actually go somewhere and shoot some wildlife too.

This big guy was sitting on a church lawn in Union City. By looking at the scattered feathers all over the ground, I’m guessing he’d just finished lunch.

One of my favorite spots to catch Bald Eagles did not disappoint last weekend. Sometimes we see a pair, sometimes just one. He was holding his own against the strong winds.

And last week we had a visitor to the backyard…looks like another opossum has been munching on the cats food. Last Summer we had a whole family of coons visit for a few weeks then a nasty looking opossum showed up for leftovers. This big guy didn’t look as rough as he did. The cats walked right by him while he ate and he didn’t seem to care that we were even there.

there a hawk…

Juvenile Cooper’s Hawk (I think)

everywhere a hawk.. hawk lol

Whoa wait those aren’t hawks…anyone else noticing the crazy starlings and blackbirds lately? Seems like we’re in for some bad weather the way they’ve been congregating together in the fields.

I’ve been quiet for a few weeks and left blogspot behind to focus on things here at home but I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way up from real life issues is to well..deal with the and move on.

Most of you know the situation with hubby and his plant closing down last July. We’ve cut back on things here and there, anticipating how things would change over the next year but you come to take some things for granted in life..like insurance and well paying jobs that are harder to come by. But we’ve crawled out of holes before and so we shall again. At least we both have jobs now and a roof over our heads right? Now on to more inspiring things…

Snow is said to be headed our way again Tuesday in the form of a BIG snowstorm. By big here, I mean 10 inches. I can’t recall when West Tn had 10 inches of snow last so if this storm stacks up to what they say it will, the whole city will shut down. As much as I long for the big flakes to fall every Christmas, I have to say I’m sick of the snow now. We haven’t had a lot at one time but we’ve had more than usual this yr. I can’t even imagine living in places like Chicago or New York where it’s been storm after storm after storm already. If you’re like me, you long for Springtime temps and the idea of little buds appearing on the blooming trees. Some people say February is the depressed month.. the month where more people find themselves feeling the doldrums of Winter weather. I concur. Let’s get some happy colorful shots in now.

Hubby & I took a drive to Davy Crockett Lake last wknd while the weather was unusually warm. (in the low 60’s!) These days you take advantage of it when you can because it can change at the drop of a hat. lol

I couldn’t resist this old car on the way to the lake.

The Canada Geese were out and about and honking their heads off. Maybe they knew the good weather wouldn’t last for long.

The lake was calm and the skies were cloudy. Only 2 boats on the water this day. There’s not a lot of things to do at this lake unless you fish but it makes for a beautiful backdrop for picnics.

This Summer we’ll go back and maybe throw a pole in and see what bites.

Thank you Chip of Virginia Through My Lens for my first Blog Award today, the Stylish Blogger Award. I’m know I’m in good company with you my friend.

Okay, this is how the award works:

Thank and link back to the person who awarded you.
Share 7 things about yourself.
 Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers.
Contact these bloggers and tell them about the award.
 

Hmm 7 things about myself huh?

1. I have a lead foot..it’s hard for me to slow down even when I’m NOT in a hurry because I’m so used to BEING in a hurry.

2. My middle name is Lee. I was named after my grandmother who’s name was Annie Lee. I could have been Kimberly Ann but nooooo my mother chose Kimberly Lee. lol

3. I go barefoot…a LOT. All 4 Seasons..I’m not picky.

4. My heart belongs in the mountains and I live on the *flat* side of Tennessee. *sigh*

5. I’m the baby of the family. My sister was 14 when I was born and my brother was 19 and about to get married. Needless to say I had an invisible friend as a playmate.

6. I have a passion for pelicans. Yes the bird. I fell in love with them on our first trip to the beach in 2005. I have a whole shelf on the bookcase in the den just for lighthouses and pelicans.

7. I lost my Dad when I was 19 from a heart attack. I can tell you exactly what I was doing the moment I found out and replay everything in my head like it was yesterday. It was a day I will never forget, but wish I could.

Now for those 15 great bloggers.. I realize not all bloggers participate in awards as they can become overwhelming after awhile. Please don’t feel like you have to participate. Sometimes it’s enough to be recognized.

Dawn’s bloggy blog

Nature Nut Photography

Seaprayer

~Terry’s Life~

Out On the Prairie

Robin’s Robins and Things

barefoot hiker’s journal

Honey, I’m Home

Journey Through Grace

My Thoughtful Spot

Bird Bath & Beyond

Body Soul and Spirit

Happy Burwood Lady

Kevin and Amanda

Bill’s Tn Paradise

Well here we are again….West Tn managed to get a good 3 inches of the powdery white stuff yesterday and they let school out at 1pm. Last night the temps got down into the teens and we woke up to some beautiful frosty trees.

Brrr..the snow doesn’t stop the birds from getting to the good stuff.

The limbs of the willow tree in the backyard hung like icy strands of hair.

The Cleveland Pear Tree in the front yard wasn’t spared either. Those little ice crystals just make me smile!

More crystals!

zooming in on those perfect little shapes..

I realize a lot of you up north may be sick of seeing snow but here in West Tn., we’re lucky to get a few inches every Winter and it’s usually gone within 24 hrs so I try to document every snowfall we get as quickly as I can. Don’t like the weather here? Wait a few minutes…it’ll change! lol

I’m been MIA from Blogger all week and trying to play catch up today is harder than I expected. If I didn’t get around to visiting today I’ll try to tomorrow!

I haven’t been anywhere this week except to work/school and back but I did manage to get a few halfway decent backyard shots of our feathered friends despite the cold weather.

Mr Bluebird fluffs his feathers up for the arctic air we were blessed with this wk. (notice the sarcasm)

Mr. Finch staking out the feeder

The skies have been beautiful lately with brilliant stars every night. A nice sight to see compared to the clouds we’ve had lately. I took this shot on my hubby’s birthday (13th).

West Tn has officially seen it’s first snow of 2011! It may be the only snow we get so we get a little excited when we see the white stuff fall. An inch of snow here and they call school so that’s one more reason to be happy right? lol

View from the front yard

Our road

Mr Mocker all fluffed out

This wknds blog will be a blast from the past (mainly because it’s too cold to get out with the camera). I’m trying to think *warm* here so my mind wanders back to a Summer a few years back when we took our niece on her first camping trip. Our daughter went away to church camp for the wknd so we went away too..to the Buffalo River in Arkansas.

It was the Summer the southern states saw such a horrible drought. We went, hoping to see a specific waterfall close to the campground but found it almost completely dry. A disappointment yes, but the hiking was great and so was the river. AND we saw our first *Batcave*.

We chose Lost Valley Campground as our destination. The campground wasn’t crowded at all and the sites were spaced well apart. We had to cross a dry creek bed to get to our campsite and goofy me wore leather sandals. I quickly stubbed my toes in the rocks and still have trouble with that toe to this day. grr

Campsite behind the dry creek bed

My niece Shea, son Kris and I posing on the trail to Eden Falls.(dry)

Jamie & Kris at the entrance to the BatCave. We found out about the cave thanks to a local at the swimming hole. The cave has been used for everything from a saltpeter mine during the civil war to a hideout for bandits in the 1920’s. When bats are present, the cave is closed. Luckily the bats had left for the season and we were able to get in.

We just *thought* the cave was empty! We found 1 bat still perched alone the ceiling of the cave. Once the kids noticed him, they took off for the cave opening. lol

The gate surrounding the cave’s entrance.

The Buffalo River..just a breathtaking piece of God’s handiwork, laid back in the hills of Arkansas.

The bluffs that make the Buffalo famous. Notice how low this area looks. I can imagine how beautiful it must be when the water level is just right.

A deer running under the bluffs @ the Steel Creek Access Point

The view looking OUT of Cob Cave, along the Eden Falls Trail

And the view looking IN Cob Cave..I think I recognize those rednecks.

The *swimming hole* at the Ponca Access Point of the Buffalo River

All in all, our niece enjoyed her first camping trip despite the dry falls but there was one thing that she reminds us of to this day. NEVER leave the camp food out even if you feel like you’ll be back by dusk. Our batcave adventure kept us longer than expected and we came back after dark to find raccoons enjoying what was left of the makings for our smores!  They even returned during the night for seconds and tried biting through the cooler.