Wildlife at Home

Stix n Brix, NC

We like our backyard because it has a pond that is shared by 5 other houses in our subdivision.  We don’t have someone else’s back yard right at our back door.  We have enjoyed some of nature right at our steps.  When I work in the yard, I often times see the hoof prints left behind by a visiting deer.  We see several turtles and herons enjoying the water.  We’ve even seen squirrels swim in the water for the fun of it…yes they dove right in.  Of course, I never get pictures of these things but, I’ll share some of what I do have.

We enjoy our hummingbird feeder which is stuck to the window of our breakfast nook.

 

Incoming!!

  

We occasionally have a Green Heron visit us.  He doesn’t hang around very long.

  

Lizards are only snakes with legs but the legs make us like them so much better than snakes.

  

Notice how he is eating his shedding skin in the first shot.  They are good to have around to eat bugs.  So are dragonflies.

And some of the wildest wildlife ever seen in our backyard…Smudge!!

  

Unless you consider Gin wild.  ;)  She does have her moments.

Until next post.  Everyone enjoy the little things in life.

Moore Cove Falls

Cascade Lake CG
Pisgah Forest, NC

I started the morning a little earlier yesterday.  The water on the lake was so smooth and it was quiet.  Except for the humming birds.  I know at least one cg host has a feeder.  They’re hungry little things.

We decided to go to Moore Cove Falls.  The weather was perfect, low humidity and about 80 degrees.  I packed a picnic lunch and refilled the humming bird feeder.  While I was doing that, our cg neighbor came by to say that she has enjoyed the little birds too.  She has been full-timing about four years now in her Lazy Daze Class C MH.  She’s a senior citizen and is on oxygen but seems quite happy.

We drove over towards Brevard and Hwy 276 past the Ranger Station.  There is a little pull-off on the right side of the road right at a bridge.  This is where the trail to the falls begins.  It’s about 7 tenths of a mile one way…up.  That’s the Suki by the road.

 

We saw a lot of fern and moss on the trail.  You can hear traffic for a while but then birds and running water are the only sounds.

 

It was so peaceful with a small creek right beside us.  Mostly “down” beside us.  It is only about 4 feet wide and that is what the falls is on.  I wasn’t anticipating a very big waterfall.

Little one-person bridges crossed it several times.  There were a couple of big rock outcroppings along the way.

It just amazes me that a big tree or in this case, a beautiful rhododendron bush can grow out of solid rock.  What a great root system.

I sure wish all the trail was this nice, but about half of it had steps, stones, or roots to trip you up.

We finally got there, and it was worth it!  That’s me in the bottom corner.  It’s a 50 foot fall even though it’s a small creek.

The greatest thing about this waterfall is walking behind it and looking up through the water at the blue sky and trees.  Small plants are hanging on for dear life in the rock.

It’s almost like a cave behind the falls.  There is this one really neat rock formation about the size of a car jutting out but touching anything.

I’m not real sure what Gin was thinking about, but she may have been dreading the walk back down the trail.  This is her last hike for quite a while.  Her legs are killing her.

We slowly started our descent back to the Suki.  This is a popular trail.  Many people passed us going up and coming down.  They all seemed to be in a rush to get to the falls but didn’t go slow enough to enjoy the journey.  A little bit like life for some folks.  We stopped to look around and even enjoyed breathing the clear air.

We decided to have our picnic at Sycamore Flats.  It’s a nice public day use picnic area of the Pisgah National Forest.  There is a Forest CG close by, Davidson River CG, that has no hook-up on most sites.  We’ll keep it in mind when we are full-timing in this area.  This picnic area is beside the river and is a popular place.  The squirrels are almost tame.  This one was fun to watch.  He kept burying the same nut over and over.  Notice how he pats it down with his paws.

We made it back to camp.  Smudge had stayed home this time so I walked her as soon as I got there.  Gin took a well deserved nap on the couch and I snoozed a bit in the lounge chair outside.  It’s made for lounging ya know.  After supper, Gin built a nice campfire and we sat outside until the stars came out.  You just don’t know how many there are if you live near a city.  Oh, the coconut marshmallows were a perfect ending to the day.

We plan to take it easy today around camp and perhaps paddle on the lake some.  It’s another perfect weather day so we may just sit outside and enjoy the clear mountain air.

CG Trail

Cascade Lake CG site #P4
Pisgah Forest, NC

Saturday was indeed a day of rest for us.  I did refill the hummingbird feeder.  They have enjoyed it and we have enjoyed watching them.  We only have one male visiting for every five female visitors.  I’ll need to fill it again on Monday.  We spent  a little time on the laptops and had a grilled steak for supper.  There are a lot of families here for the week end and they are having a good time.

Sunday started at a slow pace.  I paddled around the lake for about an hour.  I also struck up a conversation with a volunteer host couple here, Linda and Howard Jackson.  They told me about a nice little walk through the woods behind the swim lake.  It was less than a mile and not very hilly.  We decided that was about the right pace for us this afternoon.  As we got to the backside of the swimmin’ hole, we saw the family of geese.

We saw some interesting plants on the ground.  The first that caught my eye was the ground cedar.  I’ve seen it in the woods before, but I had never heard a name for it.  Linda had told me what it is called.

She also had a name for the other interesting plant we saw.  It is the Indian Pipe plant.  Howard told me a brief Cherokee story of the origin of the plant.  Basically the Great Spirit punished some tribal chiefs by changing them into these little flowers since they were smoking the peace pipe even though there was no peace.  Here's is a link to that story.  The little flowers have no chlorophyll.

This hike was much easier than the one to Courthouse Falls.  It hadn’t rained here yet today so it wasn’t wet or slick.  Yes, Smudge walked a couple hundred yards before I carried her the rest of the way.

Here’s a good carpet of ground cedar.

We got cleaned up good and went out for supper at Twin Dragons in Brevard.  They have a good Chinese buffet.  I ate too much of course.  The CG has thinned out for the next few days.  We hope to have a few more adventures before leaving here.

Checking the Area

Cascade Lake CG site #P4
Pisgah Forest, NC

After getting caught in that storm yesterday on the lake, we decided that we wouldn’t go out there today.  We had put a hummingbird feeder out yesterday evening and it didn’t take them long to find it.  We may need to refill it before we leave.

I saw that family of Canada Geese feeding on the bank at an empty campsite so I grabbed the camera to give it a try.  You’ll notice that at least one of the adults kept their head up and alert at all times.  I got hissed at when I got a little too close.

The young family that is camping next to us enjoyed getting a little closer to the geese.  They were also feeding them a little bit of bread.

Gin and I took a walk to the end of the road.  There is a path through the woods to an old log cabin that is falling apart.  It had electricity and indoor plumbing at one time but the roof had fallen in a long time ago.  We saw these Mallards getting all pretty for each other as we came back to the MH.

And this squirrel found a mushroom or something to eat on.

I drove to the campground office to chat with the host some, and she told me that the old log cabin was owned by the older gentleman that owned all this property at one time.  It was just a cabin in the woods with a beautiful view of the lake.  This property was developed by the Cascade Power Company and we wanted to see the dam.  We had paddled towards it last year but didn’t go close because of the warning signs.  We know there’s a very curvy gravel road on the other side of the lake, and we were told that the dam is visible from there.  We decided to take a little trip in the Suki.  Glad this turtle was already across our lane.  He was big and I’m sure he would bite if you were to try to pick him up.

We found the dam.  I had also heard that a grist mill used to be here.  It was so steep, I don’t know how anyone could get down there and back up.

This gravel road was in pretty nice shape, but you could tell that the driveways to peoples homes weren’t in that good of shape after all the recent rain.  This drive was almost like hiking in the woods but driving instead.  It was so lush and green.  There was a little stream running beside the road.  There are about 250 waterfalls in this area but only a few are easy to get to.  Gin got a shot of this private waterfall.

Luckily that gravel road opened up at a paved road that we were familiar with.  We went to a produce stand and got some fresh vegetables for supper.  They also had homemade brownies and I can’t resist.  It was a good way to end another great day in Sylville.

Treatment and catching up

Stix n Brix

Gin is resting now after her treatment. I have sneaked in a little nap also. It's not any fun for me to change from night shift to day shift all the time but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and it's not a train! I think it's... a motorhome!

Speaking of MH, the spring to fix the lazy jack has not arrived at the dealer yet. I was a little upset but what can ya do. I wonder how upset and disenchanted I will be when we full-time and it's time for service. I know the world doesn't revolve around us, but when we called the service department in early April, he said he was going to order the spring so he could fix it on April 21. He now says it's on back order and MAY be in on the 27th. Somehow I think he waited a few days to order it. Thankfully it isn't absolutely necessary to have it fixed to still go rving.

On a much lighter note, I got buzzed this morning by a hummingbird. He fussed at me some. He must remember our feeder from last year. I pulled it out of the pantry and put out some fresh nectar for our tiny feathered friends. It's the kind of feeder that suctions to the window. I put it right at the breakfast nook so we'll have visitors while we eat our meals.

Yesterday, Gin put the hullavators together and we put them on the Suki. It looks like a moose now with the racks on top but it will be easier for us to put the yaks up there after a few hours of paddling. We adjusted it and tried it out. My arms are a little bruised because I was trying to lift the boat totally wrong. We had a gentle rain so I'm sure that the weed n feed is working good on the lawn. I guess I'll have to cut the grass more often now. What was I thinking.

Well it's gonna be a long week end of work for me but it's only about 15 months left. I know how quickly the past year has gone so I know the time will fly by. And yes we have so much to do...yard sales, paint the house, power wash the fence, craigslist a few things, and almost forgot...enjoy life. ;)

Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC

August 22 - September 3, 2009
Jordan Lake State Park; Apex NC
Poplar Point CG Site #E94
$276 for 12 nights
84 miles round trip, 7.6 mpg

Saturday-Travel day. Gin drove the Suki with the kayaks on top while I pulled the waverunners with the MH. Some folks were still on our site so we stayed at the boat launch parking lot for a few minutes until Gin's folks got there. I took Smudge for a walk down the amphitheater path and we scared up 3 deer. I looked one of them in the eye for a while. He was a young male with budding antlers only the size of my middle finger. It sprinkled some while we all set up camp so we decided to launch the waverunners and pontoon boat tomorrow.
Sunday-Squirrels can run with a hot dog bun. I saw one holding it in his mouth while he jumped into a small tree. We got the boats in the water but had a little trouble with the pontoon launch. The water is so low that one of the trailer tires dropped off the end of the ramp just as the boat floated free. Gin's mom Judy got in her Suzuki while Gin and I got in the water and picked up that side of the trailer. You can lift a lot more in water. All's well that ends well. We saw hummingbirds at our feeder that is mounted on the windshield. One has a yellow top knot.
Monday-It's a work day for me and Gin's dad Odie. I met the work camper at the gate at 4:45am. He works in the Public Utilities Department of Raleigh. Odie drove to Rocky Mount. His work day was shorter than mine. Gin and her mom worked around the campsites. It was very dark at 4:45am. I saw a deer along the roadside as I left the CG but Gin and Judy saw a herd of deer while walking the dogs. They also saw them at the end of the cove behind the MH eating green stuff. They witnessed an attempted theft too. A squirrel tried to steal a pack of nabs. I came home to a nice meal and bed.
Tuesday-Another long work day for me. Gin went shopping with her folks and vacuumed the MH. She saw crows eating the wild grapes at our site. I look forward to sleeping late tomorrow.
Wednesday-Some friends of Gin's folks came to visit for the day and I think they enjoyed it. We walked the dogs around the whole loop but had to stop to stare at some beautiful deer. It looked like a mom, last year's offspring, and this year's fawn. We enjoy our wildlife sightings. :) We rode the waverunners quite a bit. It was a beautiful day with the lake almost all to ourselves.
Thursday-We took the waverunners to the swimmin' hole close to the boat launch. Gin and I were bobbin' as a bald eagle soared over head looking at us as he flew down the cove. It was awesome to hear his wings flap. Gin's folks joined us for bobbin'. I took Gin's mom for a calm ride on the waverunner. We all played canasta in the evening.
Friday-No new neighbors yet. Next weekend is Labor Day so I hope people wait. We all went to Lowes in Pittsboro and Walmart in Siler City. Gin got a nice new water filter for outside and put it on. I did a $4.00 paint job on the Suki. We did the blue tank duties for both MHs. We played canasta again.
Saturday-We all just piddled around the campsites. It had rained overnight so it started off very humid and cleared up nicely. We just needed a day of relaxation.
Sunday-We tried the waverunners since we knew the next couple of days would be cool and rainy. The lake was just too bumpy for us old gals so we came back to camp. We had a neat visitor as we stood amongst the trees at the shore...a black and white warbler. He sang a bit as he perched on the trunk and limbs. We set up the tent top and mat to welcome the cooler weather.
Monday-Deer, deer everywhere. It was a cool rainy day so we hung out at camp. A doe and her twin fawns were on the vacant campsite beside us. She was only 10 feet from the driver's door of the MH! I saw another family of four while Gin and Judy went to get groceries. They said they saw them as they drove away. It was pretty special.
Tuesday-Gorgeous day!! It was in the mid 70's with low humidity. We kayaked and Gin's folks took out the pontoon boat. They didn't catch a fish but Gin caught a crappie. It was windy with whitecaps on the lake so we stayed close. I walked Smudge and had another deer sighting. Three of them jogged across the road. The last one had finger long antlers. We finished the day playing canasta again.
Wednesday-Another gorgeous day! All we wanted to do was lay around outside and relax but it was pack up day. We took the waverunners to the boat ramp. Gin's aunt and uncle visited. After they left, we loaded up the pontoon. I hooked up the trailer and backed it down the ramp all by myself. :) We came back to camp to put the kayaks on top of the Suki and put away both tent tops. Gin put away her computer stuff so we are quite tired. We plan to relax some in the morning before packing the patio stuff. We've enjoyed the hummingbirds and deer families.
Thursday-Travel day. We relaxed outside with our coffee and packed the dish and patio at a leisurely pace. We walked Smudge around the loop one last time and cranked up to leave at 1:30 just as the next camper pulled up for #E94. Hope they enjoy their time there as much as we did.

Snow!!!

Stix n Brix; Clayton NC

It snowed last night so I thought it would be a good time to post photos.

This is what our back yard looks like in the cool, calm, quiet of the morning.

I was standing on the deck just a few feet from the feeder. I couldn't catch all the birds that visited, but they where enjoying the fresh food. When our pet cockatiel, Aussi, died a couple years ago, we dedicated these bird feeders in his memory. He would be pleased.