Out on Hyatt rd. this guy was chewing on branches. I thought he was waving to us but he was just reaching for a choice branch.

 

I don’t know if it was the texture or the taste

 

But what ever it was it really hit the spot.

 

No, I am not that close to the bear, I’m using an 18-200mm lens so I was able to be at a safe distance.

 

He was very busy getting his daily dose of cellulose fiber  

 

and not concerned at all with the crowd of on lookers. 

 

Next time you go to Cade's Cove look up in the trees, I mean way up in the trees, you never know what you might see.

 

---

 

We went to Abrams falls the other day. It was a nice day and it’s a short hike out there. I ate an apple on the way and ended up carrying the core the rest of the time because I’d opted to not bring any pack.

 

After taking pictures of the falls I picked up my now brown apple core and carried it back out to the parking lot.

 

While I was waiting for the bathroom. There was a family with two 3 year old boys with their hair gelled up in  Mohawks ahead of me. One of the little Mohawks spotted the apple core in my hand and asked what it was. His mom shot him a look that said don’t ask questions.

I shrugged and told him it was an apple core that I was going to put in that composting toilet because it was really the same stuff as was already in there, just a little less composted. I glanced at his parents they looked at me like oh no! Now we’ll have to answer questions about THAT? I looked back at the little Mohawk and could see the wheels turning in his mind working on his next question.

But just then I was greeted with a shower of crushed rock on my feet. The other little Mohawk was bent over “doggie digging” the lose stones from the parking lot.  The dad hollered at him to stop. I looked at both little Mohawks now standing right next to each other looking cute as two buttons and said it’s ok. little boys are made to dig.

From beside me the 5 year old brother says “I’m a little boy.”

I started to tell him he was probably a very good digger too but never got any farther because the other little Mohawk had fired up his primitive Mexican backhoe again. I picked him up and turned him so that his “castings” would fly into the parking lot instead.

The sister pointed to a deer mowing the lawn.

 

Apple core in one hand I tried my best to adjust for the changing light.

 

 

The deer was all done lawn mowing.

 

Actually he was just ticked off by someone’s yappy dog that was getting too close for comfort.

 

Once up on the hill the deer settled back into his most enjoyable career of lawn mowing and design.

 

Between mouthfuls he said it’s a very fulfilling career. 

 

The line at the bathroom was nearly gone when I got back. I started to show the little Mohawks' mom the pictures I got but then I had tugging on both legs and Can I see? Can I see? So I squatted down so my little buddies could have a look too. Little sticky fingers on one shoulder and crushed rock dust covered fingers one the other shoulder.

When I got home I realized the apple core never did make it to the toilet. Somewhere up on that hill I set it down when I was doing the low crawl with the camera. I had failed at carry in carry out.

 

I’ll do better next year.

Happy New Year everyone.

1. To see the shades of morning.

 

2. To see the sun before it rises.

 

3. To walk out into fields and not care how wet the dew is.  

 

4. To have wet shoes and pants before 7am. 

 

5.  To try an HDR image.  

 

6. To take 4 pictures and learn how to stitch them together to make a panoramic.  

 

7. To Realize  that there are Two deer not just one right behind you and all the cars that stopped are not stopping to look at you and think you are cool just because you didn’t hit snooze at some ridicules hour this morning.   

 

8. To be wide awake and have the rest of the day in front of you. 

 

9. To just smile and say this world is a beautiful place.

 

Ten? Nope, there’s just 9 today. I got up early.