SATURDAY NIGHT CABIN FEVER

It is Saturday and has rained all day today.  There is no going outside so cabin fever is starting to set in. It is too early to go to bed, there is no television, so it's either do the blog or watch movies on the computer. I have chosen to try to work on the blog. We will be leaving here next Tuesday and will start our journey back towards Arizona. I am looking forward to civilization again. We are far out in the backwoods here. Love it but after awhile you just need to know that there is a big wide world out there. lol. I've really enjoyed the people I've met here and the critters that abound. Like this little river otter...

 

He (or maybe she) tends to show up just as dark starts to set in for the night.  The little lazy bones sleeps all day and plays all night.  When he comes over you can bet something new is on the beach. He is so curious about everything and everyone. When he is moving fast he looks like a big snake because of the wave behind him...

 

Once in a while I get to see the doe and her fawn go out to the point for a evening drink. Most photos don't allow you to see them clearly because they tend to blend into their surroundings. But the light was just right when I took this shot. The doe is starting to go behind the rock and up the path. When I called out to them the fawns both stopped and watched me for quiet some time...

 

But that too ended and they went up the hill. Leaving me with wonderment at the beautiful scene I had just watched unfold before my eyes...

 

Phil came inside to ask if I could tell what was swimming out in the middle of the river channel. I watched it long enough to think I might have the answer but went back to grab my camera for the zoom ability. But coming back outside I found it had gone under.  Shortly afterwards I spotted an eagle trying to get something that was in the water. He would hover, dive, and circle. Many attempts went array and the fish escaped his talons...

 

 

Then when he swung down low over the surface of the water in another try I saw the white jug. Which meant that I was right about what I thought Phil had seen... a catfish swimming at the end of a line tied to a gallon milk jug... This eagle is running trot lines... lol.  So, heads up all you fishermen... if you think someone is running your trot lines it just could be an eagle...

 

Every time the eagle got close the jug would go under as the catfish went down into deeper water. It was beautiful to watch such a big bird hover... I have yet to figure out how he did it. It was as if he was doing a dance in the air... so graceful...He finally gave up...

 

 Looking down I saw Phil had stopped fishing and was talking pictures also...

 

Earlier that day we had to go to town for groceries so we went to Collier's Springs for water. Then went by Wegner's Crystal Ranch (Mine) to check them out. First thing we noticed was the crystals all over the gateway post. This is the gate...

 

 Once you make the bend in the road this is the next thing you see...

 

The front of the barn had tables and tables of rocks, glass, and crystals. Then around and under the tables are the larger specimens...

 

 

Inside crystals, rocks, and minerals are wall to wall.  Here is a nice smoky quartz ...

 

 We were really shocked to see how much crystals have risen in price since our last visit in 1992. The crystal in this photo is smaller than the one we paid eleven dollars for. Check out the price tag...

 

At the rear of the barn are two crystals that can take your breath away.  I was transfixed when I saw them... OMG...

 

To give an estimate of their size I asked Phil to stand next to the first point.  Are they not mind blowing? Definitely not pocket crystals...

 

Once again it is that time... internet connection has slowed past slow. I have been working on getting this post up most of the day. Started about three in the afternoon and it is now one am. So... I'm off to bed to dream the dreams of tomorrow's dance...

 

Don't forget...........................

 

KEEP ON DANCING

 

 

TUESDAY AND ALL IS WELL

Hi everybody... thought I would try to get another posting up on the blog.  Lots has happened but nothing extremely important.  Unless, it is the opening back up of the campgrounds.  Speaking of campgrounds... I found this copperhead snake after a heavy rain when I went for a walk near the chestnut trees.  I did not do a catch and release because he is venomous. Doesn't belong near people and specially where they are putting their hands down to gather nuts. If he would have been somewhere in the woods then I would have let him go.  But there is no way I was going to try to catch him and take him off to the woods. I'm not that brave, lol...

 

After the rains the finches, sparrows, bluebirds, and indigo come down from the trees in a quick swoop to grab any bug that moves.  They are fun to watch... 

 

This is a flock of loons that were swimming on the opposite side of the lake so the photo isn't that great. I thought at first they were weird acting ducks... maybe doing a water ballet...

 

 

 When the rains slacked off we decided to get away from cabin fever. So we went over to Mt. Ida and visited our old favorite rock shop... Fiddler's Ridge. Seems that the old mine that we knew was no longer producing and they had moved to Fisher Mountain. They then sold out of the mining of crystals. All they have now is the shop. Still have a nice selection of rocks and things but we didn't see the crystals like we did when we first visited in 1989. But they still had some of the items that we loved... Like this crystal eagle ...

 

And the rock knives... They are handmade locally. The blue glass one really stood out...

 

When we first visited them they told the story about someone finding this sabertooth skull in a nearby cave. How much truth to the story I have no idea.  But it makes for an interesting conversation. Be it real or not...

 

 

 They have a nice place inside and out...

 

 

Lots of rocks, minerals, glass, and naturally crystals from their old mines...

 

The yard area had some nice slabs of group crystals from the first mine.

 

 

This next photo is of a big gold rock. The mica was so thick it looked like it had been gold plated. Very pretty and flashy in the sunlight...

 

 

 While out in this area we spotted this group of crystals with several double terminators so we purchased it...

This internet connections has gone from bad to worse.  So rather than fight with it I am going to fix my bed and then get in it... two o'clock in the morning is a bit late for me.  Tomorrow is another day...

 

 

So.... come on and....

 

 

KEEP ON DANCING

TUESDAY AT HWY 27 CAMPGROUNDS

 

Here it is Tuesday and it has rained all night and is still raining this morning. Sure makes me wonder because yesterday Phil decided to wash the trailer. Which he did from top to bottom...

 

A couple of days ago I took my bike and went looking for firewood. I found where someone had cut up fallen trees and left a lot of firewood.  While walking around and picking it up I spotted this crystal close to a tree. It was just lying there on top of the ground. Not too far from where it was there is a vein of quartz but I didn't find any more crystals. I would expect there would be a few tiny pieces. There are several mines all around us... Coleman's, Fiddler's, Wagner's, just to name a few of old mines. We have noticed a lot of new mines around Mt. Ida. Also, it seems that everyone and his neighbor have crystals for sale. We enjoy finding them and passing them on to others, such as this one...

  

 Guess that was my lucky day because I just happened to have my camera in hand when this osprey decided to go fishing. I watch him drop from the sky and hit the water. Then I started shooting him in action. This is him going in for the kill...

 

And here he is trying to become airborne again...

 

We have lift off... If you look at his feet you can see the fish he caught. I was amazed at how deep into the water he actually went and the size of the fish he came back up with. Normally, this takes place so fast that the eye does not catch the whole of the events. So, I'm happy that the camera shows what I wouldn't normally get to see.

 

The next day I took a few photos and I think the one of the flock of huge birds flying over is one of the highlights.

 

They circled several times before finally coming to land on the far shore across the lake...

 

 

The next morning I captured a pretty good shot of them before they continued their journey to the Gulf of Mexico winter grounds.

 

The Great White American Pelican...

 

 

 Before the rains hit we rode over to the old fishing village to have a better look at the original village. Parking our bikes under the old oak we walked around to see what we could find. The village is across from the swim beach in our campground. That is the white area you see on the other side. The shed is the fish cleaning station which is still in use today...

 

 

Phil spotted this old cellar with the old holey aluminum boat. We saw a couple of these cellars over there. This one was near the old community kitchen. Just to the side there was a huge brick oven. There are also cabins on this part of the land. Just beyond this old area is the newer section of the village where people have their mobile homes and trailers. Also, there is the small store there. Although the places are pretty and well kept we enjoyed the discovery of the old village and getting a peek into the past more...

 

 

The country lane between the original fishing village and the campground is really starting to look pretty. Leaves are changing from green to yellow, orange, and reds... How pretty...

 

 

 This beautiful little red tree is very near where I found bear scat. While we were over in the village I asked if there were bear in this area. I was informed that just up the road near the Aqua Motel there was one reported on the roof of a lady's house a couple of weeks ago. There is only a mountain top between there and here. That information told me that I was right about the bear coming into the campground and eating chestnuts whole. But back to the tree... isn't it pretty?

 

 

Once again it is time to bring the blog to an end. I have been sitting here for hours because of the slow connection. But hey... at least I have a connection. I have tried to stay in good spirit rather than getting frustrated. But now I am ready to move around and dance...

 

 

So.... come on everybody.... Let's all...

 

KEEP ON DANCING...

 

 

 

THURSDAY AT THE LAKE

What a beautiful time of the year here in this area.  We have been here at this campground before and really enjoyed it. But it was nothing compared to this time of year. It is magnificent in it's beauty. There is wildlife in abundance, autumn color to the foliage, a hint of the winter to come, and the serenity of peace in the air. This time of year has always been special to me. Maybe it is because I was born in autumn. I really don't know.. but I know that I love the feel of autumn and that feel is intensified when I am surrounded with nature's abundance of beauty. As a child I remember the anticipation of the holiday's ahead... Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Now, as an adult I look upon those same holidays differently but I still have that inner child that enjoys the feel of the season. I hope that you can still feel the season's gifts to your inner child and that you will take a deep breath of the renewing spirit that is in the air. Here the air can be seen as it forms fog clouds that lift up into the sky...the mist is in the air...

 

We spent a couple of days checking out the other parks here around the lake.  That was a lot of fun. Some of the parks were pretty and would work for us but a few were taken off our list. Coming back from the Buckley Park we spotted these wild turkey crossing the road. They were quite a way up the road so this photo is about at the end of my zoom lens possibilities. A little farther away and they would have been a blur crossing the road...

 

 

Even though the truck's hemi motor is loud Phil still managed to get a bit closer for me to get a better shot of them... Now, this is the way to shot wild turkeys.. no mess, no loss of life, and makes great eye candy lol...

 

 

This is a flock of whooping cranes that Phil spotted flying over our camp looking for a nice landing spot. By the time I saw them, ran into the house and grabbed the camera, they were on the other side headed up another arm of the lake. Not perfect but proof that they were here...

 

 

This osprey was so high up everyone thought it was a buzzard circling the sky.  Thus, there is a lot of noise (spots) in the sky and the blue is rather blotchy looking because of it. But it is an osprey looking for fish in the lake below...

 

 

This is an original grumpy ole man... He likes to land at the beach in front but doesn't like us there. As you can see from the photo he is looking back at me on the ledge...I'm not sure what he said but he wasn't happy about it ... for sure!

 

 

I almost cry when I remember this little turtle. He was headed straight toward the cliff and would have fallen onto the rocks below. So me in my wanting to rescue him from that fate, may have caused his death. I picked him up and move him to another area of the park thinking he was safe there. But later Phil informed me someone ran over him. He was coming back. It is so sad that his life was taken so needlessly...

 

 

Below is one of the areas that we chose not to stop at.  We were headed to the Lena Campgrounds and were informed that it was closed. The man that was informing us told us of his private campground. Very primitive but had water and electric at the sites. It need mowing badly, the sites were unleveled and looked unkept. But the real clincher to us not wanting to stay was the price and no lake water...

 

 

We are very spoiled with our lake front views...

 

 

Well, I started this blog when I first got up this morning and it is now ten past three in the afternoon. While waiting on photos to upload I have cleaned and vacuumed the house, baked a chicken with chestnut dressing, and ate. Time to call this blog done. So I am kicking back and resting awhile...

 

 

That's it for the day... so.....

KEEP ON DANCING