Hiking

The Ocmulgee River runs through Macon and there is a trail near it. Many trails actually. We found a new trail and went for a good hiking trip today.





What a fun hiking trip it turned out to be? You stopped by the river a couple of times but walked and walked the rest of the times. We didn't know the trail was that long or we would have brought water. But, we survived.



Even tough it was hot, the hiking meandered through many areas with canopies of trees, giving us good umbrage.






We truly enjoyed ourselves because we realized this is a well-kept secret in Macon. We run into no one. People have not discovered this pretty trail yet. And! there were many areas to picnic. We're going back soon! and better equipped.






The river was very beautiful with fish jumping up left and right. We saw many birds including a Mississippi Kite. Debbie identified many trees and plants as well. Kelly was happy to share these precious moments. We enjoyed ourselves.

Visiting with James and Melba

Did you know Melba has a green thumb? Oh yeah.
Debbie and I saw her gardens recently and we were impressed.
Lush vegetables and flowers. Looking healthy too. I know that's not easy because we're trying to grow a garden too.



Besides the beautiful gardens of vegetables and flowers, we enjoyed sitting outside and watching all kinds of birds coming to the feeders. We saw a beautiful Goldfinch, several Bluebirds, Cardinals, Chickadees....

Did I mention we played Rook outside? Well, we did...at the music of the songbirds. So comforting, Melba "shot the moon". Did she make it? Ask in the com
ments and I'll tell you.

Louis dropped by for a few minutes with his precious Granddaughter.
We enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for having us over, James and Melba.

Memorial Day Week End at Connie's

This turned out to be one of the classic Price Family get-together.
Everybody was happy to see each other.

The intermittent rain did not allow for much swimming so we did the next best thing. Play Rook, drink, eat, play some more Rook, eat some ... and share a lot of stories.
We had a diverse group with the Price siblings with "Mama", the in-laws including Linda, a couple of grand kids, a dog, 5 cats. Did I forget anybody?
Impressive that everybody was in their best behavior.

Three couples were together the evening before everyone got there on Sunday. Connie and Duane, Carey and Martha, and Debbie and I.

We had some fun with some strange combination of "things that don't go together". As Duane pointed out, alcohol and politics don't go together. Does Carey get drunk or is he immune to all that beer?  Connie had fun with the bottle in front of her (in the picture). Then the decibel went up! Add in some politics with Rush Limbaugh, Glen Beck, Clinton, Bush...Carey threw Al Gore in there too.
Are all these people brothers, politicians, friends, enemies, ..., who cares? Let me just play some Rook games, will you? No dice. People were sitting in front of the games but paying no attention. ...it's your bid...it's your turn...you got that one...everybody already bid, we're just waiting for you... no, you just got in for 105...so we're actually set..but it's OK...it's just a game (if you will just play it!!!) That's what Duane and I were saying all evening.
Connie was happy that evening. That bottle (the Malibu Coconut Rum or something like that) was only 21%. Trust me, she said it 5 times so I remember. I actually never understood but I didn't want to ask. Do I need to look that stupid, you know. I was at her house, but now I'm on my Blog so I'm asking. If I had 10 shots of that rum, does it make it 10 times 21%, or 10 times the 21% divided by volume of the bottle multiplied by the volume of the shot glass, or just 21% 10 times? The answer doesn't really matter. I saw the effect. You're so happy...you almost pass out. The next morning..., let's not talk about that. By the way, I had a couple of shots too. And it was good rum.

Compared to that evening, the next day of fun, food, and games was almost boring. You guys missed all the fun. Next time, just bring your tents.
See you next time.  Hasta la otra vez! (in Spanish)

King Snake in the trail!

Just came back from a quick walk at the Mound.  I don't like to go to the Mound in the middle of the day because most of the self respecting birds are taking their siesta.  But I couldn't resist when I was just around the corner in the Fort Hill area checking on a property.

Not too many birds today but, wow, the King Snake!  Long, pretty, unafraid. A man walked right beside him and I was impressed by how unafraid he was.  I found out later he didn't see the snake. I asked him. I had to wait till the snake got out of the path.  He looks like the snake I've touch once before.  I was just not in the mood today. He was facing me this time with his head up. Maybe he was giving his name and I didn't even realize. Shoot.

Have I said once before that no two birdwatching outings are ever the same? Guess what I saw this time? The Pileated Woodpecker at the lower end of a tree in the Loop area.  He then came down on the ground!!! A Pileated on the ground, then up the tree, low.  Never seen that before.  And that's not all.
A Mississippi Kite was flying over the water with a small snake in his bill.  The snake was still alive, wingling.  I forgot Mississippi Kites eat snakes too.  Maybe I didn't know until I just saw it.

On my way back, there was that King Snake again!!!  In the path, like if he owned it.  And he was not getting out of the way this time.  I had to do what "Larry" did earlier.  Walk right beside him.  At least I said Hi! and told him my name.  Till we meet again.  Better to be friends with these snakes.

I have more to write but I better go back to work! 

Kelly is going to Paris

Traveling is good for expanding our horizons. Before you know it, your children are traveling overseas by themselves. (If you have children). I can understand Kelly's excitement. I was doing the same thing at her age and getting all excited about it. Now, it's her turn. She has already visited Togo, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. She has many more trips ahead. Leah is following right behind.

Kelly is in the 1st picture with a friend from Bangladesh, studying abroad. "Abroad" here is the US. And she is going to Paris in the same French program too. How cool is that? I wish for their small group to see a lot, experience a lot, have fun, and grow in maturity. I believe traveling makes a person more mature and more humble. You know your backyard is not the end of the world.

Alligator at the Ocmulgee

After checking on a property early this morning, I stopped by the Mound on my way back to the office.
Conveniently, the Park is on my way back. 
It was early, and it was cool. Birds were out including the Great Crested Flycatcher, several Great Egrets and one lonely Blue Heron.  I don't want to bore you with all the birds in this post.  Trust me, they were out, and they were vocal.

I was hurrying back when I saw, just lying on a log, a little alligator.  You can easily miss him but I always check those logs because that's where the big water moccasins use to sunbathe.  I guess they got evicted by the alligator.

I just saw a man on the trail a few minutes earlier.  I've seen him around here before.  I carry my binoculars, he carries his camera with powerful zoom lenses.

Well, I shared my find with him and he sent me three pictures of the alligator.  He also shared the snake he saw and I missed.  A long black Rat Snake in a branch above the trail. The tree branches form a canopy in that area and you can just walk under.  Very convenient when it gets hot.  Pretty too. Well, I walked right under the snake and didn't see him. I think that snake knows me by now and I recognized him too. We've met a few times before. Last year and this year. We just never got the chance to properly introduce ourselves.  Hey Rat Snake, if you ever read this blog, my name is Andre and you must be Blackie, right? 

Isn't nature just beautiful?  Alligators are photogenic, black snakes are pretty and friendly, birds say hello to you and sing you pretty songs...Get out every chance you get. Miracles are all around you. If you wait till you're old, you can't walk as good, you can't see as good, and you'll wish you've done it earlier.

Spring birdwatching at the Ocmulgee

We went this morning for some birdwatching at the Ocmulgee National Monument.  No two birdwatching trips are ever the same!  You always have a different experience even if you go back to the same areas again and again.

The Indigo Buntings are out.  They are pretty blue birds with beautiful songs.  They like to sing.  We saw Bluebirds too, with a bright blue color.  The usual birds were there such as the Great Blue Heron, Great Egrets, (some were flying and were so gracious!), Cardinals, Phoebes (singing their heart out!), Killdeer, Titmice and Chickadees.  A Red Shouldered Hawk was perched on top of a tree and watched us walk by. Did you know black birds could be pretty too?  Red-Winged Blackbirds, Rusty Blackbirds, Common Grackles, and Brewer Blackbirds.  They're all out in our area now. 

The Great Crested Flycatcher is visiting, and the Eastern Kingbird was begging to be seen by singing as loud as he could.  Sparrows and Wrens are always around too here.  So many birds when you start looking!

We were rewarded by observing a male and female Summer Tanager playing around like teenage birds in the foliage. The unique thing about the male Tanager was that he was not fully red. When we checked it out later at home, we understood that his red with yellows were the colors of a Summer Tanager in his first Spring.  Interesting that these birds have girlfriends so early.  We recognized the female immediately from our last camping trip when they were hanging around the campsite.

Chipmunks are out, as well as turtles, and the deer.

We also heard two Barred Owls hooting loud in plain daylight, then barking at each other.  Fun, just fun to be out.