Falls

Downtown Shelbyville, TN...the heart of Walking Horse Country. These falls are a small dam that regulates the Duck River through the city area.

Confederate Rose

This is the Mother's favorite flower from my aunt's garden. She has been waiting all year for this one bush to flower out, and she wasn't disappointed (thank goodness, cause when momma ain't happy...ain't NOBODY happy...).   We were afraid Ivan might destroy the buds that were just starting to open, but they survived beautifully....

Camo'd

v. cam·ou·flage... to conceal by the use of disguise or by protective coloring that blends in with the surrounding environment. can you see him? i thought he was way cool...

Bunch

Bunch from the aunt's fall flowers...she has a good variety of vibrant autumn blooms going right now.

Fishin' Hole

On the backwaters of Duck River...south Tennessee. I hear this is a pretty good fishin' hole, it is down beside an old bridge on a VERY back road.

Dawn in Walking Horse Country

A Tennessee Walking Horse looks on as I snap a picture of his morning frolic. Man, I miss living in Tennessee....this is a morning coffee ritual.

Misty Morning Creekside

Misty this morning along the Choccolocco...the water is still up from the torrential monsoon that was Ivan. Hitting Nashville in the a.m. for a little rest, relaxation, good music, and good friends....let the vacation begin!

Fountain

High Lake Falls entrance fountain, late afternoon.

September Sunrise

Ivan

the first signs of ivan came in the foggy whitish gray clouds that consumed the mountain in a matter of minutes. this was hours before the eye of the storm hit the coast of alabama, when the first outer rings of clouds approached our area (northeast alabama) near dusk. the lights in the distance are the towns of oxford and anniston.

Calm Waters

Calm, peaceful waters...  something people in the south have becomed unaccustomed to just lately... hurricane after hurricane is battering the southern states, and this ivan  may come close enough to batter us a bit---hours away from coastal waters. i, of course, will be anticipating his weakened arrival---storm freak that i am. i am feeling intense sadness for those on the coast, however. they are saying ivan is re-shaping the barrier islands of the florida panhandle as i type this. i rode up on mt. cheaha just before dark tonight, as the radar showed the outermost swirls over us. total whiteness up there, nothing but blowing clouds. you couldn't see your hand in front of your face, which made for a slow trek. the clouds swallowing the mountains (on the ride down) was beautiful, but it was pretty dark. don't know yet if those shots will be anything but blur. buckled in, folks...this could be a ride...

to those south of me, stay safe and hold tight to your loved ones. you are in my every thought.

On the rocks...

Inner

Wolf in Sheeps Clothing

Cider Ridge--Golf Club Extraordinaire... the newest bane of my existance. this is now on my winding back road to mt. cheaha...where the woods used to be. this is why the traffic on our small country road has boomed +300% in the last year. half full or half empty? well, the woods are gone, and exhaust is up---but so is our property value. the road is freshly paved. revenue is up for the city, and we were annexed into the city limits (ack). it's REALLY pretty...but all in all? i'd take the woods back.

Picture Perfect

High side water of the Ohatchee dam... i sat and stared out through this little framed up view FOREVER. just got lost in the blue sky day. very peaceful and soul-filling. it is in a picnic/camping area of neely dam, about 45 minutes north of home. lots of people out soaking up the sun on the man-made beach that day, kids laughing, people fishing, mingled sounds of several different music genres. this was a sweet day.

falling down...

Barely standing....this poor shed in the middle of a horse pasture. close to delta, alabama. it just...caught my eye as i was passing, a dull red splash in the midst of all that green.

Late Summer Jasmine

A break in the storms...

Shadows

Plain ol' zinnia

Kiss

Hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day. for everyone cleaning up after Frances, my thoughts and hopes go out to you.

Lantana

New crop fresh from the aunt's garden. I love this variety!

Quiet Cove

I need this photo tonight. it is peaceful and serene. it is the reservior runoff from the mountainous areas around my house, and feeds the main reservior by a series of overflow waterfalls. very pretty.

It has been a long, hard night for a multitude of people. my night consisted of staring at a computer generated radio transmitter...and waiting. my night was peaceful and safe compared to the members of the special response team who tried hour after hour to negotiate with a man who had nothing to negotiate for... this man who committed a rape and auto theft, then a double homicide, and then kidnapped a child (Jordan, 14) from the homicide scene. the homicide victims were Jordan's mother and stepfather, shot point blank in front of her. the officers are totally exhausted after the 23+ hour stand-off that finally ended with the suspect's self-inflicted gunshot to the head. this was a first in dispatch for me, and i never want a second. it could have ended much worse. he released Jordan about 3 hours before the gunshot sounded. the gunfire took place behind a closed door with all the officers safely positioned on the other side. i am sad for this man's family, very sad. but yeah, it could've ended much worse.

Full story: Police Wait Out Oxford Abductor

Police Photo Credit: NBC13. Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc

Serra

This is my aunt's cat, Serra. i love this cat, which is VERY unusual for me. i think it may mostly be because she is an outside cat, and their attitudes are sooo much different than the cats the Mother has (the indoor variety). she is just....cool. (i am very much the dog person).

Almost ready...

It amazes me how pretty the okra plant actually is... this late summer crop is almost ready to pick. people actually slow down and point during the time of day when all the blooms are opened (much like morning glories...they open and close during different times of the day). it is a field of green and yellow right next to the road.