First visit to Lake Keowee and quick stop at Lake Jocassee!

Turtle and Hatch

            We made it to the water! I have been trying to make a trip to the lake with my grandson and slowly acclimate him to the great outdoors, but something has always stopped us. For two whole days he was in my care and I took advantage of both days and we did things. The first day we drove an hour south and visited my Father, he bought us lunch at Mama Penn's in Anderson, SC. My Dad had not seen Wyatt but one time way back when he was a small infant. We had a good visit and one stinky messy diaper, which after the changing and cleaning of Wyatt, Great-grandpa made me take both Wyatt and the diaper with me when I left! So we made it back home in one piece and let Grandmama have the boy the rest of the day.

          Day two started with sunshine and breakfast. We played a while then took that all important morning nap, yes, important to me also! I let him wake on his own time and be ready to go where ever I might lead him! First stop was the local Hardees for hamburger and fries. Gracie and I used to stop here for steak biscuits early in the morning, we would share a couple as we made the familiar drive to Lake Jocassee and a day of canoeing.      Many good memories of Gracie!!    Wyatt didn't complain about lunch so we moved on to the rest of the day. Another hours drive but headed north this time toward the foothills of SC. No canoe strapped on the top of the car and no hiking shoes or trekking poles laying in the back, a diaper bag and day pack held all the necessary gear for a successful walk down to the shore of Lake Keowee.

Cove near Fall Creek Landing

          This is a nice quite spot, a couple of years ago a parking lot was built and the path to the lake was widened and steps were added. The summer months, this place is  full of people enjoying the mountain lake. I discovered this cove many years ago while paddling the illuminated lake on a full moon night. Gracie and I would put in after ten o'clock anticipating the quiet paddle and load up to return home as the sun warmed  us to start a new day. We glided the still waters from Keowee Town Landing toward Fall Creek Landing and would stop here to snack and nap in the cold night hours. When Hatch was born I said this will be one of the first places I show him, after he starts walking. Here we are! You can see the shallow water and nice big sandy beach. Another anticipation of mine is to see this great outdoors through the new eyes of a child, Hatch is my set of new eyes. We just stand looking out over the lake when I spot a mussel opened up and laying in the sand. I pick it up and give it to him, I had no idea that you could study one little mussel so intently.

What is it?

          There ya go! We found one that was still closed and brought it home.  He wasn't real sure about walking in the lake water!

You see the water line right at his toes!

The mud was OK!

           We went ahead and played in the dirt for a little while, new things to see and do!

           You can see by the pictures that they were taken away back in October, I might need to post this blog before it begins to grow green mold!


          On the lake or in the woods,

          Turtle and Hatch

Merry Christmas 2014

A Charlie Brown Christmas Tree on Lake Jocassee

         

          May you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I am looking forward to a wonderful 2015.  I wonder what will be around the next bend in the trail and at the narrow end of the next cove I nudge my canoe into!


          Turtle



         

A Mountain Top Experience! August 29,2014

Wyatt, not real sure what's going on!

          We arrived at the top of Sassafras Mountain with me just a fussin' and actin' annoyed because I had read in the paper that the trees had been cut off the top of the mountain! You know that a tower is going to be built up there and I and all other types of people will be able to walk the steps and have a 360 degree view from this tower. I had already, a few weeks earlier spit out my window and threw up my hands in disgust when I was driving up a paved road instead of the dirt gravel road which has been there for years. [  make sure window is down before spitting to the left  ] The Foothills Trail pushes over Sassafras and is open to all who care to hike to the top! If you want to see a view, put on a pair of sturdy shoes, throw a water bottle in a daypack and start walking!

          No other cars were parked in the lot, just Wyatt and I checking out the damage. Wyatt is my grandson, he refuses to walk, almost 15 months old at this time and he is almost untoteable. [  spellcheck says that is not a word, but it is now!  ]  I unbuckle him - all child seats are training straps for future astronauts - lift him out of the car and tote him to the Mt. top! Yep, the trees are cut! I stand next to that rock and look around all around and say to myself, but not out loud, "that sure is some view" "never seen it look that way with the trees all growed up" "if they was to build a small tower, I bet a man could really see a long ways away" "sometimes a man has to admit he could be wrong 'bout towers and such" "as a man's hair turns gray, he is smart if he admits he's  been wrong bout lots of things, unless he's a stubborn fool!"  So, OK, build the tower! on the first clear cold full moon night, I,ll drive to the mountain top and walk up the steps with my grandson and we will marvel in God's wonderous creation! Then we will go again when the moon is dark and stand in awe gazing at the millions of stars nodding and winking at us.

       

Just a quick look see !

Whats left of a good tree.

View goes forever!

          For those of you live in the Upstate of SC, when you come to Sassafras the cooler the weather the less haze to block your view. I will try to keep up with the progress of this tower and post my findings.

       

Hatchling

          A baby turtle is called a hatchling. I go by Turtle on my blog and Wyatt is my small outdoorsman in training, so for the time being I hereby tap him on each shoulder with a dead pine branch and call him Hatchling!



          In the woods or on the water,



          Turtle and Hatchling



          May Gracie rest in peace.