SUNDAY STROLL - IF THE CREEK DON'T RISE

If God's 'willin', and the creek don't rise I'll be there, is a good old saying.

We have friends who live on the other side of a dry creek bed. Well, it's dry most of the time except during rainy season and since there is no bridge across the generally dry area they sometimes get stranded on the home side and enjoy their quiet time until the water goes down enough to drive across. Follow me down the path to our creek and I'll show you the potential for too much water in a creek. We live at the end of the road and we are downhill from most of our neighbors. That has created runoff pathways where water needs to go downhill toward the creek and then on to the lake. Home sites and streets probably diverted some water courses but here at the end of the road we see lots of water passing by.
This is the bottom of the path down to the creek and we are looking back up toward the house. I hope you can see how the water has washed away the leaves and dirt to expose the tree roots making an uneven but effective stair step for our descent.
Over a short distance from the path you can see two run offs in full cascade; water rushing to join the stream that has been filling from other run offs all along the creek bed.


This is what the water now looks like under the bridge after days of rain. Tennessee has been blessed or not depending on where you live. Many people have lost their homes to flooding. This is not a flood for us. Just a full rapid river of water finding it's place to settle.

Just last Sunday I took this picture and used it in my Sunday Stroll. Pretty peaceful looking don't you think. Usually it is a quiet contemplative place to sit and day dream.

This is today. We are looking at the same little water fall area and back up the small slow meandering waterway. What a difference a few days and a lot of rain can make. Just for fun I took a video of the sights and sounds down at our idyllic spot in the woods.

Be sure to join others as they take a stroll around one of their favorite spots

over at Aisling's place.

SUNDAY STROLL

I'm starting my stroll in the woods to check on the fern. By fall they should be quite large. Something about ferns seem very calming to me.

At the edge of the woods is our Sweet Shrub, most of the flowers are gone and the interesting seed pods are taking the flowers places. Very interesting to look at, but I understand the seeds inside are poisonous.
Here is the experimental hanging tomato plants, bush on top and grape hanging from the bottom. We are not thrilled. The top plant can't take the heat and we have been watering every day and sometimes twice and it still looks pitiful. We did eat our FIRST TOMATOES today. They were four grape tomatoes from the bottom plant.



Our potted tomatoes are doing much better. Pay no attention to the yellow leaves, I forgot to pick them off before taking the picture. Do we know how to recycle or what? Our buckets were piling up in the garage, we knew they would be good for something.

I've walked through the house and am on the front porch. A Friend gave me the start for this plant last year and I can't remember what variety it is. If you know give me a heads up.

Checking the temperature is a little hard because the Fuchsia is getting in the way. I think it is near the 80' here in the shade. Behind the flower baskets is our American Chestnut tree. It is becoming quite an eye full. And we have two trees out of four that we planted that are doing well and should live long and prosper.

Here is a close up of the catkins. The native American Chestnut trees were almost entirely wiped out by a disease in the early 1900's. The few hardy trees that resisted the disease have been cherished and nurtured for years while foresters worked to create reliable young trees.

For years all new growth died after seeming to be established. New growth would come up from the roots, but always failed after a time. The disease is still doing its deadly work. But recently hope is being renewed by trees that seem to have longevity.

There is now true hope that once again the American Chestnut tree will reign as the beautiful and strong hearty building material that formed vast numbers of barns and buildings still standing across the U.S. The story My father told me was that a squirrel in Maine could move across the tops of Chestnut trees all the way to the Mississippi delta region without ever having to touch the ground. The forests were that dense and full of Chestnut trees.

That's my stroll and forestry lesson for the day. To find other strollers go to

The Quiet Country Place.

SUNDAY STROLL - REDBUDS

April is the month of The Highlands Redbud Celebration. The area just down off the mountain is called the highlands and the misnamed Redbud trees abound. The color is more like the color of Pepto Bismol. Events are scheduled all month in the name of the tree and fun is had by all. Yesterday there was music performed by the TTU Tuba Ensemble at the Cookeville Depot. (TTU is the Tennessee Technical University) There will be wildflower hikes at all the local state parks. A listing of the events can be found at http://www.redbuds.org/ There will be a Rain Barrel Festival and even something called Dragon Days. I'm sure you'll want to hop in your favorite mode of transportation and head on down to join in on all the fun.

Country roads and super highways are lined with the Redbuds.

It is breath taking to ride down the mountain and be surrounded by this delectable color.

The view any day is wonderful, at least to me. I never tire of the scenery as we go to town on any day. It is never the same. It is always a delight.

Can you dig it.
The Redbuds are the highlight now, but in a few days the Dogwoods will be in all their glory and the oohs and aahs will have to be shared.

To visit other strollers please visit The Quiet Country House