Gleaning Facebook: Bald Eagles!

What a morning... a pair of our majestic national symbols gliding about, bringing branch and litter to renovate their nest. I watched with Doug Walker and Max Hester for perhaps thirty minutes before each bird winged his/her way southwestward on a hunting mission perhaps. Max got several great shots this morning (as did Doug) but this one is from earlier this season. Bald Eagles in Rome! I'm still in awe. Nonchalant as you please ignoring the traffic on 27 and the busy college campus at the foot of their tree, just going about the day-to-day preparations of any pair of expectant parents. We now have Bald Eagles in Rome, Kingston, Weiss Lake, Chattooga Co. and Carters Lake. I followed our pair toward the quarry but didn't see them again.

I continued my walk along the Viking Trail and assorted other Berry lanes for an enjoyable hour or so. Besides the usual unnumbered does and fawns, I saw several nice bucks -- one an eight-pointer.

Comments: 

John Countryman That's a majestic bird!

Bob Doster Got at least one pair down here.
Rose McDonald Darby We had one land in our back yard a few years ago. It was awe-inspiring and almost unbelievable.
Terrell Shaw For those who may be curious -- Bob is in Eatonton GA & Rose is in Brunswick GA. Isn't it great to see the comeback of the raptors. DDT almost did 'em in.

Steve Evans Terrell - now that the election is over - it's nice to hit "like" for a change.
Terrell Shaw Don't worry Steve, I expect I'll still manage to aggravate my conservative friends occasionally. Alice Jeffries Keel How exciting!

Gleaning Facebook: Kayak Advice?

 

I took my new kayak out for its maiden voyage this afternoon. Just twenty minutes or so from Piggy Green landing to the John Ross bridge and back. Foolishly wore jeans which were soggy with cold paddle-drip in five minutes or less. I obviously need some "guidance for the old geezer kayaker" from you old pros. It was my first time ever in a kayak! I have a reasonable amount of canoe experience, but only twenty minutes in a kayak so far.

Best cool/cold weather kayak attire?

Drip avoidance schemes?

Keeping bow wobble to a minimum?

Retrieving beverages without going for a swim? (No beverages along today, but felt like turning my inflexible self toward the stern might capsize me.)

Etc.?

Terrell Shaw

Alright, Alan , I need more than a simple "like" here!

Thom Holt

Never thought about blue jeans LOL

Sarah Anne

um.....snow pants? dont they keep you warm and dry? or what about thise things that the cranberry workers wear?!! or fly fishermen! Heck, now you can start fishing from your kayak like in that kayak bass fishing shows!  

Julie Ingram Gatanis

A friend of mine kayaks around here and she wears a wet suit.

Terrell Shaw

This is a "sit-on-top" kayak, David.

I'll bet wet-suit is 'spensive, Julie.

Robin Holt

Drip guards for your paddle.

Wet suits are cold unless you are in the water. Several companies make water proof wind gear Defoe kayakers.

Bob Doster

1. robe and slippers., 2. A good decongestant, 3. Stay sober., 4. Bobber cooler.

James Grant

I put on a upper and lower polypro medium or heavy weight with a GORE TEX paddling jacket and a light pair of shorts. For your feet a pair of heavy wool sock with some river shoes will usually keep your feet warm.Keeping you head warm will help keep your feet and hands warm

Don Henderson

drysuits run from a couple hundred to a couple thousand.

Cheap solution, hip waders and a rain coat

Terrell Shaw

You bad, Bob Doster.

Bob Doster

Had an earthier answer to no 3, but refrained due to the family nature of this tribunal. But the bobber cooler is awesome.

Nick Douglas

Goretex rainpants or waterproof, breathable knock-offs. I didn't realize double-bladed kayak paddles dripped onto the boat.

Terrell Shaw

I'm sure there's sumpin I was doing wrong, Nick ... but I didn't end up in the water so I wuzn't a complete klutz. 

Christie Hufstedler Boyd

Okay, Terrell, you didn't do anything wrong. Move the drip rings down close to the blades and you will minimize drips but may never stop them completely.

Go to Walmart and go to the camping section. Buy a pair of nylon rain pants. They are about $20. Also, just wear a fleece lined nylon jacket. I wear synthetic long underwear underneath the rain pants. And if it's very cold, I wear tights under that. The water will run off both. You don't have to spend much to stay warm. Wear several thin layers of synthetic clothes, never cotton. All the natural fabrics besides wool will make you freeze when they get wet. I have a pair of "wet suit" boots that I paid about $30-40 for. I wear socks with them but they are very hard to zip up. A pair of lace-up wet weather boots work just as well. Wear something on your head. I don't know if you remember but a couple of years ago, I fell out of my kayak on the Polar Bear Paddle at the beginning. I was warm as long as I was paddling. I didn't paddle fast but steadily. I wasn't cold until I got out and then I shivered so hard, I couldn't take off my boots somebody else had too. I keep dry clothes inside our truck to change into when we are done if needed. On long paddles I take dry clothes in the hatches.

I drink Sprite and if there's no can holder, I just hold it between my legs or if you took a bottle of water you could lay it beside your leg. Not a big deal.

I didn't intend to make this so long, but I love to paddle and want you to know you don't have to spend much to have a good warm time in the winter. Call us and if we're home we'll go with you. My favorite paddle is from Dixon Landing at the soccer fields to Heritage Park. Doesn't take but a couple of hours if you dawdle along the way and can be done much faster in a hurry. 6 miles.

Terrell Shaw

Sounds like good advice, Christie. Oh. no worries, I'm gonna use that kayak. Scoped out places to get into the river behind the house today.

Gleaning Facebook: Spielberg's Lincoln

 Go see Spielberg's Lincoln.

It had me moist-eyed with the first scene.

It is a magnificent film. Performances by Daniel Day Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Hal Holbrook, and the guy who plays Seward but whose name I can never remember, are ALL Oscar worthy. The kid who played Robert Todd Lincoln was also great. They managed to make the Abe/Mary relationship seem real. The photography and music are wonderful -- does John Williams have room for another statuette in his home?

A great date-night with my beautiful wife.

Gleaning Facebook: Thank you Commissioner Lee

 Here is my comment on the Romes News article (link below) about the petulant response by some on our city commission to efforts by the Coosa River Basin Initiative to have input into the proposed shopping center on our city property at the "Duck Pond" in downtown Rome.:

This greenspace/wetland is ours, the citizens of Rome. Continued use as public greenspace is the best use of this land. Sale to Ledbetter or any other private entity is short-sighted and not in our best interest or that of our children and grandchildren. What a wonderful spot in the middle of our city will this greenspace seem in a hundred years when the surrounding land is much further developed. I do not oppose all development, of course, but this is wetland, it is part of our parkland, it connects Jackson Hill with Ridge Ferry Park, it filters pollution from our urban watershed, it houses intown wildlife, it stores floodwaters that would otherwise fill stores and homes. Our city commission should listen to its citizens, and no organization better represents the environmental interests of our area than CRBI. To call its efforts for a "seat at the table" extortion is insulting to this citizen of Rome.

Thank you Sue Hamler Lee for your principled stand for our children and the future of our beautiful city.

Don Henderson

today, they tore down paradise, and put up a parking lot

Chris Frazier

Terrell, I lived in that ghastly backwater from age 5 and off and on into my 50s. When I finally left, I experienced roughly the same relief one gets with the cessation of a chronic and severe migraine. Rome and Floyd County are habitually backward, lacking vision, anti-intellectual, and viciously gossipy. With a few exceptions, the electorate consistently chooses the most primitive leaders imaginable who actually lead nothing except a march into the cul-de-sac of ancient history. Rome-Floyd County is a place that likes to see people fail. Whenever I merely hear a reference to it, I think of a grim Faulkner novel. The best that can be said about it, from a literary perspective, is that it's excellent fodder for novels about the cannibalism of anything remotely progressive. I'm glad to have escaped. I wanted to escape so badly that I effectively gnawed off one of my feet to free myself from the trap.

Terrell Shaw

Chris, people just seem to be people wherever I go. Some of the finest folks I have ever known have been Romans, and a few at the other extreme too.

Ruth Pinson

Well stated, my friend! We need to fill the mall we have, as well as all the empty strip malls, before clearing land for yet another! I would love to see an extension of the park and a walking trail along the creek.

Mary Nisbet Asbury

Does the city believe it is a blight because of the homeless living there under the bridge? I know Mary Hardin has been working hard on various projects around Burwell Creek and is a very strong advocate on this isdue.

Gleaning Facebook: Eagles!

 Wow! Doug Walker also has some great pics of these gorgeous birds. I was thrilled last weekend when he gave me one to share with my students.

Wonderful shot of the bald eagles that have nested on Berry's campus! We are home to the national bird of the United States--how awesome is that? (Photo by Eddie Elsberry)

Gleaning Facebook: I Won A Kayak!

 The only gambling I ever do is to buy raffle tickets for worthy causes. I have purchased raffle tickets on every canoe/kayak that CRBI & Cedar Creek Park have offered over the last few years. Today it paid off. I am the proud owner of this Wilderness Systems Tarpon 100 sit-on-top kayak. Yay! Let's head tp the river

Thom Holt: That's a great boat. Go w robin and I ASAP you will love it

Anita Stewart: All right....let's get the kayak on the river....expect to see some upclose photos, but get a waterproof camera.

Wendy Ramsey: Congratulations! We just bought 2 kayaks yesterday. We'll see you up the river!

Dana Jordan Alexander: NOOOOO I sooo wanted to Win that !!!! bought my ticket at the same time you remember LOl we were standing talking about it ... to funny glad you won it Mr Shaw ...

Terrell: Still can't believe it! Sorry you didn't win --- but glad I did!

Dana: LOL I think we need a recount LOL just kidding you know I love you Mr Shaw, and I am glad you won it. I am sure we will see you up the River sometime .

Christie Hufstedler Boyd: That's just like mine. I love it. Nicole's is royal blue and Freddy's is lime green and decked out for fishing. He hasn't put it in the water yet.

Gleaning Facebook: Hee-Haw!

Several of my Repiublican-leaning cousins and friends have forwarded a cute little poem today. I got a kick out of it but thought a response was appropriate. Please accept this in the tongue-in-cheek spirit with which it is penned (or, rather, pecked out on my laptop). I really do love my misguided friends and relatives.

 

Gleaning Facebook: Veterans Day

From Jenifer Beaver: My school really has a wonderful Veterans Day Committee who plans the most simple, yet elegant program. It is always special to be a part of this observance at AES. Thank you Carol Burris, Jaki Day, and Terrell Shaw.

Comments:

Terrell Shaw: It was a simple, beautiful ceremony made even more lovely by our wonderful chorus led by Jenifer Beaver!

Jenifer: All the students at school love to sing with you, Mr. Shaw! If I start playing a song that you happen to have already taught them, the room radiates energy and every single student sings with no inhibition. It is magical.

Jaki Day: It was a special day...your chorus Rocks, Jennifer.

Carol Burris: Jenifer, you are just so sweet and it is so nice that we are family at AES working together to make things happen. Sure wish my dad was alive ... WWll vets are fewer each year.

Gleaning Facebook: Maddow on Facts

From Rachel Maddow:

 

Gleaning Facebook: Just to be clear...

From Alan Weakley:

"Just to be clear, I'm an old white straight southern married son-of the-confederacy son-of the-American-revolution dad glad that we re-elected Barack Hussein Obama as President of America. I have no doubt that America, my daughter, my son, and my wife will be better off because of this outcome. Let's be patriots. Repudiate politicians who take the scorched Earth approach of Mitch McConnell: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” The "single most important thing" we should all try to achieve is to support leaders who advance democratic and ecological ("knowing the home") values within our country and abroad."

From Terrell: This southern white ol' geezer Dad agrees. 

Comments: 

Raymond Atkins: I agree too. I am also a white, southern, geezer Dad. Oh, and I am not on the dole and have never drawn a nickel of the public's money.

George Barton: WE are now a minority Terrell, when do we apply for affirmative action?

Paula Graves: Yeah, because white men have it so hard.

Ray: YOU try being in charge of the remote 24/7, Paula. The stress is unbelievable.

Howard Smith: ME, TOO

Gleaning Facebook: Election Night Commentary

 

The Good News just keeps sinking in.

• 55 senators are caucusing with Democrats.

• No Todd Akin, Joe Walsh, or Allen West in Congress.

• The Affordable Heathcare Act is settled national policy.

• Every Democratic incumbent candidate - Jon Tester, Claire McCaskill, Sherrod Brown, Bill Nelson, etc. - is back for six more years.

• Elizabeth Warren, Joe Donnelly, Tim Kaine, Angus King, and several other fine new Democratic Senators will be sworn in next January.

• During the next four years there will not be an "Alito" or "Scalia" sworn-in to the Supreme Court

• Medicare will NOT become a voucher program.

• Choice will be the law of the land for the foreseeable future.

• our government will continue to treat science seriously (climate science, evolution, etc)

• Sheldon Adelson's 100 million dollars was defeated by my measly $600 with other small donations of thousands and thousands of other ordinary folk and by our volunteer telephone calls and door-to-door campaigning

• Dick Morris, Charles Krauthammer, Karl Rove, and lots of other right-wing pundits were proven TOTALLY wrong about their predictions.

• The Citizens United SCOTUS ruling failed to work for its creators, at least at the Presidential level.

• Mitch McConnell's unprincipled politically-motivated obstructionism did NOT achieve its prime goal.

• for the first time since FDR a Democratic President has been re-elected with more than half the popular vote.

• the American people have clearly called for a recovery program that combines spending restraint with increased revenue -- the heart of the President's re-election platform.

Comments:

David Dake

Great looking family Mr Presdient

Cristie Smith

Beautiful family!

Betty Smith Franklin

sigh!

Joan Shaw Turrentine

With the photographer across the room, of course!

Terrell Shaw

Pete Souza is one of the great ones, Joan.

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Comments:

Howard Smith

well said and forward thinking

Terrell Shaw

Thanks, Howard. Want to add an item or two? How about:

The Tea Party was shellacked.

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt

Moving to the left…..!!

Betty Smith Franklin

A new generation of seasoned campaign workers... ( of all stripes). One promised to push my wheel chair to canvass in 12 more years....

Ruth Baird Shaw

Squeaking out an election in a bitterly divided nation is hardly what I'd call a blanket endorsement of Obama and what has become a radical Anti-God Democratic party!

Drew Fountain

well .... if the Democrats are radical and Anti-God - then Obama is appropriate. Seems I remember reading something about "to keep the separation of church and state." and "freedom of religion"

Terrell Shaw

"I'm a Christian by choice. My family didn't – frankly, they weren't folks who went to church every week. And my mother was one of the most spiritual people I knew, but she didn't raise me in the church. So I came to my Christian faith later in life, and it was because the precepts of Jesus Christ spoke to me in terms of the kind of life that I would want to lead – being my brothers' and sisters' keeper, treating others as they would treat me. I think also understanding that Jesus Christ dying for my sins spoke to the humility we all have to have as human beings, that we're sinful and we're flawed and we make mistakes, and that we achieve salvation through the grace of God. But what we can do, as flawed as we are, is still see God in other people and do our best to help them find their own grace. That's what I strive to do. That's what I pray to do every day. I think my public service is part of that effort to express my Christian faith." — President Barack Obama

The President is a professing Christian, as are many other Democrats including me and others who worship with me each week. It is interesting that the GOP ticket this time was made up of a Mormon and an Ayn Rand disciple.

Joe Howell

I voted for the baptist . wonder why so many people seem to dont get the fact obama is a christian and a baptist!!

Raymond Atkins

They don't want to, Joe.

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The times they are a’changin'

Comments:

Donald J Briscar

Come senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don't stand in the doorway

Don't block up the hall

For he that gets hurt

Will be he who has stalled

There's a battle outside

And it is ragin'

It'll soon shake your windows

And rattle your walls

For the times they are a-changin'. ---Bob Dylan

Cristie Smith

I want to read Dylan's recently published biography.

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A Message from Dan Bevels:

Congratulations to your side. I've enjoyed the debates. As I've told you before, I give you a great deal of credit for my interest in politics. 

I will pray for the President as I have been doing.  I'm hopeful that he makes good on his promise to bring the country together and doesn't make the mistake of believing that a closely contested win is a mandate for a lame duck's liberal agenda. 

For now, congratulations and enjoy the victory!  2014 is just around the corner! 

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A perfect ending to a (nearly) perfect night. Congratulations, Mr. President!

What a speech.

Comments: 

John Lee
What a speech indeed Terrell! Makes me proud to be an American

Hal Massie
I caught the speech while driving home this morning. Very inspiring.

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The best is yet to come!

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Signed, sealed, delivered!

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Virginia has been called for the President! My prediction is perfect so far.

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Excellent concession speech by Gov. Romney.

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Tammy Baldwin! Oh my. This is great!

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Those sweet words from Mr. Romney are upcoming... then the President, then I'll go to bed.

Comments:

Rodney Karstetter

I know I have been waiting to long now to hear his consession. I hope he takes the high road and makes a speach that will push the right wing extremist toward the center. Here we go!!!

Ruthy Countryman

Me, too. It'll be an interesting Wednesday in class on 4 hours of sleep!

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt

Amen!

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I'd just like to point out that it was immediately after I had spent a few hours calling Florida voters that Nate Silver switched the state from pink to baby blue. If Florida ends up in our column, I've decided to take credit. 

Comments:

John Countryman: I'm sure that tipped the scales, Terrell!

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt

Now hold on... Dave and I worked the phones as well, but if it will help you sleep better, you can take the credit! Ha! Can we get you started on the House....we need some change there... A few well placed calls should do the trick. Eh?

Terrell Shaw

I'll share credit with you & Dave, Wanda. I'm just that generous.

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt

Yea, we are feeling pretty generous as well.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight's election settles something, probably for all time. Universal healthcare is now the official policy of our nation. There will be no repeal of the Affordable Healthcare Act. We fought for it for 100 years. It is now no longer an issue. It is national policy.

Comments:

Rodney Karstetter

I do not think Mitt's Ego will let him Concede the election. Mitt could win Ohio, VA, and FL but with CO there is no way president Obama is not the President. Mitt needs to concede.

Laurie Craw

Our son's Obamacare is safe! Medicare is safe! A compassionate America is safe!

Wanda Mulkey Dagraedt

Karl Rove can take his SuperPac dollars and go back to the Rabbit Hole. Donald Trump needs to be tried for treason on many levels. I am thankful that we have a Leader who thinks before he speaks and has held onto his principles through some rough years. He understands for our country to come back to our former glory, you can't tick off the rest of the world. We have big issues yet to solve but I, for one, will sleep a lot better tonight knowing we are moving forward.

Deborah Lake Dawson

We actually do not have universal healthcare. That is when there is only one system, a totally government owed system. We have a step towards it but it is far from a universal system. That is what he wanted but he compromised on many levels to get what we did get in the Affordable Care Act . I am very thankful that we got this far.

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Colorado --- 283!

Dan Bolton

All by midnight

John Countryman

Yes!

Mary Caldwell

Colorado Rocks

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