Anchors Aweigh

Our nephew Ben is currently on his way to the Navy boot camp in  Great Lakes, Illinois.   He is flying into to Chicago today from New Orleans and tonight will be his first night of boot camp.  The link Navy Boot Camp  shows a typical process of recruits at the Navy Facility and what Ben will be experiencing over the next eight (8) weeks.   After boot camp he will be stationed in Connecticut as he enters the submarine program.

We are all so proud that he has chosen to serve our country and look forward to hearing of his accomplishments and adventures.  Please remember him in your prayers.

At the bon voyage party on Saturday, Len, Ben, Kathy and Leyton enjoy some time together.  Ben did shave his beard before leaving but will let the barber have a good time shaving his hair.

Ben heading off to an exciting future.  Hey Ben, the Navy is the door on the left...turn to your left.  Oh I sure hope he is not in the Army now.  We will let everyone know later if Ben is sailing the high seas or digging foxholes.

Timber!

This weekend we took down three (3) large evergreen trees by the driveway that were not green.  One (1) of the trees has a little kudzu in the top so the battle continue.  We did spray the kudzu again, including the neighbors, and the kudzu is currently in retreat from our property.

Brent would wrap a cable around the tree and hook the other end to the jeep.

To control the location of the fall, the base of the tree was tethered to prevent the tree from going downhill onto the road.

After making the cuts, the jeep was used to pull and direct the location for the tree to fall.

It is great when a plan works and comes together.

Cutting the stump lower.

TIMBER!  The second tree is felled.

Cutting the final tree.  Take note that all three (3) trees cut down were tethered.

The third tree falling.

Final tree on the ground right next to the driveway.  I wonder where those gloves are?

A view of the felled trees next to the driveway.

Some of the kudzu which came down with the final tree.  

What absolute precision detailed engineering planning and cutting skills that allowed our statue survived.

Cow Appreciation Day - Chic-Fil-A Style

On our way up to the Ridge today, we realized it was cow appreciation day, so if you dressed in cow gear you received a free entree at Chic-fil-a.  We donned our cow shirts and stopped by four (4) stores on our way to the Ridge.

Once we go to the Ridge, we received a call from Greg in Evansville, IN.  Great news.  Renee and Greg are expecting their first child and our first grandchild.  Everyone is very excited.

The expecting couple

JoLynn expecting to get a free entree at our forth stop.

Stopping at the Gap expecting a great view.

Shoney's Big Boy

Jennifer and Jessica stumbled upon the mama bear with her three (3) cubs near the mailbox on Monday.  The girls were in the car and stated that the mama bear just set in the middle of the road and would not move as the three cubs played in the trees.

This week's Gatlinburg building is  Shoney's.   Not sure if Shoney's still advertises the big boy, but I do remember the statue outside of the front door of a boy smiling and holding a plate with a hamburger over his head.

Oh yea, I did find a picture on the internet.

Bear Sightings

Well, so far this week we have had four (4) bear sightings at Blackbearry Ridge.  On Friday morning, Cookie woke us up as a bear was in front of the house.  Brent woke up Conley and Stella (along with the rest of the Birmingham crew) to see the visitor.  It turned out to be General Kudzu.  The bear stayed outside for a while and even lounged around the downstairs bedroom window, such that Conley and Stella got a very up close view.

Then about thirty minutes later, a mother bear with three (3) cubs ventured by the ridge and put on a good show in the woods on the side of the house.  The cubs were climbing the trees and their coordination is not up to par which is really funny.

Just now on Saturday afternoon, we just had a visit from a different black bear.  This one made a circle of the house and then headed up the hill.  Most of the bears come down the path next to house an usually go down hill.  He later came back by the house and then headed down the hill.

Conley looking at the bear (General Kudzu) on Friday morning.

A new bear that showed up on the Ridge Saturday afternoon.

This is the bear that circled the house,