Today we went down to Grundy County to one of our favorite hiking spots: The Fiery Gizzard. Most people just take Zantac if they feel a fiery gizzard, but we have learned to love it, copperheads and all.
Daddy, thank you for reading my blog, but please look away right now and skip down to the fun pictures of the boys playing in the water.
Brian and I have been hiking in Tennessee for almost ten years now, but there is a first time for everything. And of course it comes when you have brought someone else's child and your own two on what seemed like a fun daytrip.
Not even one-tenth of a mile from the trailhead, John yells, "SNAKE!"
(Daddy, this is your 2nd warning -- everything ended fine and so really you should just take this opportunity to scroll down a bit and look at the pretty pictures of the waterfall.)
John, literally, stopped, mid-stride, with one foot hovering above a 2-foot long
copperhead.
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| Copperhead |
Dave (Brian's former student) had just (obliviously) stepped over it, but Eagle Eye John saw it, Brian identified it, and I photographed it while Sam said, "Ewwww."
It crossed the trail and got into leaves on the left side. I tried to get a closer picture (me, who will run screaming terrified from a bee), but it rattled its tail in the leaves as a warning, so we all quickly walked away.
After that, there wasn't much excitement until we reached the waterfall, which plummets on one side into a very deep pool. The big boys enjoyed jumping (see video
here), while Sam and I ate lunch, and relaxed on the far-from-copperheads rocks.
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| Sweet Dave |
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| Important Discussions |
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| Under the falls |
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| Brothers |
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| Please don't bother to comment on my hairy, knuckle-dragger arms. I'm already self conscious about it. But look at that love I'm getting. I had to document it despite the embarrassing limbs/appendages. |
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| Whittling |
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| Add caption |
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| Look at all the huge boys. |
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| I took this picture because I don't want to be in denial about the fact that he may not ever sleep on one of our backs like this ever again. |
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