The Majestic and Beautiful Bald Eagle

This entry today is dedicated to Bald Eagles

They are very special to Gina and I

As we stated yesterday one of the reasons for coming to “The Land Between the Lakes” was for Eagle watching. We have been so amazed as how they have graced us daily with their presence. There are times during the day when we can see four of them soaring high above. This past week has been so amazing and peaceful for us. Our biggest highlight came Sunday afternoon while hiking. As we were walking we startled a beautiful male Bald Eagle sitting on the ground. He then flew about 100 yards away and perched himself up on a tree. We carefully made our way to view him while keeping our distance. We just knew he would fly away at any moment. Well, we were just amazed as he didn’t fly away but rather he sat there letting us admire his great beauty. We sat there for over four hours before we said our goodbyes to him and left him alone. As we continued our hike we would look back across the lake and we could still see him sitting there.  This was a really neat experience for us and one we will never forget. 

We hope you enjoy these pictures below. If you want to see more just click this link to our online photo album.

This was our first view of this guy

He let us move in closer for better pictures

The look of power

He even turned around for us

His back after he turned

Looking up at him

Just Beautiful

Even a 1/2 mile away you can still see him

I’ll end with this scripture:

Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

A Much Needed Dose of Nature

We know that it’s been over a week since our last post and we last said that we were moving to a location that allowed us to boondock for a couple of weeks. We planned on moving Monday morning but we didn’t get moved until Tuesday morning.

In an effort to catch everyone up we’re boondocking (no hookups) at a U.S. Forest Service Recreation Area named “The Land Between the Lakes”. It’s the only Recreation Area in the U.S. maintained by the US Forest Service. They do have full hookup campgrounds here. However, Gina and I wanted a little dose of nature and the possibility of watching Bald Eagles. We found a really nice location tucked back in the woods that overlook a small bay of water. It’s absolutely beautiful!

Me telling my dad goodbye, I had wonderful time camping with him

Our Campsite

This is our view

Another view across the bay

Gina is loving all the Fall colors

We have a system, Gina collects firewood while I cook

We're getting real proficient cooking over a campfire
A special thanks to Pop's for the Rack

I can even make coffee over a campfire, look at that firewood Gina has collected
Thanks to Uncle Jerry for the new coffee pot

Gina just cannot get enough of these colorful leaves

She even takes close up shots

A few White Pelicans

A woodpecker picking an acorn off a branch

Since we got here we have done a lot of hiking and relaxing trying to soak up the scenery around us. One of the highlights this week was on Saturday we hiked two and half miles up to the Nature Station for their Fall Frolic. We were able to see some of the wild animals they have rescued due to being orphaned or injured. As a result they are not able to survive in the wild. This area has so much to see and do that Gina and I both highly recommend stopping for a day or two. Check out the link above for more information.

Bald Eagle

Wild Turkey

Barn Owl

Red Tail Hawk

Great Horned Owl

A Fallow Deer

I guess Mom & Pop said it best in their blog, “We’re just kicking back and enjoying some down time. Of course it doesn't hurt when you're in God's backyard surrounded by all of his amazing creations.

Our first Bald Eagle sighting here in Kentucky
They have graced us with their fly byes everyday

We appreciate everyone stopping by and following our adventures.  We should be back to regular posting and I'm sure there will be a more of them if you like Bald Eagles as much as we do.   


Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.

Enjoyed A Wonderful Family Reunion

Welcome to November. Where did these past ten months of 2010 go? I'm not sure but we sure had a lot of fun.Our family reunion is over and we’re getting ready to travel this morning. We are just moving about 35 miles to the Land Between the Lakes here in Kentucky. There are approximately 30 resident Bald Eagles in the Land Between the Lakes and we're hoping to see them.  We have enjoyed a wonderful reunion catching up with a lot of family we haven’t seen in a few years along with some we had never met.

Friday we enjoyed a bar-b-que dinner and Saturday was a fried turkey dinner with all the fixings as if it was Thanksgiving. Sunday found us back out at the Kentucky Dam State Park & Resort for a leftover dinner. Really it was just one last time for everyone to get together. Gina and I hung around and played cards until 7:30 and then headed back home.

This is a good place to document a little family history if anyone is wondering. My Grandparents, Rollie and Alice Thurston had nine children. They were all raised on a farm in Pulaski, Illinois. In 1974 my grandparents sold the farm and moved to Paducah. All of the children moved away from Pulaski after high school and settled in groups of two around the country except for Ruth. Eileen and Neal are in Colorado, Donald and Mike are in Texas, Rollie and Jim are in Louisiana, and Nadine and Diane are in Kentucky. Ruth which is deceased moved to Virgina where most of her children still reside. I could write more.  However, that gives you a little background of our family. Here's a few pictures of the eight children and their families we took this weekend.

All eight brothers & sisters (in birth order)

Everyone that attended the reunion

Harold & Eileen

They're still RV'ing six months out of the year at 90

Donald & Roesina

Jim & Nelrose

Rollie & Joyce

My dad and his wife

Neal

Walter & Nadine

David Michael

Jerry & Diane

Walter, Nadine, Curtis, Lynn, Kay, Hannah, & Mary

Jerry, JJ, Jerry, Diane, Lilly, Noah, Rachael, Teresa, & Clint

Donald, Roesina, & Georgina

And of course us

That's about it for the reunion. It has been such a pleasure to visit with our extended family. We need to get packed up so I'll end on that note. Stay tuned as hopefully we'll see some eagles over the next few days.

Gina & I hope everyone has a pleasant and wonderful day, enjoying what our Father has so graciously blessed us with.