Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Knee Gasher

I fell yesterdad fileted the entire knee cap off. All the hide was hanging like a flap. 22 stitches and I'm put right. My swimming season is over. This next couple weeks I'll have to take it easy a I don't bust my stitches.

Tuesday, September 15, 2026

Boondocking in the Cherokee National Forest-- Fall Branch Falls & Dockery Creek

Friday Aug. 7 through Sunday August 9 2026

Kenny & Dana Koogler

Kenny and I wanted to get out and go camping, but not have to drive so far or get into a big elaborate plan. We decided to go to State Line and camp for the weekend. It is quiet. No phone signal. No internet access. No TV. No screens period!

We left on Friday afternoon as Kenny worked half a day. We got down there and set up.

We realized once we got there I did not bring a single map and only one guide book. It really wasn't a huge deal since we are very familiar with that area. Friday evening was just relaxing and being together. Cooking together. I painted some. No TV is good sometimes!

We rode over to Murphy NC via Davis Creek Road and Joe Brown Highway. We stopped on the way there to visit Dockery Creek Falls. It was flowing extremely well. Lots of downed trees here today.

Below: First glimpse of Dockery Creek Falls

Below: Upper Dockery Creek Falls

Below: Dockery Creek Falls Lower level

Below is a video of the falls in their entirety.

While in Murphy we got stopped by a Dollar General and I purchased some canvas to paint on.

We purchased a Harrison Ford movie to watch that evening. It was a boxed set so we watched one on Friday and one on Saturday evening. I had never watched these all the way through. One was "Patriot Games "and the other "Clear and Present Danger". Both were good. Yes. I know they are old as dirt. I am always late to the party.

We drove the Cherohala Skyway and hiked to Falls Branch Falls. It is was a redemption and healing trip for me. Last time there I had a scary encounter. Kenny was trying to help me work through that to some healing. It was a good plan. Today we only encountered one other set of hikers. A group of two young couples. They were pleasant, normal and from the area. Friendly and talkative. The waterfall was amazing today! I don't think I've ever seen it with that much water volume before! It was hard to get photos or video and stay clear of the spray.

The trail was lush and green. It was running with water. Bright yellow sunflowers dotted the trailhead for us. We took the "short cut" trail and had to bushwhack through some vegetation, but it was not too bad. The trees are big down here and old. It is a lovely spot any time of year.

Saturday we got up and headed down the road to go hiking. We stopped at Green Cove Store.

They always have essentials and we had forgotten cooking oil or some minor item. We purchased it there. I saw that Mark Morrison's new book was for sale there so I thumbed through it. It only took me a moment to decided we needed that book! We purchased a copy and bought a Cherokee National Forest map to leave in the camper. As such I wrote CAMPER on it in ink pen.

I hadn't looked through the guidebook long until I could tell I was onto some wonderful fodder for future trips! Mark has mentioned a waterfall in there that was probably known to many locals, but not documented on any database. I know because when we happened across it I reached out to Kevin Adams. The Waterfall Guru himself didn't know of it! Mark gives some info on how to visit it. I think waiting until cooler weather is in order. We've seen snakes this year and we are currently in the Dog Days.

The weather was about twenty degrees cooler here than it was back home. We enjoyed a slight overcast and seventy five degrees. We slept at night with the windows open, crickets chirping, night birds singing and a nice breeze. It got cool enough we had to cover up! No air conditioner needed.

We had a good day in the woods. We got some exercise and saw some beautiful sights. It wasn't our most exciting trip, but it was what we needed. Rest. We headed home mid morning on Sunday and all in all it was a successful trip.

Below is a video of Falls Branch Falls

Wednesday, September 9, 2026

Norris Lake First Impressions

Saturday July 25 , 2026

Kenny, Dana, Jared, Lydia, Gabe & Mia Koogler

Pictures are HERE

We have camped at Norris Lake and hiked there, but had never put a water craft in there for a day of boating and swimming. We had been wanting to do just that. We also wanted to spend time with Jared and Lydia and their kids. We all put it on the calendar as a set date so we'd quit talking about it and make it happen. The day was hot and sunny with a little overcast. The usual chance of late afternoon thunderstorms. We spent most of the day on the water swimming and boating.

It was very relaxing. The water is like jade and warm as a bath tub.

We put in at the Loyston Point boat ramp access. That was not lost on me.

My overall impression of Norris Lake is that I like it. It will never be my favorite though. It has lots of development along its shores. Houses and loads of marinas. It has lots of coves.

Swim Cave was a bust that day as the water was so high as to make it like a sump! I am not a cave diver so we'll have to try that again at lower water levels.

Below: Mia age 5 has learned to swim! She is wearing her life jacket "Diaper Lady" style while swimming so it doesn't get in the way of her arms. Tessa taught them this trick! We don't use that trick except when the boat is stopped and she is swimming. When we're moving the life jacket is ON and on correctly!

above and below: Kenny, Lydia and Jared. Kids are in the tube being towed.

Above: Mia swimming

Below: Gabriel swimming

Below: Jade green water of Norris Lake

Below: we anchored in the cove next to swim cave to enjoy swimming

Below: Gabe walkingi around on the pontoon boat

above and below: kids in the tube

above and below: boats moored in the lake near Swim In Cave

After our lake day we stopped in Clinton to eat at Buddy's Barbecue. It was a good day!

I am concluding this entry with a video of Daniel Kimbro and Jerry Douglas performing "Loyston". The song tells about the flooding of the former town Loyston to construct Norris Lake. It is a beautiful song and commemorates the history. Jerry Douglas is on dobro and Daniel on acoustic guitar though I think both are multi instrumentalists.

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Around Home --Summer 2026

Around Home-Summer 2026

Each year I try to do a blog piece about what else I've been doing besides outdoor stuff.

I had surgery June eighth. It was a big surgery. It has taken a fair amount out of me. More than I thought it would. I was not supposed to at all for four weeks. After that I was able to get in the pool. I had to wait another two weeks to get in the lake. I have yet to get in the river. I'm being cautious. I've been having fun with my grandkids. Working on art projects. Gardening. Some easy home improvement stuff. Nothing major. My flowers have brought me a great deal of happiness this season.

Grandkids & Granddogs

Above: is my 17 year old grandson Michael and his girlfriend Olivia Myers. We were taking a boat ride on Lake Tellico.

Above: Gabriel and Mia at The Lily Barn taking a walk with me.

Below: Mia running toward me.

above: Chihuahua Granddog Tippy

above: Granddog Bones and granddaughter Tessa age 12.

Below: Tessa

Below: Gabe and Mia in my back yard with giant bubbles.

Below: Granddog Rip and grandson Gabe age 10

Below: Gabe and Mia photo taken by their other grandma Debbie

Below: Gabriel and Happy his kitten. That is the buckin' bronco headband he's holding.

Art

Above is a painting I did for my grandson Gabriel. A sunset on the Plott Balsams. He hung it in his bedroom.

Below: I made myself a trinket box for the camper to match a set of decorations I already bought at Cumberland Mountain General Store. I'm happy with how it turned out. It is acrylic paint sealed with clear polyurethane. I decoupaged the vintage post card on there and the extra touches on it.

Sewing

I try to refurbish my outdoor stuff instead of buying new. This year I had to break down and spring for new fabric to recover all of it.

For the back porch I went with dandelions for something very different. Below is a wall hanging I bought that matched perfectly!

Above and below: recovered screen porch furniture. I like how it turned out.

above: the pendant light above the table came from Rocking Horse Antiques in Crossville.

Below: For the front porch I went with pastel colors as the bright sun bleaches out whatever is here. I figured a natural linen color wouldn't bleach out.

Below is our porch swing which came from Dickson TN. I was able to purchase a suitable slip cover for it.

Below: the settee I recovered by sewing and made accent pillows for it.

Above: view across the porch toward the mountains.

Below: The chair didn't need anything as it was ok. I just made the rest match it.

Gardening

Shown above is a view of my back deck which is just outside my bedroom. It is full of colors and textures. I've never had my flowers look so pretty and so many of them. Stuff I had given up on ever trying to grow again is doing great somehow! Superbells, petunias, and verbena. I'm not sure what made the difference, but I'm happy with the results.

Below is the solar fountain in one of my birdbaths. I built a "beach" for butterflies and bees to drink safely. The crazy plant in there is corkscrew rush which can grow in water.