One Year In Tennessee - 20 Observations (Crossville: live in, military, vacations)

[chickadee]

Those birds do not look fat to me; they look like they are cold! When birds get chilly, they fluff up their feathers for better insulation from the cold air and seem to hunker down a bit. That makes them appear to be bigger than they really are.

[gemkeeper]

Originally Posted by chickadee

Those birds do not look fat to me; they look like they are cold! When birds get chilly, they fluff up their feathers for better insulation from the cold air and seem to hunker down a bit. That makes them appear to be bigger than they really are.

This is true, chickadee. But, we have noticed here just south of y'all in N. GA that we have the chubbiest little birds we have ever seen, also.

We have lived in various places in the midwest and northeast for most of our lives and the winter hangers-on up north look like they are always ready for a good meal. These guys look like they just ate it, regardless of the tempurature!

(Boy, do we ever fancy our birds on this forum. Thanks, LauraC, for offering all of those beautiful bird shots. It isn't easy to get up close and get a little bird to say "cheese".)

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by gemkeeper

This is true, chickadee. But, we have noticed here just south of y'all in N. GA that we have the chubbiest little birds we have ever seen, also.

We have lived in various places in the midwest and northeast for most of our lives and the winter hangers-on up north look like they are always ready for a good meal. These guys look like they just ate it, regardless of the tempurature!

(Boy, do we ever fancy our birds on this forum. Thanks, LauraC, for offering all of those beautiful bird shots. It isn't easy to get up close and get a little bird to say "cheese".)

I still think the rain brings up the worms and because it's rainier here, they eat more. Oh wait a minute, we had a drought last year. There goes that theory.

There are so many festivals and state parks in Tennessee that more people eat outdoors - more leftovers for birds?

Global warming? Er, too much cow flatulence and SUVs heat the atmosphere and stun birds into lethargy so all they want to do is eat. Hey, I might try this one on my doctor.

Okay, here's my other one --- they're too big to make a faster getaway so the only birds I'm able to photograph are the big slower ones. The skinny birds escape me.

[Godsdove]

I've also been here just over a year...and I totally agree with you!!! We love it here and can't imagine not being here.

[Grizzlybear34]

Those birds do look a little, er... plump. Especially the cardinals and that sparrow! What is that last bird picture? I don't believe I have ever seen one.

Also someone mentioned guineas? What are those?

Originally Posted by LauraC

You guys think I'm kidding about the big birds but I just looked through some of my photo folders. Some of these aren't the best quality photos but look at the size of these birds and tell me they aren't huge for the little guys they are ---

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Bones]

Guinea Fowl = Guinea Fowl = Good watchdogs.

[gemkeeper]

Bones, I'll say the Guinea Fowl is a good watch bird/dog!

Laura, have you heard the saying "You're not fat; you're just fluffy"? These birds (and, most of us) are just fluffy.

[pineywoods]

Originally Posted by gemkeeper

Bones, I'll say the Guinea Fowl is a good watch bird/dog!

Laura, have you heard the saying "You're not fat; you're just fluffy"? These birds (and, most of us) are just fluffy.

I always knew there was a reason for all this "fluff" on my bod! I'm a bird-wannabe!

Laura, as a soon to be Tennessean (we're at our farm in TN a lot now-days, so I'm an ALMOST Tennessean I guess) I concur with your transplant assessments. Sure, there are good, kind people in every state, and beauty in ever state, but never, in my travels across this awesome US of A have I ever met people as genuinely people-oriented as the good folks of Tennessee. So I'd like to add some observations from an ALMOST Tennessean who for the past two years has been "sort of" living here:

1. Old fashion neighborliness is alive and well. People still bring eggs, baked goods, a jug of homemade blackberry wine over to the "younguns" just because...my daughter and her husband have the best neighbors in the entire state, I swear. Once we build, I will have my hands full just keeping up with giving back on the homemade goodies front

2. The times they are a-changin'. You see a huge mansion on the waterfront in Piney Flats, but go a mile down the road and you'll see a single-wide rusted out trailer. What's notable is that NEITHER ONE IS OUT OF PLACE. There's a cooexistence here, where in northern states the classes are more spearated. We know our neighbors in a trailer and they're happy as clams...now the rich dudes...I dunno whether they're content or not Hope so!

3. MUSIC IS EVERYWHERE in the Tri-cities. As one who can pick a little guitar and sing a bit, it was important that I find a place where music is played. Man is it ever here. Lots of stringed instruments, and not just Country either. Just about any day of the week someone somewhere close is performing singer/songwriter folk, reggae, Appalachian Blue Grass, Southern Rock or something indefinably unique.

4. People here are natural storytellers, and it doesn't have anything to do with Jonesborough either. It seems like an inborn talent here, but really is more a cultural inheritance...maybe people spend more time talking and less time watching TV here? Would love to know why storytelling is an aquired custom here...LOCALS, please chime in! What makes Tennesseans such great storytellers? Spend 5 minutes (ok...make that 30 min., because that's what it often turns into) and you'll hear entire family histories, the news about Harry's cows that got loose, and all about Goldie's house that burned down in 1905 in a lightning storm. No one is a stranger for long here...long as you take time to LISTEN. Fascinating stuff!

[rlrm777]

2. The times they are a-changin'. You see a huge mansion on the waterfront in Piney Flats, but go a mile down the road and you'll see a single-wide rusted out trailer. What's notable is that NEITHER ONE IS OUT OF PLACE. There's a cooexistence here, where in northern states the classes are more spearated. We know our neighbors in a trailer and they're happy as clams...now the rich dudes...I dunno whether they're content or not Hope so!



We've noticed it lot too. Seems that unlike here in Fl, people don't make judgements about you based on what your neighbors have or don't have.

[jabogitlu]

I never used to notice the class deseperation, until my friends from the greater Toronto area visited and were amazed at trailer parks beside 400k+ subdivisions. It's your land, do what you will with it!

Agreed about the music all over the place. I am grateful that I was born here in NETN, it's helped me be a better musician, I think! And as for the storytelling... gave me a chuckle. I think it's less an art and more a big mouth!