Coosa River Kayak Trip in July, 2014.....

We went with friends down the Coosa on Saturday.  I was surprised at how crowded it was.  Every hour brought a new school bus full of young/old river adventurers.  I had always wondered if the rental places did any business during the summer and boy do they!  We weren't necessarily crowded to the point of not having a good time but we weren't alone either.  Most of the easy rocks and normal stopping points had people already milling around.  The locals take river boats up to Moccasin Gap to watch all the kayaks and drink beer.  We went with the 9:30am trip but they also had a 11:00am and 1:00pm trip too.  At least one more outfit uses this particular launch spot and stretch of river.  Lots of young people drinking beer, hanging out on the rocks, and doing the typical summer river thing.  We went with Coosa River Adventures which is located just outside of Wetumpka.  The website is:

Coosa River Adventures LINK......

It's $29 for a single kayak, 49$ for a double kayak, and if you want a canoe its $59.  I strongly urge you NOT to use a canoe.  It's bulky and if you turn over......a major pain to get flipped.  They ask you to be there at 8:30am but nobody leaves till almost 10:00 for the 9:30am trip.  You will get on a school bus which takes you to a dirt boat ramp right below Lake Jordan dam.  It's got some deep, slack water you can get used to paddling in.  Past there it's one little shoal after another till you get to Moccasin Gap.  Depending on how much water they are pushing, it can seem challenging but it's really not bad.  They were only pushing 2000cf when we went down it and while it's as low as it ever gets, sometimes avoiding the rocks can be the hardest thing about going down the river.  The trip was roughly 7-8 miles I think and we lollygagged the whole time around the shoals.  We started at 10am and finished at 1:00pm.  That is WITH goofing around.  It's a short trip if you don't waste some time looking around.

We had fun however and so did the other couple we went with.  Its a great way to beat the heat of summer and get out of the house for something a little "different."  I will most likely do this again next year.  The one negative I have is the water is nasty.  I am used to the Tallapoosa River with no smell and clear water.  The whole of the Coosa River chain, including the lakes, are all muddy water.  That is not a complaint however and something I was more then happy to overlook on a hot 95 degree summer day.

Below is a link to me and the wife tackling Moccasin Gap:

Moccasin Gap

Garden 2014....

This is an update to all my current garden children.  I will update as I get things in the ground and start putting the ones I have started from seed into their places.  I have lots going on and more still to go.  I have held back on some of my plantings (unlike last year) because of the crazy weather we have had in Alabama.  Cold, hot, cold, hot, and repeat.  I only have so much room in the house to bring stuff in where the dog doesn't pee on it or the one year old doesn't pull it to pieces.  I have approximate 4-5 more plants to set in soil, some of which are very temperamental as I learned last year.  Below is where I am at right now......

I set this on the back porch and I have three containers that look identical to this one.  I

have always been a sucker for merigolds and this year, I added Sutera Cordata to the

mix.  It's Proven Winner branded as Snowstorm Blue Bacopa. It is a trailing variety and

given the chance, these plants should get along nicely, but will appear rather full.

 Here is one from last year.  A hardy perinnial geranium, this plant is a "Purple Haze" variety.

The foilage is supposed to be purple in the Spring but this particular plant didn't set purple

foilage, only certain leaves had irradecent trim.  The flower is very typical of the geranium

and you can see below, it is a very deep purple.  I didn't get a flower last year and waited patiently

for this year, when it really came back strong and put out leaves quickly.

 This is a Cheddar Pink Dianthus.  Usually this dianthus flower 

appears more full, making the full circle rather then five distinct petals.  Both the color

and the actual petal make-up are very distict on this plant.  It didn't flower last year and

was very curious as to what I had this year.  The foilage is frosted green when mature.  It has

been very tempramental and now I know why.  The harder they are to grown, the more

beautiful the flower. 

 Another plant that wintered over, is this Saponaria Ocymoides, a low growing, trailing,

ground cover that I put in a basket.  It has since spilled out of the basket by two feet

and has put on quite the show this spring with TONS of intracate light pink flowers.  I 

have a place in the yard that I will put this and allow it to spead it's legs a little.  I liked

this particular variety because it doesn't spread is easy to control without it taking over.

I bought this rose bush last year and it was fairly slow growing.  It's a climbing rose
and was quite small last year(it's first year) but when it did bloom, it was gorgeous.
Well, this year it has really taken off.  It's blooms are unique in the fact they change
color through it's life cycle from a bright yellow after opening, to an pink with yellow center,
and ending with a white centered, dark pink rimmed 4" flower.  This was labeled as
the Pinata Rose.  Life cycle goes left to right below.

This is the actual rose bush from above.

Who can hate a knockout rose bush?  This is a mature specimen and I
usually cut it way back each year because it almost takes this particular
area over by end of summer.  It's really blooming now though!

I have a few Iris's and this purple version(don't know the name) is a
fairly small variety.  I inherited it from the previous owners.

My tomato garden is coming right along.  I have Farmstand, Jetstar,
Roma, and Ritebite varieties in this raised garden.  I even have some
peppers on the end for good measure.

And last but not least, a wet dog with slobber and everything.

Tallapoosa River Canoe Trip 2014

Our 2014 trip was reduced due to time constraints........ and the fact we didn't have time to goof off like we wanted too last year.  2013, we did roughly 77 miles in three days starting above Lake Wedowee and ending at Horseshoe Bend.  This year, we cut roughly 27 or so miles off  the previous trip by starting below the R.L. Harris Dam and ending again at Horseshoe Bend Military Park's boat ramp.  This years 50 mile trek in 3 days was A LOT more enjoyable.  We had time to stretch our legs, look around, and weather permitting.....relax.  We had decent weather with drizzly rain the first day, a great second day filled with sunshine, and the last day was pure rain/cloudy/cold.  So, we had a chance to experience a full spectrum of weather conditions on the river.  This continues to be an enjoyable annual trip and Springtime seems to be the best time to go, water level wise anyway.  As a tip to anyone who might try and make a float trip down the Tallapoosa....please remember to bring your life jacket, watch the scheduled water release times from Harris Dam (the river doesn't play), and make sure to register your car with the Horseshoe Bend Military Park at the visitors center before you leave your car there overnight.  The pass they give you lasts for an entire year and only requires your cars tag number.

Things you can expect on the river:

We saw lots of animals and a wide variety of bird life.  There were times when you could see multiple bald eagles at the same time.  Otters are a constant presents on the river but they are shy and one must keep a constant vigil to see one.  Beavers will slap the river at night, angry of your intrusion to their world.  Coyotes and deer can be seen on the rocky hillsides as you pass.  Geese, blue wing teal, wood ducks, mergansers, and grebes can be seen around the shoals looking for dinner.  The month of April see's the highest water levels and those fluctuations are inline with fish migrations up the river.  You will most likely encounter other boaters at the main sections of shoals fishing for white bass, crappie, or spotted bass.

Side Note: 

Please remember that camping alongside the river IS considered trespassing.  While Alabama Power has a leeway of a certain number of feet off the river on both sides, it's still considered trespassing the second you set foot outside your vessel.  The best way to insure a smooth river experience is to plan ahead.  A lot of the people you will encounter up/down the river are extremely nice and the vast majority don't mind the occasional camper BUT.......don't ruin it for everyone and leave trash or start cutting down tree's.  There are spots where campers are welcome but should you encounter a land owner on the river, please remember you are on HIS land and he has the right to ask you to leave if he so chooses. 

The rock cliffs below R.L. Harris Dam....

 We flipped the canoe on the second day and found this little guy inside the canoe (haha).

 The infamous "Canoe in the Tree."  We are always amazed at how powerful the river is.

There is stuff in the tree's, way up in the top of the tree's, from when the water was high all over the river.

 M.G. standing next to the river while we take a break.

 The river can be wide, and shallow in certain spots.  Your required to stay

in the river channel unless you like dragging a heavy canoe.

 The river and ol' trusty the aluminum canoe.  It's a miracle it still floats.

Overview, year in review 2013/2014...........

It was an interesting year, 2013.  The birth of my first child Allen W. Adams and all the wonderful things becoming a father entails.  This year also saw my Brittany Boone become a more polished dog in the field.  Deer season was a complete bust however and resulted in 3 animals.....two small bucks and a doe for the freezer.  The weather was good, the football season was a BIG suprise, and 2014 is already shaping out to be a memorable year.

 My little buddy, in all his cute chubbiness.

 Boone backing a GSP while quail hunting in Headland, AL.

 A 115lb hog killed on our annual pack-in trip to N. Ga.  Finally killed something this year.

 Yogi bear.....who loves bird seed.

 125lb hog killed in the Sipsey Wilderness Area in N. AL on a late season March hunt.

 Boone doing his best picture pose yet while locking a quail down in standing corn.

Auburn surprised everyone with a ticket to the National Championship game.  What a year!

Update to some of my earlier posts............

I spoke with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Fisheries Division the other day and it was determined the giant Northern Hogsucker I had posted earlier would NOT be recognized as a state record.  It may very well be the state record BUT.....they stated the additional work it would take to keep track of every fish in Georgia with subsequent records would simply be too much work and this was not considered a desired or sought game fish.  Seems like the lazy man's excuse but it wasn't my decision to make(I may be biased).  I did submit it to GON(Georgia Outdoor News) last week and they said they may run the picture.  The Fisheries Department is supposed to send me a validation of the catch with confirmed weight/length/species as a keepsake. We shall see.

Now on to gardening.........

I had a tree in the back yard, inherited like everything else, I couldn't identify.  Well, it finally bloomed and I was able to figure it out.   It's a Lavender Rose of Sharon Hibiscus and a mature specimen at that.   It had a short bloom however, as typical with large flowers, it only graced my yard for a brief moment.  

My raised vegetable garden is a disaster and is all but lost.  I have some okra finally coming on, one squash plant, and a cucumber plant that may still produce.  The tomato's growing right next to the garden look like great however.  I am blaming the lack of sun on the poor production.  Next year, it's tomato's and peppers in the raised garden, since they seem to prefer this section of the yard.  I cut a small Oak down that was partially shading this box out and it has done better.......still not good enough.  Next year it will be better.......You never know till you try.
  

 

Garden Update 06/21/2013

 My Canna Lillies have really taken off.  I started seeing them come up around March and what the worms/slugs haven't eaten, have done really well.  The previous owners planted these and they are not in the right place and are cramped due to spreading.  I will be digging these up when the foliage dies in the Fall.

 This is a Commelina Dianthifolia.  This is really a neat little flower.  When it sprouts it looks a lot like a grass shoot until it gets 8-10" tall and produces a little pod.  The pod has several little buds deep inside if you look down into it.  Each morning, a new electric blue flower rolls out for 4-5 days straight.  The bloom lasts only several hours as the sun withers it away.  A very neat, hardy to sun/drought, little addition.  Grows in clumps like grass.

 My Cosmos!  They have done really well this year.  I have never grown Cosmos and when I ordered a mix packet online, I really didn't know what to expect.  They have surpassed my expectations.  While it seems I am good at growing mainly orange, they seem to bloom steadily and consistently with 2-3" blooms that last 4-5 days before another takes it's place.  I will have a LOT of these next year.  They love the sun, have brilliant colors that really stand out, and don't require lots of water.

Some more of my "Twinkle Star Mix" that I ordered online.  These were not the easiest things to grow.  I killed quite a few before I got enough plants to make a couple pots of them.  They are really moisture specific and don't like to have wet feet.  I did manage to keep a few going and have several more ready to bloom.  The one next to the blooming Phlox is going to be a deeper pink.  Once they start blooming, they really produce the flowers......reminds me of Vinca's, only smaller.

Garden update....06/05/2013

Wanted to give a quick update on some of my flowers I have blooming right now but I am still behind where I hoped to be at this point.  My yard still has a long way to go : (    That is enough of my whining and here are some pictures:


My Hydrangea's are really coming along.  Four established plants are along one small section of fence.  I didn't cut them back and while this one looks great, the other three are spindly.  Next year I will cut them closer to the ground to prevent drooping.  This one is rocking out though!

 I have no clue what this is.  It is growing beside my raised garden and was a very pretty purple.  I thought I might include it here.  Maybe someone else knows what it is.

 My blue Hosta's I didn't know I had, that came up in the middle of a bed I had cleared for something else, are blooming right now.  I am gonna move those this winter to a more shade friendly place.  Doing good here though as I didn't have the heart to dig them up mid-season after they had put so much energy into sprouting.  This bed gets a lot of sun and will be loaded with flowers next year.........I hope!

 The previous owners wanted to make it hard on me and planted random tulip bulbs around my yard.  One sprouts here, one sprouts there, and they are all random.  Kinda like a tulip Easter egg hunt.  This is one here that just bloomed.  I also have some Bearded varieties in a separate location.  Yet another plant I need to dig up and concentrate to a single location.

 I am so happy with my Cosmos's and how they have really come along.  When they decided they wanted to grow, boy did they.  I have several blooming, all have been orange thus far(secretly happy about that "War Eagle") but I thought I would have got a Cheddar Pink or two.  I planted a bunch of Pinks but no blooms yet.

 I have never been a huge marigold fan but this year may have changed my mind.  I bought a flat the other day, planted them in a very tough situation, and they have really been a joy to see every day.  Always blooming, never in need of deadheading, and they don't mind the extreme heat.  I liked the French version with the bi-coloring verses the double bloom or plain African variety.  The bugs hate them too!  Did I mention they were cheap?  I may have found a new staple for my garden!

  Saved my favorite for last.  Here is a Twinkle Star Phlox in red with white trim.  I absolutely love this plant.  It was harder to get going then I thought it would be.  With the weird year and the cool-hot-cool-hot.....it was hard to satisfy this plants heat desires.  It likes LOTS of sun.  I hope it really starts putting out soon.  This is the first bloom.