"A Stitch in Time" National Civil War Quilt Trail........

We drove down to Tennessee to visit Land Between the Lakes and Fort Donelson last week.  I was surprised when I spotted a quilt square on a public building and later one on a barn.....

......this one is called Hands All Around. 

We had stumbled onto the National Civil War Quilt Trail in Stewart County, Tennessee.  I was thrilled to see my first Tennessee quilt squares and get their map to add to my folder of quilt barn maps.  There are 55 squares in their quilt trail loops, but the area we were going only had 12 and most were on public buildings.  This was the only barn one we were lucky enough to find.  I intend to go back with the map and look for more at a future date.

This square is Lincoln's Platform.  Quilt squares have many names and this is also known as Churn Dash or Monkeywrench.  They have used names throughout their trail that have a Civil War connection when possible.

"Eagle's Wings" on the Dover Town Hall.

This is the Fort Donelson Visitor's Center and they had two quilt squares.  This is where I picked up the map after I had already seen several squares just by accident.

This one is "Underground Railroad".

"Joseph's Coat".  It is believed that quilts were used on the underground railroad to give escaping slaves messages or where it was safe or what direction to go.  This has not been proven one way or another.

T Crossroads on the South Welcome Station in Land Between the Lakes.

This is a terrible photo out the window, but I wanted to show it was in Dover, Tennessee.

"Snow Crystals"

The Homeplace Interpretive Center had three squares.....

.....Rose of Sharon, Spider Web, and Double 9-Patch.

We saw two other squares but were past them before I realized it and no good place to turn around.  I'm glad to know where these are.  It is about a 2 hour drive for us to get there and we plan to go back.  The drive up through Land Between the Lakes is actually very uninteresting and you are never near the water.  We did enjoy Fort Donelson and I will post some photos from there next.

Hovey Lake area.....

Last week we drove out to Hovey Lake one day.  This is a very large lake near where the Ohio River and the Wabash River meet.  Sometimes we see a lot, sometimes we see next to nothing.  This was a day for a great variety of species even if I didn't get perfect photos.

Before we got there we saw some turkeys off the edge of the road.  These 2 are young ones.  The adults hustled into the bush on the other side and a couple flew away into some trees.

We pulled into the main parking lot and I could see a gray bird up in the tree flitting around.  Shooting out of the car window and upwards didn't make for great photos, but this was the best one.  When I got home I identified it as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.

I'll show this tail shot just because it helped me figure out what it was :-)  That black section between the light sections was very obvious and is one way to recognize them.

Leaving the parking lot we could see this Great Blue Heron through the trees.  I didn't try to get out for a better photo figuring I would scare it away.

Heading around to a path we like to walk at the end of the lake, we saw 2-3 deer.

I spend about 10 minutes chasing two Monarch butterflies that didn't want to hold still most of the time.  You can see the second one below the first, but out of focus.

  This is what happens when the subject moves :-)

Not much different, but I liked it on the Button Bush.

There is a path we walk that goes between the lake and a swamp area.  This heron was sitting high until we arrived and chased it away.  I don't know if you can see the black spots...those aren't dirt on my lens.....they are dozens of dragonflies flitting around.

Part of the swamp.

We usually see Red-headed woodpeckers here and found a pair.  He's sitting high watching everything and she was following him around.

An Eastern Pondhawk female

Another one that is eating something!  I didn't know that until I got home, or I would have taken more photos.  Can't tell what it is....something green with little horns? Caterpillar?

I just liked the "o" shaped vine hanging over the lake.

Heading back down the road towards home, I saw a large bird in a tree....an Eagle!

A little bit closer, but too many branches in the way.

Young Red-bellied Woodpecker......

I looked out the front door the other day just in time to see a young Red-bellied Woodpecker at the suet.

It is so funny looking.....like it is bald.  Very "gawky" adolescent looking :-)

It liked the suet and seemed to want to hang around, so I filled all the suet feeders.

I think this is the first young one I have ever seen at my feeders.  I'm glad to know I have a successful mating pair around.  I see the adults from time to time.

Posing

Not the best focus, but a close-up of the head.

Hanging underneath.  I hope it stays around for awhile.

Squirrel Sunday.....

Squirrels get thirsty, too......

"Hmmmmm...wonder what all the fuss is about this fountain thingy.  I think I'll climb up and have a drink!"

"She put a lot of nice footholds on this thing.  Should be easy....after all, it's not Mt. Everest....just Mt. Froggy."

"Hey I found water already....no need to go to the top!"

"Now how do I get my butt....I mean tail.....on up over this edge?"

"Maybe I can just lean in"

"Ta da!  I made it! Squirrels rule!  We can climb anything!"

"Now I REALLY need a drink!"

(I'm embarrassed about the "mossy" covering of the fountain and need to give it a good cleaning, but Star II doesn't seem to mind.)

At Mouteau Park....

I decided to try a different park on Thursday.  I usually see some butterflies and dragonflies at Mouteau Park that I don't see at Hartman Arboretum.

I was thrilled to find a Monarch and didn't even notice the caterpillar when I was taking photos of the butterfly. 

After it flew away, Mike noticed the caterpillar....there were actually 4 on this Swamp Milkweed plant.  I believe that black thing is caterpillar "poop" called frass.

Catching the sun.

I think this is the head (I can't tell one end from the other when I am looking at these Monarch caterpillars).  Looks like it is munching on the flowers.

Another shot of the butterfly.

Caterpillar and Monarch again.

This Buckeye butterfly chased the Monarch away!  It likes the Swamp Milkweed, too.

Basking in the sun.

Blue Dasher male

This was one of the dragons I went looking for.  Usually there are a bunch of these Halloween Pennants here, but I only saw this one that was very torn up.

There were many Widow Skimmer males and they were chasing each other and every other dragonfly around.  Very aggressive!

Another shot of it.

When we arrived and when we left this Mockingbird was on this fence.  I guess it is his "guard" spot.