I think we may have some ducklings in our future. When Jeanette was here this weekend, she twice scared off what she thought were ducks when she opened our front door (Brendan and I rarely use it). I looked in the flower bed and saw a nest! There were two eggs on Sunday (when I took the first pictures) and now there are three!
Do you see them in the center of the photo?
Before Brendan left for Illinois/Michigan, I asked him to take me to Cades Cove one last time. He was happy to oblige since it meant he got to drive his new truck. =-P
8/10/10
Earlier this week, I went to the park in Maryville with my good friend, Lelia, to feed the ducks. As I walked along the trail to meet up with her, I saw this:
Since the ducklings are finally in the park, I had to visit them again. This time, I had a loaf of bread.
Tiff feeding the ducks
Brendan and I had a wonderful Saturday. That afternoon we went to the Gatlinburg Sportsman Club (shooting range) where Brendan tried out his new gun. I took a few photos of him and enjoyed watching him blast some clay pigeons. I sat at the picnic tables and worked on the hand stitching of my Christmas sewing.
Brendan trap shooting
the gentleman at the range was very helpful
I got to sit next to that awesome tractor. 
I really enjoyed the view:
the upper field
*Brendan posted more details about his afternoon in “Introduction to the CZ”
After leaving the range, we grabbed some lunch/dinner and drove through the Smoky Mountain Park until we reached the Mountain Farm Museum.
historic farm
Mountain Farm Museum
We got to see some interesting buildings. These are actual historic buildings (most circa 1900) from different parts of Tennessee and North Carolina. They were all relocated here as an open-air museum.
Apple House
Apple House from Little Catalooche, NC
The apple house stored apples! Originally, this house was built into a hillside to insulate the apples in the bottom portion from extreme heat and cold.
The farm was right beside a creek and the forest.
Brendan standing by the creek near the museum
pretty water
The farm also had a springhouse from the same location as the apple house.
Brendan by the springhouse
Brendan liked reading the signs
The blacksmith shop was cool. It was moved from Cade’s Cove: my all-time favorite part of the Smoky Mountain National Park.
blacksmith shop
Brendan checking out the blacksmith shop
The farm museum had a pigsty! There weren’t any pigs, but the trough was occupied by another creature.
muddy pigsty
a rat!
I cringe just thinking about it. I made Brendan take this picture, I couldn’t face it. In hindsight, it reminds me of Charlotte’s Web. Didn’t the rat (my least favorite character) hang out in Wilbur’s trough?
We saw some more wildlife outside the barn. The creature running away is a groundhog. And in the words of SATC’s Carrie Bradshaw, the squirrel is “just a rat with a cuter outfit.” I couldn’t agree more.
nature
chickens in the bushes by the house
While the farm museum was interesting and fun, the real excitement was the elk herd in the adjacent meadow!
elk!
a buck
Brendan with the elk
Me with the elk
(Mom, notice my beautiful scarf.)
more elk!
big buck
The elk were amazing. I’ve never seen them before. I can’t believe they are so big.
If only I had seen a bear, my day would have been complete.
Love, Tiff
