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Monday, October 13, 2014

Three More State Parks Today & I've Seen Them All!

I have now been to all 53 state parks in Tennessee. (I've heard they are adding two more, but this was my goal and I'm stopping and doing the book!) My first one today was my favorite, Red Clay State Historic Park:
7 Delightful Carvings in front of "Sleeping Huts"
Red Clay State Historic Park

A Cherokee Farmstead at Red Clay State Park
This is one of the first stops if not the beginning of The Trail of Tears and where the last Cherokee Council was held before the Trail of Tears began. The natural landmark is the still flowing Blue Springs, while there are many reproduction buildings including a Council Meeting House, barns, the above house and sleeping huts plus an Eternal Flame for the Cherokee. There is an annual pow wow and other related events held here each year. A new and pleasant discovery for me.

Then on to Booker T. Washington State Park:

One of two fishing piers in
Booker T. Washington State Park   

Like so many Tennessee State Parks, this one is all about the lake, Chickamauga Lake in this case, with fishing, boating and other water sports plus all kinds of recreation fields, picnic grounds, and other day use plus a group camp and a group lodge for church and other groups to use. It was built when African Americans weren't welcome at white-dominated state parks like Harrison Bay just 5 miles away. Of course today all parks are well-integrated, yet this park stays predominately black as Harrison Bay appears to still be predominately white - all unofficially of course!  :-)








So then I go the 5 miles to Harrison Bay State Park

All parks sport the flags as
these at Harrison Bay.
Also on Chickamauga Lake and also near Chattanooga, it is another weekend hangout for people who love water with much of the same activities as Booker T. Washington. The big difference here is the Marina and Restaurant with yachts and other big boats. There is also a big family campground for both tents and campers which the other park did not have.

(It suddenly dawned on me that I have known few African Americans to go camping - or is it just my imagination?) 

This too is used for a lot of day use, especially on weekends and seems to another popular park.









Sunday, October 12, 2014

Two More State Parks

A family on a rock overlooking Center Hill Lake & Dam at Edgar Evins State Park
I've actually been to Edgar Evins State Park more than once before but could not find any photos. When Jason was in Middle School he had a friend whose father also worked for the Sunday School Board and the four of us camped and fished Center Hill Lake at Edgar Evins State Park. And I did an art show near the lake one year of my art show days (2004-2008).

Going to Ft. Loudoun State Historic Park as the rain starts.
Fort Loudoun State Historic Park is where revolutionary war period re-enactments take place which was not happening today but rather a pouring rain by the time I got there. I got photos of two signs and the Sequoya Birthplace Museum across the road. I started driving into the park in the rain (hoping to see a fort) and a scary-looking man was wobbling down the middle of the road in the rain (drunk?), so I made a quick u-turn and got out of there! This park is on Tellico Lake and near the millionaires' Tellico Village of mansions (weekend cabins?). Millionaires, drunks, and heavy rain scared me away from this park and I moved on down I-75 to Cleveland, TN where I will be closer to the three parks I plan to visit tomorrow which will finish my journey to all of Tennessee's state parks. I'm determined to finish the book before going to Costa Rica.

Had a great BBQ dinner with peach cobbler and now a quiet evening in my Hampton Inn room with plenty to read as well as this online time! Did another post on my Moving to Costa Rica Blog tonight too, reacting to Chris Howard's newsletter on Tortuguero, one of my favorite places.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Changed mind on Costa Rica Posts Location & Got Apartment

I will continue to post about my preparation to move to Costa Rica on the special blog I started for the decision making notes since several are following it and not this one, at least until I get moved there. See today's post entitled Apartment Arranged.


But this "Adventures" Blog will still be used and probably become my main blog after the move. 

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Cost Rica Ranks #2 on Global Well Being Report

Panama Photo from USA Today
See the USA Today report at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/16/global-well-being-poll-panama/15679637/

And Panama ranked #1 - the other country I was considering retirement in. Did I too hastily dismiss Panama? Nah! They're next door neighbors and I will likely travel some in Panama and if I decide Costa Rica is not the right place to continue living, I can easily move next door!  :-)  But for the natural world, my main draw, Cost Rica still wins out! 

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Live in Costa Rica Tour

I'm having a wonderful time and learning a lot on what could be the beginning of my biggest adventure of all, a two week Live in Costa Rica Tour and 4 extra days to explore, including a birding trip.

SEE MY DAILY POSTS  on my newest blog Costa Rica Decision Process. You'll learn why I'm considering a move and lot about Costa Rica too. 

Sunday, August 17, 2014

Attacked by a Mockingbird

Wednesday afternoon I was being interviewed on camera by the Fifty Forward FLIP Program (Friends Learning in Pairs reading tutor) in which I participate with much enjoyment. See my FLIP page. Well, the videographer decided it would be outside for better light. At the Donelson 50 Forward we went to that little patio in front of the building with me sitting on a park bench for the interview,  unknown that I was sitting under a Mockingbird nest on the tree limb just above my head. No less than 5 or 6 times the mother Mockingbird dive-bombed into my head to scare me away. It finally worked! She never broke the skin, but it hurt when she hit me!
DISCLAIMER: This photo was not
made during the attach but earlier 
as McKendree Village, but my
attacker wasn't abiding by 
this speed limit.

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Boyhood

Tuesday I saw Boyhood the movie at Belcourt Theatre, our Nashville Indie Films theater and it is one of the best I have ever seen! It touches your heart strings or something deep inside as well as being one of the most unique of films. The producer filmed the same boy and the same stage family every year for twelve years to get the most realistic growing up movie yet. The boy goes from 6 to 18 as well as his sister, parents, step-parents, grandparents, etc. all realistically aging and changing their lives too.
Filming the same actor for 12 years, Ages 6 to 18


Because it goes through so many stages of life it did somewhat remind me of my growing up, though more like Jason's, yet even a later generation than his. If you cry in movies, bring your Kleenex! It is so real and touching.

I'm sorry it is rated R for the language and a little teen sex and drug use. I would have put PG13 on it. Maybe that is why it is in art theaters instead of the main stream ones. But I predict it will make the big ones soon and is bound to have many academy award nominations and make lots of money. One of the best movies of the year so far to me.

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Two More State Parks


After biking my 16 miles on the greenway with Indigo Buntings, I drove south of Nashville to photograph two more state parks in my quest to visit & photograph them all. Today was Tims Ford and Henry Horton.
Tims Ford Lake is one of largest in the state.

Neat Bicycle Bridge at Tims Ford


Duck River at Henry Horton State Park

Tennessee Coneflowers at Henry Horton State Park



Saturday, July 19, 2014

My Friend Joe Dies

Last night between 9:00 and 10:00 one of my first friends here at McKendree died as one by one his bodily systems have been shutting down over the last few weeks with the latest being a kink in his small intestine and water in the lungs. I sat with Nancy and the body until midnight last night until the funeral home finally picked up Joe's body. Today I took Nancy to the funeral home to make the arrangements complicated by the fact that Joe's son in in Pennsylvania and has all power of attorneys. But with phone and email they got it all worked out for his cremation and a memorial service probably on August 2 here at McKendree.

Today I wrote a poem and put it in one of my photo cards which I will put under Nancy's door in the morning on my way to church:

Remembering Joe


Soon after moving, I met Joe,
A kindred spirit, ready to go!
He soon showed me that he cared,
Likenesses of my Dad he shared.

I loved to hear his real war stories,
Never focused on his glories.
We laughed and talked of life,
While always avoiding strife.

Then along came that girl Nancy,
Their relationship not too fancy.
Both brought memories and love,
Descending on them like a dove.

Truer love like I’ve never seen,
From Nancy’s caring we do glean.
System by system, Joe shuts down
While Nancy’s care deserves a crown.

Day and night, Nancy was faithful,
And for that, I’ll always be grateful.
Joe’s now flying above a plane,
And knowing him was my gain!

Charlie Doggett
July 19, 2014

The Obituary in The Tennessean newspaper:
Click to Enlarge



Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Video Athlete Again Today

At the last minute the fitness director asked me to come to the fitness room to work out on different equipment while the videographer taped her giving three of us various instructions for our exercises - staged but glad to help again. Also spent time with Joe and Nancy. This evening Joe was moved to long-term nursing here at McKendree. There is not much else they can do at the hospital and he is now in palliative care or hospice care. The hospice nurse doesn't think he will last through the weekend, but I do. He is a fighter. Nancy is sticking close and staying in the room with him constantly and intends to until he dies or gets well. I'm concerned for her health. She can't be getting much if any sleep and is exhausted. 

Monday, July 14, 2014

Bike Rider on Video

McKendree is collecting video of the campus for use on their revised website that does need help! They shot me riding my bike and Jane Schnelle made this still of me riding out of my garage onto Asbury Ct., photographed with her tablet!

Friday, July 4, 2014

July 4, 2014

I turn 74 today. Here I am at our McKendree cookout with the Uncle Sam hat Jane Schnelle placed on my head! Thanks to Jane for her phone photo here.

If that was not enough, last night the waitresses in the Dining Hall gave me chocolate cake with a candle and sang "Happy Birthday" to me - and I might receive another phone photo of that event later. Plus lots of cards from the folks here at McKendree and a call from my sister Bonnie and a lovely card from her. Then this morning Kevin & Robbie stopped by on their way to Kentucky for family to bring a fresh-baked blueberry cobbler by Robbie which I will be enjoying tonight and for several more days. Yum! 

Monday, June 30, 2014

Red-winged Blackbirds Today

On my morning 16 mile bike ride I saw a lot of Red-winged Blackbirds on the Shelby Bottoms portion of the ride, mostly flying. The one photo I made of one perched is not close enough to post. So I'm posting a photo of my bike at my usual turn around spot, The Shelby Bottoms Nature Center where there is a special water fountain for filling water bottles and even one for dogs - a first for me. There are also restrooms at the Nature Center, so a practical halfway point in my three-day a week ride.
Another cell phone photo


Monday, June 23, 2014

7 More State Parks + Rugby This Week!

In my effort to personally visit and photograph all 53 or 54 Tennessee State Parks, I checked off seven more this week, all near Knoxville: Panther Creek, Norris Dam, Big Ridge, Cove Lake, Indian Mountain, Pickett, and Cumberland Mountain where I am now. Here is just one of hundreds of photos, this of one of the natural arches or natural bridges in Pickett State Park.

That was one of the parks I saw today after waking up in a motel across the highway from Cove Lake State Park which had a herd of Llamas behind the motel. Hmmm! Grass mowing? Made on my new cell phone and first ever smart phone for me, a Galaxy S4 - another adventure I'm own and loving it!


Rugby has some really neat architecture which I photographed, but nothing is open on Monday!

Going home tomorrow!


Saturday, June 7, 2014

Doggett Reunion & JC Memorial Service

Today the dwindling Wood Doggett family Reunion was conducted on the usual first weekend of the month of June, just on Saturday instead of Sunday as in past. Some came because the potluck lunch was followed by a memorial service for my Uncle J.C. Doggett (James Clarence but always went by JC). Both were at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Warren, Bradley County, Arkansas. I had a speaking part in the memorial service but did not go to the old home place afterwards for the spreading of 1/3 of his ashes because I don't drive after dark and would have had to with my tight schedule. Another 3rd of ashes were spread in Tulsa and another on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Here's the group before eating our potluck lunch.
This is one of the first photos made on my new Galaxy s4 phone.

Night before last on my way to Warren, I spent the night on Beale Street in Memphis.
This is inside the Blues City Cafe where I ate dinner. Last night I ate Ronnie Miller's catfish and Joan's trimmings!
Tonight I'in the Bartlett area of Memphis on my way back home. 
I'm tired but glad I came. I used to make the 9 hour drive in one day, but it is too much for my back, legs and feet now, so I break it into two 4-5 hour drives, adding some fun! 

Monday, May 26, 2014

Carbon Dioxide Headed Your Way

More coal barges being pushed down the Cumberland River and more Carbon Dioxide! Seen today, Memorial Day, on my bike ride.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Tugboat, Speedboat, Train

On the greenways Friday I snapped these three passing vehicles either on or going over the river. At least there are no cars on the greenway!
Tugboat pushing a long line of barges 
on the Cumberland River at entrance of Stones River

Personal speedboat on Cumberland River
going under the Shelby-Two Rivers Pedestrian Bridge

Train about to cross Cumberland River
on bridge beside Shelby Bottoms Nature Center


Sunday, May 18, 2014

Louis DeMoss Stone Dedication

Today Kevin and I attended the dedication of a new large marble slab memorial on the grave of Abraham Louis DeMoss. It was the results of a long effort by Sanford Payton whom I helped collect information about the cemetery I have been calling "Providence Church Cemetery" and he is now calling "DeMoss Cemetery," since Louis DeMoss the founder of Bellevue is buried there plus a few other DeMosses along with other family names. He may be more correct than me since it appears that the Providence Church was located a mile or more away from this cemetery. The service was well done.

The local chapter of Sons of the Revolution, SAR,
participated in costume with flags & musket salute
Louis fought in the Revolutionary War in the same Wilkes County NC regiment as 
my 5 Great Grandfather, Francis Hardgrave

Monday, May 5, 2014

Full & Unique Day

3 times a week I bike over this Cumberland River bridge 
connecting Two Rivers Park with Shelby Park

On the Shelby side is this unique sculpture
made of discarded tools

After biking this morning, I spend the rest of day
getting ready for this Cinco de Mayo Picnic 
for cottage residents at McKendree
I was the coordinator - 43 attended


Sunday, May 4, 2014

Downtown Biking - More Views

 
Cumberland River from Pedestrian Bridge
Linking Two Rivers Park to Shelby Bottoms Greenway

A Titans fan event with players giving autographs
shown on the big screen as seen from 
the greenway entrance to downtown pedestrian bridge

Downtown Nashville as seen from the
Siegenthaler Pedestrian Bridge
linking my neighborhood greenway to downtown

These shots were all made yesterday on my little pocket camera during a 23 mile bike ride 



Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Biked to Farmers' Market for Lunch Today

It was a beautiful day to bike the 25 miles round trip to Nashville Farmers' Market at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park and along the way I used my little pocket camera (point & shoot) to capture a large Pileated Woodpecker, Wild Turkey, Wild Flowers, and the downtown Pedestrian Bridge which has just been renamed the Siegenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. There's still a lot of nature in the city when biking on the Greenway!







Sunday, April 27, 2014

Farm Along Greenway

This farm is alongside the Stones River Greenway where I rode yesterday to Shelby Bottoms Nature Center and back. I think this is the farm that will soon be converted to a city park. It is hilly and I saw a large mass of May Apples in a wooded area. Nice spot in Donelson/Hermitage area.

Monday, April 21, 2014

First Bike Ride Downtown

Saturday was a beautiful Spring day and I rode my bike on the greenway from Hermitage to downtown Nashville, ate lunch at Tazza, then rode back, 24 miles round trip. It was Stones River Greenway to Shelby Bottoms Greenway through Shelby park to Davidson Road to the Titans stadium and Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge. Next time I will go all the way to Bicentennial Mall State Park and Farmers' Market for lunch. This is fun and we have a good Greenway system in Nashville and getting better.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

Motown to Budapest - My Weekend Adventures!

I went with a group from McKendree to hear "The Midtown Men" sing 1960's hits with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra Thursday night - a real blast from the past! These are the same four singers who did the Broadway Musical "Jersey Boys" which I saw a few years ago in Chicago. They are really good!

Then Friday night I decided at the last minute to brave Friday night crowds at Opry Mills Mall and see a new movie with great reviews, The Grand Budapest Hotel. It is a really fun movie to watch and so artistically done as is usual for Wes Anderson - maybe his best yet! A visual feast, a lot of humor, but also a lot of serious stuff. Most of all just fun to watch in my opinion. Note that I'm aware some people hate his movies. And I was glad this theater wasn't crowded like the four theaters showing Captain America. A fun Friday night for me!

Sunday, March 23, 2014

My High School Turns 75

My high school, Will Rogers High School, Tulsa, is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year! And I just realized that it is only one year older than me! It was begun in 1939 and I was born in 1940. It's a wonderful place with many memories. We thought it was the best high school in the nation when I graduated in 1958. Our namesake's home and now Will Rogers Memorial/Museum is just north of Tulsa in Claremore, OK.

I grew up there, helped start the Will Rogers Medical Club, received the Tulsa Kiwanis Good Citizenship Award. We were the Ropers with majorettes using lariats instead of batons and our yearbook called The Lariat. There were nearly a thousand in our graduating class including pop/rock star David Gates ("Bread") and runner-up to Miss America, Anita Bryant as Miss Oklahoma our senior year. Quite a ride! The present-day school website and our Class of '58 Website tells more. 





Saturday, March 8, 2014

Panama Slide Show

I put some of my photos from the Dec-Jan Panama Rainforest trip into a PowerPoint presentation and now have it online. Click the image to go to the slide show.
 Panama 2014
Slides will rotate automatically.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

My Oscars Opinions

I was glad that 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture, but disappointed that Philomena and The Book Thief did not get more recognition. And guess I'll just have to watch Dallas Buyers Club and Blue Jasmine on Netflix when available, though the previews did not appeal to me. They were big winners. And maybe I will eventually watch Gravity, though it still sounds boring even if beautiful. Maybe I will be surprised by all three!

Monday, February 24, 2014

Philomena is a great movie!

The last two I saw were okay, but this was really good - strong story, good script-writing, great actors and not depending on special effects or violence. Plus Judi Dench is one of my favorite actors! In short, she is an old woman who for more than 50 years wanted to see what happened to the son she had as a teen  that was taken away from her and adopted. I journalist helps her do much more than find him. Maybe too mild for those who prefer action movies, but it is great story-telling! Philomena

Saturday, February 15, 2014

Lego and Monuments Movies

The Lego Movie got the best reviews and it was good, but to me not great. It was another kid movie with lots of adult lines to keep the parents engaged. The violence wasn't terrible or realistic, but why do we have to have violence in movies? Especially kid movies?

In some ways I liked The Monuments Men better, though a little slow in places and as critics said, the script could have been strengthened in several places and more historical information given about the great arts stolen by Hitler. It is a new and different addition to what seems like a thousand WWII movies. Nice but not great.

And so that's my reviews! Next up is The Son of God coming February 28. And when you thought enough movies had already been made about Jesus! I think I've seen them all and I look forward to this one. The trailer makes it look very good and I love to see how other people present Jesus - it usually broadens my understanding of Him.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

Gunshot in the Forest

A short story from my childhood for the Hermitage Word & Image Guild meeting yesterday.
---------------------------------------------
Gunshot in the Forest
Charlie Doggett
February 8, 2014

 “Dwight, you’re the patrol leader, just tell us what food to bring or we’ll each have to bring and prepare our own.” Not so gently urging Dwight to take charge.

Dwight responded, “I don’t know what you guys want to eat and it’s too much trouble to group-cook, so everybody bring and cook your own food, be here on time, we leave at 3:30 sharp and no complaining!” And thus our Eagle Patrol camping trip was hastily planned for a Friday afternoon after school, in a day and age when thirteen year old boys frequently went camping without an adult, on the edge of a small South Arkansas county seat town, with absolutely nothing better to do. Plus we got scout credit for each camping trip!

It was a disorderly and enthusiastic gang of boys gathering in the church parking lot that hot, muggy, 1953, Friday afternoon, some with overflowing packs and others neatly organized like the scout manual taught, joking, kidding and wondering what adventure would happen this time. Last trip, to a different location, we had gone skinny dipping in the creek and then later killed a water moccasin along the same creek. This new location had been checked out by our scout leaders, only a three or four mile hike out of town, with plenty of pine trees, a creek for water, and the property owner knew we were coming.

We took off with passion, not noticing the weight of our packs, nor seeing another soul, nor having a worry in the world, scuttling along the rural highway that headed to Louisiana, though we didn’t go that far. As we hike, there’s a freshness in the air, an aroma of pine needles, a love of the great outdoors which meant more to us than the scout skills we were learning. Soon we were walking off the road into a pine forest not unlike many other campsites in the past. We were a mile or two off the road and maybe that far from any house when we stopped, gathered pine needles for a soft floor under each pup tent, since sleeping comfortable is important too!

Some of us shared campfires as we prepared everything from canned stew or Spam to the traditional aluminum foil-wrapped potatoes, carrots, and ground beef. Mom had taught me a lot about cooking at home, but it was on these camping trips that I really learned independent cooking, taking responsibility for myself. The night was invigorating, a smell of smoke, cooler air, the sun setting, an orange glow peeking through the trees, birds and crickets singing, and gentle breezes waving the tree branches. The nearby stream water was clean, made more so by our boiling or dropping those foul-tasting little tablets in it, and made more adventurous by drinking it from an old Army Surplus canteen. I loved these trips to the forests, my substitute for sports, my nature fix, my adventure, and I saw the scouting skills as stepping stones to a future success in life.

As stars twinkled above those tall loblolly pines we began the obligatory campfire, mostly stories, jokes, or anything fun. A new kid would be taken on a snipe hunt, but this time it was my favorite, telling stories round-robin style. That is where one boy starts a story and the next continues it around the circle, unbelievable tales, pink monsters, dangerous adventures, sex, heroics and lots of silliness. Even though we felt privileged to stay up late without adults around, we were tired and all in bed by 11:00 PM.

As soon as the sunrise painted the sky pinks and purples, one noisy boy was up, then the rest soon followed, some eating a bowl of cereal but most the customary bacon and eggs cooked on a campfire in our little mess kits. We were cleaning up our breakfast utensils at the creek when two boys we knew from school, Bill and James, walked through our campsite, carrying their twenty-two rifles, proud young hunters off to maybe shoot a rabbit or two, while talking of deer. We chatted briefly, then they moved on into the forest on their manly quest.

It seemed like just minutes later when James came running back into camp shouting, “Bill’s been shot! Please come help us!” Nothing gets the adrenalin flowing in a Boy Scout more than a genuine need our scout skills can help. We grabbed our first aid kit, a blanket, twine and axe in case we needed to make a stretcher for the wounded. As we quickly got ready to rush out, James explained frightfully that when they needed to cross the creek, Bill didn’t want to risk dropping his twenty-two in it, so he tossed it across the creek, the rifle butt hitting the ground, causing the gun to fire back across the creek at him, being shot by his own rifle, fortunately in one of his buttocks. We all grimaced, realizing it could have been much worse or even deadly.

As we circled around Bill he immediately said, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t think it would fire. I feel so stupid! And my leg won’t move. I can’t get up.” He was scared! I took charge of the First Aid kit and poured some iodine on his wound, both sides of it, since the bullet went all the way through his right buttock. Of course it burned, but we had been taught to avoid infection at all costs, several of us having earned our first aid merit badges. We then put bandages over both holes, though there was surprisingly very little blood, and we gave him aspirin for his pain.  It was in that moment that a thousand things ran through my mind including the great value of all those Scout Skills we had been learning.

Bill continued grumbling about how much it hurt and that he could not get up or walk. Some of the other guys were already crafting a stretcher out of two slender trees, the blanket, and twine we had brought. As this was being done one boy explained that he knew the closest house, a different direction from how we came in, and volunteered to run there to call an ambulance if we would head that way. Another went with him. Two of us stayed back to guard our camp and the rest helped carry the sobbing Bill very slowly toward the house.

Because of our slowness in carrying him, the ambulance arrived at the house about the same time, Bill surviving just fine of course, and hopefully learning an important lesson about guns. We were all thrilled to see the little short article in the El Dorado Daily News the following Monday about a local gun accident and the heroic rescue by Troop 29 Eagle Patrol, proving to us one value of being a Boy Scout!



Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Scoping Above My Insanity

WRITTEN AS AN ASSIGNMENT FOR THE WRITERS GUILD I ATTEND:

I followed Jose into the tall, dense jungle of the rainforest. The symphony of bird calls and distant moan of howler monkeys brought a smile to my face. I was not concerned about insect bites or keeping up with him; but rather if my old beat-up camera, with the cheapest 300 mm lens, would be able to capture any distant birds in the dark shadows of a multi-layered canopy. Bird photos were the primary goal of this trip. I kept trying to get a sharp picture with the same old equipment in the same old way: automatic fast shutter speed and no tripod!  Though it worked in good light, it continued to be only a hope in shadows. Was this hope my insanity? My Panamanian birding guide for the next 3 days was determined to give me a successful experience. He noticed every difficulty. Quickly observing my dark and blurry images in the shadowy forest, Jose made a suggestion.

“Do you have a small pocket camera?” he asked. I quickly pulled from my cargo pocket a little Canon PowerShot. It’s a simple “point-and-shoot” like what most people use today. Jose promptly placed it against the 25-75X zoom eye-piece of his Nikon 82mm Fieldscope. The colorful trogon that I could hardly see through my camera was full frame on this little camera and in better focus than any of my shots! At half the distance! And on a camera costing less than half the other. It was truly a “eureka moment!” My eyes popped when seeing the bird in the viewfinder. “A keeper for sure” I thought! This was repeated again and again! “Aha! Jose is my friend!” I thought.

And thus by listening and humbly accepting help from someone I barely knew, I began the best part of my collection of Panama bird photos. Oh sure! I would like to have a spotting scope now. But I have also learned an important lesson by experiencing Albert Einstein’s often quoted statement: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Plus the lesson of listening to other’s ideas. There is always something new to learn!

Thanks to Jose Tjada for helping me do something in a new and different way to get better results! Hopefully, my new year will be filled with many better results!

Charlie Doggett

January 11, 2014

I hardily recommend Jose Tjada as a birding guide in Panama and his agency Birds in Panama.   

They also operate under the name Panama Great Adventures which includes many other adventures beyond birding. Maria will do everything possible to make your trip perfect and Jose is the most knowledgeable birder I know. 

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Last Day of Birding

Another fantastic day of new birds and miles of walking! I'm tired but happy! And will limit myself to just one bird photo. The big online gallery will be coming soon!
A Bat Falcon found along the road.