Zilla: Details

Detail 3
This is part of my 'artsy' collection of photos. Today it's my favorite.
It's impossible to rub your finger along these scales from right to left, without shredding your skin.

In the image below, you really have to click on the picture to get the full story I'm trying to tell.


Detail 15
The image above is the 'beard' of the Bearded Dragon.


Detail 11
This detail is taken at the neck of the dragon.


Detail 16
These spikes look painful, but they're actually quite soft. It's the scales that are sharp when you rub them the wrong direction. She doesn't really hurt, though. Sweet 'Zilla.

Miss 'Zilla

One day, while Matt and I were collecting Fast Offerings, one of the doors we knocked on was answered by young Spencer C.
Draped over Spencer's shoulder was the most beautiful reptile I've ever seen. Her name, Spencer told me, is Godzilla. But she goes by Zilla - maybe out of respect for deity.
Zilla is a bearded dragon. She likes to eat crunchy worms, and she enjoys being stroked under the chin. Her scales are so sharp, you can only rub in one direction. Rubbing against the grain is worse than rubbing the roughest sand paper.
Several months after meeting Zilla, at Ward pancake breakfast for the 4th of July, I had a chance encounter with Spencer at the orange juice jug. Knowing my interest in Zilla, he revealed that the family would be going out of town for the holiday. I jumped at the chance to offer my services for taking care of Zilla while they were away. The next day, I received the call from Spencer. Yes! I could take Zilla for the weekend!! Here she is:

Tubing down the Chattahoochee

Today we went tubing down the Chattahoochee, through Helen and back ('cause we did it twice). The trip was organized by Matt's friend, Megan. Here's a picture of Matt and Eric messing around while we wait for the others.

Whetten Family Reunion 2009

The purpose of this video is to give a sense of what the venue is like for the 2009 family reunion. While the cabins look simple on the outside, they are well maintained, clean and well furnished on the inside. One of the primary attractions for this location is the play ground. It's the best in the valley... actually the only one we came across. Plus there is no better view this side of Bryson City. I believe the mountains are in The Great Smokey Mountain National Park. Another important attraction to this venue is the prevelance of air conditioning. The other places we considered did not have air conditioning in all the rooms. The longer we visited here, the more we liked it. Check out their website at www.nvnc.com. Click on Family Reunions and explore the site. I think all will be well pleased. If you get to the property map, note that we have Granny's Cottage right next to the playground, Condos 29-32 and Tree House Cottage 53. If any one else can join us, we will try to get another Tree House Cottage - or it might make more sense just to reserve a hotel room in the main lodge.

Appalachian Trail, Dicks Creek Gap

This was the end of the end of the trail for me. I've completed my goal of hiking all of the AT in Georgia and live to blog about it. I write 'the end of the end' because the end (first one) was at the North Carolina - Georgia state line. The second end was at Dicks Creek Gap, as shown in this image, showing I made it back to the car. This picture was taken after hiking 13.1 miles, which is rather modest for AT standards. More pictures are on the Picasa web site.

More Friends, more fun:

Matt and I hiked Blood Mountain again. This time more friends came with us. It was a blast. You have to see the details at: http://picasaweb.google.com/cwhetten5/BloodMountainWithJimCo

Because Craig is checking...

...I need to post updates on a regular basis. The following image was taken yesterday on the B.H. Reece trail, which connects the parking area for Blood Mountain hikers, to the Appalachian Trail at Flat Rock Gap. Hikers follow the AT south-bound to summit Blood Mountain. Saturday, Matt and I climbed Blood Mountain.

This image get's back to the root purpose of this blog, which is "always zoom".