Have you ever had a wild pet?
When I was a kid we had a lake on our farm. (You can see a view of it in Lake at Nunnely) One year a pair of mallards made their home there. We named them Patsy and Bill.
This couple was part of a community of ducks that live on the river behind the Old Mill Restaurant in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. They're used to tourists and completely ignored me as I snapped their pictures.
It just doesn't seem fair that the the daddy duck gets to be so beautiful; however, I think the mama is lovely in her own way.
Original Oil Painting on 6" x 12" Wrapped Canvas
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What makes a good leader?
When I started working on my master's degree in the mid 1990s, the first (and favorite) class I took was called Educational Leadership. As the name suggests, we learned about leadership styles. Our teacher gave a homework assignment that has stuck with me all these years. We had to answer this question. "Do you want to be an elephant or a goose?" At first it seemed like a silly trick question.
I wasn't sure how to begin to answer that, but something kind of serendipitous happened that week. My class at school read a story called Amy's Goose. Although it's a fiction story, I was reminded enough about geese to begin to know how to answer the question. Geese share the leadership role. There's a reason they migrate all those miles in the shape of a V. The goose at the head has to work the hardest. After a time, he rotates to the back, and another flies up to take the lead for a while. They work together.
After a little reading, I learned that when a poacher goes after elephants, he tries to kill the matriarch first. Without her leadership all the other elephants panic and become easy targets.
I've never forgotten that analogy. Although I may sometimes be bossy and controlling, I strive to be more like the goose and not only share the load, but surround myself with those willing to do their part when it's their turn.
This particular pair of geese, as well as their many friends, live beside the river that runs beside the fabulous restaurant called The Old Mill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. They seem to be neither bothered by nor interested in the tourists that walk all around them every day.
Visit an Etsy treasury (collection of art pieces) celebrating the these lovely birds. Click on Wings Over Canada. Then enjoy another collection that uses the most beautiful browns called Looking for Autumn. Random Favorites that Speak of Fall is another great fall collection.
Original Oil Painting on 12"x 12" Wrapped Canvas
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How often does something truly exceed your expectations?
We wanted a "grown-up" vacation, but we weren't sure what that meant or how to go about finding it.
So, we started with questions.
Where's a calm area of the country?
Where's a beautiful area we haven't seen?
Where's an airport that doesn't block our free air miles on the days we want? (Actually, this is the one that trumped the others.)
We settled on the Great Smoky Mountains.
It seemed like a good time to try a bed and breakfast, so I did a Google search, found one with a room available, clicked, and we packed our bags.
We'd stumbled onto a place called Berry Berry Springs Lodge. I"m not sure how to explain it without sounding like a paid advertisement.
I can start with adjectives... tranquil, calm, peaceful, beautiful, quiet, lovely, fresh, charming, serene, romantic, pristine...
It completely exceeded our expectations.
This painting was taken at one of the ponds on the property.... sigh...
Enjoy a beautiful and peaceful Etsy treasury (collection of related art pieces and vintage items) that includes this painting. It's called Gimme a Break. Then click Olaces We Dream to Go then dream about going to those dreamy places!
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