RN: After a day of history and awesome quilts, we decided to commune with nature. We discovered that Clarks River Wildlife Sanctuary and the Land Between the Lakes were nearby, so off we went with our binoculars!  The wildlife sanctuary was well-hidden- very few signs off the main road, but we eventually managed to find the parking lot of its education center with its set of short trails around a pond and through the wetlands. The pond looked deserted, so we opted for the wetland trail, which was a 1 mile loop.  Sadly, there were no birds to be seen because the “wetlands” had turned into “drylands.”  In fact, the best waterfowl we saw were near the parking lot where we started: a group of Canada geese and a great blue heron (see photo below). I can hear Alan Willard blowing a raspberry right now…

In the 1960’s a fertile area of Kentucky between the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers was converted by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the US Army Corps of Engineers into “The Land Between the Lakes” by dams built downstream of both rivers. A canal connecting the two rivers equalized the levels so goods could be moved without locks to the Mississippi River. This area is now a National Recreational Area. 

Satellite photo and info courtesy of  https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/91391/the-land-between-the-lakes

A part of Land Between the Lakes near the town of Golden Pond has been restored to its original condition with a prairie populated by a herd of bison and elk, so that’s where we headed.  Unfortunately, we were there mid-afternoon when any sensible large mammal would be resting in the shade on nearby trees, so we saw nothing on the prairie.  However, we were lucky enough to spy a bison cow with her calf resting near the road!

FE. This was supposed to be a rest day, but we still got around and back to Wisdom’s Lovely Lady late afternoon. I am lucky Rae has a lot of energy….somehow this evening laundry was done and a nice steak dinner appeared.