Leaving Early

Saturday, 16 March
Isaac Creek COE Campground — Franklin, Alabama
Temps: Lo 47F / Hi 78F (8C / 25.5C)

We’re leaving Isaac Creek COE Campground tomorrow — a day earlier than planned.  We’re not doing so because we are bored here.  No sirree!  Rather, our hasty departure is precipitated by severe thunderstorms forecasted for Monday along our travel route to New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA).

Will the forecast hold true?  Who knows!  But we don’t want to take any chances.  The silver lining to our new plans — driving through the NOLA area to get to our campground in Belle Chasse should be a lot easier on a Sunday than it would be on a Monday.  Stay tuned to see if it works out that way.

Daisy Fleabane playing host to a bee.

In the meantime, our last two days here at Isaac Creek have been truly great.  Sunshine, blue skies, warm breezes, and temps climbing to near 80F (27C) — that’s what Mother Nature gifted us with.  In fact, it got so hot with the afternoon sun blazing full force on our campsite that Mui installed the sun/wind curtain on the west wall of the screen shelter yesterday.  Good thing he did … the panel also served to keep the worst of today’s winds off us.  We’ve certainly been making the most of this t-shirt weather, sitting out until there’s no hint of color left in the sky.

With the sun/wind panel installed, the shelter makes a cozy haven all day long.

Speaking of the sun, I’ve been meaning to mention that the lakefront sites get the full brunt of the hot afternoon rays.  Some of the sites will have shade when the trees leaf out, but I don’t know that they would do much good when the sun is low on the horizon.  Add to that the reflection off the water.  Just something to consider should you decide to come here during the hottest part of the year.

The last bits of the warm rays of the sun change the mood of the day.

With the weekend came the weekend campers.  Most of the newcomers are here for what I can only describe as a fish-o-ra-ma.  We woke up to a whole slew of them on the lake this morning, their lights twinkling in the pitch darkness before dawn.  By the first light of day their numbers had doubled.  Then, in the blink of an eye, they were off in a thunderous roar that would have woken the dead.

Fish-o-ra-ma

It’s not just the number of campers at Isaac Creek that has grown, but the bird population has increased as well.  Yesterday, a pair of mockingbirds were dancing to their own internal hip-hop music in what looked to be a courting ritual.  The bluebirds are also out in force, flitting from tree, to bench, to grass, and back.  The squirrels are chasing each other up and down the trees.  And when we walked over to Claiborne Lake Lock and Dam yesterday, a whole slew of great egrets were perched on the railings — some had green lores, indicating they’re in breeding plumage … unfortunately, they were too far to get a really good shot.  No doubt about it — spring is in the air.

Great Egrets — two eyeing one!

turkey vultures

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird

And to end this post … we’ve enjoyed sunsets that were more colorful, but the ones at Isaac Creek seem especially peaceful.

And that’s all I really have to write about.  We’ve had a terrific stay at Isaac Creek and would return here in a heartbeat should the opportunity present itself.  Next post … from NOLA.