Head Scratchin'

I have no idea what is going on in this picture.

Maybe Shawn can explain it.

Huge Belly Ring Sale

Luci and Sherry couldn't resist checking out the "HUGE Belly Ring Sale" in Gatlinburg.

'Virtual' Jeff

VirtualJeff
Originally uploaded by C Stalker.

During our visit to the Great Smokey Mountain we paused for a group photo. From the left are Clyde, Luci, Sherry, 'Virtual' Jeff and Michelle. 'Virtual' Jeff had to stand in for the real Jeff who could not make this trip. Michelle carried her through Dollywood and most of Pigeon Forge.

When asked about 'Virtual' Jeff the family members replied:

• CLYDE: "Well, she don't eat as much as the real one and that leaves more for me. I like her."

• LUCI: "She hasn't embarassed me near as much as the real one usually does. I like her too."

• SHERRY: "She ain't no fun to WILK. I like the REAL Jeff."

• MICHELLE: "How come I have to carry this thang around? I'm gettin tired of it."

Smokey Mountain Maurader

While we were in the Smokies this raccon visited our chalet each night and dined on the contents of our garbage cans. Jennie watched him one evening, she said he was expert at getting the lids off the garbage cans. He could unlatch and pop the top off a can, all in one quick motion.

With the Stalker family there he was not getting much in the way of scraps, so Jennie tried feeding him some graham crackers.

Click on the photo to view full size

Coon Huntin'

Popaw Stalker told a story about going “Coon Huntin” with Homer Adkins and Bear Justice.

Popaw and Homer had been bragging all week about what good shots they were and what good coon dogs they had. Homer would point his finger like a gun and say “Bang, thump, (Varmit hitting the ground after each shot) Bang, thump, that’s how it’s going to be.”

The dogs treed a big coon and they started shooting at it. They shot 27 times but still hadn’t even wounded it. When they gave up and stopped shooting (or ran out of ammo I suspect), the coon jumped down out of the tree and attacked their dogs (Walker and Snider) biting and clawing them till they were bloody all over. It would have killed both of them if Bear hadn’t hit it in the head with a stick. They had to just come on home and patch up the dogs.