A Favorite Place

Thought I'd take a shot at shareing one of my favorite places with y'all.I'm afraid I don't have a way with words like Doc. Fred and some of you other folks have but believe I'll give it a shot anyway.It's a place that's given me a lot of gilt-edged memories over the years and it's just a little piece-maybe two miles-down the road;why don't we go there?We can be back by dinnertime.

We can get bout half way there on the main two-lane but now we gotta turn off on this little side road an cross the railroad tracks.Looks like it doesn't go much of anywhere does it?Easy now, lots of folks been killed on this stretch of railline.Hard to see and the trees absorb the sounds of the trains;sides,it's a narrow little thing winding through these houses an the children are apt to out playin in it likely as not.We ain't in no hurry anyway are we?

Turn on that gravel road with the wooden sign.Yep,says Cortner's Mill.Dead slow now,with these hills an turns we can't see far and if somebodies comin the other way we may have to get one set of wheels off in the weeds.

Stop a sec.That's the mill itself there.Don't look like much does it?Just a big ole woodframe buildin with a wide porch an a tin roof.Those are cedar logs holdin the porch roof up.Looks kinda old and weathered don't it?Well,reccon it's got a right to.Was built in the 1870's or 1880's,forget which.And don't go lettin looks fool ya,the inside of the thing is a whole nother story entirely.Been turned into a swank resteraunt and is about as fancy as they come.They're only open bout 2-3 times a week cause they only do group reservations.Been told the foods great but haven't ever tried it.I ain't no group.

See this clear cut field off to our left?A fellah gets 2-3 rolls of hay off it a year,but I'm pretty sure they keep it cut mostly for looks.In the springtime it's a pure wonder.Wild flowers of evey color you can think of roll right down to the trees on the riverbank.No tellin how old that stone wall that borders the field is.Mighta seen Gen. Lee's boys back when they passed through here.

Ease on down the hill now, but don't go gettin excited or we'll end up in the river.You can pull right to the edge of the water;this used to be a ford.That's good.Why don't ya let the engine rest a spell?

This here's the Duck River.This section flows outta the bottom of Normandy Dam bout five miles upstream.Since the water comes from the bottom of Normandy Lake it's cold and that's the reason for the thick mist you see hangin over the water.It'll finally burn off well on up into the day but it'll be back as soon as the sun gets down behind the hilltops.Not the biggest river there ever was,or the deepest,but ain't she pretty with those big ole hardwoods hangin out over her like that?Looks like their're tryin to touch an just can't quite reach.If you'll look to the right,upstream tword the dam you'll see that the mill hangs way out over the water.They've got a millwheel they can let down into the millrace or pull up outta the way as the notion takes them.They've got doors on the upsteam end of the millrace they can use to control the flow but these days they mostly leave the doors open and the wheel up.Not a hugh dam.Maybe 12-14 foot tall.Might be 40-50yds. long but does the job.Nice pool at the base of the dam,most of the time you can wade almost half of it without getting over waist deep but there are some deep holes.Then,as it comes downstream,it shallows and gets swift.Right in front of us it's not much over knee deep all the way across most of the time, then it splits around the oblong island just downstream.

See that balcony lookin thing high up on the back of the mill?Folks come out on that of an evening after eating to raise a glass or just watch the mist rise on the river while their supper settles.Late one evening it was getting dark and bout time to go home but I decided to make one last cast to the dam and-sure enough-tied into a real nice trout.He made a run and then jumped like he was tryin to climb right up into the sunset and the water he threw off made a rainbow around him.Heard a fella say "Wow!" from the direction of the balcony.Well, I was useing real light tackle so I couldn't just horse the fish on in so the fight lasted quite awhile and I guess he jumped another 3-4 times and every time he did I'd hear folks talkin on the balcony but couldn't really make out what they were sayin over the sound of the water comin over the dam.Finally landed the fish(real nice but no monster) and when I looked up at the balcony there were 6 or 8 men and women in suits and evening gowns clappin their hands.Fella in a tux. raised his glass an said:"Here,here!"Didn't know wether to shit or go blind.Never had a standing ovation for catching a fish before.Just kinda gave em a wave an headed for the truck.Back near the truck I turned the fish loose.Already had enough for supper.

Well, I could tell fish tales till the cows come home but I know you need to be gettin on back.This is the spot I come to when I get to feelin like a size 12 foot in a size 8 shoe.Now that you know where it is you're welcome anytime you get to feelin the same way.You give my regards to your loved ones and you take care now.

Me?Believe I'll just set here a spell.