Hi, my name is Charles. I live in Tennessee, but I grew up all over the US. Photography has been a strong obsession for a long time, an obsession I'm happy to have. It is one of the best ways I have to communicate. Â
 I consider myself to be a Tennessee native who had the misfortune to be born in Detroit. My family, going back for generations, are from Tennessee. Dad was in the Navy, so I grew up all over the country. He used to save his vacation time and take 60 days off every two years. We would take long, sweeping trips across the country, spend a couple of weeks with family in Tennessee, and return by a different route to see more sights. He left the Navy and we returned to Tennessee when I was 14, and I spent my High School years at Midway High School, just south of Kingston. Most of my family are centered in Chattanooga but I spent a lot of time all over East Tennessee. After a stint in the Air Force in Denver, I wandered the West for awhile, then came back, married and spent nearly 20 years in Polk County. I put down roots there, something I had never done before. After my divorce, I moved to Kentucky ten years ago. And I still miss my home in Polk County.
 Kentucky is a beautiful state, and I got serious about photography after moving here. After looking so closely at this part of the state, I think of it this way; if you removed the vegetation it would look like southern Utah, with it's great sandstone mesas, cliffs, arches and canyons. I love the wonderful old forests here, but if you want to reveal it's rocky heart you have to work at it.  Oh, and I like dogs.
Update: As of August 2011, I have moved back to Tennessee. It's great to be back!
Comments (17)
neiwil
A cute skunk....I can't beleive I just said that! but it is.Great picture and glad he made it.Thanks for brightening a dull day.
Mavrosh
Awwww, he is so adorable. Really cool that he got rescued, I would have done the same!
jendellas
Awe, I have never seen such a baby.
pjz99
AIEEE IT'S A BABY CHESTBURSTER ... oh wait it's a skunk. That's a really cute photo, kind of you to take in a little stinker like that (especially when they grow up to be big stinkers).
MrsLubner
We had one. The people who rescued it were evicted and left it and all their unwanted things behind. We got the call from the apartment manager and picked it up. We raised it to about 3 1/2 months and discovered that even though it didn't spray, it still had a musky odor that would not wash out of the bedding. It was bittersweet that we set it free along the river where so many other skunks are found. this is a very tender shot and one that warms my heart (BTW-I am one of those that finds skunk scent to be rather pleasant so these animals do not bother me much - except when I'm hit in the face at close range...LOL)
EngleWolf
Wow!! My wife does the same, she takes hurt birds, squirrels and other wild animals to the local vet when we find them hurt! A beautiful act of compassion!! =)
Erestorfan
Oh, he's SOOO cute!! Yes, even skunks need compassion! I hear they make wonderful pets! But much better in the wild!!!!
GBCalls
I think they would make excellent mousers. Since there are those here with allergies to cats maybe a skunk would fill the spot. Great capture!
deweygg
Awesome!
nikisatez
AWWWWW! He's so cute!
lue
Pepe must be proud from loony toons, awsom man.
PhrankPower
So sweet!
flora-crassella
what a nice little thing!!!! Very nice photo!!!!
tennesseecowgirl
oh my gosh how cute.. I had one come up on a cabin deck I was sitting on one evening, I was having a snack and glass of tea, I guess he got hungry too, I just sat very still even though I was freaking out and eventually he left.. lol
amota99517
This is such a cute shot!
DreamersWish
Kinda reminds me of taking care of Lucky Lou Lou when she came home with us. I would dare say this little skunk was smaller. Fabulous capture and touching scene!
blinkings
Beautiful. We don't have them in Oz and I always wonder what that famous dreaded smell is really like!