I love where I live. I'm about 12 miles from Charlotte, NC. Close enough to good shopping and great food but in a rural area on a river where I water skied for years. It is only 3 1/2 hours by car to the coast for soaking up rays and playing in the surf; 2 hours west and I'm in the mountains on the ski slopes or riding mountain bike trails; ten minutes to the US Nation Whitewater Center for rafting and kayaking. Great photo opportunities everywhere. Oh, about the picture. I took this last weekend at the coast while chasing after waves from Hurricane Bill. The gull seemed to enjoy its top-of-the-heap status and was strutting around to prove it. Thanks for past comments. I hope you all have a good weekend. Next will be some photos from the whitewater center.