Skip to main content

Tennessee, here I come!

Y'all know it doesn't take much to get me excited.  Just look what came in the mail yesterday!!



I love travel guides.  When we took our first trip out west, long before we had computers or iPhones, we had a box full of travel guides that I had sent for in the mail months before our vacation.  They were well worn by the time we started on our trip.  We kept all the guides in a metal file box.  On the trip, our baby boy, who was probably 8 or 9 then, sat in the front seat and proclaimed himself the 'Great Navigator".  We didn't even dream that one day we would travel with a GPS or with a phone small enough to hold in our hands that could access any information we needed.  Even so, I still love my travel guides.  I spend hours poring over them; I certainly do not want to miss anything.

And what's not to love about Tennessee?  There is music from Memphis to Nashville to the mountains in the east.  There is the Mississippi delta and the Cumberland Plateau and my beloved Smoky Mountains.  I must not forget roots:  I was born in Hardin County, Tennessee, and always think of myself as a Tennessean.



There are lots of special celebrations this year because it is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, and the 175th anniversary of the Trail of Tears.  Because we live on Tennessee's doorstep, a lot of things can be done in day trips or weekend trips.  Get ready, lil' sis, I'm making a list.


Sometimes, people ask me how I knew about a festival, or how was I able to find such interesting stuff to do.  Here's your answer.  You can get one of your own at tntourism.com.

Comments

  1. Aww - now this is where we differ - I don't travel. If I could just wriggle my nose and be there, see the sights and be back home - maybe. lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Charlotte, I could go somewhere every week if I could afford it and didn't have other obligations. I will have to admit that my bones don't take it as well as they used to! :)

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Amish in Stantonville, Tennessee

Last week, my sis and her hub went with us to the Amish community near Stantonville, Tennessee.  It was a beautiful day, and we love driving to new places and finding new treasures.  We enjoy these mini-trips we take together, where we giggle a lot and get caught up on everything.  Also, the squirrels ate all our tomatoes, so we needed to find some to buy. You know the food you are buying is fresh when they bring it from the field while you are standing there waiting for it. Here is part of what we brought home, and it was all delicious. Stantonville is located in McNairy County, Tennessee, northwest of Shiloh National Military Park.

Holy Smoke Pie

I think it was in the late seventies that I first had Holy Smoke Pie.  It was at a party at Debra Morris Harville's house.  After we ate, Debra had to give the recipe to everyone there.  I came home and made it for my family, and it has been a favorite since then.  I always make it at holiday dinners, because I believe tradition is important.  It has become a favorite of our granddaughters. I've heard it called Chocolate Delight, Four-Layer Chocolate Dessert, and other odd things.  We call it Holy Smoke.  Here is how I make it: Chop us a cup of pecans; set aside. Add a stick of softened butter (NOT margarine) to one cup of self-rising flour. Cut the butter into the flour. Add the chopped pecans, and work it all together. Save two tablespoons of the pecans to sprinkle on top. Pour into a 9" x 12" pan that has been sprayed with cooking oil. Spread it over the bottom of the pan.  It helps to use your hands (o...

Cedar Trees in Cemeteries

If you ever wander in old cemeteries, and I know many of you do, you are bound to see some cedar trees. The tradition goes back to the early days of the United States and even earlier  in Europe.  Cedar trees were not always used, but some type of evergreen trees were planted because they were a symbol of everlasting life.  Some  Cherokees believed that cedars contained powerful spirits, including the spirits of the departed buried beneath them. Perhaps because they are known as burial trees, there are many superstitions that surround cedars.  My grandmother told us in no uncertain terms that if we planted a cedar tree, we would die when it was large enough to shade our graves. Some others are: Never transplant a cedar tree; it will bring bad luck. If you transplant a cedar and it dies, you will die shortly. Planting a cedar tree in your yard welcomes poverty. Some say Christ was crucified on a cedar tree, and wil...