Faith, Folklore, and Friends

B ut H e answered and said, " It is written: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that  proceedeth out of the mouth of G od." ~Matthew 4:4

If you are in the mood to go loafin ' today, check out this little town:  Bell Buckle, Tennessee . It is full of antiques and ice cream, moon pies and fried apple pies. There is also a tea room there.  Perfect for loafin'. There is a moon pie festival and other events throughout the year. Here is how to get there:  (From I-24) Bell Buckle is a short drive from Interstate 24 – Exit 97 between Murfreesboro and Manchester (Hwy 64 & Hwy 82) (From I-40) Near Lebanon, take I-840 to I24, then on to Hwy. 231 to Shelbyville and then to Hwy. 82 (From I65) You will exit at Cornersville toward Lewisburg, then to Shelbyville on Hwy 231 and then to Hwy. 82.

Autumn is not just pretty leaves and pumpkins. We had a perfect weather weekend here in North Alabama: sunny, cool, and a nice breeze.  On Saturday, we could have gone to the Bell Buckle, Tennessee, arts festival or the Kentuck arts festival.  I could have gone to a meeting on Saturday or attended a fall festival on Sunday afternoon. We did none of these things.  We worked in the yard, cleaning the detritus of summer and getting rid of things we won't need for the coming winter.  Seasons are the stuff of life, the ever changing cycle that never stops, and no matter how hard it is to let go,  we have to accept it and move on. When I am grieving, angry, frustrated, sad, and/or overwhelmed, I find   the best therapy is doing physical work outside.  I can better deal with things when I'm breathing fresh air and working in silence. Many years ago, a therapist told me the best thing for emotional management was getting a plastic bat and hi...