Travels with Tony Hillerman

About 1992, someone suggested I read Tony Hillerman's latest novel. I did, and I was hooked. I read everything he had written up to that point, and got every new novel as soon as it was released.

His eighteen mystery novels are set in the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona with protagonists Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee of the Navajo tribal police. Hillerman's books describes the Four Corners area, Window Rock, Arizona and other desert landscapes. We had been to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, but had never stopped at these places and seen them up close.

We had a long winter here, and one cold, rainy day, I was thinking (daydreaming?) about how nice it would be to be in the Southwest. I started rereading Hillerman's novels, and Hub read some of them for the first time. His descriptions make you want to be there, to see these places with your own eyes, to taste the dust with your mouth, to hear the wind and the silence.

So blame it on a wild hare, wanderlust, or Tony Hillerman, but Hub and I just spent several days roaming the area that helped us through the winter. It took a lot of planning and a lot of driving, but we made some memories that we will never forget.

I plan to share some photos and tell you about what we did in the next few days here. I hope it makes you want to go and see it for yourself.

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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 (or hand, if you have t

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 will bring bad luck if you burn it. If a cedar tree com

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