There are so many wonderful things that can be seen in/on/around (pick your preposition of choice here) Tennessee that it's going to be tough to narrow it down to just 9 things. But, here are my top nine!
1. Farmers' fields in the summer time. It could be cotton, corn or soy beans, there is just something so exhilarating about seeing brand new green cropping up as far as the eye can see!
2. Amish. Ok, really I think that they are Mennonite. Whatever they may be, in middle TN, they rule the roost! There's a little bake shop (appropriately named "The Bake Shop") about 20 minutes outside of Huntingdon, TN. This place is amazing. You can get the most incredible handmade/homemade baked goods. Mind your mouth though, there's a list of "prohibited words" above the counter - don't even think about mindlessly uttering "gosh", "golly," "gee" or any other thing that might be perceived as taking The LORD's name in vain. One of my very first experiences in TN involved this Bake Shop. I'm quite certain I offended these folks in at least 3 ways: I wore a skirt, I may have said "gosh" (oops, it's an awful habit) and I made conversation with the gentleman about his business. I left feeling like a devil. Two weeks ago, I heard that the Bake Shop might have closed. I'm quite (reasonably) certain this has nothing to do with my aforementioned visit.
3. Old time way of life. I have so enjoyed traveling through rural towns - this is where America lives and breathes! Every chance I get, I try to venture off the beaten path to explore old downtowns, vintage squares (as in downtown squares with courthouses, quaint little shops, etc) - love love love these glimpses of Americana. :)
4. Old rustic barns. So beautiful and picturesque, each old barn has it's own unique personality. Some have been restored, but most are in various stages of disrepair. Small barns, big barns, barns with ivy on the side, barns with paint peeling off - love them all! I may have to find a coffee table book all about barns!
5. Cotton fields. This picture just does not do it justice. Many of the cotton fields I pass by in the fall are so full and so white that not an inch of ground can be seen beneath. It's almost like a perfect blanket of snow has descended in the fall-time. It's wonderful.
6. Fresh dirt. Huh? How did the photo get in the lineup? Seriously, at the very beginning of spring, farmers till up the earth to prepare for the new year's crops. There is a certain beauty in the rich tones of freshly churned earth. Look closely and you may see some deer or a turkey sifting through the freshly unearthed treasures.
7. Ripley tomatoes. Not just any tomato, the Ripley variety is FAMOUS. They are lighter in shade than most tomatoes and they are fantastic. I usually pick tomatoes off of whatever I'm eating - but this is the exception...these tomatoes are the best. You can get 2 or 3 for a $1 at a roadside stand on Hwy 59.
8. Roadside stands. Can't have Ripley tomatoes without a good roadside stand! These stands are erected daily with little more than a pop-up tent (of the tail-gating variety) over a truck bed. So charming. I made my very first roadside purchase from a roadside stand on Hwy 59 - 4 Ripley tomatoes. I was so proud.
9. Fields of goldenrod. Ah-ma-zing. A golden sea of yellow in all the fields in late April/early May. When the sun hits them just right in the afternoon, you will need sunglasses. No doubt.
These are just a few of the most memorable things I get to enjoy on my way to work. There are, of course, many other random things I encounter along the way - a cotton picker blocking traffic, "lottery house row" (another story for another time), deer, coyotes, and last month I saw a donkey on the side of the road - random!
I hope you enjoy this little re-cap of a few of my favorite things I enjoy about where I live and work. Take time to look around during your commute - there are sure to be unique things just waiting to be discovered and enjoyed!
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