Jean & I took another special trip into Henry County this afternoon. We traveled roads that I haven't been on in years, and Jean had never been on. We left the house on Guthrie, took 641 south to the court square, & went left on Wood street toward the river. Four or five miles out, Wood street turned into US 79 which we stayed on to Buchanan road. We took Buchanan road till it dead ended at 140, crossed 140 onto Rabbit Creek road, then took a left onto Perry Cemetery road. Then we took a left onto Red Top Hill road, then another left onto Freeland road, which turned into Mt. Pleasant/Freeland road. Then we turned left again onto Shady Grove road, right on India road, right on Jackson Drive, then left on Guthrie road to the house.
We saw Spring in its full majesty. From trees budding in the woods, to flowers blooming, to donkeys shedding their winter coat, to birds singing a tune, to Red ants coming alive after a hard winter, we saw it all. We live in a beautiful part of this country. We realize Spring couldn't get here until we went through Winter. Jean & I are just glad Spring has arrived!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wild Game Supper
Saturday night Jean and I had an incredible meal and very fine fellowship down at the second annual Wild Game Supper. The meal took place at the Sulphur Well Church of Christ on Oak Grove Road, and seven thousand dollars will be donated to the Boy's and Girl's Club of Henry County. Supper was enjoyed with six to seven hundred of our closest friends and was delicious.
The cuisine was absolutely tremendous with 16 different meats, and 11 of those being wild game. There was deer, buffalo, turkey, duck, goose, shrimp, fish, dove, boar, beaver, raccoon, chicken, squirrel, pork, moose, and rabbit. The deer was fixed at least four different ways including stew, burgers, steaks, and tenderloin. The squirrel was fixed in with dumplings and was my personal favorite, although that decision was mighty hard to come by because the deep fried turkey nuggets were very, very, good! The fixins' included baked beans, soup beans, gumbo, hushpuppies, at least five different kinds of cornbread, every chip known to man, tacos and all the extras, several different coleslaws, and potato salads. The desserts were also wonderful with six tables set up and were overflowing so that each dining table also held a pie. A conservative estimate would be over seventy cakes and pies.
Also, themed cakes were made and prizes were awarded in several categories, and then the cakes were auctioned to the highest bidder. A lot of wildlife was represented with cakes made to look like a 'possum, a turkey, a beaver, owl barf balls, a skunk, and worms.
Paris and Henry County continue to have affairs that make Jean & I say that we are proud our home is in this community. We believe the Boy's and Girl's Club is a worthwhile endeavor and are glad we can be a part!
The cuisine was absolutely tremendous with 16 different meats, and 11 of those being wild game. There was deer, buffalo, turkey, duck, goose, shrimp, fish, dove, boar, beaver, raccoon, chicken, squirrel, pork, moose, and rabbit. The deer was fixed at least four different ways including stew, burgers, steaks, and tenderloin. The squirrel was fixed in with dumplings and was my personal favorite, although that decision was mighty hard to come by because the deep fried turkey nuggets were very, very, good! The fixins' included baked beans, soup beans, gumbo, hushpuppies, at least five different kinds of cornbread, every chip known to man, tacos and all the extras, several different coleslaws, and potato salads. The desserts were also wonderful with six tables set up and were overflowing so that each dining table also held a pie. A conservative estimate would be over seventy cakes and pies.
Also, themed cakes were made and prizes were awarded in several categories, and then the cakes were auctioned to the highest bidder. A lot of wildlife was represented with cakes made to look like a 'possum, a turkey, a beaver, owl barf balls, a skunk, and worms.
Paris and Henry County continue to have affairs that make Jean & I say that we are proud our home is in this community. We believe the Boy's and Girl's Club is a worthwhile endeavor and are glad we can be a part!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Eagle Tour
Jean and I really did some gallivanting yesterday. We were given, for a Christmas present, two tickets for an eagle tour aboard the CQ Princess. We left the Kenlake Marina at 11 a.m. Saturday, rode under the Egner Ferry bridge to the north, and went up the east side of the river about 100 feet off the shoreline. We saw 32 eagles on our ride down the river, plus lots and lots of Great Blue herons, gulls, and coots.
We had an incredible meal on our cruise. Pork tenderloin, smothered chicken, seasoned potato wedges, sauteed vegetables, penne pasta salad, tossed salad, fresh fruit, and dinner rolls. For dessert we had a piece of Kentucky Derby pie that would just melt in your mouth!
We would have liked to have gotten up close and personal with the eagles, but we were told that the boat would scare away the eagles had we gotten any closer. The weather could not have been more perfect, and the couple that joined us at our table, a retired pediatrician and his wife, from Paducah, were very nice people. All in all, it was an enjoyable three hour trip on a very nice boat.
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Year's Day Comes in with a Plunge!
What an incredible start to Twenty-ten Jean and I had today. We began the day at Paris Landing Marina at the Polar Bear Plunge. 550 to 600 people got out in 28 degree weather to watch 83 people jump into a very cold Kentucky Lake.
All the proceeds went to a very worthwhile cause...the Boys & Girls Club of Paris. While not doing business as this is being written, opening day is just around the corner. The money raised by the Polar Bear Plunge is not totaled yet, but $2,000.00 would have pleased the Plungers, and at least eight times that amount was raised!
Events like this one are the reason Jean & I are glad our home is in this community. What diversity we have and many are striving for the same goal. This goal is so much easier to attain with many people bringing their individual talents to the table.
The day was just perfect for taking beautiful photographs and as we rode around the state park opportunities presented themselves at every turn. We took pictures of gulls, Canada geese, Mallard ducks, the Ned Ray McWherter bridge, and a tree just about to topple, because of beavers.
We then had the traditional New Year's lunch of corned beef and cabbage, black-eyed peas & hog jowl, turnips, and corn bread. I really am glad the season is just about over. I think I could really get accustomed to just eating, then sleeping, then eating, then sleeping, then eating, and then sleeping. I need to get back to work before I become totally worthless!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas Eve
Jean & I had a really special Christmas Eve this year. We had five close friends over for a lunch of Jean's favorite finger foods, and everything was exceptional! We had bacon wrapped water chestnuts, little smokies cooked in currant jelly and mustard, jalapeños stuffed with a cream cheese and sausage mixture, then wrapped in a half a slice of bacon, a cheese tray, a pickle tray, little ham sandwiches, spinach dip/w Hawaiian bread, and a red grape salad. For dessert we had a home made Red Velvet cake.
A time of reflecting, and resting came next. Then Jean and I opened a few presents, and we really racked up! A box of pink & green mints from Sally Lane's Candy Farm, two calendars, a hand painted Mrs. Butterworth bottle, and the piece de resistance: tickets for two to see the eagles, and dinner on the boat.
The older we get, the more we enjoy living in this community. I have to make my living in metropolitan areas, but, by golly, my home is in Paris, Tennessee, and it always will be!
A time of reflecting, and resting came next. Then Jean and I opened a few presents, and we really racked up! A box of pink & green mints from Sally Lane's Candy Farm, two calendars, a hand painted Mrs. Butterworth bottle, and the piece de resistance: tickets for two to see the eagles, and dinner on the boat.
The older we get, the more we enjoy living in this community. I have to make my living in metropolitan areas, but, by golly, my home is in Paris, Tennessee, and it always will be!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Christmas
Jean & I really had a memorable day, here in Henry County. With Jean losing her Mother back in September, this is the first Christmas season without Sue. Homer and Sue's house was always the gathering place for her kids, grandkids, and great grandchildren, but we decided that this year we would have the festivities at the lake.
We reserved a room with two double beds and a parlor, and it was a great idea. We used to always have a big Christmas dinner at Sue's, with Polly & Jean cooking the meat and the desserts, and George's wife and Polly's kids bringing the fixins'. This year we let Paris Landing State Park Inn do all the buying, cooking, and clean up!! We had an excellent meal with barbecue and catfish fillets for the entrees, and plenty of vegetables, salads, and desserts!
We then went back to the room and played Christmas trivia. It amazes me how much I do NOT know, when it comes to Christmas songs and traditions. As we were playing, a bald eagle came fairly close to our windows and perched in a tree. It wasn't long before his mate joined him. There were also many, many, ducks swimming in beautiful, cold looking, Kentucky Lake.
We all had a very fine day in Henry County, in a venue that I can highly recommend, and I do hope other Henry Countians take advantage of things that are available right here at home.
We reserved a room with two double beds and a parlor, and it was a great idea. We used to always have a big Christmas dinner at Sue's, with Polly & Jean cooking the meat and the desserts, and George's wife and Polly's kids bringing the fixins'. This year we let Paris Landing State Park Inn do all the buying, cooking, and clean up!! We had an excellent meal with barbecue and catfish fillets for the entrees, and plenty of vegetables, salads, and desserts!
We then went back to the room and played Christmas trivia. It amazes me how much I do NOT know, when it comes to Christmas songs and traditions. As we were playing, a bald eagle came fairly close to our windows and perched in a tree. It wasn't long before his mate joined him. There were also many, many, ducks swimming in beautiful, cold looking, Kentucky Lake.
We all had a very fine day in Henry County, in a venue that I can highly recommend, and I do hope other Henry Countians take advantage of things that are available right here at home.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
North Pole Family Fun Day Warms Hearts
North Pole on Friday, LBL Saturday...what's next?
I was disappointed when my daughter (Kristi), granddaughter (Millie) and I first arrived in Paris for North Pole Family Fun Day about mid-way through the festivities. The ad had mentioned several events taking place "around the court square" and I saw only a long line of youngsters at Santa's candy-cabin and scouts cooking hamburgers on the grill. Quickly, though, we realized Parisians think bigger than the grounds of the square; events were scattered strategically between shops about town and we made haste to see all the attractions. First on our list was MOLLY. We'd heard about this elfin wonder, granddaughter of Lisa Ellis, and found her to be even cuter and sweeter than her photos. We'd have missed her if Millie hadn't honed in on her behind the scenes at Leach's Music, where, incidentally, we noticed a plethora of guitars in various sizes and styles. Every youngster, teen and young adult needs a guitar; it's a rite of passage for some and a must for the musically gifted.
We also had to duck into a shop called Penique's, which must be a synonym for UNIQUE. Much larger inside than it seems, this shop carries a wonderful array of items from baby items to homewares and decor, clothing and accessories. Kristi's favorites was the "Life is Good" section while Millie enjoyed the area designed to entice little girls. Among other signs we saw one that read, "Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself." This is a statement in which we fully believe, and one that Paris apparently embraces as well. Where else can you find, downtown, the nostalgia engendered by people enjoying the holidays -- walking, mingling, meeting people and seeing the stores? No mall can replicate it. Most towns can't either, but in Paris downtown shopping is a convenient and welcome reality.
And then there were the 4-H Honor Club youngsters braving the cold -- and despite sun-warmed spots it was COLD in the shade. These young entrepreneurial types showed children how to make various Christmas crafts. Said one of the girls, "That's what we're all about: service to the community." She and her friend described the wonderful 4-H Club opportunities in Henry County, and said it gets better and better as you progress to higher grades, including helping with the younger kids in camp. I can't say enough about the wholesome opportunities provided by this great organization.
We also had a first look at Trees on the Square (don't miss this display of Christmas tree decor by local shops and organizations, where you can vote for your favorite). It is located in downtown Paris next to BPU on East Washington Street. Gingerbread Village will be on display at Trees on the Square from December 1 through December 23, from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $1.
We had lunch at Miller's Country Store, a Mennonite establishment out toward Como in Henry County. They make out of this world sandwiches from your choice of home-baked breads, meat, cheese and vegetables. Our favorite is sweet Lebanon bologna and yogurt vegetable cheese on sourdough bread with shredded lettuce, tomato and mayo but the choices are wide and varied. Have a wild cherry cola or other drink for about half of what you'd normally pay. Don't pass by the opportunity to try out the rocking chairs they offer that are designed for lumbar support. (Thinking we might need one of these when the twins arrive!)
We went home tired and happy only to head back through Henry County Saturday on our way to The Homeplace at LBL. An intriguing visit everyday, the place was even more special with holiday fudge and gingerbread served in the old-fashioned kitchen, plus crafts and candy for the youngsters. Everything in the gift shop was half price and we went home with Susie, a soft, curlyhaired lamb that fit right in with the rest of Millie's animal friends. I'd say she was a stuffed animal, but that was before we took her home and made her a member of the family headed up by Millie and Sammy, a panda bear brought home from the Memphis Zoo when Mil was about three years old.
Funny how every time we venture to Paris, whether we're stopping or just passing through, we seem to be creating a little more of what we want to be, and be a part of. If you're looking for yourself, maybe it's time to give up that fruitless task and create yourself -- in Paris.
I was disappointed when my daughter (Kristi), granddaughter (Millie) and I first arrived in Paris for North Pole Family Fun Day about mid-way through the festivities. The ad had mentioned several events taking place "around the court square" and I saw only a long line of youngsters at Santa's candy-cabin and scouts cooking hamburgers on the grill. Quickly, though, we realized Parisians think bigger than the grounds of the square; events were scattered strategically between shops about town and we made haste to see all the attractions. First on our list was MOLLY. We'd heard about this elfin wonder, granddaughter of Lisa Ellis, and found her to be even cuter and sweeter than her photos. We'd have missed her if Millie hadn't honed in on her behind the scenes at Leach's Music, where, incidentally, we noticed a plethora of guitars in various sizes and styles. Every youngster, teen and young adult needs a guitar; it's a rite of passage for some and a must for the musically gifted.
We also had to duck into a shop called Penique's, which must be a synonym for UNIQUE. Much larger inside than it seems, this shop carries a wonderful array of items from baby items to homewares and decor, clothing and accessories. Kristi's favorites was the "Life is Good" section while Millie enjoyed the area designed to entice little girls. Among other signs we saw one that read, "Life isn't about finding yourself, it's about creating yourself." This is a statement in which we fully believe, and one that Paris apparently embraces as well. Where else can you find, downtown, the nostalgia engendered by people enjoying the holidays -- walking, mingling, meeting people and seeing the stores? No mall can replicate it. Most towns can't either, but in Paris downtown shopping is a convenient and welcome reality.
And then there were the 4-H Honor Club youngsters braving the cold -- and despite sun-warmed spots it was COLD in the shade. These young entrepreneurial types showed children how to make various Christmas crafts. Said one of the girls, "That's what we're all about: service to the community." She and her friend described the wonderful 4-H Club opportunities in Henry County, and said it gets better and better as you progress to higher grades, including helping with the younger kids in camp. I can't say enough about the wholesome opportunities provided by this great organization.
We also had a first look at Trees on the Square (don't miss this display of Christmas tree decor by local shops and organizations, where you can vote for your favorite). It is located in downtown Paris next to BPU on East Washington Street. Gingerbread Village will be on display at Trees on the Square from December 1 through December 23, from 1:00 to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $1.
We had lunch at Miller's Country Store, a Mennonite establishment out toward Como in Henry County. They make out of this world sandwiches from your choice of home-baked breads, meat, cheese and vegetables. Our favorite is sweet Lebanon bologna and yogurt vegetable cheese on sourdough bread with shredded lettuce, tomato and mayo but the choices are wide and varied. Have a wild cherry cola or other drink for about half of what you'd normally pay. Don't pass by the opportunity to try out the rocking chairs they offer that are designed for lumbar support. (Thinking we might need one of these when the twins arrive!)
We went home tired and happy only to head back through Henry County Saturday on our way to The Homeplace at LBL. An intriguing visit everyday, the place was even more special with holiday fudge and gingerbread served in the old-fashioned kitchen, plus crafts and candy for the youngsters. Everything in the gift shop was half price and we went home with Susie, a soft, curlyhaired lamb that fit right in with the rest of Millie's animal friends. I'd say she was a stuffed animal, but that was before we took her home and made her a member of the family headed up by Millie and Sammy, a panda bear brought home from the Memphis Zoo when Mil was about three years old.
Funny how every time we venture to Paris, whether we're stopping or just passing through, we seem to be creating a little more of what we want to be, and be a part of. If you're looking for yourself, maybe it's time to give up that fruitless task and create yourself -- in Paris.
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