Duty Calls

Today’s the day we’ve been waiting for--jury duty.  Nashville seems like a long way away when you have to be there by 8:30.  Gene crawled, grumbling, out of bed before daylight, scraped a razor across his face, swallowed a bite of breakfast, and dashed out the door before 7 AM.  The drive was only 35 miles, but with a good portion on a 2-lane, curvy road which has more than its fair share of rush hour traffic, getting into downtown, finding a place to park, and being at the courthouse on time was a challenge.  But, he met the challenge and was there with 5 minutes to spare.

Fire Pink

He was chosen as a possible juror right away, but after spending all day in the courtroom and being asked numerous questions, he was finally dismissed from that trial.  He gets to go back tomorrow, same time, same place for another opportunity to serve.  We’re actually very glad he wasn’t selected today because that trial was expected to last for a couple weeks.

Redbud

While he was doing his duty, I had the run of Montgomery Bell State Park.  We’ve mentioned Montgomery Bell and his success in the iron industry making him one of the richest men in Tennessee during the early 1800s.  The site of an old iron forge and the ore pits are not the only thing of historical significance that took place at what is now Montgomery Bell State Park.

The “birthplace” of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church is just over the hill from the campground.  It seems that three of the church clergy were unhappy with official church policy and wanted to work out some way in which to resolve their differences of opinions.  These three guys met at the home of Rev. McAdow on February 4, 1810 and ended up reviving the Cumberland Church which had been dissolved several years earlier by the Kentucky Synod.   A replica of Rev McAdow’s home stands on the site where these men gathered.

Near this cabin is a small chapel built in 1960.  Services are held here each Sunday during the summer months and it’s a popular place for weddings.

Phacelia

This evening we spoke with those Maineiacs.  Mike and Peggy are motoring their way north on the Natchez Trace Parkway and expect to be in our neck of the woods on Wednesday.  Certainly anxious to see them and hear all about their trip around Texas.

That does it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.