A Morning Hike, Retirement Party, and Sausage Gravy

Our fun-filled week continued as we launched into the weekend.  We’re as busy now as we ever were when we had jobs.  How did we have time for work?

Despite the heavy fog and cool temperature, we were out early Friday morning for a hike at Percy Warner Park.  There are seven miles of trail in this park.  We hike the 4.5 mile Mossy Ridge loop most often, but there is also Warner Woods Trail, a 2.5 mile loop.  These two loop trails are connected by a short access trail at the Deep Well Parking lot. We began our hike by doing the Mossy Ridge loop.  When we got back around to the access trail, we had to do some pretty stiff talking to ourselves to continue to the Warner Woods trail.

We have been trying to hike longer distances in an effort to rebuild the level of fitness we lost over the summer.  We’re looking forward to doing some hiking in the Smoky Mountains next spring, so will need to get back to into hiking shape.  We’re working at it, but it is so hard.

The Warner Woods Trail is much easier than Mossy Ridge and it took us just about an hour to complete the loop.  I don’t know if Gene was really feeling his Cheerios or if he just wanted to get finished, but he never stopped walking.  We did 7 miles without a break.  I was dragging one foot in front of the other by the time we got back to the car.

Friday evening we helped one of our fellow Tennessee Trails hiking friends celebrate her retirement.  The party was fun.  Nancy, the guest of honor, is so excited about this next stage in her life.  Her enthusiasm just filled up the house.  We also got to see several of our hiking friends, most of whom we haven’t seen since last year’s Christmas party.

This morning, we were up and out to meet my cousin, Joan, for breakfast.  We have been trying to get with her and her husband ever since we returned to Nashville in September.  Unfortunately, Jeff had to work again so he was unable to join us.  But Joan can eat whether Jeff is there or not, so we sat down to a big breakfast at Cracker Barrel.  Joan and I both ordered the same thing--chicken biscuits with scrambled eggs, apples and sausage gravy.

When our plates came, we realized immediately we had a problem with that gravy.  We’re both country girls and what a country girl does with gravy is put it on the biscuit.  Our biscuits had chicken stuffed in them.  I solved my problem by unstuffing the chicken from the biscuits.  Joan preserved the integrity of her chicken biscuits and poured her gravy on her eggs.  I suppose we should have chosen grits, but honestly, how can a country girl pass up sausage gravy?

I didn't have the camera along for these activities so have included shots from our trip to the Southwest a couple years ago.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

We Hate To See You Go

We finally had to let Tony and Diana get on their way this morning.  It’s always a little sad to see friends driving down the road, but this will only be for a short time.  We hope to be together again in Bushnell, Florida where we’ll be spending several weeks this winter.  So, see you soon, Tony and Diana.

After we got these friends on their way, I found email from Darrell and Judy of Wandering America.  They’ll be spending a few days in middle Tennessee on their way to Kentucky next week.  Now, we’re looking forward to visiting with them.  Aren’t friends grand?

It has been a dreary day here with rain almost all day long.  I’m not complaining, however, because we really need rain in Tennessee.  Still, it’s been a gray day--not one for spending much time outside.  We took the opportunity to do some shopping.

I got a little money for my birthday which was burning a hole in my pocket.  I just had to get that spent before it got mixed in with other money and I never got anything special for myself.  Gene took me over to Macy’s.  I could have gone by myself, but it’s more fun to have him drive me.  He found himself a soft chair in which to spend the wait time while I picked out a couple items of clothing for myself.

You may have noticed I’ve been steadily working on transferring older posts from My Trip Journal to this blog.  I started at the beginning with the stuff from Spring of 2008.  I’ve been trying to do five posts a day.  I can do that in about 30 minutes, so it’s not too much of a time consumer.  I’m not sure I’m going about the task in the easiest way, but it’s getting done.  The trick is to find a time when I’m not likely to be interrupted.  If I get distracted, I get confused.

Tomorrow, we’ll be back on a trail somewhere.  We have eaten way more food than we should have this week and haven’t gotten nearly enough exercise.  Gotta get back with the routine now.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Capitol of Tennessee

Tuesday was a fun-filled day of showing off our hometown to Diana and Tony.  They have been here before and seen some of the major attractions in town, so we concentrated on the capitol building, Bicentennial Mall State Park, and the downtown and Vanderbilt areas.

We got started about mid-morning and after making our way downtown we parked the car at Bicentennial Mall and walked up the hill to the state capitol.  Before going inside, we walked around the grounds stopping at the tomb of President James K. Polk and the statues of Presidents Andrew Jackson and Andrew Johnson.  Since the capitol is located on top of a hill, we had superb views of the immediate vicinity, which, of course, is primarily state office buildings.  Among the state office buildings is the main branch of Nashville Public Library, the War Memorial Building, and the State Library and Archives.

Andrew Johnson

Unfortunately, by the time we finally went inside, we had missed the last tour before lunch. We didn’t want to wait around until 1 PM for the next guided tour, so we grabbed a brochure and guided ourselves.  The State Legislature is not in session at this time so we were able to step into the House and Senate chambers.  A wrought iron spiral staircase was the prominent feature of the Capitol Library.

Old Supreme Court

House Chamber

Senate Chamber

The building is done in the Greek Revival style and was completed in 1859.  During the Civil War, the Union forces occupied Nashville and transformed the capitol into "Fortress Andrew Johnson."  During the mid-1950s the building underwent some repairs.  Because of deterioration, some of the original columns were replaced.  Pieces of the old columns are displayed on the grounds.

This capitol is one of only a few capitols which doesn’t have a dome.  Instead, its crowning glory is a central tower.

Inside under the center tower

After our tour of the capitol, we ate our picnic lunch at Bicentennial Mall State Park.  This park was established and dedicated in 1996 in honor of the 200th Anniversary of Tennessee becoming a state.  The 19-acre park is down the hill and across the street from the capitol.  The park is unique in that it is really a history and geography lesson on the state.

Decade markers

The wall opposite the decade markers tells the history during that decade.

We finished our tour of the town by driving over to the Vanderbilt University area.  Our first stop was at Starbucks.  With coffee in hand we drove up and down and all around with Gene as our private and very informative tour guide.

We got home in time to rest a little before sharing our evening meal together and then ending our day watching our favorite TV programs--NCIS and NCIS Los Angeles.

Tony and Diana had originally planned to leave today, but we weren’t done talking yet.  They’ve extended their stay until tomorrow.  Wonder if we’ll be ready to let them go by then?

That’s all for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Great Fun With Friends

Tony and Diana arrived Sunday afternoon and the fun, laughs, and conversation has not stopped.  We first met Tony and Diana right here on Music Valley Drive three years ago this month.  When they backed into the site next to ours we noticed an Appalachian Trail sticker on the back of their Born Free.  After they got set up, we went over to introduce ourselves.  There are some people with whom you hit it off right away and that was the way it was between us and them.  It was like we were instant good friends.

Olympic National Park, Washington

Amazingly, their travel plans for that winter and following summer were very similar to ours--Texas for the winter, the Good Sam rally in Albuquerque in the spring, and eventually Washington state before headed back east.  We arranged to meet up with them in Albuquerque and Port Angeles, Washington.  Since then, we’ve met two or three times a year, with the last being this past summer in Denali National Park and in Seward, Alaska.  Always, we have a wonderful time with Tony and Diana.

Baloon ride in Albuquerque

We spent our first full day together on a hike at Warner Park.  We did the Mossy Ridge 4.5 mile loop with a stop for a picnic lunch about halfway around.  We ended the day with a wonderful meal prepared by Diana.

Today, the Tennessee capitol building is on the agenda as well as the Parthenon at Centennial Park.  I know it’s gonna be lots of fun.

Gotta get busy now.  Thanks for tagging along.

Turnip Greens and Friends

Sunday was filled with anticipation.  Friends, Tony and Diana, were passing through Nashville on their way to Northern Virginia for the holidays.  We last saw Tony and Diana in Seward, Alaska in late July.  Of course, we’ve spoken on the phone several times, emailed back and forth, and they follow our blog, but there’s nothing like being together.  Since Seward, we knew they would be coming this way and we’ve looked forward to this visit all this time.  Now they’re here.  But first, there’s a mess of turnip greens.

I’m just an ole southern girl and for us true southerners there’s nothing much better than fried chicken, black-eyed peas, cornbread, and a mess of turnip greens.  Some in my family would add a tall glass of ice cold buttermilk to that list, but not me.  Maybe I’m not as true southern as I think I am.  Anyway, the fall of the year is turnip green time and my aunt had promised me a mess when the time was right.  I’ve been looking forward to these turnip greens for a month.

They say cool weather and frost have a whole lot to do with the taste of turnip greens.  Some people, like my aunt, swear that the best tasting greens are those that have had one frost.  Others, like my mother, say that the frost makes them bitter.  I haven’t done a scientific study of these theories since I usually get my greens in a can at the grocery.  However, my own opinion is that the greens, whether frosted on or not, are best when picked young rather than waiting until the leaves are huge.  Since my greens were coming from my aunt, I got young, tender leaves that had been frosted on Friday night. She picked them on Saturday night and brought them to church for me on Sunday.

Along with church, a quick run to the grocery for fresh bread, and preparing a travel day dinner for Tony and Diana, I really didn’t have time to mess with that mess of turnip greens this afternoon, but greens won’t wait.

I had a grocery sack full which is the same thing as having a sink full.  Greens have to be washed and washed and washed.  They have a prickly surface covered with very fine hair-like stuff which holds onto the dirt and grit of the garden.  Washing multiple times is essential.  I’ve heard it said greens should be washed seven times.  That may be a bit much, but I washed my mess of greens five times before the water was clear.

Then it was into the pot.  You’re probably surprised I have a pot large enough to hold a sink full of greens.  It lives under the sofa and I use it about once every 2 or 3 years.  I was sure glad I had it today.  The pot was full to overflowing, but once I turned the heat on the greens wilted quickly and there was plenty of room in the pot.  I haven’t cooked turnip greens fresh from the garden since 1970.  I had to refresh my memory from the internet.  The hardest part is the washing and cutting off the thick part of the stem.  Once in the pot, just add water, salt, onion, and seasoning meat and boil about 45 minutes until the greens are tender.  I used bacon for seasoning since I didn’t have fat back and I also put in about a teaspoon of sugar.  Served piping hot with a little vinegar or pepper sauce, they are yummy--to an old southern gal like me.

Turnip greens are the leaf part of the root vegetable, turnips.  The turnip looks like an albino beet.  My grandmother fed me lots of turnips when I was a child, but I never developed a taste for those.

Tony and Diana arrived about the middle of the afternoon.  Our pear and apple crisp was just out of the oven, the greens were just in the pot.  We had a wonderful reunion with rapid fire conversation as we got caught up with each others lives since leaving Alaska.  We hugged, laughed, talked, and ate.  Now, we’re looking forward to the next few days with them before they continue their journey east.

Obviously, the photos have nothing to do with turnip greens.  They were all from our trip to the southwest  a couple years ago.  That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Volunteer Trail

Today, we were back at Long Hunter State Park; this time to hike the Volunteer Trail. This trail is 5.5 miles one way out to a backcountry campsite.  However, off the Volunteer Trail is a 4-mile loop--that’s the one for us.

We don’t often do this trail.  The forest here is not very scenic and the section of trail along the lake is littered with plastic and Styrofoam trash thrown out by boaters and fishermen.  During the warm months, it often smells of dead fish which is plenty reason not to hike this trail.

We thought we’d give it a try today and were pleasantly surprised.  The leaves have turned so the trail was bathed in a beautiful golden glow as the sun shown through the yellows and oranges.  With a cool, crisp temperature this morning in the low 40s, there was no fishy smell at all.

This is a relatively flat trail with very slight ups and downs.  About half of the distance is along the bank of Priest Lake where we had some remarkable views.  The day started out very foggy, but by the time we reached the lake the last of the fog was lifting.

We wanted to do a little more than 4 miles, so we hiked the 1-mile nature trail from the Visitor Center parking lot.  This trails makes a loop through cedar glade so wasn’t nearly as colorful at the Volunteer trail. In fact, it was so strikingly different that you wouldn’t imagine it being at the same place on the same morning.

We got home in time for a late lunch and after showers we gave up the rest of the afternoon to chores in preparation for friends coming tomorrow.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Me Time

You know, there are just times when a girl needs her own space for a couple hours.  Being together 24/7 in the small space of a Class C could be a problem for some couples.  It works well for us and we enjoy all that time and close togetherness.  But occasionally, I need a little time to call my own.  Today was one of those times.

Espada Mission, San Antonio, TX

We had originally planned to hike at Warner Park with our friend, Herb, this morning.  However, the rains rolled in yesterday and were forecasted to continue throughout this morning.  Some folks don’t mind walking in the rain and I can if I have to, but if I don’t have to I ain’t gonna.  So the thought occurred to me last night that I could bug out of the hiking thing and have myself a few hours of “me time”.  Gene was fine with that and I got my mind all wrapped around the many things I could do this morning.

When Gene got up and looked at the updated weather forecast, he decided he wasn’t so eager to walk in that much rain either.  He and Herb swapped emails and phone calls and I was on the edge of my seat wondering if I’d loose my time.  I didn’t need to worry.  Gene and Herb were happy to drink coffee instead of hike so they headed off the local coffee spot.  They didn’t get through with their trail talk before lunch so they moved over to the Cracker Barrel.  In the end, I probably had more time to myself than I would have had if they’d gone hiking.

Mt Rushmore

How did I spend those few hours?  Cleaning up my computer and working on my photo project mostly.  When I got tired of that, I got out my book and read for a while.  It was a very fine morning.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.