A walk in the woods is often done to escape the complexities of human society that hound us all. The forest is a place of peace and supposed simplicity. But a closer look reveals an intricate complexity that is so elegantly carried out we aren’t aware it’s happening. Take that dead log lying beside your favorite trail. It’s just a tree whose time ran out and appears inactive. But what’s going on inside it is a key component in recycling nutrients to feed the trees of the forest and provide food and habitat for many wildlife species.

As Union County grows economically, opportunities for students parallel that growth. Food City, a business staple in the Maynardville community, recently expanded in size and offerings, generating many needed services and products in the county. Not only was this business expansion a benefit for the patrons it serves, new doors opened for working-age Union County students as well.

In 1955 there were 1400 farms in Union County, according to the census report that year. The total profit from farming was $1,107,595.40. The next highest income was from the sale of livestock amounting to $230,000.00. This included cattle, sheep, horses and mules.

What comes to mind when you hear the word stim? Most think of the stem of a plant or Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) classes in schools. One of the words that is commonly associated with autism is stim or stimming. Stimming is clinically described as a self-stimulatory behavior and is characterized by repetitive motions, sounds and/or other behaviors.

Country Connections By James and Ellen Perry
Sitting on my porch listening to “Analog” by Brennen Leigh. Brennen is a songwriter, singer and excellent guitar player. She is a breath of fresh air in country music. Brennen left Austin, Texas, for Nashville and I hope Nashville doesn’t ruin her. Brennen released a tribute album to Lefty Frizzell and it’s a great album. Brennen has lots of her songs on the internet. Here are some of her songs, “Same Dream,” “In Texas in a Band,” and “Carole With an E.” Check her out. Brennen is also a 5-ft.-10-in. beauty.

I often looked for the largest turkey i could afford, just so i would have leftover turkey. I don't do that any more with just Anne and me at home. Here is another recipe from my past you might like.

By Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
With Thanksgiving approaching thoughts turn to the first English colonial settlement in America. If you remember your history lessons, the first attempts to colonize the New World were the Roanoke Colony in 1587 and the Jamestown Colony in 1607. The Roanoke Colony disappeared without a trace and has been the subject of much speculation ever since.

This past Sunday my Pastor used John 6:60 for his sermon text. That particular passage reads as follows: “Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?”

His thought was basically “Jesus had a lot of followers while everything seemed to be going well. However, once Jesus began to talk about spiritual matters, and the hardships that would soon come upon himself and his followers, many of them left and walked no more with Jesus. (John 6:66)

It’s sometimes unavoidable that we have to lift a heavy or cumbersome object. Using some basic precautions, you can minimize the likelihood of pulling a muscle or otherwise injuring yourself in the process of lifting.

My passion for stories comes from my mother reading to me every night before I went to sleep. I don’t think she realized at the time just how much they impacted me.