Country Connections by James & Ellen Perry
Time marches on. Memories, like old pictures, fade. Family members and old friends die.
The homesteads and farms remembered from youth are torn down or divided and sold by their heirs. Subdivisions are encroaching on our beloved mountains and valleys and now encompass the beautiful lakes we once enjoyed. “Keep off” signs are popping up as developers buy up property and build houses on top of our scenic hills ruining our vistas and changing the mountain silhouettes forever.

When entering Big Ridge State Park, one of first structures you will see is a stone building right on the side of the road. Most people who visit the park probably know very little about the structure or know nothing at all about the unique little building. Some folks that have grown up visiting the park may know a lot more about the building than visitors not from around these parts.
The stone building was originally built around 1935 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). After the completion of Big Ridge Park, it was run and operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

I like recipes that are easy to make. Usually the fewer ingredients the better. This recipe is an example. It is amazing what all you can do with a box of mac and cheese. It's easy, but the directions sound a little strange. Try it anyway. It is delicious. Add a green salad for a quick supper.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
It’s a new year! Go ahead and call me Captain Obvious, but sometimes stating what is obvious is simply necessary. While I try not to make flippant New Year’s resolutions, regarding spiritual matters I do like to take the occasion as another opportunity to reflect upon my relationship with God. When I see my shortcomings through reflecting upon God’s Word, it benefits me to sharpen my focus and reset my path in accordance with Biblical principles.

The Great Sambo sounds like a magician's name doesn’t it? By the way, I prefer the term illusionist. Actually, The Great Sambo was my dad’s dog.
Sambo was a Great Pyrenees. In case you are unfamiliar with that breed, they are very large dogs, but they have gentle demeanors. Sambo definitely had that, thank goodness.
Knowing my daughter Sara liked dogs, Dad had us bring her to his home to see Sambo when he got him. At this time Sara was three years old. It was a very cold winter’s day so, we had her bundled up so much that she resembled a caterpillar in a cocoon.

If you have friends who love to email great thoughts and turns of phrase, or if you are a Facebook junkie, you have undoubtedly come across some pretty interesting opinions about the year just about to end approximately 77 hours from the time I type this sentence.
The one that sticks with me the most at present is this: If you had to choose a drink to represent the year 2020, what would it be? Answer: Colonoscopy prep

Many enjoy watching it snow, as the slow-motion quiet of falling flakes provides a peaceful, serene setting. A single snowfall offers a myriad of exquisite ice sculptures that are short-lived, often unnoticed, and worth a closer look. In his book, Snowflake, Kenneth Libbrecht discusses how to observe snow up close.

I recently spoke to Jack Rhyne to learn his story and it is a fascinating one! Like most little boys growing up in a Roy Rogers world, Rhyne hoped to grow up to be a cowboy. That didn’t quite work out, but he has lived an adventurous life. Rhyne grew up in Anderson County, enlisted in the Army as a young man, and married Marie Merritt from Grainger County, who served as Rutledge’s City Recorder.

As we continue in this time of uncertainty and fear, life must go on in some ways. A part of that is that children need an education. There are many aspects of a child’s education that go beyond a classroom or basic learning. These things include but are not limited to sports, band, music lessons, dance lessons, fundraisers, and community support. All of these and more contribute to a child’s education in ways many cannot see.

If you’re suffering from chronic lower back pain, a new review of existing research finds that spinal manipulation—the kind of hands-on regimen that a chiropractor might perform on you—is just as helpful as other frequently employed treatments, like pain killers. Spinal manipulation is also safe, researchers found.