Who doesn’t love the character called “Tow-Mater” from the Disney movie “Cars?” He was a tow truck whose name was Mater, which made his nickname was clever as well as cute. If I were named Mater, my nickname would be “No-Mater.” Why?
Hang on to your hats!

"Troy Buckner related some of his whiskey making experiences during the 1920s and 30s. 'A still site was chosen in an out-of-the-way place,' he explained.
'It was not set up on one's own farm but rather on a nearby farm. After TVA purchased land for the Norris Lake, the reservation surrounding the lake provided a good location because it was not hard to find plenty of fresh water.'

I was on my way to work last week. I was listening to the late minister Adrian Rogers on Christian radio station BBC. Like many engaging preachers, Pastor Rogers possessed a drawing voice filled with conviction. One of the main things I like about him is his sense of humor—not foolish, but thought provoking.
In the course of his sermon, Pastor Rogers stated that it was not possible to think of two things at the same time. This gave me pause for thought.

As an amateur naturalist I have a curiosity to know how things work. In college I once saw the chemical reactions involved in photosynthesis laid out on a large poster. This all-important method plants use to make food for themselves (and ultimately us) was incredibly complex and took up half the wall.

Commercials. That is often a dirty word when I am watching a program on television.
It seems that when the story becomes really interesting and has me “hooked,” there marches in a whole train of commercials. I have counted as many as a dozen, one right after another. It hasn't always been that way.

I grew up where black walnuts were the thing, not pecans. I didn't have to buy them. They grew all over the farm, especially down the lane to the pasture. Here, we had several black walnut trees on our 1 2/3 acres.
I remember the first time I gathered 'em, dried 'em and placed the precious nuts in grocery bags. They were placed to cure on a high shelf in our little barn. Later, the following winter, I reached up to retrieve a bag of walnuts to take to the house and crack.

My husband had never owned a dog when he was growing up, but he loved them and dogs loved him. He said dogs that would tear up anyone else in his neighborhood would fawn on him like a little puppy.
So after we were married and in our own house, he insisted on getting a dog. I was not included in that selection.

Q: How is a chiropractic adjustment performed?

A: Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a manual procedure that utilizes the highly refined skills developed during the doctor of chiropractic’s intensive years of chiropractic education. The chiropractic physician typically uses his or her hands—or an instrument— to manipulate the joints of the body, particularly the spine, in order to restore or enhance joint function.

Kids waving sparklers in the air,
Fireworks in the nighttime sky.
Exploding rockets and dancing stars
Remind us it's the Fourth of July!
We proudly say,
“It's Independence Day.”

Sourwood does not stand out in the forest except this time of year when it is in bloom, and perhaps in the fall when it displays brilliant red colors.

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum) is locally called "sorrel” and is common in our area. It tends to be a small understory tree growing under larger tree canopies.