Sara was so excited. Her friend Skippy was coming over to play. We were all expecting to have a fun evening, but when Skippy and his family arrived, things quickly changed.
“We’ve got a big problem!” Those were the first word’s out of Skippy’s mother’s mouth as she walked through the front door. My first thought was that Skippy had thrown up in their car. Or worse, on our front porch. Unfortunately, for him and us, it wasn’t that simple. Then she said, “He has a Lite Brite bulb stuck up his nose!”

A former teacher recently gave me several boxes of books and the promise of more to come. Last Sunday was my fifth Sunday to volunteer at the Union County Historical and Genealogical Museum. I was alone for those four hours (it was no surprise to me that I had no visitors on Halloween Sunday), so I used the opportunity to become familiar with my newly acquired old books.

Apple pie. Apple pie. Custardly, creamy apple pie. Only a few apples in the fridge? All this pie takes is three pie apples. Then it only takes a pie shell. If you have some dough in the freezer left over from your last baking bash, rescue those apples and make this pie. If there is not quite enough apples, that's ok. Maybe throw in a few raisins. Notice that there is no cinnamon in this apple pie.

One of my favorite songs is an old bar song. It is amazing how many people know that old ditty. Religious folk know it, too. That surprised me at first. It shouldn’t have. Not everyone has a religious conversion as a child. Some, like me, find our Lord at a later age.
I delight in humming a few bars to see what reaction I get. The change is immediate if it has been part of their youth. The song was a staple on all neighborhood bar jute boxes. At least in the area where I grew up

Bird watching is a favorite pastime for many nature lovers, but it’s often hard to find time to get out and see them. You can enjoy them at home by setting up a feeding station or two. This will also give you the added satisfaction while helping the birds through severe weather, especially extreme cold and snow. Before you begin feeding, keep in mind that once you begin winter feeding, you need to keep it up regularly. The birds become dependent on you, rather than natural sources, and it may prove a great hardship for them if you suddenly stop.

“Not every town wants a chicken plant.”
These are the words of many citizens in Humboldt, Tennessee, as they received a Tyson chicken farm that was rejected by Kansas and now the growing thought of citizens in the Sharps Chapel Community.

Robbie and Gail Corum welcomed the 16 counties of East Tennessee Regional Leadership Association (ETRLA) to Union County recently for Agriculture Day.
Presentations and tours included Tater Valley Nursery and Century Farm, Mayor Jason Bailey, UCHS Career & Technical Education, Union County Farmers Market, Union County Soil Conservation, and UT Extension Union County.

Union County Commission rejected a proposal developed by the Election Commission and reviewed by the Redistricting Committee.
The proposal would have reduced the 19 percent out of compliance to being in compliance of 10 percent or less variation for district representation.

In less than a half hour of discussion and less than four minutes for the actual meeting with barely a quorum, the Union County Board of Education completed its work at the meeting on October 7.
Meeting a week early to accommodate fall break, the board heard from its attorney that the lawsuit with the Union County Historical Society had been settled and final order documents filed with the Union County Register of Deeds. However, Attorney MaryAnn Stackhouse appealed to the board members to adjourn to the library after the meeting to hear about even more current pending litigation.

Union County Schools invites parents, guardians and community stakeholders to a Districtwide Parent and Community Involvement Meeting on Wednesday, November 3, beginning at 5 p.m. at the the Family Resource Center and Technology building behind Maynardville Elementary School playground. Parking is in front of the building.