Anyone who knows me knows of my taste for black walnuts. When my kids were small and money was tight, I would load the three youngest ones in the pickup. After a fall's hard freeze, we would head for my favorite walnut trees along country roads. Each child would have his or her own pail. “Pick 'em up as fast as you can,” I would yell.

Sometimes, neighbors took offense with our picking up the walnuts, even if the walnuts were out in the roadway. We did get run off occasionally, but it didn't take long to fill the pickup bed with the ones we could get.

I like corn salsa. It is best made in the summertime with fresh vegetables. Red tomatoes in the winter don't taste as good as tomatoes fresh from the garden. That goes for sweet corn, too. We like sweet corn freshly cut from the cob and fried with butter, salt and sugar. Oh well, that is another dish. For this salsa, canned whole kernel corn can be used as well. I learned to appreciate red onions while working at Arby's in Halls. I was introduced to jalapeno peppers when we moved to Tennessee. Before that, I only used the yellow hot banana peppers.

We would like to thank everyone who stopped by our booth at the 14th Annual Union County Heritage Festival on Saturday, October 6, 2018.

As we did last year, we decided to give something back to those who signed up for our weekly newsletter. Everyone who signed up was entered into a drawing to receive their own copy of Betty Bullen’s print, “Fiddlin Around.”

Residents at Willow Ridge Center in Maynardville are feeling the love even more these days. Admissions and marketing director Kathy Chesney said mindfulness and generosity from local organizations have given residents new in-room televisions and a new water fountain with a bottle filling station.

The sun beamed smiles down on Narrow Ridge for the 19th Annual Hogskin History Day. All the rain for a solid week had me antsy a few days before–what can we all do except sit in our cars until the rain stops and the grass dries off? Thankfully, that did not happen and the day could not have been nicer. There were about 10 to 15 tents set up with quality goods and displays. I read a few excerpts from stories from my books and told my story of how Hogskin got its name. Early on in my journey as a County Historian I inquired of local people how place names originated.

Tennessee All Stars was established as a recognition program for outstanding 4-H members. Before a 4-Her can become an All Star member, they have to be a member of their local Honor Club. Union County Honor Club is organized and meets monthly on the second Tuesday at the UT Extension Union County. Students, grades six through twelve, are encouraged to join and become more involved in their community through service projects, volunteering, and leadership. All Stars provide service to others through individual and cooperative efforts.

On Sunday, September 30, Chapel of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Sharps Chapel, TN voted to purchase land on which to build their first church building. Located on Sharps Chapel Road near the intersection with Post Master Road, the land is only about three minutes from Route 33.

“I am very thankful for the leadership of our congregation’s president Jeff Landis,” stated Paul Kritsch, pastor of the church. “I am also proud of the way our members searched out three possibilities and the way they prayed and discussed and then decided.”

Many of you commented on the article about my relative Bill and the PCH fraud that was perpetrated on him. Here is the latest surprise happening that I want to make sure people know about.

Two days ago, Bill received a call from the scammers. Yes, they are still calling him. They told him that all they needed was another $555 and they would be showing up at his door with the grand prize. Again, Bill told them he had no more money. Scammer David told Bill to watch his mail because they were seeking a sponsor for him.

It would have been labeled a failing school, but in the 1970s, the disingenuous scheme by which composite test scores for the entire student body are used to label schools as failing had yet to be devised. Like many elementary schools, here in Southern Appalachia, in the 1970s, relatively low enrollment forced the placement of students of varying academic ability functioning at, above, and below grade level into the same classroom. The one size fits all education model in practice, at the time, served some students well and failed others miserably.

Like a lot of people, I was glued to the television watching the hurricane disaster that unfolded in the Carolinas. Those big beautiful homes on the beach have really taken a pounding. Of course, they have insurance and will rebuild. Not so, the poor folks that live inland. They probably don't have flood insurance. Some have no insurance at all and probably not a spare dollar in their pocket Those are the ones that I pray God helps.