Historic Union County

Spreading the good news of Union County

What captures the eye may hold the key to research solutions
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — What is the value of a gaze? In the hands of researchers at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, the value could be immense. The Institute’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics recently launched the REM Lab—an acronym for research, extension and marketing—to capture visual attention data that can be used to develop a myriad of solutions.

Dr. Paris Alton Palmer (Pat) was born in 1868 and died in 1951. He was the son of William Esau Palmer and Margaret Russell Palmer, grandson of Jesse Green Palmer and Sarah Sharp Palmer. He married Belle Miller, who was the great-granddaughter of Martin Luther Miller and “Pioneer” Henry Sharp, two of the first settlers of Sharps Chapel. Dr. Pat and his wife Belle were the parents of seven children, and from those siblings there were 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Some of you may be aware that I endeavored to start a travel blog last year. Well, life got busy and writing about where I had traveled wasn’t as appealing as actually traveling. My apologies.
I am making a second attempt by documenting our fiftieth wedding anniversary trip from which we just returned. Bear with me as I get you from Knoxville to Phoenix, Arizona.

My grandfather will be 98 years old this year. He is a veteran of World War II. Montgomery Jackson Kennedy, known as “Jack,” served in the U.S. Navy and survived an air raid by the Japanese while in the South Pacific. The air raid destroyed the small ship he was on and he was rescued shortly after by another navy vessel.

Many years ago Porter Wagoner did a recitation on his television show entitled “Trouble in the Amen Corner.” You can access it on YouTube.
The recitation tells the story of an old gentleman named Ira who sang in his church choir. His cracked voice did not harmonize well with the rest of the choir and he sometimes missed words.

Country Connections By James and Ellen Perry
I am sitting on my porch this morning of June 20, 2022, enjoying a cup of coffee, and also enjoying an unusually cool beautiful late June morning.
We had a great spring with plenty of rain and cool weather which has blessed East Tennessee with some of the lushest green foliage and beautiful flowers spread over our beautiful state with gorgeous sunrises for all to enjoy at no cost.

If you ask me if my momma is a great cook, I’ll answer, “Yes, she is.”
If you ask if me if mom is fun, I’ll answer, “She’s a hoot.”
If you ask me what is one of my mom’s greatest talents, I’ll answer, “She can drive anything.”
Mom grew up on the same farm I did. Whereas I loved working in the garden, she loved being out in the fields. She was driving farm trucks across them before she had her driver’s license. There were even times she drove the tractor. If it needed to be driven, she’d jump in and go.

Here is an old-timey treat. Of course, back in the day when most farmers butchered a pig in the fall the tongue never went to waste. Today, you would be hard pressed to find a pork or beef tongue anywhere on the meat counter. The butcher would need to order it for you.

The common theme of all the messages I have heard preached lately, all by different ministers, pertain to the need for REVIVAL!
I could caption some of the messages like this: “Cast the net on the right side of the ship” from the book of John, Chapter 21; “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me,” found in the book of Psalms Chapter 51.

By: Steve Roark
Volunteer, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
If you fish and have room in your landscape for a tree, the catalpa may be for you. It supports a worm that is superb bait for bluegill and catfish. The common name used around here is Catawba tree, and has also been called Indian bean and cigar tree. The books call it northern catalpa (Catalpa speciosa).

8th District Attorney General to join Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference Executive Committee 
 
CAMPBELL, CLAIBORNE, FENTRESS, SCOTT and UNION COUNTIES, Tenn. (June 20, 2022) – Jared Effler, 8th District Attorney General, has been elected by fellow members of the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference (TNDAGC) to serve on the organization’s Executive Committee. In this position, Effler will have a vital voice in guiding the overall administration of justice in Tennessee.  
 

The opioid epidemic has led many respected health groups to reconsider the value of a conservative approach to low back pain (the most common condition for which opioids are prescribed). Most notably, the American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest medical-specialty society in the world, updated its low back pain treatment guideline to support a conservative approach to care.

I love to play with words. Hence the word “Sandruff.” Think you know what it means? Let’s find out.
When Sara first started playing softball, her position was in outfield. Eventually, she was moved to the position of catcher, which excited her. I can see why. Infield is where most of the action is. And unfortunately, the sand.

I have been blessed (cursed?) to find humor where others would not even look. Let us consider the difference between “bloops” and “bleeps”.
When I was young, a neighbor of mine once quoted a little poem that my Aunt Lidia found particularly amusing:

Blueberries are best made into a pie or as a sauce for dumplings. I use the frozen ones unless fresh are available. It is worth stirring up a batch of pie dough. I like to serve Blueberry Pie warm.

If you have a landscape with trees, you may be forced to take one down for some reason. The remaining stump is normally an eyesore, forcing many to resort to a costly stump removal service. There are solutions to the problem if you are patient

For many growing up in the Union County Community, summers were spent on the water. I know for my family personally; my parents and brother tell stories of summers on the houseboat, and I remember always taking a trip to what I would call the “hole tree island” to camp.

Despite the high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain during pregnancy, few women in underserved populations receive treatment for their low back pain. Moreover, researchers found that pain in a previous pregnancy may predict a high risk for musculoskeletal complaints in future pregnancies. 85 percent of women who experienced pain in a previous pregnancy reported pain during their current pregnancy.

I don’t know if it was my pride that made me do it or my stubbornness.
Years ago, we visited Dollywood Splash Country with my cousin Lynda and her family. While our children and husbands were playing on the water attractions, we walked around the park. I noticed one that had three water tubes running down the hill into a large pool. Two were enclosed and twisted while and one was open and straight
“Hey, that looks like fun.” I pointed. “Do you want to try it?”
She smiled and answered, “No, but you can.”

I was checking Facebook the other day and came across this “hook”:

Meet the Waltons: The Bizarre Family Behind Walmart

There followed two comments:

“Hated Grandma on that show. She was so grouchy.
And why didn’t John Boy just come out of the closet?
Like we all didn’t know!”

“I remember the first Walmart open
in Rogers, Arkansas on July 2, 1969.”