Of Chickens and Goats

 Day 63 - Thursday, September 15, 2022

It is 58 degrees and clear in Jackson TN early in the morning, and I'm wondering what temperature we will see when we return to Texas in a very few days.  Since Sweet Georgia Brown is parked just behind the Cracker Barrel, we have only a few steps to walk into the restaurant for breakfast.  After a hearty meal, we get on the road heading west toward Memphis at 10:40a.

It's not long before it begins to get hot as we travel, and the air conditioner in the dash of the motor home cannot keep us cool.  So Herb turns on the generator to run the house ACs. Welcome to warmer weather!

As Jackson is in the western part of the state, we soon cross the Mississippi River and find ourselves in the great state of Arkansas. 

The Mississippi River Delta is excellent farming country, and we see evidence of some of their crops along the highway.  

Our destination is St. Joseph's Center in North Little Rock, which is a non-profit organization with a mission to preserve the historic 63 acre property through farming by volunteers. It is on the National Register of Historic Places, and has served as an orphanage, a school, nursing home, day care and a retreat run by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica.

It is also a Harvest Host site, which gives us parking at no charge, and asks that we patronize their store.  

Below is the original gate, now blocked off with signs directing traffic to the new entrance.  Near the building is a statue of St. Joseph with a child, and I would assume it was built during the time the facility functioned as an orphanage.

Elsewhere on the grounds is a statue of the Saint holding a basket of harvested vegetables, possibly dating to the beginning of their farming era.

Arriving late in the afternoon, we take a walk around some of the property and learn that their farming includes raising chickens, goats, flowers, vegetables and cattle.  They even have some bee hives, which reminds us of our days when we had bees to pollinate the blueberry blooms at our blueberry farm.  In the foreground of the first photo we see a 'guard' dog resting (but keeping watch) while the goats graze.

The world appreciates a little humor -- highly trained chickens?  The fine print says they are not responsible for injury or death.  I also see some ducks.

The horses must be used to pull the plows in tilling the soil, or they may be saddled and offered for rides.  There's quite a bit of hay for them in the beer shed.  Beer?

A shallow stream is quite convenient for watering thirsty animals.

And the other end of the stream becomes a lake, where we see the bee hives, or supers, as they are correctly called.

Another view of the chicken pen.  My camera just won't stop taking photos.

A sign proudly proclaims the Community Garden, the iniative of which is healthy eating and active living.  Beyond it are plants sitting by a sink for watering them before the planting.

This goat likes his high perch.

Another bit of chicken humor with the Lay-A-Way shed.  Signs:  

"Chickens are cheaper than therapy, and you get eggs."  

"The Chick - Inn.  Vacancy.  Daily Rate - 1 egg, Weekly - 5 eggs, Meals included."

"Fowl Moods will not be Tolerated."   

"Eat More Bacon."

"Hot Chicks Inside."

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

     and of Walldog and Willie

     Thursday, September 15, 2022

A 'Different' Kind of Restaurant in Tennessee

 Day 62 - Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Cracker Barrel Restaurant, Jackson TN

According to the U. S. Census Bureau, the state of Tennessee is considered a to be a southern state, or said another way - it is in the South.  So I am not surprised to see a Moon Pie when we get to our destination this afternoon in Jackson, Tennessee.

Meanwhile, back to our leaving Heiskell:

While it is still hot down in the Houston area, this morning it is 59 degrees and cloudy when we leave Eastern Tennessee and head west toward Jackson.  It is so refreshing to travel up and down the hills in the Great Appalachian Valley.  The hills are so high and the valleys are so low that the road ahead just seems to disappear.

Our route turns a bit to the south and through Knoxville and Nashville.  Some of the hills take us down a 5% grade, but in the flat land cities we encounter the morning rush hour and traffic backing up.

One impressive site to me is the Tennessee Valley Authority Kingston Fossil Plant, also known as the Clinch River Power Plant.  The Clinch River is stocked with brown and rainbow trout, but we have no desire to stop and fish.  Maybe we will opt for a trout dinner tonight.

My map shows me that the Clinch River flows on to join the Tennessee River, and we cross the Kentucky Lake on the latter river.

Our reason for leaving so early in the morning was to arrive to the Cracker Barrel Restaurant shortly after noon because their complimentary parking lot is first come first served.  We arrive at 2 pm and are lucky enough to find a convenient spot with ample room for the Jeep to park in front of our motorhome, 'Sweet Georgia Brown.'

We plan to patronize the restaurant in return for our free parking, and head inside to make our reservation for dinner.  If you have never been to a Cracker Barrel restaurant, you need to take a look.  Their store is 'something else!'  So many things to buy - including trinkets, souvenirs, snacks, clothing, and many emotional purchases that you may later find you have no use for.

Finding the Moon Pie takes me back to my childhood, but I do find a suitable gift for Marty Waldie - an angel figurine.  

Later in the evening we are seated for dinner and find a Tricky Triangle Peg Game on the table to amuse ourselves as our meal is being prepared. 

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

     and of Walldog and Willie

     Wednesday, September 14, 2022

 

Snuffy Smith and his 'Band of Renown"

 Days 60 and 61 - Monday and Tuesday, September 12 and 13, 2022

Racoon Valley RV Park, Heiskell TN

This morning we remind ourselves of one reason we like to take a summer trip, which is to enjoy cooler temperatures.  But 55 degrees today, dropping to 51 about the time we head out for our morning walk?     Really?     Could this be a Halloween trick when it is still September?  The only places that are celebrating Halloween right now are Walmart and Kroger Grocery stores with their costumes to sell.

Okay, I did bring a warm jacket along.

We have come to our last couple of days in Raccoon Valley and realize there are only a couple of new areas to explore. We cross a cute little bridge to have a steaming cup of hot coffee under the pergola, where  Herb takes a couple of selfies.

I am impressed with the area of the bridge painted candy apple red in order to show where the level part turns to a slanted decline.  Great safety feature.

Afternoon finds us in the park's clubhouse, looking at all the pictures on the wall.  One remembers all the musicians who have stayed here, and we think of our Escapees friends, Tom and Jan, who both sing and play.  Turns out, they did stay here at one time.

A closer look shows Snuffy Smith's band, where the RV park staff has comically given the cartoon characters names of the staff.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

     and of Walldog and Willie

     September 12 and 13, 2022

 

A Surprise Visit to History - The Atomic Bomb of WWII

 Days 58 and 59 - Saturday, September 10 - Sunday, September 11, 2022

Raccoon Valley RV Park, Heiskell TN

Raccoon Valley RV Park has a community room, and we are invited to watch a guest play what looks like a shooting game.  There are tables and chairs for meetings and nice air conditioning - if you need it, although the temperature is 68 degrees outside.

Because it is cloudy and rain is predicted, we plan to do our morning walk inside some buildings.  Clouds are still hanging around as we drive out the gate and head to Costco, Total Wine, and Kroger, where we will find necessary supplies at each location.

On Sunday the rain has gone and we walk a bit in the RV park, noticing that the staff has planted several containers of various herbs that are free for anyone who wants to pick them.

Later in the afternoon we visit Big Turtle Park in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, which was constructed as an Eagle Scout project in 1998.  

In Bissell Park nearby we find a bit of history and learn that Oak Ridge was not a city -- but looked much like the hills and valleys of East Tennessee -- until Pearl Harbor was bombed.  The Government then built a city which was called The Secret City because it then became the site of the Manhatten Project.  The entire city was surrounded by a large fence which provided 24/7 security for employees and families who would work to develop atomic power.  Their motto was:

     "What you see here, what you do here, what you hear here, let it stay here."

The workers performed repetitive tasks that they didn't know the reason for and that were kept secret from the other workers, because if they talked about their job, the information may get repeated to the enemy.

We soon learn more about the Manhattan Project.  Bissell Park has an oval walkway that honors the thousands of men and women who moved to the Secret City, and  features ten bronze plaques that tell the story of their contribution to ending World War II.  The plaque below tells of the beginning of the project, and how the future employees had to sell their present homes and move to live on site.

President Harry S Truman had been in office only 100 days when he learned that he had to make a difficult decision.  It was the sixth year of WW II, and over 50 million people had died.  Secretary of War Henry Stimson cautioned the President to consider wisely the use of the bomb, and the President wrote:

"I want to weigh all the possibilities and implications.  Here was the most powerful weapon of destruction ever devised and perhaps it was more than that...it was not an easy decision to make."

President Truman approved plans to use atomic bombs on two Japanese cities to force Japan to surrender and end the war.   

Another plaque honors the construction workers, and reads in part, "the success of their construction work for the Manhattan Project is a lasting tribute to the patriotism, dedication, skill and hard work of the untiring workers."

We spend quite a bit of time on the oval walkway, reading the plaques and taking photos.  I guess I let Herb photo-bomb the picture below, as he can be seen at the edge of it photographing something of interest to him.

The plaque below tells of not the first bomb, but the second one, that ends the war.  Oak Ridgers were thrilled to know that their work brought peace to an aching world.  There are many people alive today who lived through those times.

On August 14, 1945 Japan surrendered.

Willie of Sweet Georgia Brown,

     and of Walldog and Willie,

     Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11, 2022