Buddy's bar-b-q Is Great!

Welcome!

                                         
Every time Greg and I go back to visit our folks where we used to live, we just have to stop at a Buddy's bar-b-q restaurant, one of a small chain of restaurants in East Tennessee.  (We love and promote local!)

                                               Kingston, Tennessee Location

We sometimes use their drive-thru and other times we dine inside which is attractively decorated according to where the restaurant is located.

                                                         Sevierville, Tennessee

The bar-b-q is great.  Greg's favorite is the pork.  In fact, their bar-b-q was voted # 1 in Sevier County by a local survey.

Besides bar-b-q, there are several other tasty items on the menu.

                                             I love their Hawg Back Potatoes!

                   A Hot Fudge Cake is a great way to finish your meal!  (Yum!)

We heard of one man who traveled a hundred miles to one of the Buddy's locations every time there was a big church function, so he'd have something delicious to take for the meal!

For great quality food served in a friendly, rustic atmosphere, you can't beat Buddy's bar-b-q!  What a great alternative to the big chains!

We can hardly wait until our next trip back to Buddy's!

They also cater.  Check out their web site.

F.Y.I.
www.buddysbarbq.com

         Notice our wedding anniversary gifts, including a Buddy's cap and gift certificate!

We also recently celebrated the birthdays of three family members all at one time!  Happy birthday Greg, Julie, and Nick!

Positive thought:  Celebrate life!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

Read Any Good Books Lately?

Welcome!

This is a mini-blog post today, because Greg and I will be going to the great place I will be writing about on Monday.  Therefore, my regular blog post will be published sometime on Tuesday, August 27 when I'll tell you all about it.  I believe it will be worth waiting for.

In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the weekend, and hopefully the same beautiful weather that we are experiencing here.  This would be a great time to curl up with a good book and relax! 

One book that I might suggest is Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind by Becky Arnott which is a true adventure into the paranormal.  Once you've read it, please leave a review either at amazon.com or barnes&noble.com.  Thanks!

Positive thought: "Books are uniquely portable magic." -Stephen King
Thanks for visiting!  Until this Tuesday, Becky

A Visit to Reelfoot Lake

(Be sure and see my "Spirit Photographs" blog!)

Welcome!

August is an important month for Greg and me, because it's both Greg's birthday and our wedding anniversary.  Each year during August we try to go on a special trip somewhere.  This year, we decided to visit a lovely area in West Tennessee, Reelfoot Lake.

At first, we were concerned that it might rain, but I looked up at the cloudy sky, and I could see a small patch of blue.  I then remembered an old saying Mama used to tell me, "If you see enough blue sky to make a pair of britches, it's not going to rain."  Sure enough, it cleared off, and we enjoyed the beautiful lake on a beautiful day.

I'd like to share with you some pictures we took while we were there.  No words are necessary.  The pictures speak for themselves.

Here they are:  (Enjoy!)

If you enjoy nature, you'd love this place!

Positive thought:  "Keep on the Sunny Side"!  -A popular song written by Ada Blenkhorn
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

(All photographs on Becky Arnott's two blogs are under the copyright of Greg or Becky Arnott.)

Garage/Yard-Sale Tips

Welcome!

(Please check out my "Spirit Photographs" blog!

You can now find my book on www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com at this location:Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind .  Be sure to write a review once you've read it!  Thanks!)

The last two Saturdays, we've had a garage sale at our house.  In the past, we've only had yard sales, because we didn't have a garage.  I must say, a garage sale is easier since you don't have to lug all of your items out into the yard the morning of the sale.  (I'm just not an early-morning person!)  You set up your stuff the night before, and you're good to go at the appointed time.

Here are some helpful hints to make you next yard sale a successful event:
 1. It's good to have a yard-sale-item area in your home where all year before the sale, you stash the stuff you don't want, need, or love.  That way it makes it so much easier with everything in one spot when it's time for the sale.
2. A week or two before the sale, check to make sure you have yard-sale signs, stickers, string tags, and adequate change for your cash box.
3. Decide how it's best to advertise.  I put a free ad online which includes pictures of some of our items.  Well-placed store-bought garage-sale signs are also very helpful.
4. Put price tags on your items and arrange them attractively on tables, shelves, etc. with like items together.  Your things will probably sell better if the are relatively clean.
5. All of the above should be done gradually to keep from being all worn out the day of the sale.
6. You might want to consider having a community/neighborhood yard sale that is well advertised.

Garage/yard sales take some effort, but with the right planning, they can be very rewarding:
-You have something you don't want, but someone else might like it, and it's at an inexpensive price.  (Your sale item just might make someone's day!)
-You can meet new people, make new friends at a yard sale.
--You're a little richer for your time and effort.
-The leftover yard-sale items can go to a charity who needs such things.
-You could even keep a few nice leftover things as a starter for your next yard sale.

Yes, garage/yard sales can be a win-win for everyone involved.

Happy selling!

Positive thought: "One man's trash can be another man's treasure."
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

A Visit to Big Stone Gap, Continued

Welcome!

As I said in last Sunday's blog post, we had a great time in Big Stone Gap, Virginia with the book signing for my new paranormal book, Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind. 

While at the signing, I took another paranormal photo which was witnessed by several other people in the room.  To view that photo, please see the current (Saturday, August 3, 2013) blog post on my "Spirit Photographs" blog.

After the signing, Greg and I met my brother, Nick, next door, for the celebration of  the 50th anniversary of  the Official State Outdoor Drama of Virginia, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine . 

Nick and I started things off as we sang for the preshow.

The festivities continued with Barbara Polly, President of Lonesome Pine Arts and Crafts, being honored for all her years of service to the June Tolliver House and to the drama.

All those who had participated in the drama sometime during the past 50 years were asked to come up on stage for a group picture.  (They also did this the night before, as the reunion was two nights , so things would not be so overcrowded on one night.)

Then, we all enjoyed the show.

There are a only a couple of weeks left for the drama this year.  Catch it if you can!

Another every day miracle:  A friend that I had been in the drama with in years passed, asked me if I had a photo of her when she was in the drama, in costume, because she had none.  I told her I'd see if I did.  Luckily, I did find one without much effort (which is a miracle in itself, since we have so many photo albums).  I took the photo to a big box store to copy, but before I did, I shopped some, and then I noticed that I couldn't find my buggy anywhere.  It was gone, and the only copy of that special photo was gone with it.  I panicked, but thankfully found a clerk whom I asked to help me find my buggy with the photo in it.  He explained that if someone had taken my buggy, they would generally place any items on a nearby shelf.  I prayed, and asked the angels to please help me find that photo, as I knew it was a longshot to find something like that in a large, busy store like that.  My prayers were indeed answered, for I just happened to glance over to my right, and there on a shelf was my missing photo in the beaten-up manila envelope I'd brought it in, along with my little package of cashews which I'd put in my buggy earlier.  With tears in my eyes, I thanked Tim (who had helped me, as he'd given me his time and moral support), as I gave him a hug.  I told him I'd write about this.  What would we do without people like Tim who are there to help just at the right time?  (I also learned a lesson: Never leave your buggy unattended, especially when there is something valuable, even irreplaceable in it!)

If any of you have an everyday miracle to share, please feel free to let me know, and I might mention it in another blog post.

F.Y.I.
Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind
by Becky Arnott
(Paperback or PDF download)
Fast Pencil Marketplace
http://www.fastpencil.com/marketplace

Positive thought: "Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."-Booker T. Washington
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky