October in Tennessee

Welcome!

I hope you're having a wonderful October wherever you are.  It's been great here in Tennessee.  We went through a rainy spell a couple of weeks ago, but the last few days have been partly cloudy to sunny with relatively warm temperatures.  I even wore shorts today, as the high was around 80 degrees.  In a few days we even plan on visiting a park to enjoy all the colors since the weather is so nice.

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."
-Lucy Maud Montgomery

"October's the month
When the smallest breeze
Gives us a shower
Of autumn leaves.
Bonfires and pumpkins
Leaves sailing down-
October is red
And golden and brown."
-Author Unknown

"October sunshine bathed the park with such a melting light that it had the dimmed impressive look of a landscape by an old master."
-Elizabeth Enright

"October is crisp days and cool nights, a time to curl up around the dancing flames and sink into a good book."-

Like "Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind"! (Sorry, but I just couldn't resist!)

"The Moonlit World"

"The rising moon illuminates the world of the owl, a hushed world of shadows and stars.  Leaves rustle in the wind, a distant hoot is heard, and the owl glides on silent wings of half-light.  Full moon or new, the owl finds her way on an airy path through the night."
-From "Gael Song" catalog

Here are our latest iStock photos:
http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/rebecca-arnott#10f6e9a3

Positive thought: Happy October and Happy Halloween!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

Papa Kayjoe's Bar-B-Que, Centerville, Tennessee

Welcome!

(Or, as comedian Minnie Pearl used to say, "Howdeeeeee!")

When Greg and I visited Centerville, Tennessee for the first time during the "National Banana Pudding Festival" (Please see my 10/12/14 blog post.), Greg spotted a barbecue place that he said he'd like to visit sometime, so few days later, we went there.  Greg doesn't fool around when it comes to barbecue, for I think he's its biggest fan.  He's to barbecue as Popeye's Wimpy was to hamburgers!

Anyway, the barbecue place we visited in Centerville, was called "Papa Kayjoe's Bar-B-Que" that just recently had its fourteenth anniversary.

During our previous visit to Centerville, I hadn't gotten a very good look at Papa Kayjoe's, so I was really impressed right off with the way it was decorated on the outside, very professionally, by the owner, who's not even a decorator, (but he is a minister, as well as the owner!)

The inside also has some interesting things on the walls.

Minnie Pearl, whom I quoted at the beginning of this post, and wrote about on last week's post, is, of course, Centerville's most famous daughter.  She is featured on the wall, below.

If you don't know about Minnie Pearl, just Google her name, and you can read all about her!

Papa Kayjoe's was even featured in "Southern Living" magazine! 

As if this weren't enough, this barbecue place and its owner were also on the "Cooking Channel."

We had no idea that this place was so famous and well received, even nationally!

Now, on to the best part-the food!

Our appetizer!

My Delicious Meal (I didn't get a picture of Greg's barbecue sandwich, as he had already eaten half of it before I could aim my camera in his direction!  Anyway, he said it was great, and declared that it was the very best barbecue he'd ever eaten!, and that's saying a lot for Greg for he is a barbecue connoisseur.)

Greg, with Tonya, who was very helpful and efficient.

Decor, as Well as Souvenirs of a Really Special Place 

Enjoying the Porch Swing Before Our Trip Back Home

F.Y.I.
Papa Kayjoe's BBQ
119 West Ward Street
Centerville, TN 37033
931-729-2131
Check them out on Facebook!

-"Take the back roads instead of the highways."-Minnie Pearl

Check out our latest photos on iStock:
http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/rebecca-arnott#10f6e9a3

Positive Thought: "Take time for the quiet moments, as God whispers and the world is loud."-Unknown
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

"National Banana Pudding Festival"

Welcome!

Greg and I recently enjoyed a wonderful event in Centerville, Tennessee, the 5th annual "National Banana Pudding Festival" which has been selected as one of the "Top 20 Events" in the Southeastern United States.  The festival is near Grinder's Switch Rail Station, the inspiration for comedian Minnie Pearl's fictional hometown, Grinder's Switch.  (She actually did live in an area near Centerville, however.)

The "National Banana Pudding Festival" has a banana pudding cook-off  where contestants hope that their banana pudding is the best.  Then, there's a banana pudding auction where those puddings are auctioned off.

There's even a "Puddin' Eatin' Contest."  (That sounded tempting, but Greg and I were just not up to that one!)

(I always have been fond of banana pudding, and I'm sure that's what attracted me to this festival.  It's the ultimate Southern (U. S.) comfort food.  When I was growing up, both my mother and our housekeeper would often make our family some really delicious banana pudding which was probably our favorite dessert at that time.)

"Some foods are so comforting...that to eat them is to be home again after a long journey."-Eli Brown

(I was really pleased to see a cookie ad in the festival brochure that was advertised as "The perfect cookie for banana pudding..." that was Non-GMO certified, etc., etc.!  People are waking up to the truth!  The word is getting out!  Fantastic!)

Then there was the "Puddin' Path" that for $5.00 you can try ten different banana puddings made by ten different nonprofit organizations.  You vote for your favorite, and the winner gets the title of "Best Banana Puddin'."

Some of the names for these puddings were-"Moon Pie Banana Puddin,'" "Cinnamon Roll Banana Puddin,'" and "The Elvis."

There were also several other things at the festival besides banana pudding:

Lots of Arts and Crafts (I even found a nice Christmas gift!)

Entertainment

Good Food Besides Banana Pudding

Interesting People-

Beauty Queens

A Mini Minnie Pearl

Unusual Characters

If you missed this year's festival, don't despair, you can just mark your 2015 calendar for the first weekend in October!

F.Y.I.
"National Banana Pudding Festival"
www.bananapuddingfest.org

"Grinder's Switch is a state of mind-a place where there is no illness, no war, no unhappiness-where all you worry about is what you're going to wear to the church social, and if your feller is going to kiss you in the moonlight on the way home.  I wish all of you a Grinder's Switch."-Minnie Pearl

You can view Greg's and my photographs on iStock  (Just click the next line.):
http://www.istockphoto.com/portfolio/rebecca-arnott#10f6e9a3


Positive thought:  "Let's make these the good old days."
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

A Brief Glimpse Back at the End of Summer

Welcome!

In my "End-of-Summer Fun" blog post (9/22/14), I told about our visit to the Nashville Farmers' Market.  That same day, Greg and I also visited the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park which is adjacent to the Farmers' Market.

The Bicentennial Park is located in downtown Nashville.  It opened in 1996 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Tennessee becoming a state.  In 2006, this park was the number one tourist attraction in Nashville.  In fact, in 2011, it was listed as one of the top ten public places in the United States.

The park has several interesting features.  One of them is the "Pathway of History" which is a 1,400-foot wall inscribed with Tennessee's history.

Greg, who loves history, read only about a third of the information on the wall.  The rest is something to look forward to on our next visit.

I was fascinated with the "Rivers of Tennessee Fountains" which represent the main rivers, etc. in the state.

The "Tennessee Amphitheater" has 2,000 seats and is used for special events.

On an earlier visit to the park, Greg and I enjoyed looking for our town on the "Tennessee Map Plaza" which is a 200-foot wide granite map of Tennessee.

This is a picture of our state capitol, taken from the park.

The day we were there, there was even a dog competition.

We'd had a full day and were all tuckered out, but we vowed to come back and finish exploring this interesting park devoted to the great state of Tennessee.

Here's an informative website that you might enjoy: www.naturalnews.com.  (Disclaimer: I am not a health expert.  I only do what's right for me.  I'm not responsible for what anyone else decides to do as a result of what's written on my blogs.)

Check out our latest photographs on iStock:
www.istockphoto.com

Positive thought: "Beautiful pictures are developed from negatives in a darkroom.  So if you see darkness in your life, be rest assured that a beautiful picture is being prepared."-From purehappylife.com
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky