"Living Positively"

 

By Annette White

A couple of  days ago, Greg and I went to the annual Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon, Virginia, not far from where we live. We enjoyed seeing the different arts and crafts done by the various talented participants at the festival.

One of the artists was Annette White from Alabama who paints beautiful, unique pictures on pieces of slate from a church roof that was over 100 years old! (See above photo.) 

She started painting to help her cope with a personal tragedy. Not only does she paint well, but she is a really nice person. I think that her inner beauty shows in her lovely artwork.

Here are a few quotes for living positively, which is important, especially now-

~"Surrounding myself with people who don't make me feel good is not healthy, so I avoid those who don't bring joy into my world. I've learned that when you're surrounded by kind people, everything will be okay." -Beth Stern

~"Karma-think good thoughts, say nice things, do good for others. Everything comes back." -Eckart Tolle

~"This is unjust!" -Angela Carini (We need to stand up for ourselves. as well as for others, to right any wrongs for a positive outcome.) 

We noticed the American flag flying in front of The Martha Washington Inn & Spa in Abingdon. Several artists' booths were on the grounds of "The Martha" during the Virginia Highlands Festival.

~"When we honor our flag, we honor what we stand for as a Nation-Freedom, Equality, Justice, and Hope." -Ronald Reagan

~"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." -Willie Nelson

~"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you." -Mary Lou Retton

~"The power of positive thinking can change your life." -Devin McCourty

~Pet Feature-

A few weeks ago, Greg and I were visiting Sevierville, Tennessee when we saw a man with a pretty white bird sitting on his shoulder. The man with the bird was getting all kinds of attention. No wonder! It is somewhat rare to see something like that.

The white bird was a parrot, the man's pet. The parrot was very tame, as a woman went over and stroked its head like you would a dog or a cat.

When I feature pets on this blog, it's always either a cat or a dog, but this time, in honor of birds, I want to announce that next month, on September 17, it's National Pet Bird Day!

~"Birds are the best pets around." -Bird

~"God loves you, I love you, God bless you, and have a wonderful day." -Julie Green

Positive thought: "Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may be actually falling into place." -Unknown

Thanks for visiting! Until around Saturday, September 7, 2024, Becky

Apple Festival in Tennessee

For years, I'd heard about the Unicoi County Apple Festival in Erwin, Tennessee, and this year, since Greg and I now live a lot closer to Erwin, we decided to go. We were not disappointed! It was so much fun!

There were arts and crafts galore!

Margaret Pinney from Georgia...

had her cute "woodland critters." (woodlandcrt@yahoo.com)

A J Harris...

had his unique glass creations. (facebook.com/GlassCannonStudios)

And, there were over 350 other arts and crafts vendors from around the country. There was something for everyone. I bought a pair of pretty bead earrings.

In addition to arts and crafts, there was also a food court with all kinds of goodies.

This food truck from Uncle Lars Outpost from Trenton, Georgia had some delicious, healthy food for our lunch.

And, for dessert, we shared a very tasty key lime pie from... 

"Buttermilk Sky" (www.buttermilkskypie.com) in Johnson City, Tennessee. 

There were also canned delights...

But, the stars of the festival were, of course, the apples!

Like from the True Family Apple Orchard in Flag Pond, Tennessee. They also have homemade jelly and jam. (423-791-7620)

There were:

caramel apples...

and fancy apples.

Each year, several thousand people visit the festival.

Some of the visitors even have fur!

The next festival is October 2-3, 2020!

(I can hardly wait!)

Positive thought:

Happy Thanksgiving! 

Thanks for visiting! Until Sunday, December 8, 2019, Becky

                                                                                                                             

Picturesque Abingdon, Virginia

Welcome!

Greg and I had a very busy Labor Day weekend (as I'm sure was the same for many of you), so I'm running behind on my projects, including this blog post!

This is a post that I believe you will really enjoy. It's about a place, a town, that you may or may not have ever visited. If you haven't yet been there, you might want to put it on your to-do list of places you'd like to go and see.

The name of this town is Abingdon which is located in Southwest Virginia.

Abingdon is beautiful, very picturesque.

It is the epitome of art and culture.

Which can be seen on the streets...

as well as at the annual...

 which is held in August.

There are high-quality arts and crafts galore.

There are several refreshment stands with delicious food.

A strawberry smoothie, anyone?

Right next door to the festival is the elegant Martha Washington Inn...

which is also known as...

The grounds are lovely-

You might want to just relax and enjoy,...

the sights and sounds of Abingdon,

or you might want to play a rousing game of croquet.

Later, you could have a tasty supper there, and even spend the night in one of the beautiful rooms.

Before turning in, however, be sure to take in one of the excellent professional productions at the famous Barter Theatre which is just a stone's throw from The Martha.

The Barter Theatre

The Barter has some wonderful productions. "Wait Until Dark" which starred Audrey Hepburn in the movie version is coming soon. Greg and I are planning to go see "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" in October which is one of my very favorite tales of all time. The ad said it was for children of all ages. That's good, because Greg and I are just overgrown children at heart.

(Remember to be true to yourself. Be who you are! You are unique! Don't try to be someone you are not.)

(Please support the Barter, especially right now, as they are going through some financial difficulties.)

FYI

www.themartha.com

www.bartertheatre.com

Positive thought: From a painting on a car parked in Abingdon, Virginia-

Thanks for visiting! Until Sunday, October 6, 2019, Becky

.

Fall Festival Time in Tennessee!

Welcome!

"My Take on Fall"

"Tell stories around the fire...
Jump in leaves
Wrap your hands around a hot mug
Eat a caramel apple
Be outdoors...
Roast marshmallows
Carve a pumpkin
Go on a hayride...
Wear a scarf
Bake cookies and pies
Take a drive just to look at leaves."
-www.diariesfromthedirtroad.blogspot.com

Go to a fall festival in Tennessee!

This is such a beautiful time of year in Tennessee, and the weather is warm with a slight breeze. It's just a perfect time to attend one of the many fall festivals in Tennessee during the month of October.

"Autumn paints in colors that summer has never seen."
- From www.picturescafe.com

Here are some of the best fall festivals in Tennessee that I have either personally attended or that I know of-

-Unicoi Apple Festival, Erwin

Although I've never attended this festival, I know it's very popular. A friend of mine from Erwin told me that it's fantastic, and that she thought I'd really enjoy the arts and crafts, the wonderful food including apple dishes, and the entertainment. Greg and I decided that we're finally going next year, so we're putting it on our 2018 calendar!

FYI:
Dates: Oct. 6 & 7, 2017
www.unicoicounty.org

-National Storytelling Festival, Jonesborough

We have been to historic Jonesborough many times, but we have never been to this festival either. The stories are told by professional storytellers, and I have heard that the event is quite good and well-attended. This is its 45th year, so you know they're doing something right! You can see examples of the Storytelling Festival on Youtube.

FYI:
Dates: Oct. 6-8, 2017
www.storytellingcenter.net

-Robert A. Tino Smoky Mountain Homcoming, Sevierville

For those of you who like art, you will love this one! Greg and I once stopped by Robert A. Tino's art gallery on our way to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. Robert Tino is an excellent landscape artist who paints scenes of the beautiful Smoky Mountains in acrylics and in watercolor. Besides the artist's work, this festival also features Southern food, mountain music, crafts, and activities for children.

FYI:
Dates: Oct. 6-8, 2017
www.RobertATinoSmokyMountainHomecoming.com

-National Banana Pudding Festival, Centerville

Greg and I have attended this festival which we really enjoyed, especially the banana pudding! (It's flavor brings back fond memories of back home, and of the wonderful banana pudding Mama used to make.) The pudding made at this festival should be good since this is a competition to determine the best banana pudding in our nation! Besides puddin,' there are crafts, entertainment, and children's activities.

Bananas on Display at the National Banana Pudding Festival in Centerville, Tennessee

F.Y.I:
Dates: Oct. 7 & 8, 2017
www.bananapuddingfest.org

-Heritage Days, Rogersville

Not only have Greg and I attended this festival in the past, but we have also had our own booth in the arts and crafts area where we did portraits of people. It was a great festival, a lot of fun, and we did really well there. Besides the arts and crafts, they have a lot of other things going on-traditional Appalachian Mountain music, dancers, food, storytelling, pioneer demonstrations, antique cars and quilts, etc.!

FYI:
Dates: Oct. 13-15, 2017
www.rogersvilleheritage.org

-Webb Art and Craft Show, Bell Buckle

We have been to Bell Buckle many times since it's such a unique, quaint little town (with a population of only 500!). According to "Thrill List" which rates the best small town to visit in each state, Bell Buckle is the best small town to visit in Tennessee! We have to agree that it's a fantastic place to visit for its charming little shops and tasty food. I've written blog posts about it several times, including the last one that I wrote on 8/21/16, "A Bell Buckle Celebration."

Greg and Me at a Festival in Bell Buckle

A good time to visit Bell Buckle might be this month for the Webb Art & Craft Show where there will be over 100 artists with their pottery, plants, jewelry, paintings, photography, and many other delightful things.

FYI:
Dates: Oct. 21 & 22, 2017
www.bellbucklechamber.com

-Henry Horton Spirits of the Past, Chapel Hill

Lastly, no October celebration would be complete without doing something kinda scary, so how about going on a paranormal Halloween investigation at Henry Horton State Park! We have been to this nice park before, but not during October, and certainly not on a paranormal investigation. A friend emailed me about this event, and Greg and I are thinking about going. It would make a great "Spirit Photographs" blog post!

FYI:
Date: Oct. 28, 2017
http://tnstateparks.com/events/details/#/?event=henry-horton-spirits-of-the-past

So, the different above-mentioned festivals and events offer something for just about everyone, and hopefully you'll find something here that you might enjoy. Have fun!

If you like the paranormal, check out my other blog, "Spirit Photographs."
www.spiritphotographs.blogspot.com

Also, especially since Halloween is coming soon, might I recommend my book on the paranormal, "Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind" which is available now, either in paperback or as a kindle download,
http://amzn.to/2usXWIO

Happy Halloween!

Thanks for visiting! Until Sunday, November 5, 2017, Becky
Positive thought: "One way to make the most out of life is to look upon it as an adventure."
-William Feather