Friday, June 28, 2013

Two Kings and a Sexy Sofa

Thought for the day:  You got to have smelt a lot of mule manure before you can sing like a hillbilly.  [Hank Williams]

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains!  [John Muir]
If being a hillbilly means living someplace as breathtakingly beautiful as the Great Smoky Mountains, I'd say it's a darned good thing to be.

Wait until you get a load of this. A song many of us sang as kids was flat-out wrong; Davy Crockett wasn't born on a mountaintop in Tennessee, after all. The King of the Wild Frontier did draw his first breath in Tennessee, but it didn't happen on a mountaintop, doggone it. I'll tell ya what, if he didn't grin him a bar when he was only three, I don't want to hear about it. I mean, come on. He was my hero. Next you'll be telling me Cisco and Poncho weren't really amigos. Sheesh.

How's about a couple quick tidbits? Did you ever wonder why Tennessee is called the Volunteer State? It earned that nickname during the War of 1812, because of Tennessee's soldiers who fought so valiantly... and voluntarily... at the Battle of New Orleans. Fast forward to the Civil War: Greeneville, Tennessee, has the only Civil War monument in the country that honors both Union and Confederate soldiers. Here's one of my favorite bits of sports trivia: Cumberland University, in Lebanon,  lost a football game to GA Tech on October 7, 1916, by an incredible score of 222 to nothing. Tech's coach at the time was George Heisman, for whom the Heisman Trophy is named. (Think anybody stayed in the bleachers to watch the entire massacre?)

                                                Ready to take a look around now?


Lots of people associate Tennessee with the Grand Ol' Opry, which boasts the longest continuously running live radio program in the nation. (Every Friday and Saturday night since 1925.) This picture shows its current home, and when it moved here from its old location at Ryman Auditorium in 1974,  a six-foot circle of oak flooring from the old stage was inlaid into the new one. Kinda neat, huh? I looked through a bunch of videos of  Grand Ol' Opry performances, and saw a lot that were to be expected: Charlie Daniels, Willie Nelson, Minnie Pearl, Hank Williams, etc... but I also found one that caught me by surprise. I didn't even know actor Kevin Costner was a musician. Did you?


It should come as no surprise that the Country Music Hall of Fame is located in Tennessee. Like the Grand Ol' Opry, it's in Nashville, although Bristol, Tennessee is actually considered country music's birthplace. Victor Recording Studios in Bristol held its first country music recording session in 1927: Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter family were featured on that first record.


The distinctive architecture of the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga is a real eye-catcher when ya drive by. It's the largest facility of its kind to focus on freshwater habitats.


As I said, Davy Crockett wasn't born on a mountaintop, but he WAS born on the banks of Limestone Creek near Greenville, where a replica of his family's log cabin stands today as part of the 105-acre Birthplace State Park.




Pictured here are a couple of workers pushing uranium slugs into the concrete loading face of a graphite reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, circa 1943. As you may know, Oak Ridge was instrumental in the development of the atomic bomb. Because of the energy research still conducted at the laboratory, Oak Ridge is known as the Energy Capital of the World.






When Elvis (the pelvis) first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, some sticks-in-the-mud treated him as though he were the product of a nuclear reactor. His unique style and velvety voice shot him to the tops of the charts, and he sang his way into the hearts of many all over the world.

During his prolific career, the King of Rock 'n' Roll won three Grammy awards. All three were for his Gospel singing. And he has been inducted into the Rock & Roll, Gospel, and Country Halls of Fame.





Even all these years after his death, his home at Graceland is still a red hot tourist attraction. Wanta take a peek?



Sequoyah, a Cherokee silversmith, is the only known man in history who single-handedly developed an alphabet. The syllabus he created in 1821 for the Cherokee Nation led to the first written language for a Native American people. The Sequoyah Birthplace in Vonore tells his amazing story, and is dedicated to the history and culture of Native Americans.


As in most mountainous areas, Tennessee is a popular destination for skiers. Even if Mother Nature doesn't cooperate. With five acres of artificial skiing surface, Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort permits skiing in any kind of weather.

If you get tired of the sights and activities in picturesque Gatlinburg, take a trip over to nearby Pigeon Forge to visit Dollywood. A super amusement park with a little bit of something for everyone.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can visit Craighead Cavern in Sweetwater, where you'll find the Lost Sea, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest underground lake in the country. And the second largest in the world. (The largest is in Nairobi.) A tour of the cave includes a ride around the lake in a glass-bottomed boat. Don't think about how deep the lake is...

Not a fan of caves and underground waters? How about some above-ground rafting on the Ocoee River? It's one of the top white water recreational rivers in the country, and was the site for white water canoe and kayak competitions in the 1996 Olympics.

Not a fan of white water either? Picky, picky, picky.

How about this?  Reelfoot Lake was formed by the largest earthquake in America's history, the New Madrid Earthquake of 1811. This lake, located in the northwestern part of the state, is a nature-lover's paradise. This reputed "turtle capital of the world" contains swamps, bayou-like ditches, bald cyprus trees, and many nesting pairs of bald eagles.

I'll bet you never expected to see a building like this in Tennessee. I sure didn't. This full-sized replica of the Parthenon, built for the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Expo, can be found in Nashville's Central Park.


Would you believe this modest looking motel is the home of the National Civil Rights museum? The Lorraine Motel in Memphis, is the infamous site of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination.





In 1916, Mary was billed by the Sparks World Famous Shows circus as the largest living land animal on earth. Before the circus left Erwin, Tennessee, she was the deadest. She killed her trainer during a live performance, and was hung by the neck from a derrick railroad car the next day.

I'll bet she didn't even get a trial.


But Tennessee is renown for another trial. At right is the Rhea county courthouse, site of the famous Scopes trial, AKA the Scopes Monkey Trial, held in July of 1925. Teacher John Scopes faced charges for including Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution in his teachings. At the time, Tennessee had a law against teaching evolution in any state-funded schools. Initially, Scopes was fined one hundred dollars, and later, the ruling was overthrown on a technicality. The play and movie Inherit the Wind are based on this trial.



Okay before I get too carried away here, let's move on and check out some of the cockamamie laws still residing on the books in the fine state of Tennessee, shall we?







  • Students may not hold hands while at school. (Man, Smarticus and I would've been in biiiiig trouble!)
  • It's illegal to post images online that cause emotional stress without legitimate purpose. (Suppose the legitimate purpose is to cause emotional stress?)
  • No Christian parents may require their children to pick up trash from the highway on Easter day. (But any other day of the year, feel free to dump them with the chain gang road crew.)
  • Good news! It IS legal to gather and consume roadkill! (Yeeeee-HA!)
  • You can't do much legal hunting from a moving automobile in Tennessee. The only game you can shoot this way is... whales. (Better haul a trailer with you, especially if your car has bucket seats.)
  • It's illegal for a minister to hold a seat in either house of the legislature. (We don't need no ethics in politics, dagnab it!)
  • It's against the law to dare a child to buy a beer. (Stick with Jack Daniels.)
  • It's illegal to fish off another person's hook, so you'd better bring extra tackle. It's taboo to catch a fish with a lasso, too. (How about dynamite? Is it okay to use that?)
  • Grab the No-Doze, 'cause there will be no nodding off behind the wheel. In Tennessee, it's against the law to drive a car while sleeping. (You think that was a big problem?)
  • In Tennessee, the age of consent is sixteen... or twelve, if the girl is a virgin. (???)
  • It's illegal to place tacks on a highway. (Drop Post-It notes.)
  • Oops, sorry, but you may not carry a skunk into the state. (That really stinks, huh?)
  • The legal definition of dumb animal includes every living thing.
  • In Bell Buckle, it's against the law to throw bottles at a tree. (Even if the tree's been acting like an ash?)
  • I don't reckon they can hold any Sadie Hawkins dances here... in Dyersburg, it's illegal for a woman to call a man for a date. (Or she could send him an email?)
  • In Kimbell, bar owners may not let their customers make loud unusual noises. (But they are dumb animals...)
  • When you pull up to a stop sign in Lenior City, you must fire a gun out the window to warn horse carriages that you're coming.
  • In Lexington, anyone who has been drinking is sober by law until he or she cannot hold onto the ground. (By that definition, I don't know anyone who's ever been inebriated...)
  • Women drivers don't get much respect in Memphis. It's only legal for women to get behind the wheel of a car if a man is running or walking in front of it, waving a red flag.
  • Frogs don't get much respect there, either. It's illegal for them to croak after 11 PM.
  • Also in Memphis, panhandlers must purchase a ten-dollar permit before they're allowed to beg. (But officer, if I could afford a ten-dollar permit, I wouldn't have to beg.)
  • In Nashville, it's illegal to keep a cheetah as a pet... or for a man to be sexually aroused in public.
  • And finally, in Oneida, there's an ordinance forbidding anyone from singing the song It Ain't Gonna Rain No More.
Okay, it's that time again. Time for (ta-DA!)

The Weirdest News Stories of the Week

*** British scientists reported this week that plants have to be math whizzes to survive. According to them, leaves measure starch reserves during the night, discern how many hours until dawn, and then based on their internal calculations, adjust their rate of starch consumption so they don't starve while bereft of the sun's energy. Pretty amazing, huh? So just think. If your plants aren't thriving, it doesn't necessarily mean you don't have a green thumb. You may not be messing up with the amount of fertilizer and water you give them, either. Nope. Your plants may simply need a math tutor.


*** Nope, I'm not the fashion police. Most days, my idea of trendy fashion is a clean tee shirt. But man, is there no end to what women will wear to attract attention these days? Used to be, showing a little bit of cleavage, a lot of leg, and a nice little wiggle was all it took, but not any more. Montreal designer Ying Gao's new dresses, dubbed (No)where and (Now) where, use an eye-tracking system that detects when someone is looking. Then the dresses do a razzle dazzle light show! Jeez. I dunno why a woman needs her clothes to carry on like that to let her know somebody's looking. Cat calls and whistles have always provided a reliable indication up 'til now. These look-at-me dresses will go on display at the Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art in November, and at the Textile Museum in Canada next year. In case you can't wait, you can get a sneak peak right here 

No, I don't know why this stupid picture is sideways.

***  A Wisconsin man pleaded guilty this week to a charge of public lewdness for... having sex with a couch at the side of the road. Yep. You read that right. A couch. It was an open-and-shut, in-and-out case of new-fangled furniture fornication. I guess he couldn't resist its sexy slipcover and curves, huh? Or maybe it was the soft padding that temped him, or the foxy way it was sitting there. Whatever.  Forty-seven-year-old Gerald Streator will be spending the next five months in jail. Doing hard time, I guess, because presumably, there won't be a love seat in his cell. Talk about a stiff sentence.

Oh, in case any of you are curious as to how my debut novel Hot Flashes and Cold Lemonade is doing... not too bad. Don't tell him, but I think I've earned enough money to treat Smarticus to a nice dinner this weekend. Online sales has kinda slowed down, but if a couple more books sell today, I might even let him get fries with his burger...  Happy weekend, y'all! I'd like to leave you with a sweet romantic song...




                                  Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.



93 comments:

  1. Unless I misremember, the song went "Raised in the woods so he knew every tree. Kilt him a bar when he was only three.." My gosh Susan, I had a coonskin cap! All us kids did in the '50s. One of my fondest young adult memories is getting to load and fire a flintlock. Also, I want buckskin clothes when I grow up!

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    1. Oh, jeez! You're absolutely right! The bear "grinning" happened in one of the episodes, not in the song. Oooops! Good catch, dude.

      I wanted a coonskin cap, but never had one. (sniff) But I did have a Davy Crockett pin. (I wonder what ever happened to that thing...)

      You go ahead and get yourself buckskin chaps... and another coonskin cap while you're at it. They'd provide you with a certain flair when you're sitting in the garden sipping a mug of Ovaltine. (Might as well go fifties all the way!)

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    2. I had a coonskin cap and a coon tail for my bike...we played Davy Crockett every day at school.

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    3. Oh, good for you! Would you believe I had squirrel tails in my handlebars? Got 'em from a neighbor fella when he came home from hunting. Did you know squirrel tails are scrawny, stiff, and ugly looking as crap after they're removed from the squirrel? Man, those things were ugly! Needless to say, they didn't stay on my bike for long. Now, the baseball cards in my spokes are another story...

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  2. I'm still upset over the poor elephant that was hanged for being nasty, but I'll try to compose myself.....
    Well, you hit a nerve when writing about Tennessee. I'm not fond of the Grand 'Ol Opry. Never cared much for Elvis. And wasn't a big fan of Davy Crockett. But - - -

    (here's the inevitable "BUT"......)

    If I EVER sell my house in Texas I plan to move to Tennessee. I have relatives and friends there.
    And I'm just an uncomplicated country boy at heart.

    And (again) after being in this hellhole called Texas, ANY other place looks good to me!

    I've heard of the Dead Sea, and the Red Sea, but I've never heard of the Lost Sea. I'll have to check it out if I ever get to Tennessee.

    This comment is FAR too long, but that's part of my charm.....

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    1. (If you think I hit a nerve with Tennessee, the NEXT state will be Texas!)

      No problem about the Grand Ol' Opry. No problem with Elvis. Unusual, but no problem. But Davy? You don't like Davy? Must be simply because you're too young... He was just about every kid's hero in the '50s.

      We have friends in Tennessee, and I love going there to visit. The mountains, the lush greenery, the lakes... all beautiful. It would be a huge step up for you from where you are now. I hope it happens for you.

      Nah, your comments are never too long, cowboy.

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  3. Stay calm: I don't think I've ever been there. I would like to see Graceland. I've heard it's the tackiest place in America. I would also like to visit Loretta Lynn's house and museum. I feel terrible about Mary. I bet her trainer abused her. In this case I'll blame the victim because I know elephants are very sensitive.

    Love,
    Janie

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    1. Oh my goodness! Never been there? (Maybe you were there, but just don't remember...)

      I felt bad about that story about Mary, too. I had no idea anyone ever hung an elephant. You're probably right about the trainer abusing her. That's why so many places passed laws about the humane treatment of elephants. On the face of it, it seems strange that a place like Atlanta would have a law on the books about elephants, but circuses come to town every year.

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    2. I don't think I was there and don't remember. I'm 99% sure I've never been there.

      Delete
  4. Another brilliant post. I loved the story of Sequoyah, knew and grieved again for the hanged elephant and marvelled at the weird and wonderful laws. I remember someone in a country town I lived in being convicted of maliciously wounding a church verandah - a relative of the couch fornicator do you think?

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    1. Thanks, Sue. I'm glad you liked it.

      Maliciously wounding a church veranda, huh? He probably broke her poor sheltered heart. Hmmm, could be a prickly case of porch pornography...

      Delete
  5. Kevin Costner sings??
    This I have to hear.
    I don't care how long the clip takes to load.
    I can read the rest of the post tomorrow.

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  6. This is quite the list of facts of Tennessee... I have lived in Halifax for nearly 50 years and I am not sure I could come up with 5 or 6 facts, lol...

    Kevin Costner can sing??

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    1. Oh, if you put your mind to it, I'll bet you'd be surprised at how many things you know about Halifax. (And how many things you can find OUT about it on the Internet.)

      Yeah, Kevin Costner can sing. Who knew? (Then again, if you read Manzie's comment, his singing doesn't hit all the right notes for everyone.)

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  7. I'm happy that the clip was ready to play, I didn't have to wait for it to load, and the last one is hilarious! My son will like that one.
    I'm outraged about Mary being hanged by the neck. That's inhumane. An animal that heavy would take a long time to die by this method, she must have felt such terror.

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    1. I'm glad you watched that last clip, too. I thought the song was a real hoot.

      You're right. I never thought about how long it would take an elephant to die that way, but it must have been horrible.

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  8. K. Costner should stick to acting. That draggy-ass ole tune. The comedian was funny, for sure. I used to drive to Florida and went right by Graceland.... but I never stopped.

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    1. HA! You crack me up. Not a fan of draggy-ass ballads, eh? Glad you liked the other song, though. Well, you've been closer to Graceland than I've ever been. I liked Elvis, but was never such a rabid fan that I feel the need to visit a shrine to him. (Besides, now that I've watched half a dozen video tours, I don't HAVE to visit his place to know what it looks like!)

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  9. I have many fond memories of my visits to Tennessee. We used to go to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg every summer when I was younger. I always can still hear "Rocky Top" playing sometimes :)

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    1. As many times as we've been to Tennessee, we've never visited Pigeon Forge or Gatlinburg. The next time we visit, we're gonna take a tour of Oak Ridge with our friends. (Yeah, I know, we're nerds.)

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  10. Good heavens, a SOFA? *shakes head* What is the world coming to?

    Oh, and I believe Mr. Crockett killed him a bar when he was only three. Though he may have been grinning when he did it. ;)

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    1. Yeah, pretty bizarre, huh? I reckon the world... or at least that one pervert... is coming... in a sofa.

      Yeah, ya got me! You and Geo both. I sit corrected. However, he DID grin him a bar in one of the episodes.

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  11. I have never been to TN, but my daughter visited Nashville last year for business and loved this music town.

    That picture of Mary is so horrible, well, there are no words to express my disgust and sorrow that someone would do such a thing.

    Yes, I knew that Kevin Costner had a band and sang. Bull Durham (be still my heart) is multi-talented, although he has picked some stinkers of movies to appear in (Waterworld).

    Oh my, a myth of Davy Crockett debunked. Walt Disney propagated a lie. However the song would not have sounded as good if it said, Born on the flat lands of Tennessee...

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    1. It's hard to believe anyone would hang an elephant. I probably should have left that out of the post, but I found it surprising and interesting in a disgusted kinda way.

      You smartie. I think I've seen every movie Costner was ever in, (even the stinkers) but I didn't know he sang, too.

      You've got a point. Dang. Maybe that stuff about wishing on a star isn't true, either...

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  12. Yet another reason to love Kevin Costner. Sigh.
    ~Just Jill
    P.S. That picture of that poor elephant is the most awfullest thing I've ever seen!

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    1. Ah, another Costner fan!

      Yeah, the picture of that poor elephant is pretty awful. Sorry. No more hangings on my blog. Promise.

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  13. Horrible about the elephant - she should've killed the whole lot of them and ran away, except I don't think she would've gotten very far *sigh*

    As for those dresses...not very impressive in my opinion. Looks like someone threw some glow int he dark paint and called it good.

    Loved the story about the guy who had sex with the couch;)

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    1. Everyone seems to be as shocked as I was about the elephant. Funny, none of us seem to sympathize with the trainer she killed.

      Yeah, those dresses weren't all that much to look at, but I was intrigued by the concept.

      Uh-huh, I had no idea you were that kinda gal. The poor guy was just a lonely couch potato at heart...

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    2. Yes we are sad at the killing of a life by anybody or anything, it is just seeing that execution of a helpless elephant who did what nature told him.

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    3. Ah, the old "nature of the beast" defense. For the most part, I agree. If a man is foolish enough to stick his finger in a snapping turtle's mouth, he's gonna get bitten. On the other hand, if the turtle breaks into the man's house and attacks him in his bed in the middle of the night, it's another story entirely. The elephant's enormous size was probably enough to provoke the people into reacting out of fear.

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  14. Hi Susan,

    Tennessee is one of those places that's world famous, and the Grand Ole' Opry too. Lots of places in the US aren't that well known outside, but I guess Tennessee just isn't one of them.

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    1. Tennessee definitely has a lot going for it, but I'd never really thought about it being world-renown. But I reckon you're right!

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  15. Susan... where are you? your home state is? As I read this, I thought you were in Tennessee but then in a comment you said you were going to write bout Texas next...

    and so well... where are you... You like to visit a state by visiting their website? have you been there or you're just interested in learning about each state?

    interesting ... ;)

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    1. Hi-ya. Um, I'm right HERE. Where I usually am. Derriere firmly planted in my desk chair, one cat to the right of me, the other to the left. (In Georgia. About seventeen miles NE of Atlanta.)

      Originally, I was just gonna do a "brief" (HA!) post about some of the weird laws still on the books in each state, and as they say, one thing led to another. I'm an information junkie, so once I jumped into the research rabbit hole, it was pretty much inevitable that the state post idea was gonna broaden in scope. It's been fun, but to tell the truth, I won't be sorry when I finish. These posts eat up a lot of time. (For y'all to read, and for me to research and compile.) But I sure have learned a lot!

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  16. I found the plant story to be disconcerting. That they might experience pain makes me sad.

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    1. One of the most interesting articles I ever read about plants was about their ability to communicate with each other... for example, to issue a warning about a beetle infestation, so other trees as yet unaffected could emit a foul-tasting substance to offer some protection.

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  17. I visited Tennessee a few years ago and I'll admit it was one o the prettiest places I've been! The smokey mountains were amazing (especially since it was the fall). I'm still scratching my head (and giggling) over the couch story--wow, that's gotta be strange to happen upon!

    I also wanted to say a massive Thank You for the review of Chemistry of Fate!!! Nothing better than waking up to such a wonderful review :)

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    1. Yes, Tennessee really is gorgeous. I'm looking forward to going back there this summer to visit our friends. (Only thing I don't like is all the ticks and chiggers.)

      As if that furniture fornicator weren't sorry enough, the person who happened upon him while he was, um, enjoying a moment with his favorite cushions, happened to be a police officer.

      Oh, you're very welcome! I've still only got three reviews on my book, but I know how much I look forward to getting them. (Well, make that a combo of looking forward to and unmitigated dread that someone is gonna HATE it... )

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  18. Can't even dare a child
    What if another child dares a child can they go wild?
    Or end up in juvi I suppose
    And i knew Costner sang and had music that flows

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    1. Nope, can't dare a child to buy a beer;
      The law says so loud and clear,
      But you make him pick up trash,
      Just not on Easter; that's too rash.

      Delete
  19. Wow! A lot of interesting stuff in this post! Everything from a crooning Kevin Costner to furniture abuse.

    You know, after almost sixty years, I have to say that there is nothing humans can do to surprise me. Even so, I’ve never heard of an elephant being the guest of honor at a necktie party! Odd and grotesque? To be sure. Surprising? Not really.

    I love those ridiculous laws! And the next time someone complains that I’m drunk, I will cite the Lexington drinking rule.

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    1. Yeah, something for everybody, eh?

      There! See, this post can help you out the next time you over-imbibe. Just, um, remember to stand your ground. Of course, if you define your sobriety based on a Tennessee law, your accuser might oh-so-kindly suggest that you can jolly well GO to Lexington...

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  20. South eastern Tennessee is one of the most beautiful places I've been.

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  21. I wish I had the bandwith to read all of your blog I have missed because Swiderski, girl, I have MISSED YOU. You crack me up, as always.

    And can I just say I am complete adoration of you, my friend, that you have not ONE, but FOUR posts tagging "Cow farts".

    How in the hell did I miss that before? giggle

    You're the best. I do miss you.

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    1. Hi!!!!! So good to hear from you.

      Yeah, you're right; not just anybody can write about cow farts. It takes a certain... talent? Nah. Chutzpah.

      I miss you, too, kiddo. I hope your Internet access gets better real soon.

      Delete
  22. Oh and yeah, just to be relevant and prove I read the post, and this wasn't just a drive by comment - Tennessee is pretty cool. If it wasn't for the Shenandoah Mountains I am pretty sure I could see it from here. ::wink::

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    1. Aw Skippy, you're ALWAYS "relevant", no matter WHAT your comment is.

      HA! But I love THIS one. 12:34

      Delete
  23. I've been to Knoxville, but it looks like I missed a lot. I LOVE the Kevin Costner song. Who knew?

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    1. We've been to lots of places in Tennessee, but we've missed a lot more of them. As for Costner, I know! It sure surprised me.

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  24. Great post!

    I agree with what Janie wrote, I found the idea of an elephant being hanged for murder monstrous.

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    1. Thanks! Glad ya liked it.

      Hopefully, no one would even consider hanging an elephant nowadays. Humans still aren't a terribly civilized lot, but we're less barbaric than we used to be.

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  25. Wow! Lots of great pictures and tidbits of information! The Aquarium looks really nice. I just took my kids to the Newport Aquarium. I bet they'd like to see the one in Tennessee!

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    1. I'm sure the aquarium in Tennessee is terrific, but wait until you see the one in Atlanta! It is absolutely fantastic! Really. And if you go on your birthday, entry is FREE. I took advantage of that little perk last year, and fully intend to do it again this year.

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  26. I was developing a grudging respect for Tennessee for Elvis, Dollywood, and the plethora of "World capital of X" titles. But then you got to the laws. Even the majesty of the Smokies can't win me over when I consider those frightening outrageous things.

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    1. Oh! I forgot to wish you some sales for your book 'cause Poppa needs some Freedom Fries!! lol

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    2. HA! Don't get too excited, Lexa. Every state has some old laws on their books that have been there like forever... but aren't enforced. In some cases, I think the state may compete to see who has the most idiotic law. (And believe me, in doing these posts, I've come across some real lulus.)

      HA! Thanks. He does like those fries...

      Happy weekend!

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  27. Yes, I did know that Kevin Costner has a band. That said, I have never heard them perform. hahahaha. The laws that are still on the books in most all states are CRAZY. If the police ever decided to start enforcing those... bedlam, for sure.

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    1. You smartie.

      Yeah, it's be pure insanity if anyone ever tried to enforce some of those old laws. (And yet... and yet... legislators still try to write and pass MORE laws every year... I don't get it! Won't they ever be DONE?)

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  28. I always enjoy these historic posts. But judging by those laws, it really is an ass. As for that poor elephant...it leaves me lost for words. Does that mean that if I get bitten by an ant, I could have it charged with aggravated assault?? The mind boggles. :)

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    1. No, no need to charge an ant with assault. The poor little thing. You just send it on its way, while singing, "Born Free." Either that, or you let Spawn stomp on it.

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  29. Beautiful sunrise, Susan.
    Now the man who had sex with a couch puzzled me. This caught my attention because I live in Wisconsin. How strange.

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    1. There's something extra special about a sunrise in the mountains. Maybe because it's closer to heaven.

      The couch dude was actually arrested at the end of last year. November, maybe? But he just had his day in court. (Lord only knows how many chairs he's accosted in the past six months!)

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  30. Interesting stuff about Tennessee! I guess I knew somewhere in the back of my mind that Kevin Costner sang, but I never listened to him until I played your video clip. Not too bad!

    I've never been to Tennessee, but it sounds like a visit would be a nice experience. I'm not a huge Elvis fan, but I like some of his music. And I worked at the Army post in Germany where Elvis and his unit had field training. He even was in my home town (though that was before I was born).

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    1. Glad ya liked it. No, Costner isn't likely to be nominated for a Grammy any time soon, but it was pretty neat to find out he sings.

      Oy, you weren't even born yet when Elvis was stationed in Germany? You trying to make me feel like an old bag? HA! Have you seen his movie "G.I. Blues"? He even sings one song in German in it. (That I can remember... might have been more.)

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    2. I haven't seen the movie (I like his songs a lot more than his acting...), but the song he sings in German is an old German folk song. I have it on my iPod. :-)

      I was born shortly after he was at the army base near my home town. I had a boyfriend once whose older sister told me stories about standing by the side of the road when Elvis' army truck came through town. There was mention of many screaming girls...

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    3. He wasn't academy award-caliber, but I'm a sucker for feel-good musicals.

      Oh, and I'll just BET there were a bunch of screaming girls... and old biddies, too.

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  31. I have to say that based on that clip it is a real stretch to call Kevin Costner a Musician!

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    1. Okay, so he may not be a GREAT musician, but he makes music. And HE did it on stage at the Grand Ol' Opry, which is more than I can say for myself!

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  32. I had - and may still have - family in Tennessee. I've been there a couple times. I remember the fireflies and the Jack Daniels distillery, and that's about all.

    Tennessee is OK.

    No... wait...

    it's Oklahoma that is OK.

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    1. It's interesting that you remember the fireflies, of all things. Don't you have them where you live??? (I'm not surprised about you remembering the distillery... no free samples there, though. If I remember right, it's located in a dry county.)

      Hope you're weekend is better than OK.

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    2. Susan ~
      No, I grew up in L.A. and have always lived in the Western states, and we ain't got no fireflies out here. The first time I ever saw them for real (i.e., not in movies or paintings) was the first time I was in Tennessee. I think I later saw some in Ohio also.

      It was many years ago that I was there but, yeah, I think you're right about the Jack Daniels distillery being in a dry county. And that would explain why I never went back there again.

      ~ D-FensDogg
      'Loyal American Underground'

      POSTSCRIPT: Your recent boozy blog bit inspired me to order Bill Cosby's 'Himself' from NetFlix, and I'll be watching it tonight. I know I'd seen his skit on drinking before, so I may have seen the entire program, but if so, it's been a long time.

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    3. Huh! Learn something new every day. I didn't know there weren't any fireflies on the left coast.

      Cool! I hope you enjoy the Cosby video as much as we did.

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  33. Phew. I think I may now be able to sit a 'Tennessee exam', and pass. Good stuff.

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    1. Good. The test will be administered right down the hall... second door on the left.

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  34. I love Tennessee! I spent all my summers there when I was growing up :)

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    1. Lucky you! A beautiful place to be in the summer... except for all those darned ticks and chiggers.

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  35. What do you mean Davy Crockett wasn't born on a mountaintop??? Damn you and your lies. ;)

    I had read about that elephant before and was so upset by it. I know it's absurd that I can read about murders and crimes all day long and not bat an eye but the minute I read something about an animal being abused and tortured it sticks in my brain forever.

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    1. HA! I know what ya mean! (Don't mess with my Davy Crockett stories, dadgum it!)

      Maybe animal abuse stories hit you hard because of the way some animals have a way of looking at you with such unadulterated trust in their eyes. (That, and you're an ol' softie.)

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  36. I haven't been to Tenn. since I was a kid. I remember it being very beautiful. That story about the elephant?? Poor Mary...

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    1. I betcha you'd appreciate its beauty even more now.

      Poor Mary is right. I wonder if anyone back then felt badly for her.

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  37. I've been white water rafting in Tennessee and Nashville is one of my favorite city's. Awesome state! :)

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    1. Oh, very cool! We've floated leisurely down the Chattahoochee on a raft before, but the only white foam in sight was from the beer the guys were drinking

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  38. Insightful and interesting post. I love reading your posts Susan. I get to see and visit new places through you!

    Thanks!

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    1. Thanks! I'm glad you liked it, Nas. That's very sweet of you to say.

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  39. Wow, Ms Susan! I must apologize and admit that I didn't read all of this....actually I read very little! Sorry! BUT, I skimmed through, checked out all the photos and billboards....but mostly looked at and listened to KEVIN COSTNER!! ** No, I had no idea he could sing or play the guitar!

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    1. HA! You coulda faked it, ya know. It isn't as though I'm gonna give a test or anything.

      I'm glad you listened to Costner. (See, your visit wasn't entirely in vain!)

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  40. I love the old laws but wasn't there one about handing an elephant without a trial? (They hung him? Seriously? Wouldn't shooting him have been easier?)

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    1. I was surprised they hung her, too. I guess they didn't have any elephant guns handy.

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  41. Your post is fascinating and I want to see a lot of what you show here, like the Aquarium. Funny how we misunderstand lyrics sometimes.

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    1. It is funny how we misunderstand lyrics, but the old Davy Crockett song SAID he was "born in the mountaintops of Tennessee", doggone, it. They misled us!

      On the other hand, my favorite misunderstood lyrics of all time would have to be, "There's a bathroom on the right..." (Instead of "There's a bad moon on the rise.")

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