When I first read of the National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) challenge of writing one blog per day, I wasn’t sure I could keep up the pace.  But I did, and I’m better for it.

The positives of writing every day outweigh the negatives, although I would be remiss if I didn’t admit to feeling a sense of dread at times as I sat down to write at the computer each day.  But the outcomes have been quite interesting!

• The blog stats have more than doubled this month compared to those of other months.
• I’ve encountered many new blogs to which I now subscribe.
• The range of topics has encompassed places I’ve seen with Bert far and near! It’s safe to say that writing each day made us reach into Idaho, China, Tennessee and other places, too!

Just for the record, the posts receiving the most “views” were 1) Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop: New sweet shop in Bearden, 2) Jack Daniel Distillery: Quality processing right here in Tennessee, and 3) Tennessee Walking Horses: Elegance in motion.  From those stats, we’ve realized that readers really want more from what we see close to home.

Thanks to all of you who have read, commented, and viewed.  You are definitely appreciated, since you are what keeps us thinking about our travels and sharing our pictures. In case you missed any of the posts, here they are one more time.

1. Hashtag the #hashbrowns at Frank’s Diner, Spokane!

2. Ah, November . . . 

3. Running through downtown Spokane!

4. Last Yellows, Knoxville, TN

5. Stunning sunsets from the Lodge at Sandpoint

6. Little town, big logs: Moyie Springs, Idaho

7. Kapturing the moment at Kootenai Falls

8. Travelers’ Rest: Let the Lewis & Clark Trail Begin!

9. Travel Theme: Connections (Building a Habitat House in Nepal)

10. Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop: New sweet shop in Bearden

11. Lewis & Clark Trail from Missoula MT to Lewiston ID: Quiet, majestic beauty

12. Weekly Photo Challenge: Habit (Collecting mugs)

13. Cook ‘em, wrap ‘em, tag ‘em: Church Bake Sale

14. Favorite chocolate cake gets snapped up at Holiday Helpings!

15. Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers (Pretty layer cake)

16. Food trucks on Union: It’s Saturday morning!

17. Fine crafts and whimsy, too: Foothills Craft Guild Show

18. The Palouse: Amber Waves of Grain

19. A Word a Week Challenge: Lines (UT Band)

20. Visiting Coeur d’Alene? Go up, up, and away!

21. Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected

22. Special family celebration? You need Ham ‘n Goodys!

23. ROOST: Fresh ideas for feathering your nest

Thanks for reading!

Rusha and Bert

24. Jack Daniel Distillery: Quality processing right here in Tennessee

25. GreenRose of Raus B&B: Great place to stay on The Jack Trail

26. A Word a Week Challenge: High (Bridge at Hoover Dam)

27. Tennessee Walking Horses: Elegance in motion

28. Happy Thanksgiving!

29. Travel Theme: Sky

30. Most Photographed Corner in Idaho City

Driving from Boise before dawn one morning for my inaugural visit to the high school in Idaho City, I listened carefully to my GPS lady as she told me to turn onto Main Street off Highway 21.  I did what she said.

Then in her matter-of-fact voice, she instructed:  In 200 feet, make a left onto Centerville. And that’s when I saw it.  It was a house.  No, an antique shop.  No, a pile of junk.  I really didn’t know what it was.  But I was running late.

I hurried into the school, introduced myself to the superintendent, John MacFarlane, and then asked, What IS that on the corner of Main and Centerville? He smiled.  Even tilted his head back and chuckled a bit.

And then he replied, That’s the most photographed corner in Idaho City!

At the end of the workday, I grabbed my camera and headed back to that corner — parked nearby, walked around and around alternately stooping to look below and standing on tiptoe to see what was “up top.” Each viewpoint became another Kodak moment.

Of course, I still have questions.  Who lived there?  How long has it been empty?  How could anyone work in there?  Where did all that “stuff” come from?  And now that I see it’s for sale (asking price was $300,000), Who would want to buy this thing?  And what would they do with it?

I return in January.  And you can bet I’m gonna ask more questions.  It’s now my favorite corner, too — in Idaho City!

To read more posts on the Inland Northwest, go to the Page marked Inland Northwest at the top of this blog.

This is post #30 (Yeah! The last!) for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013. (I did it!)

One late evening in October, I say a “cottage cheese” sky — small snugged-together puffs of clouds —  hovering over the lake.

But when I looked back at where I’d been, I saw the reflection of that same sky in the water, giving me another view of the evening sky closing in on the coming night.

As I turned to head toward the parking lot, I was rewarded with a view of the sky mirrored in the water, a lovely sight as you can see.  Lucky for me, I walk with my iPhone!

For more entries in the Travel Theme: Sky category, click here.

This is post #29 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.

It had been a picture-perfect weekend in Middle Tennessee traveling with my sister Cindy Mouch and her husband Jim from Decatur, Alabama.  Destination?  Jack Daniel Distillery to tour the facility and see the production of Old No. 7 up close.  (Click here for story.) And then we stayed in a lovely, country Bed and Breakfast Inn — GreenRose of Raus — as recommended on the Jack Daniel website.  (Click here to read about GreenRose.)

But all weekend, Cindy kept saying, Wouldn’t it be great to see a Tennessee Walking Horse?   We agreed it would be, but where could we find a farm that would let us take a closer look or see walking horses in training? Through the magic of “Googling,” however, we happened upon an event in nearby Shelbyville going on that very weekend:  The Walking for Angels Horse Show and Christmas Village!  

We put the address for Calsonic Arena into our GPS and found ourselves headed toward the home of the The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration that’s held each year in late summer for eleven days ending on the Saturday night prior to Labor Day.

Originally bred as utility horses for plantation owners, Tennessee Walking Horses are known for a four-beat gait that’s smoother than a trot.  It can seem as though the horses are gliding or moving effortlessly down the track.

Finding the show at Calsonic Arena was pure serendipity:  seeing Tennessee Walking Horses in action was elegance in motion.

For more information:

Calsonic Arena, 721 Whitthorne Avenue, Shelbyville, TN; http://www.calsonicarena.com/

Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration: http://www.twhnc.com/

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum located in Wartrace, TN is part of The Jack Trail.  For more information, go to http://www.tntrailsandbyways.com

This is post #27 of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013 sponsored jointly by BlogHer and WordPress.

The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, the first concrete-steel arch bridge in the U. S., rises 840 feet above the Colorado River.  The bridge is named for Mike O’Callaghan, Governor of Nevada from 1971-79, and Pat Tillman, who left his pro-football career with the Arizona Cardinals to serve in the U. S. Army, but was killed in Afghanistan during a tour of duty.  (Click here for more information.)

When we arrived at the Hoover Dam parking area, we walked out onto the bridge for this view of the dam and the surrounding area.

Later, we stood beneath the bridge and looked up, totally in awe of the sight.

For more interpretations of the Word a Week Challenge: High, click here.

GreenRose of Raus Bed and Breakfast Inn

You know how it is.  You go to a site you want to visit (like Jack Daniel Distillery in Middle Tennessee), and you search the internet for somewhere nearby to stay overnight. But you’re not sure that what you see is what you’ll get.

Well, we got lucky! One of the bed and breakfast inns featured on the Jack Daniel site — the GreenRose of Raus — had it all: lovely country setting, beautifully prepared breakfast, and a most hospitable owner whose love of Tennessee and her B & B made it a great place to stay.

Pat Cox, co-owner of GreenRose of Raus B & B

Located seven miles from the Jack Daniel Distillery and twelve miles from the National Walking Horse Celebration in Shelbyville, TN, this circa 1905 B & B resides in the country.  The drive down Smith Chapel Road prepares you for a slower pace as you enjoy views of farmland, cattle grazing, and open spaces.

But when you get there, you can feel the warmth that sets this B & B apart.  Pat Cox, who co-owns GreenRose of Raus with her sister Jeannie Williams invites you in to enjoy the amenities, like this comfortable parlor open to all.

Original fireplaces like this one appeal to those who love antiques and old houses but also reveal the desire of the owners to leave as much intact of the original house as possible.

Shelves filled with books invite you to read while you stay at the B & B, but if you’re not finished, you’re welcome to take a book home and return it at your leisure.

A sideboard in the kitchen holds homemade cookies under a glass dome, available any time.  (Well, if the guests don’t consume them all at once!)

Rooms painted soft colors hold some antiques, but have modern conveniences like private bathrooms, comfortable bedding, and ample spaces for luggage.  (This is the only twin bed room we saw.  Most rooms have queen beds, but one with a king bed is located on the main floor.)

Perhaps what distinguishes an ordinary B & B experience from a special one is the person in charge.  Pat Cox‘s tour revealed her love of quilts made from family heirlooms and stitched with Bible verses.

One of the pieced quilts in the parlor at GreenRose of Raus

Soft colors and touches of lace in a quilted throw

She shared the origin of the name GreenRose with us — a rose with a rare color that interested the sisters and indicated something different that they could offer travelers.

Although the home was comfy and accommodating, it was the breakfast that could bring us back.  Pat engages everyone in lively conversation by asking simple questions of the guests to help everyone get to know each other.  One couple recounted their love of all things Jack Daniel by sharing the extent of their bottle and memorabilia collections. Another couple was ending a one-week honeymoon and returning to the “real world” of jobs and merged families.

Gathering in the dining room for morning breakfast

And, of course, we ate.  Pat served Bruce’s Baked Eggs — eggs surrounded by ham baked in a muffin tin — with the accompaniments of a Sausage Cheese Muffin, Autumn Blend Pancakes made with pumpkin and orange zest, and a Fruit Medley with Amaretto Dairy Cream!

Bruce’s Baked Eggs with Sausage Cheese Muffin and Autumn Blend Pancakes

We each knew where to sit since Pat had hand-lettered our names in gold on leaves pulled from the magnolia trees out front.

Place marker hand-lettered in gold on magnolia leaf

If you’re thinking of hitting The Jack Trail — over 375 miles of historic sites in Middle Tennessee (preserved homes, museums, distilleries, Civil War monuments, country music, etc.), then consider staying at this centrally located B & B.  GreenRose of Raus will help you rest and “regroup” as you think of your next travel adventure, your “real” jobs, or whatever is next on your agenda. But while you’re at GreenRose, just relax!

GreenRose of Raus in Tullahoma, TN

Click here to read our previous blog post entitled Jack Daniel Distillery: Quality processing right here in Tennessee.

For more information:

GreenRose of Raus, 330 Smith Chapel Road, Tullahoma, TN 37388; 931.695.3351; http://www.greenroseofraus.net/

Jack Daniel Distillery, 182 Lynchburg Highway, Lynchburg, TN 37352; 931.759.6357; http://www.jackdaniels.com/visit

The Jack Trail, part of Discovery Tennessee Trails & Byways: http://tntrailsandbyways.com/

This is post #25 of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013 sponsored by BlogHer and WordPress.

You may have noticed the same thing about yourself that we’ve known for years:  We can travel the world but still not find time to visit some of the most famous sites right in our own backyard! And so it was with the Jack Daniel Distillery — the oldest registered distillery in the U. S. and on the National Register of Historic Places — right here in our home state of Tennessee in the town of Lynchburg. But we’d never taken the tour or heard how Old No. 7 Brand was processed  — until this fall.

Lynchburg, located about 73 miles south of Nashville, is the seat of Moore County, a dry county that’s been that way since Prohibition.  Nevertheless, it’s where the pure, iron-free cave spring water first drew young Jasper “Jack” Daniel to the area and establish the Jack Daniel Distillery in 1866.

Visitor Center entrance at Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee

The tour begins in the Visitor Center, a well-appointed place that serves as a museum with artifacts and educational displays lining the walls.

Display of clothing in the Visitor Center at Jack Daniel Distillery

Begin by buying a ticket at the Visitor Center.

But soon you board a bus for a short ride up the hill to the place where hard sugar maple charcoal is prepared for the time-honored process and attention to detail that has distinguished Jack Daniel products as some of the finest in the world.

Boarding the bus for the tour of Jack Daniel’s Distillery

Guide telling us how Jack Daniel’s Whiskey is mellowed through hard sugar maple charcoal

We passed by an REO Speedwagon (Yes, there really is such a vehicle!) that’s mainly used in parades and special events now, but had utilitarian purposes years ago.

REO Speedwagon on display at Jack Daniel’s Distillery

The office, as this house of antiques and original furnishings is now called, holds vintage pictures and relics of what Jack Daniel himself would have used in the early years. Now, it’s a key stop-off for the tour and a place where our guide could share more about the days when the quality process began.

Desk on display at The Office at Jack Daniel’s Distillery

Photographs and antiques in the office at Jack Daniel’s

After the visit to the office, we were asked not to take pictures. So, I can’t show you the dripping process, the sour mash room, or the barrels of whiskey placed end to end on racks in the Barrelhouse where storage, tasting, and maturation take place. Temperature plays such an important part in the seasoning process that the location of the barrels (which floor, how high) has an impact on the final product.

We were, however, allowed to look into the cave where pure spring water flows.  Finding this natural water source led to the decision to locate the distillery in Lynchburg.

A glimpse of the iron-free spring water that determined the location of the Jack Daniel’s distillery

And some folks stopped to have their picture made with Jack himself!

Jim and Cindy Mouch (my brother-in-law and sister) from Decatur, Alabama, pause for a picture with Jack!

We visited the “Buy the Barrel” room where less than five-tenths of one percent of the whiskey that earns the distinction of having the smoothest taste and the richest color are sold. Names of barrel owners are engraved on plaques and posted on the wall. A barrel of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey is an investment with a price of $9,000 to $12,000 per barrel.

At the end of the line, we headed to the gift shop where bottles of Old No. 7, Gentleman Jack, and Tennessee Honey could be shipped abroad.  We moved closer to the wall labeled Windows on the World for pictures sent in by fans of the Tennessee whiskey and saw where you could have a bottle personalized just for you.

Windows on the World at Jack Daniel’s Distillery

The grounds of the Jack Daniel Distillery are peaceful, a nod to the pretty countryside in Middle Tennessee.  And the whole experience was well-coordinated, well-organized, and informative.

Lovely setting for Jack Daniel’s Distillery

Later, we drove downtown to see what we could see at the Lynchburg Hardware & General Store.  Since no memorabilia is sold at the distillery, you need to make a stop here for gifts to take back home — like t-shirts, cookbooks from Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House, shot glasses, and shelves made of barrel staves!

Or if you go online (Click here), you’ll find gifts galore like a Jack Daniel’s bandana ($5.95), Old No. 7 flip flops ($21.95), barrel key chain ($6.95), or barrel wood shot shelf ($38.95). And maybe, just maybe, you’ll want to take a little something good to eat to the folks back home like a Jack Daniel’s Pecan Tennessee Whiskey Cake for only $12.99!

Lynchburg Hardware & General Store

So, if you’re interested in seeing how some of the finest Tennessee Sippin’ Whiskey is made and how Jack Daniel started small but grew his business to one of the premier whiskey distributorships in the world, put Lynchburg, Tennessee, on your bucket list.  It’s a pretty classy place in a beautiful part of the Volunteer State!

P. S.  A great time to visit (or so I’ve been told) is during the Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue the fourth Saturday in October!  Check the website for more information.

Jack Daniel Distillery & Visitor Center, 182 Lynchburg Hwy., Lynchburg, TN; 931.759.6357

Lynchburg Hardware & General Store, 55 Mechanic St., Lynchburg, TN; 931.759.4200

Miss Mary Bobo’s Boarding House Restaurant, 295 Main St., Lynchburg, TN; 931.759.5058

The Jack Trail:  The Jack Daniel Distillery is part of The Jack Trail in the Discover Tennessee Trails & Byways.  This 375-mile trail boasts Civil War monuments, legendary distilleries, Tennessee Walking Horse country, a rich musical heritage, and five state parks.  For more information on The Jack Trail, go to www.tnvacation.com or tntrailsandbyways.com. Click here for more information on how to download the iPhone App for The Jack Trail.

This is post #24 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.

Twig nest with little brown birds at Roost

“Come HOME to ROOST” is the tag line of a new home furnishings, home accessories store in Maryville, Tennessee, that owner Paula Osborne defines as a store with a “casual flair brought to life with a distinct designer vibe.” And it’s that fresh designer vibe that welcomes you in to Roost — through the twiggy courtyard to the urban interior of a natural world you’ll want adopt for your own nest!

The Courtyard

Outside, a life-size branch dome shelters a private eating area while twig reindeer and artsy painted posts welcome you to take a closer look.  Natural vignettes team with fire pits, and all pave the way to the natural world inside.

Unique dome made of branches

Betty Sue Sparks takes a closer look at colorful garden posts that say a lot!

The Colors

Robin’s egg blue teams with pale creams and tans for a restful nest, or you can select from Moroccan-like patterns to add a pop of fresh color, texture, and pattern.

A twig bed decorated with natural colors and touches of blue

Terry Frost found a textured pale blue pillow sham among the linens at Roost.

Soft colors of upholstered pieces contrast with color artwork on the walls

The Naturals

From the designer sisals to Ikat pillows, decorator touches borrow from an international palette, but the accessories take their cues from nature.

Colorful Ikat motifs lend an international feel to the furnishings at Roost.

Natural fiber rugs in soft colors can be custom ordered to complement the look of Roost’s natural rooms.

Glass domes rest atop twig nests while scented candles wait for someone to set them on fire and add soft lighting for intimate rooms.

Twig nests lined up on a sofa table hold glass domes and scented candles.

The Crafts

Representing fine local craftsmen and artists, handmade articles pepper Roost with unique accessories — creative touches that make a house a home. Some add color.  Some add function.  Some add humor.  But all reveal the care the designers take to provide something different, something special for those who shop Roost.

Felted acorns rest easy in a big blue bowl.

A quilt mounted on a stretcher frame fills a wall with color

The Look

Whether you need something whimsical for a Christmas present or whole-room design from floor to ceiling, you’ll be able to find unusual, handmade items that will give you a put-together look that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

New home furnishings and accessories store in Maryville

Roost is fun, interesting, fresh.  And worth a trip!

Roost

109 E. Broadway Avenue

Maryville, TN 37804

865.984.4100

http://www.roosthome.com

Contact:

Paula Osborn — paula@roosthome.com

Ginger Dockery — ginger@roosthome.com

This is post #23 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.

For 35 years, we’ve treated ourselves and our family with some of the best baked goods in West Knoxville — at Ham ‘n Goodys!  As our go-to stop for tea cakes, fresh-baked cakes, and lemon cookies, we just naturally think of the little shop on Northshore that’s won awards for years.

In 1978, Ham ‘n Goodys opened, and it was Leroy Shoemaker who served us our first tea cakes.  Made the old-fashioned way with the richness of fresh ingredients (yes, real butter!), tea cakes have caused us to steer into the parking lot and head into the turn-of-the-century house with the maroon awning many times.  Tea cakes come glazed or unglazed, but I can’t for the life of me tell you which is my favorite.  With a cup of hot tea or coffee, a tea cake brings a whole new meaning to “morning pick-up!” But I’ve also found that they’re good anytime.

Steve Shoemaker reaches into the rows of tea cakes to fill an eager customer’s order.

It’s the specialty cakes, however, that brought me in this week.  Our daughter-in-law’s birthday coincided with an early Thanksgiving dinner (to accommodate travel schedules), so we asked Steve Shoemaker to recommend a best-seller for us.  He hesitated.  All of our cakes sell well.  You just have to think about what kind you like, and we probably have it.

Rows of Special Cakes greet you as you enter Ham ‘n Goodys.

And they probably do.  The choices include Red Velvet, Carrot, Chocolate Cream, German Chocolate, Fresh Strawberry, Fresh Coconut, and Italian Cream — rich, delicious, and pretty, too!

Steve helps a customer select a Special Cake.

We ordered a German Chocolate since that fulfills a number of favorite items:  rich chocolate, pecans, and coconut!  (My favorite food groups and hopefully those of the Birthday Girl!)

When I went to pick up the cake, Mike and Vickie Price (dressed in Big Orange clothing for the UT/Vandy match) were dining in for lunch.  You can’t beat their sandwiches that come with chips and your choice of cheese, Mike told me. We eat here a lot.

Mike and Vickie Price having lunch at Ham ‘n Goodys!

Sandwiches include Ham with Honey Glaze, Basted Turkey Breast, Smoked Turkey Breast, EyeRound Roast Beef, and Corned Beef, but there are also salad sandwiches, too, like Chunky Chicken, Ham, Tuna, and Turkey.

The owners call this establishment “The Business That Faith Built,” and I’ve always appreciated the little chalkboard bearing a Bible verse right above the menu.

When I asked if they’d be busy for the Thanksgiving holidays, Steve replied, Ohhhh, yessss. And they will be.  Orders are already in for spiral sliced hams and one of their best sellers — Lemon Cookies — that they keep boxed and stacked by dozens, ready to hand to lined-up customers.

Betsy fills an order for tea cakes and cookies.

If you need a smaller cake, don’t hesitate to ask for one of the creamy, dreamy pound cakes that come in loaf size: Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Lemon, Five Flavor, or Chocolate.  All are great sliced and topped with a scoop of ice cream or fresh berries.

So, whether you have a craving for a Glazed Tea Cake or you need a special birthday celebration German Chocolate Cake, you can head to Ham ‘n Goodys with confidence. No matter what you buy, your take-home purchase will make anyone (especially you!) beam with pride.  After all, you’re eating somethin’ special from Ham ‘n Goodys!

Wishing our daughter-in-law a Happy Birthday with a German Chocolate Cake from Ham ‘n Goodys!

Ham ‘n Goodys

314 Northshore Drive

Knoxville, TN 37919

Phone: 865.584.2246

Fax: 865.584.1574

www.hamngoodys.com

This is post #22 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.

The WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge focuses on the word UNEXPECTED, and our first weekend in Beijing’s Financial District at The Westin brought out many unexpected sights.  Perhaps it’s because we thought China was mostly rice paddies and people laboring in the fields wearing pointy hats.  Or perhaps we just hadn’t done our homework.  But what we saw in Beijing was not unlike what we could see in any big city in America — and quite unexpected.

First, on a stroll the night before we departed the city, we saw children taking a hockey class right downtown in an open plaza.  Totally different from where lessons are given in Knoxville, Tennessee — usually in a rink.  But it worked for them, and families gathered ’round the kids just like moms and dads do in America!

Second, we took our last stroll through the district the next morning before boarding the bus for Xian.  Unexpected sights?  Restaurants we have at home right here in Beijing!

Not only that, we passed women wearing Western attire. Unexpected once again!

Luxury cars parked near The Westin were also unexpected, some with drivers waiting for passengers.

And several of these little bubblicious cars parked anywhere they pleased, or so it seemed.  Like this one parked on the sidewalk.

Street cleaners were out in full force, and several agreed to let us photograph them at work.  And do they ever work!  Clean streets in record time. (Loved the broom as well as the protective attire.  Smart.)

Last, we noted this delivery of food for a restaurant.  Plop! Right on the sidewalk way before anyone had arrived to drag the goods inside.  Kind of unexpected, I guess you could say!

For more of our experiences in China, click on the Page at the top of this post.

This is post #21 for National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013.