One of these days, I’m going to drive off the road because I’m gawking at animal that’s nearer than I’ve ever encountered. There’s the road, the fence and the animal! I don’t know where in Tennessee this picture was taken, but it looks like what I see as I drive along Route 68 in Crossville.

For me as a writer, location is a character as much as the humans who live in my novels. Every location carries a unique culture — a personality — that affects how my characters relate to their situations in the time and place I create.

Like my characters, I’m experiencing a different way of life. I drive through a breathtaking, almost primordial land of mountains and rolling, twisty narrow roads that wind through both untamed and tamed landscapes. The pace of life is slower, and I’ve never been loved on so much for just holding the door for a stranger. “Why thank you, darlin’. Have a nice day!”

In the Heart of Appalachia

I read Hillbilly Elegy by J.D Vance when it first came out, long before he became our vice-president elect. His description of living in the Appalachian region is raw and unflinching. If I remember correctly, he described a land of fiscal and social poverty. Apparently, he had a challenging childhood.

And here I am in the heart of Appalachia, finding a thriving culture and way of life that’s stimulating, sophisticated, and artistic. At the same time, I feel connected to a gentler, simpler time.
While there’s an outstanding library in downtown Crossville, I discovered a hidden gem of a library in Fairfield Glade, where I live. When I checked out a book, the librarian pulled an index card from a box and wrote the date and my name on it. Shades of the 1950s! We both laughed and reveled in the simplicity of it all.

Here is a link that describes Crossville in the heart of the Appalachian region. https://bestattractions.org/usa/tennessee/things-to-do-in-crossville-tn/

Good Cookin’ Makes Ya Good Lookin’

I found that printed along a board meant to be hung, probably in one’s kitchen. Once I got past its charm, I realized there was a great deal of truth in the saying. Haven’t I blogged repeatedly about the benefits of a whole food, plant based diet? Home cooking versus prepared, ultra-processed foods? And yes, if you’re eating healthy, you do look healthy.

Dulcimore Sing-along

The dulcimore has a rich history here.

I had the pleasure of attending a Christmas sing-along with local musicians playing dulcimores and guitar. The hostess shared the history of our familiar Christmas carols, which go back hundreds of years to the 17th and 18th centuries. How authentic the familiar tunes sounded on the very instruments on which they were originally played!

Christmas Blessings

Wherever you are in America or the world, I wish all of you a blessed and peaceful Christmas. May 2025 bring less war and hate, and instead, more understanding and love