Home in Tennessee

I share my home with coyotes, deer, raccoon, snakes, lots of various insects and probably creatures I just haven't noticed yet. It makes for noisy nights, but sure beats listening to traffic or human voices. Strange how such noisy nights can be so peaceful...

With the RV able to get on to the land, I next needed a mailbox and a gate.

Then after a couple of times of driving over 8 miles with smelly, wet garbage in the car to drop off at dumpsters and every five days of driving 15 plus miles to the state park to dump a 12 gallon tote of black water (meaning from the toilet), I decided I needed a trailer for the car. This meant I could get a bigger tote - a 27 gallon size. So now I won't have to 'take care of biological business' every 5 days, except for getting fresh water - a much easier job.

I got an outdoor stove, as well. I will burn papers in it, along with small logs from the deadwood all around me. There is no recycling within miles, except in Lobelville and that is only for plastic bags. Eventually I will get a composter.

Besides getting settled on my land, I have spent the past month meeting wonderful people, including Darrial and Andi and their son Alex. Darrial and Alex so graciously put in the posts for my gate. They thought it was going to be an easy job, not expecting it too take too long. They didn't figure on all the rocks!

Darrial, Andi and I enjoyed one Friday evening at the Commodore Cafe with dinner and live music - Redheaded Stepchild. As usual, both food and music were outstanding!

I also met the wonderful Lingo family at their farm - the Beaverdam Creek Farm. I got a dozen eggs and a chicken from them - all natural, range free. The egg yolks are more orange than yellow! And you can taste the healthy goodness. Their website and their newsletters are so entertaining to read. To me they (as a family and a farm) represent the goodness of this country. I hope you will check their website out.

Hurricane Ike came through with lots of wind and rain, but without any major mishap. I had tied everything down in preparation. I even brought in the slide-outs. I spent most of the time during the storm reading Brian Greene's The Fabric of the Cosmos.

Since then the nights have turned cool and the days are comfortable. The signs of Fall approaching...

Life is Good...

Boondocking again!

The initiation into the Nashville Franklin Elks Lodge last week was quite a moving experience - one I will forever cherish. I feel so honored to be a member of such an active and caring organization. The secretary of the Lodge, Dalton Jordan, is my sponsor and an amazing man. His experience in the organization spans over 30 years - over 30 years of giving and supporting others in need.

The day after I returned to Linden, the grading of my driveway was completed. It was amazing to watch Travis take his backhoe and level the land where the RV will park and grade the incline so that I could drive the RV up onto the land. Travis works for Dale's Backhoe Service. I was especially pleased that Dale and Travis listened to what I wanted - as minimal destruction as possible of the abundant life surrounding the driveway and parking area. And I was able to gather lots of rocks during the process that will be used for the foundation of the cob 'outhouse' that I plan to build in early Spring.

For my personal housewarming I had dinner at the Commodore Cafe in the Commodore Hotel located in downtown Linden, again enjoying a delicious meal (I highly recommend the Chicken Scampi over rice.) and live music of Dave Duncan who plays and sings the blues. Just wonderful!

The pictures below show the 'before and after' of the grading.

Closing set for Thursday!

Yesterday was such a delightful day! I took a drive into Hohenwald which is located 18 miles east of downtown Linden. I discovered Buffalo River Coffee Company - a wonderful coffee (and tea) shop and used book store. A coin laundromat is across the street, so I know now where I want to go to wash my clothes!


As I drove back to Linden, I received a phone call from Jarrod Richardson (United Country Real Estate), letting me know that the closing on the property is set for Thursday in Franklin. Yeah! I will be in Franklin that day for my indoctrination into the Elks at the Nashville Elks Lodge. What a meaningful day I will have!

That evening I went back to downtown Linden to the Commodore Hotel & Cafe for a wonderful dinner and outstanding live jazz music of John "SPEEDY-FINGERS" Richards. Do check out the link about him. It was just an outstanding evening!