Y'all, what a weekend!

I am back from a four day trip to Nashville, Tennessee and am just a teensy bit buried in catching up.  I spent the weekend with many of the families who have adopted children from Ethiopia through the ministry I work for.  

Don’t get the idea that I travel for my job – I don’t, other than the 130 miles I drive up and down I-5 between here and Puyallup, WA where our office is.  I used to love to fly but not so much any more, what with the possibility of my claustrophobia making an unwelcome comeback.  But I didn’t have one flare-up on any of the flights involved this weekend (thank You Lord!) and even got to reassure a woman sitting across the aisle from me who was on the verge of some turbulence-induced panic and whose ‘think soothing thoughts’ mantra wasn’t working. 

Tennessee is a beautiful state.  We decided that we really should have stayed a few more days so that we could have done some sight-seeing.  As it was, we had a little time in Nashville on Friday with one of our adoptive families but didn’t see many famous places other than from a distance.  We visited the Parthenon (a replica of the Greek temple) but I don’t feel that’s very southern, do you?

Maybe if this guy was holding a guitar instead of a pitchfork? (And wearing pants, of course.)

We visited a ‘famous’ popsicle place, Las Paletes, where they make all kinds of yummy treats.  But Las Paletes doesn’t sound very southern either.

I had strawberry/blackberry and it was delicious!

In the town of Franklin, about 30 minutes south of Nashville, Joy and I walked the historic downtown area just a little and ate dinner at a sidewalk table for two where we people-watched and enjoyed listening to the locals talk.  I was nervous that I’d instantly pick up a southern drawl but I managed to control my tongue and not embarrass myself.

We also squeezed in a quick walk down one random street in Franklin that ended up having quite a few historic homes.

I love all of the front porches, usually with rocking chairs!  There were even rocking chairs in the airport down by baggage claim – I assume as a nod to this wonderful southern pastime.  I tried to snap some pictures but they came out blurry because I was juggling the ridiculous amount of luggage I brought.

Wouldn’t you love to sip lemonade (or sweet tea) on that porch?

There were lots of interesting architectural and artistic touches in the yards that we don’t often see here in the NW.

Most of these homes were built just after the Civil War.  Joy told me this as I did not pay attention in my high school history class.

It was so much fun to be in this part of the country where there is all this history!  I’d love to go back and see more of this beautiful state.