First Saturday in December

For years the first Saturday in December was if not the highlight of the year then it was pretty darn close.  For fifty one weeks we waited impatiently for this day.   Standing in line for over an hour was not unheard of.   Who cared if the weather was bad...not us!  We were at the

Most of us remember fondly the original home to the show was the Nashville Flea Market.  However, when Nashville's Mayor began to make loud noises about selling the flea market space to his cronies to develop into yet another housing project Mike moved the show to the Williamson Ag Center just off Interstate 65 and best of all about 20 minutes from our house.

While the nostalgia of good times is not here, there is something to be said for everything being under one roof.

When not housing events like this, the arena is home to the Williamson County Fair, the rodeo as well as various other horse event.

While the location has changed, the show is still much the same...

The exhibits

 

Relics...real and imagined

 



 

Books and more books of which one came home with us...Hey, it would not be the show without another book!

 

 

A little something for the ladies

 



 

And how would we know it was Civil War if there wasn't at least one piece of hard tack?

 

 

 

A organization reminding us that history is being lost one parking lot at a time

 

 

 

A hoop skirt of which there are fewer and fewer each year.  (Sorry Trish you were gone before we could catch you.)

 

 

 

Men in Blue

 

 Men in Gray and possibly the most important the future of the hobby.

 



 

And a familiar face.  Thanks Andy Fulks for all of your help.  It was good to see you.

 

 

And the man responsible for it all...Mike Kent (as he surveys his handiwork).

 

 

Good Lord willing we will see you all again next year!

 







Jessie

Jessie came to live with us last week.  Bill walked him across the street on Tuesday afternoon.

 

He's quite handsome, but most importantly he has good feet.  The first day he was left to adjust to being away from his pasture mate and settle into his new home.  Second day he learns to walk into the trailer on the second try.

 

 

 

 

What sounds easy to us humans is really quite a feat for a horse.  What we see is the inside of a trailer.  What they see is a dark cave with who knows what at the other end.  This lesson is very important as next month he will be headed to the trainer to learn to pull  a wagon by himself (single) and with another horse (double)  and ride. 

 

We are hopeful that Jesse will be able to take over some of Bird's duties.

 



 

  In addition to going into the trailer he also learns to stand still in a less than ideal situation.

 

 

 

We also find that he has been ridden before and doesn't mind a Brittany on his back.

 

 

 

We've been told he will not tolerate a saddle on his back.  Hmmm, so far, so good.

 

 

 

What will he do with a rider on his back?

 

 

 

So, he's got potential and we will keep you updated.











Sunday Morning

Friends Otis and Sabrina invited us for a ride in their newest wagon. 

 

 We were not able to go on Saturday as originally  planned.  This was good as Saturday was overcast, windy and cold.  Sunday was beautiful, a little cool, well, maybe cold for some of us but just right for the horses Buck and Ben.

 

We did not realize when we left just how lovely the drive was going to be.  Buck and Ben have no doubt never been in a hurry except to eat and we were able to enjoy every step they took.

Little did we know when we left our home that we would spend the day in fox hunt country where at every turn you expected to see horses and riders being led by baying hounds as they bounded across the country side.  Here is one of the crossovers.  There seemed to be miles and miles of plank fencing.  We tried to estimate their cost not to mention up keep.

This was one of the few instances of barbed wire on the route.



 

Little farms dotted the landscape.

 

 

While not the nicest nor the most unique it was one of if not the oldest of the houses that we passed. 

 



 

Each seeming to try to out do the other in their picturesqueness.

 

 

Note the sign over the door...

 

 Around a corner and nestled in the woods this little gem,

 

 

and a reminder of when folks had and took the time to personalize even the smallest detail of a barn.

 

 

We started the morning with 5 dogs.  Two of the older, smarter ones left us fairly early in our journey going back to their house.   Obviously they had made the trip before when they were much younger and dumber.  These three made at least 10 steps for every one that Buck and Ben made and still had energy when we got back home.

 

 

The little brown one barked orders to the horses during most of the trip wanting them to hurry up and keep up the pace that the dogs were setting.

 

 

 

On the down hill stretch and almost home.

 

Of all the places we saw on our trip this may have made the most impression on Bill and I...

 

A final resting place for favored equine and canine friends.

 



 

 



 

Jane Fest

We were invited in July to participate in the Jane Austen Festival at Historic Locust Grove in Louisvile, Ky.  Here are some of the photos, complients of Charlie Rhodarmer with assistance from Heidi and Lawrence Mays.

And as always we are indebeted to Brittany Wyatt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dedication of 1812 Bicentennial Marker

On Saturday, 16 June 2012, we were witnesses to the dedication of the 1812 Bicentennial Marker on the Natchez Trace Parkway.  This was sponsored by the Tennessee State Society of the United States Daughters of 1812 who raised the funds.  The marker is dedicated to all of the soldiers buried along the Old Natchez Trace during the War of 1812.

The marker, as is fitting, is placed near a section of the original Natchez Trace.

Mecca Caron, Brittany Wyatt and Deborah Glidden

Acceptance by Cameron Solly Superintendent of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Jim Drury

The color guard from the Franklin High School ROTC

Tennessee Volunteer Infantry led by Capt. Jeff Brewer

1812 Soldier Honor Guard, organized by Daniel Kimes, takes a much needed break for water.

Bill Glidden and Capt. Brewer

The marker is located around mile 426 just south of Leipers Fork, Tennessee.

Take the time to pay homage the many men who are honored.

For more information on the commemorations for the War of 1812  in Tennessee go to

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Tennessee-War-of-1812-Bicentennial-Committtee/147144012025797