ALABAMA ~ Tennessee River

This song was released on May 16, 1980. It was ALABAMA's first # 1 single.

   

Read about the release here.

Brevard

Brevard is a beautiful town I'm very familiar with, although it had been quite a while since I last visited.  The area has some amazing hiking and is known for lots of waterfalls.  There are also several good breweries.  Today I road there with my brother, but we only stayed about an hour.  I shall go back!

Pisgah Coffee Roasters

Blue Ridge Bakery

Bracken Mountain Bakery

A Brief Moment

* e-mail from May 2020 

Back to Covid19 and how health scares remind us of what is really important: I recall Uncle Jim saying several times, "If we don't have good health, we have nothing." Maybe a silver lining in all this is that we remember we have an expiration date. Sometimes through excessive fun and work, we block that out. Maybe it's our biggest fear! Life's just a brief moment, and then over. Others move into our place. Keep living well, keep hiking and, as you like to say, "drink deeply from the cup."

"I KNOW"

There's no room for doubt when there's a dogma in place...and compartmentalization is often used to help people navigate through a world that is more complex than the dogma that they hold tightly to.  - e-mail to a friend in 2008

I remember getting messages from someone who would spell out I KNOW in all caps when pressed on whether something was really true or not.

Clint

The Clint Eastwood Archive

- from an e-mail dated 1/16/09

We enjoyed Clint Eastwood's latest movie and possibly his best work, Gran Torino. I think you would like it because the subject matters covers lots of topics you have an interest in: the failing economy, immigrants, Korean and Vietnam wars, etc. Just a great movie. To me, Clint reminds me of Jimbo (Jim Vann): his build, his walk, his mannerisms, his dress, his energy for his age and his willingness to say what comes to mind. well, Jimbo as compared to the Clint in this movie.

Asheville

The Lawrence Welk Show

This variety show first aired on May 11, 1951 and ran for twenty-seven seasons.  My grandmother enjoyed watching reruns of it in the '80s.  On occasion, I would even watch it with her.

Sunny Afternoon

Let's hear it for all the mothers out there! Mine was pretty special.

Now on to my walk!

5.37 miles

1,105 ft elevation gain