So Different, Yet the Same

I’m going to make a confession to you, Dear Reader. I am writing this paragraph after I have at least halfway finished this article. I just looked at my email, and the topic of one item was this: “Does the sex of your dog make allergies worse?”

Box Turtle Trivia

The way a turtle is put together is pretty much the reverse of ours. I mean look at it: we have soft body parts protecting a hard-inner skeleton. Turtles have a hard-outer skeleton protecting inner soft body parts. The most common turtle you'll run into around here (and one you probably aggravated when you were a kid) is the eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina).

From the Highway to the Lake Coves

Union County, a beautiful picture painted by rural Tennessee, but also one tainted by litter. What may start on a roadside is likely to end up in a children’s park, a waterfront area or affecting our wildlife populations.

Norris Lake, at a quick glance it it one of the cleanest lakes in the state due to its high water quality, but after a longer look in the coves you may find trash and debris left by previous visitors.

“It takes an entire community to make a difference…” a powerful statement posted by the Keep Union County Beautiful program.

Summer Tree ID Workshop Aug 13

Ever wonder what kind of trees are growing on your property?
Join our expert foresters to learn the basics of summer tree identification, and how to key out what species of tree you are seeing. Learning the names of trees is the first step that guides good decision making for any forestland owner.

Pasture to Plate Beef Sales Workshop offered

Cattle producers interested in learning more about directly marketing beef to consumers are invited to join speakers from UT Extension, the Tennessee Beef Industry Council and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for a day-long workshop. Sessions will cover topics including regulations for marketing live animals for custom-exempt processing and meat, finishing cattle effectively, how to pencil out your potential for profit, what producers need to know about meat quality, how much meat to expect, tips for working with processors, marketing resources and assistance available.

Smack in the Head

I will never ever forget my awesome first-grade teacher. Nor will I forget something odd she used to do. When she needed to take out one of her contact lenses, she would place one of her hands in a cupped position in front of her eye. With the other hand, she would smack the back of her head. Then her contact lens would pop out of her eye and into her waiting palm. Seriously.

Marital vs. Martial

Before I married, I thought myself an expert on the subject. It did not matter that I was not a trained marriage counselor, I shared advice with anyone who would listen. I charged them what it cost me—absolutely nothing.
Now that I’m married, I realize how little I knew about marriage. I know less now than the day I said “I do”. I am thankful that all that marital advice I’ve given for years was free. It was worth what it cost.

Trees in the Bible

Trees have been appreciated since the beginning of history, and are reflected in the earliest writings recorded. The Old Testament Bible mentions trees from one end to the other, using them both metaphorically and literally to teach wisdom that would be remembered. What follows is a small sampling of quotes from the Bible using modern text.