I am writing this article on the last day of July, 2024. It is the day before the local election. By close of the day tomorrow (or early the following day) I will know who the newly elected school board members will be as well as other politicians who will continue to campaign for a few more months to serve at the state or national level.

Thousands of years before modern medicine, people depended on medicinal plants to ease pain and aid healing. Our early pioneer ancestors learned from native Indians what plants were useful to treat maladies, and many of these plants are common in our area and easy to identify. What follows is a description of some of the easier to find medicinals found in our area.

The Union County FCE Club took a wonderful trip to Cades Cove on July 18th, 2024! They started off the day with a cup of coffee from the Artistic Bean in Townsend and then made their way to the loop. As they drove around Cades Cove, they made some stops at the churches, cemeteries, and the Cable Mill area. They were able to see a bear, turkeys, and a deer! Then they enjoyed a picnic lunch, which was closely watched by a crow, who scoured the ground meticulously for any crumbs after they left!

Knoxville, TN – July 29, 2024 – Whether you're a seasoned florist, a budding enthusiast, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of fresh blooms, mark your calendars for an exciting event this August! The Cut Flower Walk & Talk promises a day of floral inspiration and community connection for all those passionate about cut flowers.

The Union County Lions Club will be hosting a free homemade spaghetti dinner for all Union County citizens on Saturday, September 7, at 5:30 p.m. at Union County High School. Dinner will include salad, Italian bread, drinks and desserts, and will be held just before the Union County Opry presents the Lonesome River Band. This band has been touring for 42 years and is one of the most respected names in Bluegrass.

While the design of our electronic devices has progressed over time to be more user friendly, many of us are still spending long stretches of our days working at a desk with a computer. Setting the work station up properly and maintaining good posture while we’re at it can go a long way toward eliminating the musculoskeletal aches and pains that can come from such work. here are some tips to bear in mind:

What would you go back to get? As for me, I always go back for food. Good examples of this are: turkey and dressing, fried okra and pinto beans, and just about anything chocolate. Then there are other things that I have to go back for because I forgot them. My mom has always said that happens because I’m in too much of a hurry. While she’s right, let’s just say the fruit doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

I wrote last week about a class I took as an undergraduate at Lincoln Memorial University during Winter Quarter 1985 called In Search of Self. Though I might have trouble finding things on my desk that I placed there yesterday, I went straight to the file cabinet at home and found the notebook I kept in that class thirty-nine years ago.

With all the hot, dry weather we’ve had of late, watering plants becomes necessary. Water is a critical requirement for all plants, and they need a lot of it. Pulling water in from the soil through the roots is not only how plants get water, but also how they obtain the nutrients they need to grow, which is dissolved and suspended in soil water. Each day they take in a great deal of water through their roots, sift out the nutrients, and then release it as vapor through their leaves in a process called transpiration. Forests, being made up of a lot of really big plants standing shoulder to shoulder, account for some of the high humidity we experience each summer through this process. A mature maple tree can take up enough water to fill three bathtubs per day.

This French way of preparing chicken can be a challenge, but this recipe makes quick work of making this delicious French entree. In shallow dish, combine flour, dried thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Coat the chicken thighs in mixture, shaking off excess. In Dutch oven, heat chopped bacon over medium heat until bacon is crisp. Add coated chicken thighs ans cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove chicken and keep warm.