I watched the sky grow darker and darker. Each passing second brought the severe storms closer and closer.

It was May 2016 and I was attending a writer’s conference with my dear friend and fellow author, Paula Mowery. It was held at the Ridgecrest Conference Center, which is about 17 miles west of Asheville, NC.

In an earlier article I discussed the use of astrological signs to know when to plant garden and farm crops and have kin that still hold to them. Another method is using moon signs, or more properly moon phases to tell not only when to plant but also when it’s a good time to kill unwanted vegetation. In researching the subject, I have found no scientific backing for using the Zodiac or body signs, but planting by the moon may have something to it. The moon exerts strong influences on the earth, such as light, gravitational pull, and magnetism.

I have been hungry for cookies lately. Today I broke down and made some. They were from an old cookbook I found somewhere or other. What a disappointment. I have many tried and true recipes that turn out fine every time. Why, oh why, do I continue looking for new ones. Anne reminds me of that fact every time I have a cooking disaster.

Depending on who you talk to, ramps are either the world’s most noxious, disgusting smelling plants or the nectar of the gods.

I was first introduced to ramps when my family was invited up to Tellico Plains one spring by a dear friend, Verlin. Every year, Verlin and his wife made this a family reunion, and friends were considered family. Several days before the Saturday festivities, he would go up the Cherohala Skyway, at least as far as it was completed at the time. Parking by the side of the road, he’d go down into the hollers and find ramps.

If you follow my online writing, you might recall my last article about honey bees and how they forage for the stuff of survival using surprisingly complex methods. If you don’t recall or haven’t read my ramblings before, then go read that article now. I’ll wait here.

https://www.historicunioncounty.com/article/all-bees-report-dance-floor

Like many of my contemporaries, I had a collection of things (drawings, sports photos, awards, short essays, and so on) from when my two children were growing up and still at home. In my case, one wall of my study was covered in family memorabilia. Not organized in any way, just accumulated as the years went by. The last memento was pinned up over ten years ago.

Larry Kerr took on Union County Patriots Football as a challenge a few years ago. With blood, sweat, tears and good old fashioned hard work, the Patriots are once again a team to be proud of, thanks to Kerr and his coaches. He has completed one of his first main goals that he set when coming on board in Union County, to make the boys feel proud and important. Along with the school and community, this is certainly the feeling he has created among comradery.

On a roll call vote at Monday's March regular meeting, Union County Commission voted to table the discussion of the Byrd Property. During the Mayor's Report, Mayor Bailey stated that a lot of people had asked him to bring the issue of the Byrd Mortuary property up for discussion.

It begins on the night of Saturday, April 20, 2019 in the Union County High School Auditorium when the announcer introduces the Union County Opry Band to play a musical tribute to entertainers that have come from Union County including Lois Johnson, Carl Smith, Chet Atkins, Roy Acuff and Jim Wyrick. “The good Lord above has poured out a special bucket of talent on Union County,” said Danny Cooke.

Nearly twenty years ago, after the death of her father, Carol Pratt was handed the realization that time is dearly precious. She accordingly decided to take action on things that she wanted to try, that maybe had been put off. In turn, she never regretted a moment of this decision.