some pix

This is the famous Biltmore estate in Ashville, NC near Hendersonville.

The stone gates that you drive through when entering or leaving Sewanee, TN

Home again, home again, jigety jig

We are home, We are home. I am so glad to be here.
I started to have real bad homesick issues last weekend. I was so depressed and upset. I just wanted to come home and was not sure how or when it was going to happen.
We were in KY with a delivery for Monday am in TN. We were delivering at a GM plant. We were carrying parts to build motors. We got there early in the am and drove around the back of the building. There was a big giant skunk running around behind the place. He ran under a rock ledge and hid there. But when we were driving away we could still see his tail sticking out.
Then we had another load picking up in TN in the afternoon and delivering in Charlotte, NC.
On our way to Charlotte we were still driving through TN and was going up a big, windy mountain. It was very steep and curvy. The scenery was pretty. Just before the crest of the hill there was a place with a picnic table in a grassy area. Across the road from there was a HUGE rock (as big as my garage) with a stone staircase carved into it. There was some sort of plaque there probably describing why we were seeing what we were seeing but we couldn't stop to read it. We were fascinated and would like to go back through there again sometime. Because now that we know it is there we could plan to stop if only for a few minutes.
At the top of the mountain we were driving through some low hanging trees very well kept edges to the roads. All at once there was a stone gateway on the road in front of us. There was no gate, just the stone pillars on both sides of the road. The sign said we were entering the town of Sewanee, population 2000.
There wasn't much there, a few stores and shops, a restuarant or two, and some kind of school. But there were signs stating that Sewanee, The University of the South was here, although we never saw it. In a very short time we were again driving through another stone gate on the other end of town. It was a very enchanting kind of place right there on top of that mountain.
Pops made our delivery in NC early in morning before I even woke up. After that we found a Walmart and parked there for what we hoped would only be a short time but by lunch time we were still there.
Pops was sleeping so I was reading and trying to be quiet. About 2:30 in the afternoon, we got the load that I had been hoping for. I knew that we had picked up several times in Arden, NC and took the load to Kodak in Rochester in NY. I really wanted that load because I still had not picked up my ring that we had ordered there during our anniversary in January. So finally I would get to pick it up.
We drove to Arden and picked up a load of printing paper.
After leaving Arden we got to drive through some of our favorite places. We drove through Hendersonville, which is very near the famous Biltmore Estate. I want to visit there so much. Even if we just have lunch or tea. Then we drive through a very scenic area of North Carolina in the foothills of the Smokey Mts. Then actually up and over some of the mountains. Oh my, the Smokies are oh so beautiful. Then, well, all of TN is amazing, what is not to like?
Of course then, later after dark I get the grand priveledge of crossing the hated The New River Gorge Bridge. I hate that bridge.
Then it was Pops' turn to drive and I went to sleep.
I woke up as we pulled into Kodak. It didn't take longer than 20 minutes to get unloaded and get away from there.
We, once again, drove to Walmart. I went in to get my ring and the jewelry counter was GONE! It wasn't there. I asked and found out that they had remodeled the store and was directed to where the jewelry counter was now located. But then, the girl couldn't find it. I explained that we had ordered it in January and sure enough she found it then. I also picked up the movie, Tangled. It is a Disney movie cartoon about Rapunzel.
So when I went back out to the truck, while Pops was sleeping, I watched the movie and chatted with some friends on Facebook. And tried to read, but the book I chose this time just wasn't catching my interest.
When Pops woke up around 4:00, I fixed us a big salad for supper and then we decided that we would work our way home and if we got a load that didn't take us too far away we would take it and if not, we would be home late tonight sometime.
So, we set off, We drove for about 45 minutes to an hour and stopped at a truckstop to shower. We talked about it and thought we would lay down and sleep a little before going the rest of the way.
When my alarm went off at 2:15, neither of us wanted to get awake. So after a cup of coffee we hit the road. I could not get awake. When we stopped to use the restroom we decided to sleep some more. So we did and didn't wake up until about 8:30. Oh well, we will be home a little after lunchtime.
We arrived home about 1:30 and it feels so good to be here. We think we will probably head out again on Wednesday. We do have a lot to do first though.
Jigety Jig.

Little House

Leaving Nebraska we went North, heading to Minnesota. We had a trip that picked up in Mankato, MN and was going to Kentucky. I knew that the town of Mankato sounded familiar to me, but I couldn’t remember why at first. And Minnesota was a state that we had not yet been to with FedEx.

I drove while Pops slept. I drove through a place called, La Mars, Iowa. It is billed as the Ice Cream Capital of the World! Wow, now that’s saying something. I love ice cream, too, but we decided not to stop for a cone.

As I drove forward across the prairies, it dawned on me how I recognized Mankato. It was the city from the show Little House on the Prairie. It was where the Ingall’s traveled to sell their grain and purchase their goods.

So then I wondered, ok, where is Walnut Grove? We must not be real far away from that. When I looked at the map later on, I realized that we had passed within 60 miles of Walnut Grove. But I’m sure that I would not have recognized it. I am very sure that it doesn’t look now anything at all like it did from the show. But it was fun to think about.

Mankato is a pretty big place. The University of Minnesota is there. And it still is a big place for grain sales. As a matter of fact, we were going there to pick up 10,000 pounds of whole wheat flour.

After leaving Mankato, we headed east then south. I passed Austin, MN. Do you know what famous product comes from there? Spam! They even have a Spam Museum. I used to eat Spam a lot, but haven’t had it in years. But I thought that was interesting.

We found a little gas station where we stopped for snacks and I bought a keychain. I try to get a keychain from each state. I also try to get postcards from each state to send to my dad, but they didn’t have any postcards.

Later we stopped at a Petro in Wisconsin. I got a keychain from there too because I missed getting one when we were there before, but I did get some postcards; And a pretty purple bracelet that caught my eye.

Before long it was my turn to sleep and boy did I ever.

I woke up in southern Indiana. We were just about to go into KY.

We found the bakery and delivered our flour. And then we headed toward Nashville for a layover. We found a truckstop just inside the KY line that was in layover reach of Nashville so after a quick trip to Walmart we settled in at the Flying J truckstop. Or so I thought.

We weren’t even here an hour when we got a load offer to pick up tonight and deliver on Monday in Spring Hills, TN. Well, we figured we would be here for the weekend anyway so we might as well do the load. So back up through Bowling Green (which is where the Corvette Museum and the Fruit of the Loom Factory are) and to our pick up. We were picking up car parts for Saturn cars.

Then we headed back to the Flying J. We got back here at 5am. Time for sleep.

 We woke up around noon or a little after and after having breakfast at Denny’s, we looked for a church for tomorrow.

We got our truck clean and our laundry done, so now I think we might settle down to popcorn and a movie. It is raining outside so we can’t go outside to go for a walk or do anything out there.

But it’s ok. Yesterday I was having a horribly claustrophobic day. I couldn’t stand this truck at all. I need out really bad. Well, it didn’t happen yesterday, but playing “guess where” games on Facebook with Starla, Jeff and Jim helped me some. But getting out today for a while helped “give me some space.” And I don’t feel too bad right now. But I need to get home. I am missing everyone so much.

We really want to come home next week. I don’t know if it will happen. We have to hope our company can send us that direction. We’ll see. Pray for us, please.

The Dinosaur

Doesn't he look like he's going to run out in front of me?

The Crane, The Crane

The Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is a large crane of North America and extreme northeastern Siberia. The common name of this bird references habitat like that at the Platte River, on the edge of Nebraska's Sandhills in the American Midwest. This is the most important stopover area for the Lesser Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis canadensis), with up to 450,000 of these birds migrating through annually.

Nebraska

Last couple of times we came through Nebraska, I have to admit, I wasn’t being too fair. The first time we had just come out of Wyoming and by comparison, well there is none. The second time we were in and out so quickly that I just didn’t get to really see it.

But this time, we got to drive the entire length of it for our delivery. I got to really see it in the daylight and got to get a good feel for the state.

It bills itself as the Cowboy Capital. And judging by the scenery it surely could be. There are fields and fields and more fields which means, farming. And farming in the Midwest means cowboys. We saw so many cattle ranches and fields of cattle.

They also call themselves the Cornhuskers, and I could see why. The fields that aren’t cattle fields are cornfields. And we’re talking hundreds of miles, as far as you can see!

It was a warm, 77 degrees on this day and the clouds were the fluffy white ones. It was just a beautiful day.

Just before sunset we pulled into a rest area to walk the dogs and the fields behind were full of some kind of birds. We looked and looked but could not figure out what they were. They weren’t turkeys, they weren’t geese, what were they?

I grabbed my camera and tried to get a closer look. They were making a strange noise almost like a guinea hen, but not quite. They were gray and had really long necks and legs. I thought they resembled a flamingo.

We found out that they are Sandhill Cranes. There were thousands of them. If you have the time and the inclination, look them up on the internet. The migration was amazing.

Once we left the rest area we continued to see them in all of the fields and flying in the sky. It was a sight to behold for sure. The setting sun was making it look like the fields were ablaze and the birds flying across the horizon was a picture I will never forget.

Pops was driving and I was daydreaming about what the pioneers must have thought of this prairie. It is just so open with soft rolling hills in some places and other places as flat as can be. I could picture the Conestoga wagons traveling across here slowly heading west. I could see the women cooking  over the fire and the children running along laughing and playing. I could see dogs barking and the men keeping watch out over everyone. 

I imagined how hard the winters might be for the pioneers living on the open prairies. How hard wagon travel would be once they got to the mountains that they might not know were there. Wow, it must have been something.

Once it got dark my mind went elsewhere, to the cowboys that rode the plains. I could see them sleeping on the ground with their campfires nearby to ward off the coyotes. I could smell the coffee and beans that they had cooked for supper. I heard the horses stomping around in the dark. My imagination just ran on and on as the miles rolled by.

I saw a shooting star go by. And I made a wish.

We passed an exit that went off to Buffalo Bill’s ranch. I asked Pops who he was. I had heard of him but wasn’t real sure who he was. So I googled him and found out that he was a soldier and bison hunter and most famous for putting together “cowboy shows” in the Midwest. He was an early entertainer.

We slept at a rest area and got up around 5am to drive to make our delivery. When we woke up in was cold and WINDY. It was so very windy. And when the wind whips across the prairie it picks up speed and really packs a wallop. No joke at one point it blew our truck clear off the road and onto the shoulder. I was a nervous mess. My arms ached so bad til I was done driving.

Anyway, during our second day of driving back across the state, ( it is 455 miles across which takes about 7 ½ hours) I got to notice more things.

There was a dinosaur standing on a hill just along the roadside. It looked like it might run right out in front of me.

I passed a small place called Gothenburg, which is the place with the original Pony express station. Now that got my attention. The pony express was a fast mail service which used riders on fast ponies to carry mail across the plains, the Rockies and the high Sierras. They were the original expediters, haha.

Then I passed a place called Hastings. It is famous for being the place where Kool-aid was invented in 1927 by Edwin Perkins. Hmmm, the educational things I learn. And know you learn by reading this.

The sandhill cranes were still around today as well. I just cannot believe how many there are. And again the miles just rolled away until we were going past Lincoln, which is the state capital. It doesn’t seem very big but they do have one skyscraper. And then Omaha came into view with their 2 skyscrapers and several casinos. It looks much bigger at night when everything is lit up.

I truly enjoyed my visit through Nebraska this time around. It is a peaceful, content place. The kind of place where you could sit up on a knoll on a bright sunny day and feel the wind on your face as you sip your Kool-aid, ahhhhh.

The Lord's Day

This Lord's Day was a special blessing for Pops and I. We got to attend a church where we knew someone. In fact, Tommy England is in Bible College studying to be a preacher and our home church has given him monthly support for several years.
Pops texted him on the phone because we knew that he was somewhere in the Louisville area and asked him to help us locate a church for this weekend. It turns out that Tommy is an associate minister at North Hardin Christian Church which wasn't very far from where we would be. Tommy preaches there on alternate Sundays and this week was his turn to preach. How very fortunate for us.
We got up and got ready this morning and left the truckstop a little early. We wanted to go to the truckwash on the way. Our truck was very dirty.
When we got to the truckwash, we found out that they do all hand washing and brushing and that one of the employees didn't show up for work today. So one guy was going to wash and brush our truck by hand! Oh no, will we be late for church?
He got started washing and I could tell right away that when we left here, our truck would be cleaner than it's been since we had it. He was doing a really good job, but there was no "hurry up" in him. No sir. He was slow. After about a half hour another guy did show up and begin to help him. And what usually takes us 15 minutes, we got done in about 45 today, but like I said, it shines.
So we hustled down the road to church.
Sunday School was first and we were about 10 minutes late. We hated to disrupt, but the preachers wife persuaded us to go in to class. Tommy was teaching the class. He was teaching about the "lost writings." He was telling about the manuscripts and the ones that were found and used as our Bible, and how the many copies that were found were 99% accurate. He also talked about how other writings that were found and believed ie: Aristotle, Homer, Plato, many of their writings were only 90% accurate. He brought up about yet other manuscripts that have been found but not accepted into what is now known as our Bible, because they are known to be untrue or there were not enough of them found to support the writings. It was very interesting and I would like to be able to hear more about this area of study.
After class we went into the auditorium for worship service.
The service was very similar to our home church at Wills Mt. We felt very much at home as we often do in the Lord's church.
The service did have a somber feeling though because a long standing member had passed away this week and many of her family attend there. We pray that God will heal their hearts and give them comfort as they mourn the loss of this woman.
Tommy preached a good sermon on seeing people the way that Jesus sees them. He used the scripture text of Mark 2:14-17. He spoke of how many of us "ignore" or choose to overlook the real people and see only their sin if we notice them at all. He said we are to be "friends" of sinners like Jesus was and by doing so we could reach their needs much sooner than if we just comdemn them and go our way.
His sermon really got to me because I feel that through this job especially that Pops and I see people and their needs that we would not see otherwise. I pray that our eyes could be opened to see like Jesus sees and that we recognize these opportunities in a timely manner so that we can be used as God's instruments.
There are so many hurting, desperate people in this world. And they need more than pity. They need more than condemnation. They need more than to be overlooked. They are people. They are souls.
Lord, help me to be more caring toward others.
After church they asked us to go eat with them. We accepted and said lead the way. We had decided on Mexican food. When we got there the restuarant had been closed down for remodeling. So we went to Applebee's instead. It was a good time of catching up and fellowship.
We really enjoyed our time with Tommy, his wife, Tanya, their girls, Krista and Halli. Oh and I can't forget the joy of the day, Dalton. He is a handful of pure boy that comes and stays with them from time to time. He was just so stinky cute and a real show stealer. I could've just wrapped him up and brought him along with us.
I hope we get back this way real soon, but if not, I pray God watches over them and keeps them all safe until June when we will see them at Preaching in the Mountains in Hyndman, PA.
Love you guys!

Halli England

Dalton taking a picture of himself. haha



Krista England



Tanya, being silly while Dalton takes a picture.

Dalton, told ya he's just too cute.

Dalton takes a picture of Tommy

Tommy and Tanya England

North Hardin Christian Church