A view from the Foothills Parkway between Walland and Wears Valley TN

Posted on January 13, 2021

Last week, my good friend Mary from JingleJangleJungle kicked off a brand new series, Weekly Song Challenge.  Don’t be afraid, it’s not a quiz. She offers three do-able prompts for us to build a song playlist.  Sounds fun, right? The prompts are: food, an animal, and a number.  Let’s get the music started.

The weather has been so cold. My mind to drifts to warmer climates. I imagine I’m sitting on a beautiful beach having a Cheeseburger in Paradise (Jimmy Buffet) and when I get done I cross off one of my wishes to Swim with Dolphins (James Harry) in crystal blue waters. Now, a tropical vacation costs a lot of money more than I can or want to pay but if I had a Million Dollar Bill (Whitney Houston) then I’d be ready to pack my bags to be swept away.

 

Here are my responses to Joyce’s Wednesday Hodgepodge questions this week.

1. When were you last a guest at an event or in someone’s home? Tell us about it. Do you enjoy having guests in your own home?  It’s been too long to remember but it would’ve been for dinner and company.

2. What has you ‘tied up in knots’ currently or recently? Are you any good at tying actual knots?  At the moment nothing has me tied up in knots, not even the crazy state of our nation or pandemic.  God is in control. I will leave those worries at His feet.  Yes, I can tie a basic knot which works for what I need it for.

3. What’s something you’ve been wanting to do and have decided 2021 will be the year you ‘take the plunge’?  We haven’t decided on anything for certain but we’d love to take that New England vacation if all goes well this year.

4. Something in your home that’s old? Something new? Something borrowed? Something blue?  Something old? I brought back some old photographs and other things from my late in-laws home. Something new? DH got me a die-cast Chevrolet 1950 pickup truck to use for a Christmas decoration.  Something borrowed? We don’t borrow anything from anybody. That set ups with others expecting the same from us which we aren’t comfortable doing.  Something blue? I have a old blue sheet set somewhere in the house that we no longer use.

5. Share a favorite quote, a verse of scripture, and/or a bit of wisdom for couples getting married in this challenging and seemingly unpredictable season we’re currently/still experiencing.  This is easier said then done but it works, keep God in the center of your relationship.  Don’t allow well intending friends or family or wishful thinking to stir you away from God’s direction.  You and your soon-to-be spouse bonded, fell in-love, and decided to commit yourselves till death doth part.  Take all of this to heart.  Have the attitude, divorce is off the table.  We will weather the good with the bad at all cost.  Love is worth fighting for and don’t let anyone tell you different.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  Last month we watched a good number of romantic Christmas movies.  In Christmas In Vermont we noticed a road sign and wondered if the town was actually in Vermont. Often movies aren’t actually filmed where they say and it turned out this one was filmed in western New York.  DH found it and the one of the store fronts is actually a real store,  Vidler’s Five and Dime.  We got to poking around their site when we found some video.  This one absolutely cracked us up. We laughed so hard. I hope it does the same for  you!

The movie credit revealed that Don Vidler played ‘Phil’ in the movie.   Did the Atomic Fireball promo nearly kill you with laughter?

We took a drive on the Foothills Parkway from Walland heading toward Wears Valley, TN New Year’s weekend after visiting DS. I snapped this picture just to mark the moment, nothing extraordinary but planned to savage using Pixelmator to reinvent. I added the Photograghpic 07 filter to create a dreamy effect. Click to enlarge image.

Join my #WildWednesdays linky party where just about anything goes! The concept for this mid-week blog hop was conceived as I found myself moving farther away from photography and more toward art. Of course, that’s not what this party is about. You’re invited to share anything – artwork, DIY projects, photos, music, musings, randomness, recipes, and more! 

 


This linky list is now closed.

 

I’m linking with these Wordless Wednesday Communities… Sandee, Natasha,  Marie, & Wordless Wednesday!

That wraps things up but hopefully if inspiration strikes then you might find me back here tomorrow with an art contribution with Thursday Art Date with Rain.   Thanks for joining me today and may you have a blessed day!




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35 thoughts on “A view from the Foothills Parkway between Walland and Wears Valley TN”

  4. Such a cool commercial. They don’t make them like that anymore. Thanks for hosting and I hope that you have a wonderful week.

  5. That candy store sounds like a place I’d like to visit if they have a good selection of vintage candies. Used to love those Atomic Fireballs. Still like that cinnamon flavor.

    Though I’ve walked a short distance of that leg of the Foothills Parkway some 40 years or more ago before it was open to traffic, I’ve never driven it. Maybe if I’m ever back in that area I’ll try the drive. I’ve driven the other side of the Parkway too many times to count. Beautiful drive over to Chilhowee Lake.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

    1. Lee,

      We did our share of walking on this stretch of Foothills Parkway when our kids were little. The next time you get back to the area, do drive it. It’s really nice.

  6. I would love to swim with dolphins. One day I will and I like your response to how you are dealing with all the events. We don’t have too much control with politics truthfully and I just hope no one gets hurt or killed in the next week. As for Covid, wear a mask, be sensible, wash your hands and don’t socialize…simple but not everyone gets that. That commercial is hilarious. I like the prompts and thought of Mambo #5, Sugar, Sugar and White Rabbit

    1. Birgit,

      Sensible requires common sense and an attitude that says, “I care” and neither of these I see an abundance of in our society, sadly. I like your song picks for this week’s prompts. “Sugar, Sugar” came to mind as a strong possibility but I figured it would get used. 🙂

  9. Hilarious fireball ad! Half of my childhood was in Massachusetts- then when I was 10 we moved to the Bay Area of California- what a change.
    I would like to go back again and visit Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts! Fond memories! Have a great day! We will be eating our yummy veggie burgers tonight! Cheers!

    1. Kathe,

      I’d like to visit California someday but I don’t want to live there. I prefer the eastern part of the US for it’s landscape and more conservative politics generally. However the latter sure is changing fast! Maybe, you’ll get a chance to visit the New England area again someday. It’s really a beautiful place! I’ve never had a veggie burger. I’m sure its good but I’m a meat eater so I say pile the veggies ontop of my burger. lol

  10. I love it! The Vidler’s video was pretty good. Loved the humor in it. Thanks so much for joining me in the Weekly Song Challenge. I’ve always enjoyed Cheeseburger in Paradise. Swim with the Dolphins was a new to me tune, and I don’t remember hearing Million Dollar Bill before. Well done!

  11. You have so much in this post, I don’t know what to react to, but I like you snapped an image for the record of where you have been:)

    1. Thanks for swinging over for a visit. Sometime my photographs aren’t anything special but a capture of the moment is better than nothing at all. 😉

    1. Colletta,

      We visited New England in 1989. Our hotel destination was in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. From there we zipped all cross the New England states seeing points of interest but since that time we’ve actually been to Maine two other times. Our plan is to start out visiting Vermont and New Hampshire the three or four days then the rest of our vacation spent along the coast of Maine with day trips to the interior as time allows. There is so much to see in that area one needs more than 2-weeks. We may have to try going another time after this even to get what we don’t see. It would be grand if money wasn’t an issue and we could stay for as long as our hearts desired. 🙂

  14. My brother and I often talk about the cheeseburgers we use to get at a place called “Harveys” in Sacramento, CA. It was such a treat for all 6 of us kids to go with mom and dad to get the BEST cheeseburgers EVER!!!! It was in the 1950’s. It has been exactly 1 year since anyone has been in my home other than Mr. M. and I. And today we are having a new bed delivered so total strangers will be in my house. I have my sanitizing equipment all ready for when they leave. LOL I can and do tie real knots. Your photograph is so peaceful. Have a wonderful day.

    1. Nicole,

      Believe it or not when I was a kid, I didn’t like cheeseburgers. It wasn’t until my adulthood that I fall in-love with cheese on my hamburger. DH isn’t a big fan of cheese on burgers but when we share one, he tolerate it just for me. Hey, I hear you on being armed for a deep cleaning after having strangers coming into your home but that’s not a bad practice even with people you know while the pandemic lingers. It’s nothing personal but sometimes a carrier has no clue they have Covid. I’d rather be safe than sorry any day, just call me paranoid. I’m okay with that! lol

  15. Now I want a cheeseburger. Paradise indeed.

    I’ll pass on that hot candy. I love spicy, but not that hot.

    Thank you for joining the Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop.

    Have a fabulous Wordless Wednesday. Love and hugs. ♥

    1. Sandee,

      I loved Atomic Fireballs as a kid! I wonder if they taste the same? I might have to buy some to see. I also loved the tiny cinnamony candy that I think were called “Red Hots”. Speaking of cinnamon candy, there was a cinnamon sucker square shaped that was really hot that I LOVED. Now, I’d really like to try that again. I have to visit an old fashion 5 and Dime to find some of these vintage candies now!!

  16. Love this post Cathy. The video was funny, but it also reminded me of the 5 and dime that used to be in our town when I was growing up. I would love to visit that Vidler’s sometime.

    Great marriage advise. I’m not sure too many go into it anymore with the idea it’s for life!

    I also would really love me a Cheeseburger in Paradise too! Love being near the beach.

    We’re hoping in March/April to stop a couple days in Pigeon Forge and the Smokey Mountains,.while on the way back from our daughter’s wedding in Florida.

    Have a great day!

    1. There was a Ben Franklin’s 5 and Dime in a nearby town when I was a child. I loved going in there to stare at the candy behind the glass counter! But, to actually buy some was a real treat. One of my favorites was the solid star chocolates. DH says he thinks Brock’s made it. I’m not a beach person but when it’s cold my mind tends to think of warm places. 🙂 I can eat a cheeseburger any place, though! I hope you get the chance to visit the Smoky’s. Clingman’s Dome road will be open by then so if you want to hike the half mile trail to the observation tower then you can. The view is amazing. It’s a paved trail but quite steep. The park put in bench along the way for those who get too winded. I prefer pushing through the hike as I find it difficult to get going again. lol Thanks for visiting!

  17. That was a funny commercial. And I hope you get to New England, I would love to meet you. Thanks for hosting. XO

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