This month marks the fifth year that I've been in Tennessee. I arrived here (after driving from Texas) on October 12, 2014.
Me and my cats (I had three at that time) stayed with my cousin Nancy for over a month - until I found a place to buy. Nancy truly has the patience and endurance of a saint.
Me and three cats???
She probably hasn't yet fully recovered from the ordeal.
I moved into this place in the wilderness on Thanksgiving Day, 2014.
So, how do you like rural life, Jon?
I love the peace and privacy.
I despise the problems, inconveniences, and complications.
Rather than writing a long blog post today, I've decided to bore you with a haphazard array of uninteresting photos.
a weird witch-like scarecrow.
I have no clue when or where I bought that grinning cat lamp (right) but I must have been drunk.
This cat and crescent moon ornament is large and made of wood. The moon broke completely in half, so I repaired it last night.
One of my Halloween tea mugs
and plate.
My cat Scratch (also known as Kitzee) relaxing. I thought it was a funny pose.
Bosco and Scratch outside yesterday
Have you ever tried coconut and almond bark tea? I wouldn't crave it every day, but I like it. The blend is mild and the flavor is pleasant.
Note:
Bigelow Tea is an American company which can be ordered online at
I just checked out their website and they have some interesting flavors, such as pumpkin spice and eggnog.
enjoyed your halloween decorations. love them all, particularly the witch scarecrow. congrats on 5 years in the wilderness. i remember reading about your big adventure there in the beginning. sorry to hear things aren't really getting better. that spiderweb photo is awesome.
ReplyDeleteI think life in the wilderness would be more tolerable if I were 20 years younger. My incredible back problems keep me from doing many things.
DeleteI have a passion for Halloween decor. I got that witch scarecrow at Michael's several years ago.
Cats do like sleeping in odd places! Mind lay on top of my computer last night!
ReplyDeleteRe teas, I do like to try different blends but have never seen coconut and almond bark tea in shops so maybe it isn't sold in ordinary supermarkets.
Hope you and the cats have a good weekend.
Cats are so amusing because they can sleep anywhere. My cat Bosco loves to sit and sleep on my computer - especially when I'm trying to use it.
DeleteBigelow is an American tea company and it's sold in supermarkets here. I just discovered their website and the tea can be ordered online.
In case you want to see it, here's the link (I also just put it on my blog post):
https://www.bigelowtea.com
OMG on that tea! I would LOVE it as I'm a coconut nut. I hope that makes its way to my area!
ReplyDeleteThat pumpkin is perfect in size and shape. And another cool spider web. I liked seeing your Halloween decor. I've done a few posts in the past of 'Stuff Around My House' and I think it's fun to see what other Bloggers have sitting around. Happy Weekend, Jon.
I always think it's fun to post photos of stuff around the house. Even the most insignificant things can be interesting.
DeleteI buy Bigelow tea in Walmart and it's sold in most big supermarkets. I just discovered their website. The tea can be ordered online (I've never done that yet). Here's the link (I also just put it on my blog post):
https://www.bigelowtea.com
Wow, I can't believe it's been 5 years! I still prefer coffee to tea, but that Coconut Almond Bark variety is calling my name! Love your Halloween décor (well, minus the spider web). Will those pumpkins eventually make their way into your oven?
ReplyDeleteTime really does zoom by quickly. After five years, I still don't have things straightened out here the way I want them. Still a lot of work to do.
ReplyDeleteI have tried making recipes with real pumpkins in the past and most of them haven't exactly worked out. I'll stick to recipes with canned pumpkin....
You really do love Halloween! :) Love seeing your kitties!
ReplyDeleteTime really does fly. I've been here in my "new" apartment now for over four years. I guess it's not new anymore--LOL! I love seeing the land around your home. Being out in those woods is just gorgeous. A blessing and a curse--but just gorgeous. ;)
It really is beautiful out here in the woods. I'm surprised (and disappointed), however, that I don't see more animals. You seem to get more wildlife at your apartment door than I do. I always hear LOTS of birds, but they stay in the forest.
DeleteWhen I first moved here there were white-tail deer and wild turkeys, but I think the hunters and loggers scared them away.
Wow. It's hard to believe you've been in Tennessee for five years already. Where DOES the time go...?
ReplyDeleteIt tickles me to no end that you got yourself some pumpkins and that you put up some Halloween decorations. I used to put up a lot of decorations, but I don't bother anymore. Hmmm. Maybe I should let your enthusiasm inspire me. I think I'll pull out my battery-operated pumpkin that's motion-activated. It has a delightfully creepy laugh and says, "Happy Halloween!" when anyone gets close to it. Watching the cats around it should provide some entertainment. :)
Now that I live completely alone in the wilderness, there's no need to decorate - but it always makes me feel good. And it wouldn't be October without pumpkins. I'll save the seeds and probably try to plant them next spring.
DeleteI'm sure your kitties will have a blast with that motion-activated pumpkin.
Susan, I'm sending warm, positive, loving thoughts to you and your husband at this challenging time. Hang in there!
Jon, being that I LOVE Autumn and Halloween, I REALLY enjoyed this post! Loved looking at your photographs.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you feel about rural life because it's exactly how feel about city life. Some people can't understand why (or how) I love NYC the way I do because of the challenges of not only living there, but also how populated and overwhelming that city is. I am fully aware of the challenges, however, I love NYC (and city life) in spite of those things. I actually love it BECAUSE of those things.
The leaves are just starting to change here, but it won't fully peak until we start getting some consistent cold weather. Yesterday, I took a walk through a local park and walked through the dry leaves on the ground. I love the sound they make when you walk through them.
Love the grinning cat lamp!
And that coconut and almond bark tea sounds delicious. I enjoy bark anything; especially peppermint bark at Christmas time!
Hope you're enjoying a fantastic weekend! I'm off today, so I'm leaving now to take a nice long walk in the fall weather!
Ron, I can understand how you feel about NYC. I loved it during my sporadic visits there. SO much excitement and a zillion things going on. I wandered around amazed.
DeleteI also LOVED Los Angeles and never planned to leave - - but lately L.A. has changed drastically - for the worst. It's absolutely nothing like it used to be long ago.
It seems that New York has basically stayed the same and many positive improvements have been made.
The autumn foliage here in Tennessee usually peaks in late October. The forest surrounding my house will be beautiful around Halloween and that's when I'll venture out and take lots of photos.
Enjoy your autumn walk! It's a glorious time of year!
A friend of mine sent me some peppermint bark around Christmas a few years ago. I loved it!!!
Great photos of home, Jon! I just staggered in from helping Norma cut some privet branches and am reflecting on my endurance decline since retiring 10 years ago. You know autumn is my favorite season too, and I delight in having three adolescent cats volunteering for rat patrol. They lack the manic smiles of your excellent Halloween cats, but maybe if I tell them jokes, eh?
ReplyDeleteGeo, I never realized how quickly (and brutally) my endurance decline could happen. Much of it stems from my back/spinal issues, but I also have other health problems which I don't mention on my blog. I'm falling apart faster than I ever expected and it's scary.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably best if your trio of cats don't have manic smiles while they're pursuing rats. They would look too suspicious.
Tell the rats some jokes. They might die laughing.
It was great to see your "at home" photos, John. A couple of the Halloween decos were a bit unusual but then that is part of this holiday's "charm." Your do live in a scenic location when the "critters" are not so annoying. Thanks for the into on the Bigelow tea flavors after checking the local supermarket, I found they didn't have the pumpkin spice or eggnog flavors and according to the website, which does have them and many others, you would need to buy a larger amount. Do you mix and match the flavors when buying online?
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed this post! I hope to have a lot more photos when the autumn foliage peaks in about a week.
ReplyDeleteI've never yet ordered Bigelow tea online, since I only recently discovered their website. The local Walmart here only carries 4 or 5 flavors of Bigelow. I was surprised at how many other flavors they have. Pumpkin spice really sounds good.