Sunday Drive to Elizabethton, TN

 A Fun Sunday Afternoon In Tennessee

Hey friends!  I have a picture-heavy post for you to see today. The Mr. and I haven't done a Sunday drive for quite a long time.  So today we decided to go on an "adventure" together to Elizabethton, TN. This is a town I have driven by a lot here lately on my many treks to West Virginia. However, I have never been to Elizabethton until today and I must say it is a quaint little town with a lot to see! The Mr. has been driving through this town a lot lately on his way to hike on the Appalachian Trail and he wanted to show me some sites that he has noticed but not spent time really visiting. The pic above was taken at the Tennessee visitor's center. The center was decorated for Autumn.

 And although The Mr. thought it was a bit tacky, I had to have my picture made with this guy as well. After all, we were playing tourists for the day!

Our first stop was this covered bridge located in the heart of downtown Elizabethton. It's on a walking tour and has parking beside it which made it easy to stop here and walk around for a bit.

The covered bridge is over Doe River and was built in 1882 at a cost of $3,000. I haven't seen covered bridges outside of New England so it was fun to see this today.

Only foot traffic was allowed inside the bridge and the floor of the bridge has been reinforced. You could see between the floor boards, however, so I kept a tight grip on my phone! 

This is our only pic of the two of us together on this little adventure. 

After visiting the bridge we did a little walking tour of historic homes that were located nearby. The homes were really beautiful! 

I loved this front door with leaded glass panes. Many of the homes were decorated for Autumn/Halloween.

This was an historic cottage. Several of the homes had either large sitting front porches or wrap around porches which I love!

Look at the turret and the beautiful details of this house!

And this house needs a little love but was still beautiful. Can't you imagine sitting on that lovely front porch with a glass of iced tea in one hand and a good book in the other? I think I could pass many happy hours here. 

After a quick lunch at Subway (fine restaurant dining was not on our radar today) we headed onward to The Carter Museum which you see here. 

Unfortunately, the house was not open for us to tour inside but we enjoyed walking on the grounds and looking at the family graveyard to the East of the house. The Carter Mansion is the oldest frame house in Tennessee and was built between 1775-1780. The owners were brothers John and Landon Carter. The county was named after John Carter and Elizabethton was named after his wife Elizabeth. There is also another historic house in Elizabethton called "Sabine Hill." We didn't make it to that home today. 

The Watauga River flows in behind the Carter Mansion making for a picturesque spot. 

Our final stop for the day was at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park which houses a replica of Fort Watauga. This was one of the first permanent American settlements outside the original thirteen colonies. The actual fort was located about one mile away and was the homestead of Matthew Talbot who operated the first gristmill in the Watauga settlement. Due to concerns about attacks from the Cherokee, who were aided by the British Army hoping to defeat settlers during the Revolutionary War, Talbot's land was chosen to use as a safe place for settlers to go to should an attack happen. Indeed on July 21, 1776, almost three hundred Cherokee warriors attacked Fort Watauga. The attack lasted for about three hours with sporadic attacks happening over a period of two weeks. Up to 150 settlers took shelter inside the fort. Eventually, the Cherokee fled further south and the Fort was left in peace until the remaining Talbot family moved to Georgia in 1785. 

I can't imagine how 150 people managed to live together in these sparsely furnished little cabins. 

There were only five cabins inside the fort. I imagine many people slept out in the open. 

It was quite interesting to read about the history of this area. The Cherokee, of course, were here first before their land was encroached by settlers. It was interesting to me to learn about how the British Army provided guns and ammunition to their Cherokee allies. Later, in 1780, the Overmountain Men came together once more on these grounds to assemble and travel over the mountains to fight against The Loyalist Army, led by British Major Patrick Ferguson, at King's Mountain, South Carolina. The Loyalist Army was defeated and this battle helped to win the American Revolution.

Our little adventure today was filled with history, beautiful homes and gorgeous scenery. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

How about you? Do you like to be a tourist for the day? What have you done recently that you really enjoyed? Be sure to let me know in the comments, okay? 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

In Praise of Being Introverted in A Pandemic World

 In Praise Of Introversion

A great book to read about being an introvert

Is it possible that being introverted has helped me through this time of a world-wide pandemic? I believe it has. As an introvert, needing to stay at home more has not seemed as daunting to me as it has to friends and family who are more extroverted by nature. But, even being introverted, I am looking forward to the time when life will become more normal again. Still, staying home to stay safe has given me ample time to read more, reflect more and write more-all things that introverts tend to value. 

I didn't know until recently that there is a World Introvert Day and it is each year on January 2nd. So, I'm a week late in celebrating but that's ok. I've known for a long time that I'm an introvert and have many of the textbook traits of introverts such as getting tired-out from social interaction and needing time to recharge by being alone. I'm also not a fan of big parties and prefer smaller groups of friends when I socialize. If I am in a new situation I tend to stand back and observe before joining in or speaking out and that has caused many folks over the years to misunderstand me, thinking I was being snobby or overly quiet or just not much fun to be around. And I much prefer to work alone than in groups. Now that I'm retired this isn't such an issue anymore although groups can't be avoided entirely. The world tends to value extroverted traits such as being social, talking a lot and group problem solving rather than an individual working alone. 

I began to learn more about my introverted self when I was taking courses to add on the academically-intellectually-gifted certification that allowed me to become an AIG Specialist. More recently, I have enjoyed getting articles from introvertdear.com which offers a lot of info about what being an introvert means. Click on the link and you will find a plethora of articles including this one on the definition of being an introvert. Learning about introversion came to me later in my career and I found learning more about myself very helpful. I had always been described as "quiet" and always knew I liked time to myself. I found it life affirming to learn more about what introversion means. 

For any extroverts reading this post, please understand that being an introvert is not "better" than being an extrovert and vice-versa. Psychologists believe that we are born as either an introvert or an extrovert and we have our particular introvert/extrovert traits for life. Those traits do impact how each of us like to live our lives both personally and professionally. So, in my opinion, it's very helpful to understand our introverted or extroverted selves. And since many of the extroverted traits-such as being social and outgoing and enjoying working in groups-is valued in the school and workplace, it is important to celebrate and value introverts as well. 

Even as a child I can remember being introverted. Which makes sense as I was born with particular introverted traits. I fully remember coming home exhausted from all of the social interaction at school and needing to eat a snack, sit by myself and think over the events and interactions of the day in seclusion. Although I had friends and fully enjoyed being with them, I always needed alone time to recharge from these social times. As a small child I loved playing alone outside or in my bedroom and invented all sorts of imaginary friends and adventures. I loved reading at an early age and was always content to sit quietly and read. When I was a teenager I enjoyed participating in all of the usual teenage activities with friends but found that I needed time alone afterward to recharge from all the social interaction. 

Later, as an adult, I carried these same traits into first college life and then the professional settings of teaching. As you might imagine, the educational setting of public school greatly valued teachers working together in "teams" writing curriculum in groups, planning lessons together and encouraging our students to work together in the classroom in groups to problem solve. Early on in my career I noticed students who, like me, shied away from group work and preferred to learn on their own as individuals. While I learned many ways over my career to work and teach in extroverted settings, I also valued my own individualism as a teacher and also tried to respect the students who preferred working alone, as well. It was always a bit of a tightrope walk to get through my professional life as an introvert and most days I came home exhausted from all of the interaction that was required during the work day that went beyond simply teaching my students. Due to this, I tried to keep my evenings and weekends free from lots of social engagements because that time was needed for me to unwind and recharge for the coming week of work. I watched other friends teach all day and then go to meetings or social events in the evenings and feel energized by those events. But not me. Going to more things in the evenings that called on me to be social after a long day at work was very draining. Now, in retirement, I have more free time and am better able to cope and, before Covid, I even found myself looking for more opportunities for social interaction. But during my work life those down times were truly necessary and precious. 

Introverts tend to be given many labels such as being "quiet" or "shy." The thing is, as an introvert it takes me longer to feel comfortable letting my true self show when I first meet someone. That means I may stand back and just observe for awhile. I may not speak out as much for awhile. But, once I get to know someone I can be just as loud and talkative as an extroverted person. It just takes awhile. And, I have to feel very safe in a social situation before I share lots of information about myself. Introverts tend to prefer a close group of a few friends rather than a large group of lots of friends. And that pretty much describes me throughout my whole life. 

Introverts can be quieter, thoughtful people who seek meaning in their lives. They tend to be problem solvers who think long and hard before expressing themselves to others. They can have rich inner lives that are full of creative and meaningful ideas. Introverts have so much to offer the world. So do extroverts. But often times it is the extroverts who get noticed over the introverts because extroverts tend to talk more and be louder in what they voice. Because extroverts tend to be more assertive and frequently are first to offer ideas and opinions they are often more "heard" than introverts who take time to think and ponder before offering ideas and opinions. Both groups are important to our world. But I must say that as an introvert, I am happy to find that I am not alone since it is believed that 30-50% of the population are introverts. So, how can we not celebrate?!

Are you an introvert or an extrovert? What has been your experience as an introvert or an extrovert? If you are an introvert, can you relate to the definitions? Do leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers!

DIY Fall Wreath and Paisley Pumpkins

 How Do You Make A Fall Wreath and Paisley Pumpkins Using A Too Small Shirt? 

Hello everyone! Today, I'm sharing two easy craft ideas with you. These are both diy and great for Fall decorating. If I can do it, anyone can create this beautiful Fall wreath and some fun fabric pumpkins. So, let's get started!

Before starting, I gathered materials I thought I would need on a tray to keep everything neat and tidy. I didn't end up using everything you see on the tray. Sometimes, I create as I go along. Of course, as you can see, I always have my fur assistant nearby. Cassie always stands ready to lend a paw if needed! 

To fashion the wreath, I took some pretty wide brown ribbon with snowy branches and wrapped it around the styrofoam wreath form. When I had wound the ribbon all the way around I secured the end in place with a pin and split the remaining ribbon down the middle and tied it to create the hanger for the wreath. I estimated the amount of ribbon I would need and I estimated pretty closely. It's not a problem if you come up short, however. Just secure the end of your first piece of ribbon with a pin, cut a second piece and continue wrapping. I found the brown/orange plaid bows at The Dollar Store and used one of the bows at the bottom of the wreath securing it under the middle section with a pin. I had bought some Fall color leaf picks at The Dollar Store and I removed the leaves from the stems (easy to do, just pull up on each leaf) and tucked them behind the plaid ribbon, pinning where the pins won't show. The final touch was to tuck in the faux berries (also taken from the leaf picks) into the middle part of the bow. I really like this wreath and am enjoying looking at it hanging in our kitchen on the brick wall! Because the ribbon has branches with snow on them, I can use this wreath through Christmas and the winter. I'll simply remove the leaves and berries and add other touches that fit those seasons as we go along. It may move from the kitchen wall to another part of the house along the way. I love being able to change decor up! Now, let's talk about some paisley pumpkins, shall we?

So, this story begins with a Cha Cha Vente paisley top I had ordered from Poshmark in a size medium. Now, I must tell you that I have tried on Cha Cha Vente shirts many times at Stein Mart that were incredibly loose on me. This brand always tends to run large. And, I was sooo excited for this paisley top to come. I had big plans about wearing it! Well, when it arrived and I tried it on it was so tight I could hardly breathe! It fit more like an extra small and yet, the tag said medium. Bummer!! I thought about just putting it in the bag for Goodwill (no returns at Poshmark because something doesn't fit) but I decided, you know what, I paid for this top and I might as well use the material for something I like. So, the idea entered my head to create some paisley pumpkins!

I started by cutting one of the sleeves about one third of the way up from the wrist hem. I learned from my first attempt to turn the sleeve inside out and accordion folded the hem end and sewed the end shut. Then I turned the sleeve inside out and flattened the sewn end as much as I could.

The next step was to fill the pumpkins with polyfil. I kept filling until there was a bit of firmness and the material took on a ball shape. The first pumpkin I made, I secured the top by twisting and fitting a rubberband around it and kind of messed with the fabric to hide the band. The second one, I twisted the top and fashioned a kind of stem and sewed the top closed. My second one looks better than the first but that's true with anything you make. You have more experience! 

Next, I took thin ribbon and began wrapping around the ball pulling the ribbon tight on each wrap so that the round ball began taking on a pumpkin shape. I roughly divided the ball into six sections and tied off the ribbon. You can then kind of push down on the pumpkin to shape it a bit more. You can see the difference in the pic above between my first and second attempts at these pumpkins. 

And then, it was time for my paisley pumpkins to join the pumpkin patch in my living room! I had fun making these pumpkins and finding a use for my too small top! When life gives lemons make lemonaide, right?!

Hope you have enjoy my easy diy crafts. Let me know what you are doing in the comments!

Until Next Time,

Debbie

 

Romantic Ruffle Top and Tin Cup Tablescape

Fashion and Literature

A Little Bit of This and That

Posing on my "thinking" rock by the stream

Hello everyone!  Today's post should have something for everyone I hope. If you like fashion you're in luck. If you like tablescapes you're also in luck! I'm honoring my original blog name "Debbie This and That" as my five year blog anniversary is the end of this week, by including a "little bit of this and that" in today's post!

Still a little work to do on this sitting area

I fell in love with this romantic, feminine ruffled top when I saw it online. There are ruffles on the sleeves and along the bottom which are so fun to wear. The sleeves are elastic at the wrists. I decided to style the top with my long black skirt today, but this top would also look good with a shorter skirt or even jeans. 

I really like the loose and flowy aspect of this top and the tassels can be tied like I did here or left undone to hang loose. Usually, I wouldn't wear a necklace with the tassels but today I decided, why not? I like the blue necklace and decided to add it to bring out the blue in the top. I also felt the Boho aspect of this top could handle not only the necklace but also the chunky silver bracelet and my big hoop earrings. 

As I look at this outfit, I find myself wondering if Maisie Dobbs, the psychologist and investigator in my favorite Maisie Dobbs mystery series, might have worn something similar in the 1930's? 

Wikipedia Image Listed As Public Domain

Here's a public domain image of a lovely lady from the 1930's wearing ruffles and lace. Isn't she lovely? Perhaps Maisie Dobbs did wear ruffles and lace. If she didn't, I'm sure her good friend Priscilla did! One thing I do know about Maisie Dobbs is that she always liked to drink her tea from a tin mug that was issued to her when she was a nurse on the battlefield during WWI. So today I found something that reminded me of Maisie and her tea mug....

Found this cute mug at the Farm and Tractor store

Behold this enamelware tea mug that I immediately turned into a flower holder in order to create a tablescape on the foyer table. 

I've just been looking for an excuse to use the flour sack tea towels that I was gifted when I retired. Rather than "saving them for good" it's important to use and enjoy them! So, I'm doing just that by using them, in this case, as the base for my table vignette. I added the enamel mug filled with flowers, some more flowers surrounding the mug, a glass candle holder and, of course, a Maisie Dobbs book! 

Perhaps I should call this the Dining Room Foyer Table?

I find it rather fun to feature my favorite books on the Foyer Table. And, yes, the table is still in the dining room. Do you think I should change it's name? Anyway, featuring books is a whole new way to decorate in my opinion. What do you think?

I hope you have enjoyed today's post. Sometimes fashion leads to home decor and vice-versa. And good literature can lead to both fashion and home decor. For those of you who are interested, I am including the link to Mademoiselle Miss which are letters from an American Nurse who served in France during WWI. Just like Maisie, she faced long, hard days of caring for wounded soldiers. I was amazed to find this site when I was doing research for this post, really looking for styles of that era. These letters are included in an online WWI Medical Encyclopedia and if you click on the red Medical Front sign in the upper left corner it will take you to that site with a lot more info about WWI. My grandfather served in WWI so I am interested in reading more about what his life may have been like during that time. 

From Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear-Book 1 in the series...

"Maisie went to the stove, poured boiling water from the kettle onto the tea leaves in the brown earthenware teapot, and allowed it to steep. She took two large tin mugs from the shelf above the stove, stirred the tea in the pot, then poured tea for them both, with plenty of sugar and a splash of milk. Since her time in France, Maisie had preferred an army-issue tin mug for her private teatimes, for the warmth that radiated from the mug to her hands and to the rest of her body." 

Until Next Time,

Debbie

Photography at Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary

Late Summer Early Fall Photos

The Mr. and I set out for the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary this morning to do a bit of birding with our respective cameras. I ended up focusing on landscape scenes more than birds. They decided to be sneaky and hide from us, although the Mr. did get a few good shots. I am still fiddling with settings on my little camera. I liked this pretty little blue flower. 

Not sure what these are but, every once in a while, little white pieces would float through the air like snow. It was so pretty!

Berries seem to form on plants this time of year. I like the color showing the first glimpses of Fall.

The first leaves beginning to fall on the boardwalk. 

The lake is always so beautiful. I like how the white fluffy clouds reflect in the water. 

We had hoped to catch the Great Blue Heron at home but, alas, it wasn't to be today. 

But, I did catch a giant turtle coming up for air. There were five or six of these guys swimming around looking for bugs. 

The Mr. was trying out a huge lens a friend had loaned him. 

He's a serious photographer. 

And one of my favorite subjects!

I spied some more pretty flowers. It was so relaxing to just walk slowly, enjoy the scenery and snap photos at random. 

Next to the lake is an old gnarly tree that couples have carved their initials into over the years. I wonder if TR still loves BG?

But, most importantly, does DB still love BS? (Pun intended, couldn't resist!)  Of course, carving into trees is not healthy for the tree. This tree seems to have weathered it well over the years. 

I caught a rower out on the lake. This must be hard work!

And, I posed for a picture next to another gnarly old tree close to the lake. My birding attire is not exactly a fashion statement. But, it was a happy time to be in the woods practicing photography. 

But, where oh where were the birds? Maybe next time. 

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning--the sixth day.

Genesis 1:31

Until Next Time,

Debbie

*Photography by Debbie Ross and picture of Debbie by William Ross