Our Journey: Nashville and the Farm

Today, Eric drive us into Nashville to "White Lightning" makers of the Alien Bees lighting equipment for photographers. Gary had been looking forward to dropping by and checking this place out since we began planning this trip.

"White Lightning" is an amazing facility. Paul C. Buff has an amazing assortment of his art on display throughout the facility. It is like walking through a museum. I did not take photos, because there was a notice asking us to refrain from photographing the art and the building. If you get a chance to stop by while your in Nashville, do so! Some of the art we saw today is posted on this page:   Modern Art by Paul C. Buff

Next, Eric drove us to Centennial Park. We walked around the pond, duck and pigeons in tow asking for food. We stopped and had a little snack while B. Bear ran around and expended some energy.  We continued our walk toward the life size replica of "The Parthenon".  I had no idea we had any such replica in the US, and even more surprised to find it in Nashville, Tennessee.

I see a lot of this side of Gary when he's hard at work.

The doors of the Parthenon

The side view 

As evening set in, we hopped back into the car and our next destination was Eric's daughter's farm in Carthage to take care of the dog, chickens, and Big Boy, an old gentle bull. While B. Boy went with Eric to feed the chickens, I sat on the porch swing enjoying the evening and the view. Gary suggested we go see what B. Boy was up to. A lone hen came up the step and started clucking at us. We opened the gate and followed her. She led us to where Eric and Brody were walking out to the henhouse and pen across the field.

B. Boy enjoyed helping Uncle Eric feed the chickens.

B. Bear entertains Big Boy.

Here is a video of Big Boy and B. Bear having a stare down. Big Boy is gentle, old and never bothers anyone, especially those who come to feed him...but B. Bear doesn't know that...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qg3q7U8bSw

For dinner, we stopped in at The Blue Moon near the Tennessee State Fair grounds. Along the hallway of the Blue Moon are autographed photos of Minnie Pearl, Johnny Cash, Payton Manning, John Wayne, and various other celebrities. I tried southern style okra for the first time and I LOVED it!! The smoked chicken was absolutely delicious.  Check out their page: Blue Moon, BBQ

There was a clown coming to each of the tables talking to everyone and handing out balloons contorted into various twists and turns shaped like animals and hats. I saw that Brody looked very confused when the clown was talking to him. Eric told me that Brody couldn't understand the gentleman's thick "Tennessee twang" and didn't understand what he was asking him.

Gary "clowns" around with the clown at Blue Moon BBQ in Lebanon, TN 

 It was hard for me, too. I ran into the same issue in Virginia. I explained to Gary that while I could hear, I could not understand what I was being asked. Gary said, "Don't feel bad, I can't either. It's a thick southern dialect." 

I'm sure our dialects sound just as odd to them, as well.