What a delightful month of podcast interviews! I was blessed to meet with two very unique authors—Jane Daley and Michele Olson. Jane and her husband sold everything, packed up their RV and have been traveling the country. In her “spare” time, she is able to write stories of hope, redemption, and inspiration. I cannot imagine living in such a small …
About the Book Book: The Ghost of Darwin Stewart Author:LG Nixon Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Religious/Christian Fantasy/Mysteries & Detective Stories Release date: October 15, 2021 It’s all fun and games until a smelly ghost, and a terrifying shape-shifting entity follows Lucy home. When a malevolent spirit learns Lucy is the keeper of the artifact he has been searching millennia to find, …
A week after the Covenant Church shooting in Nashville that took place on March 27th, I saw an old episode of The Good Doctor that stirred up a flood of emotions. The opening scene was two moms each driving with their young boys to a rally for a bill. One was dragging her eight-year-old to it because she supported it, …
Last September, I was invited to speak at the Lewisburg Study Club about my writing journey. This is where I met Miss Lynda, a well-respected widow in our community. Unless you’re from the South, you might wonder why she’s referred to as a “miss” since she’s been married. It’s just the way it’s done here. Women older than us are …
It is always a pleasure for me to meet unknown (to me) authors. This past month, I was blessed to meet KC Hart, who is as Southern as they come. I could have listened to her talk for hours. What is it about Southerners that make a person feel like their presence brings a little Mayberry into one’s heart? If …
The Oakands Mansion is situated at 900 North Maney Avenue in Murfreesboro Tennessee. You may wonder why I’m sharing its address since I didn’t for any of the other plantation houses. This one is significant, however, because it was built on land inherited by Sally Mufree Maney, who was the daughter of Revolutionary War Colonel Hardy Murfree—who the city of …
The wealthiest area of Nashville is called Belle Meade. The first time I wandered into this part of the city was when my husband took me to a popular steak house (Sperry’s) for my birthday. We drove past incredible mansions set atop hilly acres of land. I couldn’t imagine living in a home such as these. This is where today’s …
A great history trivia question would be: Where did George W. Polk come up with name Rattle and Snap for his plantation? It just doesn’t seem to fit with the opulent time period or majestic mansion. If you’re curious, continue reading and I’ll enlighten you! Where most of these plantations are in well-known areas such as Franklin, Nashville, or Murfreesboro, …
One of the first plantations on my to-tour list was The Carnton Plantation. You would think it was named for its original owner, but that wasn’t the case. This historic house and museum, located in Franklin, Tennessee, was built by Randal McGavock who emigrated from Virginia in 1796 and settled in Nashville. I suppose even back then it was quite …
When I became a middle school teacher, I discovered very quickly that I learned more from teaching a subject than most of my students. Of course, eighth graders aren’t known for their hunger of knowledge—especially U.S. history. But this same holds true for my delving into the plantations of Middle Tennessee. In researching the Belmont Mansion (aka Acklen Hall and …
