A Natural Wonder on the Natchez Trace

The Natchez Trace Parkway runs from Natchez, Mississippi, to just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, a distance of 444 miles. It is a beautiful and relaxing drive and, living in Mississippi, we take advantage of its beauty any time we can.

On our trip home from Tennessee last week, we entered the Trace from Tennessee Highway 64, between Lawrenceburg and Waynesboro, Tennessee. A few miles down the Trace, we stopped at a rest area (Glenrock Branch at Mile Marker 364.5), and were delighted to see a little creek meandering its way between high limestone bluffs. I was absolutely thrilled, and couldn't wait to capture it all with my camera (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, if you'd like).

There were several picnic tables at water's edge, and I can just picture it in the spring and summertime, with children wading in the creek while their parents enjoy the tranquility and beautiful scenery.

I loved this natural rock formation which looked, to me, like a picnic table made by God, with its tablecloth of bright green moss. Isn't it awesome!

This is another place I'm going to add to my "Go-Back-in-the-Spring-to-Photograph" List. I can just imagine redbuds and dogwoods in full bloom along the creek.

There are scenes like this all along the Natchez Trace, some of them visible from the road and some you have to look for ... but, believe me, they are well worth taking the time to see. If you live near the Trace or are planning a trip somewhere along its route, I hope you will take some time to explore it for yourself. It is such a beautiful and relaxing way to travel.

Journey's End

They say that all good things must come to an end, and our trip to Tennessee last week ended with visits to the towns of Wartrace and Lynchburg.

I've discovered that no matter how small a town is, you can usually find something interesting or unique about it. And the town of Wartrace, is a perfect example. Another railroad town, Wartrace is located about five miles south of Bell Buckle on Tennessee Highway 269 (you can click on the link to read my post about Bell Buckle).

Wartrace is known as the "Cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse," a breed known for its gentle temperament and smooth ride. In the early 1930s, horse trainer Floyd Carothers and his wife Olive, bought the 1917 hotel that faces the railroad.

In meetings at the hotel, the idea for a walking horse show was conceived. The first one was in 1939, and Strolling Jim, trained by Carothers behind the hotel, was named the first grand champion. Strolling Jim is buried on the hotel grounds.

After leaving Wartrace, our next stop was Lynchburg, which is home to the Jack Daniel's Distillery. Our time for exploration was running short, so I didn't get pictures of the distillery, but its presence was obvious throughout the downtown area (notice the whiskey barrels scattered around the square).

The 1885 courthouse is an imposing landmark on the Square, currently being used to house businesses catering to tourists.

I love its quaint cupola ...

There are several restaurants on the square, and we chose the Iron Kettle for a quick hamburger. The place was filled by the time we left, and their "blue plate special" looked delicious.

I hope you enjoyed my photo tour of our trip. If you missed the first posts, you can read them by clicking on the links below.

On the Road
A Town called Franklin
An English Church in Tennessee
Up and Down the Backroads of Middle Tennessee
A Place Called Bell Buckle

I hope we can go back again in the spring and visit some of the places we didn't have time for this trip. If Tennessee is beautiful in the middle of winter, just imagine what it will look like in the spring.

When "Challenger" Flies ...

I recently received a music video in an e-mail from a friend and thought it worthy of sharing ... especially in light of all the challenges our beloved country is facing these days.

This awe-inspiring video features a special free-flying Bald Eagle named "Challenger" ... and this is his story.

[Photo by Eleanor Davies, AEF]

In early 1989, Challenger was blown from a wild nest as a baby during a storm, and was hand raised by the people who found him. Unfortunately, he experienced too much human contact at a very young age and became highly "human-socialized." As a result, Challenger thinks he's a person, and cannot survive on his own in the wild.

He was released into the wild twice during the summer of 1989. After his second release into the wild, Challenger was rescued from a close encounter with death. He had landed near a man to beg for food, and was almost beaten up by that person with a stick. Another man was Challenger's" guardian angel that day. He stopped the stick-wielding man from doing bodily harm to the eagle. This had been the third time Challenger had sought out people looking for food when he became hungry, so he was declared "non-releasable" by federal and state wildlife authorities and placed under the care of the American Eagle Foundation.

He was named "Challenger," in honor of the crew of the space shuttle, and was trained to perform educational free-flight demonstrations at high profile public events. He has been making appearances throughout the country since 1993, along with Al Cecere, founder and president of the American Eagle Foundation, which is headquartered at the Dollywood entertainment park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Acting as an ambassador for his species, Challenger has raised a great level of national public awareness about the need to restore and protect America's eagles, natural resources, and environment. The bald eagle is still a "threatened" species throughout the lower 48 states, and much of its nesting and feeding habitat is being encroached upon by humans.

Challenger is the first bald eagle in U.S. history trained to free-fly into major league sports stadiums during the presentation of the National Anthem. He has flown before four American presidents and participated in five MLB World Series, three NFL Pro-Bowls, the 1999 Fiesta Bowl, and 2005 NCAA Men’s Final Four Basketball Tournament, as well as hundreds of high profile patriotic events.

His life story is told in a children's storybook titled, Challenger, America's Favorite Eagle, written by Margot Theis Raven.

Here is the video showing Challenger in flight. So, turn up your speakers, click the arrow below, and be prepared for chill bumps, teary eyes, and a heart filled with love for this great country of ours ... and for a magnificent and endearing eagle called Challenger ...