Smokey Mountain Breakdown

I got nothin'. But here's a pretty picture. Not from today...it's been raining all day.

I fear I am quite heartbroken that the Big Creek Market and Deli has now closed. Bubba evidently couldn't make enough money at it. Too bad he couldn't hold on till spring. They will start the bridge building project back up again and there will be many burly men in search of chez burgers.

I was really shocked the other week when I pulled up and found the doors locked.

So, today, when I ventured out, I had to go further up the road to Black's market. I like Black's market. I really like the people there. It was the first market I stopped at when I came up here looking around the neighborhood after finding the farm.

Then, when I walked in and pulled an ice cold "Big Chug" out of the fridge to buy, I was greeted with wary glances. Oh, sure, we smiled. But I was a total outsider then. They didn't know me from Adam's housecat. I didn't mind. I was flushed with longing. I truly had found the place of my dreams. I knew it was going to mine. It was like meeting the lover I had waited my entire life to find. And hoping the insane love was reciprocated. I was in lust for my land.

Today, walking in Black's is like sticking my feet into comfortable old shoes. Everyone smiles when I walk in. We all say "hey".

"How you like this warm weather?"

"Can't get enough of it," I say, "My frogs were singing in the pond today."

They don't have chez burgers at Blacks. They do have hot dogs, pickled eggs and farm eggs from Ed's brother's laying hens. They have beer, too. But you have to ask for it. It's kept in a separate side building so as not to offend the church goers.

I hear tell they keep other things that you have to ask for, but I wouldn't know about that. That's just the word on the mountain and it could be just the usual blarney that circulates here on a regular basis.

I pause a moment on my way out to look at the bulletin board. Prominently displayed is a reward poster for the apprehension of the murderer of a local man who was killed some years back. It's a reminder of the still frontier mentality that permeates the area. Also are business cards. One for a family that buys pelts and ginseng roots. In the fall, many people hunt the wild ginseng for extra cash. People are experts at "making do" here. My favorite business card is the one for Lux Memorials. I look at it every time I'm there and giggle.

It says...

"We won't take you for granite."