What does September mean to you? In northwest Tennessee, it means cooler evenings. Because I live in the country, I open the windows at night and enjoy a refreshing breeze. I lie in bed, listen to the tree frogs, and let the air waft in to induce a restful night's sleep. The crisp mornings are perfect for sipping French Vanilla coffee on the porch and enjoying my quiet time with the Creator, then planning my day.
But for a lot of folks in my area, the week of Labor Day means celebrating the return of the Soybean Festival in Martin, Tennessee. This year's entertainment included such stars as Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Sesame Street Live, and a tribute (Let's Hang On), to Frankie Valli.
The Soybean Festival Pageant is held a couple of weeks before the other events begin. We are so proud of the pretty young ladies in our area who participate and give their all.
The Cancer Crash Car Bash is an interesting concept. For a small fee, a participant can pick up a sledgehammer and slam it into a designated car to show what she would like to do to a disease that claims so many lives. This is well worth watching, and the money raised goes to Relay For Life. Looks like fun, doesn't it?
This takes us to the Barbecue cook-off contest where grillers go Hog-wild and Pig-crazy. The best part is we the people get to enjoy the fruits of the contestants' labors. Yum!
The Soybean Festival provides many more activities, too numerous to mention. Vendors set up on Lindell Street to sell their wares. And the carnival is only a block away, for the kids and big Kids at Heart.
What more could you ask for? So, if you blog fans are ever near Martin, Tennessee the first week in September, be sure to come to the Soybean Festival. You will be glad you did. Then scoot into one of our local restaurants and enjoy our kind of Southern Hospitality. We'll treat you so many different ways, you are bound to like one of them.
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JONQUILS IN THE SNOW by Laurean Brooks
(A short story to read while in the waiting room)
Miranda's fiance broke off their engagement two days before the wedding. Imagine the humiliation! She's been angry two years.
But when the tree serviceman shows up in her yard following a devastating ice storm, she's instantly attracted to him. But pain hides in the depths of his honey-colored eyes. When Miranda asks personal questions, he pulls back.
Brady lost his wife Celia in a tragic accident three years ago. A part of him can't let her go, although Miranda threatens to work her way into his heart. Until he can release his deceased wife, he cannot give his heart to another woman.
Could a cluster of Jonquils bursting through the February snow bring hope to Miranda and Brady?
https://www.amazon.com/Jonquils-Snow-Laurean-Brooks-ebook/dp/B075H22SND/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537322244&sr=8-1&keywords=jonquil+in+the+snow
Lorean, the Soybean Festival sounds like fun. I love all the festivals held in small towns. My favorite name is Chigger Fest--which is in the "if you can't fix it, feature it" category. JONQUILS IN THE SNOW is definitely a must read.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Caroline Clemmons. Small town festivals are wonderful for the community and seeing friends you haven't seen in a while. "Chigger'Fest sounds like an interesting concept.
ReplyDeleteI love the fall festivals, especially if the weather cooperates with a nice cool day. We have a fall festival in our Central PA town, sponsored by our Revitalization Corporation, in October where they block off the streets and vendors abound."Jonquils in the Snow" looks like a terrific read.
ReplyDeleteJudy Ann Davis: This year the weather was in the mid 80s for the Soybean Festival. Makes it a lot nicer when it's not so hot. The festivals have a way of bringing the town together. Thank you for the compliment on the blurb of JONQUILS IN THE SNOW. I wrote it a few years ago while our power was off nearly a week, following an ice storm.
DeleteSounds like fun. I love these regional festivals. There are so many in Texas, and each one promises to be a blast.
ReplyDelete