The Trip

I have the sweetest granddaughters! Today Bethany took us to where Tennessee meets Virginia, to "The Birthplace of Country Music" in Bristol. We really didn't know what to expect, but after the drive through the picturesque hills and valleys of southern Appalachia, we came upon the Country Music Museum.

A giant guitar stood in front, welcoming us into the studio where photographs of such luminaries as The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers, Tennessee Ernie Ford and more were on display. Other guitars bore autographs of the famous on their surfaces: Willie Nelson, George Jones, Marty Stuart and on and on.

Soon we found ourselves entering the facade of a country church, complete with pews and short films of singers earnestly praising God in their heart felt songs with guitar music. Other clips were of the primitive instruments and innovative ways of sharing music, such as having to sing into a horn, for amplification.

I was surprised to learn that The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, giving the history of the music heritage and the preservation of its history.

Getting hungry by this time, lunch sounded good, so Bethany took us to a place she knew where we had a delicious meal. (Her little boys with us loved drinking Root Beer out of a long-neck bottle.) We were offered dessert by the friendly waitress, but our granddaughter had something else in mind, a pastry shop she knew of.

Bethany dropped us off out of the rain while she and the kids found a place to park. We couldn't resist the welcoming fireplace, a wing-back chair on either side and a comfy sofa facing the warmth, where I sat while Howard took the chair. Nothing tasted better than the steaming cups of coffee and donuts (mine was chocolate-covered with cream filling).

Now we can't wait for someone from home to come see us so we can share the mountainous beauty and a trip  to Bristol. It's too fun not to share!