Muddy Pond

Our new truck! Not!

General Store

Tomatoes and melons

THE Muddy Pond

Nice view

Onion, peppers and corn

Strip mall

Buggies for sale

Lotsa goats

Time for cinnamon buns

Homemade ice cream

Here we are wasting another sunny day on idle pleasure. This time we went over two ridges to the Mennonite settlement of Muddy Pond. This is a strip road with small farms and cottage businesses. Our first stop was at a general store (house in right). I bought a serving spoon and some powdered buttermilk and drooled over the bread but did not give in. About 1/2 mile further I saw a sign for vegetables so down the drive we went. I got a box of "seconds" tomatoes for $5--about 20 cents a pound--and a couple of nice musk melons for $3. Next stop was the pond that gave the settlement its name--no idea to whom it is dedicated, then on to the strip mall. There were two leather shops and another general store. The buggies are in front of one of the leather shops where Duane bought a scrap piece of leather for a dollar to make a couple of sheathes for his carving knives. The general store boasted a row of oak gliders out front. I would have been very tempted if I still had a land house. Inside I bought a couple of coloring books, a mug, and some curry powder. Did I mention everything was cheap? Another mile or so further we finally found the home made ice cream in a little combination general store/diner. This was the real deal--smooth and creamy and soft--just like we made at home on summer holidays. It was really, really yummy! From there what else was left but a little bakery? I bought a cinnamon bun that was as big as the paper plate and two turnovers--one cherry and one apple. To get to this little place we drove Rt. 62 out of Oak Ridge (the city that wasn't). We tried to follow the gps, but it kept trying to send us down to I40 and Monterey. We got sidetracked into the town of Harriman where we ate sandwiches and french fries at Donna's Diner. Then we finally picked up 62 again and went on our little tour. On the way back we stayed on 62 except for a little side trip around the town of Oliver Springs . This had some interesting red brick buildings dating from around 1900. We had subs from Firehouse Subs for supper, then home. Another day wasted. Not! Also not is the truck. That belongs to our new managers who will be starting here in August. It is one of the big boys some rv'ers prefer to use with their 5th wheels. Big isn't it!

Enough for now

Louise and Duane