Tenn. continued

The girls went to a camp while in Tennessee- Camp Clarkson-It was like something out of the movies, the cabins, counselors, the lake, trees, swimming...oh mosquitoes and ticks :) whee!!
The girls had a great time swimming, arts and crafts, pranks on the counselors, singing, catching frogs (and releasing) and making friends. They each came home with several phone numbers.
my poor city kids were in for quite a shock, no air conditioning, no sidewalks or TVs...
they were introduced to the cabin "this is Davi and Hallie, they are sisters from San Diego, California" there was an audible "ooooh" and the girls were curious to why the girls came all this way for a camp? I told them it was close to cousins and family :) - we didn't come just for the camp.


We went to Bell Buckle (that is the name of the town) - totally cute, quaint, and like a trip back in time. we went to the bell buckle cafe for lunch. I almost licked my plate clean. I had the "vegetarian plate" hah ahahahahaha. as a California resident I was expecting some tofu and sprouts...ummm. no.
my choice from the list : I chose fried okra, blueberry salad, spinach and strawberry salad, sweet potato pie, and it came with a corn cake.
fried okra: deep fried
blueberry salad: it was sooooo good, but like a pie, sauce, tons of sugar, whipped cream...
strawberry and spinach salad: fresh spinach (off to a good healthy start) and topped with like fresh strawberry pie filling. again, sooo incredibly sinfully good, but not quite what I had pictured in my mind.
sweet potato pie: knew it was not the best as far as nutrition, but who can go to Tn, and not eat some sweet potato pie???
the corn cake was like this pancake with butter all over it- YUM!!!
its ok, I ordered a diet coke with it.


I was outside talking to my BIL Kelly, while he was grilling, it was getting dark and I was startled at the flash of light I saw in the trees! "Kelly!- I just saw a flash out in your trees!"
WITH OUT laughing or making me feel like a moron...he says "oh the lightning bugs?"
AHHHH- my city slicker mind caught up....
yes, I haven't ever actually seen a fire fly in real life. only on TV and they make them look like they are a green glowing light and they stay lit. I didn't know they flash on and off. Kelly got Hallie and I a net and container to catch them. OK, they are hard to catch- um in the dark you cant see them!! you only see them when they light up, and then you have to guess at where you are swinging! we caught 2 and I was uber proud of our little San Diego selves to catch two with a 3" net :). we brought them inside and watched for them to light up in their container. waited. nothing. I told Hallie we should let them go since they weren't going to light up and Kara my niece says dryly, "you have to put them in the dark for them to light up". AHHHHHH- west coasties are catching on. whole new world.