Hunky-Dory: TENNESSEE FALL HOMECOMING at the MUSEUM of APPALACHIA

We've been coming to this event for several years now. If you've never been to the Museum of Appalachia, then you're missing out on something unique, especially if you're interested in American history in general and Southeastern American history specifically.

John Rice Irwin founded the museum, preserving pioneer homes, structures, and artifacts from around the Southeast.

Most folks come to the Tennessee Homecoming to listen to the bluegrass/country/gospel bands, singers, and musicians. To us, the music provides a lively backdrop as we browse the arts, crafts, and devour homemade yummy goodies like this blueberry fried pie. I think it must have weighed a couple of pounds. Worth every calorie.

Caught Neil in mid-chew. He enjoyed his cherry fried pie.

The Border Collie is a working and herding dog breed developed in the Anglo-Scottish border region for herding livestock, especially sheep. It was specifically bred for intelligence and obedience, according to Wikipedia.

We enjoyed watching this one doing his job herding his sheep. He had them on the run.

The beekeeper's bees were not happy being boxed up today. He had honey for sale, but we didn't buy any. Last time we kept honey, a million ants found out and set up camp in our kitchen.

John and Jane Clemens once lived in this tiny log house reconstructed here by Mr. Irwin. Their son Samuel was their sixth child.

It's fun watching a craftsman making something beautiful and useful.

He said a lady at his church asked him to weave a chair seat for this old rocker. After watching him work for a while, I asked him if he charged by the hour. This is a time consuming job after all. He said he doesn't charge anything.

Did you know that through several Congressional Acts, Confederate soldiers are recognized as United States Veterans? Let that sink in the next time you see a community removing the statue or the monument of a Confederate soldier. This group is always here to make sure this part of American history is never forgotten or erased by political correctness.

These kids got a kick out of playing soldier. The guns are bigger than the kids.

She made beautiful music on this hammer dulcimer. I wanted to post the short video I made of her playing, but my iPhone video won't translate to the Blogger platform.

Blacksmiths forging iron. We bought one of their copper ladles with a forged iron handle.

Daniel Boone's cabin was moved here piece by piece and reconstructed at the museum.

Bare necessities.

All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife. ~Daniel Boone

After some lunch, we pigged out on blackberry cobbler.

With homemade ice cream.

Me and my handcrafted broom.

Need a coyote pelt?

Lots to choose from. Kinda gross, though.

Otter pelts

Apparently more valuable than coyote pelts. They had fox tails, too. I told Neil we should buy one and hang it on the rearview mirror. He didn't think that was a good idea.