LOL #17

I love college towns.  I haven't, however, exactly pinpointed the attraction I have to them.  I think it's a bit of nostalgia and tradition that goes along with them.  Mix that in with the academia that surrounds the campus.  Through in the flashback to youth.  Add a dollop of old traditional houses and mature trees lining both sides of street usually named College Street. And finally, top it all off with a giant pink elephant wearing sunglasses!

This past weekend my family and I drove over 1700 miles in a round trip to attend a family event.  This week's LOL photo was part of that long, long trip.  My husband graciously (or selfishly, I'm not sure which) stopped along the way to look for a WalMart after we discovered that the AC adapter we had for the car wouldn't power my laptop.  He was either being very nice and humoring me or really didn't want to hear me whine for next 1500 miles.  I'm going with his generosity and graciousness.

When we stopped, the town happened to be Cookeville, TN - home to Tennessee Tech University - land of the Golden Eagles and apparently, land of the giant pink elephants as well!  This blushing pachyderm stands along side one of the main streets into town.  Behind her are some small businesses which don't seem to have any connection to pink elephants.

The librarian in me had to research, of course, and I came up with nothing but some other photos of her, sometimes donning a bikini and standing atop a pair of water skis.  When I couldn't find any information explaining her existence, I went to a source that I thought might be able to help - the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce.  I sent them an email asking about the lovely pink animal and the next day had a very nice reply!

Here's what she said:

The Giant Pink Elephant was purchased by the owners of the first shop that went in that location.  A children's clothing store "The Pink Elephant" thus the name and the landmark.  The store closed a few years ago but the elephant remains.

She then bade me "best wishes for a wonderful week!"  I've got to give kudos to the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce - informative, courteous, and prompt!  Like I said, I love college towns...

Cacophony

Cacophony - {kuh-kof-uh-nee} noun, a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds

Laughing, crying, yelling children; barking dog; singing voices; spinning washer and humming dryer; tapping computer keyboards; slamming doors; ringing cell phones; sizzling saute pan; pick, pick, picking of a banjo...  Woah, yes, I said banjo!

The cousin of the drum and the descendant of African instruments brought to America by African slaves, the banjo is considered by many to be the only uniquely American instrument.  Ask most people about the banjo and the words bluegrass music aren't far behind.  The truth be known though, the banjo has been the chosen instrument of many minstrels, vaudeville entertainers, and jazz, country, and folk musicians as well.

The popularity of the banjo is credited to Joel Walker Sweeney who in the 1830s traveled the east coast performing with and leading the Virginia Minstrels.  Many stories exist regarding his banjo playing and while it's hard to tell if his banjo playing toes were fact or fictional lore, the truth remains that his playing prompted a widespread popularity of the instrument.  With its beginnings in the south, the banjo soon was being played up the United States' east coast, even in New York.  Europe jumped on the banjo wagon as well beginning with performances for Queen Victoria and working its way through Scotland and Ireland.  By the 20th century the instrument's popularity seemed grounded in both Europe and America.

Now into the 21st century, the banjo has found its popularity again in the South - with none other than my oldest one-of-three.  since last winter she has talked and talked about wanting to learn to play the banjo.  As her 14th birthday present, she was given banjo lessons.  This summer she has been finger rolling and finger picking her way through a varied repertoire - Foggy Mountain Breakdown, Dueling Banjos, Rainbow Connection...

  

 

So, yes, the banjo is now another sound that has been added to the plethora of sounds in our noisy home.  Quite honestly, I wouldn't have our home be any other way.  When I look at that definition of cacophony, I have to think that maybe Webster made a typo.  Because in our cacophony of chaos, my definition would be "a discordant and incredibly meaningful mixture of sounds."  Sweet music to my ears -

LOL#16

Oh how a good long thinking-walk cures the writing muse blues!  The past two weeks for our family have been a flurry, no, make that a blizzard of activity.  I went back to work after my teacher summer hiatus - that in itself was a slight snowstorm.  My oldest one-of-three started high school; my middle one-of-three started middle school; and my little nutter butter is rapidly becoming not-so-little as she enters third grade.  Soccer is back into full swing with tournaments and practices, ballet is back to keeping us on our toes, and LAX emails are filling my inbox.  

Logistically keeping up with all these changes has seemed to be the easy part compared to the myriad of emotions I've been keeping up with inside of me as I watch my children take great running leaps and bounds toward independence.

Tonight, at one of those soccer practices, I turned on my pedometer app and took off.  Now, keep in mind that this sports complex is fairly large and heavily populated about every day of the week.  It has a large walking course that tonight was good medicine for me.  On my third lap, I heard an interesting noise in the distance.  No, not the cheers of parents as their little soccer stars performed Olympic worthy plays nor was it the crack of football pads hitting together as little tikes ran plays worthy of the Heisman.  Instead, it was a loud and resonant cock-a-doodle-doo from none other than the proud rooster who so willingly posed for my LOL photo this week!

The comedy kept coming.  As I got closer to the sound, I understood the adage, birds of a feather...  Seriously, how often can one find numerous chickens peck, peck, pecking away at the edge of soccer field? Other than the proud rooster, the feathered little guys were quite camera shy so it was handy to have my DSLR and trusty 55-250mm in the car. 

The icing on my comedy cake this evening was the sign posted right at the pedestrian crossing on the walking course.  I have come to the conclusion that these must be some pretty smart chickens.  Rare reading chickens to be exact.  They have every right to be exactly where they are!  Because they most definitely were not included in the sundry of prohibited items for this track.  And tonight, I was so glad they weren't!