Tennessee and on to Illinois

 The churches that we see on our travels are so beautiful.  The old architecture of them  verses the ones that were built  today are so different.  These churches have such stature.  When you go down the main streets and see them along the side of the road, you feel as if the town is a town like Joplin, that plays together and works together.  There are so many different churches in one town, one after another right next door to each other.  I wouldn't be surprised that when they have the "church social" that they take turns having them.

Homes like this one have been turned into museums or historical societies.  It is where a person can go to find out about their roots of their ancestors or just what the town was like a hundred years ago. It is so good to see that the old homes are not destroyed and something modern take its place.

No matter where you go in this vast country of the United States, Main Street remains Main Street.  The buildings may be different, more or less in number, but the feeling of "This is Home" remains the same.

Once again you can see the difference between the old and new.  They had added on to this church, but the new part detracts from the old church.  It would have been better, I think, if they had at least tried to match the brick color.  But, then again at the time of the addition, money may have been an issue.

If you turn left on Seventh, you will be able to go to the Legion Bar & Restaurant and when you are finished with your meal you can go to Midwest Archery.  But come to think about it, it would be best to go to the archery and then go to the bar and restaurant.  It wouldn't be good to mix bows and arrows with liquor.  This activity would best be done on an empty stomach.

This home is still a private residence.  Main Street homes are always so well cared for.  There have only been a few instances that the homes were not well maintained.

My husband made an observation as we were driving through a town the other day.  That was he didn't see fences around the homes.  I looked back over some of the pictures that I had taken and he was right, there were no fences in the older communities, only in the bigger cities and the newer neighborhoods. I could tell the ones that had some  type of animal, for there would be a dog run or a cage, but no fence.  We only see fences in the newer neighborhoods in the large cities. Maybe with the development of the brick wall, came in the loss of community.  With the advent of the brick wall, it stopped you from knowing you neighbor and you could not "talk over the fence" with them.  People began to stay to themselves and have no desire to know  their neighbor.

Brick walls in communities now days, kind of like the Berlin Wall of years ago.  These contribute to the loss of community, for you don't know who or what about your neighbor.  Kind of scary, when you think about it.  If we knew our neighbor better, maybe there would be less child kidnappings and the like.

I have seen some strange tourney's, but this one makes me scratch my head.  What is a Washer Tourney?  Is it where everyone brings their washing to a central place and they see who can do the washing the fastest or maybe washing a car.  I have no clue as to what this could be.  If I ever have the chance to return here, I will find a way to stop and ask the question.

The military convoys are usually seen on the interstates and not on the local roads.  The first thing that came to mind when I saw these guys, is the old movie, "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming."  It is a comfort to know that our military is always prepared to defend us and our freedom's.

When I saw this home it reminded me of the homes that are in my hometown.  They have a large front porch where the family can sit out on in the evenings enjoying the fresh night air.  Watching the fireflies flit about in the yard and catch up on the day's events. Or listen to the older people of the family reminisce about  times, long ago.  Notice that the "fence" is a hedge.  A person can still visit with the neighbor or see what is happening outside of the yard.

This small town of Flora,  in Illinois,  has a population of only 5,100 and they received the Governor's Home Town Award in  2006.  The sign says that "Opportunity Returns Through Volunteerism".  Here is a small town that pulls together and works together for the common good of where they live.  Why can't Washington, take a page from this little towns example?

When I saw this sign, I just had to have my husband honk his horn twice.  I assume the sign if for some sports team.  Then again it could be a substitute for an alarm clock, for whoever lives there.  I just plain enjoy the homemade signs I see along side of the road, but sometimes I have no clue as to what the are about.

It is time to call it a night so, until the next time, I'll see you on the Other Side.