Adventure on the Old Family Farm

Linday Kay and her posse in the cow pasture. 

Linda Kay and I went looking for some of her roots on the 19th-century family farm in Franklin County today and got a little more than we bargained for. Her Simmons family dates to the 17th century in America (arriving shortly after the Pilgrams), so there's a lot of history to explore.

We were looking for the family cemetery, a spot she's visited many, many times over the years. But we got lost. And I mean, like really lost.

We were walking through deep woods, over streams (we stopped to swim for a bit in the 70-degree temps), into high meadows. We even stopped in the deep woods for a delightful Mediterranean lunch (hers) having no idea where we were or if bears were chasing us. We laughed all the way through.

During the jaunt, we stopped to see Kim and Buddy Middleton who bought the Simmons family farmhouse and are doing a complete rehab on it and we found the old homeplace--now pretty much a ruin--of family friends Possum John and Miss Rosie Robertson. Possum John was exposed to mustard gas in World War I and was never quite right afterwards. Linda and playmates visited them to help with the farm and just adored Possum John.

We were finally rescued somewhere along Hardy Road between Vinton and Westlake by Linda's cousin Nancy Craighead, a delightful woman who had quite a laugh at our expense.

Lovely day all around. 

This was us trying to find our way out of the woods.

LindaK is posing here with the bullet-riddled door of an old ice cream truck. 

Linda on the rocks.

LindaK shot this. It's one of the best photos of me ever, I think.

The beginning of our journey was covered in cow poop.

Hollywood LindaK.

My new favorite model.

This is the LindaK I see when I'm feeling dreamy.

Linda brought a Mediterranean lunch, which came in handy.

Beauty in the barn. 

Beast in the barn.

Linda used to visit Possum John in his house many years ago.

The Simmons family homeplace, under construction.

LindaK with Kim and Buddy, who are renovating the old homeplace.

No idea what this is, but it's cool.

The farm views are lovely. 

LindaK in a high meadow.

LindaK loves this little stream and has for years.

I didn't realize LindaK was in this shot until I put it up on screen.