Crappie Fishing at Reelfoot Lake, Tn.

If you love to fish you gotta take a trip to the number 1 Crappie destination in Tennessee. Reelfoot Lake http://www.state.tn.us/environment/parks/ReelfootLake/ is located in the northwest corner of Tennessee near Tiptonville. This majestic lake was created by the earthquake of 1811-12. They say the Mississippi River actually flowed backward during this event. The area was heavily forested and the remains of this cypress forest are still found above and beneath the lakes waters making it excellent for fishing. Anglers fish for more than 50 species including Reelfoot's "Big 3" of crappie, bass and bluegill.

We took our son on this trip and rented a pontoon boat which gave the three of us plenty of room to move about. Each of us caught crappie, the largest of which was 16" in length and weighed approximately 2 lbs. It's an easy place to catch crappie because of the cypress stumps and especially during the spawning season in April.

One of the nicest places to stay around the lake is the Blue Bank Resort http://www.bluebankresort.com/ which has fishing packages (includes room and boat rental) and is located on the bank of Reelfoot. They have a incredible wrap-around deck in the marina where you can access your fishing boat right next to your room. There is also a moonlight cruise you can take. Reelfoot is the winter home of the American Blad Eagle which makes your trip great for bird watchers, photographers, and naturalist.

Visit To Historic Greeneville, Tn.

If you're in the mood for a history lesson then take a step back into time with a trip to historic Greeneville, Tn. A must on this trip is a visit to the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site http://www.nps.gov/anjo/index.htm which honors the life and work of the nation's 17th President and preserves two of his homes, his tailor shop, and his gravesite. Johnson was the first American President to be impeached, but was acquitted. Can you guess who the second President to be impeached was? One thing of note that we discovered about Johnson on the tour was his strict interpretation of the US Constitution, which you don't see much in today's political arena. Make sure that you do take in the tour of the Homestead, which Johnson bought in 1851. The Homestead (picture below) remained the family home throughout the balance of his life and the guide that gave us the tour on this day did an excellent job in recounting the tragic lives of his children. We were so intrigued by the story of his life and his family that we continue to search for books to give us more insight into the man that never had a formal education, yet became an American President.

The Niswonger Performing Arts Center (picture below), also located in Greeneville, is an absolutely wonderful place to go for concerts and plays. We probably go to a concert here at least 2-3 times a year. They offer a variety of entertainment that will appeal to everyone. Check out their website at http://www.greenevillenpac.com/

Best Country Cook'in In East Tennessee

Usually we do not do a separate post on a restaurant, but for this particular restaurant, we couldn't do it justice with just a link. The restaurant is called "The Farmer's Daughter Restaurant"http://www.thefarmersdaughterrestaurant.com/ located on Hwy. 107 just off of Hwy. 11-E near Greeneville, Tn. When you do go there, you'd better be hungry, because the table will be full of tasty home cooking. You can eat all that you want, but not allowed to take a "doggie bag" out. Believe me, you wouldn't be able to carry it to your car anyway with the load on your stomach after eating. Unless you get there early, you can expect to wait awhile as you can see in the photo below. We arrived around 1:15 pm on a Sunday afternoon and had approx. a 45 min. wait, however, the wait was not bad considering the free ice tea and hushpuppies being brought out to the people waiting just to tide you over. You don't get this kind of customer appreciation at most restaurants.

When you are seated, you'll be ask to decide on two (2) meat choices that you can share. On this trip, we were offered fried chicken, baked chicken, Alaska cod, steak, ham, or bbq. We selected the fried chicken and the Alaska cod and were not the least bit disappointed. Before we get too far talking about the main meal, I do need to give you a fair warning. My wife just craves good hot bread and she just about overdosed on the hot sourdough bread that they bring to the table to get you started and I must say, my main bread, cornbread, was just to my liking as well. The fried chicken was tender and moist, but not greasy and the Alaska cod was flaky and very tasty. Along with the main course came a table full of various salads and vegetables. Growing up in the South, I really appreciated some good ole home style vegetables and could not believe my good fortune when one of the servings was cabbage, which was out of this world. Another favorite of both my wife and I was the creamed corn, which took me back to my boyhood days living in Mississippi. Haven't had any corn this good since my mom passed away, so it brought back a lot of memories. Other servings included: fried okra, pinto beans, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, cornbread salad (this was new to us, but very good), apple salad (excellent), green beans (none better), and what they call a carrot souffle, which almost tasted like sweet potatoes, but not quite as sweet. It was unbelievably good. By the time that I discovered it, I was so full, but I did find the strength to go on and finish most of it. Then, believe it or not, came time for the desserts. Choices were: chocolate cream pie (they said this was a favorite), banana pudding, coconut cream pie, chocolate sundae, and a strawberry cobbler w/ ice cream. Our choices were the coconut cream pie and banana pudding. We enjoyed these, but by this time, it was time to waddle out to the car. Maybe next time, I'll just go with a "veggie" plate and save more room for the great desserts.

All of the food is prepared daily and changed based on the availability and season. We felt that the prices were more than reasonable at $13.00/person (includes tax) for the amount of food that you get. Your drinks and dessert are also included. They only accept cash or checks, so make sure you come prepared. The restaurant hours are from 11:30 am to 8:30 pm on Friday & Saturday and 11:30 am to 5:00 pm on Sundays. They also just started opening for breakfast on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8:00 am to 11:00 am. We can't wait to get back and check out the breakfast. I may try to "fast" the day before just so I'll be more prepared.

If you've ever dreamed of a food heaven, "The Farmer's Daughter Restaurant" is a must. Don't forget to say hi to Rachael, one of the owners, who'll most likely will be working the register and Dan, Rachael's brother, the other owner, if you get the chance. Give us your comment after your visit. We'd love to hear from you.