Blue jean quilt

Blue jean quilt made for Jana by Martha Woodward

Ted and the Bug-eyed Cat by Ric Morgan

Ted and the Bug-Eyed Cat







Ted did not know where he was. He wasn’t exactly lost, he just had somehow managed to get far away from what he considered as home. It wasn’t really confusing or upsetting, just a little unsettling.



Ted lay in a large round clearing surrounded by a thick woods. A narrow pathway went off the Ted’s left, but where did it go? How did he get here? This was definitely not Ted territory.



Ted’s back was nice and warm, something that rarely happened, so he rolled over, putting all four of his legs in the air and began to warm his belly, too. His giant paws hung limp and loose. He was feeling good at the moment. This is not normal behavior for a polar bear, he realized, but wasn’t so bad—almost pleasant in spite of the fact he didn’t know where he was or just exactly how he got there.



As his luxuriant fur coat warmed in the sun, Ted became drowsy again, as his eye lids began to fall and grow heavy with sleep. “Peace,” he thought, “peace.” He was comfortable—not hungry or thirsty—just as peaceful as a bear could be under these circumstances. If only he knew where he was.



Ted didn’t know how long he had been asleep when he heard the sound of piece of wood snapping as someone stepped on it. It was slight sound, almost inaudible, so whatever was coming must not have been very big. Ted didn’t feel frightened or fearful, so instead of his usual response of leaping up and confronting whatever was coining, he just staying on his back, rolling is head back and forth to see what might have made the sound.



There it was again, the sound of a breaking twig, only this time louder and closer. Ted swiveled his head around until he was looking over the top—his line of vision upside down. Again the sound of a twig snapping, only very close this time and from the direction Ted was looking.



Out of the dark woods and into the clearing filled with sunlight, stepped a large orange and white stripped cat. Ted had seen lot of cats before, but this was the biggest he had ever seen. The head was huge and two eyes bulged from its face, below which were a white muzzle with very long whiskers and a pink nose. Those enormous yellow eyes gave it a very determined look as it marched directly toward Ted.



Ted stayed on his back and looked at this creature with some dismay. He blinked his eyes several times trying to get a better focus out his recent sleep. But what he saw didn’t change and as a matter of fact was getting closer as Ted stared at it. It stopped for a moment and stared back at Ted.



After this harmless staring contest the cat up and walked closer to Ted, finally sticking his nose lightly against Ted’s large black nose. They sniffed each other for a moment, then the cat walked around Ted sniffing him several places. One place the cat sniffed startled Ted and he flinched as the cat’s cold nose touched his butt.



After sniffing Ted all over the cat walked up to Ted’s huge left paw just dangling there and the cat started to lick it, and continued for quite some time. Following that the cat walked around to Ted’s head and began licking his forehead. Ted was enjoying the pampering until the cat suddenly stopped and looked at Ted’s eyes. The huge bug-eyes of the cat unnerved Ted a bit because it felt like that cat was looking deep inside of him.



The cat walked around to the other end of Ted and climbed up on his stomach and punched around for a bit looking for the softest place. Once the cat had found a spot to its satisfaction the cat lay down and began to bathe. It seemed to Ted to be long, drawn out process, but when the cat was eventually done, it began licking on Ted’s bright white, almost blinding coat. Finally the cat settled down and went into a deep sleep quickly.



Now what was he supposed going to do. Ted realized his back now hurt from laying on it so long, but he couldn’t very well rollover with the sleeping cat on his stomach. At that point a fly began to annoy Ted, flying all around his head and face. Ted swatted at it with his right paw, the motion momentarily awake the cat, that let out a small meowing sound, then put its head down and went back to sleep.



Ted took a deep sigh and just lay there. He wasn’t particularly tired or sleepy himself, since he had done so much sleeping earlier. Ted’s mind began to wander back to the question of where he was and how he got there. The problem was he rather liked where he was, being off all that vast tundra of freezing ice and snow where he had lived all his life until now. The longer he pondered his situation the more tired and sleepy he became, finally drifting off to sleep with a large yellow cat snoozing on his stomach.



Ted awoke when the cat awoke, stood and stretched, yawning in such a way as to show a vast cavern of teeth, tongue and throat. The cat got up and moved around a bit. Ted thought he might be looking for another place to lay back down, but instead the cat walked off Ted and around to Ted’s head. Ted took advantage of the situation and rolled back onto his stomach before the cat could make up its mind what the do next. Ted folded his front legs under himself and lay his head done on the ground. It felt really good to be off his back. As a matter it was a bit sore from laying on it for so long.



The cat walked around Ted’s hulking, massive body until it reached a spot right in front of Ted’s face. The cat sat down and scratched its right ear with its hind paw, then sat and just stared at Ted. Ted just started back.



In a moment the cat stood, walked close to Ted’s face and licked Ted’s large black, wet and cold nose, then turned and walked down the pathway Ted had noticed earlier. He thought about getting up and following the large scruffy, disheveled bundle of flesh and fur, but he thought better of it.



Ted decided he was hungry now and was going to have to go foraging for something to eat. Ted stood up, turned around a couple of times to get his bearing, sniffed the air with his highly developed sense of smell, then picked a direction and headed off into the woods to see what he could find to eat that would fill him up and taste good. If only he knew where he was and how he got there.

Tom Mattingly's New book about Smokey-the-dog

Come dressed as Elvis for Costume contest at Asia Cafe

Halloween Costume Contest Sunday, Oct. 28 at Asia Cafe

Asia Café Hosts Halloween Costume Contest, Sunday, 28th October 2012. Come dressed in your best holiday costume. $0.98 cents Dragon & Mermaid Draft all day. Judging begins at 8 p.m. $50 to first place winner.

Skipper and Phillip Lim at Bikini Contest at Asia Cafe

Asia Cafe--6714 N. Central Avenue

Phillip Lim, owner of Asia Cafe

Asia Cafe--Where East Meets West

Jimmy Lim, Go Bananaz Cafe owner

Jimmy Lim, Go Bananaz Cafe

When Jimmy Lim, an immigrant originally from Malaysia, opened his restaurant, Go Bananaz Café , in November 2011, in Farragut at 11151-D Kingston Pike, his plan was to sell both Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.



The gregarious owner says he named the restaurant in a humorous way. “When I say ‘Asian’ and I also sell Mediterranean, it doesn’t match. Going bananas is better than going crazy,” he teased.


Lim’s brother, Phillip Lim, established the successful Asia Café, located at 6714 North Central and Callahan Road in 2007 and has seen his business grow. Jimmy Lim hopes Go Bananaz Café will catch the same fire.



Lim says he depends on Austin, a family member, and a great kitchen staff to prepare the southeast Asian menu Tuesdays through Saturdays, including a limited number of Mediterranean dishes. However, on Sundays, the restaurant serves only Mediterranean cuisine, including gyros and pitas.

“We concentrate on historic, tried and true recipes from the two cultures,” Lim said.

“We offer cold beers for patrons, and diners can bring their own wine for a cork fee.”

Lim said he understands some might consider it “bananas” to mix Mediterranean and Asian cuisines. He says some might ask, “Are you nuts? Have you gone bananas?”

Lim said most of the restaurant’s dishes are priced under $10, including soups, salads, traditional Asian dishes, hibachi and sushi. There will also be daily specials at even lower prices.



All of the dishes are made with only fresh ingredients. “I provide only the freshest meats and vegetables--what is in season. I shop and refuse to purchase inferior products. People in Farragut want the best and I provide it. Only fresh foods give the tastes we are after.”

Go Bananaz Café seats about 40 and also offers take-out dining options.

“It took a while for customers to find us,” Lim said. “We have provided tasty food at fair prices. We pride ourselves on friendly service. When customers get to know us, they return as we become like family.”



Lim says Austin and he discuss the menu with customers. “We can make foods as hot an spicy as they want, or cool them down,” he explained.



Lim says he spends a lot of time talking to his customers. He enjoys hearing about their lives and counts them as friends.

Go Bananaz Café, 11151-D Kingston Pike, is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Call 865-671-1888. Lim says for customers to come on in and give him a chance. He will please you with great food.

Foothills Quilters of Maryville, to host Quilt Show--11-2

Members of the Foothills Quilters of Maryville, Tennessee, invite the public to attend their 12th Quilt Show to be held November 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and November 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New Providence Presbyterian Church, 703 West Broadway (across from the Municipal Building in downtown Maryville at the intersection of 411 and 321. There is no admission fee to attend the show, which will feature, in addition to the quilts, bed turnings of antique quilts, demonstrations, a boutique and both opportunity quilts and baskets. A special exhibit of the Appalachian Trail Challenge wall hangings made by members of the group will be displayed.

13 Year Old Farmer, Birke Baehr to be seen on CTV

Homespun Hobbies on CTV; Channel 6 or Channel 12--the show runs for 15 minutes


Saturday October 6 @ 7:15pm Birke 1

Tuesday October 9 @ 2:15pm Birke 1


Saturday October 13 @ 7:15pm Birke 2

Tuesday October 16 @ 2:15pm Birke 2
Saturday October 20 @ 7:15pm Watermelon

Tuesday October 23 @ 2:15pm Watermelon

SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH BIRKE BAEHR will air: Tuesday, Oct. 2 at 4pm, this Thursday, Oct. 4 at 6pm, and this Saturday, Oct. 6 at 10:30pm.

It is 24 minutes in length.

Tee-shirt quilt made by Martha Woodward