By Eileen Spatz

One year ago today, I boarded a plane and flew 2000 miles to arrive at my new home in historic Columbia, Tennessee, aka Muletown.

It is called Muletown because for many years it was the go-to place for agricultural workers to purchase their farm mules, which were bred here in Columbia.

The decision to sell my place in San Clemente, CA and move to Tennessee was pretty much made for me. In God’s providence, my daughter and family had made the move to Columbia, Tennessee in 2021. When I came to visit them I immediately fell in love. The next thing I knew I was packing up my house.

Pretty much from the moment I pulled up to my cute little cottage 365 days ago, which, by the way, I’d purchased sight unseen, I have been jotting down all the little things I so love about being here. Now that I have experienced all four seasons, I'd like to share my musings with you...

I landed in Tennessee at the absolute worst time of the year weather-wise – smack dab in the middle of summer. I had been warned about the sweltering heat, so came here mentally prepared for the worst. Well, they were right, in mid-August it is hot and oppressive – bad hair weather for sure. And don’t even get me started on the mosquitoes!

Still, I have had no trouble racking up a nice long list of positives:

· The friendly wave. I discovered that when I walked my neighborhood streets, people passing by on the road would wave at me! Me! After being pretty much invisible in SoCal for decades, it was actually a shock to see those friendly waves as people drove by. There is the “lift one finger off the steering wheel wave” (dudes), the back-handed princess on a float wave (ladies) and even the rearview mirror waves from people coming up from behind me. Here in Tennessee, you get the feeling that you matter.

· Sense of humor. The locals are really funny, with a sassy sense of humor. During my first week here, I went to the local DMV to get a Tennessee driver's license. I approached the desk (only 4 people in line ahead of me) and answered the questions by the lady with the dyed brick-red hair. Among her questions:

DMV lady: Single, married, divorced, or widowed?

Me: Single

DMV lady: Is that single never married or single divorced?

Me: (eyes downcast) Oh, divorced.

DMV lady: Well darlin’ aren't you lucky. You don’t have to share that last slice of cheesecake!

Lol!

· License plate motto. I also took the advice of many to get my new Tennessee license plates asap, as people here are not happy to see CA transplants coming here to "wreck their state." Seeing what is happening in California, I can’t say I blame them! So, I went to get my plates and was almost aghast when the gal hands me license plates (right then and there, btw) that were inscribed with “In God We Trust!” Yep, people drive around with God on their cars in Tennessee, and I couldn’t be happier. Another nice surprise: the registration cost a whopping $28 plus a one-time new resident fee of $20.

· Southern accent. As my daughter pointed out, there is something soothing about listening to the locals talk. A greeting goes something like this: “Hey there, how you? (note the missing “are”)? I’m awright, how you?” I have noticed that some folks are harder to understand than others, depending on whether they grew up in city or the country, and sometimes they don't understand me. For example, when I asked my landscaper when I should plant my bulbs, he looked at me in wonder. I said, “You know, bulbs.” He looked flummoxed. I said, “You know, like daffodils and such.” He said, “Oh, bubs! When should you plant bubs? Well, usually in November.” Also, I’ve learned that when they ask, “Yeet?” that translates to “Have you eaten yet?”

· Nice people. Here I could go on for pages but will try to be succinct. The people here, no matter where I go or what businesses I visit, are just plain friendly. People say “I’m sorry” in the grocery store for the most minor things, like passing you in an aisle, and they mean it (btw you do not pay for plastic grocery bags here!). Here in Tennessee, everyone is up for a conversation, genuinely wanting to make a connection. I needed to hire about eight different contractors for work at my house and to a person they all chatted me up. Two standouts are Tony the soulful carpenter, who I have had the most amazing conversations with, and Billy the landscaper, who is a godly, sweet-as-can-be gentleman, and who has methodically transformed my pathetic yards. My nearby neighbors, so helpful and thoughtful and who I have truly bonded with, and a couple of dozen other neighbors that say hello to me and Morgan by name as we walk by, have all made me feel so welcomed. My church friends, my Trivia group, so many wonderful, kind people have entered my life. Only one sourpuss, at my Zumba class, who I silently nicknamed Prunella, has given me the cold shoulder since I moved here.

· Music. Well, when you live 45 miles south of Music City, what do you expect? My town has all sorts of live music going on here all the time, and our First Fridays in the Square feature musicians on sidewalks, on patios, inside stores, and of course, in restaurants and bars. We have the COOLEST music venue called The Mulehouse, an old Baptist church that was converted to an amazing venue, complete with a speakeasy type lounge downstairs. I have seen lots of amazing live concerts there and at only $25 bucks a ticket, I plan to see many more.

· Sense of community. This is something I have yearned for, a simple life in a town that resembles Mayberry (ask my kids, who were raised on Andy Griffin reruns), and here in Columbia I have found it. Shop owners on the Square are friendly and welcoming, and some even know me by name and give me hugs when I come in. The people here truly support the community and the numerous events that keep us mingling and bonding as a small town (even though it isn’t all that small, with a population of 45,000). Our busy local Facebook groups keep us apprised of all the upcoming events – Mule Day festivities, flea markets, the rodeo, classic car shows, art events, music in the round, live theatre, and more, and all which literally take place within five minutes of my house.

· Morgan. Although I hadn’t planned on getting a new dog for a while, I found myself at the local animal shelter meeting my new doggy, Morgan, just a few weeks after landing here because my daughter sent me his cute photo. I had no idea what I was getting that September day, but I just adore my sweet hound (a Treeing Walker Coonhound). With some training and time (and patience!), he has adjusted to being a regular domestic doggy just fine. People pull up next to us when we are out on a walk and admire my cute little hound dog. Comments like, “That a Walker dog?” or “Hey, you got you a huntin’ dog!” and “He’s got a good mouth on him” (which means he is LOUD) are quite common. My neighbor Teresa exclaimed to someone, "Can you believe she moves here from California and gets a hound?!?!" Yep, I am embracing southern life 100%.

· Slower pace. For years I have been a slave to the hamster wheel, running around and around like a madwoman trying to make it, heck just trying to survive. Life in California is fast-paced, pricey, and hectic, and it does get to you. I immediately felt the difference here in Tennessee, where people take their darn time and don’t think a thing about it. Life happens at a much slower clip, which is a welcome change for me. Only once did I allow my icky Orange County, CA side in me to surface since coming here. I was in a huff having to wait about thirty minutes in the drive-thru line at the pharmacy. By the time I got to the window, the friendly gal’s cheery hello was met with my snarky, “Are you guys short staffed today or something? That was a crazy long wait.” Seeing her crestfallen face made me immediately want to slither under my seat and disappear. She was just doing her job, and yes, it was busy, and I was a jerk. Never again have I let that impatient, appalling CA person out to hurt anyone else’s feelings.

· Affordability. Do not get me started about the ridiculous cost of living in CA. Living in California all my life, I had bought into the myth that there was no better place to live so we should all be happy to pay the high (exorbitant) taxes, housing prices, gas, and everything else. What a con! Here in Columbia I was finally able to get the charming little cottage with a front porch (and a dog) that I had always told my kids I dreamed of. No state tax, much lower utilities costs, gas that is nearly half the price, and low property taxes (I pay 1/6 what I paid in CA for a little condo with no yard) make this a wise fiscal move for me. So, thankfully, by moving to Tennessee, I will be able to retire someday and not have to live on canned hash.

· Real weather. In California, we pretty much had one season… 72 degrees of perfection all year long. Guess what, that is really boring! Here in Tennessee, we get weather, real weather, like thunderstorms that’ll knock your socks off. I was schooled by my neighbors on how to prevent the pipes from freezing in the winter, and how to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning. I have learned new terms like “straight-line winds,” and experienced them firsthand when my backyard patio umbrella sailed violently over the fence and landed on top of my carport. Here, every day is a grab bag of interesting weather shifts, so you just learn to plan your days, and your wardrobe choices, by the weather app, and then roll with it.

While I am on the topic of the weather, here are some of my observations of the magnificent seasons over the last year:

FALL

The brilliant hues of autumn replaced those hot, muggy summer days right on time at the end of September. Crisp clean air, blue skies, and bold colors made the fall my favorite season of all. The locals really get into decorating for Halloween... never seen so many whimsical Halloween decorations, even at the car wash. We toured the nearby Amish community, about thirty-five minutes south, and brought home some really unusual pumpkins and delicious homemade apple butter that just screamed “fall.”

As Morgan and I took little road trips to explore the surrounding areas, I’d drive along, staring in awe at the glorious, colorful leaves, and admiring God’s amazing handiwork. Seriously, living in Tennessee is like living in one big National Park, it is that beautiful. One lesson I did learn, however, is to wear gloves when raking up the fallen leaves (courtesy of my next-door neighbor's huge maple that dumps 3/4 of its leaves on my grass). After filling fourteen large bags, I had quite a set of blisters to show for the effort!

WINTER

Since I am not a fan of the cold, I admit I dreaded the winter. Amazingly, there was plenty to love about this season, too. Even though the trees had lost their leaves, there was beauty in the geometric shapes I discovered in their bare branches, and I could actually see the birds that had been hidden among the leaves.

We only had a little bit of snow this winter, but glancing out my window to see a brilliant red cardinal perched on my picket fence against the snow covered ground was breathtaking. The tree-lighting event in the Town Square was seriously like being in a real-life Hallmark movie, with a live band, fake snow falling, Santa riding atop a fire truck, families nuzzled together, and couples dancing in the street. And best of all, I got to spend this Christmas with my sweet grandkids once again.

SPRING

Little tufts of bright yellow daffodils, which I've always called "happy flowers," sprouted up all around the neighborhood - the first signs of spring - and they were abloom all over Tennessee. As springtime progressed, the daffodils were followed by gorgeous tulips and then irises, each one replacing the last.

And the birds! Bold red Cardinals and brilliant Blue Jays, stout, orange-breasted robins, red-bellied woodpeckers, and cute little sparrows were everywhere. So, I put up some bird feeders so Morgan and I could enjoy them all day through my dining room window. Yes, he stares at them endlessly while he waits for a squirrel to enter the picture (and then bolts out the door to chase it).

Trees that were stripped naked for months suddenly donned fluffy new suits in various shades of green. By mid-May, the majestic trees were once again fully clothed. May also brought us the sweet scent of magnolia blossoms that dot the majestic magnolia trees that tower fifty, sixty feet, or higher. These hefty blooms waft a heady scent, a blend of vanilla, lemon, and musk.

Springtime is perfect for porch time, and for regular breakfast and dinners on the backyard deck. NO bugs! The temperature is just so lovely, but sometimes on a hot, sunny day we are surprised with an evening thunderstorm, just to mix things up.

SUMMER

Summertime is hot and muggy, yes, but it has its own special gifts. The way the sunlight bathes the homes this time of year seems to highlight their beauty more than any other season. Lush, green yards, bold blooms in the flower beds, and gorgeous fuchsia blossoms on the Crape Myrtles make the darling storybook homes in the area look especially beautiful in this summer light.

With the advent of summer comes the clicketing-clacking sounds of the cicadas up high in the trees – loud enough to even drown out the birdsong. A host of pretty butterflies, all new to me, has me googling to learn what they are called. The tall zinnias I grew from seeds are especially attractive to the butterflies, as well as to hummingbirds and cute little yellow warblers. Oh, and the mesmerizing fireflies! I had never seen these enchanting little things before moving to Tennessee.

Oh, and I must mention the fruit! I have never ever tasted such deliciously sweet strawberries or peaches in my life! And tomatoes that actually taste like, wait for it… tomatoes! These are the unexpected little treats that make me pinch myself, to remind me how blessed I am to live here.

Soon, it will be time for the yellow butterflies to return. This was a pure delight that I enjoyed last August shortly after my arrival. I was chatting with Tony the soulful carpenter on the porch when a yellow butterfly flew right past us. It made me catch my breath, seeing a yellow butterfly here in TN. And what a perfect welcoming it was, as I have always felt that yellow butterflies are signs that my beloved son is nearby.

Now, as I close the book on my first year in Tennessee, I walk around my house and my heart swells seeing the little artifacts left for me by the loved ones who’ve come to visit. These sweet gifts each have their own special energy that reminds me of how much I am loved and how our souls will remain ever connected over space and time. Yes, I live in Tennessee now, but no matter how many miles separate me from the people who enriched my life for over six decades, that love will never, ever leave us.

Make new friends, but keep the old

One is silver and the other is gold.