Home-grown.

A couple of weeks ago I was dropping off my entries for the Tennessee Art League juried show (third prize in oils, by the way), and an Australian couple came in. Chat led to a long discussion of what to do in Nashville, and Sarah, the receptionist, and I wound up printing up a long list: gotta go to the Station inn, have to see Hatch Show Print, the Parthenon is really a bit bizarre but a must-see, eat at Margot's, oh, yes drop by Meg's at ARt and Invention next door. The Farmer's Market. The library for a walk-through. Belle Meade Mansion for its luxurious public rooms and small family quarters. The Bluebird if you can get a seat.

Eventually I told them a bit about the farm, and pulled up the farm square dance video on YouTube. At this point, I realized I could possibly be playing into the Nashville = HeeHaw (not that there's anything wrong with that!) stereotypes, and--yes, salvaged the whole scene with a biting critique of postmodern deconstructionism.

Not really. But I did get to thinking that, while we talk a lot about eating local, what we all are really doing is moving towards eating local, art-ing local, entertaining local, dancing local. Some of us are reading local and writing local and banking local, seeing our own homegrown Nutcracker with the kids, and (we hope) buying books at Parnassus, Nashville's new local bookstore. Although our electronic world allows us farflung friendships, we are friending local as well.

And supporting our own local Occupy--TeClaw and the Hogslop String Band are hosting a square dance tonight at 9! Be there--the People's Plaza/War Memorial Plaza/Legislative Plaza. Whatever you call it, it's ours.

Aussies welcome. State troopers, too, if they want to dance.