Tuckahoe is a small community in the Hill Country of east Tennessee. A land which was settled in the early 1800s and where the values of honesty, friendship, and religion have persisted in spite of the changes of time. In his book, Mr. Cate tells the tales of growing up there, and of the rural wisdom that is timeless. His poems and stories of the life and people of Tuckahoe are heartwarming and thoughtful. The lessons of life he relates are relevant to anyone interested in experiencing the joys of the simple life.

You will meet Noble, the hunting dog; Vera, dying alone in her rocking chair; the boys who played in the woods and went barefoot in the summer; the small brick school and the humble church where the lessons of life were taught; of the loves of the teenage heart; reverence and love for friends and family. You will explore the journey to Knoxville, to the world outside, and the journey to adulthood.

Mr. Cate's stories and poems are told in the language of his growing up, but he weaves words and images into songs of the heart. They will touch that place of wonder and love within us all.