More Crazy Laws #45 is this week’s Mystery Question! And…while I was signing books in Shelbyville, TN, one of my readers, Laura Hamby…And if I have your name wrong, please email me or leave a comment and I’ll fix it — I wrote down what you told me and your name, and of course, lost the paper so the law is a paraphrase of what I remember, too….) Anyway, she gave me a really good law to use!
The book signings were a great success–readers came from miles away to meet Colleen Coble and the rest of us. We had a great time talking to everyone! I have photos on my FB page as does Colleen. Oh, and I got a cold brew coffee at Starbucks and fell in love with cold coffee! Especially if it has caramel in it!
Now the photo and verse…I stayed with my sister in Chattanooga and snapped the picture of the crepe myrtle. It is her neighbor’s and my favorite color crepe myrtle. And the verse in Exodus is another favorite.
Now for last week’s Crazy State Laws #44. Three true laws and one made-up one. Can you guess which one?
- Here you can spend up to one year in jail if you’re found drunk in a mine. (WY)
- Not that I’d want to, but taking a bite out of another’s hamburger in this state is illegal. (OK)
- You better not strut down Main Street with a lunchbox in hand here. (NM)
- Even though cemeteries were built in the 19th century with picnicking near your dearly departed in mind, you can no longer bring a picnic lunch to a cemetery in this state.
And the answer is…#4! Congrats to all who guessed correctly!
Now for this week’s Crazy State Laws #45. Three true laws and one made-up one. Can you guess which one? And can you guess which one Laura Hambry gave me…
- In this state some years ago, if a couple was considered married if they said I love you and want us to be considered married in front of witnesses. Period.
- If a married woman requires dental work, the dentist must get permission from the woman’s husband before doing the work.
- In some states, if you have a common-law marriage and file a married tax return, you have to get formal divorce papers to file separately again.
- Here, men couldn’t marry until they could “prove themselves manly” by shooting either six blackbirds or three crows.
Okay, Super Sleuths, which one did I make up? And which crazy law did someone tell me that got me started on the marriage theme?
Leave your answers in the comments, and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a book from my library!
More Crazy Laws #45 is this week's Mystery Question. 4 laws, 3 true. Which one did I make up? Leave your answers in the comments on the blogs and I'll enter you a drawing for a book from my library! Share on X
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Comments 45
Yay for a successful book event! I think Laura contributed #1 (just a hunch), and I think you made up #4 because the poor birds!
Author
Actually, Priscilla I’ll have to go back and look. I answer comments on my dashboard and often forget which # I made up. lol
I love that color of crepe myrtle, too. I had a pale pink one and definitely not as pretty.
So glad the book signing went well. The pictures looked fabulous. There was such a long line of people waiting. How fun for everyone! I didn’t see Cindy Sproles in any of the photos.
Pat, you’ve sure given us some challenging laws this week. I think you made up #1 and I think Laura gave you #3
But who knows…well you do! lol
Sigh! I got my own name wrong again!
Author
I’ll fix it! That’s the beauty of answering in my dashboard.lol
Author
See my answer to Priscilla, Barbara! lol I have a pink-red crepe myrtle but not that deep red…maybe one day I’ll get around to planting one of those! Cindy is probably on Colleen’s FB page…I sat beside her at both Murfreesboro and Shelbyville, but I didn’t take any photos. My sister went with me to B&N and she took many of the photos and video.
We’ll see which is which next week!
Thanks for fixing my name, Pat. That’s so cool you could do this! :-O. I thought I saw your sister sitting down beside you at B&N. I’ll have to look at Colleen’s photos again. I don’t know how I missed Cindy in the pics.
I think you made up #4 and Laura gave you #3.
Author
Great guesses, Paula! We’ll see…
I think you made up #1 and Paula gave you #4 🙂
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We’ll see how that works out next week, Natalya! And thanks to you I was able to correct Paula’s name to Laura. 🙂
I think that you made up #3 and Laura gave you #1. I am glad that you had a great weekend of book signing.
Gloria
Author
Thanks, Gloria! It was a great weekend. We’ll see next week if you got it right!
Congratulations on your successful book signings!
I love that photo. Those flowers just pop right out! The verse is a great reminder of God’s love for us.
I’m glad I wasn’t drinking anything when I read those dumb laws. It saved me from cleaning up a huge mess! 🙂
#1. I can see this to have been accepted at one time. Sort of a common law marriage maybe.
#2. We’ve seen similar law before I think. So, maybe true.
#3. This one doesn’t make any sense. Even formally married couples can file separately if they choose.
#4. Well, this might keep some guys from ever getting married (and maybe that’s a good thing). And it’s not clear what is needed for the shooting device. Gun, arrow, sling shot?
I think you made up #3. And which got you thinking about marriage related laws? I’ll guess #4.
Author
Great logic, as always, Tim…we’ll see…I really had so much fun at the book signings! Did you know Colleen lives in Az now?
I did not know she had moved to AZ. It’s a great state to live in. I lived Tucson in 1974-5, didn’t want to leave, moved around the country a bit, and finally moved back to Tucson in fall of 1998, and love it. My project leader when I was still working, recently retired and moved from Tucson midway up the state and near the NM border. The climate there is much like the Midwest, and he has MOUNTAINS. There’s something here for everyone.
Author
I hope to visit AZ one day, Tim!
I just WANT the dentist one, #2 to be wrong. Bet she gave you #1 – I’ve heard something similar to that. And in what state last week can you NOT PICNIC in the cemetery? I don’t want to go there — we frequently picnic in cemeteries. Awesome day and family time and historical wanders.
Author
Susan, did you know that originally most big cemeteries were created with things like having picnic with your deceased family in mind! I’ve gone to Decoration Days where we cleaned the graves and put on flowers and usually stopped long enough around noon to have a picnic. We’ll see next week if it’s the dentist one…
#3
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We’ll see, Patricia!
I think she gave you number 2 and you made up number 3. I was at the book signing in Murfreesboro. Thoroughly enjoyed the event.
Author
Thank you so much for coming! Awesome to put a face with a name. 🙂 We’ll see next week if you guessed the right answers!
Glad your book signings were great! I think it’s #1 this time’ thank you for letting me know. Hope you all have a great week.
Author
I hope you have a great week as well, Delores! We’ll see if I made #1 up next week…
I’m gonna guess #1
Author
We’ll see, Joy…
Maybe #2?
Crepe Myrtle is all we can get to grow in our yard that used to be a sand and gravel pit. I love true red bushes rather than the more common fushia.
Author
I think the darker reds are prettier than the fuchsia ones too, Gail. My own crepe myrtles haven’t bloomed yet…and we’ll see next week if it’s #2.
Beautiful photo. I’m going with #4.
Author
Thanks, Diana. We’ll see…
#4?
Author
Number 4 is proving to be popula, Barbie D! We”ll see…
Please let it be #4. That’s horrible.
Author
I agree, Mary…I’ve never understood how killing something could be manly…
I hope #4 is made up. I think Laura gave you #1. I didn’t do any research, just took a guess.
Carolyn Frazier
Author
A lot of the readers want it to be #4…we’ll see, Carolyn. And if #1 is the one Laura gave me…
#3 is my guess
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Hi Shelia! We’ll see next week if it’s #3.
I think #2 is false. And Laura gave you #3
Author
Hi Donna! We’ll see next week if you guessed correctly!
I’m about a day behind this time (on everything). I took my daughter to visit Mt. Mitchell, NC, on Monday and got home yesterday afternoon. I barely glanced at email. Mt. Mitchell, at 6,684 feet, is the tallest peak east of the Mississippi River. We had a great time. Now, I’m playing catch-up.
I love the picture and verse. We had a crepe myrtle that color near one of the entrances to our church. When in bloom, it was nearly impossible to keep the fallen flowers from being tracked into the church.
I think #4 prompted your search for the other laws about marriage. It is a curiosity though why shooting crows or blackbirds would prove a man to be manly. Seems it should have been rabbits, squirrels, or something else that was fit to eat. Maybe the idea was to keep the birds from eating all the corn.
I think #3 is made up. Most of my life, I have heard complaints about the “marriage penalty.” Couples filing jointly got a lower deduction than if they filed individually. Why would a couple in a common-law marriage want to file jointly since they could file separately and receive a higher deduction?
Author
Edward, did you know the highest point in Mississippi is near my home? Woodall Mountain @ 800 feet. 😉 Your trip was probably tiring so thanks for taking the time and energy to read my post! We’ll see how your reasoning works out next week…
I’ll guess #1 this week.
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We’ll see next week, Megan!