Easin' Along

For over 50 years, Knoxville has celebrated the arrival of spring with the annual Dogwood Arts Festival. The event runs for about two weeks and coincides with the blooming of our Dogwoods, Redbuds, Weeping Cherry trees, and spring flowers of every color and form.

The festival, a testament to our vibrant community, features driving trails throughout our city, where our residents and visitors can view elaborate flower gardens at the peak of bloom. Both visual and performing art and artists are featured, showcasing our thriving arts community. In short, there is something for everyone, and our community, filled with pride, is eager to share this celebration of spring with you.

One event that began about five years ago and has since become a sensation is the “Chalk Walk.” This event, filled with spontaneity and creativity, invites artists to participate by creating works of art on the sidewalk of our downtown Market Square. We had an unbelievably beautiful spring day on Saturday (4/6), so Helen and I couldn’t resist the urge to drive downtown and witness this year’s 300 Chalk Walk artists in action, ready to amaze and, in some cases, amuse us.

We arrived around 3:30 that afternoon and joined an enormous crowd on our downtown Market Square. Earlier that morning, every participant was issued an identical tray of sidewalk chalk and directed to their individual “canvas” according to their category or group (individual, pair, school-age, etc.). All the artists were busy at work and eager to complete their work before the judging process, which was scheduled to begin soon.

Helen and I strolled, fascinated by the works in progress. The competitors consisted of artists of every hew and stripe. We met one artist who told us he was twelve years old. Another was fifteen, but this was her fourth competition. Her work was excellent. Several participants worked as pairs, but most of them drew solo.

Standing around every work of art were groups endlessly taking pictures and letting loose with “oohs” and “wows.”  “Amazing” was the word I heard most often. I had my camera with me, came close to filling a memory card, and spent most of Sunday afternoon selecting a representative sample to share with Easin’ Along readers. The task was difficult; you’ll see why if you scroll through them. Please click on any image to enlarge it and enjoy it from a bigger window.

Before I send you on your way, I need to note that hundreds of dogs (and one pig) were in attendance, and I’ve shared a few here. The two Great Pyrenees attracted quite a large group of admirers.

As I write this, it is pouring outside, and I can’t help but think of those incredible drawings trickling into a downtown drain. At least we’ll have a clean slate for next year’s competition.

Note: My friend, Alan Sims, who publishes the daily blog Inside of Knoxville, also attended Chalk Walk and posted pictures of every drawing. You can see them by visiting his blog (click here).

The only problem with spring in East Tennessee is that it’s a short season. We start cold and wet, then warm up in a nanosecond. Nevertheless, while cold is not good, wet produces some stunning scenery in the way of flowering trees, shrubs, and plants.

We had several big rain events this week, and other than spending an hour or so at my exercise class celebrating an early St. Patrick’s Day on Friday, I remained shut in and felt claustrophobic. This morning, things are better. The rain moved out, and I’m ready for a walk. With the camera in one hand and Mortimer’s leash in the other, we’re strolling through the neighborhood in search of signs of spring. Join us.

We’re just a few yards from the end of our driveway and standing on the edge of Chris and Dianne’s yard. Chris and Dianne are somewhere warm for a few days—I doubt they’re missing the blooming Hyacinths in their backyard, but I’ll take a picture of it and send it to them anyway. Mortimer takes a quick sniff and walks away. I love the deep blue.

About a hundred yards down the street, we admire Rita’s blooming forsythia. It has fully bloomed out and stands picture-worthy. We think it is near its peak. Our clue is the few green leaves that are beginning to show.  

At the end of our street, we turn left and start up the hill, walking around the clubhouse and swimming pool. It won’t be long before the pool is open and summer begins. I suppress the thought—let’s enjoy spring weather while we can. We spot Julie’s gorgeous daffodils and walk over for a closer look. After capturing the flowers, I spot some spring splendor behind her front gate. Mortimer and I dub it her secret garden. Julie is away, but I’ll send her the pictures.

By now, we are at the top of our hill and catch a glimpse of Ann’s budding Redbud. Redbuds throughout East Tennessee are in various stages of bloom; Ann’s has decided to spring forth slowly, somewhat akin to a Tennessee Waltz. Her Lenten Roses, however, are putting on quite a show.  I sneak closer to her house to get a better look.

Mortimer and I turn left at Ann’s and walk toward the entrance to our neighborhood. As we turn left again and begin the walk home, I notice the Bradford Pears that line the road up the hill. The recent rains have clipped some blossoms, but the trees still stand proudly, strutting their stuff. I’m thinking, “Ahh, spring…”

Back down the hill and nearing home, I glance upward at a sign of things to come. Ken and Gail have a Weeping Cherry in their yard that glows in full bloom. A few blossoms are out now to tease us, but if we’re patient, our reward will come soon in a dazzling display of bright pink. I’ll share it on Easin’ Along Facebook when that day arrives.

We’re home. Mortimer is now panting and ready to sprawl on the floor and take a morning nap. I’m feeling great and ready to take on the day. I’ve escaped the rain-induced confinement and have taken in the promise of another East Tennessee spring. We hope you enjoyed the stroll–Mortimer and I are so glad you could join us.

We’re Easin’ Along.

I wanted to share a monthly wrap-up this week, but I realized I had created four blog posts during the month and had already shared most of the details with readers. Nevertheless, February was a fun-filled month with a road trip to and through Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi, so I wanted to recap and share some pictures with you that were sitting in storage and needed to come out. There may be a duplicate or two from previous posts–if so, please forgive.

We left Knoxville on January 11, two days earlier than planned, to escape a snowstorm heading our way. We made it out and drove on to Cumming, Georgia, to see our granddaughter playing a soccer tournament. I realize the event was in January, but I like to show off my grandchildren at every opportunity.

We next camped at Pelican’s Roost Campground on the Naval Base in Jacksonville. We love this campground because it is close to the water and we can see the big ships float by. The beaches are lovely.

Eastpoint, Florida, and Coastline RV Resort were our next stops. We chose this location because of its proximity to Apalachicola, Florida, and the country’s best place for fresh oysters. We got more than our fair share. Every dozen was delicious.

After planning (and booking) our Florida trip, we learned that our granddaughter’s high school cheerleading team had qualified to compete for the National Championship at Walt Disney World in Orlando. We scrambled and found a campsite nearby in  Kissimmee, Florida, because we HAD to be there. Readers know the story. Abby’s team won, and to say we were delirious with joy is a vast understatement. The championship was by far the highlight of the month.

The second highlight was a seven-night stretch of beautiful sunsets from our Keaton Beach, Florida, campsite. Keaton Beach is an isolated fishing village on the Gulf, and it is another entry into my collection of beautiful places I have never heard of.

The Navy Support Activity in Panama City, Florida, was the next stop after Kissimmee. We love the area but have only explored it a little. It was time for reading and relaxing. We ventured out once and found a favorite seafood restaurant in town. Hunt’s Oyster Bar has excellent gumbo and fresh oysters, shelled and served at the bar.

From Panama City, we drove to Gulfport, Mississippi, so Helen could get her casino fix taken care of at Island View Casino. She did surprisingly well, and we left town without having to pass the hat for gas money

We’re home now, but our trip and our February were terrific. Retirement is a great gig. We’re blessed, we’re grateful, and we’re still Easin’ Along.