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Food Focus
As I began searching for a theme for this year’s blogs, I remembered a fun little calendar that the good folks at Bite Squad sent me. Each month has a clever food pun and the food-related national holidays are listed in the squares. This seemed great, at first blush: I like food, I like blogging and I like Bite Squad. A Realtor, building a year’s worth of blogging on a foundation of obscure, foodie holidays? I could be on to something. Speaking of Bite Squad, have you used the service yet? They bring you food from restaurants that don’t deliver and you can do the whole thing online. If…
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Need 3 Minutes to Yourself?
I can’t promise much, but I can give your kids something to do for about 3 minutes. Use it wisely. May love and joy come to you Paper Christmas cards didn’t go out, this year. I’d like to tell you it’s because I’m very eco-conscious and didn’t want to waste trees. The reality is that I, like many of you, was overwhelmed by the additional requirements brought on by the holiday season and simply didn’t get to them. Nevertheless, I wanted to reach out with a note to express my gratitude for you all; friends, family and clients. If you’re reading this and feel that you don’t fall into one…
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Oh Look, It’s Christmas Time
Handmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time. -Douglas Coupland Has the frenzy begun at your house? This time of year is such a mixed bag. It’s the excitement and anticipation of the season, the baking and decorating, the seasonal beverages, caroling and family time. It is also the melancholy of missing those who are too far away to share the time with you, or those who have passed on, the stress of the holiday schedule and the futility of coming up with The Perfect Gift for someone. For those celebrating this season, there is hardly a moment to dwell on the pros…
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Hashtags and Happiness
When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. -Willie Nelson So, it’s November. It’s undeniably Autumn. The last thing I would want to do is shoot out one of those cliche “Thankful” missives, just because this month happens to include Thanksgiving. That’s exactly what this is, though. Only, not just because it’s seasonally appropriate, but because it is such an important thing to discuss. How often do you pause, with the sole intent of appreciating something? I have to tell you, I ended up on a gratitude journey a few years ago, very much by accident. Had someone tried to tell me, I never would have…
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How to Fall
Being a kid and growing up is such a cool part of life. -Devon Werkheiser Despite my valiant efforts to convince myself otherwise, Summer is gone and Fall has arrived. Even though it’s not my favorite, there is something really amazing about the changing of seasons. It’s going to happen, regardless of how much I’d rather it didn’t, so I might as well embrace it. Pumpkin Spice Everything!! Just kidding, that’s gross. But Bath & Body Works makes a candle called “Sweater Weather” and it is absolute Autumn perfection. It’s nice to be able to open the windows on the sunny days and cozy up with a blanket and a…
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Hangin’ on to Summer
By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And Autumn’s best of cheer. -Helen Hunt Jackson I’m still hanging on to summer; not quite ready to give it up, just yet. September is definitely one of those odd, transitional months. The temperatures could swing from the middle of July to the beginning of November. The kids are back in school and libraries, restaurants and playgrounds are oddly quiet, after the chaos of summer vacation. Everyone’s focus has turned to checking off boxes on the school supply list and trying to adapt to an earlier bedtime, even while the argument could be made…
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The Dog Days of Summer
How many legs does a dog have, if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn’t make it a leg. -Abraham Lincoln The dog days of summer have arrived. In preparing for this month’s blog post, I was looking up quotes that referenced the “Dog Days” and the above-quoted thought caught my attention. I mean, one of history’s greatest presidents bringing the sass to a conversation is entertaining enough, but I’d love to have been there for that chat. Beyond that, the widespread application for this little gem, is something of which to…
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What Then is Freedom?
What then is freedom? The power to live as one wishes. -Cicero It’s July. This month is, like, peak summer and I am savoring every minute of it. It’s hot, there are fireworks, the pool water is finally warm enough to jump in, gardens are beginning to produce awesome tastiness and vacations are happening or creeping closer! Also? ‘Merica. This is the month where we celebrate our nation’s independence, so, let’s talk about freedom and living as you wish… Where and how do you live? Do you own, rent, couch surf? Are you a rolling stone with no designated landing point on which to grow moss? There are no wrong…
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Seasons
Thinking about coming for a visit? Maybe even staying awhile? Then let’s talk about weather, so you’ll know what to expect and what to pack. SUMMER With a gorgeous average temperature of 85 degrees, the third quarter of the year does not lack in the expected seasonal feeling. As evening approaches, that new Vols tshirt will be plenty comfortable for relaxing in the night air. Be sure to head down to Market Square to enjoy the outdoor concerts on Tuesday and Thursday nights! www.KnoxvilleTN.gov/concerts FALL As summer fades away, focus turns to the absolute beauty of the Knoxville area in the Fall. Average highs in the last quarter…
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Umm, Breakfast Time?!
When travelling, one of my family’s favorite things to do is find a great local place to grab breakfast. We consider ourselves budding biscuit aficionados and, well, gravy is life. When we discovered that Maple Street Biscuit Company had opened in Knoxville, we all paused to count our blessings! The food is amazing, which is important for a restaurant, and provided in exceedingly generous quantity. I don’t mind telling you that Maple Street in Knoxville, TN, served the best sausage gravy I have ever had, outside my own kitchen period. My sheltered palate had never had spicy syrup and I’m here to say, I dipped everything but my napkin in…
