McMinn Life Spring 2023

What’s New At TENNESSEE WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

Ingles Table RECIPES

A DOGWOOD ARTS FEATURED GARDEN

Life

Friday and Easter where we remember the

PUBLICATIONS: REACHING MORE HOMEOWNERS THAN ANY PUBLISHER IN ET

REGIONAL MEDIA EXPERIENCE • MONROE LIFE BALLOON FESTIVAL

25 YEARS OF IN-HOUSE TELEVISION

PRODUCTION: DOCUMENTARIES: KIPPY

TOURISM EXPERIENCE: ANAKEESTA • RIPLEY’S • ANDERSON COUNTY

ANTI-METH • DOMESTIC VIOLENCE • DON’T

PUBLISHER

The Bingham Group

President Lisa Atkins Bingham

Graphic Designers

DoctorSid

Jason Bowers

Lisa Bingham

Contributing Writers

Matt Hollingsworth

Gayle Fisher

Sharon Lee

Contributing Photographers

DoctorSid

Advertising Sales

Mignonne Alman

Tel: 865.523.5999

mignonne@binghamgroup.com

Subscription or Editorial Inquiries Tel: 865.523.5999

www.monroelife.com

The Bingham Group, Inc. 11921 Kingston Pike, Suite 201 Knoxville, Tennessee 37934

www.binghamgroup.com

www.farragutlife.com

www.mcminnlife.com

www.monroelife.com

Italk with my mom most days as I drive home and during this time of the year, she reminds me on a regular basis about how the daylight is gradually increasing each day. I do not think this is unique to just her as I hear a number of people making similar comments each week. In our office, as the sun sets each day, it shines through our large windows and demands our attention for several minutes as it moves through the sky. A sunny day after several days of clouds reminds us that we have missed the sun. There is just something special in our minds about seeing and feeling the warm sunshine this time of year. Regardless of what the groundhog saw, we know spring is not far away.

I noticed the flowers starting to come out of the ground this past week, and my first thought was about how this time of year is a new beginning. Preparing the ground and planting the seeds, baseball and softball practice and yes, starting the mower to mow the lawn. Most of us have something that signals that new beginning.

I do not think that I have to tell you that the past few years have been difficult for our citizens and employees. I hear so many people saying that they are ready to put things behind them and move forward. I appreciate that sentiment being expressed by so many. Our city

will soon have a new beginning as the City Council looks to hire a new city manager. One of the first challenges for this individual will be to simply provide a calming influence in our community. What a challenge that is for everyone to work together to make our city and county the best.

Our community is full of excitement as you see new beginnings happening almost everywhere you go with the commercial and residential development taking place. Athens City Schools will soon open the new school. Our public works facility will soon move into the new offices that replaced a building over sixty-five years old. A new fire training facility will open soon to help train not only our firefighters, but county firefighters as well. Construction will soon begin on the new animal shelter named in honor of Larry Wallace.

As I finalize this writing, I see a new beginning while watching the Super Bowl. Patrick Mahomes is tackled late in the first half and gets up hobbling to the sideline. Things did not look good as the Eagles kicked a field goal at the end of the half to go ahead by ten points. But, the second half was a new beginning and things changed tremendously for the Chiefs in that last thirty minutes. Just like the Super Bowl, we are coming out of half time with our new beginning. I encourage everyone to

learn from the past, consider what can be done differently and start a positive new beginning for our community. I am ready to move forward and I am committed to help our community do this in a positive way. I challenge each of you to join with me.

Sincerely,

Mike Keith Interim City Manager/Director of Finance

New Public Works Building

the little FrenchRabbitryCottage

he house of identical twins Michelle and Danielle is an interesting place. To begin with, it has quite a few pets, and not just dogs and cats, although they have several of those as well, but also two mini pigs who wag their tails like dogs and four tropical birds, including a Cockatoo who likes to dance to the theme song of Barney the Purple Dinosaur. In the past they’ve owned even stranger pets including sugar gliders, ferrets, and even two pet foxes who would lick their owners’ faces for kisses.

But the main attraction is the dozens of rabbits they have bred over the last nine years as part of their business, the Little French Cottage Rabbitry. It’s this that has brought me to their house for an interview, and rarely has my job been so fluffy. Michelle

leads me out a door of her house into a rabbit village—seventeen candy-colored hutches that look like Victorian-themed doll houses, clustered together like a town square under a shade of a tarped roof.

“Each [rabbit] has a big cage so they can go up and down and socialize,” Michelle explains in her Michigan accent. “We put toys in there. We try to make it exciting for them. Enriching.”

She introduces me to her furry friends. “This is Camelot,” she says motioning to a black and white bunny with big, blue eyes. “That’s Juliet; she’s real pretty. And then—look how pretty his eyes are—that’s Romeo.”

She takes out some for me to hold, including a tiny rabbit with wild fur who sits quietly in my arms as I pet her. Michelle explains that this one isn’t for sale—she’s too cute.

Back inside, I sit with Michelle opposite her leopard print couch. To her right, a green parrot eyes me with suspicion—he doesn’t

like men, Michelle later explains. To my left, inside a small alcove, a stuffed fox with bunny ears sits in a miniature rocking chair, and on the shelf above, a plaque reads, “The best things in life are furry.”

Michelle lives here with her sister Danielle—a world-traveler who has been to all seven continents—and Michelle’s teenage kids, Paris and Pierce, all of whom are out of the house at the moment. I ask her how she became a rabbit breeder.

It all started when they met their friend’s blue-eyed rescue rabbit Sapphire in 2014 and were amazed at how friendly she was, acting “like a dog or a cat,” and letting people pet her, Michelle explains. She was a “calm, sweet rabbit that cheered people up.” Their friend was looking for a new home for Sapphire, and the twins were more than happy to oblige. Michelle’s kids, who were young at the time, also loved their new pet. And after seeing Sapphire, all their friends wanted a rabbit like her, but before the twins could provide, they had to find Sapphire a mate.

One day Michelle and Dannielle’s mom was in Stein Mart and overheard a worker talking about owning blue-eyed bunny. She told this to the twins who thought this could be the perfect mate for Sapphire. Her mom hadn’t caught the woman’s name, so Michelle, summoning her courage and fighting the urge to blush, walked into Stein Mart and loudly asked, “Is there a lady here that owns a white rabbit with blue eyes?”

Naturally, the lady wasn’t there that day, and Michelle had to come back tomorrow to meet her and ask if she could borrow her rabbit to breed. At first, the lady was hesitant to hand over her beloved pet, but eventually she agreed to let Michelle borrow him for a week. This is how Sapphire first met her mate, Buddy Bunn Bunn, and soon they had their first litter.

From that pair—one a rescue rabbit and the other found randomly in the owner’s yard— came the twins’ signature line of beautiful blue-eyed rabbits with black fur around their eyes like eyeliner. These rabbits are popular enough that people have come from all over the country to buy them. Michelle emphasized how personable rabbits can be, hopping right up to their owners. As an example, she told me about giving a bunny to her daughter’s modeling agent; that bunny wakes its owner every morning by hopping on her bed and kissing her cheek.

Michelle emphasized that Sapphire is a pet, not a source of income, and they’d only let her breed twice per year. They hold new baby rabbits from as soon as they’re an hour old to make sure they’re socialized.

Rabbit breeding is more of a hobby than a job and both twins work as physical therapists. They’ve considered stopping, but people keep wanting bunnies, and the joy in the kids’ eyes keeps them going.

AT THE ARTS CENTER IN ATHENS

Spring

Exciting Events from the Arts Center in Athens

Color Is My Middle Name: An Exhibit by Paul Fontana

Wednesday, March 22nd through Monday, May 1st

This exhibit by artist Paul Fontana is available to the public for free. The opening reception is on Friday, March 31st, 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Stained Glass Classes

Wednesdays from March 22nd through April 26th, 4 to 8 p.m.

Students will learn the techniques and skills to make their own stained-glass creations. All materials included. Please Register by March 17th, and see their website for more details.

Friday, March 24th through Saturday, March 25th

Do you remember being swept away by the deep, smooth voices of Elvis and Dean Martin? Do you melt when Nat King Cole’s pitch perfect baritone envelops you? Maybe

The expanded Arts Center is slated for completion in 2023 thanks to the generous support of our Capital Campaign donors.

you just love the style and music of that era. Directed by Dave Siklosi, our local crooners will take you back with the swoon-worthy tunes made famous by male vocalists in the 1950s.

Elements of Composition

Thursdays from April 6th through Thursday, May 4th

work created by the H ♥ART Gallery artist collective, focusing on the theme of H ♥ART and how it ties to the desire/need to create art. The artists of the H ♥ART Gallery are those in our community who are experiencing homelessness, living with intellectual or physical disabilities, those in recovery, political refugees, veterans, and other underserved populations. The opening reception is on Friday May 12th at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, March 31st, 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Taylor Ashton is a Canadian singer and songwriter living in Brooklyn. He spent the first half of his twenties on the road across Canada as frontman of the band Fish & Bird before moving to New York to work on a new set of songs and a new chapter of life. His music takes influence from the cosmic emotionality of Joni Mitchell, the sage vulnerability of Bill Withers, the humor and heartbreak of Randy Newman, and old-time and Celtic folk music. Alternately accompanying himself on clawhammer banjo and electric guitar, Taylor croons poignantly clever lyrical insights while effortlessly gliding between a Bill Callahanesque baritone to a Thom Yorke-like falsetto. His full-length debut album “The Romantic” was released in early 2020, followed by a companion EP “Romanticize” featuring remixes, reimaginings, and new songs. His songwriting appears on albums by Watkins Family Hour, the Brother Brothers, Benjamin Lazar Davis and others, and he has released singles with Aoife O’Donovan, The Fretless, and Aerialists, as well as a moody acoustic duo record in 2018 with songwriter & guitarist Courtney Hartman.

Do you have prior watercolor experience? Maybe you’ve taken a beginner watercolor class and you’re ready to take your paintings to the next level. This class will focus on projects and instruction to develop strong paintings that emphasize the use of color, line, and value. You’ll need to bring your own materials, but painting boards will be available to use in class. Please register by April 3.

Evening with the Stars

Friday, May 12nd, 7:30 to 10 p.m.

American Patchwork Quartet

Friday, May 19th 7:30 to 10 p.m.

The Little Prince

Friday, April 21st through Sunday, April 30th

This ACT Children’s Theatre Production is a theatrical adaptation of the enchanting encounter between a world-weary aviator and an extraordinary traveler.

Art from the HEART

Thursday, May 4th through Friday, June 23rd

Art from the H ♥ART is an exhibit of

NYC-based American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) is on a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music. Grammy-nominated vocalist Falu Shah, Grammy-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, 3x Grammy-winning drummer Clarence Penn, and highly acclaimed bassist Yasushi Nakamura showcase the dynamic diversity of contemporary culture by reimagining timeless songs from America’s past.

The Arts Center 320 North White Street Athens, TN, 37303 423-745-8781

AthensArtsCouncil.org

Taylor Ashton Trio

The Bearded Iris

STATE FLOWER

TENNESSEE

I The Bearded Iris

have been hesitant to write about the Bearded Iris (Iris). Years ago, I went to a symposium that featured a lady from the Iris Society who knew everything there was to know about Irises. She had hosted the National Iris Plant Society convention at her home in Atlanta where she proudly displayed her beautiful flowers. She had each plant tagged, labeled and had a backup diagram listing again each variety with its Latin name just in case a label got mixed up. After listening for three hours I knew that I was a total novice to the Iris community, but My lack of knowledge did not stop me from successfully growing this hardy regal plant.

This is the Tennessee State flower, and I have grown irises since my arrival to the Volunteer state. All irises bear flowers with six petals of which three point up or out (called standards) and three point down (called falls). All Bearded Irises have fuzzy beards at the top of each fall. Tall Bearded Irises have 4 to 8 inch wide blooms atop plants that are about two feet tall. These are the most popular and most colorful irises and are a common sight each spring.

There are more than 300 cultivars from which to choose and more are being introduced each year. Flowers come in colors from white (one of my favorites), pale

Tennessee State Flower.

yellow, peach, pink, raspberry, bronze-red, lilac, purple, violet-blue, brown and redblack. I have one named ‘hello darkness,’ that has a purple-black flower with a purple beard; it is rich and velvety.

Bearded Irises like full sun and average to rich soil, which is well drained. They have thick fleshy rhizomes and are drought tolerant once established. Bearded Irises need dividing after three to four years, so don’t go out and buy plants if you have any friends or relatives that are growing irises. They will be glad to share with you. Divide them anytime after they finish blooming until August. Irises go dormant during the hot dry summer.

plants looks ragged near the base where the caterpillar first begins chewing. In late summer clean up any brown foliage. In the spring spray the lower half of the plants with an approved insecticide to kill the emerging larvae.

Lift the entire clump from the ground, then break or cut apart the rhizomes. You should discard old rhizomes from the center sections. Make sure each piece is equipped with roots and leaf blades. This is my favorite part: plant them shallow with the top edge of the rhizome protruding out of the ground and the fan of leaves trimmed to about four inches. Replanting is so easy. If you have several different cultivars, you can write the selection name or color on the leaf blade with a felt-tip pen.

A problem that you have to watch for is iris borers. They make small pinholes in the rhizome. Borers enter the foliage and then work their way in and out of the rhizome. Watch for leaves turning yellow, dripping sap and dying plants. Leaves of infected

I have given irises to most of my friends, and I still need to divide. After having this plant for 40 years and dividing every five (I always wait too long). I have given away, thrown away, replanted and even shared them with the goats. This is definitely a plant that thrives with little care.

Hosta

Perfect For A Shade Garden.

My first Hostas were left behind plants. When we moved to the farm, I discovered them protruding from the ground around an old milk barn. I had never grown hosta and neither had my mother so this was a new plant for me. I carefully moved them to a more prominent location. The same plants are still thriving.

Hostas (Hosta) are among the top plants for a shade garden. They are a long-lived, easy to grow, perennial. These lush mounds of foliage can be as small as 2 inches or more than 3 feet high. Hosta comes in a diverse range of color and patterns. Leaf color can be chartreuse, blue-gray, blue-green, green and variegated plants have touches of white, cream and yellow. Leaves can be heart-shaped, nearly round or lance shaped. There are hundreds of plants from which to choose, and breeders add new ones each year. If you are just getting started with hosta, the old tried and true are the easiest for beginners. I have a common green and a few “Royal Standards”. When you get leftovers, they are not usually the gardeners’ prize possession.

Hostas will tolerate a large range of soil conditions but grow best in medium to full shade in evenly moist soil that is rich in organic matter. Shade is a necessity here in Tennessee where the summers are long and hot. They are clumping in form and will keep their colors best when planted in a cool shady spot that receives good light but no direct sun. Flowers are of little importance; foliage shape and color are the reasons to grow this plant.

They can be moved in the garden at anytime of the year when the ground can be worked. Before planting, dig the soil deep and amend with compost. Spring is the perfect time to move them. Like houseplants, brown edges on the leaves are a sign of lack of water.

When planting give your Hostas room to grow. A good rule is space plants as far apart as their height at maturity. Hostas are divided into large, medium and small just like tee shirts. You can decide which size best suits your garden.

These leafy plants emerge late in spring and make a great companion planting in beds with hardy spring bulbs. They require little care to look their best. Division is not necessary; they don’t die out in the center and rarely become crowded. Mulching in the spring will keep down weeds and keep the soil moist and cool. Keep mulch away from the stalk to minimize problems with rotting. If slugs are a problem, it’s best not to mulch at all. You can cut the leaves after the first hard frost.

Other shade loving plants in our area are ferns, bleeding heart and hellebores. Jacob’s ladder and Virginia bluebells are also natural companions. Hostas are most striking when planted in large drifts. They also work well as ground covers and edging. They can be grown successfully in containers.

Voles, chipmunks and rodents love the fleshy crowns and roots of Hostas. I have put several in containers, trying to keep voles at bay. Slugs still climbed up the pots and munched on my leaves. Now we have had an extremely cold December, and plants in pots always freeze harder than those in the ground. I hope the roots did not totally freeze, or I will be back to my original left behind plants.

Gayle Fisher

MASTER GARDENER

UNPRECEDENTED DURABILITY

Our proprietary, Color Lock® technology makes Aura® exterior paint unlike any other. Aura’s superior, one-coat performance is like applying two coats of conventional paint. Plus, it dries faster and delivers a smooth, durable finish that lasts year after year, even in the most challenging outdoor environments.

Come

Paints, Hardware, Plants & More... Served With A Smile.

Growing your own garden should be simple, accessible, and attainable. With over a century of experience growing fresh, quality plants, we want to be your go-to partner in successfully growing delicious, fresh food, right at home.

Monday - Friday 7am - 6pm

Saturday 8am - 6pm

Closed Sundays

McMinn County Schools Leads The Way In Public Education

Located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, McMinn County Schools is a public school system comprised of ten communitybased schools serving approximately 5,000 students ranging from preschool through high school. With 840 employees district-wide, McMinn County Schools is the second largest employer in McMinn County. McMinn County Schools serves students in seven elementary schools, two high schools, and one Career Technical Education Center. Earning the highest distinction for academic growth from the state as a Level 5 District for the last two years, we currently rank 21st out of 147 public school districts in Tennessee based on academic growth in our district. In addition, the district boasts five Level 5 Reward schools which include E.K. Baker, Englewood, Mountain View, Rogers Creek, and Central High School. To obtain Level 5 Reward School status, schools are required to demonstrate high levels of performance and/or improvement in performance across various state designated indicators. As demonstrated by these distinctions, McMinn County Schools is leading the way in public education.

McMinn County Schools provides a rigorous, well-rounded education in an environment where all students are welcomed and valued. High-quality, engaging educational experiences are provided for all students which prepare them for college experiences and workforce careers while developing a mindset of ongoing learning.

Highly educated, certified employees create classrooms and other learning environments that build positive relationships, foster student collaboration, engage in productive struggle, promote deep thinking, and carry the expectation that every student will be successful. Small student to teacher ratios provide opportunities for highly individualized instruction for all students. In addition to the regular instructional program, our support staff are instrumental in carrying out the daily operations of the school system. Higher educational opportunities are promoted throughout our students’ educational careers. The district partners with two local colleges to offer dual enrollment classes for secondary students which allows them to earn college credit while still enrolled in high school. In preparation for postsecondary careers, students are also provided with the opportunity to obtain industry certifications, which gives rise to additional employment opportunities for our students.

To develop wellrounded students, McMinn County Schools provides a multitude of opportunities for students to be engaged in areas of interest. These areas include extracurricular activities,

a strong fine arts program, competitive athletic programs which often qualify with state rankings, and several organized club opportunities. Students are also offered extended learning opportunities through after school tutoring and summer learning programs. To assist students in being successful in an increasingly technological world, McMinn County Schools has made a major investment in technology. The district is on the cutting edge of the 1:1 model for students meaning that all students have access to individual

electronic devices ranging from laptops to iPads. Every classroom is also equipped with an interactive panel and a sound amplification system to aid in day-today instruction. In a continued effort to support the whole child, McMinn County Schools is also proud to be able to offer free breakfast, lunch, and transportation to all students.

Above and beyond the annual operational budget, McMinn County Schools is also the recipient of 47 grants totaling more than $25 million. These grants provide additional funds in the areas of Title 1, special education, school safety,

coordinated school health, career and technical education and much more. Most recently, McMinn County Schools was the recipient of a $5.5 million Innovative Schools Model competitive grant to promote student workforce readiness

and the Career and Technical Education program from middle school through high school.

McMinn County Schools and the McMinn County Board of Education are currently working alongside the county commission to begin undertaking a renovation project which will provide much needed improvements to our community-based schools. With its longstanding presence in the small communities that comprise McMinn County, McMinn County Schools is looking forward to a bright and prosperous future.

From the Office of the McMinn County Director of Schools

The Restoration Artist

One mark of good artists is the ability to make you care about something in which you had no prior interest, drawing you in with their passion for their work. This was how I felt as Cheryl Willhoit showed me her hand-painted furniture on display in her store Sweet & Sassy in Madisonville. I knew nothing about furniture, and during our interview, Cheryl had to clarify the names of different types of furniture—vanities, buffet servers, bombe chests, all practically a foreign language to me—to make sure I got the terminology correct in the article. But an artist like Cheryl doesn’t rely on prior knowledge of or interest in her subject; rather, she creates that interest, delighting to share her fervent passion, smiling broadly.

For her business, she searches out old pieces of furniture—something you would walk past in a store without a second glance—then restores and paints them, transforming them into something eye-catching and beautiful.

“This is my happy place,” Cheryl said. “To me, sitting down with that piece right there, figuring out what color it wants to be... Furniture kind of tells me how it wants to look. It’s like an outfit with jewelry.”

She continued, saying, “When you first start painting something, it’s just paint; it’s ugly. But once you start adding all the little details and the embellishments and gold foil or silver foil... You just hear that piece singing; it’s happy again.”

To create a beautiful piece, Cheryl first has to find the right canvas—that is, the right piece of furniture to paint. Her search begins in thrift stores or on websites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace where perhaps one in a hundred catch her eye. Usually, she and her husband have to pick it up themselves. Sometimes that means renting a U-Haul, and sometimes that means driving as far as Montgomery, Alabama and back with half a desk sticking out from the bed of their truck.

Cheryl had been painting furniture before opening Sweet & Sassy. She would sell it to an antique store, but when the pandemic hit, that store closed. This was a problem as she had a huge investment in paint—and wasn’t particularly excited to tell her husband how huge an investment—so on March 1st of 2021, she convinced him to open a store selling her furniture. Despite opening in the middle of the pandemic, Sweet & Sassy was a huge success, and within five months, they had to expand to a larger store.

Cheryl encourages people to buy restored furniture pieces instead of new ones. Not only is this often cheaper, but old furniture is usually made from real wood whereas new pieces are often not. Occasionally however older pieces require some modifications for safety. For example, Cheryl showed me a cedar chest she was working on that was originally airtight and locked automatically when closed. This means that a child could get trapped inside and be unable to escape. To prevent this, Cheryl always pops the lock out of pieces like this.

“Cedar chests, if you ever pick one up at a yard sale, pop the lock out, especially if it’s a Lane cedar chest,” she recommended. “You can call Lane and they will send you a new lock.”

The dresser below was bought by a couple from Phoenix, Arizona. The man saw this piece and was immediately enraptured. His wife asked Cheryl if she’d take a lower price for it, but before Cheryl could answer, the man responded, “No she will not. That is art.” The couple bought it and rented a U-Haul to take it back to Phoenix. A few months later, the man called Cheryl and asked if she wanted to paint a China cabinet. She said sure and two or three weeks later, he brought her the most beautiful China cabinet she’d ever seen. Cheryl asked what color he wanted it, but he wouldn’t give instructions—she’d done well on the other piece, and he wanted to leave the virtuoso to her work.

While visiting her shop, Cheryl showed me her storage space two doors down. Inside, two dozen furniture pieces lay partially disassembled in various stages of completion. The creative chaos reminded me of my own writing process where I usually start several pieces and work on them simultaneously.

CHERYL WILLHOIT’S HAND PAINTED FURNITURE AND BEAUTIFUL GIFT SHOP

This storage space is where Cheryl keeps furniture that people have already bought but not been able to take yet, often because they’re about to move into a new home. She also stores custom pieces customers have commissioned. But this isn’t where she does her work—that honor is reserved for her “She Shed” back home.

I asked Cheryl if she had something she considered her masterpiece, and she showed me these before and after photos of the light blue secritary display cabinet. Her husband had to drive all the way to Atlanta to get it. If you want to buy it, it’s unfortunately too late. All her hand-painted pieces are one-of-a-kind, so once they’ve been bought, they’re gone.

If you get the opportunity to visit Sweet & Sassy, there’s one additional feature that stands out— a display in the back corner designed to look like the porch and front door of an old wooden cabin.

Specifically, it’s Cheryl’s grandmother’s cabin, where she and her siblings spent many hours as children when their parents were at work. The door even opens with a nostalgic squeak, and every time Cheryl hears it, she remembers her grandmother—sweet and tender but firm—calling out, “Don’t slam that door!”

THESE RECIPES ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY INGLES, STARTED IN 1963 BY ROBERT P. INGLE AND COMMITTED TO THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE.

FARM TO TABLE

n order to bring the freshest produce available to his customers Elmer Ingle used to visit local farmers in the early mornings, picking up only the best. Today, the store and the people look a little different but the produce doesn’t… everywhere you look the Ingles produce department has the freshest and the tastiest produce available, from local farmers just like Elmer and from around the world. Making sure you have the less traveled – best selection. We have an excellent variety of organic selections and a fresh produce prep area where we can core a pineapple, cut watermelon or put together the perfect combination of fresh vegetables for you, all with knowledgeable and friendly associates ready to help. Next time you visit your neighborhood Ingles, take a little more time to notice how much the tradition of the highest standards still remains with every fruit and vegetable.

INGLES….EXPECT MORE FROM YOUR LOCAL STORE.

VEGETABLE PIZZA

by Jasmin Queen

Make this delicious cold pizza a few days in advance and keep it in the refrigerator!

Serves: 12

Ingredients

2 (8 oz.) cans crescent dough sheets or crescent roll dough

2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened

2⁄3 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced

1 cup broccoli, chopped

1 cup cauliflower, chopped

1 cup orange bell pepper, sliced

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1/2 cup green onions, sliced

1 cup shredded cheddar

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 12x18 pan with nonstick spray. Unroll crescent dough sheet and press dough into bottom of pan, sealing all seams. Bake 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. In a small bowl, blend cream cheese, mayonnaise, and dill. Spread mixture evenly over crust. Top the crust evenly with vegetables, olives, and cheese. Cut into squares and refrigerate until ready to serve.

www.ingles-markets.com/recipes/vegetable-pizza

SWEET AND SPICY CROCKPOT PORK

by Clark and Suzy Neal with Unicoi Preserves

Ingredients

1 large onion, peeled and cut into wedges

7 lb. pork butt, fat cap scored salt and pepper

3 tbsp. chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped

2 tbsp. Laura Lynn brown sugar

2 (12 oz.) cans Laura Lynn Dr. Lynn soda

Directions

Place onion in the bottom of a crockpot. Generously salt and pepper all sides of the pork butt, then place pork on top of onion in crockpot. Add chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and brown sugar, then pour over both cans of Dr. Lynn soda. Cook on high for 1 hour, then reduce to low, and cook until meat is tender and easily shreds, approximately 6 hours. Cooking time depends on the size of the roast and your crockpot. Remove meat to sheet pan, shred, and discard fat. Skim fat off cooking liquid, then return shredded meat to crockpot cooking liquid, serve warm. Alternatively, when meat is done, refrigerate meat and cooking liquid, then remove hardened fat once cold. Reheat on stove top and serve.

No crockpot, no problem! You can cook this roast in the oven at 300°F in a large, tightly covered Dutch oven, 6 hours or until meat easily shreds with two forks. This pork recipe is really versatile. Try filling grilled tortillas with leftover pork, cabbage, tomatoes, and cilantro for a delicious second meal.

www.ingles-markets.com/recipes/sweet-and-spicy-crockpot-pork

GRILLED CHICAGO STYLE HOT DOG

by Smokin’ Joe Lasher

Ingredients

1 all beef hot dog

1 poppy seed hot dog bun

1 tbsp. prepared yellow mustard

1 tbsp. sweet green pickle relish

1 tbsp. onion, chopped

2 tomato wedges

1 dill pickle spear

2 pepperoncini

1 dash celery salt

Directions

Prepare a clean grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Cook hot dog over direct heat, turning regularly, until desired doneness. During last 30 seconds, toast bun, cut side down, over direct heat. Place hot dog on bun with two tomato wedges on one side and dill pickle spear on other side. Add mustard, two pepperoncini, chopped onion, pickle relish and a generous dash of celery salt and serve warm.

www.ingles-markets.com/recipes/

SHEET PAN JAMAICAN JERK TOFU

by Scott Culpepper

Ingredients

Spicy Jalapeño

Infused Margarita

Ingredients

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced

1 1/2 large sweet potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 large sweet apples, cored and cut into bite-sized pieces

1 medium red onion, cut into small wedges

2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 (16 oz.) containers firm tofu

4 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp. Jamaican jerk seasoning (dry rub), divided

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a bowl, combine olive oil, apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp. jerk seasoning, garlic, and ginger. Drain tofu and cut into 1/2 inch strips. Sprinkle the remaining jerk seasoning over the tofu strips.

Combine vegetables and apples together in a large mixing bowl.

Pour marinade over the mixture and mix to coat. Pour mixture onto a large baking sheet and place tofu on top, mostly in the center of the dish. Bake on the center rack for 40 minutes or until sweet potatoes are cooked through, stirring vegetables half way through. Serve. Fill tortillas with leftovers for a second meal!

www.ingles-markets.com/recipes/sheet-pan-jamaican-jerk-tofu

1⁄3 cup ice, or as needed

3 oz. jalapeño-infused tequila

2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 oz. triple sec

1 oz. simple syrup chile lime salt

1 lime wedge

2 jalapeño slices mint, for garnishing

Directions

1. Place chile salt on a plate. Run the lime wedge around the edge of the glass and dip into the chile lime salt.

2. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and simple syrup. Cover and shake until mixed and chilled. Strain margarita into glass.

www.ingles-markets.com

A SPICY TWIST ON A REFRESHINGLY DELICIOUS CLASSIC!

GRILLED TUNA WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

By Scott Culpepper

This salsa is great with almost any grilled fish. It also makes a great salsa for chips. Also, it’s great either at room temperature or chilled.

Ingredients

4 6-8 oz. tuna steaks

2 cups fresh pineapple, diced

1 cup red pepper, diced 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped

3 tbsp. jalapeño pepper, finely chopped, stemmed and seeded

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lime, juiced salt, to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, except tuna steaks, mix thoroughly and season with salt to taste. Set aside or chill in the refrigerator. Season tuna.

www.ingles-markets.com/recipes/grilled-tuna-with-pineapple-salsa

DILLED RED POTATOES & PEAS

By Kelli Smith & Erin Barnett The Southern Table

Ingredients

1 cup grapefruit sections

1 cup vanilla yogurt

1 tsp. grated lime zest

1 tbsp. honey fresh mint leaves additional honey, for drizzling on top

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix yogurt, lime zest, and honey. Alternate layers of yogurt and grapefruit into a glass. Drizzle with honey and top with mint. Switch up the fruit for a totally different treat!

Since 1857, Tennessee Wesleyan University has been providing quality Christian education to students in Athens, Tennessee. They boast an 11:1 student to faculty ratio and an 87% job placement rate within 6 months of graduation. For students who don’t want to stray far from home, TWU is a great option for a local education.

Tennessee Wesleyan’s New President

On July 1, Tennessee Wesleyan University hired a new president—Dr. Tyler Forrest who was previously the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration for UT Chattanooga. Dr. Forrest is an Athens native, and he graduated from McMinn County High School. He has big shoes to fill, following

previous president Dr. Harley Knowles, but Dr. Forrest is up for the challenge.

He described the past several months at TWU as “one of the greatest experiences of [his] professional life.” He explained that TWU touches a lot of areas beyond just Athens and McMinn County—from Polk, Bradley, and Hamilton Counties in the South; Monroe County in the East; Meigs County in the West; to Loudon, Knox, and Blount Counties in the North.

Dr. Forrest said, “We really do touch the region, which is one of the most exciting things for me because I’ve always been a proponent of rural America and pushing rural growth.” Dr. Forrest has a wife, Emily, and two children, Caroline and Benjamin, and he’s glad to be living and working in his hometown.

“I’ve always been an Athens guy,” he said. “The Athens community is a great place to be—there’s a lot going on here, it’s a wonderful place to raise a family, it has a terrific school system, and I do think having Tennessee Wesleyan University right in the middle of it is probably one of the biggest pluses that we have… What we can do for the local economy and the region is something we really do focus on every day.”

One of his former colleagues at UT Chattanooga said, “This is a bittersweet transition at UTC because we are all so proud of Dr. Forrest and grateful for what he has meant to this institution. He has not only been an extremely effective leader but a friend, and he is a model of what our institution represents… This is a wonderful opportunity for TWU and the Forrests, and we wish them the very best.” Dr. Forrest has a Ph.D. in Learning and Leadership, an MBA, and a B.A. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

TWU is in the process of rolling out an expedited program starting next fall which will give students the option of earning their degree in just three years instead of four. Nursing is a difficult job, but with shortages across the country, they’re needed now more than ever.

New Graduate Programs

TWU also plans to launch new graduate programs in the near future— a Master of Science in Education, a Master of Science in Project Management, and a Master of Science in Sports Leadership.

Tennessee Wesleyan University has many wonderful programs including their nursing department. They also have a nursing campus in West Knoxville.

www.tnwesleyan.edu

Tennessee Wesleyan’s Nursing Department In Athens and Farragut

TWU’s Dental Hygiene program is designed to give students an entry-level bachelor of science in dental hygiene. The Class of 2021 boasted a 100% pass rate on the clinical and written board exams. Dr. Forrest described it as, “one of our most successful programs.”

Tennessee Wesleyan’s Dental Hygiene Program

The men’s lacrosse team, ranked No. 7 in the NAIA, went on the road for the first time this season. The schedule took the Bulldogs on the road to face the Point University Skyhawks in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) game

The baseball team, ranked No. 3 in the NAIA, closed the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) series against the Columbia International University Rams.

TWU SPORTS

If you love sports, you’ll be excited to know that TWU has 20 sports teams! The Bulldogs are competitive too, garnering multiple conference and national championships in men’s and women’s sports. In fact, two baseball players signed major league contracts in 2022 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Several sports are included in the top ten national rankings including Softball, Baseball, and Men’s and Women’s Tennis. In March, 2023, Paige Manney won the NAIA National Championship in the Triple Jump and earned All-American honors in other track events.

WHAT DEGREES DOES TWU OFFER?

UPCOMING EVENTS

Preview Day

March 28, 2023

Accepted Student Open House

April 26, 2023

Undergraduate Degrees:

• Biology: General Biology

• Biology: Environmental Science

• Biology: Pre-professional

• Biology: Secondary Education

• Business Administration: Accounting

• Business Administration: Digital Marketing

• Business Administration: Finance

• Business Administration: General Management

• Business Administration: Healthcare Management

• Business Administration: Human Resource Management

• Business Administration: Industrial Management

• Business Administration: International Business

• Business Administration: Marketing

• Chemistry: General Chemistry

• Chemistry: Environmental Science

• Master of Arts in Teaching (Partially Online)

• Chemistry: Pre-professional

• Chemistry: Secondary Education

• Christian Ministry

• Communication Studies

• Creative Writing

• Criminal Justice

• Criminal Justice: Professional Leadership in Criminal Justice*

• Criminal Justice: Forensic Science

• Dental Hygiene

• Early Childhood Education

• Elementary Education

• Engineering Science

• English

• English: Secondary Education

• Exercise Science

• Fine Arts

• History

• History: Secondary Education

• Management (ME program) (Online)

• Mathematics

Graduate Degrees:

• Master of Business Administration

• Mathematics: Secondary Education

• Music

• Music: K-12 Licensure

• Nursing (Located in Knoxville)

• Nursing (RN to BSN) (Online)

• Physical Education

• Physical Education: K-12 Licensure

• Pre-occupational Therapy

• Pre-physical Therapy

• Pre-seminary

• Psychology

• Psychology: Sports Psychology

• Public Health

• Religion and Philosophy

• Secondary Education

• Social Sciences

• Social Work

• Sociology

• Special Education

• Sport Management

• Master of Occupational Therapy

• Master of Science in Nursing (Online)

A Beautiful Farragut Garden

In June of 2022, Mary and Michael Bates’s beautiful home garden was selected by the Dogwood Arts Festival as a featured garden. It’s the first thing you see pulling into their subdivision, a tall brick house encircled by beds of shrubs, flowers and greenery dotted by bright and vivid colors. These circular beds are placed regularly amid the grass lawn. One particular patch of flowers catches my eye—splotches of purple, not spread in a bloom but twisting up like thin whisps of smoke.

Started in 1993, the owners have had 30 years to prefect the garden—and their work shows. A path through the flower beds leads under a metal arch entangled with vines and into the back yard which looks more like a public park. A stone statue in one flower bed depicts a young child playing a flute. To the side, a separate wooden arch marks the beginning of a stone path straight out of a fairytale.

The bright day grows dim as I step into the shade of the trees. There are dozens and they stretch up a hundred feet, enveloping the entire back yard in a twilight canopy. You could almost forget that there is a subdivision and other houses beyond the encircling green, and indeed, the other homes are hidden, and it looks like you have found the entrance to a forest that stretches for miles. It envelops you; the outside world is gone.

Mary’s answers to commonly asked questions about the garden:

When did you start gardening?

Being an East Tennessee native, I grew up on a working farm and have always loved gardening and growing plants. Our garden was established with many perennials and East Tennessee pass-along plants and wildflowers from my mothers and grandmothers garden before we fell in love with roses.

What do you consider a perfect garden?

I like for a garden to look like it just grows naturally and no work ever has to be done which we all know is not the case. I also like to have something in bloom all the time. It gives me a reason to be outside to see what is new.

I notice you have a lot of shade. How do you grow roses?

My Grandmother taught me to watch how the sun passes over the garden and to plant the roses in spots with the most sun. Most of my roses are planted in the sunny front and side gardens. I also often say if you grow roses in shady conditions you can expect to work twice as hard for half the blooms. Roses will grow with just a few hours of sun if you amend the soil but don’t plant under the canopy of a tree unless you are growing ramblers which like to grow into the tree.

You mix other plants with roses. Do you recommend mixed planting?

Be careful with mixing roses with companion plantings. Most plantings are too aggressive for the roses. I think it is better to get your roses growing really well before even thinking about adding other plants to the bed. My roses are planted in 3 ft V-shaped deep holes with rock in the bottom 10 inches for drainage. Many of the plantings that slip into my rose beds are dropped by the birds but if the roses are happy, they will grow.

You use leaves to mulch. Why do you do that and do you chop them up?

We have LOTS of leaves in the fall so I just use them to mulch and define the beds. Sometimes the leaves are a foot deep in the beds in the fall but by the next August the earthworms have turned them into rich soil. We just blow them into the beds, distribute them evenly throughout the bed but do not chop them. The perennials, woodland wildflowers and bulbs will grow up through the leaves in the spring. We usually don’t use leaves in the rose beds.

Your soil looks so rich. What do you do for your roses?

Our soil is yellow, sticky clay so all the beds have to be amended. The leaves take care of all the beds except for the roses. Each year we winterize the roses with shredded pine bark heaped around the roses and in February we add a very thick layer of aged horse manure.

Your roses are not in raised beds. Why do you plant your roses in flat beds? Primarily because it is easier to form a bed flat on the ground. We have found by planting the roses in the ground they can withstand the summer heat and the winter cold better as the deep holes keep them insulated. Our roses are all planted in very deep holes and the bed itself is slightly

elevated by adding pine bark and aged horse manure so we just edge the beds with a weed eater. Our inspiration comes from the gardens of New Zealand as this is a common practice there.

How old is your garden?

This garden was established in 1993 and has grown slowly over the years. Many of the plants have naturalized into drifts which bloom at different times of the year

What are your favorite plants?

My favorite is always what is in bloom. I love how the garden changes over the course of the year. From the early spring woodland plants, each season brings something new. Hydrangeas and roses are among my favorites. The roses are the powerhouses of the garden as they have such a long bloom

time. My roses bloom from April until late November so that is a long time.

You have a lot of plants. How did you ever plant so many?

Many of our plants naturalize by seed or underground runners so they form drifts on their own. We started small and amended our soil. I tried to always read the conditions that plants need to grow well.

To See This Year’s Dogwood Arts Featured Gardens Go To:

www.dogwoodarts.com/ featuredgardens

Mary Bates, is an American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian and Horticulture Judge For The Tennessee Rose Society

A New Bill Will Return a Tennessee Historical Site to the Cherokee

In November of 2021, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Eastern Band of Cherokee Historic Lands Reacquisition Act. This act would return 76 acres of land in Monroe County to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, a federally recognized tribe. Yet even though the bill passed the House with a vote of 407 to 16, receiving wide support from both parties, it has faced resistance in the Senate.

The land in question was controlled by the Overhill Cherokee for centuries until they were forced off of it in the 1800s. Today there are multiple recognized Cherokee tribes including the Eastern Band in North Carolina. Their official website states, “Cherokee is a sovereign nation, meaning it has its own laws, elections, government, institutions, and the like. Though it certainly has relationships with the United States federal government and the North Carolina state government that are vitally important, students and the general population may be interested to know that the Cherokees are self-governed and autonomous.” The nation comprises around 57,000 acres and has about 14,000 members.

The 76 acres addressed in the bill is currently held by the TVA. It contains the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum which honors the man who invented the Cherokee writing system in 1821 and the sites of two important Cherokee towns—Chota and Tanasi, from which we get the name Tennessee. At different points in the 1700s, both towns served as the capital of the Cherokee Nation. Chief Oconastota, an important Cherokee leader in the 1700s, is also buried on the property. The land is already being run and maintained by the Eastern Band, but the TVA still owns it. The new act will put the land into a trust, protecting the Eastern Band’s rights to it.

The bill, introduced by Representative Chuck Fleischmann of Tennessee, is the latest of three attempts to pass this legislation, all three of which have been blocked in the Senate by Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, according to Gene Branson, a member of the Eastern Band and chair of the board with the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum. Branson is unsure why Senator Burr has not supported the bill, but he speculates that it could be due to Burr’s support for another group of Native Americans who have had some disagreements with the Cherokee.

Similarly, in an interview with WATE,

Representative Fleischmann said, “The problem, candidly, is one Senator in the United States Senate from North Carolina who refuses to allow this to come up for a vote.” Senator Burr retired in 2022, so perhaps the bill now has a better chance of being passed.

Representative Fleischmann described the act as, “…righting a terrible wrong when [the Cherokees’] land was forcibly taken from them by the federal government… The Cherokee People have a long, rich history on these lands, and it is the place where Cherokees have honored the birth and life of Sequoyah, one of the most influential and important Native Americans in history. I am humbled and thankful to play a part in ensuring the story of the Eastern Band is preserved and taught to future generations.”

Principal Chief Richard Sneed of the Eastern Band wrote, “Monroe County contains land that is culturally and historically important to the Cherokee people. While this bill faces a long legislative path ahead, I could not be prouder of the efforts to preserve and protect this important memorial for generations to come.”

When testifying before the Senate Committee

on Indian Affairs, Principal Chief Sneed also said, “These properties commemorate and interpret historic people like Sequoyah; towns such as the historic Cherokee capital, Chota; and the culture of the Cherokee during the period from the early 1700s to 1840 and are also associated with and interpret the Trail of Tears.”

Charlie Rhodarmer, manager and director of the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, explained that the TVA had promised to give this land to the Cherokee years ago, but this promise fell through the cracks and was forgotten for a long time. Rhodarmer also said that the TVA has “been very supportive and helped us with a number of projects.” He strongly supports this bill.

Rhodarmer also discussed how archeologists had found Cherokee remains at the Chota and Tanasi sites. They gave these to the Eastern Band who buried them in a sacred mound near the museum. Presently, the remains are buried on what is technically TVA ground, but if the bill passes, the land will return to the Eastern Band, and the remains will once again be in Cherokee soil, which would be culturally significant.

Gene Branson said, “It’s just very, very important to the Cherokees including myself. It’s something that should be done, it was promised to be done… and it’s the right thing to do.”

Island Beneath the Waters

There’s something magical about the past. We know that any romantic “simpler era” is as much a product of our nostalgia as it is historical fact. Yet something calls out to us from the ruins of ancient cities, artifacts of old eras, or, more recently, the grainy, slightly-damaged film of old cameras and the muted hues of old photographs.

I sit with Chad Chester and watch his three-minute silent home film from 1974. The setting is Carson Island also known as Calloway Island—a 250-acre, diamond-shaped slice of class one farmland in Monroe County. In an old photo, you can see the Little Tennessee River split to encircle the small island.

Chad’s shaky, handheld footage shows a truck hauling tons of lime. Chad and his family load it onto their home-built ferry and let the current slowly pull them towards Carson Island where they will spread the lime over the soil to raise its pH and make it more suitable for crops.

To Chad, this island is a special place. In 1974, it was owned by the TVA who planned to build Tellico Dam which would flood the island and a lot of other land—but the dam was still years away at this point. It was excellent farmland, which drew the attention of Chad and his family. They

decided to rent the island from the TVA in 1974, farming it for however long it took to complete the dam. They hoped that it would be enough time for them to make a profit. It would turn out to be a wise investment.

Chad; his father, Fredric; and his cousins, Eric and Joe, ended up farming the land for four years from 1974 to 1979, when the dam was completed. They primarily grew corn that they used to feed their livestock, but they also grew soybeans, wheat, and hay. Chad said it was the best land he had ever farmed.

One of the biggest challenges was building the massive 55-foot by 18-foot by 3-foot steel ferry to haul farm equipment and supplies across the frigid river. Thankfully, they didn’t have to start from scratch, but were able to enlarge the frame of an older ferry and add a steel bottom and a steel top. For practical reasons, they had to build most of it upside down. When they were done with the bottom, they had to spend all day flipping the tremendous hunk of metal which required great planning and care.

Chad’s most cherished memory of the place was in March of 1976 when he called his girlfriend, Margaret, and asked her if she wanted to ride the ferry to Carson Island. The current was good, and they soon arrived at the island, where Chad led Margaret to a large pecan tree along the riverbank. There, under the light of the full moon, he took her hand and asked her to marry him—the answer was yes!

In 1979, the island was flooded; it has become part of the riverbed. For a long time, Chad didn’t think that there were any aerial images of the island in existence. That is until one day when he and his wife were having some new flooring put down in their home.

One of the workers said, “I know you. I know your mom and dad, and I know the story about the ferry.”

“Really?” Chad asked.

“Yeah, your dad told me all about it. I know where there’s an aerial photo of the island.”

Chad’s eyes widened in surprise. He asked about the photo and learned it was hanging in a restaurant in Madisonville, so Chad stopped by, and sure enough—there it was. The photographer’s email was in the corner, and Chad reached out to him to get a copy of the image. He learned that the photographer, knowing the land was about to be flooded, had taken many pictures of the Tellico Project. He had stored all the negatives, but when he pulled them out, they had all been damaged. All except one— the picture of Carson Island. Chad bought three large prints of the image, one for himself and one for each of his sons.

Carson Island was the backdrop for many happy memories. Maybe we all have places like that—an old church, a childhood home that has since been torn down—places that hold a special magic for us, a magic all the more potent if it is somewhere to which we can never return.

Something calls out to us from the ruins of ancient cities, artifacts of bygone eras, and the muted hues of old photographs. They call to us not just because of their beauty but because they represent that which is irretrievably beyond our reach— the past. Places like Carson Island show us the power of the past and of nostalgia, joyous yet knife-like, painful, happy, and beautiful—a longing for a place that no longer exists. Watch

Pete Nelson’s Luxury Treehouses in Gatlinburg

Pete Nelson, host of Animal Planet’s popular show Treehouse Masters, has been building luxury treehouses for years including one for former professional basketball player Shaquille O’Neal. And now his work is available to rent nearby in Gatlinburg, TN.

In 2019, Nelson designed and built eight treehouses for a company called Treehouse Grove, and last summer he added another eight, for a total of 16 available to rent. They are located near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

If you’ve never seen Pete’s handiwork, it’s much cozier than you’d imagine for a treehouse. They have high-speed internet, air conditioning, and full bathrooms—like a condo built around a live tree.

Their newer treehouses are larger than their old ones, with 3-4 bedrooms holding 6-10 people, and they come with full kitchens, balcony platforms, and guest suites. All 16 are unique from each other with no duplicates. And speaking of unique, one of the new builds has a garage door in its bedroom. Guests will be able to raise it, allowing them to roll the bed out onto the balcony so they can take naps outside on sunny days.

I asked Joseph Ayres, owner of Treehouse Grove, what made him decide to go into the luxury treehouse business of all things. He answered, “Gatlinburg has always done short-term rentals. Everybody’s gone up to a cabin in the woods in Gatlinburg for decades… We started to look at what could set us apart…” Eventually, they thought,

“Everybody loves a treehouse, right? It kind of brings you to your childhood memories of either creating a fort in the backyard or playing around a tree. A lot of people had those experiences growing up.”

Ayres also spoke about the building process, saying it’s a lot different than building a cabin. He explained, “When you’re connecting to a live structure, you’re getting arborists involved and making sure the tree is stable and can support the loads it needs to support. It’s kind of like [going] to a structural engineer to [build the] foundation of your home, to make sure it’s going to be sturdy enough… Well, you do the same thing with these trees, and that’s kind of where Pete has the expertise. They’ve done all sorts of research over the last couple of decades through the University of Washington and a couple of other third parties… They know the different types of species of trees and the different diameters and how high you might be tapping into them and all that type of stuff—what the actual load can be. I was pretty impressed: a live tree can hold 50 to 75 thousand pounds.”

Additionally, they have to take into account the fact that the tree will keep growing. Because of this, they do maintenance every year.

Joseph Ayres is also the owner and developer of the WindRiver community.

CHARLES LEE

In January of 1943, my dad, Charles Lee— a 19-year-old farm boy—joined the Army Air Corps. The oldest of eight children, his family lived in Tellico Plains at the edge of the Cherokee National Forest.

He was trained to be a waist gunner and a flight engineer on a B-17 Bomber. From their base camp in Southern England, my dad and the rest of his crew began flying missions over Germany on their B-17 Bomber which they nicknamed the Smokey Stover, Jr. The men had to fly 25 missions before they could return home, but the average number of flights flown before getting shot down was five.

On May 12, 1944, in preparation for D-Day, the Army Air Corps launched one of the biggest air campaigns of the war for the purpose of bombing the German’s fuel

production facilities. There were 935 B-17s flying in the air from London on this date. Of the twenty-six planes in my dad’s squadron, only twelve returned. This was his sixth bombing mission and would be his last.

As he manned his waist gun, standing in front of a waist high opening in the plane in subzero weather, he saw a vapor trail at “two o’clock,” which was an indication of enemy aircraft. Soon after, he noticed the vapor trail at “one o’clock” and then nothing. This meant that the enemy fighter plane was banking and coming at them. The B-17’s companion fighter planes had been lured into a dogfight with other German fighter planes, leaving it with no protection.

As the German plane attacked, the Smokey Stover was hit and started going down. During the attack, my dad was shot and suffered wounds to his head, shoulder, back, and wrist. With the help of a fellow airman, he was able to bail out of the plane.

As he parachuted down, he saw a German fighter plane bank, turn, and come toward him as he spiraled to the ground. The plane came close enough for him to see the white scarf around the German pilot’s neck. They made eye contact, and the German pilot raised his hand in a respectful salute and then flew off with the rest of the German aircraft.

Soon after hitting the ground, he was captured by members of the German home guard. He was loaded onto a truck and taken to a jail in a small town outside of Frankfurt, Germany, where he was held in solitary confinement for 10 days, receiving no medical care for his serious injuries.

After this, my dad and the rest of his crew were put on a train and taken to a newlyopened prison camp in Poland called Stalag Luft 4.

His family was notified of his capture in late May of 1944.

Nearly 10,000 prisoners would eventually be held at Stalag 4. They were punished if they did not obey the rules. One day a prisoner jumped out of a window instead of going out the door for roll call and was shot and killed.

Food was mostly a soupy mixture of rotten cabbage and bread made from sawdust. Red Cross packages often were not delivered. The barracks were made for sixteen but usually contained twenty-five men, and there was very little heat. Most slept on the bare floor or on wood shavings, and here, in the dark, lonely hours of the night, they would wonder if they would ever see their families again.

My dad was never given anything to wear other than the bloodstained clothes he had on when he was captured. Due to his

Charles Lee’s official Army Air Corps photo

Taken in 1945 when Officers of Army Air Corps went to Tellico Plains to present Emma Lee with the Air Medal. Seated left to right Emma Lee, Clement Lee holding Katherine Plenge; standing left to right Louise Lee, J.D. Lee, and Jane Lee

untreated injuries and a subsequent battle with Hepatitis, he became very sick and only survived due to the persistence of his fellow prisoners helping him get up and walk each day.

The worst part of his incarceration was a ride with 60 other men in a cattle car. When the Russian Army was advancing toward this part of Poland overtaking the Germans, the Germans were forced to move all 10,000 prisoners to Stalag Luft 1 which was a camp in Barth, Germany, on the Baltic Coast. Those who were too sick to march the entire distance were loaded onto cattle cars.

It was very cold, and they had no coats. There was no food or water except for some watery cabbage soup and more of the bread made from sawdust. It was so cramped in the small boxcar that nearly everyone had to stand all day and all night. Most suffered from dysentery and other illnesses. They were not allowed out of the box car for ten long days.

Meanwhile back in Tellico Plains, representatives of the Army Air Corps presented Dad’s mother with the Air Medal at a somber ceremony at the family home. At this time, three of the four sons were away serving in the military.

On April 30, 1945, the German guards returned my dad’s personal possessions in a simple manila envelope, in the same condition as they were in when he was captured. That night the Germans fled the camp.

My dad was liberated on May 13, 1945— one year and one day after his capture. Due to his poor treatment, my six-foot three-inch father weighed only eighty-six pounds. He and the other prisoners of war were flown out on B-17 Bombers to Camp Lucky Strike in Le Havre, France. After this, he was hospitalized in Florida for a period of time before finally returning home to Tellico Plains.

My dad went on to start a business, get married and help raise a family. He ran a trucking company and a real estate business, and he served for twelve years as a county commissioner for Monroe County. He died on February 27, 2009 at the age of eighty-six. Countless prisoners of war endured similar hardships as my father, and many returned with physical problems or emotional and mental scarring that stayed with them the rest of their lives. Yet these brave men were still able to raise families, work hard, and be productive members of their communities. They never gave up or gave in.

Brothers during WWII -- Ernest Lee, Navy (left), Charles Lee, Army Air Corps (center), Norman Lee, Coast Guard (right)

Flight Crew, 1942, Charles Lee is in the upper back row, standing far right

Charles Lee during training in 1942 before being deployed overseas

So, what were the common bonds that helped prisoners of war like my father survive and endure?

They were determined to be reunited with their families.

They had an enormous love for their country and their families.

During the war, they had seen so much death and violence that after that experience, each day was a gift.

Each day was a great day.

Each day had to be lived to the fullest.

They were forgiving; they did not hold grudges or harbor resentment.

They were optimists.

They were grateful to be alive.

They did not complain or whine.

They did not waste food.

They did not eat cabbage. They instilled in their children respect for their country and a desire to serve.

At an early age, these men had seen the worst.

They were true American heroes.

My father’s story has a great lesson for all of us. As we face adversity at a much, much lesser scale, we need to remember that each day is a gift. We should face each day with optimism and hope and a determination to succeed. And we must never forget the sacrifices that all of our veterans have made for our freedom and liberty.

Charles Lee and daughter Sharon after fishing trip in New Smyrna around 1960.

Charles Lee 2nd from left

Charles Lee holding son Charlie Lee with daughter Charla Sherbakoff next to him and daughter Sharon Lee standing.

This article is adapted and edited from a speech given by Justice Sharon Lee of the Tennessee Supreme Court to the Oak Ridge League of Women Voters. Justice Lee recounts her father’s experience as a prisoner of war in World War II.

In Miami at a military hospital after the war; Charles Lee kneeling bottom right

Charles Lee's identification card from the POW Camp when he was first captured, Stalag Luft 4.

A local papers reports Charles Lee as missing in action

An unofficial telegram notifying the family that Charles Lee was a POW.

HAPPENINGS

MARCH THROUGH APRIL

ART IN PUBLIC SPACES

Until June 23

The Art in Public Places Sculpture Program is an annually rotating, outdoor sculpture exhibition on display in prominent locations throughout Knoxville, Oak Ridge, and Alcoa.

The Art in Public Places sculpture program has installed over 280 works of art and gained national recognition as a platform for exhibiting world-class sculptors. This year’s ambitious collection of sculptures created by artists from across the country was curated by renowned glass artist, Tommie Rush.

Krutch Park (Downtown Knoxville)

ORNL Federal Credit Union (Northshore Branch)

ORNL Federal Credit Union (Oak Ridge Branch)

Emory Place, Zoo Knoxville, UT Gardens

Mcghee Tyson Airport, The Muse

CHALK WALK

April 1st

8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Downtown Knoxville, Market Square

https://www.dogwoodarts.com/chalkwalk

Thousands of art lovers head downtown each year to experience this live art competition in Market Square. Chalk Walk features over 300 artists and collaborative teams working on-site from 8am-5pm to complete their artwork. Cash prizes and ribbons are awarded to select artists who have created imaginative and inspiring artworks in their age division.

DOGWOOD OPEN TRAILS

April 1st through 30th

Downtown Knoxville

Knoxville’s iconic Dogwood Trails date back to 1955 and today cover more than 90 miles in 13 neighborhoods throughout the city. Take a drive, a walk, or a bike ride and enjoy the scenic natural beauty of our region!

History: In 1947, New York newspaper reporter John Gunther came into town, checked out the area, then returned to New York and wrote “Knoxville is the ugliest city I ever saw in America, with the possible exception of some mill towns in New England. Its main street is called Gay Street; this seemed to me to be a misnomer.” Thus, in 1955, members of the Knoxville Garden Club, led by Betsey Creekmore, Martha Ashe and Betsy Goodson, along with a group of concerned citizens with a vision began a civic beautification project—the Dogwood Trails.

BIG EARS FESTIVAL

March 30th through April 2nd Downtown Knoxville

Nestled in Knoxville’s intimate and historic downtown, festival goers are offered nearly 200 performances during the festival—at restored historic theaters, soaring churches, refurbished warehouse spaces, museums, galleries, and clubs—with pop-up events and performances, exhibitions, films, literary readings, workshops, markets and talks taking place in cafes, bars, hotels, restaurants, in alleyways and other nooks and crannies of the city. The festival experience is full of surprises.

A festival pass offers access to all publicly announced performances—enabling festival goers to not only see familiar artists that they know and love, but also to explore the music of artists with whom they are not already familiar.

SWEETWATER’S LADIES NIGHT OUT FLAMINGLING

Historic Downtown Sweetwater

April 13

5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“It is a ticketed event that includes dinner, private shopping, demonstrations, live entertainment, floral arrangements, make-up tutorial, jewelry and more! Tickets can be purchased city hall for $30.

RIPLEY’S AUTISM FAMILY DAY

April 29th

7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Advocates for Autism (AFA) and Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies present their annual Autism Family Day!

SMOKY MOUNTAIN DOG SHOW

April 14th through April 16th

12 to 1 p.m.

2405 Decatur Pike, Athens, TN 37303, USA

SPRING CRAFT FESTIVAL

PIGEON FORGE ROD RUN

April 13th through 15th

LeConte Event Center, Pigeon Forge

Join the many automotive enthusiasts and come on out to the Pigeon Forge Rod Run, the area’s largest automotive event. The spring event features top 25 awards, ultimate 5 awards, a huge swap meet with hundreds of showcars and car corral, and a big cash giveaway.

www.pigeonforgerodruns.com/car-show/ spring-rod-run/

The Great Smoky Mountain Dog Club’s purpose is to educate the public about dog breeds, host dog sporting events, and invite fanciers to east Tennessee for various competitions. We welcome all who support the standards and contribute to the success of the GSMDC and the United Kennel Club: breeders, fanciers, and handlers who wish to exhibit purebred dogs in the spirit of Good Sportsmanship.

http://smokymtndogclub.org/

April 21st through 29th

Open Daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mountain Mile

Visitors to Pigeon Forge have the opportunity to see and purchase handmade items from some of the area’s most talented artists and crafters. Stop by the Pigeon Forge Rotary Club Craft Fair located at Mountain Mile on Teaster Lane. Minimal entree fee and parking is free.

https://www.mypigeonforge.com/event/ rotary-club-spring-craft-fair

Photo: Eli Johnson Photography

MARKET SQUARE FARMERS MARKET

Every Wednesday, May 3rd through November 15th 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Every Saturday, May 6th through November 18th 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Market Square Farmers’ Market is an open-air farmers’ market managed by Nourish Knoxville and held every Wednesday and Saturday, May through mid-November on Market Square in downtown Knoxville.

Everything at the Market Square Farmers’ Market is grown, raised, and/or made by our vendors within a 150-mile radius of Knoxville, Tennessee. Kids—a free kids activity on the 2nd Saturday of each month.

TELLICO TROUT FESTIVAL

Saturday, May 6th

Downtown Tellico Plains

This event gathers fishermen, river sports enthusiasts, and families to Tellico Plains for fun, education, food, entertainment and outfitter services while increasing the public’s knowledge of the trout industry in our region. Included will be local fishing guides, conservation information, lodging services, home decor, craft vendors, activities, gifts, and more.

Festival favorites include the fly tying and casting demonstrations, talks about trout fishing techniques and stream-health conservation efforts and strategies.

https://www.visitmonroetn.com/ tellico-trout-festival

SMOKY MOUNTAIN SCOTTISH FESTIVAL

May 20th through 21st

Townsend Visitor Center, 7906 E. Lamar Alexander Pkwy., Townsend, TN

Originally founded in 1981 as the Gatlinburg Scottish Festival and Games, the Games are one of the oldest Scottish Festivals in the country. In 2022, we have moved the event to a larger venue just down road in Townsend.

The event features vendors and local and national performers. The property at the visitor center provides a scenic destination for the festival with views of the nearby mountains and is just minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove. The 30-plus acres at the center includes adjacent parking.

Festival attendees will be treated to vibrant cultural and educational presentations, while Scotch tasting seminars will feature a bit of history and humor, and the Border Collie demonstrations will showcase their herding abilities.

Competitions include the hammer throw or caber toss, a medley of bands including bagpipes and drummers, and clan challenges like the kilted mile run or the battle axe competition.

FIRST FRIDAY ARTWALK

May 5th, First Friday of Each Month

Downtown Knoxville

On the first Friday of each month, the streets of Downtown Knoxville come alive for one of our favorite events! A casual evening of connecting with friends and family—and experiencing art in all forms.

Explore galleries, studios, and artist collectives; roam through shops hosting open houses and local artist exhibits; enjoy performance art and live music in the streets and a variety of venues; drop in restaurants along the way and treat yourself to drinks and great food.

WATER LANTERN FESTIVAL

May 20th, 5:30 pm

Chilhowee Park

Water Lantern Festival is filled with fun, happiness, hope, and great memories that you’ll cherish for a lifetime. This is a family friendly event that can be shared by everyone. Friends, families, neighbors, and lots of people that you haven’t met can come together to create a peaceful, memorable experience. www.waterlanternfestival.com/knoxville.php

May 5-6, 2023

Historic Downtown Sweetwater, Tennessee

Come enjoy a day of good food, good music, and decorations to celebrate Spring. There will be live music, vendors, artisans, crafts, and a full BBQ competition.

www.bloomsbluegrassbbq.com

BREAKING BENJAMIN CONCERT

May 23rd

Thomson Bowling Arena

Breaking Benjamin with special guests BUSH and Another Day Dawns will play at Thompson-Boling Arena on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Tickets go on-sale Friday, February 17 at 10:00 am. All tickets will be sold online via Ticketmaster.

LENIOR CITY ARTS AND CRAFTS FESTIVAL

June 3rd through 4th

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Lenoir City Park, 6707 City Park Dr, Lenoir City, Tennessee

Their Artists and Crafts people come from the southeast and beyond, bringing you the very best of their unique wares. Many fine artists working in various media including oils, water color, acrylics, pastels, charcoal, and pen and ink… happily demonstrate their technique to interested visitors. Our craftspeople specialize in the traditional crafts as well as those which have developed more recent appeal: woodworking and carving, stitchery, pottery, stained glass, leather-work, and fiber arts where common materials are skillfully transformed into objects of great beauty and distinction.

https://lenoircityartsandcrafts.com

MCFA FIRST ANNUAL BARK IN THE PARK

June 3rd

Kefauver Park, Madisonville

May 6th to May 7th

Fort Loudoun State Historic Area

Learn about life at Fort Loudoun during the French & Indian War and witness the Fort brought back to life. See soldiers and Cherokee going about their day, training, firing cannons, working about the fort, and demonstrating the folkways of the time. There will be blacksmiths working the forge, the surgeon giving talks in the infirmary, and soldiers living in the barracks. Bring the family to learn about life on the frontier and how the British and Cherokee worked together against the French.

https://fortloudoun.com/reenactments/

BLOOMIN’ BBQ FESTIVAL

May 19th through 20th

Downtown Sevierville

Live music. Delicious food. Awesome fun. Whether you’re enjoying toe-tapping tunes, devouring the nation’s best BBQ or simply enjoying the sights and sounds of one of the southeast’s top festivals, Bloomin’ BBQ is a weekend of fun for the whole family. Each year, Sevierville’s Bloomin’ BBQ Festival plays host to the biggest and brightest bluegrass stars.

www.pigeonforge.com/event/ bloomin-bbq-bluegrass/

Saturday, June 3th

10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Downtown Athens, TN

This event includes entertainment on three stages, 200 food and craft vendors, local shopping, and Mayfield Dairy contests.

http://friendlycityfestivals.com/moofest/

MAY GARRISON WEEKEND AT FORT LOUDOUN