A Southern Gentleman Is

LIFESTYLE A Southern Gentleman Is... ...all about fall!

BY TIM KEARNS

October for a southern gentleman is a great month with much to do; football, bourbon, putting seersucker away and pulling out the sweaters, over seeding the lawn, digging up fried summer plants, pumpkins, mums, etc., is there really time to enjoy it all?

Today’s crazy world has us changing the things we previously considered “normal” during fall. For example, we might not be able to tailgate or go to Titan’s football games. Things we still might be able to do during this fall include watching The Masters, although I’m pretty sure there won’t be any blooming azalea’s in those TV shots! Some things, like transitioning the yard into winter, can still take place even though the rest of our lives seems to be in the twilight zone.

A Southern Gentleman takes pride in himself, his appearance and the appearance of his home, yard, cars, etc. After a hot, dry summer, the first place to start is that yard. The spring flower beds need to be replaced by fresh fall annuals. Fescue yards need to be aerated and over seeded, both fescue and the warm season grasses need to be fed a good fall fertilizer. I try to get mine completed by mid-September, because by mid-October I want the new sprigs of dark green freshly mowed fescue looking great when football season starts. The beginning of football season is when it’s time to pull the flat screen out on the deck, put a fire in the pit and invite friends over to watch football, socially distanced of course!

Football means entertaining! To entertain your guests, you need to put on a spread that rivals the best brunches in Nashville. Putting some kind of meat on the grill is a must. You want your guy friends to ask you: “How did you do that?” or “What did you put in it to get that flavor?” Those type questions make a Grill Master feel proud! Being a Southern Gentleman, you also need to consider the ladies; they graze and likely don’t want to grab a rib or pile on some meat and look like cave women. To accommodate all guests, you need to also consider fruit, salads, and cheese assortments. All this eating is going to make friends thirsty for fall craft beer, wine and of course bourbon!

Williamson County is blessed for many reasons, but a few I enjoy are the wealth of breweries, distilleries and wineries. In fact, a Master’s & Makers Trail was established to help guide you to a few of the local establishments. The places on this list are all centrally located in Williamson County and I can personally vouch that the proprietors of these establishments are all Southern Gentlemen too! If you want to

start on the south end of the list, Arrington Vineyards is beautiful this time of year. Harvest has been completed and music is in the air. Kip and Chase really create some magic juice with those grapes! H. Clark Distillery is the first legal distillery in over 100 years in Williamson County! Heath is the proprietor and an all-around great guy. Tell him you want to try some of his Tennessee Black & Tan. Leiper’s Fork Distillery is educational and a great destination to take out of town guests. Try to get a tour with “Pops,” he is entertaining and knowledgeable! They have moved and reassembled a beautiful cabin with a tasting room to enjoy their products after the tour. Mill Creek Brewing in Nolensville, is a laid back 27,000 square foot brewery that has a tap room serving their famous Smashville Burger and other food options.

Try one of the standard beers or their seasonal selections, but either way Midnight Porter is one of my favorites. Last on the Trail is Curio Brewing, started by two friends David and Alex. They have been roasting and brewing great coffee for a few years, so it just makes sense to add beer to round out with both a morning and evening beverage! They opened in the old Mantra Brewing location in Franklin this past summer. I am a big fan of their Thursday night run club where you can gather with a group of runners, put in three or four miles and then hang around for a couple beers. Trust me this group is naturally “selfdistancing.” You’ll see guys who can blister a mile, to “over the hill” slower guys like me, and some walkers as well.

Regardless of your pace, it is worth coming out and to join in the fun! Go check out the Visit Franklin website for more information on the “Masters & Makers Trail.” If you’re visiting from out of town, it’s a great way to see some our beautiful countryside. If you’re a Williamson County local, you and your out of town guests will really enjoy it!

I think we’ve covered most of my fall to do list! Please get out, enjoy this weather and beautiful county, we have many great hard-working Southern Gentlemen who deserve to relax. Remember, pace yourself and stay safe!

TIM KEARNS A Southern Gentleman Is...

Tim is a Williamson County business owner who lives, works and plays all within the county limits. He has been a triathlete for thirty-three years and married to Bess Kearns for thirty-two years. All of his commitments are for the long haul!