Spending a few days in Tennessee in late April gave us glimpses into life in the South. Does "Moonshine Ridge" seem like a restaurant to stop by for a scrumptious pulled pork sandwich? Do you think that "Granny's Kitchen" would be a wonderful place for a typical Southern buffet? As a matter of fact, these restaurants were a fantastic introduction to Southern cooking.
In addition to the delicious food, we experienced The Great Smoky Mountain National Park spring scenery along mountain paths and overlooking mountain streams as well as beside the Little River. When we came upon a crowd of photographers beside the road, we quickly joined them to watch a mother bear and her cub munching on the bushes below.
In Knoxville we spent one afternoon at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum, known as "A Magical Escape from the Everyday." This is a public garden featuring thousands of feet of stone walls, charming garden paths, whimsical round buildings, lush terraced spaces, exotic trees and woodlands, and a myriad of horticultural splendors.
Being at the University of Tennessee for the graduate piano recital of Judy's former ESL student, Kazuyo Shimizu, was the highlight of our time in Tennessee. When Kazuyo had received her undergrad degree in piano performance from Liberty University in Virginia in 2008, we were able to attend her senior recital as well as her graduation. This recital, as part of her requirements for her Master's degree, was a resounding success.
We wandered the paths in the Univ. of Tennessee gardens, drove through streets with some of the lovely homes on the Dogwood Trail, revisited the site of the 1982 World's Fair Site where we viewed the entire area from the observation level of the Sunsphere.
Back in 1982 we had gone as a family to enjoy the World's Fair. This is the first time we had returned since then!
Our memories of Tennessee, from the wildflowers in the Smokies to the most enjoyable times with Kazuyo, will never be forgotten.
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