Delight in the lights for ‘Neighborhood Trails’

HALLS

© Ali James/Shopper News
Christmas lights on display on Gibbs Drive in Fountain City, Dec. 9, 2020.

Delight in the lights for ‘Neighborhood Trails’

Ali James, Shopper News

Two neighborhoods in Fountain City and Halls have decorated their homes and yards for the Neighborhood Holiday Trails this year. Enjoy part of this citywide, pandemic-friendly celebration on Historic Gibbs Drive and Melanie Lane in Halls this year.

“It’s a holiday tradition to enjoy your neighbors’ decorations and lights,” says Debbie Sharp, Coordinator of the City Office of Neighborhood Empowerment. “We wanted to encourage neighborhood organizations to go all out to make their houses, porches and yards festive for neighbors and visitors to enjoy, since group celebrations like potlucks and caroling are ill-advised due to risks of spreading COVID-19.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Candy cane-lined front path leads to this Gibbs Drive home and is part of the Neighborhood Holiday Trail. Dec. 9, 2020.

Historic Gibbs Drive   

On the 2800 and 3100 blocks of Gibbs Drive, between Broadway and Jacksboro Pike, homeowners have taken things up a notch with their holiday decorating. Last week, homeowner Will Sherrod was enjoying his decorating efforts with his 4-year-old son before taking a stroll to admire neighbors’ decorations.

“It definitely took a lot longer to decorate this year,” he said. “We moved from a house three streets away, and this house is bigger and has a pitched roof. We have a COVID baby; he is 7 months now, so that slowed us down, too.”

To stop his prized vintage Santa from blowing off the chimney, Sherrod said he used industrial strength Velcro and wondered if he would just have to leave Santa up there all year long.

Sherrod said the neighborhood’s toy drive was so successful that they filled the giant crate on his front lawn before donating the toys to The McNabb Center this year.

© Ali James/Shopper News
The Sherrod family’s house on Historic Gibbs Drive is part of the Neighborhood Holiday Trail this year. The oversized gift box was used as part of the Gibbs Drive Toy Drive to donate toys to the McNabb Center this Christmas. Dec. 9, 2020.

Melanie Lane, Halls   

On this short 0.2 mile road there were two standout houses. If the virtual forest of Christmas tree lights, icicles on the roof, nutcrackers guarding the front door and a dancing Santa do not make people smile, then the holiday music playing in the yard should do the job.

Across the road there was a unique Disney Princess theme with oversized silver slipper, crown, tiara, castle and carriage.

For more information, see the City of Knoxville’s website at  https://www.knoxvilletn.gov/news/2020/decor_lights_brighten_neighborhood_holiday_trails 

Emerald Ridge Lane, Halls   

The award for most coordinated holiday street theme every year has to go to this lane off Emory Road. It may not be on the Neighborhood Holiday Trails map, but it is well worth cruising down this street to ooh and aah.

The handcrafted Grinch themed “stink, stank, stunk” sign at the neighborhood entrance pokes at the wild year that 2020 has been.

Gresham Gardens Winter Wonderland 

Gresham Middle School’s arboretum has been turned into a festival of lights for students, families, and the community to enjoy. Despite the frosty temperatures, Gresham staff members Deanna Varner and Cricket Prentiss and other volunteers transformed the outdoor space with miles of bright white Christmas lights on the fence, gazebo, trees and added some golden Christmas trees next to a bench.

© Ali James/Shopper News
A tongue-in-cheek Grinch themed display for Christmas 2020 on Emerald Ridge Lane in Halls. Dec. 9, 2020.

“It’s a small token to show appreciation for our Fountain City community,” said principal Donna Parker. “Jennifer Morris (a Fountain City realtor) has been a great supporter of this effort and much appreciation goes to her.  Families are also encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item when touring the area. These items will go to the Central Baptist Church food pantry.”

“Each evening, families may walk the trail or drive the loop to experience the lights,” added Morris, who spearheaded the campaign for community donations.

NORTH KNOXVILLE

Beaumont Magnet Academy ornaments chosen for National Christmas Tree

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News

Beaumont Magnet Academy art teacher Cheryl Burchett and her students got a real boost for the holidays, in this strange year of 2020. Her students were selected to contribute ornaments to be displayed on a state tree at the National Christmas Tree display on the grounds of the White House in Washington, D.C.

© Photos courtesy Jessica Beard
Beaumont Magnet Academy student Lillian Beard and her mom, Jessica, have fun inside the White House during the National Christmas Tree event Nov. 30. The outdoor celebration was rained out. Instead, Lillian got to go inside and meet first lady Melania Trump. 2020

Only one school was chosen for each of the 50 states, so it was quite an honor.

One of the young BMA artists, Lillian Beard, went to Washington, saw her ornament on the tree and met the first lady.

How did it all come about?

“Apparently they select the teacher who gets to have their students’ art displayed on the state tree,” said Burchett. “I was named Tennessee’s 2020 Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Tennessee Art Education Association, and it seems that that honor put me on someone’s radar to be the selected teacher from Tennessee. So in the fall they finished their vetting process and I was sent all the information and given a few weeks to figure out how to get everything made.”

© Photos courtesy Jessica Beard
Cheryl Burchett, art teacher at Beaumont Magnet Academy, was named Tennessee’s 2020 Elementary Art Educator of the Year by the Tennessee Art Education Association. “That honor put me on someone’s radar to be the selected teacher from Tennessee whose students would exhibit in Washington,” she says. April 3, 2019.

That’s something Burchett is really good at. “They emailed a paper template, so the nice part was I could let every student participate who wanted to. I ended up with close to 100 submissions for the project. Only third grade through high school students were allowed to participate, so I did this project with third, fourth and fifth grades.

“The theme was ‘Tennessee is Beautiful,’ so each student chose their own subject matter and materials. The 12 students whose work was selected were all invited to tour the trees and meet the first lady. ”

Given the complications of the coronavirus pandemic, only one of them got to go.

Lillian Beard and her mother, Jessica, made the drive on Thanksgiving weekend.

“I’m a little bit nervous about what people will think of me traveling during this pandemic, but it was such a wonderful opportunity that we didn’t want to pass it up!” said Jessica. “We were really careful with masks and distancing. We did some outdoor stuff, but they’re really shut down up there and we mostly stayed in the hotel room.”

Lillian’s ornament featured a picture of a raccoon, the state butterfly and the state tree — zebra swallowtail and tulip poplar, respectively — and the Great Smoky Mountains in the background. Because of heavy rain, the tree ceremony was moved indoors to the White House. 

© Photos courtesy Jessica Beard
How many times do you get invited to the White House to meet the first lady? Lillian Beard’s ornament was one of many from Beaumont Magnet Academy featured in the National Christmas Tree display this year. Nov. 30, 2020.

The fourth grader’s very first time in the nation’s capital included a meet-and-greet with first lady Melania Trump and a tour of the White House. The Beards plan to visit the city again when the pandemic is over, and they’ll undoubtedly include dad Coleman and younger brother Charlie on that trip.

But even with limited touring, this one was pretty special.

“Lillian thought it was amazing. She really enjoyed just seeing all the buildings there and seeing where our country operates. We had a great time!”

More: Most Tennessee football players weren’t born when Vols last won the SEC | Mike Strange

SOUTH KNOXVILLE

Wildwood Bee offers flavor-infused honeys

Ali James, Shopper News

When Bill Dillard’s 12-year-old daughter said she wanted to start keeping bees, he sent her to a class for beginner beekeepers. “It was probably 10 years ago,” said Dillard.

“We set up three colonies in our subdivision, and within three months I’m hooked on beekeeping and Madalyn moved onto something else.”

© Submitted
Wildwood Bee Co.’s Bill Dillard at the Nourish Knoxville Farmers Market on Mary Costa Plaza. Dec 2020

Dillard explained that bees create one colony with a queen, and in the springtime a new queen is produced and approximately half of the worker bees will stay behind, while the other half and the original queen will depart and create another colony.

“That is how the honeybees guarantee survival,” he said. “As a beekeeper, if you have good swarm management skills, you can expect more bees and to increase the number of beehives.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Wildwood Bee Co. gave away a bag of honey brittle with the purchase of the vanilla and saffron-infused honey. Dec. 5, 2020.

Soon, Dillard said he started producing more honey than he knew what to do with. “You can only give away so much,” he said. “We started at the Nourish Knoxville Farmers Market. It is fantastic and one of the best managed ones around.”

Wildwood Bee Co. all-natural, raw Tennessee wildflower honey was established and has been busy every since.

© Submitted
Close up of the worker bees in the Wildwood Bee Co’s apiary.

Infused flavors

“A lot of beekeepers will infuse honey with just about anything, but that is not my focus,” said Dillard. “I have four daughters that like to play and periodically infuse the honeys.”

Wildwood Bee Co. makes a variety of infused-flavored, creamed honeys. “I will blend in organic freeze-dried, powdered elderberry during the creaming process,” he said. “It enhances it and has the added benefits of antioxidants to help fight colds and flus. I don’t want to necessarily change the honey’s flavor profile.”

While some beekeepers will infuse honey with peaches or blueberries, Dillard said that often overpowers the flavor of the honey.

Creamed honey   

This is a kind of honey that has been processed to control crystallization. “The shelf life of creamed honey is much more stable, and it stays consistent until you consume it,” said Dillard. “If you put liquid honey in the cabinet, it (the consistency) varies geographically and with the weather.”

How to eat it   

Wildwood Bee Co. honeys can be drizzled over ice cream. Dillard said the creamed honey is easy to spread on biscuits or toast.

“The nice thing about it is that the consistency does not change; it won’t dribble off a biscuit,” he said. “As a kid, my Mom would make peanut butter and honey sandwiches and the bread would be soggy. The creamed honey is as spreadable as peanut butter and doesn’t go soggy.”

Honeycomb Brittle   

As a gift with purchase at the farmers market, Dillard and his daughters made honey brittle this year. It is also known as sponge candy and is good as an ice cream topping or with chocolate drizzled over it.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Honeycomb can be purchased in four ounce or 12 ounce sizes from Wildwood Bee Co. Dec. 5, 2020.

“I have collected pollen in the past, so we will often sprinkle bee pollen on it. It typically has little globes of different colored pollen and it enhances the flavor,” said Dillard.

Bee colony management requires more than one location.

“You need to keep them separated from your production colonies,” said Dillard. “The biggest apiary I have is in Kingston now, but I have access to other bee yards. If you knock on the door of a farmer in an area that is good for bees and ask to put a colony there they will often say yes. Come spring I will put bees in Sevier and Anderson counties.”

Winter tends to be slower    

Wildwood Bee Co. honey products are available at the Nourish Farmers Market on Mary Costa Plaza from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Dec. 19 and throughout the winter markets starting Jan. 9.

SOUTH KNOXVILLE

Warm up the sleigh, we’re going cruising for holiday lights

Ali James, Shopper News

Since everyone is safer at home these holidays, South Knoxville neighbors have a little more time to deck the halls this year. Knoxville’s Office of Neighborhood Empowerment has created a handy online map so that families can fill their travel mugs with hot cocoa-to-go and drive around soaking up the holiday cheer.

© Ali James/Shopper News
See the whole gang in this handcrafted tribute to the “Christmas Vacation” movie in South Knoxville’s Lake Forest neighborhood. Dec. 6, 2020.

“This has been a rough year for most, so it has been great to see neighborhoods work together to make the area beautiful for the Neighborhood Holiday Trails,” said Debbie Sharp, Neighborhood Coordinator. “This could get people’s minds off of difficult topics and can bring some cheer. I hope folks are able to get out and enjoy the decorations and scavenger hunt.”

Neighborhood representatives identified one or two decorated streets in their neighborhood, and special events coordinator Elaine Frank mapped it out online. “From the emails I’m seeing and my own travels through Knoxville, it appears that more people are decorating,” said Sharp.

Island Home    

“Our neighborhood joined the Holiday Trails casually after enthusiasm for a suggestion to brighten the season this weird year with holiday decorations,” said Nancy Campbell, the former neighborhood association president. Even early in December, there was “participation all around Island Home Park.”

© Ali James/Shopper News
Thanks to a program led by Margaret Webb, memorial wreaths greet visitors on the four entry pillars to the Island Home neighborhood.

A smaller tree this year

Traditionally, neighbors gather in the park at Spence and Watson Places to decorate and light their Christmas tree. Instead, children were invited to decorate the neighborhood tree that has been replaced with a much smaller tree after the original large tree died.

Decorating contest and scavenger hunt

Island Home resident Jessica Rodocker has put together a neighborhood scavenger hunt and decorating contest this year. “I was inspired by the fact that my family and lots of other people aren’t traveling at all this year and all of the parties that have been canceled,” said Rodocker. “So, I thought we could use some cheering up. I put out an email asking if people would be interested in something like this and got a big response.”

Thanks to one neighbor’s generous donation “toward the cause,” Rodocker will have gift certificates from local South Knoxville businesses for the decorating contest winners. Categories include: Most Lights, Best Traditional, Most Magical Yard Tree, Most Colorful, and Kid’s Choice.

“The first four will be judged by some neighbors, and the kids will vote on the last one,” said Rodocker.

The scavenger hunt list was based on things Rodocker has seen in her neighborhood over the years. “And a few more aspirational things: I’ve never seen rooftop decorations, but you never know,” she said. “And it’s just for people to do on their own time.”

Memorial wreaths

Thanks to a program led by Margaret Webb, memorial wreaths greet visitors on the four entry pillars to the neighborhood.

Decorating contest and scavenger hunt

Island Home resident Jessica Rodocker has put together a neighborhood scavenger hunt and decorating contest this year. “I was inspired by the fact that my family and lots of other people aren’t traveling at all this year and all of the parties that have been canceled,” said Rodocker. “So, I thought we could use some cheering up. I put out an email asking if people would be interested in something like this and got a big response.”

Thanks to one neighbor’s generous donation “toward the cause,” Rodocker will have gift certificates from local South Knoxville businesses for the decorating contest winners. Categories include: Most Lights, Best Traditional, Most Magical Yard Tree, Most Colorful, and Kid’s Choice.

“The first four will be judged by some neighbors, and the kids will vote on the last one,” said Rodocker.

© Ali James/Shopper News
Nothing mean about this Grinch display in South Knoxville’s Lake Forest neighborhood. Dec. 6, 2020.

The scavenger hunt list was based on things Rodocker has seen in her neighborhood over the years. “And a few more aspirational things: I’ve never seen rooftop decorations, but you never know,” she said. “And it’s just for people to do on their own time.”

Memorial wreaths

Thanks to a program led by Margaret Webb, memorial wreaths greet visitors on the four entry pillars to the neighborhood.

POWELL

Looking for that special gift for your pup this Christmas?

Al Lesar, Shopper News

Once Cali gives her lick of approval, Carol Davis is pretty sure that batch is a winner.

Cali, a 2-year-old Black Mouth Cur, is the official taste tester for Barking Good Treats. She sits at Davis’ feet during the entire preparation period, knowing that any cracked or disfigured treats will come her way.

© Submitted
Powell native Carol Davis uses all-natural ingredients for her Barking Good Treats dog treats. December 2020

Davis, a native of Powell and 2004 graduate of Powell High School (maiden name is Graves), created Barking Good Treats in May, mostly out of a way to fill time and work through the grief of losing her grandmother several months earlier.

“Three days a week I would spend the entire day with my grandmother,” said Davis. “She passed away (October 2019), so I needed something to fill the time. I wasn’t looking to start a big business.

“Cali couldn’t eat the store-bought treats. They’d make her sick. I made her treats. When I shared them with friends, their dogs loved them. They encouraged me to sell them.”

Barking Good Treats are all natural   

Davis, who delivers her orders, started her business in May without much fanfare. It didn’t help that the pandemic caused cancellations in town events she could attend and pass out the treats.

“I bought a Jeep in Oak Ridge,” she said. “The finance guy at the dealership ordered 13 pounds of treats. We had a plumber to our house. He bought a couple pounds.”

© Submitted
Barking Good Treats come in different shapes and sizes.

The recipes of the all-natural treats are simple. She has pumpkin, squash, oatmeal, chicken, apple, banana and peanut butter treats available. Add those staples in with a teaspoon of vegetable oil, place in a silicon mold and bake for 24 minutes.

Then let Cali check the results.

Whether they’re in the shape of paws or bones, a pound of each — which makes about 55 nickel-sized pieces — costs $8. Doughnuts, waffles and bite-sized “chompins” are also on the menu.

“Pumpkin, oatmeal and peanut butter are the big sellers,” Davis said. “I don’t worry about Cali, though. She loves them all.”

Pet treats show ‘how much people love animals’    

While Davis was growing up, her family never owned a pet. Now, along with her husband and four children (ages 9-14), Cali’s an important part of the family.

“She’s my best friend,” Davis said. “Knowing her makes me wish we had a dog when I was growing up.

© Submitted
Cali is always a willing taste-tester for Carol Davis’ Barking Good Treats. 12/2020

“Doing this business has taught me how much people love animals and what they’ll do to give them healthy treats.

“When I first got a dog, I had no idea what to do. I did a lot of learning. Now, she’s so spoiled.”

The big difference between Barking Good Treats and the typical store-bought treats is that the all-natural foods must be kept refrigerated. Davis said they will last a month in the refrigerator or three months in the freezer.

“The best part of the business is hearing my customers say how their dog sits by the refrigerator waiting for a treat,” she said. “Knowing I can have that much of an impact makes me feel good. That’s the best thing about the business.”

Davis said there may be Christmas gift specials, including treats in the shape of gingerbread men.

For more information, or to place an order, contact Davis at: [email protected], or go to the Barking Good Treats Facebook page.

OPIONION

Two parents, two different jobs

Leslie Snow, Shopper News

It’s early in the morning when the sound of my cellphone startles me awake. Bleary eyed and groggy, I reach across my nightstand trying to stop the ringing. When I finally find my phone, I’m surprised to see it’s Ethan calling.

“Is everything OK?” I say instead of “hello.”

“Hi, Ma,” he says, sheepishly. “Everything is fine. Sorry for the early call. I have an appointment across town and thought you might want to keep me company while I drive.”

A quiet alarm bell goes off in my head. It’s not like Ethan to call so early.

I tell him I’m happy to talk to him and head down to the kitchen to find a much-needed cup of coffee.

While I pour the coffee and search for creamer, I let Ethan talk.

He tells me about his fianceé, Amanda, and shares a funny story about his dog, Newt. I listen to find a reason for the early call, but he doesn’t offer one, at least not right away. And then, out of the blue, he says, “I don’t feel like myself, Mom.”

I wrap an afghan around my shoulders, plop down on the couch, and get ready for a long talk.

He tells me that his early success at work feels like pressure. “Every time we have a sales meeting the director says something like, ‘We all know we don’t have to worry about Ethan, he’s killing it.’ But what if it’s just beginner’s luck? What if I can’t sustain this?”

I promise him he’ll get more comfortable in his job over time. I repeat the words I’ve been saying since he was little, the ones he called early in the morning just to hear me say. “Beginnings are hard, Ethan, even good beginnings. You’ve only been on the job a couple of months. You’re still learning to be comfortable.”

Then he talks about coronavirus and feeling isolated. We lament our lost Thanksgiving and our hopes for gathering for Christmas and Chanukah. “I just want us to be together,” he says, “but we need to be safe. This has been such a hard year. Everything seems upside down.” I say what I can to comfort him.

He hangs up the phone when he gets to his appointment and I go about the work of the day; answering email, writing, making calls. I think about Ethan and hope he’s doing OK.

Late in the day my husband comes home from work. He takes off his jacket, throws it on the back of a chair, and says, “I just got off the phone with Ethan. He called me on his way home from work.”

“I talked to him, too,” I say, thinking we had the same worrisome conversation with our youngest child.

“Did he tell you about the great idea he had for that company with multiple units? He’s going to present it at the next sales meeting. He sounded so excited. I’m really happy for him.”

I chuckle a little and say, “Actually, we had a very different conversation.”

We exchange stories of our two phone calls and shake our heads at the disparities.

“Our kids love us the same, but they don’t need the same things from us,” my husband muses.

“We both have a role to play,” I say with a smile. “I’m in charge of virtual hugs and you provide the pats on the back.”

And lucky for Ethan, we’re both pretty good at our jobs.

Leslie Snow may be reached at snow [email protected].

More: Wanda Moody was a courageous Knox County leader | Victor Ashe

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Shopper News blog: Delight in the lights for ‘Neighborhood Trails’