Volmania Never Sleeps

Football season may be over (thank goodness!) but basketball season has begun, and the University of Tennessee Volunteers mens and womens basketball teams are starting their seasons. So Volmania, that peculiar affliction and affection for UT sports, is never far away. Even the holiday banners on Gay Street have been known to sport the Big Orange "Power T" on occasion. And here's a case in point: look what's floating through a snowy sky banner against the black nighttime sky. For more skies that probably aren't painted or dark, head on over to Sky Watch.

Languid

As I was walking down Gay Street, I almost tripped over these standard sized poodles. I must have been pretty distracted to not notice them lounging in the middle of the sidewalk. Their friendly but camera-shy owner said they were adopted from a poodle rescue organization. They're hanging out on the street to get used to strangers. The training must be working, because they hardly batted an eye at me. Their owner also confided that they were the closest thing available to orange and white, so that makes them Vol dogs.

I'm still having to put in a lot of extra hours at work. I'm pretty well convinced that the light at the end of that tunnel is an oncoming train. So I may not be doing much visiting or commenting for a bit. But these silly hours won't last forever.

In the Navy

In the Navy, you can sail the seven seas. Or so the Village People proclaimed in their 1970s hit song. But in the Vol Navy, you can sail right up the Tennessee River and dock near the stadium.

The flotilla of orange and white rests peacefully at anchor in the early morning before the game, framed by the arch of the Henley Street bridge. 

And so as not to deprive you of all that orange-and-whiteness, here's a close-up of some UT football fans and their boats:
I'm telling you, this stuff just boggles my mind.

Addendum: a gracious thank you to Leedra, who gave me a blog award. I'd pass it on to five other blogs that I enjoy, except that there are many more than five!

Volunteer Autumn

You know autumn is on the way in my town by observing what's blooming in the decorative planters along Volunteer Landing on the waterfront. Orange and white are the primary fall colors in Knoxville, and mums take center stage.
This photo was inspired by Marley at Cheltenham Daily Photo, who has done some fantastic work with floral photographs.

Go Vols

It's football time in Tennessee. That means the University of Tennessee Volunteers have started their season.

What do you mean, you don't know what port-a-potties have to do with football? You're obviously not from around here. That bright orange with the white T are the university colors. And the enthusiasm for showing those colors is called Volmania. You'll see orange and white on everything from clothing to cars to ... well, port-a- potties like these.

East Tennesseans are passionate UT football fans, and football is big business. Well, those forty thousand people crammed into Neyland Stadium have to eat. And buy more orange and white souvenirs. Did you know that that particular shade of bright orange is trademarked by the University, and you must be licensed by them to sell anything colored with that orange? 

I'll admit, I'm not a football fan, and I often roll my eyes when I know I'll have to plan my comings and goings around game day traffic. On the other hand, it's fun to watch the absolute Spectacle of it all.

So, good luck Vols and Vol fans. All I ask of you is to let me through to get my grocery shopping done.