River Flow

A warm, sunny afternoon is perfect for sitting, swinging, and watching the river flow. This is at Volunteer Landing under the Gay Street Bridge.

Forthright

This is a very forthright photo of one of the open rail cars of the Three Rivers Rambler, a restored steam locomotive that gives excursion trips from the waterfront at Volunteer Landing to the confluence of the Holston and French Broad Rivers where they join to form the Tennessee River. The trip is about 11 miles up and down the countryside and rivers and lasts ninety minutes. It's been years since I've taken the trip, but I can recommend it highly for some very beautiful East Tennessee scenery.

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.

Dreadful Indignities

Knoxville had its share of tragedy yesterday when a gunman opened fire during a children's play at the Unitarian church, killing two adults, and wounding seven more adults. You can read about it here if you wish. I am not a member of that congregation, though I have been to their sanctuary on many occasions to hear and enjoy concerts. My heart goes out to the congregation.

I had planned to post these photos of one of the historical markers along Volunteer Landing at the waterfront, and decided to keep to the plan. These large marble rocks have historical quotes carved onto them that give you a sense of Knoxville's frontier history. Below is the quote I chose for today, which is now a double-edged sword. The devil may well reside in Knoxville, but the people here are resilient in times of crisis and can handle the old coot. 
" In the infant town of Knox the houses are irregular and interspersed. It was county court day when I came. I saw jesting, singing, swearing, women yelling from doorways ... whiskey and peach brandy were cheap. The town was confused with a promiscuous throng of every denomination -- blanket-clad Indians, leather-shirted woodsmen, gamblers, hard-eyed and vigilant. I stood aghast. My soul shrank back to hear the horrid oaths and dreadful indignities offered to the supreme governor of the universe. There was what I never did see before on Sunday, dancing, singing, and playing of cards.

It was said by a gentleman of the neighborhood that the devil is grown so old that it renders him incapable of  traveling and that he has taken up in Knoxville and there hopes to spend the remaining part of his days ... as he believes he is among friends."

 -- traveller James Weir, 1798

Redbuds Are Blooming

And the dogwoods aren't far behind. These are some redbud trees budding out on the waterfront. Hooray for spring!

River Town

When I first found the Daily City Photo Blogs, I enjoyed visiting them so much, that I thought maybe someday I would start a photoblog too. Well, I finally realized that I might wait forever for "someday" to arrive, so I gave myself a deadline. That happens to be today, on my birthday. No foolin'.

This is the Tennessee River, looking southwest with the Henley Street Bridge in the background. Downtown Knoxville is sitting quite prettily on the north bank just out of range of this shot.