Blogless Photographs, November 2011

Bride and Groom on Gay Street, Knoxville

Here's another set in my ongoing series of photographs that seemed too good to toss, but not sufficient for a blog unto themselves. So, I try to group them for you viewing pleasure. This month's installation seems to have settled on trees, trains and brides, along with a building I don't think I've ever included.


Bride and Groom, Gay Street at Tennessee Theater, Knoxville

 It seems every month I run into a bride and groom somewhere in the city. At some point I may have to make a special "brides" photo album among the other pictures of the city on the Stuck Inside of Knoxville facebook page. Last month I spotted a bride and groom in front of Church Street United Methodist Church, but I've seen them more than once on the World's Fair Park, in the Old City and in Krutch Park. This couple stood in front of the Tennessee Theater on Gay Street. May they always be as happy as that day.

Autumn trees on Regas Square, Knoxville, November 2011

Trees in the city are always pretty to me, but especially so in the fall. I recently spotted two beautiful trees in Regas Square. The sunlight hit them just right and made them appear to be luminous. The camera didn't capture the entire effect, but I thought it was pretty none-the-less. The other tree appears to be growing from the back of a building in the alley behind Market Square - from the second story! You should check it out the next time you pass.


A Tree Grows in Knoxville - From a Building

 

Shaft and Son-of-Shaft Check out the Urban Tree

Vehicles are a recurring theme in this recurring post and this time it's a train that captures the spotlight. I found this one sitting on the tracks in the Old City, spewing its global warming particulates into the autumn sky and looking as picturesque as possible.

Retro Train, Knoxville, November 2011

 

Vintage Locomotive, Knoxville, November 2011

 Finally, there is a building on Clinch Avenue, between Gay Street and Walnut that is different than most other buildings in our downtown. Sitting beside Le Parigo, it isn't as imposing as some and doesn't sit on the most traveled section of road, but with its stone facade (sandstone, marble?) presents a pretty face to that street which has lost buildings in the past - witness the large parking lot across the street. At least a portion of the building is for sale. Just don't mention it to St. John's Episcopal Church.

If you like these sorts of pictures of Knoxville, I'd encourage you to go to the Stuck Inside of Knoxville Facebook Page, "Like" it and enjoy the nearly 1000 pictures of the city and the people in it that are stored there.


Stone Building on Clinch Avenue, Knoxville



50 Ways to Spend a Weekend (or at least three)

Of course, given my penchant for anything cheap and musical, the Indie Grrls Fest was a perfect way to spend my weekend, but one of the things I love about the city is that everybody is finding their own groove. At any given time, dozens of events are happening and everyone is following their own taste or life-script blissfully unaware of everyone around them who are just as tuned into their own world.

The biggest event downtown, except for maybe the Indie Grrls event, was the Irish Festival. Who knew that was happening? Several hundred people, apparently. I continue to stumble, baffled into one thing or another. I particularly seem oblivious to all things Irish. I missed the St. Patrick's Day Parade and I couldn't go to a party I was invited to that night because of another committment. I've got to be a better Irishman.

The coolest event I saw was a birthday party on Market Square. I'm guessing the birthday girl was somewhere from 12 to 14, judging by all the giggly friends. They were given a list of things they had to complete all around downtown. The winning team got prizes from Mast General Store. The girls were hoping for candy. What a great idea for a simple, cheap, fun birthday. There should be more of that kind of thing.

But the best thing I watched was a bride and wedding party getting pictures made all over the World's Fair Park. I mean, what better thing to do on a hot August day in Knoxville than to dress in twenty different layers of lace and satin and trudge all over a park in the direct sunlight getting your picture made?

I assume everybody had fun in their own way, delightedly oblivious of each other. That's a pretty good weekend in the city.