We had one week of spring bliss in Tennessee. Knoxville’s flora was in its full glory and the temperatures soared into the 80s. This is one of my two favorite times of the year in the area, the other one being Fall.

Unfortunately, Tennessee’s weather can be very moody and the spring storms are often violent. We were lucky to get a relatively calm week, although a terrible wave of storms battered the western part of the state as we left town. To make our short visit even better, we reconnected with dear friends and chatted over delicious meals.

My two favorite spots in Knoxville, Lakeside Tavern and Sequoyah Hills, didn’t disappoint.

Perched atop of a hill overlooking the marina, Lakeside Tavern offers scrumptious food with a killer view of the river and a front seat to spectacular sunsets.

My old stomping grounds, my go-to place for recreation and relief from stress, Sequoyah Hills Park welcomed us with an abundance of blooms and sweet aroma. I love walking under a canopy of red buds (which are really pink), cherry trees, and dogwoods in shades of white, cream, and pink.

We did the mandatory stalking drive by our former home and caught up with our neighbor across the street who seemed to be living his best life!

We took advantage of a weekday and drove the Cades Cove Loop in the Smokies, avoiding the usual crowds. We said hello to horses grazing, turkeys flocking, and deer nibling on tender grass.

In Oak Ridge where we stayed, the smell of the flowering holly live fence and a crab apple tree were intoxicating, while wild birds delighted us with song. We bribed the birds with fresh seeds and settled in to watch the parade: cardinals, finches, sparrows, tufted tit mice, wrens, towhees, mocking birds, and blue jays!

For me, going back to Knoxville is always bitter-sweet. I can’t help but feel a sense of loss but also an underlying frustration with the place for what it could and should have been but wasn’t meant to be. At the same time, I count my blessings for having acquired some of my most valuable beings here—my husband, my pets and my friends—and for having had a lot of fun as a part of the dance community. Although I mainly miss my youth and the good times, there are many other things I do not miss and I am glad to have ventured out to explore living westward; I look forward to visiting again (when the weather is right)!