Knoxville Has No Tornado Sirens

I've been wondering about this and now I know.  The ridges around Knoxville make it difficult to hear the sirens.  The director of the Knoxville-Knox County Emergency Management Agency recommends all residents have weather radios that receive watches and warnings directly from the National Weather Service.

College of Veterinary Medicine Open House

We visited the UT College of Veterinary Medicine's open house over the weekend and the kids had a good time.  When we first arrived there were all types of dogs available to pet.

 

Book Review: Family Hiking in the Smokies

This book is great for families with younger kids. There is a good description for each hike that includes directions to the hike, length in miles and hours, age appropriateness, difficulty and points of interest such as waterfalls or lookout towers. 

The chart in the back let's the reader easily find a hike that can be done with a preschooler, one that has a waterfall or various other features.

I have a three year-old, so it's great to be able to scan for a nice short hike we can do as a family.

UT College of Veterinary Medicine Open House

The UT College of Veterinary Medicine is having an open house tomorrow. It's free and open to the public. Short notice, but we'll probably blow off the things we are supposed to do tomorrow to check it out.

McGhee Tyson Airport

I don't need a chart to tell me that it's expensive to fly into Knoxville, but according to Nate Silver , McGhee Tyson is number four on the list of the ten most expensive midsize airports in the country. 

Knoxville Greenways

The Knoxville area has an impressive system of greenways for walking or biking. I haven't found a map that includes the entire system, since it runs through three jurisdictions.  However, the Knox Greenways Coalition maintains a list of all the greenways in the area with links to maps of the various sections

We found this great little spot near a favorite playground:

The joys of renting

There is one serious up-side to renting. I can look at this square-mile of shockingly dated wallpaper, (I remember buying sheets with this design nearly 20 years ago)

and not wonder for a moment how long it will take to scrape it off.  Or whether I should paint or repaper.  Or whether I should match the cream trim or the white appliances.  Or also paint the trim.

It's almost relaxing when I notice some flaw that is not my problem.