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Happenings in and around Old North Knoxville
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Something to Pond-er. Just behind Steve and Rhonda Symons's Victorian cottage on Grainger Avenue there's a little bit of heaven in Old North Knoxville. It all began in 2002 when the Symonses decided to remove a lot of the vines that were covering their steeply sloping back yard. Working from a plan in Steve's head, the Symonses hand dug a series of terraces, a waterfall, and a large pool which contains koi and catfish. Using recycled brick, found rock, and fossils they fashioned walkways, a patio, and a bridge. The large pond alone contains 24 tons of rock in its sloping walls. The garden also has a working fireplace at the patio (The Symonses swear that keeping a fire in the fireplace even in the hottest months reduces their mosquito population.) an area for their children's trampoline, and a swimming pool in addition to a wide selection of plants. The resulting green space was on the June 2004 Parade of Ponds, a fundraiser to benefit the Fine Arts Dept. at William Blount Middle School. "We're not done here," said Steve who plans to continue to work on his yard and house while helping a neighbor improve his landscaping. Early Voting Underway. Early voting began July 16th and runs to July 31st. Election Day voting is August 5th. One of the items of interest is the race for school board between Indya Kincannon and Patsy Vittetoe. They are running to replace retiring school board member Dr. Paul Kelly. Early voting can be done at the Knoxville Center and at the courthouse downtown. Voting on August 5th will be at the Central United Methodist Church at 201 Third Ave. Go vote. Got Bulbs? Cheerful spring bulbs make your home and our neighborhood more beautiful. Believe it or not, now is the time to think about planting bulbs for next spring's display (especially if you're going to be on the Garden Tour!). To help you along, the Beautification Committee is sponsoring a Bulk Bulb Buy from the esteemed Van Engelen bulb company. We have selected a number of bulbs that would have been available to our neighborhood early in the twentieth century, as well as a couple of colorful varieties to liven up any yard or garden. By ordering as a group, we can purchase the bulbs at wholesale prices - and you can avoid the hassle of going shopping. Call Cathy Shuck at 633-6579 or e-mail at by August 15. Historic Inn on TV. The Brimer House Inn, the first bed and breakfast in an historic neighborhood in Old North Knoxville and Knoxville was recently on WBIR-TV. In case you didn't get to see the report, see it here. If you want to know more about the Inn, go to their website e-mail . You can also call 865-521-7748. Spring Fling II: The Sequel. Due to the overwhelming (or should it overflowing?) success of the Spring Fling in April of this year, more dumpsters will be appearing in Old North Knoxville for residents to throw those old rugs, old chairs, and other old and unused items in to. The dumpsters will be located on Grainger Ave., near the site of new park on E. Oklahoma Ave., and on East Scott Ave. There may also be a fourth dumpster. On the weekend of April 17th of this year the three dumpsters came empty and left full. Items excluded from being thrown in the dumpsters include oil, paint, paint thinners, and other toxic or hazardous materials. The dumpsters will be available the weekend of July 31st. Mark your calendar, bring your stuff, and help keep Old North Knoxville beautiful. How Many People Does it Take? How many people does it take to replace a dishwasher? Depends on if you're filming it for TV. In early June, the DIY Network (DIY) spent from 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at the home of Scott Schimmel and Lisa Sorensen on E. Oklahoma. They were there to replace a dishwasher and film the process for an episode of Ed the Plummer, an upcoming series to air this fall.
Scott said, "I didn't know so many people, cameras, and stuff could fit in our kitchen and house. I was quite impressed with their efficiency and professionalism" and he and Lisa are pleased with "the top of the line stainless steel dishwasher" they received for allowing the show to film at their house. So, how many people did it take? In this case 15 - 20. For a network billing itself as Do It Yourself, we guess that doesn't include the filming.
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