After a long bleak winter, it is wonderful to see wildflowers in the spring, foretelling of warmer weather and the return of color to the forest. The earliest wildflowers bloom, such as Hepatica, Trout-lily, Bloodroot, Spring-beauty, Toothwort, Mayapple, and Trillium, are called "ephemerals", meaning "lives for a day". They all bloom for a very short period when it's still cool weather. And because they are strictly insect pollinated this could be a problem, since insect activity is minimal in the early spring. Enter our hero: the Bumblebee.

Many people dread Monday mornings. Monday is the beginning of the work week for many, after at least a partial weekend rest from the duties of the previous week.
This past Monday began in the early hours of the morning at my house with a terrific and frightening wind and rain storm. The storm was all the more interesting as it occurred after a few days of warm, unseasonably early spring weather. The storm not only made Monday more challenging, it also ushered in an unpleasant cold spell.

My mom isn’t the only wolf lady that I know. Recently I had the pleasure of meeting another one: Manuela.
Last month, Sara asked me if I could be at her house by 6:30 one morning so I could watch Maverick for a while. Her friend Manuela was to pick her up at that time so they could visit a wolf preserve in Dandridge: Wolf PAWS, Inc. I was amazed because I didn’t know anything like that existed here in East Tennessee. I readily agreed. Like I’m going to miss out on time with my grandson. Afterwards, Sara talked about how much she enjoyed the tour. Naturally I thought their trip could make for an interesting article. So, I contacted Manuela and she kindly agreed to meet with me for an interview. We had a very nice time. But then again, we were talking over coffee and doughnuts.

Some patients are not good candidates for some types of chiropractic care treatments. For example, if you have cauda equina syndrome (a condition in which you lose control of your bowel/bladder with an accompanying intervertebral disc injury), then you will need immediate medical care as this is something that cannot be treated by your chiropractor.

In addition, if your chiropractor finds that you have advanced loss of strength, sensation, reflexes, and other unusual neurological findings, then he or she will refer you to a spine surgeon.

Even with a cold front on the way, we are still so excited to see signs of Spring popping up at Norris Dam State Park! This year we have a multitude of fun events planned to get rid of the cabin fever.
You can register for these events at our website, https://tnstateparks.com/parks/events/norris-dam/#/?park=norris-dam

Union County is gearing up for a full day of cars, chrome, horsepower and hometown history as the Thunder Road Car Show and Swap Meet rolls into Wilson Park and Union County High School on Saturday, March 21, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

A bonus for getting out into the woods in early spring is enjoying those wildflowers that bloom while everything else is still asleep and dead looking. There is a short period when the ground warms a little and the forest floor is still receiving full sun when these early flowers, called ephemerals, manage to grow, bloom, produce seeds, and then die back in a short timeframe. To pull this off they have a growth cycle backwards from most other plants.

The Aspire in Clinton is a privately funded public park on over 370 acres of diverse, beautiful landscapes. There are over 22 miles of biking/hiking trails, a kayak dock and kayak rental, golfing, a Service and Sacrifice monument, and a quite good restaurant. Included is the Adventure Playground at Aspire. There are color-coded zones tailored for toddlers, preschoolers and older kids.

All Veterans and their family and friends are invited to come shoot the breeze at the American Legion New Liberty Post 212, 140 Veterans St, on Thursday, March 19, from 3:00 to 7:00. This Open House in the downstairs meeting room is a perfect opportunity to catch up, share stories, see old friends, and meet new ones.

The American Legion Post 212 Food Pantry is stocked with frozen chicken, canned goods, and dry goods, all available during the Open House. Any Veteran, family of a Veteran, or anyone in need: c’mon down and get some food to take home!

If attendance at the Union County Farmers Market Vendor Meeting and Chili Cookoff was any indication, the 2026 Farmers Market will be better than ever. Over 50 vendors were in attendance, many had previously participated, but several were new. Seven pots of delicious chili were in competition. Jodie Moore took first place for the best-ever chili. Running a close second and third were Dave Trandum and Bobby Nelson.