Thank You for Your Service: A Salute to Knoxville’s Veterans

Laura Bower Events, Giving Back, Local History, Local Living, Popular 8 Comments

On the spur of the moment, I decided to attend the Veterans Day program at the Tennessee Veterans Cemetery this year. Although I drive by the solemn rows of tombstones every day, I’d never ventured up the hill to the octagonal structure at the top. This year, in the wake …

Sweet Melissa: A Story About the Beauty of Friendship and Orchids

Laura Bower Local Living, Popular 14 Comments

My friend, Melissa, told me her grandmother advised her always to have orchids in her house, especially in winter, because they bring a cold room to life. So, Melissa’s lovely home teemed with live orchids of every variety: phalaenopsis, cattleyas, paphiopedilums, dendrobiums and oncidiums. Her favorite orchid was called “Lady’s …