EDITORIAL
MESSAGE from the EDITOR
I love the fall season in East Tennessee. When I was growing up in Johnson City, I remember the fall season as a spooky and magical time. We carved pumpkins in our backyard, raked leaves into pumpkin trash bags and bobbed for apples at friends’ Halloween parties. At my school, we sang spooky songs and wrote Halloween-themed poetry.
I remember that first cool cut of air, the call of crows and the musky smell of decaying leaves. Trees would look like they were burning with fiery red and warm golden leaves. Each Thanksgiving, my mom would spend hours in the kitchen preparing a Thanksgiving feast that we would eat on the fine china that was only brought out for special occasions. We would all watch“ A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and my favorite,“ The Macy’ s Thanksgiving Day Parade.”
I feel so lucky to have spent my childhood in East Tennessee. I don’ t know that I would be where I’ m at now without the influence of this place, which I think is pretty darn special.
When I moved to Houston, the land of perpetual summer, I missed the season. Fall just doesn’ t feel the same when it’ s 90 degrees and the sun is beating down on you. I spent my first Christmas in Houston wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
We moved to Maryville about six years ago and now I get to relive those happy fall moments in an area that I am simply in love with. Fall in Blount County is a beautiful thing. When I was given the opportunity to help put together the Blount County Quarterly, I knew I wanted to try to give readers some fall-themed stories. Pumpkin Spice lattes, pickleball, spooky tours, doggie dates, hikes and delicious foods are all things that I love about the season.
As the magazine develops and grows, my hope is to continue to bring you the spirit of each season. Blount County has no shortage of fun and beautiful offerings any time of year.
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I love the fall season in East Tennessee.
Shanon Adame
2 | BLOUNT COUNTY QUARTERLY • FALL 2025