Spring: 'Tis the Season for Trying New Things

With the arrival of spring I'm ready to lose the winter doldrums. In casting around for something to shake up my routine, I've been cruising Facebook for fun local events and Knoxville has not disappointed!

First, I discovered this amazing activity which you may or may not have heard of: yoga.

Ok, so maybe I'm the last person on the planet to jump onto that particular bandwagon, but hear me out. It's not just the yoga itself that I've fallen in love with, it's what goes along with it. Knoxville has perfected the art of combining yoga with other fun things. Like wine. And beer. And kittens.

Yoga and local wine make
for a perfect Sunday

That's right: for $5 you can do an hour-long cardio-intensive yoga session and then have a glass of wine at a local winery. Or you can do an hour long soothing yoga session and then have 2 beers at one of the local breweries. For $10 you can do yoga surrounded by adoptable rescue kittens, and the entire $10 goes to support a local animal shelter. These types of events are popping up like daisies all over the country, and I can't recommend them enough. They are good for the body as well as the soul.

Nala enjoys yoga time too!

"Wait," you might be saying. "Are we just perverting the art of yoga with all these gimmicks?"

Perhaps. But honestly it's fun and it has me doing yoga for the first time in my life and I love it. I've even found some yoga videos on YouTube that I've been using at home.



Spring also has also brought a lot of great fundraisers. Last month my husband, David, and I attended a fundraiser at my favorite local brewery for the Friends of Feral Felines organization. Two beers in, we decided to adopt a kitten. Clearly these Feral Felines folks know what's up when it comes to marketing.

The kitten's name is Simone and she is fitting in well with our little family.

Simone and Saffi

Later this month we'll be going back to the same brewery for a fundraiser for Bridge Refugee Services, an organization that provides support for refugees resettled in Knoxville. I told David we can't come home from this one with any new family members this time (but honestly I'm not going to make any promises about that).

Spring is all about renewal and I'm embracing it: new hobby, new fur-baby...who knows what else the season will bring? Check out your own cities and communities and see what spring activities are available to help you feel rejuvenated. Whether it's planting a garden, taking up a new hobby, or donating your time to a worthwhile cause, get out there and enjoy the bounty spring brings.