Category Archives: Knoxville

Independence Day

Posted on August 31, 2017 by aamontgomery

Recently I have been listening to Gretchen Peters’ recording of “Independence Day”, the song she wrote that was a huge hit for country music star Martina McBride in 1995. Well she seemed all right by dawn’s early light Though she … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Courage, Freedom, Happiness, Knoxville, Women | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Also Known As . . .

Posted on March 31, 2017 by aamontgomery

When I was born in East Tennessee, oh, quite a few years ago, my parents Roy and Arzelia Allen named me for a dear friend of theirs named Anna Marie. In the Southern way, their friend was called by both names, … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Books, Childhood, Courage, Family, Freedom, Home, Joy (Joie de General), Knoxville, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Remembering Darcas Montgomery’s Exuberant Son

Posted on December 10, 2016 by aamontgomery

[On December 2, 2016, my dear father Roy Rotha Allen passed away at the age of 81. His health and memory had declined for years–but his health failed more precipitously over the past 14 months. Although Daddy had been hospitalized lately, … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Family, Home, Knoxville, Love, Music, Screen, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Daddy’s Last Vote

Posted on October 1, 2016 by aamontgomery

When I was a child in the early 1960s, my world was a fog of (1) trying to figure out the inexplicable behavior of the adults around me, (2) hoping to discern what they wanted me to do, and (3) … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Childhood, Courage, Family, Freedom, Knoxville, Op/Ed Thoughts, Tribute | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Living in a Self-Help Storage Facility

Posted on May 31, 2016 by aamontgomery

A month or so ago, my father’s senior living facility scheduled a family members meeting. Although Daddy–due to his dementia–is in the memory care “retreat” area, the meeting also included family members from the assisted living side of the facility. Facilitated … Continue reading →

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Much Ado About Laura and Tom Parkhill

Posted on April 28, 2016 by aamontgomery

On Saturday, April 23, my photographer husband Kurt and I were ever-so-fortunate to capture love at its most rapturous when our friend Tom Parkhill married the love of his life, Laura Regis. Yes, gentle blog readers, you heard me right: … Continue reading →

Posted in Blooming, Childhood, Creativity, Happiness, Joy (Joie de General), Knoxville, Stage, The Arts, Uncategorized, Wonder, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Grace’s Son, Tom Parkhill

Posted on January 24, 2016 by aamontgomery

When I was growing up in East Tennessee just across the river from downtown in South Knoxville, I went to school with a rather extraordinary guy named Tom Parkhill. Our parents were friends so we would occasionally go over to … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Courage, Family, Friends, Happiness, Knoxville, Love, Stage, Tribute, Women, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

My Hand, Always in Daddy’s Glove

Posted on September 30, 2015 by aamontgomery

In his black-and-gray herringbone coat with his bitten-short fingernails, Daddy would come through the door after work. That is my first hazy memory from childhood. I am not sure why I remember Daddy’s coat and his nails as the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Blooming, Childhood, Freedom, Happiness, Home, Knoxville, Uncategorized, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Coming Up Short in a Small-town City

Posted on August 31, 2015 by aamontgomery

When I was growing up here in the South in the valley near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, my hometown of Knoxville seemed organized, adults had rules, my sister and I enjoyed a good many snowfalls, and I could … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiographical, Home, Knoxville, Op/Ed Thoughts, Work, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hello 2015: What to Watch, Eat, and Read, Right Now!

Posted on January 6, 2015 by aamontgomery

What to Watch.  Ok. Stop everything you are doing and run out and see the Indian (as in Asian, not as in Native Americans) movie called “PK”. I’m gonna fully admit something here, but I have not had time to … Continue reading →

Posted in Food, John Irving, Joy (Joie de General), Knoxville, Screen | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment