Christmas Comes to Cookeville: Cookeville's Christmas Tree and Celebration

The Cookeville Christmas Tree returned to Dogwood Park this year on December 1st. The nearly 40-foot tree stands proudly in the center of the fountain pavilion. Festooned with Christmas lights and snowflakes, the tree lights up the night in downtown Cookeville. 

It also gives nightly performances to passersby. Every night starting at 7 p.m, the tree lights flicker patterns of light in synch to Christmas music. The light and music show lasts for 15 minutes. The tree’s decorations and light choreography change every year, so locals and newcomers alike are sure to enjoy the spectacle!

The tree’s return was celebrated with a tree lighting ceremony. During the ceremony, local musical talent Dezirey Simono, Marc Burnett,  Voices of Life Church, and The Smoky Nights performed for a packed audience of Christmas enthusiasts. Choral groups from local schools also lent their voices to the celebration. 

This year’s tree lighting ceremony featured Santa and the Grinch in full Santa apparel. Not to worry, the Grinch didn’t manage to ruin Cookeville’s Christmas. The tree lighting went off without a hitch! The Grinch was actually a Cookeville local, Logan Taylor, in prosthetics and face paint. His transformation video is worth a watch. You can find it here.

You can also see the tree lighting ceremony for yourself. The whole event was recorded and is viewable on the Christmas in the Park Facebook page. Click here to watch.

You can also follow the Christmas in the Park page to see when the park is offering free carriage rides and opportunities to meet Santa.

Cookeville Color Pops: Murals and Art Throughout the City

One of Cookeville’s many murals sits adjacent to the Downtown Train Depot.

Cookeville has gone mad for murals.

Historic murals…

Donut morals…

Florals murals…

Murals of technicolored roosters!

Murals of all colors, sizes, and designs are springing up all across the Cookeville West Side. The murals are a part of the city’s continued beautification efforts. And those efforts are paying off!

The West Side has quickly grown to be a cradle of art and culture in the Cookeville and wider Upper Cumberland area. Artists of all walks of life and mediums flock to this area of town for Art Prowls, First Friday Art Exhibits, and public art installations.

Alongside the murals, the West Side features a blending of history and modern. Adjacent to the historic Engine 509 train stands an archway festooned with bicycles. The bicycles range from new frames to models reminiscent of decades reaching back all the way to the 1930s.

These bikes are a perfect analogy for how the West Side operates. It seamlessly integrates the history, the present, and the future of culture and art in the Upper Cumberland. The murals are a further extension of this integration. Some murals strive to reclaim pieces of our history while others celebrate what’s to come. 

The newest mural is a beautiful cascade of florals. Each brilliant flower bursts like fireworks against a dark backdrop of black brickwork. They are a wild and vibrant explosion of color and life. They are fireworks celebrating the West Side’s vitality.

The Sights and Sounds of Dogwood Park

Children playing in the fountain at Dogwood Park in Cookeville, TN.

Why take a vacation when you can take a stay-cation? Save yourself the airport and road trip hassle by taking the perfect summer outing in your own backyard.

Well, maybe a little further than your backyard, but still very close by. 

Dogwood Park sits like an emerald jewel in the center of Downtown Cookeville. Interwoven with walking paths and benches, the park’s open lawn invites visitors to take off their shoes, to feel the tickle of fresh grass on bare feet, and to recall the summers of childhood. 

It’s a rare day when the park isn’t home to children splashing in the fountain or playing in the park’s playground. Wherever you go, the sounds of children laughing ripple through the air. The playground (aptly named “the Heart of the City”)is a favorite with the local children. It’s shock absorbing ground, safety fence, and disability-friendly design also make it one of the safest places in town.

Not a fan of crowds? The park is designed to cater to lone wolfs and social butterflies alike. Avoid the popularity of the park fountain and the playground. Take a leisurely picnic on the gentle slope by the public library, tuck yourself away in the gazebo surrounded by award-winning roses, or read a book in the shade of a dogwood tree.

Dogwood Park is also a center of arts, culture, and entertainment. During the warmer months, visitors can watch movies after dark. The theater-sized screen plays family classics from Spielberg and Pixar on weekends. Musical performances and Shakespeare are also hosted at the park’s amphitheater. 

Events such as Dogapalooza and Blues & Brews are annual attractions for the park. Dogapalooza is a dog-day celebration of our four-legged pals. Blues & Brews is the local jazz and craft beer festival. Buy a ticket and listen to smooth tunes while sipping the finest beers of Tennessee. 

Whatever your summer pace or preference, Dogwood Park is sure to please.

Tips for Selling in Summer

Summer has traditionally been the best time to sell a home. Not only do many families take advantage of moving when the kids are out of school, but in climates where winter weather is unpredictable or severe, the warmer months make it easier to be away for showings. With more homes on the market, how can you maximize your potential for a great offer among the options?

Fortunately, you can take a few steps to ensure your home stands out from the crowd.

Tips for Selling in Summer

 Control the Climate – The first thing a buyer will notice when they walk into a home is the temperature. If the weather is warm and humid, it’s critical you keep the home cool. A larger air conditioning bill is a small price to pay for a top dollar offer.

 Let in the Sun – It might be tempting to close the blinds to save money on air conditioning, but bright, sunny rooms are always more appealing; leave enough open to showcase natural light.

 Extend Outdoors – Today’s lifestyle includes the outdoor areas and more and more homes feature outdoor living and dining areas. Regardless of your home’s features, maximize the impact of your yard with furniture, BBQs and manicured landscaping.

 Spring Clean – A fresh, decluttered home with a lighter, seasonal color scheme will be visually appealing to your buyers. Replace dark pillows, linen and accents with softer colors which make the rooms seem larger. The summer selling season is here. Make sure your home is dressed for success. Welcoming outdoor spaces and bright sunny rooms combined with inviting an air conditioned rooms will ensure you get the best possible offer.

Spring Cleaning Checklist

There’s not much more satisfying as the annual deep clean. Spring brings a refresh, and is the perfect time to clean your home from top to bottom.

Pop on your favorite music or podcast and get to spring cleaning! To make the project more manageable and enjoyable, here is a free printable for you to use to check off all of those cleaning tasks.

Happy spring cleaning!

How to Declutter Your Home

Image via Pinterest

The idea of living an uncluttered life with less stuff sounds so liberating, doesn’t it? Some of the benefits of owning fewer possessions includes: there is less to clean, you have more energy, and more organization is present. This all sounds great, but where to begin?

Inspired by Marie Kondo, the best first step is to gather several bins or large bags, and label them:

1. Put Away: This container is for items that have crept out of their storage spaces. This could mean a coffee cup in the bathroom or a sweatshirt in the kitchen. These are items that will go back in their designated spots.

2. Recycle: This bin is for items that need to be recycled, such as paper, plastic or glass.

3. Fix/Mend: Use this container for items that need further tinkering, such as a pair of shoes that you love but which need to be cleaned.

4. Trash: Designate one basket—things that can go into the household trash immediately. 

5. Donate: Designate one bit for For items that you can donate to a charitable organization or another person. These should be items you can imagine another person wanting or needing. 

Tip: bring these bins or bags into each room, and go room by room.

Have you tried decluttering? What has worked for you?

Why You Should Consider Selling Your Home Sooner Rather Than Later

Image via Getty Images

If you haven’t given much thought to selling your home this year or early next year, you might want to think again. If you want to sell your home for maximum profit, it’s time to act quickly.

Here are 3 reasons to consider selling your home in the next year:

1. Home Prices Are Still Increasing: From coast to coast, home prices continue to rise—which translates to more money in your pocket when you sell.

   But the gains are predicted to be more moderate than in years past. Realtor.com data suggest a 3.2% increase year over year, after finishing 2017 with a 5.5% year-over-year increase.

   You still stand to make a pretty profit if you sell this year, but the earlier you can list, the better off you'll be.

2. Millennials Are Looking To Buy Now: Experts predict that millennials will make up a vital part of the buyer pool over the coming year: Millennials could account for 43% of home buyers taking out a mortgage in 2018 (a 3% year-over-year increase), according to inc.com data.

3. You Can Move to Find Cheaper Property Taxes: The passing of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act at the end of 2017 means a few significant home-related tax policy changes for subsequent years: Mortgage interest rates are only deductible up to $750,000 in debt and property taxes are only deductible up to $10,000.

Are you interested in selling your home? Contact me today to discuss your options!