Recently, Salad Days TV cast and crew attended the Knoxville Underground Comedy Show at The Prince Deli. It was a great night of comedy with lots of great local and regional talent to tickle your funny bone. Check out Knoxville Underground Comedy Show on “the Facebook” or go to the Entertainment section of my portfolio for additional information.

This winter I had the pleasure of traveling to Florida. I’ve not spent a lot of time in Florida but I have to say it was pretty great. Well, excluding the drive through Georgia – Sorry GA, but from the Tennessee state line to Florida, it’s a slog. That said, it was a great trip with lots of wildlife, great beaches and fantastic food and friends. [..]

Check out 3 fabulous roadtrip ideas by your’s truly in this month’s issue of At Home Tennessee magazine. Highlighted trips include the East Tennessee Crossing on 25E, the Natchez Trace Wine Trail and the Trail of the Hellhound. Visit athometn.com for that and other great stories…

I would like to say thank-you to GX-Media for getting my new, updated website off the ground. Brian Greer, owner of GX-Media, is a 15-year veteran of this industry and has given my online portfolio a complete visual overhaul. He is an award-winning videographer and all-around stellar human being. I hope you’ll check out his amazing work at www.gx-media.com.

“Across the Mountain” is a phrase often heard in daily Appalachian life. For centuries people have been climbing the mountains, sometimes for recreation but primarily for necessity. They hunt or travel from their homes tucked in the hollers across to the small towns that provide jobs, food and supplies for their farms.

For the people of Appalachia, such a trip is generally born of necessity, but for travelers seeking an authentic experience, a trip across the mountain can be eye-opening to a world of history, natural beauty and culture that is often untouched.

Appalachian music is perhaps one of the greatest gifts that the region has provided to modern culture and there are festivals and events that often pay homage to the likes of Fiddlin’ John Carson, Roy Acuff and others who helped bring the Appalachian-rooted sound into the mainstream. But still, there are more authentic experiences to be had in little-known places like Horton’s Ford, where musicians come down the mountain once a month to gather and pick, just as they have for as long as they can remember. They come bearing traditional instruments – the fiddle, guitar, and banjo – that made their way from the Old-World to the Appalachian area with packs of immigrants hundreds of years ago.

Today, these locals still play and create their distinctive sound with historic instruments that have origins spanning the globe from Ireland to West Africa. And a visit to one of these communities not only offers a lesson in global music history, but also offers true natural beauty amidst the trees, natural springs, wildlife, farms and rivers that still provide a livelihood to the quaint communities they sustain.

This time of year always makes me think of home and when I think of home I think of Kyles Ford. So, if you’re looking for a beautiful day trip this spring, consider visiting Clinch Mountain, Kyles Ford and River Place on the Clinch. It’s well worth the drive. And while you’re there, check out the East Tennessee Crossing along 25E. In the area you’ll also find access to the Appalachian Quilt Trail, the Clinch Mountain Winery, Joppa Mountain Pottery, Ritter Farms and lots of other interesting places to visit along the way.

For additional information on the Appalachian Quilt Trail and other interesting things to do in the East Tennessee area, visit www.vacationaqt.com .