February’s been a little… soggy. Not quite the fireworks-start we imagined back in January.

But here’s what I’m learnin’: showers don’t just make puddles, they wake up the soil.

So this week, we’re leanin’ into the reroutes, the small wins, and the superpowers that only show up after a little rain. Pull up a chair. Let’s see what’s bloomin’.

As always, we’ve added a fresh track to this week’s issue purely for vibes as you read. Click the radio below before ya start reading if you wanna listen!

[Intro for FPP here] It’s what we call a Front Porch Partnership, meanin’ it ain’t local-local, but it does help keep this digital printing press clackin’ along and allows us to do even cooler things with Chattynooga and our buddin’ community in the future!

Even if ya don’t end up signin’ up, just clickin’ the ad throws a dollar in the ol’ Chattynooga piggy bank, so thanks for at least takin’ a look! I wouldn’t put it in here if I didn’t think my buds wouldn’t enjoy it either. Anyway, take it away 1440 Media!

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Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about?

Tell us all about it with our new and improved events form, or just reply to this email with your event details and we’ll go from there!

Y’all ever watch somethin’ grow up right in front of you? I ain’t talkin’ about those pills you put into water and it turns into a little sponge animal or somethin’ crazy like.

Real change, progress, and growth just bloomin’ in your eyes.

Back in 2020, when the world felt like it was tiltin’ sideways, Walnut Street Publishing quietly set out to reimagine what publishing could look like in Appalachia: No trend-chasin’ or algorithm-huggin’, just real stories from real people who deserved to be heard.

WSP has never been about polish for polish’s sake, but providing a platform when others would not for creatives, and picking at buildin’ a foundation sturdy enough for voices that don’t always get a microphone.

And now, five years later, they’ve stepped into a new era.

And if you’re wonderin’ what this new era of Walnut Street Publishing looks like in real life, not just on a mood board?

It looks like 50 local artists under one roof, food trucks, handmade goods, and folks showin’ up for each other’s work. Chattanooga’s creatives are buildin’ their own table instead of waitin’ for a seat.

Walnut Street Publishing is bringin’ that same punk energy straight into the real world with their Art Friends Market this Saturday at 11AM, along with our pals at Studio Ours!

Go support the punks and be a friend, maybe we’ll see you there!

Imma be honest witcha… February has just not been the month to match that “New year, new me” momentum that we started off with in January. I been sleepin’ more, gettin’ crankier than a 14-year-old chihuahua who just heard the mailman knock on the door, and just straight up not havin’ a good time.

The last straw was this past Friday: Meemaw an’ I were doing some eBay Arguin’ online auctioning, and were in a crazy bidding war with a certain @beanjuice2 for a bag of porch goose outfits. We thought Meemaw had this in the BAG, and then all of a sudden, stinkin’ beanjuice2 slapped just enough dollaroonies down to take the whole gander of beautiful outfits we were’ admirin’ for Fannie Mae’s Spring debut.

I hung my head in disappointment before just hollerin,

Now, Meemaw was havin’ nonea that. She plucked my lil’ behind up by the suspenders and plopped me onto the couch for one of her “stern talkin’ tos”.

She crossed her arms, looked me square in the eyeballs, and said, “Bubby Tallant, you are not defined by porch poultry couture. I raised you better, darnit.”

I blinked twice.

“You don’t get every yes. That don’t mean you ain’t good. It just means that it ain’t yours.” That line stuck like biscuit dough in my ribcage.

Truth is, it wasn’t just about funky goose outfits. It was the emails that didn’t pan out, and the doors that didn’t open like I thought they were gonna.

In the same month that we started this newsletter situation last year, this February had me wonderin’ if I’d already lost my spark.

But then, in the middle of my temper tantrum, Meemaw snapped me right out of that negative self-talk.

What if rejection ain’t a verdict? Just a nudge that the world’s quietly telling ya, “No-no, not this one. This way.”

It rarely feels graceful in the moment. Sometimes it feels like losin’ by 75 cents and yellin’ at a laptop. But maybe the redirect is the point. To try a new angle. To make the goose outfit ourselves.

So if this month’s knocked you sideways a bit on your New Years Resolutions, just know you’re not fallin’ behind. Ya just gotta find the beautiful scenic route.

And for the record? Fannie Mae’s Spring debut is gonna be iconic.

Beanjuice2 can keep the Busch’s Baked Beans Chains Wallet.

This weekend, I had an idea. A revelation, if you will. A conscious lifestyle choice that I think is gonna make every day a little more magical. It’s called, “EVERYDAY IS A GREAT DAY TO HAVE AN ADVENTURE!”

Now hear me out, I know you can’t go off hunting for treasure or galavanting across the country every day. Probably not all that often, in fact. But that’s why you gotta look at every single day as a beautiful opportunity for something amazing to happen to you.

We asked about your weekend shenanigans to see what you lovely folks were up to lately. Our buddy Paul went on adventure to a rock and roll concert in Atlanta this weekend. Our pal Candace stayed home and relaxed, which feels like an adventure in self care and I’m so here for it.

As for Bubby and me, we had an everyday adventure that ended with a surprise! We went down to visit my family in good old Chestnut Mountain, Georgia, and the whole way home, Bubby was yammering on about some monument he wanted to see. So, we drove exactly zero minutes out of our way to see the masterpiece that is the Squidbillies Monument in Ellijay. IYKYK. It sure was… something.

So this week, that’s my advice to you. Whether you’re keeping it lowkey or doing something thrilling and new, enjoy the adventure! We’ll see ya back here next week!

And just like that, we’re closin’ out February with clearer skies ahead.

If this month felt slower or heavier than planned sometimes the growth’s underground. Thanks for ridin’ out the drizzle with us. March is peekin’ around the corner, and I’ve got a feelin’ it’s bringin’ a little extra sunshine.

See ya next week, porch pal. ☀️

— Bubby & Clementine