At least a half-dozen times a week I pass Aspen Grove Park.  You know, that park near the corner of Aspen Grove and Seabord Lane... across from Parkside townhomes at Aspen Grove??? 

Yeah, it's there and it's absolutely worth stopping!  

Both of these dog parks are worth visiting, despite any of the "negative" things that I might allude to below.

My aim here is simply to give dog owners an honest review and some idea of what they can expect to find upon their first visit to either of these dog parks.

All in all, they're both great dog parks, and both are very popular with the locals.

If Tenor were to be the judge, the Franklin Dog Park would rank #1, followed by the Brentwood /slash/ Bellevue /slash/ Nashville /slash/ Warner Dog Park as #2.

Actually, the Warner Dog Park is part of the Percy Warner Parks system which lies between Bellevue and Brentwood (and just a hop, skip, and a jump from Franklin), but it's technically in Nashville.

The Franklin Dog Park has its own claim to fame: it is Tennessee's first off-leash dog park!

When I learned about this proposed park off the Natchez Trace Parkway, I became curious about other new parks that might be in the works around Franklin, Tennessee.

If you live here, then you've no doubt already heard a lot about these proposed parks and trail systems already.

But if you are or will be visiting Franklin, TN or you plan to move here in the near future, then the following information might be of interest to you.

Franklin Tennessee is a city filled with parks!

There are city parks. And there are county parks. When you add them all up, there are plenty of places to enjoy the great outdoors in one of the many parks located in Franklin, TN.

In all, there are nearly 30 parks within the confines of the city.

Nashville's Metro Parks department maintains a variety of seasonal outdoor pools and year-round indoor pools, including Wave Country, pictured here:

But my favorite kind of water park is what is known as "a sprayground" or a "spray park". The best part: They're FREE!

I travel up and down the Natchez Trace Parkway a lot. (Talk about a cheap form of therapy!)

A few weeks ago I noticed a couple of flagmen and some bulldozers caught up in a bustle of activity on the Trace, near the Highway 96 Exit.

A couple days later, I noticed lots of trees missing, and some freshly laid gravel -- as if, in parking lot fashion. This was all taking place just off the road (on the righthand side, heading South on the Trace), so it's obvious that something new is going to appear there very soon.

I got the scoop!...

One of the best city parks in Franklin -- for kids -- is Pinkerton Park. It's located on Highway 96, just past the railroad tracks on the East side of downtown Franklin.

Why it's the best?

Because there are so many signs regulating all the things that adults cannot do, that there's nothing but fun to be had for the littlest citizens of Franklin.

Thinking of visiting historic Franklin, Tennessee in the near future?

Here are some great tips for tourists -- our best recommendations for things to see & do in and around Franklin, TN.

Supposedly, wherever you are in Tennessee, there's a State Park within an hour's drive.

Hmmm... ok.

Well the good news to report is that all of Tennessee's state parks are now FREE!

Most used to charge anywhere $3 or so (per vehicle) just to enter the park and enjoy nature at its finest... plus a few cool amenities provided by the state.

So, if you haven't been to one of Tennessee's state parks in awhile, this might be something you want to add to your Summer "To Do" list.

Tennessee's state park system was recently ranked by the National Recreation and Parks Association as one of the top four state park systems in the country. Florida was No. 1, and Tennessee was tied with North Carolina and Missouri for second place. Source

Well, it looks like they're going ahead with Phase 2 now...

Thanks to some outspoken skateboarders and local citizens, the builders have been given the go-ahead to add a 16-foot kidney shaped skate bowl.

While I have yet to hear of anything like this in the Franklin area Franklin offers their own FREE movies by Moonlight series, FREE Concerts in the Park, and even FREE summer movies at Franklin Cinema, I can strongly recommend the Movies in the Park which take place each year in Nashville (in the West End area).

It's not quite ready for skateboarders yet... but it's close!

(This photo was taken at Nashville's Two Rivers Skate Park.)

Maybe it's because of all the rainy days that we've had lately (...not to mention all the tornadoes).

Maybe it's just how the construction process goes (...fast at first, followed by what seems like a snail's pace).

Maybe there's a lot of detail work that we can't see (...because there certainly are a lot of workers on site most of the time!)

Then again, maybe only real skateboarders can appreciate the true skill and hard work that goes into creating a Skate Park (... and therefore, only they can visualize what is just around the corner).

Then...

And now...

Whatever the reason, I've been driving by the Franklin Skate Park for weeks now, yet I keep seeing the same pictures in the viewfinder of my camera.

You asked.

We answered.

Jim wrote that was hoping to find pictures of the Franklin Skate Park in Jim Warren Park -- off Boyd Mill Ave. & Downs Blvd. next to the Williamson County License Branch.

So here goes... the first photos of the Franklin Skate Park under construction!

If there's one thing we learned this week, it's that the human body can take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.

Here's the story...

We spent Sunday afternoon at Fall Creek Falls in Pikeville, Tennessee (near McMinnville). Jim's parents were here for the weekend. It was slightly chilly, and slightly misty outside, so we just took a few photographs of the waterfalls, had lunch at their awesome buffet, then made mental notes for a return trip in weeks to come.

HOWEVER!... Jim's dad became one with nature this weekend!

We moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2001 from Pensacola, Florida. We rented a big house on the Williamson/Davidson county line that was actually in the town of Brentwood. Lived there for a year until we finished building our new house.

Our new home is located in Franklin, Tennessee.

It was built by Ryan Homes in "record time" (only 72 days!), and we've been really happy with all aspects of our first home together. It's the "Harpeth" plan (... I know when I was looking at new houses, it always helped to know which floor plan I was looking at.)

Photos of our Home Building Process