Fancy Bearded Iris, first bloom at Red Oak Hollow

Last September, I planted over 150 of these gorgeous iris on the top of our hollow
overlooking the ponds.  This is the first one in bloom.  What a view!

This week-end is available at Red Oak Hollow. Call Now!

It is as if the Clematis is literally and figuratively on the fence, wondering
how big and beautiful it should blossom this year.
Or you still on the fence for this week-end?
The cottage is still available and it's the only week-end left open this month.

Rain Means Waterfalls

So far it has been a wet May. But around here, rain means waterfalls.
If you want to hear their roar as you walk thru a wildflower forest,
Shake Rag Hollow trails is a must do,this month. We still have a couple of week-end
open this May at Red Oak Hollow. Book today!

Gypsy Vanners moved in next door.

Gypsy Vanner Horses are new to our neighborhood.  They live right
across the street and when I turn the corner to come home, they are a delight to see.

The Gypsy Vanner is relatively new to North America, and due to its European Gypsy origins there is some mystique shrouding the exact genesis and development of this special breed.

The Gypsy Vanner has traditionally been the preferred wagon and riding horse of the Romany Gypsies. The goal of the Romany breeders was to produce a well-bred horse that was gentle and strong as well as visually spectacular. While the brightly-colored horses with profuse feather, mane, and tail are known by several names such as Gypsy Cobs and Tinkers, the Gypsy Vanner is the designation bestowed upon the “best of the best” of a half century of selective breeding.

 

Two of the three ponds at Red Oak Hollow

Lilacs are blooming this week at Red Oak Hollow

Dog sniffs wildflowers at Shakerag Hollow, Sewanee

My sweet little Miss Daisy Mae inhales the smells of the wildflowers
and the forest. If dogs truly smell 1,000 % more than we do, beautiful
spring days must be overwhelming with joyous scents to them.

Singing in the sunshine

One of my artist friends displayed her work at Trails and Trillums and it was
such a colorful and sweet art installation, that I wanted all to see it.

They say April showers bring May flowers,but the sun was shining
brightly on the days of the art show.

Along the trail at Shakerag Hollow, Sewanee

                                                      Large white trillium in mass

                                     Celandine Poppy, Larkspur and Mayapple in mass

Saturday night available this week-end and stay in the cottage at Red Oak Hollow

I haven't blog this week, because I am outdoors hiking the trails and soaking in all
the glory of the sun and the wildflowers.  It is absolutely beautiful on the mountain.
The photo is Phacelia in bloom at ShakeRag Hollow.  I hiked there this morning and only
saw one other person on the trail.  The sounds of song birds and the rushing of the waters
and the array of color was intoxicating and calming.

If you want to get away for only one night this Saturday the cottage is now available.
We seldom accept one night reservations at the height of the season.

If you are in Nashville, Huntsville or Chattanooga, leave the concrete and come
enjoy the mountain.  Call right now. 931 598 9871 and leave me a message.
I'm out doors tending our gardens.

Spent the morning at Shakerag Hollow

I hiked at 8 a.m. at Shakerag Hollow photographing wildflowers galore.
For over two hours, it was just my 3 dogs and myself in this virtually undisturbed cove of hardwood forest and wildflowers.  Shakerag  is one of the oldest trails on the University's domain.

Locals, if you haven't been there yet this year, it's peaking now!

Large White Trilliums in bloom at Shakerag Hollow, Sewanee

Large white trilliums are in bloom at Shakerag Hollow.  this species occur in large colonies and is one of the showiest.  After germination, a trillium first produces only one leaf and requires another 6-7 years before it flowers for the first time.  In this day and age, seven years in the wild before a flower blooms is something to marvel.   Little Miss Daisy Mae stops to admire them.

Come to Wildflower Paradise this week-end

Best wildflower event on the mountain is this week-end. Trails and Trillums is a 3 day event, featuring wildflower hikes, workshops, sales of native plants, an artwork show and sale and lots of children's activities.

1. Call today and book the week-end at Red Oak Hollow.
   Family friendly cottage is still available. Sleeps four.
   Red Oak Hollow has Trillums in bloom in our private woodland gardens.
   
   2. Bring a hiking stick, sunscreen, hat, camera, wildflower guide book or just enjoy the knowledge
   of all the hikers.  It is truly amazing what they know and share.  People come from four states for this event.  Each year it grows and this year the timing of the event and the wildflowers and  waterfalls are nearly perfect.

Why we hike and hunt for wildflowers

A Virginia Bluebell stand in full bloom....first time I've seen them!

Virginia Bluebell

Yesterday, I went on a hike and finally saw Bluebells in bloom in mass.
This striking plant will form in large colonies and is often cultivated for its display of showy flowers in early spring.  I usually miss it, but this year, it's this week!

After flowering, the foliage turns yellow and the entire plant will seem to disappear, going dormant until the following spring.  I now want to plant a stand of Bluebells in our woods next to the stream.

Wildflower Lovers  this is the week and upcoming week-end for the best viewing on the mountain.
It's a 3 day event called Trails and Trillums.  Come to the mountain and stay at Red Oak Hollow.
The cottage is available and my personal gardens are coming up to!

It's still daffodil season this week on our mountain

Remember today's date

Special Announcement from a local:

Saint Andrews School officials announced today the opening of an overhead tram connecting the well-known Piney Point area near the SAS campus with the newly redesigned golf course at the University of the South. The Piney Point "rock" area has been covered with artificial turf and is now the designated "tee box" for the last hole of the university golf course. Players must take the short tram ride across the cove to Piney Point after completing the treacherous number eight hole. They then "tee off" from Piney Point back in the direction of the number nine green on the other side of the cove. Tram expenses will be funded with private donations and advertising on the side of the tram. The tram will be free to golfers and SAS students

Book Your Wildflower week-end NOW!

Rare Catesby's Trillium found at Red Oak Hollow.

There are a few phases in the early spring wildflower display: the first features most of the true spring ephemerals and other early bloomers–bloodroot, toadshade trilliums, trout lilies, rue anemone, hepaticas, spring beauties and others–and the second features a whole new set of flowers–phacelia, waterleaf, dutchman’s breeches, mayapples, sulcate trilliums, celandine poppies and others. We are fortunate enough right now to be at the juncture of the two phases, and the number of species out and blooming is astounding! The forest floor is changing daily, so there is no telling what you may find.  Come equipped with a sense of botanical adventure in taking in another of the beautiful iterations of the mountain's greatest wildflower display

Springtime at Red Oak Hollow.  I took all the  photo here last year
and they remind me how wonderful Spring is her on our mountain.
Come and see for your self.  We have April and May dates open.
Come hike or just kick back for a restful week-end.

Waterfalls are running at Fiery Gizzard

The Japanese call it Shinrin-yoku, literally "forest bath." You and I know it as a walk in the woods. Japanese researchers measured body changes in people who walked for about 20 minutes in a beautiful forest, with the woodsy smells and the sounds of a running stream.

The forest bathers had lower stress hormone levels after their walk than they did after a comparable walk in an urban area.

Our trails seem endless on this mountain , with most running along a moving stream.
Come and hike this week-end and stay at Red Oak Hollow.  Call today, it's not too late.

Spring awakes the senses at Red Oak Hollow

Spring awakes the senses, that have been tucked under the covers all winter long.
Each Spring,  I spend a ridiculous amount of time outdoors and I never regret a moment.
Come outside.  Take time to smell the Magnolias.

The Best week-end in April is April 12-14th for many reason that I will
mention in this blog this week.  But the best reason is that the cottage
will be available and surrounded by blooming things!  Call today!

We welcome "Canadian Guests" at Red Oak Hollow

Many Canadian geese stop by, but only one set returns to raise a new family. We usually see a gaggle of baby geese by mid April.

We feed the wild ducks and geese with an automatic timer, so they are at the "spot" every sunrise and sunset.

Spring is on it's way at Red Oak Hollow

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils......
                                              William Wordsworth 1802
Photo taken in my natural garden last spring.  Some of the daffodils are up already;
the rest within weeks.   Come see and play on our mountain.  Come this week-end or next!

Love of Iris

Thousands of early blooming daffodils: Must See

A community member gave everyone a heads up about this amazing daffodil field.  I hear about it for a few years now, but always after it peaked .  If you are here this week-end or next , it's a must do!

 If you haven't seen the thousands (yes, thousands) of daffodils near old 41, it is certainly worth a short drive.
 
 Turn left onto Old 41 right before Papa Ron's and drive down the mountain to the valley.
 When you hit the flat land take the first left, go for a quarter mile and then left again on Gilliam Lane.
 At 2 cents per flower, you can pick a handful for pennies...or just enjoy the view for free.

 They are now in full bloom, so don't wait.

One of nature's most beautiful hearts

Bleeding heart is one of the most lyrical perennials in my garden.  It blooms early Spring and
I suspect it may be in bloom by Mid March this year.  Make your March plans to enjoy nature
at Red Oak Hollow. We love to have you stay here and enjoy our mountain.

Happy Valentines Day to our Sweet Guests

Fog Festival February 14-17th

Monteagle Mountain, Tennessee, is nestled in the mountains between Nashville and Chattanooga. The town is home of an unusual annual event called the Fog Festival, which takes place for four days around Valentine's Day each February and celebrates the beauty of the winter mountain fog. Residents and visitors can enjoy cooking demonstrations, shopping, music, arts and crafts, wine tastings and homemade fudge tasting. The Fog Festival is sponsored by the Monteagle Mountain Chamber of Commerce (monteaglechamber.com).

Music

Fog Festival audiences are treated to the famous Tennessee bluegrass music and the sounds of fiddles, banjos and guitars. Country music fans will hear local and nationally known performers as singers and musicians from nearby Nashville entertain at local restaurants and shops. Regional talent from southeastern Tennessee entertain at numerous free and low-cost venues throughout Monteagle.

Arts and Crafts

The Monteagle Fog Festival also offers area artisans the opportunity to display and sell their arts and crafts. Visitors are encouraged to take part in the free pottery throwing contest sponsored by Hallelujah Pottery. Local businesses participate in the display of arts and crafts, such as the exhibit of antique tea settings sponsored by Tea on the Mountain. Regional and nationally renowned artists and artisans display paintings and ceramics in local businesses.

Food

Monteagle Mountain restaurants and business owners join in the festivities by offering free admission to sponsored concerts and discounts on food and gifts, including the free homemade fudge tasting at Jim Oliver's Smoke House Restaurant. Vendors offer local dishes and regional cuisine in the main festival area of town. The Monteagle Winery entices visitors with free samples of local wines and tasty chocolate samples.

All Saints Chapel Sewanee: Most Beautiful College Cathedrals

30 Most Beautiful College Cathedrals

http://www.bestcollegereviews.org/features/the-30-most-beautiful-college-cathedrals/

Author Robert Louis Stevenson once said, “Mankind was never so happily inspired as when it made a cathedral.” Church cathedrals represent some of the most artistic and complex architecture created by man. College campuses across the world have worship chapels and historical cathedrals that entail a rich history along with brilliant architectural design. Though it proved to be a daunting task, we here at Best College Review have picked 30 cathedrals that we believe to be the most beautiful campus cathedrals in the world.

#11.  All Saints Chapel is the official chapel for the University of the South. The building of the chapel was filled with stops and starts, and in a roundabout way took over 100 years before finally being completed in 1959. The design of the church was created by Ralph Adams Cram in 1904, but weren’t used until a Vice-Chancellor named Edward McCrady pushed for the completion of the chapel to commemorate the school’s 100 year anniversary. Cram was inspired by numerous architectural masterpieces, and it clearly shows.

Classical Saxophone: Free Concert on Friday

On Friday, February 1 at 7 p.m., St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School’s McCrory Hall for the Performing Arts welcomes Mateo Granić for an evening of classical saxophone accompanied by pianist Elena Bennett and Deider Emerson on violoncello. 

The concert is free and open to the public. 
Reservations are not necessary. 
The program includes selections from Bach, Brahms, Creston, Granić, Itturralde, Kuntarić, Pianzzolla, and Rachmaninoff.

Are you saying Yes to Sewanee Class of 2017?

To the Parents of Prospective Students: Take a look at Sewanee, you will be glad that you did.

Sewanee: The University of the South is a national liberal arts university with an outstanding undergraduate College of Arts and Sciences, a respected graduate School of Theology of the Episcopal Church, and an innovative summer Master’s Degree program in English and Creative Writing through the School of Letters.

A Sewanee education combines serious intellectual pursuit, collaborative learning, community outreach, and spiritual growth in an unparalleled outdoor setting that inspires reflection and personal development.

At Sewanee…

You’ll learn to write—an indispensable skill in any field.

• Writing is emphasized throughout the curriculum.
• Undergraduates may attend readings and lectures at the renowned Sewanee Writers’ Conference.
• You’ll write within a culture that produces the Sewanee Review, the nation’s oldest continuously published literary quarterly.

You’ll grow personally and professionally with ventures out into the world.

• About 45 percent of students study or travel abroad and share their experiences on campus.
• More than 12,000 alumni—from all 50 states and 40 countries—make themselves available to students, offering advice and job prospects.
• The University funds more than 120 internships each year.

Your consciousness and convictions will be honed.

• Students administer a 100-year-old honor system.
• Students give of their time and talents to serve our community.
• Affiliated with the Episcopal Church, Sewanee welcomes all faith traditions and encourages discussion of ethical questions in class.

You’ll learn among peers who will inspire your own achievement.

• Sewanee students are more likely than those at comparable institutions to contribute to class discussions (From the National Survey of Student Engagement).
• Sewanee is among an exclusive group of colleges with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and most prestigious undergraduate academic honor society.
• Sewanee has sent 25 Rhodes Scholars to Oxford—a record exceeded by only 15 other institutions.
• About 55 percent of Sewanee graduates go on to earn advanced degrees.

You’ll be prepared to achieve your life and career goals.

• Our liberal arts curriculum provides a rigorous education in thinking and communication—skills that have lasting value.
• Small classes mean close contact with faculty—and plenty of support.
• Strong majors and programs put you at the forefront of your chosen field.

Valentine's week-end in Sewanee

Come to the mountains for Valentine's week-end.  Slow down with a cup of hot cocoa at
one of the cafes in Sewanee.  Hike a multitude of forest trails with waterfalls running this time of year. Browse the cute shops and art gallery the village and pick up a memento to remember the trip.
Snuggle with your honey, down at the fire-pit.

Stay at Red Oak Hollow for Valentine's week-end and  book the cottage with it's KING SIZED
Sleep Number Bed.  Book soon......book the best the mountain has to offer.  931 598 9871

Singapore Food is now in Sewanee

Crossroads Cafe featuring Singapore Food is open!! To start, we have a limited Menu but do come over to enjoy Singapore Chicken Satay, Shanghai Dumplings, piping hot Wanton Noodles Soup, sesame toasted chicken wings, stir-fry noodles, vegetarian tofu and more culinary surprises as we gear up!

THANK YOU ALL for all your support, interests and excitement for Crossroads Cafe in Sewanee. We are open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays. This Sunday, 1/20/13 we are open from 10:00 to 2:00 pm. for Convocation Weekend.

We are located beside IvyWild Fine Dining Restaurant and opposite Sewanee Community Center so Come On Over!

Irene Emory

Crossroads Cafe

38 Ball Park Road

Sewanee, TN 37375

Tel: (931) 598 9988

Are you a proud parent of a Gownsmen?

Make a week-end of the occasion that your student will be inducted into the
order of the Gownsmen and stay with us at Red Oak Hollow.  Call today!

Opening Convocation for the Easter semester will be held Jan. 18 in All Saints’ Chapel. Honorary degrees will be presented and new members will be inducted into the Order of Gownsmen. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Marilynne Robinson will give the Convocation address and will receive an honorary degree. Stan Brock, the Rt. Rev. Jacob W. Owensby and the Rt. Rev. John McKee Sloan will also receive honorary degrees during the Convocation.

Red Oak Hollow really likes Red

It's certainly the time to remember to feed the birds.  They are counting on us.