Everyday Living

Colorful Island Reflections

~ Travel

“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
Proverbs‬ ‭13:3‬ ‭

Welcome sweet friends, I always appreciate and look forward to you all being a part of our everyday living.  If you have been around here for long, you know that we love to travel, and you all have been troopers as you’ve journeyed with us!  You’ve laced up your walking shoes to trek with us all over Europe and our beautiful USA!  From a tree lined street in Savannah to a historic hill in Boston to the colorful beach homes of Seaside to a rainy day on Nantucket, and most recently a quick walk in a lovely Southern town! And today, we will be traveling again…but this time it’s right here in our very own county!  Today will require little energy and guess what?  You don’t even have to wear shoes!  All that is required today is a little sunscreen, a life jacket, and maybe some sunglasses…yes you heard that right! We are hopping on a waverunner with Katy while she maneuvers the Coosa River and this small, but very cute island community.  On Sunday’s post, we shared a photo with you all of Buck’s Island and many of you commented on it.  It had never occurred to me to share this beautiful area with you all until then…and today is the day!  I hope you all will enjoy floating in the water as we take a look at the colorful houses on Buck’s Island!  Be sure to take note of the reflections of the houses in the water as we pass by!  


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The Swag, A Mountain Hideaway {Part Two}

~ Travel

  “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭

Hello sweet friends…and welcome back to The Swag!  If you missed last week’s post when I introduced you to this little gem in the Great Smoky Mountains, you can check it out here!  I am so glad you are back for the second part of our getaway to a private all-inclusive mountain resort with its rustic but elegant accommodations.  The Swag is situated atop a 5,000 foot mountain in Waynesville, NC, where it shares a one-mile border with the Smoky Mountain national park.  It invites you to escape from the stress and busyness of everyday living!  Come on, let’s check out some more of the gorgeous scenery, food, and accommodations! 

 On the day we arrived, the weather was picture perfect with Carolina blue skies and cotton candy clouds!

  I wanted to share an up-close view of one of the old log structures that was moved to The Swag.  The Woodshed is a luxurious log cottage that we might need to try out on our next visit.
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The Swag, A Mountain Hideaway

~ Travel

 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28‬ ‭

One afternoon in late February, I sat down with a cup of chamomile tea and one of my favorites, the latest edition of Victoria magazine.  I was thumbing through, and the words “A Mountaintop Haven” grabbed my attention.  It was a gorgeous two page spread of a highly recommended small country inn in the Great Smoky Mountains!  I knew that “The Swag” was a place I now wanted to visit, so I immediately checked their website!  I called and made reservations for the first week of May…I knew this would be the perfect get away for Butch and me!  So we took off and after only five and a half hours of driving, we arrived at this scenic 250 acre property at an unbelievable altitude of 5000 feet.  Breathtaking is an understatement!  The owners are an amazing couple that built it as a family retreat in 1971 and decided in the early 80’s to share God’s beauty and blessings by opening it as a country inn…and I am so glad they did!  This beautiful inn provides privacy with no noise, crowds or traffic…just the sound of birds and the beauty of the mountains. It can only accommodate 40 guests (which is perfect), so let’s not tell everyone about it…shh!  It can be our little secret! 

Nestled among peaks of 6,000 feet and bordering the Great Smoky Mountain Park, this rare mountaintop hideaway is a treasure to be discovered by nature lovers.  In the Appalachian Mountains a “swag” is a dip between two mountain peaks not deep enough to be called a gap or a pass. So in case you wondered how the inn got its name, now you know.

Before we unpacked, the lounge chairs were calling our names!
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