I love maps

I've been wanting to order a custom topo map from MyTopo.com and was looking at this preview.  Here's a small piece of it.   Cool to see my house on it's promontory point on the map - easy to see why the Feasters picked this spot.

What a view.  Thomas, my insurance agent was just here for some photos, he was awestruck.  He stood on the bluff for a few minutes in silence.


What's in a name?

A friend was alway saying my place of residence was appropriately named since he thinks I "live the life of Riley"... and in Murfreesboro, I live on "Riley Rd."

Here in Sewanee, I live at the head of Champion Cove.

UPDATE:

Living in the trees ... fog still thick on the bluff at 10am.  Can't see Stapleton's ridge.  Plants are enjoying some moist weather.   Well, off to the track...

Mom and Dad visit Sewanee

Mom and Dad liked my new place in Sewanee.  We enjoyed a wonderful sunset on their last night here.

Mom brought me my first Sewanee Xmas tree and Dad treated us to some nice meals.  We enjoyed hanging by the fire and reading the history of my house in the collected letters and photos of the Feasters loaned to me by Patti Posen.  We also enjoyed touring Sewanee and hanging with the Princes.  I think my parents like it here and will want to return.

Dad agrees, photos of this view can't prepare you for how grandiose it truly is.  Dad also agrees, a hot tub on the deck is essential!  My parents unceremoniously fled town at 2:15 am Sunday morning to escape holiday traffic.  (Dad's sleep disorder comes in handy!)

Sunday afternoon, bliss on the bluff

After a long hard workout on the Sewanee track (6x800), I returned to the bluff.

Sitting in my Adirondack chair, it was so peaceful and quiet, warm with a light breeze. Not a cloud in the sky.

I hear the pileated woodpecker, hawks, and the rushing waterfalls down below in the gorge. So quiet I can hear the crinkling sound of amber leaves as they blow off the trees and float through the air down the bluff below.

By sunset, guitar and tea.

UPDATED: Two more diverse bluff views below, from an everchanging sky - Nov 12.

3 of my photos were showcased in Nashville Arts Magazine this month.

Falls and moon

After a nice hike today with Andrew and Nancy, we were joined by Lynn to watch the sunset at my place.   The fall and winter sun sets exactly in the center of my bluff view.  It's awesome every time... so, sunsets here on the bluff have become a ritual.   After the sunset, I enjoyed the setting the crescent moon.

The awesomeness of Earth and sky.

Moonset

Bridal veil falls

Sewanee social, meetings, odd events

I was happy to volunteer on Friday for Sally and Christi to play at the local Arts Council potluck dinner and meeting ... held in a nondescript building behind the water plant in Tracy City... as Sally put it, a situation that could elicit 'culture shock.'  But, no ... it wasn't bad, not exactly the perfect first impression for Sarah of the mountain.   But... after Julia's fish tacos, a campus tour, a visit with the Princes, and a nice fire back on the bluff... it was a wonderful evening.   Our Saturday morning hike, coffee with Pete at the Blue Chair, and tour of the Rung's cool new construction, capped off a nice visit.

Joe, Geoff, Andrew, Clayton, Sally, Nancy

After Sarah left to attend a function with her daughter, I had a few hours to sit and relax before my party ... then it happened.  I felt my house move.  WTF was that?   A wind gust?  No, it was definitely a freakin' earthquake!!   Sure enough, after checking the USGS list, at 12:08pm, there was a 4.3 earthquake centered in the KY mountains.  Wow.  If I hadn't been sitting still, quietly relaxing in my new loveseat futon/chaise lounge, I probably would not have even noticed.  It was really weird.

At my party, I was happy to meet Dick and Ann Posen whose mom lived in this house.  They had photos of the construction of this place ('72) and interesting stories.  Vic, Andrew, and Joe came up from the 'Boro, and Sally, Maggie, Geoff, John, Nancy, Clayton, and Linda came by.

I had no idea of the connection that was about to be made.

Andrew Lytle Nelson, long time friend of the Princes, is a first cousin of the famed Sewanee writer/professor, Andrew Nelson Lytle.   When I introduced Geoff Roehm casually as "the coffin maker," it didn't quite click with Andrew.  Then, John explained that Geoff was the maker of Andrew Lytle's casket, an episode memorialized in Sullivan's highly acclaimed book Pulphead.  Andrew stood up and hugged Geoff.  It was a great moment.

We all watched the sunset.  Sally said, "thanks for buying us a house on the bluff, Bill."

Hangin' on the bluff...

A nice place to wake up

The view from my bed, on Election Day morning... 7:30 am.  
I love the fireplace at the foot of my bed.

The land beneath

 If there is anything wild or rare in this area, it's in Champion Cove.

I made my first venture down the bluff from my place in Sewanee this weekend.  It required an extension ladder to scale the initial bluff.  Once I got down there, I realized that this was true wilderness.  No trails, no sign of humanity whatsoever...  and some very steep rugged hiking.  This is not a place for old men (or women).  One has to be very sure-footed and in top physical condition to hike down and back up this bluff.   Next time, I'll take water!

I followed the Laurel Branch creek down where it joined a second creek.  The second creek had a waterfall and an awesome rock overhang 3' high that went behind the falls - a stunning natural feature probably few have seen.   Where the creeks joined, they formed another waterfall that fell into a sink and disappeared.   There was a huge old growth oak at that spot.  I continued down until I reached the flat part of the cove.  

I started back up and got to the rock wall and walked left.   I was disoriented and followed some deer paths I hadn't seen before.  I finally came to the top and saw an unfamiliar road.   I checked a sign and found that I had wandered out at Myers Point, near the Stapleton land.   I had no idea where I was so I  flagged down the next car who was Sarah, a professor at UTC.  She drove me to Maggie's house and Maggie drove me home.   It was probably less than a mile to my house as the crow flies... but a staggering 4 to 5 miles by road.

That evening, we watched one helluva sunset.