Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery

Wow! So hard to believe it's mid-October already. The picture at left is from last fall (10-8-10). There is a bit more color now all around! The fall colors are pre-peak at this time, but with the rain, it might knock off some of the foliage. However, there should still be plenty of color for the next few weeks - but always dependent on the wind and other weather. You can get a sneak peak through the Sunset Marina webcam at Dale Hollow Lake. Nature lovers, I wanted to share a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the great outdoors. Wolf Creek National Fish Hatchery on Lake Cumberland offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year. They still have a few sessions this year. Check out their event calendar at this link. Very informative and great for families and educators! You can also access thier webcam through their site - www.fws.gov/wolfcreek. Happy Autumn! Get out and enjoy nature today!

Summer's Bounty 2011

I recently had an experience that I can’t help but share. Our friend, Ilaeka Villa of Grandview Mountain Cottages in Grandview, TN, invited us over for a delightful experience. Ilaeka and her dad (Papa Phil) delight in growing their own fresh produce and have a beautiful organic flower and vegetable garden on their property. It was time for blueberry picking! Terry, Grant, Blake and I enjoyed a relaxing afternoon picking the delicious and beautiful fruit. Family time is vital and it is important to share these experiences with our children. They learn so much about where their food comes from and the importance of choosing quality fruits and vegetables. You can’t beat fresh produce that is truly fresh. When you pick it yourself, you know exactly where it came from and when it was picked. You don’t loose quality due to premature picking and shipping for miles (or at least if you have miles to drive – you are in charge and can care for it more tenderly). Don’t wait until fall to get out and visit the region to enjoy the fall produce. Take the time now to find a local farm stand or other such source of the freshest produce you can find on the Cumberland Plateau. Sweet corn is ready and other produce is in abundance as well – homegrown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, green beans, squash, cucumbers, and more!

Guests at the cottages are often fortunate to be able to share in the bounty with the bed and breakfast option or through their farmhouse catering service. Ilaeka and Papa Phil also delight in preserving their produce and even offer some of it for sale to guests through their “Porch Store”. Why not give them a call today and make plans to spend the night? You might just get a chance to visit the garden as well. 423-365-4412 or visit them on the web at www.grandviewmountaincottages.com. Tell them that “Annie” sent you!

Spring is HERE!

Spring! Even the word sounds invigorating. After the winter of 2010-11, I expect everyone is thrilled to see the new foliage burst forth. The native Redbud trees have been so vibrant and the dogwoods are still very beautiful. It is such a feast for the eyes as the hills wake up from their winter nap! HIS Majesty gloriously shines all around us. The Burckhard family loves to hike and we couldn’t wait for spring. We relish our opportunities to get out and explore the vast “wilderness” all around us. Our winter hikes are especially enjoyable. We pack a picnic lunch and sometimes stop at the little grocery stores near the parks for a few extras then head out on our explorations. Sometimes we see new plants that we haven’t seen before or in a while. Sometimes we spot a new bird or other animal. Other times we uncover recent history of the area. Often, we bring friends and/or family along to share our day. Anyway it goes; we count our blessings and enjoy God’s creations – including each other. There are many great hikes in the area. Fall Creek Falls State Park, Cumberland Mountain State Park, Burgess Falls State Natural Area, and the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area are just a few over our family favorites, plus the drives to these locations are also superb. Make plans now to get out and about to enjoy the season! Happy Trails! For more great stories on hikes in and around the areas, visit http://www.VisitTheCumberlandPlateau.com and click on the area that interests you most (also check the archived copies of the guides) and take a look at the guide to the area. Not all have stories of our hikes, but several do.

Merry Christmas & Happy New, plus visit to Dovie's

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. It's hard to believe another year has come and gone. I've been busy exploring the regions and a bit behind in posting my travels. I hope to post more in the near future. We have just finished production of the new Fall Creek Falls and Dale Hollow Lake Visitor Guides for 2011. They are available for download through the www.Go2FCF.com and www.Go2DHL.com websites. ...lots of new Annie stories in each. They will also be available at the Nashville, Indianapolis & other boatshows if you would like a free hard copy.

Dovie’s is a nostalgic place that draws people from near and far to experience the mouth-watering taste of those special hand patted, beef burgers cooked the traditional “Dovie’s” way. From the mid 1930’s, this mainstay restaurant in downtown Tompkinsville, KY has served 300-600 hamburgers per day to local factory workers, visitors, and local residents. Dovie’s was once the heart of this small community. The Moore family has continually owned this legendary restaurant through all these years. We recently visited Freedom, KY on a Saturday for the dedication/memorial celebration for the founder of the Rollercoaster Yard Sale, Sarah Ann Bowers. I met the Cropper family who drove in from the suburbs of Nashville/Gallatin, TN. They were there to relive their childhood memories and eat these delicious burgers. If you are from the north, the texture of these burgers is similar to White Castle hamburgers. These burgers are formed daily by the ladies at Dovie’s, cooked in soybean oil and lovingly flipped over by hand. These ladies stand watching over the burgers like a shepherd watching over their flock. There is an art to the “Dovie’s” burger and there is proof of this on any day of the week, by the hundreds of people driving near and far to enjoy the succulent taste. Cheri Cropper smiled when she talked about Dovie’s and the fact that the Moore family has been the continuous owners since the 1930’s. While she was growing up in Tompkinsville, about thirty years ago, she said Dovie’s was her favorite place after school or on a Saturday morning. She remembered the pristine white starched shirts and pants the employees wore. Twenty- eight years later, she was sitting on a stool with her husband and her two children making new memories to share. They were enjoying the Indian summer afternoon at Dale Hollow Lake with a side trip to Dovie’s. Come to Dovie’s and have a burger or two or three and see what memories you can create. Tell the ladies that Annie sent you!

Rollercoaster Yard Sale

Sept. 30, Oct. 1 & 2 marked the 25th Anniversary of the Rollercoaster Yard Sale. Wow! What an awesome sale it was! The weather couldn't have been better and the turnout of buyers and sellers was remarkable - one of the best - if not the best ever.
The folks at the Celina Lions Club Pancake Fundraiser on Saturday morning also had a wonderful time enjoying one another's company and a great breakfast. If you missed the sale this year, it's not to early to make plans (and mark your calendar) for the 2011 sale which will be held Sept. 29, 30, and Oct. 1 - always the first weekend in October.

Fantastic Fudge!

As I was traveling through Clarkrange, TN yesterday, I took the opportunity to stop in at the Cumberland Mountain General Store & Rock-a-Billy Café to visit with owners, Ron & Lana Jones. Ron & Lana are wonderful people and I always enjoy stopping in to visit. The General Store is always choked full of wonderful items from days gone by and the Café is a feast for the senses! Recently, they have added a new feature – a fudge case filled with handcrafted fudge in a variety of flavors. Ron makes the fudge fresh every couple of days using quality ingredients and some of the finest cream and butter. I SAVORED some of the praline pecan yesterday…. oh, so decadent! They usually have at least a dozen flavors to choose from – even Key Lime made with key lime juice, Rocky Road, Chocolate Fudge, Butter Pecan, Chocolate Peanut Butter, and other tantalizing flavors. I also learned that the Rock-a-Billy Café is now serving barbeque prepared by their son Toby – who is doing the majority of the cooking there at present. All of their food is lovingly prepared by hand and you can tell with the first bite – if the first smell didn’t convince you. They specialize in hand formed all beef hamburgers, hand dipped ice cream, handcrafted milkshakes, and slow cooked barbeque in the 50’s style diner. Stop in today and tell them that “Annie” sent you or give them a call for more information and hours at (931) 863-3880.

Treasures of the past

Hello everyone,

I apologize that it has been a while. It's been a busy summer all around. As autumn approaches and we work to finalize the Fall Creek Falls Visitor Guide and Dale Hollow Lake Visitor Guide for 2011, my mind tends to wander to the harvest of history in my life and the area. On Sept. 11th, we held a Memorial Celebration in remembrance of Sarah Ann Bowers - founder of the Rollercoaster Yard Sale. Ms. Sarah was quite a unique individual with a grit and determination to get the job done. The weekend before that, I had the opportunity to go to Pickett State Park's Old Timer's Day Celebration and meet Mr. Oscar Odum, a former CCC Camper that helped build the Pickett State Park facilities with the help of so many others. Look for a story in the next issue of the Dale Hollow Lake Visitor Guide which is scheduled for release around the first of January. We are also working on a story about the Quil Trails in the area. They are quite popular. With the colors coming soon, you might consider checking out the local landscape and the beautiful blocks that dot the terrain. Happy Trails! Annie

Sales Tax Holiday, Hwy. 127 Sale & More via @constantcontact

Sales Tax Holiday, Hwy. 127 Sale & More via @constantcontact

New Welcome Center

Early this week, Pickett County (on Dale Hollow Lake) broke ground on the location of a new Welcome Center on Hwy. 111 just a few miles from the TN/KY border. It's been almost 10 years since a group of local citizens sat down in August of 2000 to discuss the importance of preserving our rich heritage (particularly of the Civil War) and providing a place for people visiting the area to stop in and learn more about all the area has to offer. Many volunteer hours have gone into making this project a reality over the years, but soon, everyone will be able to enjoy the new facility which will house among other things, the Borderland Exhibit (currently housed in the Byrdstown Town Hall), the local Chamber of Commerce, and a Welcome Center. You can learn more about The Borderlands by visiting their website: www.TheBorderlands.org.

School's Out & Summer is Here!

School's Out! Wow! My sons are so excited. They've been looking forward to the added freedom that comes with being out of school. Summer 2010 is off to a hot, hot start. All the more reason to head to the woods to explore or get out on one of the area lakes and enjoy the abundant water. We've been on a little outing at the Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park to hike down to Bunkum Cave. That spot is so refreshing in the summertime. The shade from the woodlands makes it a nice outing. We also had the opportunity to take a pontoon ride out on the lake. There's just something special about water recreation in the summertime! The water is warm and so inviting. (If you've ever set foot in the water before it warms up, you'll appreciate this bit of info. The water from the mountain/underground springs makes the water chilly for quite sometime in the spring at Dale Hollow.) There is plenty of water all around - no drought this year so far. Everything is lush and green. So, if you haven't taken the time to "enjoy the water", come on out and see what you're missing. Happy Summer! For more ideas, visit the links on www.VisitTheCumberlandPlateau.com.

Hangin It Up in the Big South Fork with Laurel Fork Rustic Retreat

The Burckhard family had a wonderful time in the Big South Fork this past weekend!

Spring has sprung and everything was beautiful, including our accommodations at Hangin it Up cabin at Laurel Fork Rustic Retreat and our hike in the Big South Fork park. The boys brought along a couple of friends. As you can see they took advantage of the surroundings to enjoy their picnic. There are so many wonderful vistas in the BSF. This spot offers a magnificient view.

Our accommodations were wonderful. Everything was well stocked and a home away from home. We would highly recommend it to anyone. Great location! The boys found the game tables to their liking and it kept them entertained while the adults took a relaxing break. The game room also had a selection of board games and movies to watch as an extra bonus. The jetted tub is wonderful and the fireplace perfect to chase the chill away in the cool of the morning.

Our family loves to hike and it was perfect weather for it. We met several folks out on the trails. Saw folks kayaking down the river. Others were out on their motorcycles taking advantage of the great day. It looks like this weekend is going to be great too. We hope folks take advantage of this beautiful weather (even if there is an occassional shower that passes by). Happy Trails!

Weekend Getaway at Fall Creek Falls

What a treat! We had a fabulous time in at the beautiful and luxurious Red Roof Cabin this past weekend. The owners have paid so much attention to detail it was very noticeable. I feel that this cabin for rent in the Fall Creek Falls and Center Hill Lake region really is quite special.

I love to cook and was pleasantly surprised at the fully stocked kitchen, with the high-end cutlery, plates and cookware. Our guest, Dr. Michael Tabor and his wife of Nashville were very impressed and we had several lovely meals around the hand-crafted pine dining table.

The boys had a great time playing outside near the creek and the game room was superb. It allowed Terry and I to sleep in a bit, while they played ping-pong and air hockey downstairs.

Our trip to Fall Creek Falls State Park was excellent. It felt so great to be able to get out and soak up some fresh air and sunshine. The falls were gorgeous! The picture is worth more than a thousand words. We weren’t the only ones ready to get out and hit the trails. We meet many people out and about enjoying the fantastic day. I encourage you to get out and enjoy all that the Cumberland Plateau and Highland Rim have to offer. It’s spectacular!

Spring is on it's way!

Wow! It's finally warming up. The giant icecicles that we have seen way to much of this winter will soon be just a memory. It won't be long until new growth springs forth across the middle Tennessee and southcentral Kentucky area. The wildlife is appearing more frequently too. While on a short drive late in the day this past weekend, I saw deer, a skunk (WAYYY TOOO CLOSE!), 2 racoons, rabbits, and throughout the day - loads of birds that appeared to believe spring was already here. They seemed so excited! In a couple of weeks, scenes such as this in the picture will be the norm. Easter is the first weekend in April this year. Often, the redbuds are blooming the week or so before and the dogwoods follow close behind and generally last for at least a couple of weekends. So many of the local highways are lined with these gorgeous views. Its a great time to get out and enjoy a drive (or preferrably a ride if you can talk someone else into driving so you can better enjoy the views) through the countryside. We are coming up on the final days of the season where we can get out and see the superb vistas offered from the many overlooks that are obscured during the growing season. They are truly amazing. Be sure to stop in at some of the local "Mom and Pop" shops and diners. They aren't as busy this time of year and would love to take the time to slow down and visit with you a while. Hiking and trail riding are also excellent, especially for those of us that don't particularly enjoy all the "little friends" that come out when it is warmer. Fishing will also improve greatly in the next few weeks with several fishing tournaments on the horizon. Happy Spring!

Winter Getaway for Canadians

We have had a winter to remember this year, but to put it all in perspective, I would like to share this. The Hamilton Hunt and Tintern Hare Bassets of Caledonia Ontario, Canada traveled 15 hours to enjoy a ten day joint meet with the Cumberland Mountain Hounds and Upper Bay Bassets of Jamestown, TN February 2010. (Their version of a winter/spring break. Read about their adventure last year at this link.) This was their third annual visit to East Fork Stables which consists of 12,000 acres perfectly suited for hunting with hounds.

For those of you that don't know what fox hunting is - fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, and chase of fox and coyote in their natural habitat (no killing), by trained foxhounds, and a group of followers led by the huntsman, who follow the hounds on horseback. Non-riders are welcome to join the hunt on foot, bicycle or vehicle. In the United States, hunting is not intended to harm the animal, but rather watching and listening to a pack of hounds work together following the scent of a line. The deep voiced Penmarydel Foxhounds sound like a symphony when they speak in unison. Fox hunting originated in its current form in the United Kingdom in the 16th century, but occurs all over the world, including Australia, Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, Russia, and the United States.

The basset is perfected to hunt rabbits in very heavy ground cover. The shortness of its legs allows it to keep its head to the scent with a minimum of difficulty. The hunts are on foot and last for hours with many Tally-ho, which is said upon viewing the rabbit, fox, or coyote.

For anyone that is interested in more information about the hunts or how you can get involved in the sport, please contact Phil Hopson at East Fork Stables - 800.978.7245 0r 931.879.1176. To learn more about East Fork Stables, visit them on the web at http://www.eastforkstables.com/. (Photos and information courtesy of Janet Hopson)

A Big Snow at Last!

Wow! What a beautiful snow we had to enjoy for the weekend. We didn't get much before Friday night. We woke up Saturday morning to around 6"-8" of snow. Some areas had more, some less. It's not often we get a snow good enough to really enjoy sledding, but this was one for the scrapbook. Lots of folks took the opportunity to grab a sled (or some adaptation thereof) to hit the local "slopes". Annie donned her famous red snow suit that she hadn't worn since a skiing trip in France in 1997 and hit a local hill in Brydstown along with family and friends. Grant's purple sled from the pontoon boat he had created summer before last served it's original purpose well once again. Needless to say, everyone had a blast. As is usually the case, the snow won't last long and road crews have done a good job here. Life is pretty much back to normal for most folks by today (Monday). Schools are closed, but that is for the safety of the children. They will probably have another day (or two) of fun in the snow before it all melts away and school is back in session.

Boat Show Time!

Welcome to a brand new decade! It's "Boat Show" season and the brand NEW 2010 Dale Hollow Lake Visitors Guide is now availble (www.go2dhl.com/). The 2010 Fall Creek Falls Visitors Guide came out at Thanksgiving (www.go2fcf.com/). Check them out online. You can download them online and view them at your leisure. You'll enjoy all the new stories and great places to plan to visit in 2010. The Nashville Boat Sport & Travel Show was last weekend in Nashville, TN and the Cincinnati (OH) Boat Show began this week and will run pretty much through the 24th (Cincinnati Boat, Sports & Travel Show - Jan. 15-17 & 20-24 ). We love going to the shows and visiting with all the wonderful people. We would like to invite you to come out and enjoy all that the shows have to offer. Stop by and visit us and our advertisers that are participating. Terry will be at the Upper Cumberland Tourism Association booth during a portion of the show. [Be sure to pick up a hard copy of the guides at the shows! Due to the rising postage rates, we can no longer send the guides out by mail for free, but you can order them for a small fee to cover the postage and handling. We are working to get all the websites corrected to reflect this change. They are still available as a free download from the web, or we have them available at many locations around each region and available at the Boat Shows, as well as many equestrian, real estate and other shows in our major market areas throughout the year.] Sunset Marina & Resort will be giving away a FREE Houseboat Vacation on Dale Hollow Lake at many of the shows they attend this year! All you have to do is stop by their booth and register for their FREE E-Newsletter. Be sure to tell them you read about it here too. If you can't make it to the Cincinnati Show, look for us at the Indianapolis Boat Sport & Travel Show coming in February (19-28).
Be sure to check back often to each of our websites as we will add specials and new events as they become available! www.go2dhl.com/, www.go2bsf.com/, and www.go2fcf.com/ - and coming in April - www.go2chl.com/. We would love to have you visit soon!

Ewe never know....

Part of my - "Annie’s" - travels take me down many windy, country roads around beautiful Center Hill Lake. I often encounter some of the most fantastic scenery including barns, pastures, tremendous lake views, mountain vistas and other awe inspiring panoramas. Every now and then when I am snapping pictures, the farm animals pop there heads up from their grazing to see what this foreigner is doing! Curious to know why someone is interrupting their eating schedule or their play time. Recently, while driving down to a friend’s new log cabin at Center Hill Lake following a day out of fantastic shopping in McMinnville and Sparta, we spotted this delightful, intelligent sheep that was peeking out of his home. He is so cute and seems so curious. The day spent with my friend, Karen, was great. We spent the whole day shopping, chatting, laughing, discovering, and enjoyed a delightful lunch at Miss Marenda’s Tea Room in Sparta. Come on ladies, take a day off and grab your mom, sister, or your girlfriends and go out exploring with "Annie’s Travels and Treasures". Download one of our guides through our websites for FREE - http://www.go2dhl.com/ - Dale Hollow Lake, http://www.go2bsf.com/ - Big South Fork, or http://www.go2fcf.com/ - Fall Creek Falls (http://www.go2chl.com/ - Center Hill Lake, will be available in April 2010). The 2010 edition of the Fall Creek Falls guide is now available and the 2010 Dale Hollow Lake guide will be online at the end of December - meantime, download the 2009 guide to get those stories before it is gone. You may also request one of the guides be shipped to you through: http://www.shop.go2dhl.com/. The guides are still free, but with the ever increasing postage, we have had to pass that expense along to our readers. ALSO, if you are looking for a place to make plans for New Years Eve, don't forget to check out our event calendars! Happy Trails!

Christmas in the Woods

Christmas in the Woods was held on Saturday, December 5th at Bear Trapp Country Store just up the road from Eagle Cove Resort. Barry and Shirley Weaver held an open house to welcome Ole Saint Nick to the Byrdstown area. Young and old alike had a great time. Santa listened to the wishes of all the good little girls and boys and looks forward to visiting them very soon.

For those of you that want to help Santa spread Christmas cheer, keep Bear Trapp Country Store in mind as one of your shopping destinations in 2009. They carry many excellent gift items including fishing gear and supplies, primitive crafts, outdoor clothing, candles, and much more. Barry and Shirley will be opened Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays from now through the Christmas season with special sale pricing on many seasonal items. Give them a call at (931) 864-4466 for business hours. There are many wonderful stores around the Upper Cumberland that offer a multitude of excellent gift items for the holidays. Be sure to check them out. Happy Holidays!

Christmas Time is Coming!

Where has this year gone too! It seems like it was just yesterday we were anticipating the first warm days of spring. Now, all the glorious days of summer, and the spectacular days of autumn are drawing to a close. Thanksgiving is next week and the Christmas Craft Shows & Sales are already happening (I enjoyed the Christmas in November in Byrdstown on Nov. 7th. They had many handmade items and other Christmas delights available. There's nothing like Christmas on the Plateau.), but with more to come over the next weeks, along with the parades, carols and other festivities. Christmas on the Mountain is coming on Dec. 4-6 at the Fall Creek Falls State Park. Be sure to check out all the upcoming Christmas activities on our websites: http://www.go2dhl.com/, http://www.go2bsf.com/, and http://www.go2fcf.com/.

Also, the brand new Fall Creek Falls Visitors' Guide for 2010 will be available for download by Thanksgiving. Keep a check on the site and be one of the first to download the new edition! Happy Thanksgiving!

Roller Coaster Yard Sale 2009

The 2009 Roller Coaster Yard Sale is off to a great start. The first day is pretty much over with, but it sounds as if it is going pretty well.

Lisa Richter at Yellow Ribbon Trading Post in Marrowbone, KY shared these pictures with me earlier today. The lovely chest of drawers in the photo - sold for $40. Somebody found a bargain!

She said everyone is having a great time up there. I know the weather has surely been great all around Dale Hollow Lake today. The high was near 70 degrees and the sun was shining brightly. There's a slight chance it might rain a little overnight tonight, but it's supposed to move out quickly. So, it shouldn't "dampen" sales. Saturday is also supposed to be gorgeous! Come on out and enjoy the Roller Coaster Yard Sale as it Rolls Out Across the Dale Hollow Lake region of Tennessee and Kentucky!