We spent this past weekend at The Swag, a country Inn located on a mountain top in Waynesville, North Carolina. The property shares a border with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The lodge is the perfect place to relax in the cool mountain air, and there are miles of trails to hike for the whole day. If you go, be sure to take casual clothes and a jacket. It was more than twenty degrees cooler on the top of the mountain than in Johnson City.
Thia, the lodge cat, seems to be saying, “Put down that camera and hold me on your lap.”
I snapped the above photo from our little private balcony.
A social hour is held on the porch before dinner each evening. On Friday evening, I wore a print tunic by Clara Sunwoo from ShopMyFairLady.com. I rarely wear a print, but this one will work with all my pant colors, and it is more geometric than floral, so I bought it to give a bit of zing to my mostly solid summer wardrobe. The jeggings are from last year by Chico’s.
At sunrise the next morning, I headed out for a nice long hike on the property and the Park.
I love the top. The views are incredible!
Absolutely stunning countryside!!
I had a “what would Susan do” moment when shopping recently. I found an asymmetric tunic in navy that I really liked, but shorter than the tunics I’ve purchased the last few years. It’s quite long on one side with a slit, angles up and is shorter in the back. I remember you had on something similar and mentioned it elongates the legs this way. Sold!
The top you have on here looks great and loving a bit of pattern on you.
You have those “Susan moments” too? My husband is starting to wonder who Susan is, but he seems to love the result from Susan’s advice!
So true Anne A. None of my friends live close by, so it’s nice to have a shopping stylist like Susan, even though she’s not actually there. LOL
Such a beautiful place and pictures!
Your outfit is a lovely choice.
Thanks for sharing.
P.S. I just ADORE ballet flats (yours included!) but find that they never properly stay on my feet for very long and if they do they rub sore places, so I have given them up. Any tips?
Use deodorant on the spots that get rubbed. It stops the friction.
Beautiful!
Looks nice but too cold for me. Give me the beach and 95 and humid. Love your look but most of your clothes are to hot for my wonderful Florida area. Please try to help those of us who don’t live in the cold mountains.
Susan, in addition to all your other talents, you are also an excellent photographer!
Love the scenery! I’m not much for the beach – we just bought a little place in the Poconos so your outfit would be perfect there most of the time. I’d love to hear what you do to combat the effects of humidity on your hair. Seems our retreat in PA is almost as humid as our home in Maryland.
I’m loving your switch to flats, btw.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful pictures, your neck of the woods are so beautiful!
Lovely pictures and place.
Your balcony view was especially beautiful!
The pictures are truly beautiful! Thanks for shating
Rutic & restful retreat…lovely. Liking the top & flats look. Great photos. Thank you.
Happy Birthday to Mr. Mickey!
Beautiful photos! The colors are awesome!
Beautiful place! Looking closely at that print top I notice it seems to be shades of blues. That is probably a better choice than one that is a riot of colors of which I have many but am not liking with my new salt and pepper growing out hair. So many different colors in one top are just too busy with the several shades of color in my hair right now. Thank you for another styling tip. I also like the geometric print over the many floral prints I own.
Gorgeous! Thank you for sharing. Happy Birthday to Mr Mickey! Appreciate all that he does to help inspire us with the awesome photos.
Hi Susan
The photos are lovely and peaceful. Thanks for giving your best to your post.
Happy Birthday to your love ❤️
Rajean
What a beautiful location ! Thank you for sharing your photos.
I live on the South coast of Britain so pretty scenery in its own right, but it’s lovely to see places I’ll never be able to visit.
The white flowered plant is interesting, not something I’ve seen before.
I enjoy reading your blog.
Black Flats…very pretty. I don’t want to be critical but I thought you said pointed toes are the most appropriate.
Pointed toes are dressy and slenderizing, but these square toes have low vamps and work well with casual looks. This style can work for those who can not wear point-toe shoes.
Stunning scenery! Thank you for sharing. Hope it was a great birthday weekend!
For the ballet flat best fit, I opt for the ones with gathered tops, and go up half a size in fit. This works for me.
Your photos are very lovely.
What lovely pictures, America has such beautiful, breathtaking places. You look lovely too, love the top with the black trousers. Thanks for sharing your pictures – Thia is beautiful too! PS Love your Blog.
What a lovely retreat! We were just down that way a couple of weeks ago. I would like to have known about The Swag then. I’d love to see some shots of the inside of your room. Got any?
There are lots of professional photos on their website. I didn’t think to take photos of the room. This was our room.
Looks so lovely! Happy Birthday to Mr. Mickey!!!
The scenery is truly amazing! Love your photography and I enjoyed our early morning hike! Hope the Birthday Boy had a lovely weekend.
Forgot to say, I loved all the weathered wood and the buildings. Amazing place.
Lovely photos! I am very partial to this type of climate/scenery even though I live in Central Florida! I enjoy all of your thoughtful posts. That’s a very pretty outfit on you. I especially like the print without too many colors. That’s what I have to look for since I am vertically challenged and too much print can overwhelm me.
Lovely photos, I love how you share your travel posts. I live in Central Florida too, would love some cooler weather. I know you don’t wear shorts but most of my friends do when we meet for lunch. Could you show a couple of things for temperatures in the high 90’s. Thanks so much.
Hi Susan,
I think of all the places you have shown us, this one is my favourite….there is just something so beautiful about weathered wood and nature….thanks for sharing.
Your Canadian fan,
Christina
Simply beautiful photos
Love reading all your articles (from someone also ‘qualifying’ ..after 60)..from Australia
Beautiful countryside. Thanks for sharing! Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY MR. MICKEY. May you have many more.
Looks so relaxing~~beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing.
Stunning photos! Happy Birthday to Mr. Mickey!
Beautiful scenery and photos! I especially love the mountain laurel plant…
Loved this post as I do all of your posts. I am a born and true Texan living outside of Houston; however, will be moving to Asheville to be close to my daughter and her family. I love your hairstyle and would like to make an appointment with your hair stylist when I go up in July. Is it hard to get an appointment with her?
You can book your appointment with Myra through her website here.
You look great in prints and should wear them more. They add such fun to your wardrobe. I used to be all about solids and then I bought my first Lilly Pulitzer. Never looked back. Lilly just makes me smile.
I love the look of ballet flats but find that most of them have too much “toe cleavage”. Does that make sense? The ones you are wearing seem to have a bit of a V which actually elongates the look of the shoe.
Showing the top of the foot is elongating and feminine.
You are so lucky to live in that part of the US. What a lovely resort!!
What a beautiful place. Headed to Google it now. We love the NC mountains. Just discovered your site. So nice.