Looking around me as we move into the lazy days of summer here at the historic mansion on Rucker Lane, I am reminded of a favorite quote of mine from my college days by Vincent Van Gough. Simply put, he said, “Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together”. Within that statement there is true inspiration, and as your eyes drink in the surrounding loveliness of Marymont Springs, your heart too will be inspired.

Situated in the softly rolling hills of Murfreesboro in western Rutherford County, you will note graceful structures dating back to the early 1800’s blended with modern shopping conveniences, medical facilities, and amenities that are touched by Southern nostalgia. We are fortunate to be able to provide the benefits of small-town living with the attractions of a major metropolitan area.

If you are looking for your own haven of inspired living, please consider that we have a rich quality of life featuring a lively arts program, a greenway trail system throughout the county, first class education, desirable career opportunities, and annual community events that celebrate the blend of days gone by with the here and now.

Come experience Marymont Springs for yourself, and give free reign to your hidden aspirations! We are located at 1124 Rucker Lane off of Highway 96 in Murfreesboro. Stop by for a fresh baked cookie and a cool glass of lemonade, while rocking on the porch of the historic mansion…and then be inspired!

Posted by:  Karen Boynton

100 of Nashville’s Best Kept Secrets No 97: Arrington Vineyards

Just a short drive from Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, and Murfreesboro, Arrington Vinyards is a beautiful place to share a glass of wine with your sweetie, family, and friends. My husband and I went on Mother’s Day. Even though both of our Moms live outside-of-the-state, we knew that Arrington Vineyards would be great place to spend the afternoon. They had a live Jazz band and tons of families sharing picnic style lunches on the lawn. You could see wives and moms sharing stories while Dads passed balls with their kids. You are welcome to bring in your own food and drink or go into the rustic style log cabin for wine tasting and buying.

Arrington Vineyards was Founded by Kix Brooks and sits among the beautiful hills of Arrington, Tennessee. They offer award-winning wines and amazing views from the covered deck and breathtaking sunsets.

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Thursday: 11am - 8pm
Friday – Saturday: 11am - 9pm
Sunday: 12pm - 6pm

Directions:

For directions, please visit: www.arringtonvineyards.com/directions

For more information about Arrington Vineyards, please visit www.arringtonvineyards.com. For more information about the most respected name in middle Tennessee real estate, Bob Parks Realty, please visit www.bobparks.com.

Posted by:  Kimberly Fahey

Bob Parks Realty - Smyrna office - is hosting a sport memorabilia auction on Thursday, November 10th. Held at Buffalo Wild Wings on Sam Ridley Parkway, the auction begins at 6:30 p.m.. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the annual Christmas for the Children program. Each year, the office sponsors children from throughout the community who would not otherwise have a Christmas. Each child will receive at least one toy and new clothing.

There will be many fantastic items available, including a Titans jersey signed by the legendary Steve McNair. In addition, two of a kind autographed prints by Eddie George and Frank Wycheck, an authentic Titans #10 jersey signed by Vince Young, and much more are to be sold. Even an autographed 8x10 of Brett Farve from a Sports Illustrated photo shot will be available to the highest bidder!

Visit this link to see photos and item descriptions. If you have questions, contact Kathy Tyson at (615) 459-4040. Bob Parks Realty - Smyrna office - is hosting a sport memorabilia auction on Thursday, November 10th. Held at Buffalo Wild Wings on Sam Ridley Parkway, the auction begins at 6:30 p.m.. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the annual Christmas for the Children program. Each year, the office sponsors children from throughout the community who would not otherwise have a Christmas. Each child will receive at least one toy and new clothing.

There will be many fantastic items available, including a Titans jersey signed by the legendary Steve McNair. In addition, two of a kind autographed prints by Eddie George and Frank Wycheck, an authentic Titans #10 jersey signed by Vince Young, and much more are to be sold. Even an autographed 8x10 of Brett Farve from a Sports Illustrated photo shot will be available to the highest bidder!

Visit this link to see photos and item descriptions. If you have questions, contact Kathy Tyson at (615) 459-4040.

Posted by:Kathy Tyson

Music City on target with web site offering new program for entrepreneurs wanting to start a new business. The Nashville Entrepreneur Center is being launched to encourage the entrepreneurs in town to start their own companies. They can “Ask an entrepreneur” questions and will offer workshops, market research and connect entrepreneurs to the right resources.

For more information, Click Here.

Nashville has rebranded the “Music City” brand to the world through a separate website called “I Am Music City” check it out at www.IAmMusicCity.com. What a great way to reach out to people who are seeking resources and gain help from other entrepreneurs who have found success in Nashville.

Posted by:Tammy Carroll, CRP, GMS, RCC, WRS

A tour around Nashville is a fun trip through town! With all the landmarks in this area it could take a week or to visit each one. Since moving here thirteen years ago, my family has made it a goal to visit as many famous places as we can. This has helped us get to know Nashville Middle Tennessee. One of our favorites is the Parthenon located in Centennial Park. The Parthenon is a full size reproduction of ancient Greece’s most glorious temple. It is complete with an interior sculpture of the goddess Athena and other accurate reproductions of the original temple’s pediment sculptures.

Another favorite landmark we like to visit in Nashville is The Hermitage which is the former home of President Andrew Jackson. The home is now a museum where you can learn about history from the Jackson ear and roam the beautiful gardens and grounds. The Hermitage was restored after it was damaged by fire in 1834, Jackson had it remodeled in the Greek Revival style.

Not only do we visit landmarks in Nashville with our family, we also share with visitors to our area. Working at Bob Parks Realty gives us an opportunity to share these special landmarks about Nashville. Recently we gave several of our corporate clients a tour of the Parthenon and The Hermitage which was great fun. Some of our clients that have relocated to Nashville have also enjoyed getting to know our area as well.

Nashville ~ Middle Tennessee is full of famous spots to visit ~ for more information visit: www.bobparks.com or to search for single family homes, townhomes, condos, land, farms or commercial properties.

Posted By:

I don’t know about you, but if there is BBQ cooking ~ I’m ready to eat!

Folks from all over the city have been working for weeks getting ready for some real fun this weekend. The first annual Music City BBQ Festival and Cook-Off which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) and the Memphis Barbeque Network (MBN) is being held in downtown Nashville this weekend. We have clients coming in from out of town and they can’t wait to attend. In my opinion this event is something to share with people who may be considering moving to our area. Let them know right up front just how much fun “Music City” likes to have ~ especially when it comes to food.

For more info, click here to get more details at the Music City BBQ website.

Posted By: Tammy Carroll

Looking for a great way to spend a Saturday? Well here it is! The Murfreesboro Half Marathon is on Saturday, October 3, 2009 @ 7:00 am. Runners & Walkers from all over will be pounding the pavement on this 1.3 mile scenic course. This marathon has grown to become one of the top half marathons in Tennessee. Winning the Tennessee Parks & Recreation Four Star Program Award in 2008.

The night before you can load up on a delicious pasta dinner provided by Marina’s and Maple Street Grille located on The Downtown Square. “The Boomers” will also be providing live music for your enjoyment. A perfect evening to carbo load and enjoy some of your favorite tunes while relaxing with the family.

For more information regarding race registration and dinner tickets please visit www.themiddlehalf.com.

Posted By: MaryAnn Fisher

Downtown Nashville will be hosting one of its largest events beginning June 11 - 14 2009. It is the CMA Music Festival. The event features concerts, autograph signings, family activities and more. For 38 years, the event has been an unparalled celebration of America’s music, drawing thousands of fans and media from all over the world.

The CMA Music Festival benefits music education in Music City.CMA has donated over $2,000,000 to further music education programs for children in Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Some of the artists scheduled to appear atr Brad Paisley, Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, Little Big Town, Lady Antebellum, Taylor Swift, Reba, Julianne Hough and Trace Adkins.

If you love music, Middle Tennessee is a great place to relocate. There are all kinds of music represented here. Along with country music, gospel music is vey large and so is bluegrass and jazz. Rap and rock is also here. The real estate market is still strong here and I would love to help you with your move.

Posted By: Vicki Oczkowicz

In keeping with our “spring greens” theme, the next stop on the Tour is the 2009 Tennessee Polk Salad Festival, held in Harriman on Saturday May 9th.

You may remember the song “Polk Salad Annie”, and have wondered “What in the world is Polk Salad?”. Basically a weed, Polk Salad (aka Polk Sallet) is actually poisonous in the growth stages beyond it’s infancy (it produces purple berries and grows to over 5’ when fully mature). Many “country folk” have enjoyed it and have learned (the hard way I guess???) not to harvest shoots over 7 inches for consumption.

The festival will be held in Historic Downtown Harriman, “The City That Temperance Built”. Harriman is in Roane County, just east of the Cumberland Plateau and nestled in the rolling mountains outside Knoxville. It’s a straight shoot out I-40 East from Nashville (2.5 - 3 hours).

Celebrations will commence at 10 am at the Harriman Riverfront Park. This old fashioned festival will feature games, sack and three legged races for the kids, a cooking contest, horseshoe tournaments, live bluegrass music by Wild Blue Yonder, and The Gene Horner Fiddle Shop Band, and craft and concession vendors (I wonder if there is a “Polk Salad” based fair food?)

AND OF COURSE…. The Pageant, where Miss Polk Salad 2009 will be crowned from a group of lovely contestants who will compete for this year’s title and the $400 first place prize! Anyone 16-30 can enter, so give them a call down at the Rocky Top General Store, to sign up!

For more info, Click Here.

Hope to see you there!

Posted By: Dawne Davis

Sunday, May 3 marks the 55th Cosby Ramp Festival, which hails as Tennessee’s Oldest Festival. Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smokey Mountains (about 3.5 hours from Nashville) is the small town of Cosby, Tennessee (known among my husband’s college buddies as the place you went to buy “Moonshine”).

Cosby is a small town of approximately 7600 where springtime was traditionally heralded with the harvesting of wild leeks known as Ramps. Back in 1954, the first “Ramp Festival” was held to call attention to Cocke County, whose residents thought they had largely been overlooked by tourists to the “Great Smokey Mountain National Park”. The festival was planned as a “gimmick” to draw tourists, and drew a whopping 6000 in attendance its first year!

The Ramp, is a wild plant, which resembles a leek, and has a pungent odor of garlic and onion. Locals who after eating very little “greens” during the long hard winter, would prepare a feast when the green tops sprouted from the earth and the Ramps could be harvested. School children, it is told were actually sent home for a few days because of “ramp odor”.

“Ramp Odor” or not, this is a “not to be missed ” opportunity to enjoy a multitude of dishes prepared with ramps. Traditionally served raw or stewed, the ramp was know for its “spring tonic” medicinal effect “back in the day”. Interestingly, it does have the same cholesterol fighting benefits of its cousin, garlic, and is high in both Vitamins A and C.

The festival promises to be a “hum dinger” as we say, featuring two stages showcasing Bluegrass and Country music, Appalachian crafts, festival food and much more.For directions and more info visit their web site: www.cosbyrampfestival.org

If you make it, try to get a photo with the 2009 Ramp Maid.

Hope to see you there!

Posted By: Dawne Davis

April in Tennessee is about as good as it gets…warm days, cool nights and low humidity! Best of all, it is the unofficial kick-off month for local festivals. No matter how small, just about every town in Tennessee has something to be proud of! And, the fun-loving communities celebrate in a big way with a festival, like South Pittsburg’s National Cornbread Festival.

The 13th annual National Cornbread Festival will be held April 25-26 in South Pittsburg, TN (take I-24 toward Chattanooga - exit 152, you can’t miss it). This tiny little hamlet of 3,000 is nestled in the beautiful Sequatchie Valley and will host over 40,000 red blooded American “corn bread lovers” for what promises to be a great two days.

If you love cornbread, don’t miss the Cook Off (10 finalists from as far away as Utah!) or the Cornbread eating contest. Other fun activities will be Fireworks, a 5 K Run, Blue Grass Music, Quilt Display, Historic Tours, a Classic Car Cruise-In, and Pancake Breakfast.

And, no festival would be complete with out a Beauty Pageant (held Saturday April 18th at the high school if you want to enter) where the winner will be crowned “Miss National Cornbread Festival, 2009”.

Saturday 9-6, Sunday 9-5, $3.00 per person (infants free), and NO PETS!

www.nationalcornbread.com (check out the web site and listen to the official festival song!)

Hope to see you there!

Posted By: Dawne Davis

Let’s start at Shelby Bottoms: From downtown Nashville, just take Shelby Avenue (heading away from Titans stadium) until it ends at Shelby Park. At the back of the park, high in the air, is the railway trestle. You can park your vehicle just below the trestle at the trail head. And if you’re lucky, you’ll even catch a train chunkin’ along overhead as you enter the Greenway.

This is one of my favorite times of year for the Shelby Bottoms Greenway because it’s just beginning to get warm and the trees are just beginning to leaf, but not enough to block the stunning views of the Cumberland River as you ride along the trail. At the head of the trail you always see plenty of walkers, roller bladers, kids on tricycles… it’s a real family affair! There are lots of nice riverfront overlooks and there’s even a nature center (free of charge) as you enter the trailhead. Not a bad idea, by the way, to rent a pair of binoculars at the nature center whether you’re on bike or enjoying the trail on foot.

Further down the trail you’ll find yourself intermittently immersed in shade and sunshine as you fly down the trail beneath a canopy of trees and then suddenly into an open glen where flocks of birds fly low overhead. This is not flowery prose; trust me, the flocks of bird fly very low overhead at times… it’s truly one of those Marlon Perkins moments (if you’re over 40, you know what I’m talking about).

Read Part I of this post here.

Posted By: Jack Miller

Wanna see the engine behind the hood ornament? The Musicians Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee is the place to visit!

Finally the men and women who play the music we all grew up on get their recognition. They have touched the threads of our lives and touched us in so many ways and now….The Musicians Hall of Fame is here, now come see what you’ve heard!

Click here to watch a video and see what other musicians think about the Musicians Hall of Fame.

Check out the website at: www.musicianshalloffame.com

Posted By: Tammy Carroll