Southern magnolias usher in long, hot summer

Somehow, you know summer is almost here when the Southern magnolias begin to bloom.

In East Tennessee, we have seven species of magnolia: cucumber, umbrella, bigleaf, Fraser, sweetbay, Southern and tuliptee, but it’s the Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) with its enormous (up to 12 inches in diameter) citronella-scented white flowers that is so associated with the Deep South and sultry, hot afternoons; it's the polished, aristocrat of Southern trees. 

The evergreen with large glossy leaves was often planted near the house, where—with a pitcher of fresh-squeezed lemonade—it could be admired from the shade of the front porch.

There are two excellent Southern magnolias at Ijams. Look for one on the Giffin-McDonald property opposite the front gate on Island Home Avenue and the other at the Homesite near the beginning of the Serendipity Trail.

- Text and photo by Stephen Lyn Bales

Vireo heightens outdoor yoga experience

At the end of a long day, yoga is a very satisfying and relaxing activity. Once a week, several Ijams staff members gather for an after-hours yoga class.

Last week we met at the Homesite Pavilion. The great thing about an outdoor yoga class is all the natural sounds that accompany Teacher Leslie's voice. It creates an ambiance not available when we meet indoors. It enhances the experience; wraps it in a warm auditory blanket. At the pavilion, we often hear chorus frogs and spring peepers, barred owls and Carolina wrens, and, now with the new season, the returning birds of summer are just making their presence known.

We were somewhere in an upper-body stretch, with the spirits of H.P. and Alice all around us, when we heard the unmistakable phrase:

"Quick-with-the-beer-check-please"

"Quick-with-the-beer-check-please"

Jen Roder and I slipped from our yoga-trance, looked at each other and whispered, "white-eyed vireo" and then fell back adrift in our own little Zen worlds.

Ahhhhhh spring!

- By Stephen Lyn Bales