The Heart & Soul Behind Talking Water

We found the property

We (Sonners & Suches) stumbled across this land for sale in February 2022. All three generations of our family were interested in creating a nature-focused travel center. The land sat within rural Chattanooga, on a mountaintop, next to a state forest, and had a creek running through it. We knew this was our unicorn!

We spent time drafting ideas, exploring the property, and pulling together all of our resources to make this happen. We sold our previous family business, refinanced a home, and used proceeds from selling another home (see the “semi-nomadic” lifestyle of the houseless John & Karen) and put all of our eggs – and dreams – into this basket. We were aware that there would be much work to be done, but we were up to the challenge!

Talking Water is born

We purchased the land in April 2022, dubbing the land “Talking Water” for the loudly bubbling water along Suck Creek (one mile of which flows along the property).

Clearing the property

The first few months were spent cleaning up after decades of logging in the area which was to become Songbird Neighborhood. We removed hundreds of decaying logged tree remnants, disposed of buried trailer homes, and worked tirelessly to control erosion and bring the land closer to its natural elevation, including bringing in dozens of dumpster loads of fill dirt.

The neglect was more extensive than we had prepared for, but it made us more certain that we were meant to restore the natural beauty and stability to the land.

Hands-on construction

Building foundations began appearing on the property in August 2022. Walls & roofs went up over the next several months. Progress was slow in our minds, but looking back, it was not too bad!

Water lines, septic, and electrical were all placed in the ground. Suddenly we had outlets to charge our tools with! It was a relief because the poor generator needed a break by that point.

Throughout the construction, our youngest family members huddled around firepits and chipped in whenever possible. Talking Water was all-encompassing for everyone and the kids were getting bigger (and being born!) and every member of our family was putting their mark on our property.

Finishing the cabins

Many sleepless nights were spent painting, sanding, plastering, and furnishing each cabin. Designs were nearly a year old by 2023, but coordinating multiple home builds at one time got confusing! It was so exciting to watch the personality of each cabin take shape. Frankly, we were proud. And tired. But really freaking proud.

A slow opening

We started out with a couple months of “slow-opening” in April 2023. Friends and family came to stay in our cabins, lend hands, and give us feedback. We ourselves stayed in the cabins for weeks at a time. We knew we were onto something – we loved our time out here, going to sleep under the stars and waking up to the birdsongs.

Open to the world

On July 4th, 2023, we officially opened the Talking Water Nature Retreat to the world! Since then, we’ve been thrilled to share this special place with our guests and be part of so many special moments, big and small, in people’s lives. Sometimes we still have to pinch ourselves to believe that we have actually been able to make this happen!

Goldfinch is finished

Goldfinch was completed using cordwood construction, an earth-building technique, in January 2024. Bobbie handbuilt all the walls!

The chickens arrive

We added our chickens in 2024 and love the life they bring to the property! Meet the flock.

Launching public workshops

We started offering public earth-building workshops to share the love (and the knowledge) in summer 2025. See what we teach.

The cob oven

We built the cob oven in collaboration with Root Down Collective in summer 2025. Surrounding adobe benches are coming in 2027!

The Ceremony Hut

Built in fall 2025 and opening to the public in fall 2026! Available for marriages, retreats, workshops, reunions, yoga and wellness gatherings, and other ceremonies.

The amphitheater

Built in 2025 and completed in 2026. We can’t wait to welcome folks to our gathering space!

The goats arrive

These guys and gals are hilarious, loving goofballs, and we love seeing them make quick work of clearing our property of invasive plants! Meet the brush crew.

The Meadowlark conversion

Our former garage and office is now a bunkhouse, ready for group travel and outdoor adventurists! See Meadowlark.

Addicted to construction

Our journey with this land is far from over. As we continue to build, plant, and nurture, we’re excited to see how Talking Water will grow and evolve. We hope that every guest who visits feels the same sense of peace, wonder, and connection that we do every time we walk these trails and sit by the creek.

Next up: the Ceremony Hut opens to the public in fall 2026, with adobe benches going in around the cob oven in 2027.