🔥 Emergency Alert: Your Peak Fall Foliage Escape Just Got Real!

STOP. SCROLLING. NOW. Seriously, drop that pumpkin spice latte—we have news so rare, you'll want to book before you even finish reading this sentence.

A miracle just happened! We've had a last-minute midweek cancellation for the absolute PEAK leaf-peeping week here at Mountainwood Cottages!

This isn't a drill. This is your chance to snag a picture-perfect autumn getaway during the most vibrant time of the year.

The Details You Need to Snatch This Deal:

• The Dates: October 26 to October 30.

  
  

• The Deal: Book any two days within that window for a total of $319.00 INCLUDING housekeeping and taxes!

  
  

• The Perk: This is the midweek magic—meaning you get all the incredible colors without the chaotic weekend crowds! Enjoy serene trails and quiet moments on your private porch.

Imagine This Perfect Fall Morning...

You roll out of your luxurious King-size bed, the air is crisp, and you step onto your private deck. You are instantly enveloped by a breathtaking, cinematic view. Our four-acre property is currently ablaze in the most incredible golds, reds, and oranges the mountains have to offer.

Later, you soak away your stress in the private hot tub, gazing up at the fiery canopy above. This is the quintessential fall experience, and it's waiting for you.

Don't Miss This One-in-a-Season Opportunity!

This window is tiny, and the demand for peak week is HUGE. We are practically giving away a piece of fall paradise.

Contact us through the "Book Now" button or call at 256-202-4784

P.S. To maintain the tranquility of our property, please note: No animals are allowed, and maximum occupancy is 4 guests. Don't wait—this spot will be gone in a flash!

LOCKED OUT OF MY OWN BUSINESS:

Facebook Deactivated My Personal Account—and Took My Livelihood With It!

On October 18th at exactly 9:00 AM EST, my business lifeline snapped.

I logged into my personal Facebook account—the hub for all my business accounts and community pages—and a screen popped up with two dreaded words: "Account Deactivated."

No explanation. No warning. No way to appeal. The single blue link below the message led only to a dead-end "connection lost" error.

Immediate panic set in. This wasn’t just about personal photos; it was the entire foundation of my small business. My Facebook Business Pages (Mountainwood Cottages and Claudia’s Caboose), my tourism community page, and my local neighborhood group were all suddenly inaccessible. Eight years of building the Cottage’s presence, guest photos, renovation diaries, posts, reels, and videos—GONE. Even my associated Instagram account was simultaneously closed!

Why Me? A Black Box Ban

Facebook offered no warning, no suspension, and no email detailing why I was flagged and banned. Hours of frantic internet searching offered only useless, non-working solutions.

Was it AI? Was it bots reporting honest users? Was it politically motivated? What heinous, uncommunicated offense resulted in the destruction of my personal profile, my business pages, my ad accounts, my Business Manager Suite, and all my past guest interactions?

I can’t even respond to a guest inquiry, damaging my brand's reputation with every minute that passes.

The Myth of Safeguards

I followed all the advice. They tell you to "have an alternate admin who can run your pages if this happens." I DID!

I set up another personal profile for this exact purpose. It was useless. I still couldn’t access the Business Manager.

To make matters worse, all my accounts required "post approval," and I never "post approved" my alternate profile. Now, I can’t even comment on my own pages to let followers know what has happened!

What about all the offline marketing tied to these pages? My business cards, brochures, the magazine put out by the Tourism Bureau, my official listings with Lookout Mountain Alabama and the state tourism site... all point to dead, inaccessible links.

It Gets Worse: The IP Address Scarlet Letter

Facebook’s draconian policies don't just lock you out—they punish you for trying to rebuild.

• You cannot set up a new account using the same pages or profile names.

• I can't even set up a new Instagram account.

My husband tried to create a new Facebook account so I could administer it and start fresh. He was denied! Because he applied for an account from our home, using the same IP address as my deactivated accounts, he is now "tainted," branded an internet criminal by association.

The complete lack of human support results in an endless, agonizing loop of no resolution. No one to appeal to. No one to speak with. No one to chat with. No email to send. Facebook has erected a wall of silence around its automated destruction.

The Systemic Failure

My frustration, confusion, and disbelief emphasize a crucial point: The critical loss of professional assets highlights the urgent need for change in Facebook's policies.

This industry, which can destroy your livelihood in a split second without human oversight, operates without regulation. They don’t care. They have billions of accounts, and a single small business is less than a statistical blip.

The Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)

In the sleepless hours spent searching for a solution, these two painful lessons became clear:

Lesson	Advice
1. The Necessity of Backup Admins	Always have a trusted, separate personal profile (a partner, employee, or friend) listed as a backup administrator on your main business page and your Business Manager. This is the single most important defense.
2. Diversify Your Platform	Never, ever rely on a single platform. Actively build an audience on channels you fully control, like an Email List, your dedicated blog, and other social channels (Google Business Profile, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.).

What’s Next for Mountainwood Cottages

I will continue to try and find a way to appeal and re-activate my accounts. Without that, I cannot open new business pages under my control.

In the meantime, I am pivoting:

• I am converting the alternate Facebook profile I had into a temporary communication hub for the Cottage and the Caboose.

• I will focus more heavily on our blog for specials and cancelled dates. (So check often)

• My Google Business Pages for both Mountainwood Cottages and Claudia's Caboose and other platforms will become our primary sources of posts and updates.

  
  

Final Statement: Facebook's automated deactivation process is a disproportionate and dangerous risk for small businesses that rely on the platform. It's time for greater accountability.

***Have you been through this? Share your story in the comments below!

"Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.” —Michael Jordan

Soul of the Forest

The moment you step onto the porch of Hitherside at Mountainwood Cottages in Mentone, you don't just see the woods; you feel them. They press in, a vast, ancient presence, not menacing, but deeply, profoundly alive. During the day, they are a tapestry of greens and browns, a quiet invitation. But as the sun dips below the farthest ridge, painting the sky in hues of plum and fiery orange, the true spirit of these woods begins to stir.

Young male deer at pond

The Lore of the Forest's Breath: Local legend, whispered around campfires for generations, tells of a powerful, unseen entity that resides within these very woods – the "Anima Sylva," or the Soul of the Forest. It is believed that the wind that whirls through these trees is not merely air in motion, but the very breath of this ancient spirit. When it sighs, it carries the wisdom of centuries; when it roars, it cleanses the air of modern worries. Those who are truly attuned to the forest's rhythm claim that if you stand perfectly still, with an open heart, you can feel the Anima Sylva's gentle inhale and exhale, a profound connection to the living essence of the earth. It is this breath that imbues every leaf, every stone, and every creature with its vibrant life, making the woods around Hitherside not just a collection of trees, but a single, vast, breathing organism.

As the last sliver of twilight fades, the forest floor, once bustling with daytime creatures, falls into a hushed anticipation. Then, the first of the nocturnal guardians emerge.

A soft rustle, a barely perceptible shift in the shadows, and then, a pair of deer materialize at the edge of the clearing near the pond. Their movements are fluid, almost ethereal, their dark eyes reflecting the moonlight. They browse with a quiet grace, their presence a gentle affirmation of the forest's peace.

A flash of russet, a quick dart across the path – it’s the fox, a silent hunter, a phantom of the undergrowth. Its senses are finely tuned to the night, every twitch of its ears, every sniff of its nose, a testament to its mastery of this nocturnal world. It moves with a playful cunning, a streak of wild energy that reminds you of the untamed heart beating within these woods.

Deeper in the thicket, a heavier, more deliberate sound breaks the stillness: the soft crack of a twig, the rustle of leaves disturbed by something substantial. It's a black Bear, moving with the quiet power of a mountain. You might not see him, but you feel his presence, you hear him “huffing” – a deep, grounded energy that speaks of ancient wisdom and an undisputed claim to this wild domain. He is the forest's silent, powerful anchor.

Black bear on property

Then, from the distance, a sound that sends a shiver down the spine, a primal call that echoes through the valley and across the ridges: the haunting, collective howl of the coyotes. It's a chorus that speaks of the wild, untamed spirit of the land, a reminder that beyond the cozy walls of The Hitherside, nature reigns supreme, raw and magnificent. Their calls rise and fall, a wild symphony that paints the night with untamed beauty.

And finally, punctuating the night, comes the soft, resonant hoot of a Barred owl. Perched high on a silent branch, its eyes, like luminous orbs, scan the darkness. The owl is the silent observer, the wise elder of the night, its presence a comforting, watchful gaze over the sleeping cottage and the active forest. It is the wisdom of the woods made manifest.

At Hitherside, you don't just stay in a cottage; you become a part of the forest's nightly rhythm. The wind isn't just air in motion; it's the breath of the woods. The animals aren't just creatures; they are the living pulse of this ancient realm. Here, under the vast, star-dusted sky, you understand that the woods are not merely surrounding you; they are alive, breathing, whispering, and inviting you into their timeless story…

Barred Owl

A stay at Hitherside of Mountainwood Cottages isn't just a vacation; it's an experience that rejuvenates the soul and creates lasting memories. It's a chance to reconnect with nature, unwind in comfort, and discover the simple joys of a slower pace of life. If you’re dreaming of your own mountain getaway, Hitherside might just be the perfect place to turn that daydream into a beautiful reality.  The Animaa Sylva, the soul of the forest awaits you…

Hitherside

Driveway to Hitherside