ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS! SUMMER 2018
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carolina mountain life
Summer delights inside! ...a wonderful read for 21 years!
FROM OUR HOME
to yours
Manufacturers of European-inspired down pillows, comforters and featherbeds. Fine bed, bath and table linens from France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and beyond. Located in the High Country. ABYSS & HABIDECOR ANALI BOVI DASH & ALBERT HOME TREASURES LE JACQUARD FRANCAIS LYCELLA® BY DEWOOLFSON MATOUK PEACOCK ALLEY PINE CONE HILL JOHN ROBSHAW SCHLOSSBERG SFERRA STAMATTINA TRADITIONS LINENS WOLF YVES DELORME
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Up here, it’s all about the high country, not the country club
Come Discover Eagles Nest: High Country living the way you want it. There is no better place to experience all the natural beauty and variety of the Western North Carolina High Country than right here. With one of the highest elevations in the area – and just 3 miles from the charming downtown of Banner Elk–Eagles Nest is a haven for year-round outdoor activity, catering to every age and interest.
Home sites available from the 80’s. Turn-key cottage packages from the 390’s. Call 866-370-3396 or visit DiscoverEaglesNest.com
“YOUR TRUSTED LOCAL BUILDER.” Tom Eggers Construction, LLC Builder of your choice
828-963-7000 | www.tomeggersconstruction.com
Photos © Todd Bush
Photo by Todd Bush
High Country’s Sweet Spot
There are lots of places you can find in the Blue Ridge Mountains to lift your spirits. But few destinations match the Village of Sugar Mountain’s spirit of the outdoors and its central location to all that is good in the North Carolina High Country. Home to the south’s pre-eminent winter ski resort, Sugar Mountain glides seamlessly into Spring, Summer and Fall. Regardless the season, visitors and residents take keen delight in a lifestyle they happily call their own. Sugar Mountain’s municipal golf and tennis complexes belong to everyone, and extend a sense of belonging rarely found in the public domain. The par-64 golf course delivers all the challenge and excitement you expect from a mountain layout and features magnificently maintained putting surfaces that are the talk of the High Country. Weekly ‘friendlies’ for men, women, and couples are open to everyone who wants to play. Walking is encouraged and every effort is made for boys and girls to experience the game of golf in a nurturing environment. And Sugar Mountain tennis is second to none. Six HarTru clay courts deliver what every player loves—low impact surfaces which are dutifully groomed morning and night. Our racquet community is close-knit, but always welcoming to
newcomers and travelers. Round-Robin events and clinics led by our former Davis Cup pro Gene Highfield get everybody involved. Both tennis and golf offer quality playing fields at affordable rates designed to include everyone. You’ll love the all-purpose clubhouse, with delicious fare in the Caddie Shack Café with indoor and outdoor dining. Peaceful deck seating overlooks the golf course with a stunning 180-degree panoramic view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just minutes away you’ll find some of America’s most spectacular biking, hiking, fishing and white-water rafting. Don’t miss a weekend ride to the peak of Sugar Mountain on the Summit Express chairlift, or enjoying the many iconic attractions as Grandfather Mountain, Linville Gorge, The Blowing Rock and Blue Ridge Parkway. They’re all in your backyard when you visit Sugar Mountain. And don’t forget your appetite—the region is home to some of the world’s finest dining, fine cuisine in settings casual to formal. Sugar Mountain is all yours with accommodations of all kinds for every party large or small. For a day, or a lifetime, isn’t it time you experience Sugar Mountain? For more information log on www.seesugar.com
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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On the Inside . . . Cover Photograph “Peppers” by CML Staff
Page 18......... Heritage and the Highland Games By Steve York
Page 32......... The Laramie Project: Unprecedented Collaboration By Keith Martin
Page 41......... Cane Mill Road By Mark Freed
Page 52......... The Long Journey Home By Mark Freed
Page 59......... The Front Porch of Moses Cone By Tamara Seymour
Page 65......... ART: Bringing the World to Boone By Lynn Rees-Jones
Page 77......... Second Homes—A Notable Presence By Carol Lowe Timblin
Page 87......... A Model in Volunteerism By Karen Sabo
Page 90......... New Educational Leadership By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
Page 92......... Leave No Trace
By Randy Johnson
Page 93......... Reflections of Africa By Wendy Snider
Page 100....... Star Tours—The New Night Life By Frank Ruggiero
Page 102 ....... May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Special to CML
Page 104....... Unbroken
By Steve Baker
Page 118....... You Can Come Home Again By Beth Tally
Page 121....... What’s the “Dill”—Pickleball the New Thrill By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
Page 129....... Maw’s Produce
By Cindy Michaud
Page 133....... Summer is Market Time
summer! By Julie Farthing
Mountain Wisdom and Ways with Jim Casada….89 Blue Ridge Explorers with Tamara Seymour…94 Blue Ridge Parkway Update with Rita Larkin….95 Fishing with Andrew Corpening…97 Notes from Grandfather with Frank Ruggiero…99 Local Tidbits & News….106 Community and Local Business News…112 Finance with Katherine S. Newton…117 Be Wild with Samantha Stephens…130 Recipes from the CML Kitchen…134 Wine with Ren Manning….137
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Come For a Play, Stay For the Night
Banner Elk theater packages start at $119
• Choice of Lodging • Two Show Tickets • Discounts on Dining
BannerElk.com Banner Elk, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, blends
MOUNTAIN LIFE 10 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA small town charm with the cultural offerings of a larger city.
EAGLES. BIRDIES. AIRPLANES.
“Elk River is an exceptional golf course. But the best work was accomplished by nature long before I got there.” - JACK NICKLAUS
DISCOVER EXCELLENCE ELEVATED. Nothing compares to the quietness of a cool evening spent gazing out across the majestic mountain landscape, set aglow by golden rays peering down upon the signature Jack Nicklaus golf course. Elk River members enjoy many activities such as an equestrian center, fly fishing, tennis and social events. The private airport sets Elk River in a class of its own. But what makes Elk River truly special is the warm camaraderie our members enjoy with each other every day. Elk River is now accepting requests for an exclusive opportunity to enjoy all the club has to offer in Banner Elk, N.C. Learn more about our Discovery Visit and all that Elk River has to offer. Discover@ElkRiverClubNC.com (828) 898-9773 D I S C OV E R E L K R I V E RC LU B N C . C O M As a 501(c)(7) private, member-owned club, Elk River Club membership is limited & by invitation only.
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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The Colors of
Hope
Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery represents regional painters, sculptors, and fine crafts persons who want to take part in benefitting the children of Crossnore School & Children’s Home. Join us for one of our Summer Gallery Shows and come see the colors of hope.
Wanderings
Along the Blue Ridge Artist - Bryan Koontz Thursday, June 14, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Poetry Fields of the Blue Ridge Artist - Julia Ralston Thursday, August 9, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Rivers
and Roads Artist - Kim Abernethy Thursday, July 12, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Horizons
These Many Distant Artist - Rebecca King Thursday, September 6, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
CROSSNORE fine arts gallery
Crossnore Fine Arts Gallery | 205 Johnson Lane | Crossnore, NC 28616 828) 733-3144 | www.crossnoregallery.org
12 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
A publication of Carolina Mountain Life, Inc. ©2018 by Carolina Mountain Life Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the Publisher. Babette McAuliffe, Publisher & Editor in Chief Deborah Mayhall-Bradshaw, Design Director Kathy Griewisch, Account Manager Tamara Seymour, Editor Keith Martin, Cultural Arts Editor Jane Richardson, Assistant Editor Contributors: Steve Baker, Rebecca Cairns, Jim Casada, Andrew Corpening, Kim S. Davis, Craig Distl, Julie Farthing, Nina Fischesser, Brennan Ford, Morgan Ford, Mark Freed, Koren Gillespie, Meagan Goheen, Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Annie Hoskins, Randy Johnson, Lynn Rees-Jones, Linda Kramer, Rita Larkin, Ren Manning, Tom McAuliffe, Pan McCaslin, Kelly Melang, Cindy Michaud, Katherine Newton, Frank Ruggiero, Karen Sabo, Wendy Snider, Samantha Stephens, Ken Swanton, Beth Tally, Mike Teague, Carol Lowe Timblin, and Steve York Share us with a friend! CML is published 4 times a year and is available by subscription for $35.00 a year (continental US) Send check or money order to: Carolina Mountain Life, PO Box 976, Linville, NC 28646
livingcarolina@bellsouth.net www.CMLmagazine.com 828-737-0771
it ‘s summer!
Publisher’s Note
As you can tell from our cover, nothing screams summertime like fresh veggies out of the garden or from the many local farmers’ markets and produce stands throughout our area. Saturday mornings are my favorite time to grab my big woven basket and head to the Watauga County Farmers’ Market. First stop is to say hi to Bald Guy and grab the feistiest java I’ve ever had the experience of enjoying and a hot biscuit from Betty’s Biscuit food truck. Bald Guy has concoctions that will shoot you to the moon and back, and Tina of Reid’s Catering and Betty’s Biscuit food truck will make you think grandma has come to town. When I’m ready to blast off and my belly is feeling satisfied, I circle around the entire market scoping out what dinner might look like. Shall I grab a few grass-fed filets, or beef tips for stir-fry? I always get fresh dino kale, romaine, colored peppers, baby organic carrots, squash, radishes, beets (both golden and red), red spring onions, cauliflower and cucumbers— no matter what’s for dinner tonight I’ll have fresh fixings for salads all week long. I’ve noticed that when I shop
local, the produce lasts longer, and I know I can count on it being high quality. There is always an excellent selection of fingerling potatoes, freshly made pasta (even gluten free and vegan), local honey for my tea, and I love the extra zip my protein shake gives me when I add local bee pollen. The circle of friends that I seem to run into at the famers’ market always astounds me—people I don’t see in other places, but that bring such surprise and joy when I bump into them. The most fun is when I run into my granddaughter and son-in-law at the biscuit truck. At almost four, she is sleepy eyed but hungry and loves the adventure of the kids’ section, live music, taste testing and a buzz of activity. Let’s face it, the microcosm of this weekly event is what we all envision: coming together to enjoy the bounty of our earth, friendship and simple pleasures. What a lesson of life for her to experience this buzz—it’s the way it should be.
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
13
63rd ANNUAL GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN
HIGHLAND GAMES & Gathering of the Scottish Clans
JULY 12 -15, 2018 AT MACRAE MEADOWS, LINVILLE NC Come join the fun and excitement of the Games. There will be dance competition, athletic competition, piping and drumming, sheep herding, music in the Groves on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, concerts Friday and Saturday nights, Worship Service and Parade of Tartans on Sunday, and children’s activities each day. www.gmhg.org
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO • WWW.GRANDFATHERVINEYARD.COM CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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CarltonGallery Celebrating 36 Years! Spring Group Exhibition & Contemporary Cubist Charisma in Painting & Sculpture by Warren Dennis & Mary-Ann Prack Through July 15:
Mid-Summer Group Exhibition & Spectrum – Beyond Color & Abstraction
By Andrew Braitman & Lisa Boardwine July 28 thru September 15: Opening Reception July 28, 2-5pm Tour de Art 4th Saturdays June-Nov | Autumn Group Exhibition & Holiday Open House A GALLERY FILLED WITH E XQ UISITE GIFTS
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828-898-5550 16 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
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TRUNK SHOW SEPTEMBER 20, 21 & 22
N.J. MacDonald & Agnes MacRae Morton
Traditional Highland Pipers
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games: HERITAGE:
“I had a wife and a family. But that was before the move….I never doubted the word ‘forever.’ But that was before the move.” Those plaintiff lyrics are taken from the song “Before The Move,” an original composition by American-born, contemporary Scottish minstrel, Kirk McLeod, featured in his new KIR solo CD entitled A Time For Pilots. Most followers of Seven Nations music are well aware of Kirk as founder and leader of this internationally famous Celtic Rock Band. For many years they have been music all-stars at our own Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans (a.k.a. GMHG) held at MacRae Meadows each July. But his new CD is a solo venture that Kirk has been working on for over a year… mostly because many of his lyrics are sung in the ancient Scottish Gaelic, a language not so easy to master. “Before The Move” laments the struggles and heartbreaks of the early Scot settlers who were compelled for various reasons to migrate from their homeland, across a treacherous Atlantic
18 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
Ocean to the untamed beaches around Wilmington and, eventually, climb their way up to the North Carolina highlands. And that sets the stage for our story. Due to political and economic strife, high taxes and land evictions, plus the Scottish defeat by the English at the battle of Culloden in 1745, many Scots, Ulster Scots (Scots-Irish) and Irish fled their homes throughout the 1700s and 1800s in search of a better life. At the time, they found a warm welcome from then North Carolina’s Royal Governor and native Scotsman Gabriel Johnston, who offered land grants and deferred taxes to encourage settlements within the state. Many nested along the Cape Fear coastline, while others—seeking settings more like their native highlands—continued westward to our Blue Ridge Mountains. Conquering a rugged and heavily-forested mountain terrain, these new settlers established small villages and farms throughout the region, planting roots and helping mold the character of our mountain communities. Many descendants of those early Scots, along with their Irish kin, are still right here. Names like
MacRae, McKinney, McLeod, McAuliffe, McMahon, McDonald, Stewart, Ross, McLean, MacKenzie, Morrison and many more are prevalent throughout these parts. And, along with their family surnames came their traditions, their music and their love for celebrating their heritage with athletic games, crafts, sheep herding and musical competitions. Some historians trace the early Scottish Highland Games to the Celts of ancient Ireland—or Eire, as it is known in Gaelic. They were known to have held festive seasonal gatherings with various athletic competitions, musical jams and feasts long before the Scottish games. Later, the clans of northern Scotland took those celebrations to a larger scale and cemented the basic structure of the Games going forward. Today’s Grandfather Mountain Highland Games and Gathering of Scottish Clans are direct descendants of and tributes to those centuries-old traditions. Now in its 63rd year, this is the largest and most renowned of the Games east of the Rockies, dating back to 1956 and co-founded by Agnes MacRae Morton of Wilmington and Linville, and Donald
Kirk McLeod, Seven Nations & EJ Jones
Concert Dancers
Heritage, Highlights & Heralding F. MacDonald, originally from Charlotte before moving to Scotland. And, while competition has always been the foundational theme for such celebrations, it is truly the festive celebratory spirit of these gatherings that has perpetuated them throughout the ages.
HIGHLIGHTS:
As usual, the Grandfather Games are held Thursday through Sunday each second weekend of July. It’s always a 4-day spectacle that takes you back to a longago era when proud, hard-working, hardplaying Scots and their Irish kin donned their clan attire and lifted their hearts in jubilant pageantry. That pageantry includes a Thursday Bear Assault fivemile footrace nearly straight up 1,568 feet from Linville up to MacRae Meadows. Festivities continue with a community picnic, musical entertainment, plus the awe-inspiring opening Torchlight Ceremony under the stars on Thursday night. Friday through the weekend features daily traditional track and field athletic competitions, music and craft workshops, Scottish piping and
drumming, the grand display of Clan tents circling the Meadows’ field track, sheep herding, fiddling, harp, Scottish dancing contests, souvenir and food vendors plus the rich Scottish Cultural Village. Behind these festivities, there is the soundtrack of traditional and contemporary Celtic music directed by E.J. Jones. From the spontaneous tunes rising up around nightly campfires to the daytime Grove bands, the Friday night Celtic Rock Concert and the Saturday night Celtic Jam…all of these musicians come together in celebration of their musical heritage. The 2018 lineup lists familiar stars like Seven Nations, Piper Jones Band, Chambless and Muse, Rathkeltair, Ed Miller, Marybeth McQueen, Jackson and Hambly along with the Brothers McLeod. Joined on the rostrum are GMHG newcomers like Scottish Octopus, Alasdair White, Atlantic North and Seamus Kennedy. And as a footnote, even aspiring up-and comers—like former High Country native and second-generation Irish singer, Jaclyn McMahon—can occasionally be invited for a cameo appearance with stars like Seven Nations.
By Steve York
The fact is…wherever two or more Celts of any tribe come together…there will you find music!
HERALDING:
The kindred camaraderie amongst Games musicians heralds the same spirit that binds together the clans and shared heritage of these modern-day Celtic descendants. That centuries-old migration of those ancient Scots-Irish peoples bringing their culture, their traditions and their music to our North Carolina highlands proclaims the very foundation of our Grandfather Mountain Highland Games. Though they had to leave their homelands and families long ago, they began anew here. They sacrificed much, started new families, created communities and have, from the beginning, woven their legacy within the fabric of today’s Carolina Highlands and our greater American landscape. And that’s always something to herald and celebrate. n NOTE: 2018 Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Thursday to Sunday, July 12-15. Details at www.gmgh.org. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Blowing Rock Summer Events Symphony by the Lake at Chetola
S
ymphony by the Lake at Chetola returns to Blowing Rock on Friday, July 27. Known as “the pinnacle event of the summer season,” this great event is celebrating its 31st season. More than 40 patron tents decorated in this year’s theme, “Colors of the Mountains,” will play host to private parties, where friends and family gather to hear great music as the sun sets on beautiful Chetola Lake. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. with the opening act of 13-year-old musical phenomenon Pressley Barker and his astonishing band, Shadowgrass. At the remarkable age of 10, Pressley won first place in the Adult Guitar Competition at the 80th Annual Galax Old Fiddler’s Convention. And at the age of 11, Pressley was named West Virginia State Flatpicking Guitar Champion.
20 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
The Symphony of the Mountains from Kingsport, TN will follow at 7:30. The full musical program is available on www.symphonybythelake.com and features moving performances ranging from Rodgers and Hammerstein to Edward Grieg. The evening concludes with the spectacular fireworks finale that attendees have come to enjoy as much as the music. Tickets for the event are $40 in advance, $50 at the gate (if available—organizers expect a sold out show!). Bring your chairs and a picnic or you may purchase a plate dinner at Chetola. There are several dining options offered through Timberlake’s Restaurant. Adult beverages will also be for sale or you may bring your own! No tables or tents—nothing to im-
pede the view of those seated behind you. Limited Audiophile tickets are also available for the true music lover and include a parking pass, charcuterie basket with wine or beer, and a seat right in front of the orchestra. These seats are reserved as the “quiet area” where attendees sit up front and focus on listening to the music. Symphony by the Lake is presented by The Kennedy Herterich Foundation, Karyn & Dieter Herterich, Chetola Resort, Hendrick Northlake Luxury Auto Mall, and Our State Magazine. Visit www.symphonybythelake.com to purchase general admission tickets, or learn how to reserve a patron tent. Bring your picnic basket and join us for an evening of memories and magic!
Art in the Park
S
aturdays: July 14, August 11, September 8, October 6, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. One Saturday each month throughout the summer and fall, the historic village of Blowing Rock comes alive with artists selling beautiful and functional handmade goods along Park Avenue. At each show you’ll find incredible pottery, glass, wood, fiber, painting, photography, handcrafted jewelry and more. The quality of work exhibited draws thousands to the mountains each month. This year marks the 56th year of the “Art in the Park” festival series. Many of these artists have gathered here for several generations to share their talent and work with visitors. Under the direction of Loni Miller of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, Art in the Park’s high standards and professional jury attract artists from all over the Southeast to exhibit.
Art in the Park is so much more than your typical craft show. There is truly something for everyone with pieces ranging from $10 to $10,000. Each Art in the Park festival features more than 90 artists. Many of the artists are different from month-to-month, which means there is always something new to see. It’s an ideal day trip—enjoy shopping through beautiful handmade art, followed by a nostalgic stroll through the village of Blowing Rock. Admission is free, and free parking is available at parking decks on Wallingford St. and Chestnut St. Free trolley rides are available from the Tanger Shoppes on the Parkway and the Food Lion grocery on Hwy 321. Learn more at blowingrock.com/artinthepark/. n Vase by Michael Hamlin CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Regional Happenings & Featured Events
fun! Ashe County “The Connie” Caboose Dedicated to Citizens of Ashe County
In late May, “The Connie” Caboose was officially dedicated to the citizens of Ashe County and opened for visitors. Located in downtown West Jefferson the restored caboose represents hundreds of volunteer hours and financial support from both individuals and businesses in Ashe County. “As the process to obtain, move and restore the Caboose unfolded, many folks shared their memories of the rail coming through West Jefferson and their stories inspired others to help,” said Chairperson Jo Ann Woodie, Caboose Committee for the Ashe County Historical Society. The Norfolk and Western Railroad first came to Ashe County in 1915. As the train line was established, numerous small communities began to emerge along the rails. A lone depot, placed between Paddy Mountain and Mount Jefferson, would soon blossom into the town of West Jefferson. “Connie” Caboose spent hundreds of hours travelling the rails of the Norfolk and Western lines during a time when rail travel was an everyday reality for the citizens of Ashe County. It stands as a monument to the once flourishing rail system
22 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
“THE CONNIE” CABOOSE
that gave birth to West Jefferson, brought Ashe County in closer contact with the rest of the nation, and forever changed the Southern Appalachian region. Connie the Caboose will not only be a tribute to a by gone era but a place to now gather for weddings, picnics and special occasions.
Christmas in July Festival
On Friday, July 6th, visit Downtown West Jefferson’s Backstreet for the kickoff to the annual Christmas in July Festival. Come enjoy live music and street dancing from 3-10 p.m. at the main stage, food vendors from 4 -10 p.m. and a special Farmers Market from 5-8 p.m. Also held that evening will be an opening ceremony with special guests, as well as a visit from Santa & the Civil War Re-enactors! On Saturday, July 7, the festival will feature live music on the main stage, food vendors, over 100 handmade arts & craft vendors, several local nonprofit organizations, children’s activities, a farmers market, street performers, a community stage showcasing local dance groups, musicians and more! The West Jefferson Park located behind the festival will be home to Civil War Re-enactors where you can watch battles and meet the group. Also, be sure to stop and vote for the People’s Choice Favorite Christmas Tree & see Santa! The festival weekend is family-friendly, free, and held rain or shine. For more information, please visit www.christmasinjulyinfo.ipage.com.
DOWNTOWN WEST JEFFERSON
49th Annual Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention
Sponsored by the Ashe County Arts Council, the 49th Annual Ashe County Bluegrass and Old Time Fiddlers Convention will be held at Ashe Park in Jefferson on Friday and Saturday, July 27 and 28. The event includes a competition, music, cash awards, Appalachian Barn Dance and more! Check out www.ashefiddlersconvention.org
Blue Ridge Brutal
The Blue Ridge Brutal is one of the premiere mountain rides in this area, and will be held on Saturday, August 11 beginning at the Ashe Civic Center. The event offers three options of a 56-mile, 72-mile, or a 102-mile ride. The event is a fundraiser for the Ashe Civic Center. Riders will be supported by the Ashe County Amateur Radio Club, Rescue Squads from all over the county, and SAG wagons. Riders will receive a hot meal, t-shirt, and support of many volunteers. This year the brutal will feature six rest stops. Learn more and register at blueridgebrutal.org. For a comprehensive list of all the Summer events in Ashe County, visit www.thecoolestcorner.com.
SUMMER MUSIC AT BEECH / Photo by Todd Bush
Avery County Avery County Wine & Beer Festival
Join festival goers on June 30 at Sorrento’s Dining Complex in downtown Banner Elk for a day of special wine and beer tastings from the High Country and surrounding areas! Your admission, which includes a complimentary glass, will allow you a “flight of tastings” per wine and beer participant. This year’s participants include Banner Elk Winery, Beech Mountain Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Brewing Company, Boonshine Brewing Company, Eagles Nest Winery, Flat Top Mountain Brewery, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Lake James Cellars Winery, Linville Falls Winery, and others. The event runs 12 noon to 5 p.m. For tickets, visit Averycounty.com or call 828-898-5606.
Avery County Fine Art & Master Crafts Festival
On July 20-22 and August 10-12, head to downtown Banner Elk for the summer Fine Art & Master Crafts Festivals! These juried festivals feature hand-crafted wares from more than 90 vendors. Photography, paintings, jewelry, sculpture, and pottery are just some of the crafts on offer. Presented by the Avery County Chamber of Commerce at the Historic Banner Elk Elementary School, show hours are Friday 1-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
AVERY COUNTY WINE & BEER FESTIVAL
Banner Elk Theater Packages
Ensemble Stage professional theater and Banner Elk tourism have teamed for special theater packages that include one night of cozy lodging & two show tickets. Booking is easy. First, go to Ensemble Stage’s website (EnsembleStage.com) and select the show you wish to attend. Second, contact your choice from the lodging options below and request a Banner Elk Theater Package. Once booked, your accommodation will set aside two tickets to be presented check-in. Lodging options are: Azalea Inn Bed & Breakfast, Best Western Mountain Lodge and Perry House Bed & Breakfast. More details are available at BannerElk.com.
Beech Mountain Summer Concerts
Summer on Beech Mountain has long been known for an abundance of great live music. Saturday afternoon bands at 5506’ Skybar have become a tradition, joining the long-standing Summer Sunset Concerts on Sunday evenings at Fred’s General Mercantile and Concerts on the Lawn on Sunday evenings at the Beech Alpen Inn. This year, these traditions continue, and some new ones begin. Beech Mountain Resort hosts a Summer Music Series at an outdoor stage at the base of the slopes, with nationally-known artists Trampled by Turtles performing July 14. This Minnesota-based band plays an invigorating mix of bluegrass, folk and rock that has made them favorites nationwide.
Yonder Mountain String Band takes the outdoor stage Aug. 11, with a unique take on bluegrass and Americana. These concerts are family-friendly events. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.beechmountainresort. com for $25 each, or at the gate for $30. Children 4 and under are free.
Beech Mountain Throwback Music Weekend
The Beech Mountain Brewing Company Taproom and Grill will be the venue for another new event, the Beech Mountain Throwback Music Weekend, Aug 3-5. The family-friendly weekend features music from the 1960s and ’70s, with some ’80s thrown in for good measure. Spoon Bread, a Jerry Garcia/Grateful Dead tribute band, kicks off things Friday Aug. 3. On Saturday, Aug. 4, Clockworx takes the stage with a great set of ’60s, ’70s and early ’80s rock hits. Sunday caps the event at 1:00 pm with a performance by GB’s, a Winston-Salem-based band featuring Beatles covers and other British Invasion hits from the ’60s and ’70s. For added fun, Fred’s General Mercantile hosts its annual Crafts on the Green on Saturday Aug. 4. The Throwback Music Weekend has a suggested donation of $5 per performance as a fundraiser for the Beech Mountain Chamber. continued on page 25 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
23
SUMMER OF 79° any hotter and the golf’s on us! Play it COOL at NC’s mile high country club ... golf, tennis, pool and fun for the whole family. Book a Summer of 79° Stay & Play Golf Package at Beech Mountain Club, and if the official temperature of your day of play exceeds 79°, you’ll receive a free round of golf! Rates start at just $79 per person, per night.
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Events: continued from page 23
MILE HIGH KITE FESTIVAL / Photo by Todd Bush
Beech Mountain Mile High Kite Festival
fun!
On Labor Day weekend (Sept. 1-2) the 16th annual Mile High Kite Festival takes flight. This festival fills the sky with colorful kites soaring to a mile above sea level. Saturday is laid-back with an open field for kite flying. On Sunday afternoon, everyone is again invited to fly kites on the field, where they will be joined two kite clubs — the Richmond Air Force club and Charlotte’s Wings Across Carolina Kiting and Okra Society. Don’t have a kite? Fret not. Kites are for sale all weekend and the first 150 children each day receive free kites. Multiple prizes will be awarded for the most original kites, kites flown the highest and bestdecorated kites. Hours for the Mile High Kite Festival are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission to the festival is free. There is a $5 fee for parking. For info about summer happenings on Beech Mountain, visit www.BeechMtn. com or call (800) 468-5506.
Sugar Mountain Ski Resort’s Bike Park, Summer Tubing, and the Summit Crawl
Sugar Mountain Resort’s rebuilt and expanded bike park opens Saturday, June 30. Trails are wider; expert terrain is better than ever; beginner and intermediate line
options offer choices from the summit to the base, and added features like rollers, pumps, and jumps are scattered about the park. The Summit Express, a bike friendly lift, operates Fridays through Sundays from late June until early September. Magic Cycles, located in the base lodge, offers helmet, body armor, and bike rentals, bicycle repairs, and a selection of necessary items to get you started and keep you rolling. On Saturday, June 30, hike from the base of Sugar Mountain Ski Resort to its summit as a participant in the second annual Summit Crawl competition. On Wednesday, July 4 two-lanes of summer tubing debut and will run during the fourth-of-July week-long celebration. Sit and relax to the tunes of the Glen Harlow & North Fork Band with a cool beverage and a burger at the base lodge from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. The Summit Express runs until 10 p.m. for mountain-top fireworks viewing which begins just after 9 p.m. Sugar Mountain Sports Shop is open during the fourth-of-July week-long celebration and summer weekends, as well. View www.skisugar.com/cams for a real-time look at Sugar Mountain. For details visit www.skisugar.com or call 800-SUGAR-MT.
BLACKBERRY FESTIVAL
Caldwell County The North Carolina Blackberry Festival
As the name implies, the Blackberry Festival in Lenoir, NC celebrates allthings-blackberry! The 2018 event will be held July 12-14 and is expected to draw well over 25,000 visitors and 150+ vendors to Historic Downtown Lenoir. This year’s festival will include food, drinks, live music, dancing, vendors, a Blackberry beer garden, the Blackberry Pageant, recipe contests, a singer-songwriter competition, a 5k fun run, parade, children’s activities and much more. For a full schedule of events visit ncblackberryfestival.com. n
For additional happenings and events around the High Country and beyond, see the “Tidbits” section in this issue of CML.
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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41st ANNUAL
WOOLLY WORM FESTIVAL Please NO PETS
Except for Woolly Worms, Of Course!
! e f i L e h t s This i June 30: Avery County Wine & Beer Festival Downtown Banner Elk, Sorrento’s Dining Complex
Downtown Banner Elk, NC October 20-21, 2018 Saturday- 9-5pm, Sunday 9-4pm Worm Races, Cash Prizes, Crafts, Food, Rides, Entertainment
All proceeds are given back to our community to enhance our schools, children’s programs, and to promote businesses and tourism in Avery County.
www.WoollyWorm.com www.AveryCounty.com 828-898-5605 • 800-972-2183 director@averycounty.com 26 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
July 20-22 & August 10-12: Fine Art & Master Crafts Festival | Downtown Banner Elk
October 20-21: 41st Annual Woolly Worm Festival Downtown Banner Elk Platinum Partners
Our Visitor Center is located at 4501 Tynecastle Highway, Unit 2 Banner Elk, NC 28604
828-898-5605 | www.averycounty.com
Interested in being a part of this in any way? Attend workshops? Teach? Have ideas? Learn more? Please join us for an informal creative discussion in July. For more info contact Peg today! 910.297.0578 | PegTSchroeder@me.com
Visit the BE Artists Gallery at the Historic Banner Elk School in downtown Banner Elk
Open Tuesday - Saturday 10-4 www.bluemountainmetalworks.com www.BEartistsgallery.com
(828) 898-8582 | bluemountain@skybest.com
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Join Us for Our 2018 Season!
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the the
Denim Ball
To benefit benefit Moses Moses H. H. Cone Cone Memorial Memorial Park Park To
FRIDAY, AUGUST AUGUST 3, 3, 6 6 P.M. P.M. FRIDAY,
Chetola Resort Resort at at Blowing Blowing Rock Rock Chetola Special performance performance by by the the Jeff Jeff Little Little Trio Trio Special
Experience 19th century life in Banner Elk and the High Country in the home of Samuel Henry Banner, one of Banner Elk’s early settlers. Opening Day Event with Children’s Day Activities Saturday, June 16, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. NEW THIS SEASON! Guided Walking Tour of Historic Downtown Banner Elk Offered by limited appointment availability for $10 per adult Heritage Bus Tour: Hidden Stories of Hickory Nut Gap Road Saturday, August 4 Tours depart on the half hour: 10 a.m. to 12 noon (the Museum will open at 9:30 a.m.) 2018 Lecture Series at the Book Exchange in the Historic Banner Elk School See our website for event details and an up-to-date list of lectures co-sponsored by the Banner Elk Book Exchange
BannerHouseMuseum.org Museum & Guided Tours Wednesday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m | Walking Tours of Historic Banner Elk by appointment
$100 per per person person $100 brpfoundation.org/denimball brpfoundation.org/denimball (866) 308-2773 308-2773 (866) Presented by: by: Presented To schedule a walking tour, please call:
28 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
828-898-3634
7th Annual
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Village of If you thought the golf and tennis club at Sugar Mountain was for members only you’re forgiven. The popular public golf course offers the same fabulous putting surfaces and mountain climate shared by our illustrious private neighbors. Our tennis courts feature the same Har-Tru clay court surfaces found at only the finest racquet clubs. But at Sugar Mountain there’s no guardhouse or initiation fees—just a hearty mountain welcome for everyone. Our café offers great food and alluring outdoor seating with spectacular panoramic views. At Sugar Mountain, you’ll only think you’re at a private club. Make this season your season at Sugar Mountain. Learn all about us at www.seesugar.com
S e e S u g a r. c o m | G o l f : 8 2 8 . 8 9 8 . 6 4 6 4 | Te n n i s 8 9 8 . 6 7 4 6 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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BODYTRAFFIC, Photo by Lee Gumbs
ASPEN SANTA FE BALLET, Photo by Sharon Bradford
Cultural Calendar Spotlights T
he season announcement in our last issue highlighted several events during An Appalachian Summer Festival that have yet to take place, including the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet on Wednesday, July 11, the Eastern Festival Orchestra with guest pianist Misha Dichter on Sunday, July 15, and the North Carolina Black Repertory Company and their production of The Legend of Buster Neal with two performances on Friday, July 20. Recent additions to the impressive line-up are Shaken & Stirred: Michael Feinstein and special guest Storm Large on Saturday, July 14, accompanied by a five-piece band with performances ranging from the Great American Songbook to the music of the James Bond and Mad Men era, combined with Feinstein’s amusing anecdotes. On Saturday, July 28, the dance “company of the future,” BODYTRAFFIC, whose all-caps name perfectly matches the boldness of their repertory, was selected for Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” list as they have surged to the forefront of the concert dance world. The Festival saves the best for last when An Intimate Evening with Kristin Chenoweth closes the 2018 season on Saturday, August 4. See the accompanying article for more info, then look for me in the front row shamelessly cheering her on! For a complete list of events, many – many just announced – visit www.appsummer.org or call (800) 841-ARTS (2787). Beyond those highlights, there are literally dozens of other productions from which to choose. To help you plan your theatre going experience, here are the most interesting summer shows on the horizon from now through early September, listed below by producing company. PLEASE NOTE that all of the performances, dates and times are subject to change; readers are strongly encouraged to contact the box office for the most current information.
By Keith Martin
From August 23 – 26 at the Ashe Civic Center, the Ashe County Little Theatre is producing The Savannah Sipping Society by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten. It is a laugh-a-minute comedy about four Southern women, all needing to escape their day-to-day routines, drawn together by fate… and an impromptu happy hour. Seating is reserved and tickets are available by calling the Ashe County Arts Council at 336.846-2787. At the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, VA, performances of Sister Act: The Divine Musical Comedy continue through August 11. Written by Alan Menken, Glenn Slater, Cheri and Bill Steinkellner, and Douglas Carter Beane, the show is based on the Whoopi Goldberg film about a woman hiding in a convent helping her fellow sisters find their voices as she rediscovers her own. Also playing through mid-August is Robert Harling’s Steel Magnolias, a heart-warming portrait of friendship and love between Southern women who bond together in a beauty shop. From August 17 through September 8 is Ain’t Misbehavin’ conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz about the inimitable Thomas “Fats” Waller, who rose to international fame during the golden age of the Cotton Club in Harlem with his delightful humor and infectious energy with songs made famous in a career that ranged from Tin Pan Alley to Hollywood. Barter Stage II is home to The Lemonade Stand (now through August 11), a comedy by Matthew Fowler about a man having a midlife crisis after getting fired from the only job he’s ever had. He decides to set up a lemonade stand on the street in front of his upscale suburban house and sets out to prove that his “American Dream” still exists. Madame Buttermilk (running through midAugust) as “a hysterical new musical by West Virginia author Ross Carter, which combines opera and country music in ways that one would never think possible.” Info at www.BarterTheatre.com or (276) 628-3991.
cultu re
30 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
STEEL MAGNOLIAS at Barter Theatre Beanstalk Community Theatre in Boone is one of the newer companies in the region but has quickly established a reputation for family-friendly summer musicals. This year’s offering is The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy which features an original story that’s every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. Everything changes on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. Performances take place from July 26 – 28 at Watauga High School in Boone. For tickets and information visit www.beanstalknc.com or call (828) 312-0263. Ensemble Stage continues their second season in their new home in the Historic Banner Elk School with Red, White and Tuna, the sequel to Jaston Williams, Joe Sears and Ed Howard’s megahit Greater Tuna. Running from now through July 6, this side-splitting spoof of life in rural America takes the audience through a satirical ride into the hearts and minds of the polyester-clad citizens of Texas’ third smallest town. Playwright William Hanley’s drama Slow Dance on the Killing Ground runs from July 27 through August 4. It takes place in 1962 on a dark night in Brooklyn where circumstances have brought three seemingly very different people together. Jeanine and Sam Brobrick’s Weekend Comedy takes the stage from August 17 – 25. Two very different couples have rented the same cottage on the same weekend and reluctantly agree to share the one-bedroom, one-bath cabin. The company’s popular Kids Summer Saturday Theater continues with 11 a.m. performances of Marmalade Gumdrops on July 14 and 28. Carol Lauck’s children’s play explores the imaginative world of 10-year-old Walter K. Hampton with actors serving as furniture in Wally’s bedroom to chronicle his experiences with wind up dolls, and old-fashioned melodrama, a circus, story-telling, and even a time-machine. For ticket information, visit www.ensemblestage.com or call (828) 414-1844.
SISTER ACT at Barter Theatre Horn in The West has welcomed one-and-a-half million audience members since it opened in 1952 as the nation’s third oldest outdoor drama. Now celebrating its 67th season, this Revolutionary War drama brings to life the famous frontiersman Daniel Boone and the hardy mountain settlers of this region in their struggle to preserve their freedom during the turbulent years before and during the war for independence. For information, call (828) 264-2120 or visit www.HornInTheWest.com. Performances run through August 11 in Boone. In/Visible Theatre is producing Shakespeare’s complex and timely play Measure For Measure, the darkest of the Bard’s comedies which explores, over 400 years before the #MeToo movement, abuses of power and sexual coercion by those in positions of power. Director Derek Davidson calls it, “An exciting and extraordinarily prescient play, ultimately a meditation on mercy, forgiveness, and hypocrisy… in other words, a piece of theatre that speaks to right now.” August 15 – 18 in I.G. Greer Studio Theatre on the campus of Appalachian State University. For information, you can visit www.invisibletheatrenc.org, or go to #Measure4Measure. Lees-McRae Summer Theatre continues their 2018 season from July 13 – 18 with the musical My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra by David Grapes and Todd Olson. Created to demonstrate that “Ol’ Blue Eyes” will never be forgotten because, “Sinatra knew how to effortlessly present a song with intention and style.” The highlight of the season is the regional premiere of In The Heights, written by Hamilton composer and star Lin-Manuel Miranda. The show spans three generations of music celebrating the inhabitants of Washington Heights, NY. Following their dreams, residents share memories of home, fall in love, worry about the changes in the neighborhood, and dance to Latin music from their native countries, mixed with the rhythms of the streets. Performances run from July 31 – August 5 in Banner Elk. Young audiences are in for a treat when Janet Speer again joins forces with John Thomas Oaks (her collaborator for both The Denim King and last summer’s children’s show Screen Test) for the world premiere of their newest work, Passport Please! Around the World in 45 Musical Minutes. This exciting, interactive musical adventure teaches children about the diversity and beautiful cultures that make up the world. All shows have a family-friendly curtain time of 10 a.m. on July 7 and 21. For tickets or information, visit info at www.lmc.edu or (828) 898-8709. n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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The Laramie Project Anchors Unprecedented Collaboration at Appalachian State University By Keith Martin
I
Judy Shepard, Matthew Shepard Foundation
Matthew Shepard
Moises Kaufmann
n October 2018, the worldwill mark the 20th anniversary of the Matthew Shepard hate crime, a horrific event that will not go unnoticed here in the High Country. It has served as the catalyst for an unprecedented “town and gown” collaboration anchored by Appalachian State University and its numerous community partners. It all began last fall when the Department of Theatre and Dance chose The Laramie Project by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project for production during their upcoming season, with an extended nine performance run from October 2 through 9, 2018 in their Valborg Theatre. In February of this year, Appalachian’s Common Reading Program announced The Laramie Project as its 2018-19 selection. “For 21 years, Appalachian’s Common Reading Program has selected a book for the incoming students, welcoming them to an academic community and reminding them of how strongly Appalachian values their intellectual and academic development,” said Dr. Martha McCaughey, Director of the Common Reading Program. “Multiple individuals, groups, and programs on campus and in the community have found ways to engage with The Laramie Project throughout the 2018-19 year. Its themes of community membership, inclusion, and the power of art to explore and shape people’s viewpoints will help launch thousands of transformative conversations.” The Laramie Project is a play about the community of Laramie, Wyoming, in the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, who was a gay student at the University of Wyoming. The murder, which was denounced as a hate crime, sparked a national debate. It “represents a creative and illuminating response to an act of inhumane violence. The various perspectives about exclusion, violence, and community membership offered by The Laramie Project are quite relevant for
Collaboration 32 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
our incoming first-year students, whom we hope will engage in discussions about the issues that shape our community,” said McCaughey. Over 4,500 copies of The Laramie Project common reading book were ordered with a special edition published just for Appalachian. These have been distributed to all first-year students starting school in 2018-19, in addition to 200 faculty, staff, administrators, and student leaders involved with First Year Seminar classes, Summer Orientation, Welcome Weekend in August, and academic advisors who advise first-year students. McCaughey said events will take place throughout the entire academic year because the goal of the common reading program is to engage students in intellectual conversations both inside and outside the classroom all year long, including the many students who actually start classes at Appalachian in January. During the spring 2019 semester, there will be panel discussions organized by faculty, and a screening of the film version of The Laramie Project followed by a sustained dialogue event organized by the Cultural Awareness and Student Engagement (CASE) Council. Judy Shepard, mother of the late Matthew Shepard and president of the Matthew Shepard Foundation will speak at Appalachian’s Black and Gold Convocation at 10 a.m. on Monday, August 20 in the Holmes Convocation Center. Jason Marsden, executive director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, stated, “Over the last two decades, Judy Shepard has delivered her message of inclusion and compassion to more than 800 colleges, workforces and community organizations. I can easily say that Appalachian’s 2018 programs are amongst the rare few that include such a comprehensive and impressive set of events around the common theme of erasing hate.” Appalachian will also welcome playwright, director and founder of
the Tectonic Theater Project Moisés Kaufman to campus. He will give a public address at the university’s Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. on Monday, September 17, and on Tuesday, September 18, at 9:30 a.m. Kaufman will read from his work and sign copies of the book in the Grandfather Mountain Ballroom of Appalachian’s Plemmons Student Union. Both events are free and open to the public. On October 6, the exact date of the Shepard hate crime back in 1998, the Henderson Springs LGBT Center at Appalachian is coordinating a campus and community-wide vigil in remembrance of Matt Shepard, and as a testimony to his legacy, which includes the creation of the Matthew Shepard National Hate Crime Prevention Act in October 2009. McCaughey said that “Watauga Reads” and numerous book clubs in communities surrounding Appalachian make a point of studying whatever the common reading book is for any given year. According to Watauga County Librarian Monica Caruso, they are planning events in conjunction with the Shepard Foundation’s “heart challenge,” a 20th anniversary project where the hearts are decorated and displayed, as well as something for library patrons of all ages along the lines of “The Kindness Project.” The idea of this national movement is to perform random acts of kindness, usually anonymously, so that the person who benefits from the kindness knows that someone’s life and death continues to matter. While the number of projects continues to grow, the Common Reading Program has created a comprehensive listing of all related events, updating the roster frequently. For more information, visit www. commonreading.appstate.edu. n
An Intimate Evening with Kristin Chenoweth By Keith Martin
I
doubt whether the 1,673 seat Schaefer Center, the largest performing arts venue in our region, is big enough to hold the immense talents of the four-foot, ten-inch dynamo Kristin Chenoweth, who is making her High Country debut on August 4 during An Appalachian Summer Festival. Having seen Chenoweth perform in all eight of her Broadway appearances dating back to her 1997 Theatre World Award-winning debut in Steel Pier, I assure you that audience members are in for a treat when this Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer takes to the Schaefer Center stage to perform an array of her most memorable songs and show tunes, including music from Wicked, Promises Promises, and Glee. Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voiceover, and stage. She stole the hearts of millions of viewers during the 1999 Tony Awards ceremony, performing the showstopping “My New Philosophy” from You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown literally seconds before accepting the Best Featured Actress in a Musical trophy. “I’ve never changed my clothes so fast in my life!” she exclaimed through tears to a SRO crowd at the Gershwin Theatre. She was also Tony nominated in 2004 for creating the role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, and again in 2015 for reviving the character Lily Garland in the musical On The Twentieth Century before co-hosting the 2015 Tony Awards with Alan Cumming, dazzling all of us in attendance at Radio City Music Hall. This is in addition to a 2009 Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role in Pushing Daises, the same year she wrote an upliftingly candid, comedic chronicle of her life (so far), “A Little Bit Wicked,” which debuted on the New York Times Hardcover Non-Fiction Best Seller List. Recipient of a coveted star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame, Chenoweth released “The Art of Elegance” in 2016, her first album of American songbook classics, which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Current Jazz and Traditional Jazz charts, and #1 on Amazon’s Vocal Pop chart. Notable television roles include appearances in The West Wing, Disney’s Descendants, The Muppets, and NBC’s Hairspray Live! as Velma von Tussle. She is also a passionate supporter of charities which dedicate their time and efforts to helping those in need. Chenoweth possesses one of the most versatile voices of any Broadway performer I’ve ever heard; in fact, she holds a Master’s degree in Opera Performance from Oklahoma City University. Two contrasting examples of her virtuosity, in addition to her comic rendition of “My New Philosophy” listed above, can be found on YouTube. Check out the Broadway.com video of “Popular” from Wicked and “Glitter and Be Gay” from Leonard Bernstein’s musical Candide produced by the New York Philharmonic and broadcast on PBS’s Great Performances. It is by far Chenoweth’s best performance, showcasing her beautiful coloratura soprano hitting a series of ridiculously high B6 notes atop a chaise lounge in high heels and swinging a long string of white pearls above her head. Noteworthy, impressive, and instantly memorable. The event takes place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 4, 2018 in the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts at Appalachian State University as part of An Appalachian Summer Festival. For tickets and other festival information, visit www.appsummer.org. n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Inside A Mountain
Constant 52O year-round • Guided tours Photos Allowed • Bring jacket & camera!
Linville Caverns
19929 US 221 North, Marion, NC 28752 Between Linville & Marion, just 4 Miles South of the Blue Ridge Parkway
www.linvillecaverns.com 800-419-0540
34 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
BJ’S RESORTWEAR
2018 Trunk Shows
Lafayette 148 New York: July 10 & 11 Zonnie Sheik: July 19, 20 & 21 Erin Gray Jewelry: August 3 & 4 Bogner: August 22 & 23 Zonnie Sheik: Aug30, 31 & Sept 1 Jennifer Tyler Knitwear: Sept 13, 14 & 15 Sympli: Sept 20-22
R E S O R T W E A R Located at 145 Main St. in the heart of Banner Elk for 41 years. 828.898.4229
One of the largest Antique Markets in the High Country with over 10,000 square feet, 45 unique dealers and new merchandise arriving weekly.
New Coffee Shop offering - Local Honey - Farmer's Wife Pies - Ashe County Cheese Bottled Sodas - Assorted Baked Goods - Gifts and More Relax on the front porch or in the picnic area. Music on the weekends coming soon!
EAT, DRINK, BE SOCIAL... Lunch • Dinner • Full Bar Tues-Sat, 11am-9pm 128 Pecan Street Abingdon, Virginia (276)698-3159
8807 NC Hwy 105 S. Boone, NC 28607, 828-963-7450
www.FrontPorchAntiqueMarket.com, frontporchfoscoe@gmail.com Open daily. See you tomorrow! CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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E le v at e Y o u r T ast e in Win e at
Linville Falls Winery
Live Music • Festivals • Mountain Grown Wines visit us at 9557 linville falls hwy or milepost #317 on the blue ridge parkway linvillefallswinery.com 36 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
(828)765-1400
Get out and enjoy the music !!! Furniture • Appliances Small Household Items • Books Clothing & Accessories
The most Incredible Toy Store in the High Country! Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1-5pm Hwy 321 South between Boone and Blowing Rock www.incredibletoycompany.com 828 264 1422
1/2 Off on clothing every Saturday! Donations welcomed. Pick up available for furniture and appliances Thank you for your continued support
828-262-5029 877 West King Street, Boone NC Open Mon-Sat, 9am-5pm SPONSORED BY RESORT AREA MINISTRIES
n style with a gourmet flair souther
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ThePedalinPig.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Where the music is
Welcome, one and all, to the cradle of old time, Bluegrass, and all the marvelous Americana sounds born of traditional music. Anywhere you go you are going to hear fine music from skilled and talented musicians. They’re picking on the stages, in the meadows and the front porches. Here are some of our favorite places…
n At the Wineries & Vineyards Linville Falls Winery – Located near both Linville Falls and the spectacular Linville Gorge, the steepest gorge east of the Mississippi River, Linville Falls Winery hosts music every Saturday and Sunday afternoon beginning at 3 p.m. 9557 Linville Falls Hwy (Hwy 221) 828-7651400, linvillefallswinery.com Banner Elk Winery – Saturdays 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays 2 p.m-6 p.m., for more information 828-898-9090, bannerelkwinery.com Music in the Vineyard – Grandfather Vineyard and Winery hosts a summer full of live music at its tasting room on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. and Sunday afternoons starting at 2 p.m. through October. The winery is located at 225 Vineyard Lane, off N.C. 105 between Boone and Banner Elk.
n At Restaurants & Bars Old Hampton Barbecue and The Tavern at the Old Hampton Store – Live music on most days either at noon or 6 p.m. Summer Concert Series in the Backyard is on Thursday nights from 6-9 p.m. and donations will go to Feeding Avery. Located at 77 Ruffin Street, Linville. 828-733-5213. Go to Old Hampton Store Facebook page for the latest information. Live Music Weekends – Every weekend, year-round. Carolina BBQ, Newland. 828737-0700. Go to CarolinaBBQNewland. com for band listings by month. Stonewalls Restaurant – Oldies with Bill Stevenson from 6:00-8:00 p.m. every Friday and Saturday.
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Live Bands on the Patio – Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer, 6-10 p.m. Banner Elk Café, Banner Elk. 828-898-4040.
The Pedalin’ Pig Bbq Restaurant – 6:30 p.m. at the Banner Elk location and various nights at the Boone location. Showcasing local talent. Banner Elk 828-898-7500, Boone 828-355-9559. Bayou Concert in the Courtyard – Tuesday evenings in Banner Elk, the Bayou Smokehouse and Grill features music on the lawn beginning at 6 p.m. 828-898-8952.
Live Music at Lost Province Brewery – Every Friday and Saturday evening, 7:3010:30 p.m. 130 N. Depot Street, Boone. 828-265-3506, lostprovince.com. Woodlands Barbeque Restaurant – Nightly at 6 p.m. www.woodlandsbbq.com. Sorrento’s Bistro – Live music Saturday night, Wednesday night jazz with Shane Chalke at the Chef’s Table and Friday night karaoke. sorrentosbistro.com.
n At Inns and Resorts 5506’ Skybar at Beech Mountain Ski Resort – Take a shuttle to the top—the skybar at the peak of the mountain offers live music on Saturdays at 2:30 p.m. 800.438.2093 beechmountainresort.com Summer Music Series at the Table at Crestwood – Every Thursday night through mid-October, 6-9 p.m. The Inn at Crestwood, Blowing Rock. Reservations advised, 828-963-6646, crestwoodnc.com. Music on the Lawn – Friday evenings through October 12, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Bring your own seating, outdoor bar and lawn menu available. Sorry no coolers, pets, or outside food or beverages. The Inn at Ragged Gardens, Blowing Rock, 828-2959703 ragged-gardens.com Music on the Veranda – Sundays, 5-8 p.m. Bring your own chairs. Green Park Inn, Blowing Rock. GreenParkInn.com, 828-414-9230.
Symphony by the Lake – One Night Only, July 27. Dinner, fireworks, and the Symphony of the Mountains. Chetola Resort, Blowing Rock. $40 advance, $50 at the gate. More info and tickets: symphonybythelake.com 828-295-7851.
Beech Alpen Pavilion Summer Concerts – Sundays, 5 p.m. Beech Alpen Inn, Beech Mountain. 828-387-2252, BeechAlpen.com. Timberlake’s Restaurant - At the Chetola Resort, features live music in the Pub, on the Patio or by the Bonfire, depending on weather and special events on Thursday 6-9 p.m., Friday 7-10 p.m., Saturday 6-9 p.m., chetola.com/ dining/, 828-295-5505. Summer Concert Series at the Beech Mountain Resort – July 14 and August 11, 6:30-11:30 p.m., tickets $25 available online at Beechmountainresort.com or $30 at the gate, 828-387-2011 Beech Mountain Throwback Music Weekend – At The Beech Mountain Brewing Company Taproom and Grill at Beech Mountain Resort, August 3-5, Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. beechmountainresort.com Grillin & Chillin Concert and Dinner Series Sugar Mountain – Wednesdays through August and Labor Day at 5:30 p.m. on the Golf and Tennis Clubhouse Deck, 828-898-1025
n At a Church St. John’s Summer Sunday Concerts – The St. John’s Summer Concerts are held the first Sunday of each summer month, beginning in June. Concerts are at 5 p.m. and cost $5.00 per person. Children’s admission is free. holycrossvallecrucis.net/st-johns-church
n At Parks Music in the Valle – Valle Crucis Community Park, Fridays 7 p.m. May 25-Aug. 10 and 6:30 p.m. Aug. 17-Sept 7, www.vallecrucispark.com
Concerts in the Park, Banner Elk – Every Thursday through September 6:30 p.m., Tate Evans Town Park, next to Town Hall on Hwy 194. www.BannerElk.org. Backstreet Park Summer concerts – 5:30-7 p.m. most Fridays, downtown West Jefferson on the Backstreet. Bring your own seating. www.ashechamber.com Concerts in the Park, Blowing Rock – Sundays at 4 p.m. following Art in the Park. Bring your own seating. Memorial Park on Main. Blowingrock.com/ concertinthepark Blowing Rock Town Concert Series – In Broyhill Park at 7 p.m. Monday nights in July. amymarieproductions.com Todd Summer Music Series – 6 p.m. in Cook Park in downtown Todd, select Saturdays starting June 16 except for the July 4 concert, www.toddnc.org
n Festivals An Appalachian Summer Festival – Now through August 4. Annual cultural event includes music concerts. Boone, NC. Info and tickets: www.appsummer. org 800-841-2787. Red, White & Bluegrass Festival – July 4-7. Catawba Meadows Park, Morganton, NC. Schedule and tickets: www. redwhiteandbluegrassfestival.com. Ashe County Bluegrass & Old Time Fiddlers Convention – July 27-28. 49th annual event. Barn Dance, camping available, jams and competition. Ashe County Park, Jefferson, NC. For complete information, 336-846-2787, www. ashefiddlersconvention.org. FloydFest’17 “Freedom” – July 25-29, Floyd, VA. For complete information, floydfest.com. Virginia Highlands Festival – July 27-August 5. Annual event includes live music concerts. Abingdon, VA. vahighlandsfestival.org.
Music at the Old Hampton Store Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion – September 21-23, downtown Bristol,VA/ TN. For tickets and more information www.birthplaceofcountrymusic.org/ festival.
Jones House Concerts on the Lawn – Fridays at 5 p.m. through August. Bring your own seating. Jones House Community Center, 604 W. King St., Boone, www.joneshouse.org
The Fifth Annual Blowing Rock Music Festival – September 15 hosted by local legends The Harris Brothers. The festival will feature the best in Americana, folk, blues, rock and jazz, Info and tickets: 828-295-7183, 800-295-7851, www. theblowingrock.com/musicfestival/.
Jones House Jams – Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. Bring an instrument and join the jam. Jones House Community Center, 604 W. King St., Boone. www.joneshouse. org, 828.268.6280.
Long Journey Home Musical Heritage Homecoming Tour – Johnson County, Tennessee August 30-September 3, www.longjourneyhome.net
n At Stores Fred’s Summer Sunday Sunset Concerts – The Gazebo at Fred’s General Mercantile, Beech Mountain, 6:30 p.m. Sundays starting July 8-Aug. 5, www.FredsGeneral.com/local events. Live Music at the Original Mast Store – Saturdays, noon. The Mast Store, Valle Crucis. 828-963-6511, mastgeneralstore.com.
n And Everywhere Else FORUM at Lees-McRae College – Mondays 7 p.m. through August 6 at Hayes Auditorium on the campus of Lees-McRae College, Info and tickets: lmc.edu/forum, 828-898-8748.
Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) – Select Sundays at 4 p.m. 159 Chestnut Street, Blowing Rock. Purchase tickets in advance to guarantee admission: 828-295-9099 or go by the museum. www.blowingrockmuseum.org Wilkesboro Open Air Market – The second Saturday of the month 6 p.m. starting in May at 102 West Main St. www.facebook.com/ wilkesboroopenairmarket Joe Shannon’s Mountain Home Music – Celebrating Appalachian Culture, various dates and locations throughout the region. For information and tickets go to www.mountainhomemusic.com. Avery JAM – This is a community event sponsored by Avery JAM the second Saturday of every month at Historic Banner Elk School in the Book Exchange library from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. All community members are welcome, and beginners encouraged. Participants will be led by an instructor.
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Season 33 is Here! “Oh What A Night!” Get the full schedule at commaonline.org Abby The Spoon Lady 09.06.18
The Sauce Boss 09.13.18
Keith Allynn A Neil Diamond Tribute 10.25.18
Zoe & Cloyd 09.06.18
Tied up in Knotts Starring Karen Knotts 04.11.19
“We Shall Overcome” A Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Starring Damien Sneed 01.21.19 40 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
An Evening with Alberta Hall 03.30.19
Traveling Down an Irish Road with Switchback 03.26.19
Aaron Tippin 09.22.18
Cane Mill Road:
Musical Adventures Ahead By Mark Freed
W
hen you hear people talking about “Cane Mill Road” in the Carolina Mountain Life region, they are more than likely not giving directions to any geographical destination or thoroughfare. Instead, they are probably referring to one of the hottest young bluegrass bands on the scene. And, with a new album coming out this spring and a busy year of performing, festival-going, and teaching, Cane Mill Road is bound to cross paths with visitors to the area and fans of bluegrass in 2018. Cane Mill Road formed in the shadows of Doc Watson’s home place and stomping grounds, where the band members grew up learning and loving bluegrass, old-time, and American roots music styles. Ranging in ages from 15 to 20 years old, the band includes Liam Purcell on fiddle and mandolin, Trajan Wellington on banjo and guitar, Eliot Smith on bass, and Casey Lewis on guitar. The band members might be young in age, but they have racked up an impressive amount of collective experience. They all started playing at young ages, learning from family members and in community music programs, like the Junior Appalachian Musicians ( JAM). They sought out mentors, travelled to all the surrounding
fiddlers’ conventions, and immersed themselves in the regional music. With a strong foundation in old-time and bluegrass styles, the band draws on other influences as well, which they like to include in their performances. The band has been known to tackle songs by the Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Gordon Lightfoot on stage. They have been a showcase act at the International Bluegrass Music Association conference, featured on National Public Radio’s Woodsongs Old-time Radio Hour, and have performed at many of the major festivals around the region. “I really enjoy traveling around and sharing our music with so many different people,” Casey says. In addition to spending a lot of time on the road performing, the band has been busy writing and recording as well. They are writing music that is rooted in tradition, while also taking on the sound of a new generation of bluegrass pickers, singers, and song writers. The new album, Gap to Gap, features mostly original material written by the band members both individually and collectively. The band’s debut album, Five Speed, was produced by two-time Grammy Award winning musician, Cathy Fink,
and it hit number nine on Billboard’s Bluegrass Album chart. Gap to Gap is the sophomore release for this young band and their first with Casey. It is also their first since signing with Patuxent Music in Rockville, Maryland. “Our latest album is something I am beyond excited about,” Liam says. “We were all so deeply involved with the creative process and crafting these songs, and I think that comes across in the finished recording.” The band recorded Gap to Gap in producer Tom Mindte’s studio in Maryland. “I think the album as a whole describes who we are as musicians,” Liam adds. “You can hear the influence of the old-time I grew up playing, Tray’s bluegrass banjo sound, Eliot playing acoustic, electric, and even bowed bass, and Casey’s rocking style and songs.” Liam grew up in Deep Gap, and he started playing music in the Boone JAM program. He soon found a love for all things music, digging in to one instrument after another, learning to play fiddle, mandolin, guitar, banjo, bass, and more. continued on page 42 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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CANE MILL: continued from page 41 Eliot also grew up Watauga County, and his family helped instill a passion for bluegrass and American roots music. His grandfather plays guitar and was a big Doc Watson fan, passing along his passion to his grandson. Eliot plays most of the stringed instruments, and he is also learning to make several instruments and apprenticing with master violin builder, Joe Thrift, in Surry County. Trajan grew up in Wilkes and Ashe counties in northwest North Carolina, and he fell in love with bluegrass and country music spending time with his grandfather. In eighth grade he joined his school’s Mountain Music Club, hearing the banjo live for the first time and he was hooked. He hasn’t turned back, and in addition to playing with Cane Mill Road, Trajan attends East Tennessee State University’s Bluegrass, Old-time, and Country Music program. Casey grew up in Rocky Gap, Virginia, where he currently teaches in the Bland County JAM program. An accomplished guitar player, Casey also penned several of the songs recorded on the band’s forthcoming album, including the title track “Gap to Gap,” celebrating two of the band’s home communities—Deep Gap and Rocky Gap. With the new album coming out, the band is excited to share the new songs and get back to the stages. Trajan says, “I’m looking forward to the upcoming year and can’t wait to see what it has in store for the band.” So far, the year has A LOT in store for Cane Mill Road. In 2018, the band plans to hit many of the major bluegrass festivals and events, playing from Utah to Missouri to New Hampshire, and all over the Southeast. The band performed 50 shows last year and plans to top that this year. Some of the big events and festivals they will be performing at in 2018 include Merlefest, Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, Silver Dollar City, PEMI Valley, Shakori Grassroots Festival, and OcraFolk on Ocracoke Island. Cane Mill Road will be performing a free concert in downtown Boone at the Summer Concerts at the Jones House on August 17. For more information, including a full schedule of appearances, visit www.canemillroad.com n
42 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
A Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming September 20-23 at Leatherwood Mountains Resort
“If I am to live as a man, I must have a mountain.” – Jamie Fraser Whether you’ve read the books or followed the STARZ series, Outlander fans can’t get enough of Jamie and Claire Fraser. Diana Gabaldon’s critically acclaimed historical fiction focuses on these two main characters and the countless adventures that take them from Scotland to the mountains of North Carolina (and well beyond). You can join other Outlander fans and history buffs as they gather for “A Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming,” taking place this September in Ferguson, NC, a rural community in the beautiful Yadkin River Valley of Wilkes County. Come along with Outlander North Carolina and walk in the footsteps of Jamie and Claire on The Ridge. Unlike any other Outlander event, A Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming focuses on the 18th century history of Jamie & Claire’s North Carolina Wilderness Backcountry. Highlights of this special four-day event will include: • Self-guided tours of the Craigh Na Dun cabin and a special Outlander exhibit with its very own standing stones • A specially-themed Outlander day at Whippoorwill Village, a collection of 18th & 19th century North Carolina original buildings which have been saved and restored • Tours of Fort Defiance, the 18th century home of General William Lenoir, a Patriot officer who fought in the battle of King’s Mountain. • Step back in time with the Overmountain Men as they recall their march over and through the NC mountains en route to battle the British at King’s Mountain. • Lectures and interactive demonstrations, including 18th century goat soap and cheese making, drop spindle spinning, Scottish country dance, music and dance of the Cherokee along with Celtic storytelling and a special presentation by Àdhamh Ó Broin and Gillebride MacMillan from the STARZ series. • Music by internationally acclaimed Celtic Connections as well as Bandit’s Roost, StrathSpan and Bafford & Bafford. Throughout the event, enjoy a variety of performances, presentations and speakers related to the 18th Century NC backcountry. Take part in Jamie and Claire’s Wilderness Celebration with Outlander-inspired drinks, food, music and more. Plus, there will be plenty of time to explore your surroundings on your own and simply relax. So, Sassenachs, are you ready to come home to North Carolina? A Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming takes place Thursday, September 20 through Sunday, September 23 at Leatherwood Mountains Resort, 512 Meadow Road, Ferguson, NC 28624. Visit https://www.outlandernorthcarolina.com for package information itinerary.
Bob & Patty Travelin’ / Another day, another place, another show.
Sound Traveler: Globe-trotting Minstrels By Steve York
P
atty Tatum starts booking venues for the two-person band, Sound Traveler, months before the typical traveling seasons begin. When not performing, playing five to six instruments, traveling and handling all the group’s promotion and publicity, Patty takes care of scheduling their duo well ahead of actual performance dates. “You have to,” she says. “Most musical groups and most venues are planning several months out. Besides, some venues close down, some change entertainment managers, some need to shift bands around to better fit their lineup of performers and some are totally new venues—places we’ve never played before but would like to. And, then again, with some venues, it’s a firstcome/first serve situation. It’s always the case that there are many more entertainers looking to perform than there are venue schedules available…especially in traditionally seasonal tourist locations like here in the High Country. So I have to get in line and get booked early.” Patty and Bob Tatum ARE Sound Traveler. And their name totally fits their lifestyle. Now, if you’ve lived in these parts for several years, well, you’ve probably seen, sung along with and danced to Sound Traveler more than once. And, after once, you probably wanted to do it all over again. They’re a bandstand full of infectious fun and joy put to music. Dating back a decade or so, you may also remember the group initially as Bob and Ellie, and sometimes with Patty.
Talented vocalist Ellie Hjemmet used to be Bob Tatum’s musical partner up until 2010. According to their bio, it was an opportune “open mic night” at Carolina Barbeque in Newland when Bob and Ellie first met Patty. That encounter led to Patty joining to form a part-time trio for a few years. Then, in 2010, as Bob and Patty’s relationship blossomed into a serious romance, they decided to get hitched and officially formed the duo known as Sound Traveler. Prior to Sound Traveler, Bob—originally from Savannah, Georgia—was part of several musical groups. He even composed an original Christian musical called “Breath Like A Wind,” which was performed for three seasons in this region. Before teaming up with Ellie, he was a founding member of the Crossties, which was known for its Peter, Paul and Mary-ish type harmonies. Bob has always been a song writer with several CDs of original music to his credit. He is quite accomplished playing lead guitar, banjo and harmonica while blending his vocals with Patty. Along with performing, Bob also handles the group’s sound and recording engineering, as well as their business accounting. Patty grew up in Orlando, Florida. Her resume includes being trumpet player with two internationally famous Up With People casts both stateside and in Europe. She joined a jazz orchestra in Japan, then decided
to master the guitar and co-founded a contemporary Christian acoustic duo called Beautiful Day back in her home state of Florida. But trumpet and guitar aren’t Patty’s only instruments. Along with accompanying Bob on vocals, Patty also plays bass guitar, concertina, melodica, ukulele and percussion. Yet, with all that musical accompaniment, this multitalented duo always manages to retain a genuine warmth and playfulness that captures the hearts of their audience and many fans. Splitting their time between homes in Cape Canaveral, Florida and Avery County, Bob and Patty literally live the group’s name. Their tours can include Cuba, Costa Rica, Arizona, Nashville, Washington D.C. and Japan. Their music is always completely live, with no soundtracks or “tricks of the trade” and it’s always evolving. This season, Bob and Patty are booked through mid-October here in the High Country and even venture down the mountain for a new venue in neighboring Johnson City, Tennessee. So, if you’re anywhere around these parts between now and then, you’ll likely see them at least once. Oh yeah…and if you’re hiking the Appalachian Trail near their mountain home this summer, you just might find them serving as “Trail Angels” with food and supplies for AT hikers. n
To keep up with their busy music itinerary, visit www.soundtravelerband.com.
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Apple Hill Farm Store
“Get back in touch with what's real.” Largest selection of alpaca yarns & accessories in the High Country. Summer Hours: Mon - Sat 10-4; Sun 12 to 4 Banner Elk, NC | (828)963-1662 www.applehillfarmnc.com
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We offer books to swap, magazines, WiFi, puzzles, book discussion groups, Tuesday Evening Lectures, children’s storytime and the Carolina Explorers “Adventures in Nature” program for ages 9-12 once a month in the summer. For daily hours and a full schedule of summer and autumn events, visit: www.bannerelkbookexchange.com
Kristen Anderson-Lopez and her husband Robert Lopez
Two Time Oscar and Grammy Winner Joins Numerous North Carolina Artists on Broadway By Keith Martin Last summer, we wrote about the growing litany of Tar Heel connections on Broadway: Jennifer Ehle, Laura Linney, newcomer Eva Noblezada, and 2017 Tony recipient Rachel Bay Jones. This season, the roster grew even stronger with UNC School of the Arts grad Joe Mantello, Tony-nominated for directing “Three Tall Women,” Raleigh native and Western Carolina alumna Ariana DeBose getting a nod for Disco Donna in the musical “Summer,” and Charlotte native and Northwest School of Arts grad Grasan Kingsberry celebrating his win as a company member in the Best Musical Revival, “Once On This Island,” his 11th Broadway show. But the former NC resident whose star has shown the brightest this season is the dynamic Kristen Anderson-Lopez, receiving her first Tony nomination for writing the music and lyrics for “Frozen” with her husband, Robert. This follow’s Kristen’s Great White Way debut last year as co-creator/writer of “In Transit,” Broadway’s first a cappella musical. (In the interest of full disclosure, Kristen babysat our daughter while growing up in Charlotte and appeared in my January 1988 production of “The Crucible” at age 16.) Robert, best known in theatre circles as the co-creator/writer of “The Book of Mormon” and co-creator/songwriter of “Avenue Q,” is the youngest of 12 artists to achieve prestigious EGOT designation for winning the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar,
and Tony Awards, and the only person to have done so twice! The husband and wife songwriting team met at the prestigious BMI Workshop in 1998, which bills itself as the premiere training ground for young, emerging musical theatre artists, particularly composers, lyricists, and librettists. Together, this Brooklyn-based duo has received two Academy Awards, the first for the Best Original Song “Let It Go” from Disney’s “Frozen,” and the second Oscar in March 2018 for the Best Original Song “Remember Me” from Pixar’s “Coco.” They also picked up two Grammy Awards for “Frozen,” an Emmy nomination for songs for 87th Academy Awards, wrote the experimental musical “Up Here,” produced the La Jolla Playhouse, and created songs for television’s “The Wonder Pets” on Nick Jr., among others. Since 2006, their music and lyrics have been featured in “Finding Nemo: The Musical” at Walt Disney World, and among their upcoming projects is Disney’s “Frozen 2.” Time magazine listed them among the “100 Most Influential People in the World” in 2014. They won the hearts of viewers with a clever, rhyming acceptance speech after winning their first Oscar in 2014, concluding with a message to their daughters, Katie and Annie: “This song is inspired by our love for you, and the hope that you never let fear or shame keep you from celebrating the unique people that you are.”
In fact, the introduction to the song, “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” from the animated film version of “Frozen” was voiced by Katie Lopez, then eight years old, with other voice parts in the movie created by her four year old sister, Annie. Kristen is a 2014 recipient of the Lilly Award, which celebrates significant contributions made by women in theater. “It really is my favorite award because it’s a coming together of the sisterhood of women doing their best to make a living and have a voice in a profession where the odds are still stacked against us.” Not surprisingly, Kristen is now a proud board member of the Lilly Awards. She gives freely of herself to numerous causes, including serving on the Dramatists Guild Council and the Advisory Board for the Brooklyn Children’s Theatre. On several occasions, Kristen has recounted her journey from North Carolina to Broadway and Hollywood for dozens of theatre students from Appalachian State University during their frequent week-long trips to the university loft in Manhattan. “Kristen is so genuine… candid, honest, supportive, and caring,” remarked one student, while another cited Kristen’s generosity of time and spirit as a model to emulate. “Paying forward by giving back,” she said, “I hope that someday I can do the same.” Thank you, Kristen. You make all of us here in North Carolina very proud.
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Jam Sessions & Dance
Summer’s the Season for Singing and Strumming By Mark Freed
S
ome have said that one cannot throw a stone in the area without hitting a fiddler or banjo player, and others claim that there must be something in the water. Considering there are no huge cities or population centers in the Carolina Mountain Life region, the surrounding mountain communities support a thriving live music scene. The area bustles with traditional old-time, blues, and bluegrass; modern songwriters and instrumental virtuosos; and everyday neighbors singing in church and picking tunes around barbeques and campfires. And there is no better season to experience the region’s music than summer. Visitors to the CML region will find fiddlers conventions, jam sessions, and festivals taking place nearly every weekend within a reasonably short drive; free outdoor concert series that take place weekly or monthly in many of the local communities and parks; and jam sessions and dances for people interested in more participatory experiences. Here are a handful of recommendations for those interested in getting an earful!
Fiddlers Conventions
There is perhaps no better way to experience the region’s traditional old-time and bluegrass music and flatfoot dancing than by attending a fiddler’s convention. These special events typically take place on a weekend—some last an entire week—and feature competitions on the stages, where individuals and bands perform before judges and audiences for prizes. The competitions will feature any number of categories that include things like individual instruments and styles, string bands, flatfoot dancing, and folk song singing. While the competitions are certainly entertaining, the real traditions are being passed in the parking lots and campgrounds, where small circles of musicians huddle together to share tunes and songs, so be sure to wander the grounds if you attend one!
Another great way to immerse oneself into the music of the region is to find a jam session or dance. These events give you a chance to get up-and-close to musicians and even play with them, or to cut a rug in a square or contra dance. Jam sessions are often delineated as specifically old-time or bluegrass or blues or country, and sometimes they include everything. Some of them include house bands and amplified stages with audience members. Some have musicians sitting in circles in a restaurant or community center. Some are free and some ask for a small entrance fee. You can always call the host establishment in advance to get the details, but here are a few that you might enjoy in the Boone area: Jones House Old-time Jam – Free – Every Thursday night 7:30-11 p.m. in downtown Boone, 828.268.6280 Red White and Bluegrass Jam – first and third Tuesday of the month – 7 p.m. – La Quinta Inn in Boone, 828.963.3546 Phipps General Store – Friday night jams with bluegrass and old-time – Lansing, NC, 336.384.2382
Bring Your Own Seats
And, for those who would just like to bring a lawn chair out in the mountain air to soak up some live music in a concert setting, there are a number of great series around the region with regular events. Most of these are free, and patrons typically bring their own seats. A couple of them take place at venues that serve food and drinks, but most of them are at parks and community spaces where people bring their own picnics and beverages. Here are some to be sure and check out while you are in the area. Summer Concerts at the Jones House – Free weekly concerts every Friday, starting at 5pm in downtown Boone. June through August. Todd Community Summer Music Series – Free concerts in Todd, NC, Cook Memorial Park, 6-8pm (June 16, 30; July 4,14, 28; and Aug 11, 18) Music in the Valle – Free weekly concerts (suggested donation) on Friday evenings at the Valle Crucis Park, Valle Crucis, NC. 6:30pm start. May 25 through Sept 7. Beech Mountain Summer Sunday Sunset Concerts – Sundays at the gazebo by Fred’s in Beech Mountain – 6:30pm Banner Elk Concerts in the Park – Free weekly concerts every Thursday at 6:30pm in Tate-Evans Park. June 21 through August 30. Blowing Rock Concerts in the Park – Free monthly concerts on Sundays, following Art in the Park in Memorial Park, starting at 4pm. (July 15; Aug 12; Sept 9) Music on the Lawn at Ragged Gardens in Blowing Rock – weekly outdoor concerts every Friday at Ragged Gardens, from 5:30-8:30pm
tradition Grayson County (VA) Fiddlers Convention (June 22-23) www.ecvfd.net/home/grayson-county-fiddler-s-convention Alleghany County (NC) Fiddlers Convention (July 20-21) www.alleghanyfiddlersconvention.com/ Ashe County (NC) Fiddlers Convention (July 27-28) www.ashefiddlersconvention.org/ Galax (VA) Fiddlers Convention (Aug 6-11) www.oldfiddlersconvention.com/ Fries (VA) Fiddlers Convention (Aug 17-18) friesfire.com/fries-fiddlers-convention/ Johnson County (TN) (Aug 24-25) laurelbloomeryjohnsoncountyfiddlers.yolasite.com/ Happy Valley (NC) Fiddlers (Aug 31 – Sept 2) happyvalleyfiddlers.org/
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Special Events
Of course, there are lots of other special events and concerts, including an Appalachian Summer Festival, the Valle Crucis Fair, music at the Watauga Farmers Market, Long Journey Home event in Johnson County (see page60), and lots of bars and restaurants featuring live music. So, whatever your fancy, visit the CML region this summer for an earful! See “Where the Music Is” for more music listings.
Four Leaf Peat
Kolodner Trio
Trio Dohnanyi
2018 Summer Concert Series at Historic St. John’s Church By Keith Martin
O
ne of the seasonal highlights of living or visiting the High Country is the popular Summer Concert Series at historic St. John the Baptist Episcopal Church, with monthly events planned from Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend. A summer mission of Holy Cross Episcopal Church in Valle Crucis, the picturesque chapel, consecrated in 1862, is located in the Watauga County countryside and provides marvelous acoustics for music with its wooden walls and floors forming a natural sounding board for live performances. The concerts showcase some of the area’s finest musicians along with regional artists of national prominence. Attendees linger until sunset to mingle with the artists after their performance. All concerts begin promptly at 5 p.m., are approximately 75 minutes in duration, and are followed by a potluck supper. Admission is only $5 per person with children admitted free of charge. Attendees traditionally bring a dish to share during the potluck supper on the lawn that follows every summer concert, with dozens of folks arriving early to begin the social aspect of the evening’s festivities. Many audience members prefer to set up lawn chairs near the open windows of the chapel and listen to the music as it resonates throughout the
valley. All are welcome as local residents mingle with newcomers and visitors to the melting pot that is historic St. John’s. The 2018 season began on Sunday, May 27, with the annual Singing in the Valley concert with the vocal and hand bell choirs of Holy Cross joined by singers from Banner Elk Presbyterian Church, with three events remaining over the summer months. Trio Dohnanyi will perform an evening of chamber music on Sunday, July 1 featuring two outstanding faculty members from the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University and a renowned guest artist. Faculty members are Associate Professor of Viola and Violin Dr. Eric Koontz, String Area Coordinator at the university, with Assistant Professor of Cello Dr. Ellie H. Wee, who teaches Applied Music for Strings. They will be joined by Margaret Bragg, noted violinist who recently retired from the Houston Symphony. On Sunday, August 5, the popular Kolodner Trio from Baltimore, Maryland returns to St. John’s to perform original and traditional old-time tunes on hammered dulcimer, claw hammer banjo, fiddles, banjos, mbira, guitar and banjola. Ken and Brad Kolodner are regarded among the most influential hammered dulcimer and banjo players
in the country, a dynamic father-son duo that pushes the boundaries of the Appalachian tradition by infusing their own brand of driving, innovative, tasteful and unique interpretations of traditional and original fiddle tunes and songs. The Kolodners are joined in concert by bassist Alex Lacquement of The Bumper Jacksons and Charm City Junction. Four Leaf Peat, a premier Irish band from Knoxville, closes out the 2018 season on Sunday, September 2 by performing traditional Celtic music, along with jigs, reels, songs, and hornpipes. Four Leaf Peat’s performances are always marked by a keen sense of the tradition, mixed with just the right amount of influence from the rich musical history of East Tennessee. They have built their own brand of Irish music which celebrates the musical bridge that spans the Atlantic from Appalachia to Ireland. St. John’s Chapel is located at 645 Herb Thomas Road, off Mast Gap Road in the Sugar Grove community near Valle Crucis, NC. Signs are posted throughout the valley directing audience members to the concert location. For more information, please visit the concert website at www.holycrossvallecrucis. net or call 828.963.4609. n
CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Labor Day Weekend
Johnson County’s
Long Journey Home By Mark Freed
“There’s black smoke a risin’, and it surely is a train,” sing mountain musicians around the Carolina Mountain Life region on the last verse of the well-known bluegrass and folk song “Long Journey Home.”
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his Labor Day weekend, Johnson County, Tennessee comes alive for the fourth annual Long Journey Home, a celebration of traditional music and arts. The special 2018 focus will highlight the rich history of trains in Johnson County, including the unveiling of a new mural in downtown Mountain City celebrating locomotives and connections to musical traditions. The Long Journey Home event started in 2015, in large part with inspiration from Mrs. Evelyn Cook, known to many locals as “the definitive Queen of Johnson County.” A storyteller and lover of the arts and music, Mrs. Cook teamed up with local arts organizations, businesses, and likeminded community members to help create this multi-day, multi-faceted celebration of the area’s storied musical history. Mrs. Cook said they wanted to give participants an opportunity to “trek back to the artists and performances of some of Tennessee’s finest and most productive musical artists.” The celebration was
spread over several days, with musical performances, dancing, jamming, and the unveiling of a downtown Mountain City mural celebrating an aspect of the area’s musical history. The tradition has continued, with each year having a special focus for the mural and weekend festivities. In 2015, the focus was on the ballad “Tom Dooley.” The following years highlighted Fred Price and Clint Howard—two important local musicians—and the historic 1925 Fiddlers Convention, which drew some of the country’s finest mountain musicians to Johnson County. The Fiddler’s Convention is still going strong, as this August will mark its 93rd year. The 2018 focus on local trains and train songs recorded by Johnson County musicians will include the new mural unveiling and events spread across four days of festivities. The event kicks off on August 30, with a dinner and square dance at the Senior Center, starting at 5 p.m. The Long Journey Home House Band, featuring Kenny Price and Jack
Proffitt, will perform at the Senior Center Dinner and Dance. On August 31, the streets of downtown Mountain City will bustle with Buskin’ on Main Street, an event that will feature pickers and food vendors throughout downtown. Bands and individual musicians will be scattered across Main Street and throughout downtown, playing their hearts out with open cases. The tradition of street musicians dates back for generations. Johnson County’s Clarence “Tom” Ashley and Watauga County’s Doc Watson are two famous local musicians who were known to play on street corners for tips when they were younger. This tradition of “busking” will be on full display, and the local restaurants and food trucks will help create a festive environment to keep people out and about from 5 p.m. until…? The Musical Heritage Tour will begin Saturday, September 1 at 10 a.m. and will include five heritage sites where live music and activities will take place. The first site will feature Jack Proffitt and Backroads
Bluegrass, honoring the music of Johnson County native and early country music recording artist, G.B. Grayson. The mural will be unveiled at 1 p.m. in downtown Mountain City on Main Street with a performance by the Junior Appalachian Musicians, next to the Johnson County Bank. Following the unveiling of the mural, Lois Price Dunn and friends will be performing murder ballads on the creekbank, commemorating the capture of Tom Dooley. Kenny Price and Jerry Moses will be performing clawhammer banjo tunes at the Tom Ashley homeplace, and the Piney Woods Boys will share stories and songs from the folk revival at the Fred Price homeplace to honor Fred and Clint Howard. An open jam will follow at the Fred Price homeplace, and all are welcome to come join in the fun. The celebration wraps up on Sunday, September 2 with a Sunday Singin’ at Heritage Hall Theatre in downtown Mountain City. This traditional mountain gospel concert will feature performances
by The Long Family, The Price Family, and other gospel singers. In addition to the musical and dancing activities, the Johnson County Center for the Arts welcomes visitors to see the work of Long Journey Home artists and muralists, including Cristy Dunn, Temple Reece, and Tia Thomas, as well as work created by other Johnson County artists in response to the “Black Smoke a Risin’” theme. The Tennessee Sunrise Quilt Guild will hold an exhibition at the First Christian Church’s Christian Life Center, where local quilters will display their entries for the 2018 quilt challenge: “Take Me on a Journey.” The Long Journey Home is an immersive experience and a great way to learn about and participate in the rich musical and cultural traditions of the CML region. For more information about the event, please visit www.longjourneyhome.net. n
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he 17th Annual Martin and Doris Rosen Summer Symposium on Remembering the Holocaust will be held July 21-26, 2018, at Appalachian State University’s Plemmons Student Union and the Broyhill Music Center. This year’s symposium puts a particular emphasis on the role of music and its uses and abuses during this genocide. The event is organized by Appalachian’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies and named for symposium benefactors, the late Doris and Martin Rosen. The week-long symposium brings internationally- and nationally-acclaimed scholars, authors, and educators to Boone. The event’s faculty and speakers include Dr. Anna Shternshis (Al and Malka Green Associate Professor of Yiddish Studies & Director, Anne Tanenbaum Centre for Jewish Studies, University of Toronto), Dr. Racelle Weiman (independent Holocaust educator), Tamar Grinshpon, daughter of Ela Weissberger (1930-2018), child performer in Brundibar opera, Terezin, and Anita LaskerWallfisch (London, England), one of the last survivors of the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz. Appalachian’s Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies will also continue its cooperation with Yad Vashem, the World Center for Holocaust Research, Documentation, Education and Commemoration, in Jerusalem. Steffie Kaye, from Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies, will be in attendance and giving presentations. Finally, Hayes School of Music faculty and students will be joined by faculty from Milligan College in performances of Holocaustera and post-Holocaust music, including sonatas played by the Women’s Orchestra at Auschwitz and the children’s opera Brundibar. The free and open-to-the public symposium provides public and private school teachers, university faculty, students and community members information and insights about the victims, perpetrators, and consequences of the Nazi genocide of European Jewry. In addition, the program widens the focus to explore Jewish religious and cultural life before the Shoah. Reflecting this year’s emphasis, the symposium participants will learn and ponder how the Nazi regime abused music as a form of propaganda and manipulation during the Holocaust. It will also shed light on how European Jews, even in German-established ghettos and concentration camp, sought to use music as a form of spiritual resistance. Contributing to the international reach and composition of the event, secondary-school teachers from Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania will be among the participants and discuss the teaching of the Holocaust in their countries. As in years past, teachers from North Carolina and other U.S. states can receive continuing education units for attending the lectures, workshops, discussions, and demonstrations. n
Never forget
For more information visit https://holocaust.appstate.edu/symposium.
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10 Annual Tour de Art: th
T
here’s no better way to get high country flavor than by taking the self-guided Tour de Art. In its tenth year, this free tour takes you down the backroads of Avery and Watauga counties offering a glimpse into some of the best working artists’ studios and galleries. Take CML with you as you head out every fourth Saturday of the month; grab a friend and plan for a full day (or two) of fun. Treat yourself! Start your trip at 10 a.m. at 7137 Highway 194, Sally Nooney’s Gallery (828-963-7347), located halfway between Banner Elk and Valle Crucis, and look for the building with the big American flag painted on it. This multi-media artist does everything from functional art glass to original paintings in oil, watercolor and acrylic. New pieces will be shown each tour day so it will be hard to leave, but you can return Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Now head north on Hwy 194 toward Valle Crucis and enjoy a scenic meandering route. Careful: our mountain roads twist and turn, demanding your full attention but offering incredible views. In Valle Crucis drive past the Conference Center, past Clarks Creek Road and stop at the Broadstone intersection. Turn right (East) and immediately left will be the famous Mast General Store Annex at 2918 Broadstone where you can purchase a bag of “you choose” candies you will recognize from your childhood. If you’d prefer an ice cream, head to the back of the lot by the river and pick a flavor. Now wipe off your hands and continue east on Broadstone, as just across the street at 2839 Broadstone is the Alta Vista Gallery (828-963-5247). Maria Hyde’s beautiful collection is housed in a National Register of Historic Properties farmhouse. Maria shows over 100 artists in all media and specializes in local mountain landscapes. Expect a warm welcome! As you peruse the farmhouse rooms there is likely a piece calling your name. Continue east on Broadstone as you follow the picturesque Watauga River. At the end of Broadstone, take a right onto Highway 105. Go past signs for Hound Ears and enter the quaint town of Foscoe. Slow down near DeWoolfson Down on your right and turn left into the “Shoppes at Mill Ridge,” 112 Clubhouse Drive. Park once and enjoy three separate studios. Maggie Black Pottery, (828-773-2459) showcases original, functional stoneware which reflects the natural beauty of the High Country. Her pieces have long been valued as great gifts, but don’t forget to purchase one for yourself. There is no better reminder of the mountains. As Maggie wraps up your purchases, pop in next door for a peek at Cindy Michaud Art (321-795-0816). If you love color you will enjoy her work.
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Follow Mountain Roads to the Some of the Best Art in the High Country Catch what’s on the easel or inquire about a lesson. You’ll find all sizes and various price points. And if you need a bit of whimsy (don’t we all?) end your visit here by going next door to meet Tammy Brinkley of Periwinkle Pass (704-315-8005). Get ready to swoon as Tammy’s imagination knows no end. Canvas, jewelry, buttons and plaques ooze personality and will beg to go home with you. It’s impossible to resist. Your car now full of treasures? Almost directly across the highway on the right side of the road (red building 112 Aldridge Park) is the opportunity to meet Mike Hill of Wildflowers Publishing/Art Purveyors (828-963-7246). Mike can frame your new pieces and answer questions about printing your photos onto canvas or designing signage. Grab his card, he’s someone you want to know. No doubt your stomach is rumbling and your head is swimming. Time for a break and maybe lunch. Eat Crow is in a strip shopping center on your right just a minute from Art Purveyors. This is a local favorite and the food is delicious. Restored and renewed, you are primed to enjoy every inch of Toni Carlton’s amazing Carlton Gallery (828-963-4288). Just a skip down the road, (10360 Hwy 105 on R) you will find a spirited collection of every media you can name. Toni has been opened 36 years so she knows quality art! Featured through July will be the contemporary cubist charisma of Warren Dennis (figurative paintings) and Mary-Ann Prack (sculpture and 2D). Grab a schedule of future shows so you won’t miss a thing. Continue back on Hwy 105, South until you reach the intersection at Tynecastle. Turn right at the light and follow Tynecastle Highway (SR 184) as it jigs and jogs into downtown Banner Elk. Slow down and look for the Historic Banner Elk School right after the fire station on your right. Turn in and park. (185 Azalea Circle) Inside the renovated old school, built in 1939, is the BE Artists Gallery, a cooperative of 10 local member artists and 20 consignment artists. There is over 800 square feet showcasing fine art and crafts in the high-ceilinged, sun-filled rooms of this vintage building. Summer hours are Tues-Sat, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and you can learn more at www.beartistsgallery.com. Now stay in the neighborhood! Next stop is just around the corner at 140 Azalea Circle, next door to Sorrento’s Bistro. Here you will find Studio 140, Kent Paulette’s (828-8985214) working studio and gallery, full of energy and vibrant, large pieces. Kent works in enthusiastic layers and enjoys doing demos to show his process. He uses brushes, palette knives and even his fingernails to achieve his signature look so feel free to ask questions.
“Carolina Barn” by Joan Sporn, Alta Vista Gallery
About now you might need a frosty beer, or glass of wine? Coming right up, at our next and last stop. Abigail Sheets is waiting for you at the Old Hampton Store, Barbeque & Tavern, which is next door to her folk art gallery. From downtown Banner Elk, hop back on the road and retrace your drive back to the intersection at Tynecastle Hwy and Hwy 105. Take a right at the light and head south on Hwy 105 towards Linville. At the next intersection light take another right onto Hwy 221—just past the post office, turn right onto Ruffin Street, where you’ll find adult beverages, dinner AND art! The best collection of southern folk art awaits you at Abigail Sheet’s 87 Ruffin Street Gallery (828-737-0420). Abigail travels far and wide to bring well known (and little known) outsider art to the High Country. Jewelry, 2D, pottery and antiques fill the old barn gallery next to the general store. You may even see a demo of pottery or blacksmithing. So grab a drink, wander and shop, then head back to the tavern for a well-deserved b-b-q plate with all the fixings, including live music! Wasn’t that about the best day ever in our beautiful, artfilled High Country? n (Note: Obviously you can reverse the route or hop, skip and jump around. Tour de Art is every fourth Saturday of the month, June through November from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., rain or shine!)
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On the Front Porch at Moses Cone Manor By Tamara Seymour
T
he Blue Ridge Parkway showcases the natural beauty and rich history of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Those who meander along this famous scenic drive can’t help but be awed and inspired. Throughout the summer, several stops along the Parkway offer special opportunities to experience the best of nature, creativity and culture—all in one place. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park at Milepost 294 near Blowing Rock is one stop you won’t want to miss. Here you’ll find the well preserved country estate of Moses Cone, a notable and prosperous textile entrepreneur, conservationist and philanthropist of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Acres upon acres of forested terrain and 25 miles of carriage trails are yours to explore while you take in the incredible views of the Blue Ridge. The centerpiece of the Park is Flat Top Manor (a.k.a. Moses Cone Manor), a striking 20-room, 13,000 square foot mansion built in 1901 in the grand Colonial Revival style. Today, the Manor can be toured, and is also home to the Parkway Craft Center, one of five shops of the Southern Highland Craft Guild (www.southernhighlandguild.org) that features handmade crafts by hundreds of regional artists. This summer, step onto the front porch with featured “makers” as they demonstrate timeless crafts such as quilting, embroidery, weaving, pottery,
etching, glass-blowing, and woodcarving. Watch the makers at work, and get to know these delightful people in the process. “It’s so beautiful to sit on the porch and look down at the lake, the old apple orchard, people on horses—there’s an air of fun and celebration here,” says artist Jay Pfeil, who will be demonstrating at the Manor June through October. “With my art, I’m keeping an old process alive. It’s fun to relate with people who are interested in what I’m working on.” Pfeil is primarily a printmaker, although her artistic pursuits are vast and varied. She’ll be etching and engraving metal plates, and sharing how she makes prints from those plates. “I bring old metal plates and let people try out the engraving tools to see what it’s like,” Pfeil adds. Craftsman Lee Entrekin specializes in Native American flute making and will also be sharing his skills at the Manor this summer. “I want to expose people to handmade crafts and the tradition of making,” says Entrekin. “I’ll show visitors how old-style flutes were made, and teach people how to play if they are interested.” Entrekin is passionate about conveying the benefits of music, and stresses that almost anyone can play. He says the Cone Manor setting adds to the joy of his work. “I have always loved demonstrating at the Manor—the front porch is the best office I’ve ever had!”
For many of the artists demonstrating this season, education is a primary goal. “Personally, I believe education is the key to keeping the American Craft movement vibrant and alive,” declares Judy Brater, a professional ceramic artist for 46 years and member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild since 1983. “While acknowledging the changes in social media and buying online, it is even more important to share techniques and interact with people … to remind them of what ‘hand-made’ is; hopefully they walk away with a deeper sense of appreciation.” Brater will show visitors several techniques specific to her art, including “slab forms, individually placed coils to complete a vessel, and sculptural details.” While space devoted to traditional arts and crafts at Cone Manor has been reduced this year, visitors will continue to enjoy front porch demonstrations and children’s activities nearly every day of the season. You’ll also find a wide variety of handmade crafts displayed inside on the first floor and offered for sale. For a full list of seasonal demonstrations, visit www.southernhighlandguild.org. n Moses Cone Manor will be open through November 30 (9 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and is located at Milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Blowing Rock NC. 828-295-7938
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A celebrated arts destination for 25 years. Featuring paintings and sculpture by regionally, nationally and internationally acclaimed artists. Including regional pottery, glass and wood.
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Gabriel Ofiesh Trunk Show July 19 - 22, 2018
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Zoey Brookshire: A New Applause By Linda Kramer
T
he ingenious and unrelenting abstract expressionism of artist Zoey Brookshire will be in the line-up at the much-anticipated July summer showing at The Art Cellar in Banner Elk. Lavish ovations are expected. Since the late 1990s, Zoey has been creating in the mountains of western North Carolina large provocative works on canvas with paint and powerfully managed ink on paper. Whether figurative, landscape or abstract, large scale or small, each of her paintings comes from the depth of her artistic spirit and the strength of her commitment to intellectual honesty. Over the last 35 years, her exhibition history includes 21 solo exhibitions and 45 group exhibitions and she has developed a cadre of loyal followers. Zoey’s art expresses many moods and characters. Some show a Chekhovian wise sadness, while others, an inhibitive frivolity, all ever adjusting to new creative contexts. Don’t try to pigeon-hole her works, you can’t. The July gallery showing gives viewers a hint of the depth and scope of her work and reflects her progression of styles. Zoey magically transports the viewer, through her art, to emotionally laden places— many filled with pathos as she reaches into unlikely corners and inexplicable states, unleashing the Chang, that brave and mystical Chinese warrior who lives inside all of us.
In addition to the art installation, an explosive and much anticipated new book, Visual Energy, presents Zoey’s art in 50 well-selected inks and paintings. This book will be available for purchase at The Art Cellar at an exclusive book signing on July 29 from 2-4 p.m. The event will be highlighted by the artist’s talk about her recent works. In Visual Energy, Zoey invites readers to open their eyes and see a new visual language, a unique kind of awareness that teeters between coherence and absurdity while maintaining a sure-footed balance between the two. Within its pages, Zoey engages the reader’s senses from the simple lines of her inks to the hidden complexity of her oils that express profound themes; many are based on the natural world, a favorite theme of hers and one she returns to again and again. If you believe that an artist must leave the beholder with something to guess, Zoey invites many intriguing questions to test the intellect. A hint of her questions, again, lies in the inspiration that comes from the natural world, suggesting that we can never escape nature. And as J.M.W. Turner said, “Every look upon nature is a refinement of art.” Zoey is always searching for new perspectives, in human and natural form. This curiosity is demonstrated by the images in this book that beg us to think about the visual energy in the world around us.
Because Zoey asks the viewer/reader in both her book and her static art to see natural elements from a different angle, that task sometimes results in mischievous results. She is both plainspoken and mysterious at the same time and knows when to be clear and when to be illusive, leading us almost unaware into intriguing realms that lie only within the language of art. Zoey also entertains and tells stories that move in masterful and unpredictable directions. Graphically strong, her art never apologizes and always challenges viewers to step inside. Sometimes it is a unique marriage of under-statement and other times sheer dramatic expression, but it is always a profound visual language. Visual Energy is the perfect vehicle for this union. Zoey makes her points intellectually clear. “The three formal inventions underlying the aesthetic found in all my art and extended to my book are form, material and context. It is always my great hope that these elements will combine to produce a lyric depth from these ongoing visual explorations.” I can hear the applause already. n Zoey Brookshire’s artist talk and book signing will be held on Sunday, July 29 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at The Art Cellar Gallery in Banner Elk, 920 Shawneehaw Avenue. 828-898-5175 www.artcellaronline.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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2018 Turchin Center for the Visual Arts 828.262.3017 l tcva.org
Humberto Saenz
Summer Exhibition Celebration
July 6 l Turchin Center for the Visual Arts
Hayes Auditorium Broyhill Theatre banner Elk, NC The Wiz June 24–July 1
Brian Glaze
My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra July 13–18
Rosen Outdoor Sculpture Walk
In the Heights July 31–August 5
July 28 l Smith Gallery / Schaefer Center 828.898.8709 | lmc.edu/summertheatre
Sally Nooney ARTIST STUDIO GALLERY Fine Art Paintings Glass Creations & Heirloom Jewelry Scenic Hwy 194 South Midway between Valle Crucis & Banner Elk Tuesday thru Saturday 10-5 828-963-7347 • Nooney@skybest.com sallynooney.com • Commissions Invited! Frank Nooney Furniture Restoration, and Antiques at the Gallery, next door
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Tue–Sat 10-5 & by Appt. Summer Sundays 1-5 THE FINEST COLLECTION OF HANDMADE POTTERY FROM 16 LOCAL HIGH COUNTRY ARTISTS
ANVIL ARTS SCULPTURE GARDEN & GALLERY explore / experience / collect
Garden Party July 21st & 22nd Celebrating 10-5 both days Christine Kosiba August Guest Artist Gallery Talk Aug. 4th 10:30am
Hours Tues–Sat 10-5 & by Appt. Summer Sundays 1-5
BOB MEIER 828.264.1127
Linville Falls, NC www.studiosculpture.com 828-765-6226
585 West King St., Suite D Boone NC 28607 10am-6pm, mon-sun www.DoeRidgePottery.com
A Unique Approach to Classic Antiques
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The Twisted Twig ANTIQUES & ACCENTS
SUMMER HOURS: TUES-SAT: 10am-5pm, Sunday 1-4pm MONDAY: CLOSED
Thomas Sayre. Installation view of “White Gold,” organized by CAM Raleigh and made possible by generous support from AV Metro, Citrix, Cotton Incorporated, the NC Arts Council, and the Betty Eichenberger Adams Society. Nancy Maybin Ferguson. “To the Social Club,” c. 1900. Oil on canvas. 38 x 46 inches. Collection of Janet Wilson.
159 Chestnut St. Blowing Rock, NC 28605
(828) 295-9099 www.BlowingRockMuseum.org @brmuseum
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Artists
The Blowing Rock Historical Society Presents 2018
in Residence at Edgewood Cottage July 25 - Oct 30, Blowing Rock NC July 18 - July 24 2017 Alumni Artists Week July 25-31 Jane Campbell / Dan Smith August 1 - 7 Barbara Wade / Cathy Futral
9th Annual Artists in Residence at Edgewood Cottage T
ake a stroll to the south end of Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock and you’ll discover a unique cultural corner where art meets history. Here you’ll find the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum and its well-known neighbor, Edgewood Cottage, the former home and studio of renowned American artist Elliott Daingerfield. Elliott Daingerfield (1859-1932) became one of Blowing Rock’s most notable summer residents. He painted images of the local landscape and instructed the “painting ladies” who lodged in Blowing Rock to develop their own artistic skills. His legacy of encouraging artists in the High Country lives on in the 9th annual Artist-in-Residence Program at Edgewood Cottage. Presented by The Blowing Rock Historical Society, the Artist-in-Residence series runs from July 18 - October 30. The series takes place daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except Wednesdays, and noon to 6 p.m. on Sundays. During this time the cottage becomes home to 28 different artists representing a variety of outstanding, original two and three-dimensional pieces. Art lovers of all interests and budgets are welcomed to these free open studio events to meet the artists, see them create new art and purchase their works. You’ll find a variety of creations by potters, painters, wood carvers, fiber artists, and weavers. Half of the net proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation for restoration projects at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. n
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August 8 - 14 Jane Elizabeth August 15-21 Sherri Stewart August 22 - 28 Susan Jespersen August 29 - September 4 Pat Flachbart September 5 - 11 Susan Wilders / Toni Indicott September 12 - 18 Patricia Collins / Patrick Richardson September 19 - 25 Tim Larson / Pete Lupo / Earl Davis Series Continue Through October 30th Thursday - Tuesday, 10am - 6pm Sunday, Noon - 6pm FREE & OPEN T0 THE PUBLIC Downtown Blowing Rock next to the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum Half of all net proceeds will be donated to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation for restoration projects at Moses H. Cone Memorial Park
This project is funded in part by the Watauga County Arts Council and Grassroots Funds of the North Carolina Arts Council
Corner of South Main & Chestnut Street • Blowing Rock, NC
The Artists (Left to Right): Dianne Firth, Freda Sue, Kelsey Merreck Wagner, Humberto Saenz, Michael Cook, Endi Poskovic
Art: Bringing the World to Boone By Lynn Rees-Jones
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rt opens a window to the world. Without packing a suitcase, boarding an airplane and traveling to places far, far away, the cultures and traditions of countries around the globe can be experienced through the arts. Central to the mission of Appalachian State University is a commitment to enhance global awareness and learning opportunities by “bringing the world” to Boone. Since opening in 2003, the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts has showcased international art from Mexico, China, Poland, South Africa and Brazil. This summer, three of the galleries will feature art from Australia, New Zealand, China and North America, while another exhibition will highlight challenges of the elephant species in Africa and Thailand. In the Main Gallery the exhibition entitled “Art from Down Under: Australia to New Zealand” will provide exposure to contemporary and indigenous art of Australia and New Zealand artists. Works will include Maori art from New Zealand, and Aboriginal artwork from Australia. Indigenous art is centered on storytelling through pictures and symbols to convey history and beliefs of the culture. Artworks will range across several media, including painting, sculpture, installation, photography, printmaking, book arts, ceramics and glass. Works include spectacular photography of the dynamic New Zealand landscape by John Maillard and photo media of Michael Cook that restages colonial focused histories as
re-imagined through the contemporary reality of indigenous populations. “Sustained Ingrain: Contemporary Woodcuts from East to West” highlights the oldest method of making prints which emerged in China during the first millennium and, despite constantly changing technologies, has sustained itself as a rich, viable and relevant option for printmaking today. This exhibition features 12 artists from China and 12 artists from North America. Each artist works extensively in the enduring, wild and wonderful medium of woodcut. It raises the question, “How is it possible that the oldest method of making prints is still a rich, viable and relevant option for printmaking today?” The works in the exhibition are diverse in cultural context, creative vision, and innovative process and feature the whimsy of a rhinoceros foot emerging from inside a vividly colored ceramic pot entitled “Rinocerontes” by artist Humberto Saenz of Mexico, to an abstract swirl of colors entitled “Sunshine After the Rain” by artist Freda Sue of China. Kelsey Merreck Wagner, artist and Appalachian State University alumna, utilizes the visual arts to explore the international ivory trade in an exhibition entitled “The Elephantine in the Anthropocene.” In Africa, elephants are killed every 15 minutes for their tusks. The exhibition explores historic hunting practices in African countries, the ivory trade in Asia, and how modern conservation
is working fervently to save the species. The exhibition features hand-painted paper elephants that are stuffed and artfully stitched together with yarn. Each elephant seems to have a unique personality and their placement and grouping mimic the social habits found in their natural habitat. The visual impact of the exhibition is enhanced with audio that conveys the sounds of elephants in their natural wilderness environment. This exhibition heightens awareness that cultural sensitivity and interdisciplinary collaboration are necessary to stop this ecological crisis and while humans are the invasive species, they can also be part of the solution. The arts tell stories in many ways and from many perspectives. A visit to the international exhibitions at the Turchin Center will provide a lasting collection of stories which rival the experience of visiting the world’s most interesting artistic destinations. n The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts is the largest facility of its kind in the region and fulfills Appalachian State University’s long-held mission of providing a home for world-class visual arts programming. The TCVA is located at 423 West King St. in Boone. Hours are 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday, and noon - 8 p.m., Friday. Admission is always free, although donations are gratefully accepted. For more information, to become a donor, be added to the mailing list or schedule a tour call 828-262-3017 or visit tcva.org. You can also follow the Turchin Center on Facebook and Twitter @TurchinCenter.
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Book Nook Carolina Catch, Cooking North Carolina Fish and Shellfish from Mountains to Coast by Debbie Moose The University of North Carolina Press April 2018
In the past, the majority of North Carolina seafood has been shipped outside of our state, but as consumers become more aware of the flavor and benefits of eating locally sourced ingredients, more and more North Carolina fish and shellfish are remaining in our state. Debbie Moose has written an homage to the North Carolina fishermen and their catches in her newest cookbook, Carolina Catch, Cooking North Carolina Fish and Shellfish from Mountains to Coast. Carolina Catch is full of delicious original recipes from the author, as well as adapted recipes from her friends’ experiences, NC chefs’ specialties, culinary experts and writers’ contributions, and recipes from the fishing community. However, it is much more than just a seafood cookbook. Carolina Catch is a call to action for those who enjoy fish and shellfish to be aware of where your ingredients are coming from, the impacts and politics of commercial fishing, and the future potential to enjoy these aquatic edibles. In the introduction, Ms. Moose reviews the decline of the fishing industry, the impact of foreign farmed seafood and political regulations, and the expanded role of NC fishermen. Not only do today’s fish and shellfish providers have to find the fish, they also must educate consumers and build demand for the catch. Carolina Catch assists the fishermen by informing the reader on how to pick the right, top quality seafood and choose alternative options based on seasonal availability and freshness; how to store and prepare your fish and shellfish; and how to properly cook the variety of species included in her recipes. She also encourages fish and shellfish lovers to ask for North Carolina products, buy local to keep the supply lines in our state, and to give unfamiliar but more plentiful fish a try. While reading through the recipes interspersed with spotlights on local fishermen and aquaculture ventures, it becomes evident what a privilege it is to have local access to seafood from North Carolina. According to Chef Keith Rhodes from Catch Restaurant in Wilmington, “North Carolina is becoming the Napa Valley of oysters. A North Carolina oyster trail is being instituted to highlight oysters being culture-grown and wild caught.” Carolina Catch is an informative and delightful collection of stories and recipes that celebrate some of the finest fish and shellfish in the world, and it is all right here, close to home. -Kim S. Davis To learn more about North Carolina fish and shellfish and how you can be a steward of the local catch visit: NC Sea Grant (local catch guidelines) at ncseagrant.ncsu.edu; NC Catch (information about issues affecting NC fishermen) at nccatch.org; Marine Stewardship Council (labeling for certified sustainable seafood and information on choosing fish) at www.msc.org.
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Last Laugh
by Beth Tally Available on Amazon.com 2018 The second novel by local author Beth Tally is set in upstate South Carolina around Greenville during the summer of 1965. Last Laugh is the steamy coming of age tale of Iris and Tommy who are both searching for direction in their lives but for very different reasons. Their desires and challenges are the scaffold for this story that sets two lives on an unexpected course at the beginning of the Vietnam War. In the opening of this novel, the reader gets to meet Citadel Cadet Tommy Moore and recent high school graduate Iris McGraw while they are still carefree and naïve. These two main characters are brought together after heartbreaking events in their respective families and the remainder of the story is about their struggles to be together. This is not a star-crossed lovers’ story or a romance, it is a narrative about the relationships between people from different backgrounds as they approach adulthood and how situations and decisions impact the direction of their lives. To keep the reader intrigued, every character in Last Laugh can be viewed as both protagonist and antagonist during the course of the novel. Tally’s first work of fiction, The Beacon, is a Christian-themed novelette set in the Bahamas, and Beth Tally begins Last Laugh with acknowledgements forewarning the reader that it is a departure from her usual inspirational genre. While there are sexual situations and mature language, it remains PG-13 because it is set in a time when even the risqué has restraint. The backdrop of Last Laugh is during a time of chivalry, when young men opened doors for young ladies, and gave them their letter jackets on cool evenings but it is also before feminism and the empowerment of women. This is a thoughtful summer read and the conflicted interactions between the characters keep the reader contemplating what will happen next. Hopefully, Last Laugh is the first of a series as the story ends shortly after the climax with no falling action or resolution. The vivid descriptions of the people and places and absence of a conclusion will likely leave readers wanting the story to continue. -Kim S. Davis
Cheap Joe A Field Guide to Mushrooms of the Carolinas
by Alan E. Bessette, Arleen R. Bessette and Michael W. Hopping The University of North Carolina Press April 2018 While summer is one of the best seasons for foraging for mushrooms, the High Country is full of fungi year-round. Mushrooms in the wild present an enticing challenge: some are delicious, others deadly, still others take on almost unbelievable forms. This new field guide to mushrooms of the Carolinas will help you identify fungi any time of the year—here in the mountains, as well as the coastal and piedmont regions of North and South Carolina. Perfect for beginners or experts interested in learning more about mushrooms, this all-inone guide introduces 650 mushrooms found throughout the Carolinas—more than 50 of them appearing in a field guide for the first time! Inside you’ll find hundreds of full color photographs, clear language to describe unique features, information on mushroom edibility and toxicity, microscopic information, and an overview of the Carolina’s role in the history of American mycology. “The first modern field guide to mushrooms of the Carolinas, this book fills a mycological gap for regional information on southeastern fungi populations. Well-researched, user-friendly, and subtly humorous, this text will likely become the ultimate reference for the Carolinas as a field guide to mushrooms for years to come.” – Cathy Cripps, Montana State Univ.
by Noyes Capehart Available at Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff July 2018 When Joe Miller, also known as “Cheap Joe,” found out a book was being written about him, his response was, “What is there to write about?” It turns out there’s a world of color for readers to enjoy when reading about the life of Joe Miller, as told by author and artist Noyes Capehart in his latest skillfully penned book Cheap Joe. Like most biographies, Capehart walks us through the early beginnings in the making of a great man—from Miller’s childhood spent trout fishing with friends and earning an Eagle Scout Award, to the early jobs that would shape Miller’s strong work ethic. Born and raised in Boone, NC, a teenaged Miller took a job at Boone Drug in 1956, a gig that would shape many of his future professional endeavors. Tying fishing flies and mastering taxidermy were two early activities that contributed to Miller’s artistic side, providing opportunities to experiment in color and painting. Cheap Joe takes us behind the scenes to Boone locales where a young Miller and his friends found fun and mischief, and then on to other formative stops, including Iowa, where he attended courses at the University of Iowa, and Chapel Hill, where Miller would eventually complete a pharmacy program and become a licensed pharmacist. Capehart guides us through Miller’s successes as a pharmacist while at the same time highlighting his early creative contributions, including humorous signage that began appearing at Boone Drug. During the 1980s, Miller’s interest in watercolors piqued and a prolific artist emerged. At that point, the story becomes one of Miller “following his bliss,” a mantra he continues to live by today. Miller enters a new phase of life in which he juggles several different roles as artist and businessman. Capehart continues to document Miller’s unique journey as founder of Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, one of the most successful art supply companies in the country, and as a renowned painter, author of children’s books, and interminable family man. Whether you know Joe Miller well or have never met the man, you’ll close the cover on this biography with a feeling that “Cheap Joe” could easily be a loyal, favorite friend. You can see nearly 90 of Joe Miller’s paintings on view now in the art collection of the Foley Center in Blowing Rock. Pick up a guide in the front lobby and take the Center’s Self-Guided Tour to identify the more than 150 pieces of artwork by Joe Miller and 30 other artists that line the walls. The Foley Center at Chestnut Ridge is located at 621 Chestnut Ridge Parkway, Blowing Rock and at apprhs.org/foleycenter. Author and artist Noyes Capehart will be featured in the Autumn 2018 issue of Carolina Mountain Life Magazine. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Boone’s Donate-What-You-Can Community Cafe “Where Everybody Eats” 617 W. King Street Across from Mast General Store Serving Lunch Mon-Fri, 11-2
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The Big Picture Show:
New Documentaries to Set Your Eyes on the Skies By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
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s our new film column is launched, and as we celebrate some great star-watching opportunities, we’ll look at some little-known but excellent documentary films on the American space program. These three films on the history of our journey beyond our planet are just the ticket to inspire stargazing. Mercury 13 (2018) Unbeknownst to many Americans, there was an attempt to put American women in space long before Sally Ride’s historic 1983 flight aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. While the original Mercury 7 astronauts were serving as the vanguard of the Space Race, a group of women was also being put through many of the same tests as the male astronauts. These 13 women could have been the first female American space explorers; as this insightful new documentary shows, although their own journeys were cut short, they still inspired later astronauts and helped pave the way for future generations of women scientists and explorers. Last Man on the Moon (2014) Although we have yet to send a woman to the moon, twelve men have stepped foot on our only natural satellite. This landmark film tells the story of the last of them, Gene Cernan, who left the lunar surface in December of 1972, the final astronaut to walk there. Chronicling Cernan’s journey upon the earth as well as his experiences in space, the documentary features personal insights as well as historic footage. Released a few years ago, this film set the standard for many later documentaries. Mission Control: The Unsung Heroes of Apollo (2017) The most compelling of these three films is the fascinating Mission Control, which chronicles the heroes on the ground who saved the Apollo 13 astronauts. With outstanding special effects, the film is visually compelling and as engaging as any Hollywood blockbuster, but what really makes it shine is the emphasis on the human side of the story. Interviews with surviving members of the Mission Control team bring the story to life, and one of the most incredible moments is when these men return to the room where they once guided three travelers back from a disaster that should have killed them. As these men take their seats at the consoles where they sat over 40 years ago, it is a profound reminder of the fact that the reason we are drawn to space is because of who and what we are as humans. All three films have some intense sequences and “pilot profanity,” but are otherwise inspiring for nearly any audience. Ad astra! n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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The High Country’s Dog & Cat Destination High Quality Foods, Treats, Raw Diets Food & Nutrition Consultation Wellness & Health Products Real Estate Closings and Legal Representation in the High Country John B. “Jak” Reeves+ • Tamara C. DiVenere Anné C. Wright • Jeffrey J. Walker*+ • Ashlee Thomas 280 Queen Street, Boone, NC 28607 • 828-268-9640 • 800-451-4299 202 East Main Street, West Jefferson, NC 28694 • 336-246-7172 www.lawyernorthcarolina.com
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Second Homes, a Notable Presence in the High Country By Carol Lowe Timblin
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or well over a century people have sought the peace and tranquility of the High Country, a place where they might escape to a second home and find rest and renewal. Toward the end of the 19th century the dream of a second home in the mountains took hold. That idea remains strong, as evidenced by the number of luxury homes and condominiums that dot the mountainsides today. Back in 1885, a speculator named Samuel Kelsey approached a vacationing entrepreneur, Donald MacRae of Wilmington, NC, about investing in the development of a manufacturing center on a 12,500-acre tract that stretched from Pineola to Sugar Mountain. During the 1890s, with Donald MacRae’s son Hugh at the helm, the investors’ focus switched from manufacturing to the development of a restorative retreat for families looking to escape the heat and discomforts of summer in the Low Country.
Located in the middle of what is today the Town of Linville, Hugh MacRae oversaw the building of The Eseeola Inn, as well as a summer cottage that today stands as a second home for his namesake. The Inn was destroyed by fire in 1936 and was completely rebuilt as the Eseeola Lodge we know today. As part of the effort to attract other families to build second homes in the Linville area, MacRae introduced golf to Linville with four golf holes carved from local pastures in 1892. In 1924, renowned golf architect Donald Ross laid out the celebrated golf course, enjoyed today as the Linville Golf Club. Included in the tract acquired by the Linville Company was Grandfather Mountain. Developed in 1952 by Hugh Morton as a popular tourist attraction, the majestic mountain is now protected by the not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation. Founded by Morton’s family to preserve the mountain
and inspire stewardship in its quarter million annual visitors, the Stewardship Foundation invites guests into a deeper relationship with nature by helping them explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. Meanwhile, next door, the North Carolina Parks System welcomes the public to embark on the 12-mile network of hiking trails that crisscross the 2,700acre wilderness back country protected inside Grandfather Mountain State Park. Between the high peaks of Grandfather and the banks of the Linville River, MacRae’s granddaughter, the irrepressible “Aggie” Morton, hired Donald Ross protégé Ellis Maples to design the Grandfather Golf & Country Club. Named after her mother and Highland Games founder Agnes MacRae Morton, who was the sister continued on next page
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GRANDFATHER GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
of Grandfather Mountain developer Hugh Morton, Aggie was a Carolinas Amateur Champion in golf and tennis. Working side by side with Maples, Aggie saw her vision for mountain golf become a reality in 1965. The 2,000acre community set the mountain resort standard at the time. Today, over 400 homes and condominiums make up the Village of Grandfather. This year Grandfather Golf & Country Club kicks off its golden anniversary celebration by honoring Charter and Legacy Members at their Opening Party Gala. Some homes in the private community are now in the hands of second generation owners, including Aggie’s son Bill Cocke, a local attorney who led the campaign to incorporate the village. Second generation owners like Bob and Betsy Gafaell of Charlotte spend six months of the year at Grandfather Golf & Country Club, while others like David and Sue Jones, originally from Charlotte, have become year-round residents. A few homes are shared by two owners who enjoy the same rights and privileges as capital members. The club also has a rental program, which allows potential buyers to experience Grandfather Golf & Country Club before purchasing a home.
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A Grandfather Golf & Country Club membership provides access to a plethora of activities such as golf, tennis, croquet, beach activities, bridge, photography workshops, fitness workouts, summer camps and clinics, special speakers and programs, Saturday hikes, chapel by the lake, dances, music, various dining options, and excursions to special events in Banner Elk and Boone. Artistically inclined members often create works of art at the Art Loft, a studio with on-site instructors. Every year their work is exhibited at the Art Exhibit & Dinner, one of the club’s biggest social events. “There isn’t anything like this in a community of this kind that I have ever seen before,” says artist Lory Lockwood, who moved from New Orleans to the community with her husband Tony in 2012. “I have gotten to know so many people through the Art Loft. I really enjoy the sense of community and camaraderie, the support and friendship from fellow members.” In 1982, another private resort community called Linville Ridge started to take shape on 1,800 acres of land that had once belonged to the Linville Company. Developed by Raymond Lutgert of Naples, Florida, it offered panoramic
views of the surrounding mountains and remains eastern America’s highest golf course, with a peak elevation over 4,800 feet above sea level. Today, golf, tennis, croquet, bocce, swimming, children’s day camp, fitness center, salon, day spa, and varied dining options complete the club offerings. “I first began coming to Avery County from Lenoir with my family in the early 80s,” says Larry Hazen, who bought a second home in Linville Ridge in 1996 and eventually became a full-time resident after retirement. “In the summer we enjoyed hiking, playing in the streams, and feeding the ducks at the Mill Pond. In the fall we had our annual trip to view the fall color. We also came up in the winter to ski at Sugar and to get our Christmas tree…. I can’t think of any better place to retire or to write the latest chapter of my life.”
Blowing Rock Communities
As Linville was developing into a resort community, Blowing Rock was also attracting huge numbers of vacationers. Early establishments such as The Green Park Inn, The Mayview Manor, and The Blowing Rock Hotel provided lodging for visitors who eventually built second homes in the area. One of the most prominent
HOUND EARS / Photo by Todd Bush
residents of Blowing Rock in the early days was Moses Cone, aka the “Denim King,” who made a fortune in textiles in Greensboro. Smitten with the grandeur of the mountains and the lifestyle it offered, he built a Colonial Revival mansion in 1901 overlooking his 3,500-acre estate near Blowing Rock. It featured 25 miles of carriage trails, fishing lakes, and apple orchards. Like Grandfather Mountain, it is a popular stop on the Parkway today. The Robbins family of Blowing Rock were also key players in making the High Country a travel destination and desired location for second homes. “While serving as the mayor of Blowing Rock for 26 years, my father saw the potential for developing the tourist industry here,” says Spencer Robbins, 90, who still sells real estate. “In 1933, he opened The Blowing Rock attraction, which the family still owns. He also owned a theater and a restaurant in Blowing Rock at one time and built one of the first motels in town. My siblings and I grew up promoting tourism in the High Country, so we had a good knowledge of the industry.” When the Robbins opened The Blowing Rock, it was North Carolina’s first tourist attraction. A gneiss rock formed over a million years ago: it overlooks the
Johns River Gorge and offers scenic views of the surrounding mountains. According to a Native American legend, a young brave jumped to his death from the rock and the prayers of the maiden who loved him were answered when he blew back into her arms. Using the only surviving engine (No. 12) from the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, the Robbins family opened the Tweetsie Railroad amusement park in 1957. Next, they turned their attention to a 750-acre tract in the Shulls Mill area, where the family had operated a hotel during the heyday of lumbering. In 1964, they opened the Hound Ears Golf and Ski Resort, which featured a ski slope, George Cobb golf course, Swiss-chalet style golf club, and three rental homes. Today the community has 420 homes and condos, and club members enjoy casual and fine dining, golf, tennis, fitness center, swimming, hiking, fly fishing, as well as a new Tap Room, community garden, library, and dog park. “I first came to Hound Ears in 1966, and I’ve enjoyed visiting it ever since,” says Charlottean Bill Hensley, North Carolina’s first director of tourism and public relations specialist. “Hound Ears is more than a club and
community,” adds member George Yoss. “The lifestyle experience is truly amazing, but nothing compares to the wonderful people and the community spirit. My wife and I could not imagine a better place to unwind, relax, and have fun.”
Banner Elk Communities
Forming the Carolina Caribbean Corporation, brothers Grover, Harry, and Spencer Robbins and their business partners launched the Beech Mountain Ski Resort in 1967, making the High Country a year-round travel destination for the first time in history. In addition to promoting the ski resort, they also sold land, homes, and a leisurely lifestyle. They even built an airport in the Elk Valley, so homeowners could fly between their sister resort in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Beech Mountain. During this time the Robbins also built the Land of Oz attraction on Beech Mountain and Linville Land Harbor, which was begun as a camping resort offering golf, tennis, and water activities. Today, this residential community offers a unique 18-hole layout which follows the native terrain with two vastly different nines. Guests may enjoy continued on next page
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ECHOTA
Continued from previous page
games, dancing and many other social events at the community center. In 1981, the Town of Beech Mountain was incorporated as the highest town in eastern America and today has more than 2,350 homes and condos and an additional 3,000 building lots. The yearround population is around 350. Beech Mountain Club members enjoy skiing, snowboarding, golf, tennis, and more. “I have many friends here at Beech Mountain,” says Carolyn West, a retired educator who bought a second home on the mountain in 1979 and became a yearround resident in 2002. “I ski every winter, and I am an active member of the Beech Mountain Historical Society. I also enjoy volunteering at Land of Oz events.” Dr. Thomas Brigham, a Birmingham dentist who had a hand in developing Beech Mountain and Sugar Mountain into ski destinations, was also a key player in the growth of the second home market. Incorporated in 1975, the Town of Sugar Mountain has 1,400 homes and condos inside the city limits and a yearround population of 230. An additional 80 homes are planned for Sugar Point and 30 more condominiums for Reserve III. The town benefits from the local Tourism Development Authority, which contributes two-thirds of its revenue to promotions and one-third to infrastructure.
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When Beth Tally and her husband John purchased a home on Sugar Mountain in 2008, they were living on a sailboat in Central America six months of the year. In 2012, they sold their boat and moved to the mountain for good. “This place meets all our needs. We enjoy tennis, golf, skiing, dinner at the clubhouse, and all the opportunities the High Country offers.” The Robbins brothers later turned their attention to developing 1,200 acres around the airport on the outskirts of Banner Elk, which they named the Elk River Club. They brought in pro golfer Jack Nicklaus to design the golf course and built an outstanding Equestrian Center for residents who wanted to bring their horses to summer camp. Opening in 1984, they also offered a variety of dining options and later added trout fishing, mountain biking, swimming, a fitness center, and a dog park. “Since our inception, we’ve developed into a community with approximately 100 condominiums and 200 single family homes, which is relatively low density, for a development of over 1,200 acres,” says Rick Foster, of Elk River Realty. According to Foster, one of the most rewarding things about his job is “to assist second and third generations of Elk
River families, who wish to continue their family’s heritage and traditions here.”
Communities with an Outdoor Focus
The Lodges at Eagles Nest, a private community near the Elk River with a focus on outdoor activities, was well underway when the recession hit in 2008. When the Waterfront Group took it over, 60 lots had been sold and 20 homes built on the 1,800-acre spread. The community has grown to include 3,000 acres, with 450 lots, 160 completed homes, and 50 homes currently under construction. A plethora of activities (teepee and pod camping, disc golf, ropes, hiking, climbing, archery, horseback riding, snow tubing, sledding, fly fishing, hiking, ATV touring, and more) is available to homeowners and their guests, as well as vacationers who rent homes. “We are growing produce at Eagles Nest Farm to sell to our homeowners and to local restaurants,” notes Jeremy Handysides, who works in sales and marketing. “We plan to open the Eagles Nest Winery and to expand the Grill sometime this year.” Another community called Blue Ridge Mountain Club also appeals to outdoor lovers. Started in 2008, the club at Blowing Rock has built over 100 homes
ESEEOLA LODGE
(cottages, condominiums, and estate homes) and 25 to 30 more homes are under construction. Many are available for rent. “About 70 percent of our residents are second home owners who enjoy the outdoors,” says Reggie Bray, director of marketing and sales. “Our golf carts are UTVs. Our fitness center has floor-toceiling glass with 50-mile views all the way to Charlotte. Our owners enjoy our 50 plus miles of hiking and ATV/UTV trails, our club facilities, the Chetola Sporting Reserve, and our club activities that are designed for all ages.” In 2001, the Harrill family started a resort community near Hound Ears Club in Foscoe called Echota. With two phases complete and the third phase (Chalakee) underway, Echota has 588 condos, townhomes, single-family homes, and homesites within its 300 acres. Homes are available for rent through Foscoe Rentals. Amenities include indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, two clubhouses, two fitness centers, a 25-acre Riverpark, stocked fishing ponds, bocce, croquet, and a putting green. “The majority of our homeowners are from North Carolina and love that they can escape to the beautiful mountains of the High Country in just a short drive,” says Leah Grove, marketing coordinator and broker.
EAGLES NEST
“We have been vacationing in the Foscoe area for years, the last four at Echota,” says Joe Summer, a retired Charlotte educator who purchased a home with his wife this past January. “We are already meeting neighbors and planning cookouts,” he says. “I love fishing in the two ponds at Echota and the Watauga River nearby. My wife enjoys the indoor and outdoor pools.”
The Impact of Second Homes
The growth of the second home market has impacted the High Country in many ways. Because many owners do not live in the area year-round, the population has remained low and the need for more schools and other services is not present. “The contributions of golf and secondhome communities are sometimes hidden and misunderstood by local residents,” says Harris Prevost, a leader in the state travel and tourism industry and currently the vice president of Grandfather Mountain. “The expenditures associated with these communities provide a substantial economic boost to mountain regions, like Avery County, that otherwise have geographical limitations and lack traditional industries that provide employment and tax contributions.” “Second home owners add to the quality of life we enjoy here in the High
Country,” Prevost adds. “I know of no other county with a population the size of Avery’s that has a YMCA like ours! In addition to the Y, our second home communities generously support local institutions such as Cannon Memorial Hospital, Lees-McRae College, Appalachian State University, Crossnore School and Children’s Hope Alliance, as well as many local charities—Habitat for Humanity and the Avery County Humane Society to name two.” “Avery County’s resorts and golf courses are nationally recognized, and they provide several hundred wellpaying jobs. Second homeowners’ local expenditures add jobs in local businesses plus sales tax revenues for the county,” Prevost continued. “The second home communities account for close to 60 percent of all the property taxes collected in Avery County. That’s a gift to our local residents because our seasonal residents don’t use our schools or most county services. As a result, our property tax rate is one of the lowest in North Carolina.” Whether viewed from the standpoint of economics or the love and enjoyment of this unique environment, second home ownership in the High Country is desired by many. n
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Come Home To The Mountains
“We joined Hound Ears Club in 2015 and we’ve been thoroughly delighted with our mountain lifestyle experience! We love the unpretentious, relaxing atmosphere. The lifetime friends we’ve made, the fun amenities, and cool climate make Hound Ears the perfect mountain experience.” —Michael Drew & Jennifer Russell
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Golf Guide for the NC High Country Folks have been enjoying golf in the mountain summer since 1892 when the first golf holes were carved out in Linville. And though golf has endured its ups and downs over the last decade, but the game has never been more accessible than today. Golf remains a powerful driver in the High Country tourism and recreational industry. Here’s a quick reference guide to our local golf clubs that don’t require a membership:
Public Courses Boone Golf Club—Boone, NC Tom Adams, PGA Architect Ellis Maples, Revision Rick Robbins ‘Must play’ Mountain Standard in 60th season. Casa Rustica’s Rick Pedroni in the kitchen. 828-264-8760 or www.boonegolfclub.net Mountain Glen—Newland, NC Sam Foster, PGA / Architect George Cobb The avuncular Foster closing in on Golden Anniversary at the helm. Since 1965 folks have played this course every day and wouldn’t change a thing. Public classic right down to the grill room. Everything you could want in your favorite public course. 828-733-5804 or www.mountainglengolf.com Sugar Mountain Golf Club—Sugar Mountain, NC Tom McAuliffe, Golf Director Architect Frank Duane Dynamite par 64. Play specials. Great Value-Fine conditions. A little bit better every year and that says a lot. 828-898-6464 or www.seesugar.com Linville Falls Golf Club Architect Lee Trevino/Revision Lloyd Clifton Jim Kelechi-PGA Head pro and owner Kelechi determined to make this fine layout all it can be. Good value and convenient location. Easy access Hwy. 221 S. below Linville Falls. 828-756-4653 or www.linvillefallsgolf.com
Grassy Creek Golf Club—Spruce Pine, NC Bruce Leverette, PGA / Architect/Committee Visit the Mitchell County Mainstay and find out what all the locals love about Grassy Creek. What golf is all about. 828-765-7436
Resort Clubs w/lodging access to golf Linville Golf Club—Linville, NC Tom Dale, PGA / Architect Donald Ross A private property with Eseeola Lodge guests enjoying access to golf and amenities. For those who know her, their favorite place on Planet Earth. 828-733-4311 www.eseeolaresort.com Hound Ears Club—Blowing Rock, NC Peter Rucker, PGA / Architect George Cobb Revisions Tom Jackson Limited public play with selected lodgings-clubhouse rentals, Chetola, Crestwood Inn tie-ins a success. A very playable and special golf course. New membership opportunities in the gorgeous Watauga River Valley. 828-963-4321 www.houndears.com Beech Mountain Club—Beech Mountain, NC John Carrin, PGA / Architect Willard Byrd Diverse Qualified Lodging. Stay and Play Packages More Affordable than ever at Eastern America’s Highest Town. Home of “Summer of 79” Chamber of Commerce 1-800-464-5506 www.beechmtnclub.org Jefferson Landing—Jefferson, NC Dean Spainhour, PGA / Architect Larry Nelson/Dennis Lehmann Course Access for members and On-site Lodgers—Great golf group getaway. Limited public play space available at this beautiful Ashe County Classic. Clubhouse dining. 1-800-292-6274 or www.visitjeffersonlanding.com
Mt. Mitchell Golf Club—Burnsville, NC Jim Floyd, Golf Director / Architect Fred Hawtree Spectacular property just off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Hwy. 80 to Burnsville.Group getaway lodging specialists. For the day or the week. Toe River trout fishing, food and beverage excellent. 828-675-5454 or www.mountmitchellgolfresort.com
Linville Land Harbor, Linville Michael Hayes-Golf Director Architects Tom Jackson–(A-9Ernie Hayes) Long-time private enclave between Linville and Pineola opening to public play with stay and play offerings. Fabulous putting surfaces. 828-733-8325 or www.linvillelandharbor.com
Willow Valley—Boone, NC Architect Tom Jackson-nine holes The Little Green Monster is a fine par three course. 828-963-6865
Red Tail Mountain—Mountain City, TN Architect Dan & Ellis Maples Owner Lyle Habermehl rerouting of mountain layout of two faces, (mountainous holes and pastoral bottom holes), to feature a 10-hole routing in the flats this season. Membership requirement comes in a number of forms from monthly term to season long commitment. Visitors staying in fine lodging offerings enjoy golf, tennis, fitness center and swim access. 423-727-7931 or www.redtailmountain.com
MountainAire Golf Club—West Jefferson, NC Archtitect/Committee, Revisions Dennis Lehmann Popular Ashe County stop, good range, good course, good folks in the pro shop. Phil Shepherd carrying torch in Hagel family tradition. 336-877-4716 or www. Mountainaire.com
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he word “retire” comes from the French word retirer, and it means to withdraw, or to draw back from society. In her retirement, Joan Hearn has redefined the term. Originally from the Northeast, Joan met her husband, Dick, while they were college students, and they soon found themselves living “normal” lives—working, raising children, and thinking ahead sometimes about how life might be different after retirement. But they hadn’t anticipated that in their post-career life, they’d spend the equivalent of full-time work making the High Country a better place through their vigorous and committed volunteerism. In the mid-1970s, they were working in the insurance industry, and Joan even became the first woman to hold her position with her company, working with computers during their early incorporation into the business world. Joan and Dick first visited the High Country during this time when Dick ran in the Grandfather Mountain Marathon, and like many people who visit the High Country, they decided this would be a great place to retire. Joan said that they came to the High Country to retire because the area was beautiful, but what they hadn’t anticipated was the culture of kindness and community in the area. She sees the diversity and abundance of non-profits as an expression of the supportive nature of the population. “The environment is different here, there are so many non-profits,” said Joan. “At first I couldn’t believe these people, how kind and caring the people are. I guess that’s why there are so many non-profits here.” When they first arrived, the couple spent their days overseeing the building of their passive solar home. With a green roof, stone walls, and carefully positioned location designed to maximize the heating and cooling power of the sun, this then-unusual structure took over a year and a half to build and needed much oversight from the Hearns. When the house was finished, they decided it might be nice to start volunteering to fill their time and see if they could make some positive contributions to their new community. Through the marathons the Hearns started running in their middle age, they got to visit environments as varied as the High Country and the Arctic Circle, and also hiked northern portions of
Joan Hearn with her late husband, Dick Hearn
Redefining Retirement:
A Portrait of Joan Hearn, Professional Volunteer By Karen Sabo the Appalachian Trail. Their interest in the environment led them to doing environmental education work through the Watauga County Cooperative Extension office, where they eventually reached over 7,000 children with their “Kids in the Creek” program. However, the organizations for which they’ve volunteered are great and varied, covering civic organizations, groups that help abused and neglected children, and support work for those in hospice care. The Hearns enjoyed their time with all the organizations they were involved in, committing to a wide variety of groups rather than finding a favorite and specializing. “There are some we spent more time with, but each one seemed to offer us something,” said Joan. “With children, we made an impact. With hospice, we made an impact. We used to read to Head Start children; he [Dick] had a great voice, and they were attracted to him because he looked like Santa Claus.” Life has changed somewhat for Joan after losing her husband in late December of 2017, especially because they were particularly close. “We always did everything together,” said Joan, explaining that a few weeks after Dick’s death, she realized she needed to get back out into the community. Joan said the main difference between her current solo volunteer work and the efforts she made with her husband is mostly people’s reactions. “Back in January, I went to the first meeting without
Dick, because I thought ‘I’ve got to do it.’ When I walked in, everybody was silent. They said, ‘You’re here.’ Then they said ‘sorry,’ and that was it...I knew I had to get back out with people.” She said that while she values the community expressing their appreciation about her husband, she realizes now that people should deliver these sentiments while those they admire are still alive. “Tell them to their face,” she said. “People should be recognized for what they do.” Joan said she has never missed her life working in the insurance industry, because she and Dick have led such full lives during retirement. She urges retired people to get involved in their communities to make the most of their post-work lives. “I see so many people who are just wasting away... they don’t seem to be interested in things besides just sleeping. They’re the people who have time to give, and don’t realize the satisfaction we get from helping. It’s turned into a way of life, almost. Instead of going to an office every day, this is just another way of life.” She offers advice to people about how to get involved. “Talk to people in the grocery store, at church, read the paper—there are columns asking for volunteers. I remember reading the paper and there was a lecture at the co-op extension office. We went to it. There, they advertised the master gardener program and each [opportunity] added onto another one. That’s when you begin to see what wonderful people are here.” n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Mountain Wisdom and Ways:
Mountain Talk C Alvin and Tipper
ountless times over the years I’ve had someone comment on my manner of speaking. Usually it’s to the effect of “You sure have a lot of funny sayings” or “Why don’t you write down all those strange words and phrases you use?” My response invariably is to smile and indicate that what I’ve just said is “common as pig tracks.” That, in turn, evokes something to the effect of “See, there you go again!” Of course my gentle goading is intentional, and at that point I make it clear that my analogies, similes, unusual words, and peculiar expressions are nothing more than “mountain talk.” That is to say, a means of communication I’ve known all my years. There can be no denying that folks up and down the southern spine of the Appalachians have historically had a peculiar (and delightful) way of talking. Traditional mountain dialogue is in abject retreat today, thanks to folks being far less isolated and the intrusion of various types of mass communication. To me that is a shame. Interesting, highly descriptive methods of speech, liberally laced with a variety of discernible patterns, have historically made the vernacular of Appalachia singularly appealing. It is often earthy (I recently heard a grizzled mountain man, his patience exhausted by a long wait, comment “these folks are slow as smoke off of moldy dog droppings”); sometimes intriguing (as when an illegitimate child is described as a “woods colt” or being “born on the wrong side of the blanket”); and invariably a source of delight (“tough as a hickory sapling,” “finer than powdered snuff,” or “madder than a wet hornet”). Although the idioms and distinctive accents associated with mountain talk may be fading, it is still possible, especially with older folks, to sample and savor the region’s enchanting idiosyncrasies of speech. Perhaps more to the point, for well over a century there has been keen awareness of the uniqueness and importance of the manner in which those who have called the highlands their homeland communicate. They have done so in a fashion which shows closeness to nature, exceptional
By Jim Casada
aptitude for description, creativity, and wonderfully unexpected use of words and expressions. Also, mountain talk has been a productive linguistic laboratory of new usages for existing words, creation of unusual yet highly appropriate terms (What better way to describe a water source which repeatedly appears and then disappears than call it a “fittified spring”?), and a manner of speaking with historic links clearly connected to the British Isles. For those interested in delving deeper into the manner in which generations of hardy High Country folks living close to the land have communicated, there are two basic paths available. One involves direct contact with modern-day practitioners of the mountain vernacular. Such contact requires making meaningful efforts to connect with old-timers and those still resident is isolated rural settings. For an outlander that can take some doing. Any hint that you consider the people “quair” (i. e., delightfully eccentric) or so much as a scintilla of suggested superiority will lead folks to shun you and immediately shut their “pie holes.” On the other hand, if you are a good listener, make every effort to respect those with whom you converse, and evince obvious interest, in time the natural propensities of mountain hospitality will shine through. Alternatively, or in combination with actual conversations, there are books aplenty to offer guidance. Although Horace Kephart’s Our Southern Highlanders reeks of sensationalism and does a singular disservice to many aspects of mountain life, he did have a good ear for regional vernacular. Perhaps a better way to study Kephart’s research while avoiding his exaggeration (one scholar has described his book as the “nadir of Appalachian stereotypes”) is to delve into Harold F. Farwell, Jr. and J. Karl Nicholas (editors), Smoky Mountain Voices: A Lexicon of Southern Appalachian Speech Based on the Research of Horace Kephart. Other students and scholars, walking in the pioneering footsteps of ...continued on p. 91
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New Educational Leadership in the High Country By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
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rom community-oriented elementary schools to nationally acclaimed institutions of higher learning, the educational resources of our area are one of our greatest treasures. Leading these valuable resources carries a hefty responsibility to the institutions and to the communities they serve. Recently, visionary individuals have stepped into leadership roles at two of the area’s educational powerhouses: Avery County Schools and Lees-McRae College. In March, Avery County Schools welcomed new superintendent Dr. Bryan Taylor. After twenty-five years in public education, Dr. Taylor has served in almost every possible capacity, including in the classroom as a special education teacher. His lengthy experience with leadership includes service within schools as a middle school principal, and across school systems in positions including Assistant Superintendent of Surry County Schools, a position he held for twelve years. In Avery County, Dr. Taylor plans to pursue his passion of helping all children achieve excellence within a school system whose size brings unique opportunities and challenges. “This is a great place to be, with hardworking families and students, and quality people,” says Taylor. While very much aware of the obstacles faced by all schools, especially rural school systems like ours, Dr. Taylor is eager to explore ways to help our students thrive. “I do not want a young person’s address to determine his or her future. The youth here deserve just as much as students in any other county.” School board member Dr. Bob Clark recognizes what an appropriate fit Dr. Taylor is: “Avery strives to be a model for rural education. He has the experience, intelligence, and drive to take us to that next level.” That commitment to the individual, to each student, each family, each person in the ACS service area is central to Dr. Taylor’s vision: “Relationships are very important to me,” he says, which is
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why, during his very first week as superintendent, he made a commitment to visit every single classroom in the Avery County School system, personally meeting each teacher. Having a combination of varied experiences in academic service allows Dr. Taylor to relate to teachers in the classrooms and to leadership of the schools and system. He has been where they are and understands their work and challenges. In addition to building relationships with teachers and schools, Dr. Taylor is eager to build partnerships with the county’s many stakeholders. “It’s exciting to see support from the community, commissioners, and government, and wonderful to work with them.” He knows that it is very difficult to do a job like his without “productive, professional, strong collaborative relationships” with county officials, law enforcement, and other leaders. He is pleased with county leadership’s efforts to address needed improvements for the high school. Coming from another system with only one high school, and having worked through building and renovating school facilities, Dr. Taylor knows what an impact such infrastructure improvements can have. He is looking forward to working with county and state leadership to face challenges specific to our county, like connectivity, the school calendar, and economic development, as well as the challenges of budgeting and planning facing every school system. Dr. Taylor is delighted to be partnering with many different organizations and programs in the area, including the Williams YMCA of Avery County and the 4-H, both of which are working in conjunction with ACS to help Avery students with programs addressing the whole child and exposing children to many possible paths available to them as they seek the best fit for their futures. Those opportunities, and those students, are really the heart of Dr. Taylor’s focus. A self-defined planner looking
toward ACS’s strategic plan for the next four years, he is committed to helping Avery County students be successful, even as they understand that success does not look the same for each student. “It is most important [to] have a positive impact on this district, this community, and most importantly, the young people; every decision must be in best interest of young people.” Dr. Taylor truly hopes to both work toward new goals, while improving others, and he wants to make a positive difference through transparency and a commitment to “being the best district we can be.” That transparency is also one of the qualities that Dr. Clark finds most important in Dr. Taylor, whose “genuine character will win everyone’s respect with time.” While Dr. Taylor and ACS work to meet the needs of each student from kindergarten to graduation, new leadership at Lees-McRae College is part of the commitment to students pursuing higher education beyond their senior years of high school. Dr. Herbert L. King was elected by the college’s Board of Trustees on January 19, 2018 and on June 1 became the college’s sixteenth president. A graduate of the University of Virginia, Dr. King has served in Virginia as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Hampden-Sydney College, as the Vice President for External Relations at Hollins University, and the Vice President for Institutional Advancement at Ferrum College. Like the Avery County School system, Lees-McRae also faces challenges, including those of budget and revenue. Dr. King recognizes this challenge, especially for a revenue-driven institution like Lees-McRae. “There is an on-going national debate about the value of higher education in today’s economy,” says Dr. King, and “external pressures require small, private colleges like Lees-McRae to define a very identifiable and unique niche, be able to prove their outcomes are worth the investment, and be nimble
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enough to react to the ever-changing marketplace.” Lees-McRae can thrive in this environment because, as Dr. King says, it meets these criteria and stands out from the crowd of “plain vanilla liberal arts colleges.” Dr. King is very much looking forward to “building new relationships with the students, faculty, staff, and the local community and to learning more about their hopes and dreams for the College.” He feels drawn to Lees-McRae and its motto and mission: “In the Mountains, Of the Mountains, For the Mountains.” That statement “helps give us that defining niche, and I see the College boldly living that motto through its programs, the students it serves, and in its outreach to the local communities.” Dr. King’s spiritual values have long been intertwined with his educational ones. “With all due respect to large universities and the role they play … I am convinced that the small college environment is the best place for students to learn, to ask deep questions under the close mentorship of a faculty member or coach, and to explore matters of faith,” he says. “No matter one’s own faith tradition, I believe that spirituality is a vital component in the overall development of young women and men in developing the value systems that will influence their adult lives. There is no better environment to explore those spiritual questions than in the close, relationshipfocused confines of a small college like Lees-McRae.” Partnering with the college and the community to build a shared vision is part of what excites Dr. King about this new position. “I can’t wait to take that vision to prospective students and donors to seek their commitment and investment in the future.” He is also looking forward to the opportunities that the area will offer to his family, all of whom are very outdoororiented and excited about experiencing the area. Along with his wife and three
Dr. Herbert L. King
Dr. Bryan Taylor
children, Dr. King looks “forward to finding a new church home and sharing our talents with some community organizations,” as well as becoming part of the mountain culture that resembles his hometown of Clifton Forge, Virginia and “feels so much like home.” As they invest in students of all ages and educational levels, both Dr. King and Dr. Taylor seek to connect with the High Country and its educational treasures to help them shine now and into the future. n
Kephart, took the study of those distinctive voices much further. Among them were Paul Fink (That’s Why They Call It—1936), Cratis Williams (see my profile of him in the CML Summer 2017 issue), John Parris (a longtime columnist for the Asheville-Citizen), Loyal Jones and Jim Wayne Miller (Glossary of Mountain Speech—1992), and especially the efforts of Joseph S. Hall. The latter individual made a series of trips, ten in all, to the southern mountains beginning in the late 1930s. He recorded scores of interviews, made copious notes, and published some short books on his findings. However, it was not until Michael Montgomery picked up where he left off and perpetuated Hall’s endeavors that a marvel of research was done full justice. That came first in a massive book, Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English (2004), and is ongoing with a “must visit” website http://artsandsciences.sc.edu/ appalachianenglish where you can listen to Hall’s original recordings, read transcripts, and learn a great deal more about his work and the ongoing efforts of Montgomery. Also of note for serious students is Annotated Bibliography of Southern American English (1989) by Montgomery and James McMillan. Mention of two other sources will suffice, although all of those mentioned open up new avenues of delight. One is Tipper Pressley’s “Blind Pig & the Acorn” blog (www.blindpigandtheacorn.com), where you can get a daily dose of Appalachian ways with mountain talk, including periodic vocabulary “tests,” looming large. The second is a video, “Mountain Talk,” narrated by Gary Carden and featuring a host of regional talkers and singers including legendary moonshiner, the late Popcorn Sutton, Jim Tom Hedrick (from “The Moonshiners” television program), and others. Listen, read, and learn, because there’s a passel of wisdom to be derived from studying our forebears, their folkways, and their ways of speaking. In its own special fashion, mountain talk is the epitome of eloquence and a pure delight to the ear. n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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One time Leave No Trace traveling trainer North Moench (left) talks about how to use a fire pan to limit campfire impact. / Photo by Randy Johnson
Don’t Stay Home, Just Leave No Trace By Randy Johnson
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f you haven’t heard of “Leave No Trace,” please tune in. Summer is the time when our parks and paths need all the TLC they can get. Luckily the dos and don’ts of outdoor protection taught by the Leave No Trace organization make it easy to be light on the land. The group does important work because not everyone treats our trails and parks gently. Believe it or not, Grandfather Mountain State Park superintendent Sue McBean recently had to put up signs asking people not to wash mud off their boots in park bathroom sinks! If even a trailhead restroom gets abused, imagine how rough people can be on a truly fragile environment. For folks averse to dirty feet, there is a new outdoor boot cleaning station at Profile Trail (please use it). The real challenge however, is being sure those boots, and the hikers wearing them, do everything they can to protect the High Country outdoors. Let’s hit some high points of ecoinsight by starting with obvious axioms: Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Don’t litter, pick up after others, and don’t take plants and artifacts. Beyond those guidelines, Leave No Trace has seven principles of sustainable outdoor recreation to follow and with litter in mind, one of the most important is “Plan Ahead and Prepare.” If you plan ahead and don’t take heavy, inappropriate items into the woods, such as glass bottles,
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you won’t be tempted to leave them. Another compelling Leave No Trace principle is “Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces.” On any hike, that means “stay on the designated trail.” Anytime you step off a trail, or stomp around outside the defined boundary of a viewpoint or campsite, you trample on healthy vegetation that helps prevent erosion and may even be rare or endangered. Above all, while camping do not use vegetation of any kind for bedding or shelter. Daniel Boone you are not. “Stay on the trail” is especially critical on trails as they wind back and forth on “switchbacks” across a mountain slope so that the path climbs gradually. That winding gradual route allows the trail to shed slow moving rain water that can cause serious erosion if it were to speed up by running straight down a hill. Sadly, to save time and distance, some people cut steeply down or up between sections of switchbacking trail defeating the purpose of the switchback. That’s called “cutting a switchback,” and when it happens, the steep trail created between sections of trail suddenly becomes an eroded ditch that can completely undermine a trail. Not only hikers cause this problem. Mountain bikers do it, too. It’s easy to find places in Moses Cone Park where horseback riders have done it—and a horse can really cut a switchback! Please do not cut switchbacks.
Other recommendations help hikers and campers dispose of human and other waste, minimize campfire impacts, get along with wildlife, and even other recreationists. This article is way too short to cover all that, so please visit the Leave No Trace website to learn more. Or visit my website (see web links below) to watch a video filmed on Grandfather Mountain featuring a clean camping clinic from the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers. In 2019, Leave No Trace and Subaru celebrate twenty years of sending crews of Leave No Trace trainers around the country teaching low impact techniques. The video features a few friends and me (including local Mast Store employee J.D. Dooley, a certified Leave No Trace trainer) on Grandfather Mountain’s Nuwati Trail learning great tips from Traveling Trainer experts. Grandfather Mountain boasts more than its share of rare and fragile plants, but every mountain needs TLC. By following the Leave No Trace guidelines, it’s easy to enjoy any trail—responsibly. n * Check out the Leave No Trace website (https://lnt. org) for an online course and to buy weather-proof, cool “seven principles” cards to hang from your pack. • Watch the Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers demonstrate the secrets of low impact trail use on Grandfather Mountain: www.randyjohnsonbooks.com/ graphics/video/North.mov
Travelogue: Reflections on Africa By Wendy Snider
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s the sun set on another incredible day in Africa, I found myself immersed in authentic cultural encounters across a vast continent with the untamed beauty of the bush. Every day on safari encompasses extraordinary experiences, but this one day was literally a “game changer.” As the early morning dawn rose with my 5 a.m. wake-up call and a quick cup of coffee, I embarked on a quest in search of the “Big Five.” Having lived in South Africa, I had developed a keen understanding of the bushman, a crucial key to my quest. Unfortunately, the art of tracking is being overtaken by modern civilizations. Lucky for me, I found Patrick, an indigenous tracker whose knowledge of the landscape had been passed down to him through generations. Excitedly, I boarded the Range Rover with Patrick tracking and set out into Sabi Sands Game Reserve. The sightings began. We spotted not just one elephant, but a dozen, from the playful babies to the gigantic bulls. The regal gemsbok with slick horns danced through the Nyalas, Zebra, and wildebeest. The roar of a male lion prompted Patrick to point, and Lee (game ranger) quickly drove off road following Patrick’s pointing finger. As Patrick pointed again and again the Rover followed and finally stopped. The Pride was resting…about fifteen of them in all. They knew we had arrived. The male gently placed his arm over the lioness as she slept. The cubs rolled around, but all else was silent in the bush. This untouched wild left me breathless. As the animals retreated to the shade, we returned to camp for a freshly prepared breakfast. Once breakfast was done, we visited
Patrick’s village. He introduced me to the witch doctor, who first prepared a ceremony to confirm that I was welcome. The song, drums and shakers stopped and she nodded my acceptance. Lee, our young female game ranger, interpreted every word spoken in the native language. The visit turned to song and dance where I quickly remembered the native dance moves. This interactive, life-changing and culturally immersive visit connected my life to Patrick’s family. I realized the impact of sustainable tourism in keeping the dying art of tracking alive. Next, Lee walked me through the bush to discover the “Little Five”: lion ant, leopard tortoise, buffalo weaver, elephant shrew and rhino beetle. She really knew how to find these little treasures that are overlooked by the Range Rover bush drives and she explained how the entire ecosystem thrives in the vast bush. Off to my afternoon nap, which turned into answering emails from High Country clients interested in booking their world-wide vacations. I sat outside by my private plunge pool immersed in technology. When I looked up, a twostory bull elephant was fifteen feet away. The ten inches of padding allowed him to quietly sneak up. I jumped up and yelled, “Where did you come from?” He raised his ears in complete startle. Never a good sign when ears stop moving, so I rushed into my bush home and watched him wander off. As the day cooled, we rejoined Patrick and Lee for our evening drive in search of the elusive leopard. We lingered while Patrick listened to the birds, took in the smells and kept an eye on animal footprints. The panoramic views of orange,
red and yellow lit the evening sky on fire. The giraffes passed with grace, hippos lifted their heads from the shelter of cool water and Cape buffalo calmly grazed, while rhinos ran across our path. Yet, still no leopard. Suddenly, Patrick began pointing. Never a word was spoken as Lee maneuvered the Rover off road at fast speeds. The leopard appeared only feet away. We slowly followed her as she returned to her cub empty handed from her search for food. Not long after, she took off sprinting through the night, but Patrick’s instinct knew what was next. Patrick found her in a tree with a Kudu. The spectacular view of the Leopard dragging a kudu high into the safety of a tree took me back to my afternoon walk where Lee explained the vast ecosystem at work. With a snifter of sherry, we ended our day with storytelling and gazing at the southern hemisphere’s explosion of stars. I crawled into my netted bed for a rejuvenating night’s sleep, dreaming of where the wild things are and how this day changed my life. I understand the greatness of the world and how culture immersion weaves through the Little Five and Big Five. I realize the urgency to encourage clients to experience the extraordinary before it slips away. Patrick’s ancient civilization is disappearing along with these magnificent animals. No matter where I go in the world, memories of the bush will stay with me forever. n Wendy Snider is the owner of Encore Travel, a fullservice travel agency located in Banner Elk. She has been recognized as a top travel consultant by Travel Weekly. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Blue Ridge Explorers
Kids In Parks By Tamara Seymour
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ummer time is family time. Hiking, biking, and disc golfing are just a few of the outdoor activities you can do with your children and grandchildren here in the High Country. Throw in some nature exploration and you’ve got a fun AND educational activity rolled into one. If you’ve never explored a Kids in Parks (KIP) trail, now is a great time to seek one out. Kids in Parks is an expanding network of outdoor adventures called TRACK Trails, which include hiking trails, biking trails, geocaching trails, paddling trails, and nature trail disc golf courses. Each TRACK Trail features its own self-guided brochures and signs that explain what you’re seeing along the trail as you explore it. The very first TRACK Trail was installed at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Asheville Visitor Center in 2009. Today, there are more than 160 TRACK Trails in 10 states, Washington DC, and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, comprising a national network of self-guided adventures that inspire kids and families to be more physically active outdoors. Nearly half of the trails are located here in North Carolina! After enjoying outdoor Trail activities, families can continue their adventures once they return to the indoors. At the KIP website, kidsinparks.com, you can start logging your Trail visits. With each TRACK Trail adventure logged, kids begin earning special prizes, including stickers, nature journals, Kids in Parks patches, TRACK Sacs, bandanas, magnifying glasses and walking stick medallions. These prizes have proved to be good incentives to get the children in your life “unplugged,” outdoors and connected with nature. There’s no time like the present to plan a TRACK Trail adventure! Pick a Trail from our list of nearby trails, or visit kidsinparks. com to view a map of all Trails in the network and to learn more about the program. n
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A Sampling of TRACK trails in our region : Avery County’s Green Valley Park Ashe County Park Nature Trail Disc Golf Course Orchard at Altapass in Spruce Pine Mount Jefferson State Natural Area in West Jefferson W. Kerr Scott – Fort Hamby Nature Trail Disc Golf Course in Wilkesboro • Rocky Knob Bike Park Pump Track in Boone • New River State Park in Crumpler • Price Lake in Blowing Rock • Price Memorial Park Picnic Area in Blowing Rock • Elk Knob State Park in Todd • T own of Bakersville Creek Walk in Bakersville • Lake James State Park in Nebo • Catawba Meadows Park Nature Trail Disc Golf Course • The North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville • Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville • Mount Mitchell State Park in Burnsville • Grayson Highlands State Park in Grayson County, VA • Blue Ridge Music Center in Galax, VA • • • • •
Each year, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation works closely with the National Park Service to select vital initiatives that will better connect visitors with the Parkway’s natural wonders and history and sustain the park for generations to come. In 2018, those projects include enhancements to TRACK Trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Learn more, and contribute at brpfoundation.org. Tamara Seymour is a N.C. Certified Environmental Educator and Blue Ridge Naturalist. She is the publisher of Carolina Explorers magazine, a family publication all about the nature of North Carolina. You can reach Tamara at tamara@NCexplorers.com.
Historic Bluffs Coffee Shop
Circa 1940 Bringing Bluffs Restaurant Back to Life By Rita Larkin Opened in 1949, Bluffs Restaurant was the first establishment on the Blue Ridge Parkway to attract travelers with hot meals. The ambitious plan to build a road from Shenandoah National Park to Great Smoky Mountains National Park was just 14 years into construction, and folks stopped in for some of the best fried chicken, country ham, and homemade biscuits around. It was a spot for first dates, family suppers, and early morning chats over coffee. In addition to a gathering spot for locals and travelers alike, the restaurant and nearby Bluffs Lodge were economic engines for neighboring communities in the northwest corner of North Carolina. In 2010, the much-loved Bluffs Restaurant at Doughton Park, at milepost 240 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, closed. Searches for a suitable concessionaire to take over operation of the business never panned out and the building went dark. With each passing year, the stone building became a less likely candidate for revitalization as the equipment aged and structure developed mold. All the while, requests to reopen the restaurant came in to the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation and National Park Service. Thanks to that groundswell of dedication for its renewal, there are signs of life returning to the 73-seat café that still features the black and white checkboard floors and retro stools at the counter. The first step was the reopening of the adjacent camp store that is now a visitor information center and gift shop operated by Eastern National at the site near Sparta, North Carolina. The Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation’s Community of Stewards is pushing the project forward with support from the North Carolina General Assembly and Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). In 2017, the state appropriated $350,000 toward building repairs. ARC recently provided a $300,000 grant to purchase updated restaurant equipment and furniture. In the past, the significant cost of new equipment and repairs deterred potential concession applications. There is even more good news: several prospective operators toured the facility this spring to learn about the logistics of setting up shop. With a nearby campground and miles of bucolic hiking trails, the restaurant is poised to reclaim its role as a hub for the broader 6,300-acre Doughton Park Recreation Area. Thanks to individual donors, neighboring towns and counties, and many supporting organizations, Bluffs is on the road to recovery. To learn more and donate to the revitalization project, visit www.brpfoundation.org/doughtonpark.
Bluffs Restaurant interior
Photo Exhibit at Bluffs Visitor Center CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Appalachian Angler
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www.foscoefishing.com • 8857 NC Highway 105 South, Boone NC 28607 • 828-963-6556 96— Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
FISHING More Than Just Catching By Andrew Corpening
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eople fish for many reasons. Of course everyone hopes to catch fish, but if your only goal is to catch fish, you set yourself up for disappointment. Remember that it is called fishing, not catching. To truly enjoy the fishing experience you need to embrace all aspects of the sport. These include the natural world around you, characters you meet, and things that happen to you or to friends. Due to the nature of fishing, it is a great time to see wildlife. A good fisherman tries to remain quiet. By being quiet, you don’t appear to be a threat. You will see weasels, birds, and larger animals. I have seen a bear while on a fishing trip. I have seen a hawk catch a water snake and fly off with it. I have had a small bird pick up my fly every time I cast. One of my greatest memories was when a doe and fawn crossed the river near me while fishing in Tennessee. Not all wildlife encounters are as pleasant. A local fishing guide was fishing in the Valle Crucis area when he heard a commotion downstream. Suddenly a deer came running up the river with several dogs chasing it. The deer and dogs continued upstream until out of sight. A little later he noticed the deer’s tail floating by. This is a good reason not to let your dogs run loose. My father liked to pier fish at the coast because you never knew what you might catch. Even though mountain trout streams don’t have the biodiversity of the ocean, the High Country’s waters still hold surprises.
Once a friend and I were fishing above a family group at a popular area on the Watauga River. We had been fishing for a while when a woman from the group approached us on the bank and asked us if we could tell them what they had caught. We joined the group and found they had caught a hellbender. The native hellbender is the world’s third largest salamander ranging from 12 to 29 inches. This prehistoric looking creature is considered endangered and, if caught, should be released carefully. Another surprise you will encounter through fishing are the people you will meet. Once while on a fishing trip to Montana, a buddy and I ran into a gentleman from Pennsylvania at a popular access point on the Madison River. Since we had just arrived, we asked the man how the fishing was. He said that the fishing guides were having clients use nymphs (underwater flies). He then said, “But if I wanted to fish with bait, I would have stayed at home.” He was a true hardcore dry fly fisherman. Speaking of Tennessee, a friend was fishing there when he saw an old-timer catch a huge trout on bait. My friend helped the man land the fish and asked him if he was going to have it mounted. The old-timer said, “Why? I already have a bigger one on the wall at home.” Then there are the things that happen while fishing. I have an old fishing buddy that really hates snakes. We were fishing on the Watauga below Hound Ears Resort when a water snake washed down into a pool where my friend was fishing.
I pointed out the snake to him. He then managed to get both of his size 10 wading boots on top of a dry rock smaller than a dinner plate. He did not get off the rock until the snake was out of sight. This same friend had another snake encounter while we were fishing in the Foscoe area. A water snake took his fly and started to spin in the water. The snake got wrapped in the leader. Of course my friend did not want anything to do with the snake so he cut his leader and let the fly, leader, and snake drift away. Slipping on a rock and falling in happens to everyone who wades while fishing. If you don’t fall in once and awhile, you are not fishing enough. Falling in one of our High Country streams is usually no big deal. Generally, the only thing hurt is your pride. This happened to me while fishing on the Watauga near Valle Crucis. I was wearing hip boots that day and when I fell in, they filled with water. I got on the bank and took the boots off and poured the water out. I felt lucky that no one saw me, when the Game Warden came. We knew each other well; he had a good laugh and I continued fishing. On the way home I stopped at my favorite fly shop. When I went in everyone started to laugh. Seems the Game Warden had also stopped by the shop and told everyone about my accidental bath. Yes, fishing is certainly a lot more than just catching fish! n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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mountain notes NOTES FROM THE GRANDFATHER MOUNTAIN STEWARDSHIP FOUNDATION
Bear With Us for an Otterly Fun Time By Frank Ruggiero
g Gerry, a black This summer is for the birds. And the s new Jolly Eg bear – all smile ugar, enjoys hi co rn te es W a s during feedin bears. And the otters. And the cougars and the elk. Aspen, g time Animal Enrichment Day returns to Grandfather Mountain in August to celebrate the nonprofit nature park’s furry and feathered denizens. The nonprofit park has an Amazon.com wish list, featuring On Wednesday, August 1, guests to the park can partake in a day full of fun and educational activities, all centered on the toys and supplies that are appropriate for the habitat animals. Donors can choose a gift for their favorite animal, purchase it habitat animals. “This is a great way to celebrate all of the habitat animals,” online and have it delivered straight to the mountain for their said Christie Tipton, animal habitats curator for the Grandfather immediate enjoyment. The list of suggested items is available Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization at http://bit.ly/GMAmazonWishlist. Animal lovers also can contribute through the Grandfather that oversees the Linville, N.C., nature preserve and attraction. “We want to use this day to thank the animals for all they do to Mountain Adopt-an-Animal Program. Honorary adopters receive enrich our lives and to educate people about our native wildlife.” a photo of their animal, certificate of adoption, informational All of Grandfather’s habitat animals are rescues, having been sheet about the animal’s life and additional items at higher donainjured or orphaned in the wild or born into captivity, meaning tion levels, including a plush animal, cast of an animal footprint, they’re unfit for release. The August 1 event highlights animal en- day pass to Grandfather Mountain or behind-the-scenes visits richment and its importance in caring for these animals who call with their animal. Adoption levels range from $25 to $300, and more information is available online at https://grandfather.com/ Grandfather home. An enrichment is a special treat, new toy or unfamiliar scent preserving-protecting/adopt-an-animal/. that breaks up the animals’ routines and helps keep them active Behind-the-Scenes Habitat Tours and intellectually stimulated. The habitat residents are given enGuests who just can’t get enough of the habitat animals can richments multiple times throughout the day, and park guests are encouraged to watch through naturalist-led animal encounters, also enjoy Behind-the-Scenes Habitat Tours for an additional which are held daily, spring through fall. These provide an ideal cost. These 90-minute tours allow the public to see where the animals sleep, learn why they’re here and what it takes to care for opportunity to see each animal active, up close and personal. For Animal Enrichment Day, guests will observe special en- them, and observe a training session. Tours take place from 12:30 to 2 p.m. each Saturday and Sunrichments in each habitat and even participate in some interacday, with extra opportunities during holiday weekends. tive games and activities related to caring for the animals—all of The mountain also offers more intensive Keeper for a Day which is included with the price of admission. Younger guests can make special enrichment treats for their programs, which allow visitors 12 and older a chance to shadow favorite animals, as well as for their own pets at home. Kids can the habitat keepers as they perform their daily work. Participants also play a special game against a one-of-a-kind team: the river will learn how to interact with the animals, clean their habitats, otters. The otters will forage their habitat for treats, while their prepare food and provide enrichments, all while observing the human competitors will be searching for treats of their own. habitats’ inner workings. For more information or to reserve a spot, call (828) 733-8715, Whoever finds all the treats first wins. “Animal enrichment is the most important program in the or email habitats@grandfather.com. Any remaining Behind-theanimal habitats, and we are excited to teach people about it,” as- Scenes Tour spaces may be reserved the day of the tour at the sistant habitats curator Emma Noto said. “Enrichment provides a Nature Museum Gift Shop. The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundamore stimulating environment for the animals and helps them exhibit their natural behaviors by foraging, manipulating objects, tion strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather playing or simply moving around.” Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or plan a trip at www.grandfather.com. Year-round Enrichment Grandfather Mountain offers numerous ways for folks to conPhotos courtesy of the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation tribute to the animals and their well-being. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Star Tours:
Bringing a New Meaning to ‘Night Life’ By Frank Ruggiero
Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, just over the Wilkes County line, ASU’s Dark Sky Observatory offers an ideal setting to gaze into infinity and beyond. Photo by Leander Hutton
Pictured at the Dark Sky Observatory off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Dr. Daniel Caton is Appalachian State University’s director of observatories. Photo courtesy of Dan Caton | Appalachian State University
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hen you think of the western North Carolina High Country, the mountains are usually the stars of the show. But what about the stars themselves? In this rural setting, the absence of metropolitan light pollution creates ideal conditions for stargazing, while higher elevations contribute a sense of feeling closer to the cosmos. But say you wanted to feel even closer. Thanks to a growing number of regional observatories, residents and visitors alike can see the night skies in a whole new light—or lack thereof.
The Dark Sky Observatory
Since 1981, Appalachian State University’s Dark Sky Observatory (DSO) has served as a research lab for the school’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Located off the Blue Ridge Parkway, just over the Wilkes County line, the observatory has broadened its focus to another frontier—astro-tourism. “Observatories typically host some sort of outreach program,” said Dr. Dan Caton, professor of physics and astronomy and director of observatories at Appalachian. For decades, however, DSO was limited in this capacity, lacking a common space where visitors could comfortably gather. But not anymore. Thanks to the generous donation from a Greensboro philanthropist, DSO now boasts a fully operational visitor center. “It took several years, actually, for the center to be completed, but we finally finished it about seven years ago this summer,” Caton said. “We’ve been hosting monthly public nights ever since.” Evenings at DSO events are usually centered on some sort of cosmic event, allowing visitors to get up close and personal with the observatory’s 32-inch telescope, housed in an ADAcompliant dome. While the observatory is home to four other telescopes, only the 32-inch is currently open to the public. Fortunately, it’s the most robust of the group, offering stargazers a prime view to some stellar subjects this summer, including the favorable opposition of Mars in July (when the red planet is closer to Earth), the Perseid meteor shower in August and a Venus viewing in September. And before one can say “hashtag-astro-selfie,” yes, visitors can take photos through the telescope. “Even if it’s cloudy or rainy, we’ll meet and do something fun inside, like tour the facility, view a slide show, let kids steer the telescope and dome around,” Caton said. “We always have a good time. Parents will bring kids of all ages, some of whom ask some pretty penetrating questions. The smart kids really know their stuff. It’s the adults who sometimes ask the off-the-wall questions.” In short, no; Caton has not seen a UFO. “I’m very skeptical,” he said. “Bring me a piece of one, and we’ll talk.” Evenings at DSO are typically scheduled during the last week of the preceding month, allowing star trekkers ample time to buy tickets (only available online). Caton warned that tickets tend to sell out fast, meaning folks should keep an eye not only on the sky, but on the DSO website. • Dark Sky Observatory is located on Observatory Road in Purlear, Wilkes County. For more information, including directions, visit https://dso.appstate.edu/.
MCC’s Bare Dark Sky Observatory is home to a robust 34-inch telescope, which requires viewers to climb a few short steps to peer into the eyepiece. Photo courtesy of Beth Morris | Mayland Community College
The Bare Dark Sky Observatory
Meanwhile, things are looking up in Yancey County, home to Mayland Community College’s (MCC) Bare Dark Sky Observatory (BDSO). Now in its first full year of operation, the observatory provides an out-of-this-world view of the skies, offering visitors and students the chance to peer through both a 34-inch telescope— the largest public ’scope in North Carolina—and its 14-inch counterpart. Furthermore, in recognition of its efforts to preserve the natural nighttime landscape from artificial light, the observatory is the first International Dark-Sky Association-designated star park in the southeastern United States, meaning conditions are more than ideal for optimal viewing. “For the astronomy world, this is a huge benefit,” said Beth Morris, MCC’s director of marketing. “Being certified as an IDA site is perfect for those who are really wanting to come out and see the sky.” For instance, during her most recent visit, Morris spotted Saturn and four of its moons, as well as an incredible close-up of Earth’s own moon. “It’s really amazing and such a great resource,” she said. “We’re bringing people in from a lot of different places, and not just the local community. One of our goals is to be an economic driver for the area.” As it stands, the BDSO is somewhat of a minimalist operation, mostly featuring an outdoor viewing area, but MCC is looking to the stars, with plans to expand and include a planetarium and visitor center. Although used for MCC student research, the facility is open to the public for community viewing nights, held nearly every weekend, with tickets available online through reservation only. And with numerous dates available, the sky is hardly the limit. • The Bare Dark Sky Observatory is located at 66 Energy Exchange Drive in Burnsville. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit www.mayland.edu/observatory, or call (828) 766-1214.
Look! Up in the Sky! Earth-to-Sky Park Hosts Star Party with the North Carolina Science Festival By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
Each spring, the North Carolina Science Festival helps create and promote hundreds of events across the state, each focusing on some aspect of science. From forensics demonstrations at labs to robot battles in gyms, all kinds of science are featured in events of all sizes that appeal to all ages. On April 21, Mayland Community College’s new Earth-to-Sky Park hosted a Star Party as part of the Festival. The Festival always provides venues with resources like pencils and buttons that can be distributed, along with a stuffed version of the Festival’s popular “spokesbot,” Kelvin. In addition, volunteers from Mayland provided an array of activities, from creating a Kepler star wheel to seeing what life might be like on other planets. The main attraction, though, was one that the nearly 300 visitors had to wait for. As the sky darkened, visitors to the free event traveled up to the Park’s showpiece, the Bare Dark Sky Observatory, which features the 34-inch diameter Sam Scope and a smaller planetary telescope. In addition, other telescopes were on hand to allow views of many of the wonders of the night sky, from nebulae to galaxies. Many visitors stayed for several hours, enjoying opportunities to view varying objects as the night sky processed through its great dance. With guests coming from just down the road or from several states away, the Star Party was a stellar success that bodes well for the future.
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Mattie with Ozzie
Nicholas (Nick) Yates with Cyr
Summer Clinical: May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center By Nina Fischesser and Lees-McRae students
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tudents are readying themselves for the onslaught of orphaned and injured wildlife that will be brought to the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (MWRC) this summer. They are earning 12 college credits for three months of learning through real time experience and classwork combined. We can have anywhere from 100 to 200 wild patients at any given time, so the days are long and fast paced. At the end of the summer session, students are required to write a reflection paper about their experience at the center. The following are excerpts from students, with permission to share in their own words their experience at MWRC at Lees-McRae College during the summer of 2017.
Kyndsey Rounds
Week One: Our first week was the longest week. I learned how to feed baby birds, baby crows and we had many new patients to get started with. It made me nervous at first when we began learning how to hand feed the birds. My first birds were common grackles. They were older and were taking from the hemostats themselves and it made
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it easy, yet difficult when I came across birds like seed eaters. Our second day we got in a black vulture and I hand fed a baby EASO (eastern screech owl). On the third day, we found our ambassadors and I did my first successful wing wrap. Conclusion: Summer clinical wasn’t what I expected. It was much more. I performed wing wraps, medicating patients, cleaning wounds, and administering SQ fluids. I presented and gave tours outside the center, which was much easier this summer. I really appreciate everything I have learned and hope I can continue wildlife education in my future.
Nicholas Yates
When I first started training with Cyr she would stay away from me in her enclosure and just watch me very closely because she did not trust me. I fed her every day and would just sit in there and talk to her to try and earn her trust. I got worried after the first couple of days because she would not eat in front of me or relax with me in her cage. Until the fourth day I was feeding her she started to eat in front of me. I just about jumped with joy because that meant she could trust me enough
to know I would not hurt her when she took her eyes off me, and even though it was just for a second, it still was a great experience. Two days after that she took a mouse from my hand. That time I could not hold back my excitement—I let out a little “hooray” and she just looked up at me and I could tell she was thinking, “This dumb kid.” But for me is was a great experience. After that I could tell she started to trust me more. She would get up on the glove for me fairly easily most of the time as long as she was feeling it. Soon our little hangouts began to last a lot longer and I would sit in there with her for an hour or more just talking to her and watching her. Over the course of this summer I learned a lot and made a lot of really great friends and memories. I think my time with Cyr will be the one that I will always remember and think about a lot throughout the rest of my life. We developed a really good trust and she became one of my closest friends at the center.
Amy Hillsman
Over the course of the summer I wrote a poem on my experiences at the center … here is an excerpt; it is written as a spoken word
Amy Hillsman
poem, so there are some run-on sentences. It is not always easy when they can’t tell you what is wrong. They are animals, after all. Even a wealth of veterinary knowledge can’t fix everything. We just have to guess and do our best. Yesterday a house finch died as we rushed to give it oxygen. Today a robin was found dead in his aquarium with no known cause of death. Yes, I feel that weight of a thousand deaths but sometimes there is no room for compassion. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and move on. But I see miracles. I watch orphans grow up. I see their injuries heal, their sicknesses swept away with time and medication. Then one day we get to put them in a box, drive out to the park, and watch them go free. It may not matter in the grand scheme of things, but right now we are saving lives that would otherwise be lost. These fauna may not be charismatic but they are a part of the ecosystem and every one counts, without them there is no predator or prey, without them there is no nature, without them the world falls apart. This summer has been one of the best summers of my life. I have loved getting to know all my friends better, spending time improving the center, and working with new ambassadors. For the first time, I feel good about myself and what I do. I know what I want
Kyndsey and Bobby the opossum
out of life and it is all thanks to you, Nina, for making this a reality. You have worked hard to make the center what it is and I am so proud to be a part of that. I look forward to being a mentor and instilling that same curiosity and excitement that I had as a freshman to these new students.
Mattingly Yates
If I had to choose one favorite patient from the whole summer it would be the White Breasted Nuthatch. I never thought I would be so attached to a little songbird but he became very special to me. I was in ICU the day he was admitted; he was a fledgling with a broken leg and no reaction in the foot. Dr. Amber gave him butorphanol and put a paper tape bandage on the leg. We set him up in a crab box in ICU and put him on 30-minute feedings. He was eating great that day and continued to do well moving forward. I was able to be the one to release him; we took him and five other birds to the Valle Crucis park. It was my favorite release that I’ve been a part of so far. He flew up into a tree and was singing his little heart out! It was such a nice feeling to come full circle with him—I got to be there when he was admitted and at his release. The final experience I want to talk about was the one surgery I was able to assist with.
It was a small one compared to some others that happened during this summer, only about 40 minutes. The patient was a Rock Dove that had a hole in his crop that needed to be sutured closed. It is scary to be responsible for the anesthesia of a patient, especially for the first time. Nick and I did it together though, so that was helpful. The surgery went very well, the RODO woke up great and was eating seed the next morning! Summer clinical was one hell of an experience for me. In what other place would I ever get to tube feed a mute swan, and present a red tail hawk to the public on the same day? After this summer I feel so much more confident in myself. I am far less nervous about talking to the public even though it’s still not my favorite thing to do. I am very proud of us as a group for making it through with very little drama and I feel so much closer to everyone in the program. I am so fortunate to have found this program and I will always be grateful for the experience. n If you want to learn more, please come to our free wildlife programs at the May Wildlife Center at LeesMcRae College, Tickle Classroom, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 1 p.m. Learn more about the May Wildlife Rehabilitation Center at lmc.edu/wildlifecenter.
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Author Baker with Carringer
Wayne Carringer:
98 and Still “UNBROKEN” By Steve Baker
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ome four years ago I became the veterans’ representative for the Morganton Elks Lodge. At that time, we decided we would do projects at the VA Hospital in Asheville, NC. On our first trip there I had the honor of meeting Mr. Wayne Carringer. I soon learned that he was a World War II veteran and was the last survivor of the Bataan Death March from N.C. In one of my first conversations with Wayne, he started relating some of his experiences of the Bataan Death March and being held captive in a Japanese prisoner of war camp for over 1,256 days. Being a veteran myself I cannot comprehend what Wayne experienced. Wayne’s story starts as a young man from Robbinsville, NC who joined the Army in September of 1939 at the age of 17. He lied about his age saying he was 19. His first two years were spent at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana training with the Army Air Corp. Wayne was then transferred to the island of Bataan in the Philippines where he arrived two weeks before the bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. American and Filipino forces surrendered to the Japanese on April 9, 1942 and that was when Wayne was taken prisoner. Wayne said he felt “the island of
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Bataan fell rather than surrendered because the American forces did not run out throwing up their hands.” The prisoners were forced to march 60 plus miles in stifling heat. There were some 60,000 prisoners of war, of which 10,000 were American soldiers. The exact number of soldiers who died during this march is unknown but believed to be thousands upon thousands. Any kindness shown to members of the march or any food given to them by the native islanders was met with immediate death to the Filipinos who attempted to help them. Upon arrival in San Fernando, the end of the march, the prisoners were loaded onto trains and transported to Camp O’Donnell on the island where he spent a year. Wayne referred to Camp O’Donnell as “a death factory.” He did not expand upon this and I did not press him for more details. After two years at Camp O’Donnell the prisoners were loaded onto a ship and taken to Omuta, Japan to work in the Mitsubishi coal mines. The prisoners worked up to 10 hours per day in groups of 10 and were told if one tried to escape, the other nine would also die. He stated that the prisoners were given two meals daily consisting of a bowl of rice with cabbage soup. The cabbage soup was a cabbage leaf in a bowl of room
temperature water. Wayne said his weight dropped from 140 pounds when he enlisted to around 75 pounds. Wayne was held at a POW camp for over three and a half years. In August of 1945, Wayne said they had been seeing a lot of American aircraft in the skies over the POW camp and “on August 9, 1945 (the dropping of the second atomic bomb on Nagasaki) we heard a lot of air activity and we saw some aircraft that we thought were B-29 bombers. The POW camp at Omuta was in close proximity of Nagasaki and we heard the explosion and saw the mushroom cloud.” Once freed, he and other POWs were flown to Okinawa and from there to Manila where they stayed for several weeks. Finally, they were getting plenty of food and anything else they wanted. From there they boarded a ship, the Joseph T. Dickman, and arrived home in San Francisco. “The last time I saw the Golden Gate Bridge was when I left over four years earlier for the Philippines. We stayed in a hospital in San Francisco for several weeks and all the fellows from North Carolina were put on a special passenger car on the train and we were headed home to NC. “We were sent to Moore General Hospital in Swannanoa for several
months. This is where I learned that I had been considered a ‘ghost soldier.’ When I inquired to what a ghost soldier was, I was told that at some point in time a soldier lost one of the two military dog tags he had but he did not remember when he lost it.” According to Wayne, a Japanese guard found it and turned it in, and Wayne was initially reported as missing, then deceased. His family was notified of his death and there was a ceremony held in his hometown of Robbinsville. “When I finally arrived home in Robbinsville it was bitter sweet. There were three family members not there to meet me: two brothers—Porter who was killed in an accident at Fontana Dam, and Andy who died from a ruptured appendix. They were both in their late twenties. My mother was also gone and she died thinking she had lost three sons.” On April 9, 2017 I had the honor of attending the 75th Anniversary of the Bataan Death March honoring Wayne at the Charles George VA Medical Center in Asheville. This was an unforgettable experience and the entire program can be seen on YouTube. Wayne will tell you that he is “UNBROKEN” just like Louis “Louie” Zamperini from the movie “Unbroken.” He asked me if I had seen the movie and I told him I had. Wayne stated that, “Other than the 47 days Louie was in a raft lost at sea and captured by the Japanese Navy, my treatment, beatings, starvation and humiliation at the hands of the Japanese mirrors the treatment of Louie. They tried to break me but I’m still unbroken.” I consider it a privilege to know Wayne and an honor to consider him a friend. This article is a compilation of four years of friendship and conversations with Wayne Carringer, a true American hero who at 98 is STILL UNBROKEN. n
Andrews & Andrews Insurance 1910 Millers Gap Hwy Newland, NC 828-737-0679 Melba Andrews/Agent melbaandrews@bellsouth.net
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Local Tidbits
Traveling the Blue Ridge Parkway this Summer? The Linn Cove viaduct has reopened! Learn more about the recent improvements to this section of the Parkway at BRPFoundation.org.
Photo by Hugh Morton | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation
A Summer Day at Wildcat Lake! Wildcat Lake, reminiscent of an oldfashioned swimming hole, is owned and operated by Children’s Hope Alliance. It’s a great summer family destination for locals and visitors! Swim, fish (license required), canoe, picnic, and spend a day playing in and around this 13-acre lake! Enjoy a white sand beach, swimming pier and fishing dock. Canoe and paddle board rentals are available. To reserve a picnic shelter, call 898-5465. Wildcat is located in Banner Elk on Hickory Nut Gap Road, just past the 100year-old Grandfather Home campus of the Children’s Hope Alliance. Open every weekend Memorial Day through Labor Day. Learn more about the lake at bannerelk.com. Learn more about the Children’s Hope Alliance at www. childrenshopealliance.org.
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Looking for a Great Summer Camp? Holston Camp and Retreat Center in Banner Elk has 150 acres of forest, lakes and streams nestled in the mountains. Check out the new summer camp schedule at www.holstoncenter.org. Weicholz Global Film Series: A Year of Women in Film This year’s series beginning on July 3 continues the App Summer Festival’s tradition of presenting stellar films from around the world—thanks to the efforts of film curator, Dr. John Pfeifer, and the support of film sponsors, Helene and Stephen Weicholz. This year, the event includes the App Summer Book and Film Club. Festival attendees will have the opportunity to read the book on which one of the films is based, and to see the film adaptation of that same novel as part of The Weicholz Global Film Series on the big screen at the Schaefer Center. Learn more at appsummer.org.
Frisbee Dogs at the Historic Banner Elk School! Come see regional sport dog teams on the lawn in front of the school on Saturday, July 21 at 9 a.m. Worldclass teams will compete in the Skyhoundz DiscDogathon, a World Championship Qualifier.
Year of the Bird 2018 is the Year of the Bird! That’s because not only is it the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)— a pivotal piece of legislation that continues to save countless birds’ lives—but birds are also facing many new and serious threats, including attacks on the MBTA itself. The National Audubon Society has teamed up with National Geographic, BirdLife International, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to officially make 2018 the Year of the Bird. Support High Country birds by participating in the local High Country Audubon Society, highcountryaudubon.org.
Appalachian Antique Show August 3-5 Join other antique enthusiasts at this free, three-day show in the serene setting of the Appalachian Mountains (Whispering Waters Farm, 274 Shulls Mill Road in Boone). Shop some of the country’s top antique dealers, brought to you by Dalton Bain. Bring your friends and family and enjoy live music, local food and beverages, and free parking at the show. On Friday, enjoy a free ‘Welcome Dinner’ from 6-8 p.m., catered by Reid’s Cafe & Catering. Learn more and register for the event at daltonbain.com/ events/appalachian-antique-show/.
Grandfather Presents... Grandfather Mountain offers a special lecture series throughout the summer, including the following featured event on July 19, 6 - 8 p.m.: Julia Roberson, VP of The Ocean Conservancy will discuss connections between the global systems that define our ocean and mountain ecosystems. Attendance is limited; to register, email judi@grandfather.com, or call (828) 733-2013. For a list of all “Grandfather Presents” summer lectures, visit grandfather.com.
Literary Event in Sparta Charlie Lovett, New York Times bestselling novelist, will appear on stage at the Horizon Bistro, Saturday, August 4th, at 3 p.m. The Bistro is located at 38 S. Main Street, Sparta, NC, in the historic Smithey Building. Lovett is a writer, teacher, playwright, and hosts the audio podcast, “Inside the Writers Studio.” He will read from his New York Times bestseller, The Bookman’s Tale, and his latest novel, The Lost Book of the Grail. The program is open to the public.
SmileOn ADG Mark your calendar for the 6th Annual Fundraiser for SmileOn ADG on August 11, 5-9 p.m. at The Apple Barn in Valle Crucis. SmileOn ADG is a 501c3 that has been proudly helping High Country youth since 2013. The organization was born from the untimely passing of a well loved local young man named Adam Galleher who truly loved music. Since SmileOn ADG’s inception, it have given out over $56,000 to help kids in Watauga, Avery, and Ashe Counties in a variety of ways. Improving middle and high school band programs was its first mission, but today’s grant program includes welding & automotive programs, and many others! Learn more at www. smileonadg.org.
Gregory Smith At the Art Cellar This summer, enjoy one of the many exhibitions at the Art Cellar, located at 920 Shawneehaw Avenue, Hwy. 184 in Banner Elk. Variations on a Theme: Tim Turner & Gregory Smith, July 5 - July 28, Opening July 7, 4-6 p.m. An Approach to the Meaning of Art An Afternoon with the Artist Noyes Capehart: July 15, 2-4 p.m. Visual Energy: Book Signing with Artist Zoey Brookshire, July 29, 2-4 p.m.
For the Love of Quilting: Wilkes County Quilt Show The Wilkes County Quilters, Inc. Quilt Show turns 20 this year! The show will be held on September 7, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and September 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Stone Center, 613 Cherry Street in N. Wilkesboro, NC. Admission is $3 (12 and under free). See Guild members’ quilts on exhibit, peruse the Unique Shoppers boutique, enter the Guild Challenge, and purchase raffle tickets to win a featured 2018 quilt or a $1,000 Grand Prize Package. All proceeds help the guild fulfill its mission of promoting quilting and local community service. The guild donates on average 100 quilts of varying sizes each year, along with numerous baby booties and hats to different groups in need throughout Wilkes County. For more information visit wilkesquilters.org.
Master of Realism: David Birmingham August 2 - August 25, Opening August 4, 4-6 p.m. Annual Cocktails and Conversation: An Afternoon with the Artist Bill Dunlap, August 12, 2-4 p.m. Bold Scapes: Joseph Cave August 30 - October 6, Opening September 1, 4-6 p.m.
Congratulations Blue Ridge Energy Blue Ridge Energy is the 2018 recipient of the Edgar F. Chesnutt Award for Best Total Communication Program among America’s electric cooperatives, the highest honor in the Spotlight on Excellence Awards program. Blue Ridge Energy established a new community solar program in response to consumer requests for additional renewable energy options. Their communications campaign was so effective that every panel in the solar array was sold in just 10 months! The program was featured in the Spring ‘17 issue of CML. Appalachian State University’s Energy Summit 2018 On July 30 - August 1, ASU hosts current and future leaders of energy policies and practices to discuss the theme, Leadership for Good. Visit sustain.appstate.edu/initiatives/energysummit/2018. Also, ASU’s Appalachian Energy Center presents 2018 Clean Energy Workshops, August 24, Sept 7, Sept 14, and Sept 21-22 at the Appalachian Energy Center. For details, continuing education credits and a list of workshops, visit energy.appstate. edu. Ashe County’s Literary Festival ‘On The Same Page’ Literary Festival, sponsored by Ashe Arts Council and the Ashe County Library, will be held September 11-15. The Festival welcomes renowned authors, to include Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate. This celebration of reading is detailed on their website: Onthesamepagefestival. org, or by calling the Ashe Arts Council at 336-846-2787. New Lifts at Beech Beech Mountain Resort is currently installing two NEW chairlifts to be ready for the winter season. Summer patrons will still get the same great experience with a quick shuttle ride to the summit!
Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show This summer, don’t miss Hunter/ Jumper events on July 24-29 and August 1-5. Show events take place at the L.M. Tate Showgrounds at the Broyhill Equestrian Preserve, 1500 Laurel Ln in Blowing Rock, NC. Purchase tickets and check out the full list of 2018 events at brchs.org.
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Kevin Beck What’s New at BRAHM The 2018 Blowing Rock Plein Air Festival, part of BRAHM Community Week, takes place July 13-14. With Blowing Rock as the epicenter for this festival, artists are invited to take advantage of the beautiful High Country setting, set up their easels, and paint “en plein air.” A “Wet Paint Show & Sale” takes place on the evening of July 14 at BRAHM. During the Wet Paint Show & Sale, the public can vote for awards in the People’s Choice category. Join featured artists Kim Abernethy, Kevin Beck, Joe Miller, Dwight Rose, and Jeremy Sams as they paint beautiful Blowing Rock. Learn about all of BRAHM’s summer programs and exhibitions at www.BlowingRockMuseum. org, or call (828) 295-9099.
Christine Kosiba, Handbuilt Clay This Summer at Anvil Arts Garden Party Weekend will be held Saturday July 21 and Sunday 22. Explore sculpture under the trees and in the Gallery, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day. Refreshments and conversation provided. In August, featured guest artist Christine Kosiba will present a Clay Art Talk on August 4, 10:30 a.m. with caffeine, cookies, and conversation. Anvil Arts Sculpture Garden & Gallery is located in Linville Falls, NC. studiosculpture.com, 828.765.6226
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Folkmoot: North Carolina’s International Folk Festival July 19-29 Named by USA Today as one of the Top Twenty Festivals in North Carolina, Folkmoot is a ten-day cultural arts event, held in communities throughout Western North Carolina including Waynesville, Clyde, Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley, Canton, Cherokee, Franklin, Hickory, Asheville, and Hendersonville. The 2018 festival features cultural activities, live music, dance instruction and performances by cultural groups from Ghana, Italy, Czech Republic, Mexico, Venezuela, Jamaica, Northern Cyprus, Thailand and local Appalachian and Cherokee dancers and musicians. To view the 2018 Festival Event Schedule, visit Folkmoot.org
F.A.R.M. Full Circle: A High Country Food Recovery Program The F.A.R.M. Full Circle program was designed to preserve seasonally abundant produce for year-round distribution to community members, regardless of means. The program will glean surplus food from a local network of gardens, farmers, producers, and grocery stores to reduce waste. Shelf life of fresh produce will be extended through methods such as canning, dehydrating, and freezing. Staff, interns, and volunteers will work to create value-added products, meal kits, and heat and eat entrees which will be distributed by community partners to food-insecure individuals. In this way F.A.R.M. Full Circle is actively contributing to a closed-loop local food system. Reduce Waste. Feed People. Learn more at farmcafe.org.
“Price Lake Sky” by Sheila Hancock At Alta Vista Gallery This summer, Alta Vista Gallery in Valle Crucis presents Sheila Hancock’s show, “Blue Ridge Skies,” which hangs from mid-June through mid-July. Meet the artist at the Gallery’s reception on June 23. Hundreds are grieving the loss of beloved Linville Ridge artist Joan Sporn who died this year following a battle with cancer. Alta Vista Gallery represented Sporn for 21 years and is hosting her final art show, “Contemporary Impressionism,” 25 oils hanging from July 17 to August 14. On July 28, the public is invited to attend the show’s opening reception, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., to meet her sons and mingle with others to celebrate together how her work mirrors her life. Jeremy Sams’ show, “The Light,” will hang mid-Aug. through mid-Sept. Meet the artist at a reception on Aug. 25. Alta Vista Gallery is located in a National Register historic farmhouse at 2839 Broadstone Road, Valle Crucis – between Mast Inn and Mast Annex. For info, call 828/963-5247 or visit www.AltaVistaGallery.com or the gallery’s page on Facebook.
Give Your Postal Carrier A Hand Last year, the United States Postal Service employees incurred 6,432 dog bites nationwide. Protect your carrier from dog bites by being a responsible pet owner. When accepting mail or packages at your door, please place your dog in a separate room and close the door. In delivery situations where a dog is running loose and a carrier may feel threatened, your mail delivery may be impacted. Note that leash laws exist in many areas. Please consider the safety of your postal carrier and other people around you.
Let Us Hear from You! Have an event or tidbit you’d like to share with CML readers? Send your information to the editor at tamara@seymourcc.net. If you’re just returning to the High Country and missed seeing the spring issue of Carolina Mountain Life Magazine, stop by our office at the Historic Banner Elk School and pick up your copy today!
Pick Up the Latest Issue of The Appalachian Voice... ...and read about pollinators, land conservation, environmental health issues, and a complete list of environmental and cultural events in the Appalachian region! Visit appvoices. org. for more information.
New Woolly Worm Wiggle Crawl at Tate-Evans Park Chief of Police Kevin Hodges (left) was joined by Avery Chamber Director Melynda Pepple and Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk President Jeff Davis, surrounding the face of the Woolly Worm that is greeting children this summer. On Kiwanis One Day over 50 community members erected new playground equipment at Tate-Evans Park.
Bluegrass & Mountain Music Jam at the Historic Banner Elk School On Mondays throughout the year, the Bluegrass & Mountain Music Jam will gather at the Book Exchange to play and sing—all lovers of the many sounds of bluegrass music are welcomed! Musicians are encouraged to share their skills and knowledge with the group. Summer Monday Jams: Jul 16, Aug 20, Sept 17 6:15pm - 8:15pm. And don’t miss the “Slow Jam” (oldtime) on the second Saturday of each month at the Book Exchange.
History in Color A copy of an oil painting of the Historic Banner Elk School was presented to Banner Elk Councilman Allen Bolick (L) and Town Manager Rick Owen (R) by artist Sarah Delli Colli. Sarah is a 2018 Appalachian State University studio art graduate.
2018 Summer Programming at the Book Exchange, Historic Banner Elk School, Downtown Banner Elk
June 26 Tues. at 7 p.m. Allen Cook – Author Talk: Moonshine, Murder and Mountaineers 30 Saturday 1-4 p.m. Tamara Seymour - Carolina Explorers Science Activities, Grades 4-6
July 10 Tues. 7 p.m. Michael Joslin – Lecture: “ Lees-McRae, Past and Present” 17 Tues. 6:30 p.m. Book Discussion Group: The Girl in the Red Coat by Kate Hamer 21 Sat. 1-4 p.m. Tamara Seymour – Carolina Explorers Science Activities, Grades 4-6 24 Tues. 7 p.m. Mike Vines – Lecture: “Challenges of Biblical Interpretation” 31 Tues. 7 p.m. D.C. Smith – Lecture: “Hickory Nut Gap area history and stories” August 7 Tues. 7 p.m. Michael Hardy – Author Talk: Kirk’s Civil War Raids Along the Blue Ridge 14 Tues. 7 p.m. Jane Stephenson – Lecture: “Changing Lives in Appalachia: New Opportunity School for Women” 18 Sat. 1-4 p.m. Tamara Seymour – Carolina Explorers Science Activities, Grades 4-6 21 Tues. 6:30 p.m. Book Discussion Group: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult 28 Tues. 7 p.m. Allen and Janet Speer – Dramatization: “Fractured Republic: The Civil War in the NC Quaker Belt” September 4 Tues. 7 p.m. Karl Campbell – Lecture: “Stark Raving Mad: Contemporary Politics in Historical Perspective” 11 Tues. 7 p.m. Jon Buchan – Author Talk: Code of the Forest 15 Sat. 1-4 p.m. Tamara Seymour – Carolina Explorers Science Activities, Grades 4-6 18 Tues. 6:30 p.m. Book Discussion Group: Happiness, a Novel by Aminatta Forna 25 Tues. 7 p.m. Doug Hundley – Lecture: “Heritage Apples” Visit bannerelkbookexchange.com for a complete calendar of events. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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The Village of BLOWING ROCK Blowing Rock Farmers Market includes farm raised produce, meats, cheese, honey, eggs, plants, fruits, vegetables, flowers, artisanal breads and desserts, natural body products, and whole foods from local farms, growers, and whole food producers. Join us in Downtown Blowing Rock for the best fresh goods. Parking is available at the American Legion. Thursdays from 4pm to 6pm on Park Avenue www.blowingrock.com/farmersmarket.php
Open May 25 - Oct 12 on Thursdays from 4pm to 6pm on Park Avenue Check out all the latest at www.blowingrock.com/farmersmarket/
Come enjoy the patio this summer! 20 drafts, imports and microbrews
NORTH CAROLINA’S PREMIER GEOLOGY EDUCATION CENTER Geologist On Staff Heated Flumes in the Winter Specializing in NC gemstones Rock Hound Tours Available all Summer Fossils, Mineral Specimens, and More! Private Party Room Available 2 LOCATIONS!
111 Mystery Hill Lane, Blowing Rock, NC 1655 Hwy 105, Boone, NC beside the Putt-Putt Course at ‘Sunrise Grill’
828-264-4499 • www.docsrocks.net
“Open every day, all year round” 9:30am – 5pm Special Hours June, July August
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Serving Menu 7 days a week 11:00am-midnight Bar open ‘til 12:00am, Sun-Wed and 2am Thursday-Saturday
1121 Main St. Blowing Rock 828-295-3155 • sixpencepub.com
The Legend Lives On
“The most unique and lovely creations in Blowing Rock!”
SUMMER
– Diana R. Handtiques customer HandMade
In THe uSa
110 Sunset Drive #2 Blowing Rock, NC ~ 828-295-7001 www.Handtiques.com We’re open year-round!
Hwy 321 South, Blowing Rock 828-295-7111 • theblowingrock.com
Classic Surroundings, Modern Amenities Classic Surroundings, Modern Amenities
events
EstablishEd in 1891 EstablishEd in 1891
BLOWING ROCK ART IN THE PARK
July 14 | Aug 11 | Sept 8 | Oct 6 Juried artisans from all over the Southeast exhibit in a series of shows.
BLOWING ROCK CHARITY HORSE SHOW Saddlebred Show: Jun 7-10 Hunter/Jumper I: Jul 24-29 Hunter/Jumper II: Aug 1-5 One of the oldest horse show events in the country.
JULY 4TH CELEBRATION
Divide Tavern
Chestnut Grille
Divide Tavern
Chestnut Grille
9239 Valley Boulevard Blowing Rock 828-414-9230 9239 Valley Boulevard www.GreenParkInn.com Blowing Rock 828-414-9230 www.GreenParkInn.com
July 7th Free entertainment all day, and small-town Main Street parade.
SYMPHONY BY THE LAKE
July 27 Enjoy the sounds of the Symphony of the Mountains and the beautiful views around Chetola Lake. Also, check out the events at Tweetsie Railroad, weekly events at local businesses and more on our website:
BlowingRock.com 877.750.4636
...our delights are endless! CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Community & Local Business News Second Abode Home Location Opens in the High Country
Banner Elk Rallies around the Woolly Worm Woolly Worms traditionally behave like Banner Elk tourists. They are here for only part of the year. Banner Elk tremendously benefits from both tourists and woolly worms. It is often hoped that tourists enjoy their visits so much that they might take up permanent residence. For the woolly worm, that has happened! After 40 years of high caliber attention and media coverage of the October Woolly Worm Festival, a rather large worm has acquired a permanent home in Banner Elk…close to the center of town. Banner Elk rallied around the joy woolly worms bring to children and placed a Woolly Worm Wiggle Crawl in the Tate-Evans Park. On Kiwanis One Day, members of the Kiwanis Club of Banner Elk joined scores of community-minded volunteers to erect new playground equipment for use by 2-5 year olds. The playground and notable Woolly Worm unit will be dedicated between Kiwanissponsored duck races during the July 4 Party in the Park. Internet research confirms that this is a one-of-a-kind attraction…and found only in Banner Elk, NC!
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Mary Miller, the creative force behind Mary Tobias Miller Interior Design, recently opened her second retail showroom, abode home in the High Country. “The area is wonderful . . . I think my new location will be a nice addition to the retail community, as it offers a different mix of vendors,” said Miller, who’s also a long-time visitor and parttime resident of the area. abode home’s first location in Charlotte’s historic Dilworth area opened in 2008. Miller’s second location possesses more of a modern mountain look and feel than its sleek downtown location, but will offer many of the same items for which it is best known: beautifully curated furniture, home décor, and unique gifts and accessories. Clients can expect to see represented brands that include Lee Industries, Gabby, Century, Lillian August, Hickory White, Bernhardt, and John Robshaw, to name a few. In addition, says Miller, “We will have an in-house design studio running out of this store, just as we do in Charlotte, to help with drapery, pillows, and upholstery, and to offer advice on how to put it all together.” Visit the newest abode home in Suite 1 at Grandfather Center, 4004 Linville Highway #105 South. All summer long, customers can enjoy 15% off their first purchase. The shop will also host a series of trunk shows throughout the summer, including Singvhi Jewels, beginning on Monday, July 23, and Derek E. Ostergard fine European jewelry, beginning on Friday, August 3. For additional information on trunk shows, updates and news from abode home, follow @abodehome on Instagram.
Beat the Peak This Summer: Working Together to Save Energy and Lower Power Costs Blue Ridge Energy has rolled out a new, free program to help members join together and hold down electric costs for all members. The program is called “Beat The Peak” and the phrase refers to peaks in electricity usage created when people are using the most electricity all at once. When members voluntarily work together to shift or reduce their electricity consumption during a few critical hours of the day, everyone benefits from reduced power costs. Peaks this time of year typically occur on the very hottest afternoons when people arrive home, turn down the AC, flip on the lights, and begin tasks such as cooking, laundry, vacuuming and other household chores that consume electricity. Blue Ridge Energy makes it easy to work around “Peak” times by alerting you when a Peak Event is forecast. Simply sign up for text or email alerts at www.BlueRidgeEnergy. com/BTP. When you receive an alert, prepare for you and your household to reduce electricity usage during the peak period. Most helpful are: • Adjust your thermostat—just that few degrees can make a huge difference • Wait to run large appliances like clothes dryers, washing machines and dishwashers during non-peak times—this also reduces hot water usage • Grill out—a delicious and effective way to reduce electricity use in the kitchen! • Turn off all unnecessary lights in and around your home Remember: time IS money when it comes to using electricity. When we all join together to level our cooperative’s peaks in electricity usage, it can reduce wholesale power cost and delay the need for new power plants. Simple actions can make a world of difference! Blue Ridge Energy serves some 75,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, and Alleghany counties as well as parts of Alexander, Wilkes and Avery counties.
“...read all a b out it ”
Thinking of Owning Your Own Business? SCORE Can Help!
The Blue Ridge Partnership for Children Introduces Play & Learn Play and Learn is a weekly playgroup for children, age birth to five years old who are not enrolled in a formal child care setting. The program is currently offered in two locations in Avery County: every Monday from 10 – 11 a.m. at the Book Exchange in Banner Elk, and every Friday from 10 – 11 a.m. at the Avery County Public Library in Newland. When parents and caregivers bring their young children to these interactive playgroups, the children have access to materials for learning, and parents gain support in their role as their child’s first teacher. There is no charge to the families who attend Play and Learn. For more information contact Kim Hobart at playandlearnkhobart@gmail.com. The Blue Ridge Partnership for Children also manages the Imagination Library program in the tri-county area. Imagination Library was started by Dolly Parton as a way to foster a love of reading and books in the youngest children in her home of Sevier County, Tennessee to help them be more ready to succeed in school. Imagination Library is now an international program promoting early childhood literacy. When a child is registered for Imagination Library they will receive a FREE book every month through their fifth birthday. The books are mailed directly to the child’s home in their name and if a child is enrolled in Imagination Library shortly after they are born, they will begin kindergarten with a personal library of 60 books. Research shows how very important reading to a child during the earliest years is to their later success in school and life. Besides these programs, the Blue Ridge Partnership for Children houses a Family Resource Library at their Newland office, and also supports the SCOTTIE Bus, a mobile Pre-K classroom with a state endorsed Pre-K literacy program, child care subsidies, assistance with transportation services, technical assistance services for child care providers and much more. You can support the Blue Ridge Partnership for Children by attending their Taste of the Blue Ridge fundraising event at Linville Falls Winery on Monday, September 17, 2018. The evening will provide a wonderful Italian meal prepared by Reid’s Catering, wine tastings, a variety of games including a dessert dash, silent auction and a live auction all with the goal of raising money to support Play and Learn, Imagination Library and Community Involvement/Education in Avery County. For more information please contact the Blue Ridge Partnership for Children at 828-733-2899, email cdm@BRPartnershipForChildren.org, or visit blueridgechildren.org.
SCORE is celebrating over 15 years helping entrepreneurs and small businesses in the High Country. Based in Boone, High Country SCORE has provided free and confidential mentoring and training services for thousands of enterprises throughout western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee and southern Virginia. Currently there are five local volunteers with a wide range of business experience and expertise in technology, accounting and finance, marketing and sales, product design and manufacturing, employee recruitment and training, etc. In the High Country, starting or buying a small business is an attractive idea for many reasons. As a result, SCORE is committed to having many of its volunteers who were previous business owners to service this group of clients. “We want our mentors to have experience in industries that are predominant in the region, such as lodging and restaurants, sports and recreation venues, light manufacturing, small retail stores, technology startups, agriculture, and at home businesses,” says Herman Metzler, who heads up the local SCORE activities. In order to seek out new clients, SCORE cooperates with local universities and colleges offering entrepreneurial and business programs. High tech and software startup companies are important partners. Lending sources that are looking for opportunities in which to invest are also sources of SCORE clients. Metzler also notes “how important local Chambers of Commerce and banks are in introducing SCORE to potential clients.” Small businesses continue to be a major source of new economic growth for High Country. The number of clients serviced by SCORE has been increasing each year and it is an ongoing challenge to find additional mentors to service new and existing clients. “We are seeing more and more startups especially in the high tech industry and hospitality industries and many of our existing clients are in the process of expanding their operations,” Metzler explains. “We would be pleased to discuss how we might assist any business venture and also welcome inquiries from people who would like to discuss the possibility of joining our group of volunteers.” Herman Metzler can be reached at 919-280-6123 or by email at hgpmetzler@frontier. com. Learn more about SCORE at their national website www.score.org.
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Protection you need, service you deserve.
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Since 1916, Auto-Owners has partnered with independent agents to provide local service and trusted protection. That’s the quality of your independent agent, and the company that stands behind them.
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Newland 733-2061 • Spruce Pine 765-6121 Banner Elk 898-6366 • Burnsville 682-2147 www.fortnerinsurance.com
Home to Titleist & Footjoy
The Tricia Wilson Law Firm Is Pleased To Announce A Firm Name Change To More Accurately Reflect Professional Growth & The Establishment Of Our Practice Concentration:
828.260.3107 | tommycustom1@bellsouth.net
APPALACHIAN ELDER LAW CENTER Elder Law, Medicaid & Long-Term Care Plans Estate Plans, Wills & Trusts, Special Needs Trusts, Family Business Succession Planning, Adult Guardianship & Power of Attorney – A Plan for All Seasons – Suite 9, Linville Village Shopping Center 3616 Mitchell Ave, Linville, NC 28646
Make your party memorable with entertainment by Tahja! (828)387-3695 www.Tahja.com (941)284-6996 German - French - Italian - Belly Dance - 1920s and more...
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Member of ElderCounsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, and the N.C. Bar Association Elder Law & Estate Planning Sections
828-733-1529 | Visit us at aelc.law
“...readCommunity all a&bLocal out itNews ” Business
Boone High Country Rentals (BHCR)
Thinking about leasing your home in the High Country? As more people are drawn seasonally to our area, renting out your property may be something to consider. Boone High Country Rentals provides long-term rental options for residential and commercial properties, offering comprehensive services to owners who have single-family homes, luxury estates, executive properties and student rentals to market. Using the latest software technology with online applications, online rent payment, online maintenance requests, and direct deposit of rental proceeds, Boone High Country Rentals can better help clients maximize their investment. An inhouse maintenance team handles a wide variety of services and repairs to properties throughout Watauga, Avery and Ashe counties. Boone High Country Rentals is an affiliate of Blue Ridge Professional Property Services, LLC. Learn more at 828-262-4646 or www.BooneHCRentals.com.
High Country Resort Rentals (HCRR) Serving Watauga, Avery, and Ashe Counties, HCRR provides vacation rental services to fit every budget. They offer an online owner portal with reservation, financial management and access to accounting details, and the HCRR office is on call 24/7 to facilitate owner and tenant requests, in addition to maintenance, housekeeping and concierge services. HCRR offers syndication with HomeAway, VRBO, and AirBnb combined with social media and Google marketing, resulting in successful occupancy for owners. Learn more at 828-262-4646 or www.HighCountryResortRentals.com.
Blue Ridge Professional Property Services (BRPPS) Represents Property Owner Associations, offering a complete range of management services, including financial & administrative management, asset management, and physical maintenance. BRPPS uses Yardi™, an automated property management and accounting software designed for Homeowner Associations. Yardi Genesis™ features a single integrated database with tools to track ownership and charges, calculate fees, collect payments, monitor maintenance, enforce bylaws, and more. The company also offers comprehensive Absentee Home Care Services to absentee and seasonal property owners or fulltime residents who could benefit from property management services. The property management headquarters for BRPPS, HCRR, and BHCR is located in Boone, with satellite offices in Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, Linville, and West Jefferson. Blue Ridge Professional Property Services, LLC, is a licensed North Carolina Real Estate Company. Learn more at 828-262-4646 or www.BRPPServices.com.
Professional Entertainment Services for the High Country
Visitors to the High Country may spend their days skiing or hiking, but in the evening, they seek out unique dining venues and evening entertainment. Banner Elk, with its redeveloping downtown area, hosts several opportunities for large crowds to gather for laughter, games, and opportunities for prizes thanks to Welter Entertainment, a local professional entertainment business that hosts karaoke, trivia nights and game shows at both Barra Sports Bar and the newly remodeled Banner Elk Café and Lodge. Pete and Geana (pronounced Jonna) Welter, owners of Welter Entertainment, bring years of professional vocal, radio, theater performance, and specialty DJ experience to the High Country. They can be spotted entertaining at weddings, corporate gatherings, private parties, game show nights, and even a state fair. “We bring a unique experience to the High Country. We work with each client to help design their perfect celebration,” shared Pete, who has over 25 years as a professional DJ, radio announcer, and musician, and currently sails twice a year as a premiere DJ for Disney Cruise Lines. Pete’s design skills include not only selecting music appropriate for each occasion, but also incorporating creative visual accents, which might include lighting and signage. Geana, originally from Florida, was professionally trained in vocal and theater performance and brings a balance to the entertainment offerings. She is as comfortable singing oldies as she is love songs. The depth of her repertoire allows clients to select music appropriate for each setting. “We’ve found people want to have fun, to laugh, at times to be silly,” grinned Geana. Both Pete and Geana host Trivia Night at Banner Elk Café and Lodge—Trivia Bang Bang. “It’s a take-off on the old west where everybody has a hoot and hollering good time,” said Pete. They also host weekly karaoke at BARRA Sports Bar on the town square. Entertainment game shows, The Feud, JeParody, and The Wheel are take-offs on familiar popular TV shows and include appropriate props. When Geana and Pete met, they recognized each other’s talents and professional life experiences which melded well for a specialty performance business. Today, one might see them entertaining at Chetola, Linville Ridge, Elk River, wedding venues atop mountains, or at cozy gatherings along the river. They perform throughout the United States, bringing premier entertainment to their clients. “We feel very blessed to do what we love as a career!” Learn more at www.welterentertainment.com. —By Pan McCaslin
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Exciting New Construction! Permanent & Vacation Homes from the mid $300’s Fully Serviced Homesites from $49,900
828-756-4008 LinvilleFallsMountainClub.com 45 Blue Ridge Drive North, Suite T, Marion, NC 28752 116— Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
To Sell or Not to Sell Your Home? By Katherine Newton
Considering a move as part of your retirement plan?
Although there are some financial planning decisions that are based purely on fact and analysis, most are not. And selling your home and moving is an example of one decision that has both a financial aspect and also a strong emotional element. Not only is it one of the more difficult of retirement choices, it is also one of the most important life transitions you may ever make.
The Factors:
Of course there are financial considerations. When selling your current residence, what is the likelihood of a profitable sale? What’s the tax impact if any? How does the new home you’re considering compare in total monthly cost when looking at taxes, insurance, and HOA fees? Is your portfolio positioned to meet the additional costs of moving while providing a sustainable income for ongoing and predictable monthly expenses? Then there are emotional factors—anxieties, sometimes sadness, strong preferences—that are hard to measure but must be taken into account, too. If you have an emotional attachment to the home you’re selling and to the neighborhood, how will you be able to let go and move on? How will you feel about aging in the new home? And what about that dread of cleaning out and purging possessions? You also have hopes and dreams about the new home but may just not have defined them. Maybe you should begin by asking yourself, “How do I want to feel once we’ve moved when I get up in the morning, come home at the end of the day, or go to sleep at night? And how will I enjoy time with friends and family in our new home?”
Bottom Line:
Moving is a process, not an event. Having specific steps to follow and taking them with guidance from a financial and transition professional begins to turn a complex and deeply personal decision into one that will bring satisfaction and happiness. If you would like to discuss your own moving decision, you can reach me at katherine@waitefinancial.com or at 828-3229595. You can also find this article on my website atwww.waitefinancial.com/articles. n
• The views are those of Katherine Newton and should not be considered as investment advice or to predict future performance. • Past performance does not guarantee future results. • All information is believed to be from reliable sources. However, we make no representations as to its completeness or accuracy. • Please note that neither Waite Financial, LLC, Cetera Advisor Networks, LLC, Carroll Financial Associates or any of their agents or representatives give legal or tax advice. • For complete details, consult with your tax advisor or attorney. Investors should consider their investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities before investing. This information is found in the issuer's official statement and should be read carefully before investing. Before investing, the investor should consider whether the investor's or beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits available only from that state's 529 Plan.
Moving Toward a Decision
In working with clients making moving decisions or experiencing other important transitions, we usually have a series of meetings with specific assignments for moving through the details. We gather and keep track of all financial information for both the old property and the new ones of interest to us. Feelings, thoughts, and preferences about the current house and ones under consideration are written down and organized. Then we compare the old and new properties, rating all the important considerations, both emotional and financial, on a scale of 1 to 4. We also use specific guidelines for cleaning out and deciding what to take along, sell, give away, or throw out.
Fast Forwarding to the End
The decision to sell and buy is made with thought and care, knowing the work has been well done. Clients are more likely to experience the “letting go” of the old home and are able to more fully embrace the new living situation with confidence and peace.
Katherine S. Newton Certified Financial Planner™ Waite Financial, LLC
428 4th Ave, NW ● Hickory, NC 28601 ● 828.322.9595 katherine@waitefinancial.com ● www.waitefinancial.com Registered Representative offering Securities through Cetera Advisor Networks LLC, Member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Carroll Financial Associates Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Waite Financial, Cetera Advisor Networks, and Carroll Financial Associates are unaffiliated. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Rodger and Deana Acklin on bicycles, their preferred mode of travel
You’re Wrong, Mr. Wolfe I
f Thomas Wolfe had known Rodger and Deana Acklin, he might well have never penned You Can’t Go Home Again. These two, whose story reads like a carefully written script, have traveled the world and now chosen to return “home”— where it all started—to begin the next act in their lives. It came close to not happening at all. Save for a man named Fish and an annoying cellphone, they might not have ever met. Act I—In 1989, as a senior, Rodger walked on to his high school tennis team at Virginia High School in Bristol, VA. He had never played before, but quickly adapted to the game and when the season ended, he was undefeated. Fish Gupton, who had played #1 at Lees-McRae for the legendary Don Baker, was the college’s tennis coach at the time. He persuaded Rodger to come play for the Bobcats and gave him a $500 scholarship. The sport was new and exciting to Rodger. The #2 man on the team, Randy Bloemendaal, had a 1976 VW Beetle. The two of them would pull the Beetle up to the courts at night and shine the lights so that they could practice…sometimes at 3:00 in the morning. Rodger credits Randy with teaching him how to successfully play. And it worked. When Rodger showed up in August, he was 23rd out of
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23 players. By the following spring, he had risen to #6. At the time Lees-McRae was only a junior college and, after completing his associate degree in 1991, Rodger enlisted in the Air Force and served for five years. Act II—Enter Deana…the baby in a family of five, living in Key West, FL, who was 6’1” and played middle hitter on her high school volleyball team. The very same Fish Gupton, who doubled as the Lees-McRae women’s volleyball coach, spotted her at a tournament in New Orleans. She had never heard of the college until Fish handed her high school coach a letter of introduction. Deana was trying to figure out how to pay for college and had offers from the University of Central Florida and Southern Mississippi. When she saw the Lees-McRae website, she thought it was amazing. She loved the mountains and a visit to the campus only underscored her impressions. At the time, the school was transitioning into a four-year college. Gupton offered her a full ride and the opportunity of a starting position on the volleyball team for four years. She also played #6 on the women’s tennis team. In 1995, Deana graduated with a degree in biology with a naturalist concentration. She had completed several
Deana leading an America By Bicycle cross-country tour
By Beth Tally internships at Grandfather Mountain during college and was offered a fulltime position there after graduation. She soon rose to the position of Manager of Habitats. This kept her in the area and, in addition to her job at Grandfather, she became the assistant coach of the LeesMcRae women’s volleyball team. Act III—Re-enter Rodger…who had been offered a commission to become an officer in the Air Force if he obtained his bachelor’s degree. As Lees-McRae was now a four-year college, he decided to return and get a degree in history and political science. He had two years’ athletic eligibility left and picked right up in tennis where he left off. Randy Bloemendaal was now the coach. He partnered Rodger with Patrick Hynes as the #1 doubles team. The two helped the Bobcats win the conference for the first time as a four-year school and qualify for the national tournament. They made it to the round of sixteen there before being defeated. One day, while the men’s tennis team practiced outside, Deana was conducting a volleyball practice of her own in the gym. A cellphone kept ringing non-stop from its resting place in the bleachers. Totally annoyed, she asked whose it might be. “It belongs to that new guy, Rodger, who plays #1 on the tennis team.” To which
Rodger just completed his first season as tennis coach at LMC, while Deana empowers students outside the LMC cycling program to utilize bikes around campus and grow interest in the cycling community. She is also in her second season of touring with America By Bicycle helping to lead a coast to coast tour.
Deana responded, “Well, if he’s out there, why is his phone in here?” She sent somebody out to get Rodger. The first time they ever saw each other was when he came into the gym to retrieve the phone. They were formally introduced by Bloemendaal at a Bobcat basketball game. Act IV—Rodger was graduating in 1996 and returning to North Charleston, SC, to rejoin the Air Force. Deana had to make a life decision…whether to stay and continue her work with Grandfather Mountain and Lees-McRae…or get married and follow him. They married in November of that year and for the next 24 years, moved 17 times. Their daughter, Jayden, was born in May of 1998 in North Charleston. While stationed in Oklahoma, Deana reconnected with her love of bicycling and began teaching spinning classes. When they moved to Germany from Oklahoma, they bought bikes and fully immersed in the riding culture there, using it as their preferred mode of travel. After their second tour overseas, Rodger and Deana came to Montgomery, AL. It was here she decided that she needed to be fully self-sufficient as a cyclist so that she could teach others. She attended The United Bicycle Institute in Ashland, OR. The GI Bill covered
her tuition and for five weeks, she took everything from advanced mechanics to shop operations to wheel building. When she returned to Montgomery, she started working with local bicycle clubs and leaders to create bicycling programs. For a period of five years, she worked on funding for biking infrastructure and bike rodeos for children. She partnered with the Alabama Department of Transportation for helmets for children. When Jayden left for college (LeesMcRae, no less, where she plays #3 on the women’s tennis team), Deana joined America By Bicycle to help lead crosscountry tours. Act V—In September of 2017, a cascade of events occurred which changed the course of Rodger and Deana’s lives once again. The notice from the Air Force came that he was to be promoted to Colonel, but at the same time, Jayden called to say that the tennis coach at LeesMcRae had just quit. Simultaneously, Rodger’s brother notified him that their parents weren’t doing well back in Bristol. Rodger’s siblings had taken responsibility for his mother and father while he was in the service and it weighed heavily on him. He had to balance the promotion with the opportunity to coach and the ability to assist at home. The decision about his
Rodger and Patrick Hynes, his LMC doubles partner
parents tipped the scales. Rodger sent Craig McPhail, the Athletic Director at Lees-McRae, an email that said, “You have a problem and I am your solution.” After going through some formalities, he was basically hired on the spot and they moved to Banner Elk. The Final Act? Rodger has just completed his first season as tennis coach. It was a tough one as he inherited players who had experienced three coaches in four years. But recruiting is going well, and he anticipates intense competition next year for both men and women. Deana has teamed up with Ted Silver, the cycling minor instructor at LeesMcRae and the chair of the bicycling/ pedestrian committee for Banner Elk, to empower students outside of the college’s cycling team to utilize bikes around campus and to grow interest in cycling in the general community. This will also be her second touring season with America By Bicycle, helping to lead a coast-to-coast tour from Astoria, OR, to Portsmouth, NH. Those of us living in Banner Elk are delighted that this dynamic couple has chosen to “come home again.” Their individual and collective energies are a wonderful asset to the community and all who meet them will be greatly enriched. n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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An Ounce of Prevention… By Mike Teague
What is your emergency?
This is the question you will be asked should you ever have the need to dial 911. Chances are that each one of us will need emergency assistance at some point during our lifetime. It could be something personal like a medical emergency or a situation where you have witnessed an incident and need to notify the authorities. Are you prepared for the time when you will need to dial 911? To many, that may sound like a strange question. Some might think: Isn’t dialing 911 just making a phone call? The real answer is no. Making an emergency call during stressful, frightening and even frantic times can be tough. Add in emotions and confusion and a “simple” phone call can be almost impossible for some people. If you have never had to call for help from emergency responders, there are a few things that you need to consider and steps you can take to be prepared.
Where are you?
We live in the day of the mobile phone. Many people have completely discontinued the landline coming into their homes, which immediately shows an address. While getting the latitude and longitude for most cell calls is possible, it is time consuming and will only get emergency responders into the area, not to the specific address. Cell service in this region continues to have weak
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or poor coverage areas. There are times when making a cell call is still difficult around my house and poor coverage is the specific reason I still maintain my home phone. If you are a resident of, or visitor to, the North Carolina High Country, it is important to know the area, street name and full address if at all possible. This has become even more important with our increased dependency on cell phones. No matter where you are, pay attention to your surroundings. Make sure you are able to give the 911 operator specifics about your location. Simply telling the 911 operator you are in Watauga County or the Foscoe area is not enough; be specific. When you are vacationing in an area with which you are unfamiliar, it is important to write down the address and a few simple directions to the house. These written notes will be helpful during an emergency event.
Post your address.
If you own property in the High Country it is important that you physically post your home’s address. During an emergency, time is one of the most critical factors. Properly posting your address will help to shorten the time it takes for emergency responders to find you. I always tell people to be proud of your address. Post your address big and in conspicuous areas. Most people use only three-inch numbers when posting their address; I recommend six inches tall. Additionally, you want to make every effort to have the numbers contrast with their background (i.e.…white numbers on black background). If your home isn’t visible from the street, post the address at the beginning of your driveway on a sign visible from both directions of travel. Remember most of the High Country is a rural setting, not blocked city streets. Your nearest neighbor may be as much as a half mile away. During an emergency, you don’t want emergency responders having to hunt for your address.
Stay calm and stay patient.
If you are dialing 911 things are probably not going well. Resist the temptation of getting caught up in the moment. Others may be upset, but it is important to remain calm while on the phone with the 911 operator. The operator needs to be able to understand you and what is happening in order to quickly process your call and get emergency responders en route. The more the 911 operator has to re-ask questions or work to calm you down the longer it is going to take to get the help you seek. Emergency communication centers in the area have cutting edge technology and the operators who work these centers are highly trained in their trade. It is important to follow their lead when you are on the phone with them and answer every question. The emergency communication centers have adopted emergency dispatch protocols. These protocols help the operator obtain as much detailed information as possible from the 911 caller. Following these protocols ensures the best emergency resources for the incident to which they are dispatched. I have talked with persons in the general public who have called 911 for help and they expressed frustration they couldn’t simply say they needed an ambulance, and then hang up the phone. If you have or witness an emergency, stay on the line and patiently answer each of the questions being asked. More detailed information makes for a safer response and overall better service provided by the emergency responders. If you have a question or a topic you would like to see addressed, please feel free to email me at mike.teague@ townofboone.net. n
Mike Teague has 33 years of fire service experience. He served two years as Avery County Fire Marshal and 31 years with the Boone Fire Department, where he is currently serving as the Assistant Fire Chief, certified fire service instructor, and level 3 fire prevention inspector.
Pickleball?
What’s the “Dill” with this New Sport?
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s the recent 2018 Winter Olympics aired around the world, many viewers doubtless learned about new sports or learned more about sports that might not have been familiar to them. Sports like curling and skeleton gain new fans and practitioners with every televised event. However High Country residents don’t need to travel to South Korea or even turn on their televisions to experience a new sports sensation that has actually been around for decades and which is now enjoying tremendous growth. Pickleball, which combines aspects of badminton, ping-pong, and tennis, is rapidly growing in popularity and currently has more than 2.5 million participants across the country. Some of those participants are right here in the area, and they are eager to share their love of this exciting “new” sport that is catching on in the High Country and beyond. Using a ball with holes, similar to a wiffleball, and short paddles, pickleball is a fairly simple sport to learn. However, the more experienced and skilled the players, the more fast-paced and challenging the game can become. The game was originally designed by parents for their families, and used homemade or improvised equipment, but today’s paddles can range from simple wooden models to high-tech composite ones, and players range from children enjoying the game for recreation to professionals with sponsors.
The curious name of pickleball may have come from the name of one of the creator’s dogs, or from the practice of creating a “pickle boat” in the sport of crew; a pickle boat is one consisting of “leftover” oarsmen not needed or wanted in the other boats. No actual pickles are used in the game, much to the relief of any potential players who might not be pickle fans. Whatever the origins of its funny name, the game continues to grow and attract new players. Designed originally to keep kids entertained, pickleball is now a verifiable phenomenon that players describe as “addictive.” In fact, the number of pickleball players across the country has more than doubled in less than a decade as this catchy sport lures in more and more individuals from children to senior adults. Pickleball can be played by men or women as singles or doubles, by players of nearly any age, and on indoor or outdoor courts; there are now 15,000 courts across the country, at least one in every state. David Bickel, a High Country pickleball enthusiast who has been working to introduce the sport to others, stresses the social nature of pickleball, which encourages both physical activity and sportsmanship for all ages. “It shows that everyone can get along. Everyone can play.” While he also enjoys the way pickleball can get families to play together and to be outside enjoying fresh air, he and other High Country pickleball players also appreciate
By Elizabeth Baird Hardy
the growing number of local indoor courts that allow pickleball play, rain or shine, in any season. One of those indoor spaces is at the Newland Rock Gym, which offers open play on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. On Mondays, one-on-one play is available from 8 to 10:30 a.m. to get new players started. Bickel is very pleased with the support of the Rock Gym and of Avery County Parks and Recreation Director Robbie Willis in making the gym available for both experienced players and new ones. Pickleball at the Rock Gym is open to the public and free, and pickleball veterans like Bickel are even willing to loan equipment to new players to get them hooked. Bickel also plays and teaches pickleball at the new Blackburn Indoor Athletic Facility at the Williams YMCA in Linville. Pickleball is offered several times a week on one of the indoor courts there, and is enjoyed by a wide variety of experience levels. Lessons are available for players of all skill levels to improve their abilities and to eliminate weaknesses in their games. All community members are welcome to play and watch. Linville Ridge and Linville Land Harbor each also have excellent outdoor courts for players who want to enjoy amazing scenery with their pickleball. Linville Ridge began offering pickleball in 2016 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.USAPA.ORG
under the direction of tennis champion JoAnne Russell, who competed in the first national Pickleball Championship in 2016. Land Harbor’s Racquet Club has a thriving pickleball group that has grown exponentially in just a few years. This year, Land Harbor is hosting its first pickleball tournament July 20-22. Beech Mountain Club also has a Pickleball Center which features five pickleball courts in a beautiful mountain setting. Those who are new to the sport or who just want to improve can take advan-
tage of instruction with one of two pickleball instructors, and those who need to arm themselves with more tools for pickleball success can find what they need at the pro shop, including paddles, accessories, and clothing available for purchase. Members who are taking a break from play, or who want to observe, can enjoy the court-side open air pavilion with a deck, or can enjoy the snack bar and nearby viewing deck overlooking the courts. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the Pickleball Center hosts a wide variety of events that include lessons and clinics, men’s and women’s play, open play, private lessons, and much more. The Center is open for use by Beech Mountain Club members and their sponsored guests. The highlight of the season is undoubtedly the Battle on Beech, which is now in its fourth season. Organized by skill level, the event draws over 160 players and will be raising funds for the Friends of Beech Outreach charity. This year’s Battle will be August 17-19 and promises to be another rousing success. Bickel is excited about the future of pickleball in the High Country, as he is working with both the middle school gym
teachers and the 4-H summer programs to introduce younger players to the sport, and he is quick to point out that “there are no advantages for gender or age”—anyone can play and be successful. “It’s all about people from both sides of the aisle coming out and having a great time, being nice to one another.” Pickleball was a featured event in the recent High Country Senior Games, and it is becoming internationally popular. Several countries have pickleball associations, and international players frequently participate in events in the United States. Who knows, perhaps in some future Olympic Games athletes may be playing pickleball. In fact, they may even be athletes who got their start here in the High Country. n To learn more about the sport of pickleball, including the official rules of play, visit the official USA Pickleball Association page at www.usapa.org. To find a place to play near you, see www.places2play.org. For the current schedule at the Blackburn Center, call (828)737-5500. To check the availability of the Rock Gym in Newland, call (828)733-8266. Players who would like to register for the Battle on Beech or the Linville Land Harbor tournament can go to www.pickleballtournaments.com and register online.
Get back in the SWING of things Same-Day & Saturday Appointments No Referral Needed
Official Sports Medicine Providers for App State Athletics Official Sports Medicine Providers for Watauga High School Athletics
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Local Surgeries Non-Operative Treatment Orthopedic Surgery Sports Medicine Physical Rehabilitation Consultation Shoulder, Hip, Knee, Hand and Spine Surgery apprhs.org/apportho
828-386-2663
Watauga Medical Center Opens Orthopedic Wing By Koren Gillespie
F
or AppOrtho patients in need of inpatient surgeries, Watauga Medical Center recently opened a 10-bed orthopedic wing. Located on the hospital’s third floor, this area specifically focuses on musculoskeletal healthcare for the treatment and recovery from surgeries due to injuries, accidents, or the effects of aging. The High Country is known to host many athletes of varying sports, a wide array of outdoor leisure activities, as well as a bustling retired senior population. Whether we are young or old, developed tendonitis or simply blew a knee out due to too many years of running, the need for a total hip or knee replacement surgery affects more than 950,000 Americans per year (source: aaos.org). And, that national statistic is just for total knee or hip alone; it doesn’t include partial or other orthopedic issues that tend to affect people. To meet local demand for orthopedic services, AppOrtho’s Boone location and proximity to Watauga Medical Center brings convenient comprehensive care to patients beginning with their initial office visit. If surgery is required, patients can stay local at Watauga Medical Center, as well as receive any needed rehabilitation or follow-up appointments in Boone. Surgery is typically a daunting prospect for most people, and AppOrtho, in partnership with Watauga Medical
Center, works to provide the best patient experience. Staffed by specialty-trained nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and AppOrtho’s orthopedic surgeons, the new orthopedic wing provides personalized, specialty care, a function and mobility focused rehabilitation gym, overhead assist bars on all beds plus patient communication boards to monitor pain levels. Although most patients are able to return home within a few days, family members or loved ones are encouraged to participate in the recovery process while patients are in the hospital. Whether patients have a sudden or slow onset of pain and issues with their bones, muscles, or joints, their orthopedic care needs can now be fully met “on the mountain.” Orthopedic surgeries at Watauga Medical Center include anything from general to trauma, as well as specific procedures involving the ankle, hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, lumbar/spine, foot/toe, or hand/finger. Once patients are discharged from Watauga Medical Center, AppOrtho and The Rehabilitation Center offer convenient follow-up care and rehabilitation therapy, as needed. n
Most common surgeries at Watauga Medical Center are: l Total hip replacement (including anterior approach) l Total knee replacement l Shoulder surgery, shoulder replacement & treatment l Traumatic Sports and Pediatric sports injuries l Spinal surgery (fusions, laminectomies, decompressions, and microdiscectomies) l Carpal Tunnel Releases l Ligament and tendon repairs l Arthroplasty l Arthroscopy l Arthrotomy l Tennis or Golfer’s Elbow l Nerve decompressions l Bone spur removal l Tendons or fractures l Hand and finger surgeries
For questions about orthopedic care or surgery, contact AppOrtho at (828) 386-2663 or apportho@apprhs.org. The practice also provides same-day appointments and has two locations to serve patients – at 194 Doctors Drive in Boone and at 200 Hospital Avenue #6 in Jefferson. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Experience Wine with a View... Banner Elk Winery | (828) 898-9090 www.BannerElkWinery.com 135 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Nestled in the awe inspiring majestic Blue Ridge Mountains stands North Carolina High Country’s original winery. Come for a tasting or a tour, or perhaps stay the night at our Tuscaninspired Villa. A private retreat with luxury accommodation, beautiful scenery, and warm hospitality in an idyllic setting.
Grandfather Vineyard & Winery | (828)-963-2400 www.GrandfatherVineyard.com 225 Vineyard Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604 Our terraced mountain vineyard and winery is nestled along the Watauga River at the base of Grandfather Mountain. We are the first producing winery in Watauga County, NC. Warm breezes during the day and cool crisp nights help develop the flavors and balance of our wine. Enjoy and share with friends.
Linville Falls Winery | (828)765-1400 www.LinvilleFallsWinery.com 9557 Linville Falls Highway, Linville Falls, NC 28647 Linville Falls Winery is part of a 40-acre family owned and operated farm in the Blue Ridge mountains. Just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the winery is in a great location to enjoy the outdoors while sipping on mountain-grown wine. Elevate your taste with us!
Villa Nove Vineyards & Winery | (423)768-3633 www.VillaNoveVineyardsWinery.com 1877 Dry Hill Road, Butler, TN 37640 Experience Tuscany in Tennessee! Enjoy the 360-degree majestic mountain views while you sit and sip on our estate wines. Perfect location for your upcoming wedding or special event.
Watauga Lake Winery | (423)768-0345 www.WataugaLakeWinery.com 6952 Big Dry Run Road, Butler, TN 37640 Visit the historic and “haunted” schoolhouse where the classrooms have been transformed into our winery. Enjoy tasting the 2015 “Best of Tennessee” wine produced from the fruit of our vineyards. Enjoy a “wood-fired” pizza and Sangria on Saturdays or enjoy a bottle of wine with our Boar’s Head deli items out on the deck or inside our event room.
HighCountryWineTrail.com The— Summer Appalachian High Country 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE 124 American Viticulture Area
Cut out the Passport above and explore the High Country Wine Trail!
Come spend the day!
A to Z Auto Detailing 828.260.0283 Amy Brown, CPA Certified Public Accountant 828.898.7607 Avery County Chamber of Commerce 828.898.5605 / www.averycounty.com BB&T 888.BBT-ONLINE / www.BBandT.com Headquarters Bike & Outdoor 828.898.8885 www.hqbikeandoutdoor.com Nick’s Restaurant & Pub Open 7 Days a Week 828.898.9613 Creative Interiors by Darlene Parker 828.898.9636 Peak Real Estate 828.898.1880 www.peakrealestatenc.com Rite Aid Pharmacy 828.898.8971 Salon Suites at Tynecastle • SALON M 828.260.3791 Shooz & Shiraz A Shoe & Wine Salon at The Dande Lion The Dande Lion Ladies Apparel, Shoes, & Accessories 866.222.2050 and 828.898.3566 Tynecastle Builders 828.387.1222 / tynecastlebuilders.com Tynecastle Realty 828.898.7777 / tynecastlerealty.com Valle de Bravo Mexican Grill valledebravomexicangrill.net 828.898.4949
For Leasing Information Call 828.898.6246
SHOPPING • DINING • BUSINESS • At the Corner of Hwy 105 & 184 Tynecastle Hwy. • Banner Elk CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Ah, choices... Here’s a summer sampler of some of our wonderful restaurants in and around the Banner Elk area
The Banner Elk Café has just completed an extensive addition and remodel, adding a large, inviting tavern area with a spacious bar and other comfy seating plus a fireplace with a view of the park! The Lodge area has also been revamped and flows beautifully into the new tavern space. As always, enjoy a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner choices here featuring fresh and creative specials in addition to burgers, bakery items, salads and hearty entrees. Two kitchens offer two full menus so whether it’s the BBQ ribs, the mountain trout, the nachos, salad bar, a sandwich, wrap or veggie plate, you are sure to find a favorite to enjoy inside or outside on the patio. Children’s menu available and group functions accommodated. The tavern offers Trivia on Sunday and Thursday evenings in June from 7–9 pm; enjoy live music on the patio summer weekends 6 – 10 pm. Breakfast served 7 to 11 am every day. Dinner Monday-Thursday until 9 pm, Friday and Saturday until 10 pm. 828-898-4040
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Bodegas Kitchen and Wine Bar, 488 Main Street West, Banner Elk, NC 828-8987773. Newly opened in the renovated Eagle’s Nest Marketplace, this Caribbean tapas restaurant offers casual dining with small plates inviting lots of sampling and sharing. The menu features a variety of starters, creative tacos and sandwiches, with Caribbean flavors such as the Cubano and the roasted Mojo pork, and the coconut shrimp appetizer with housemade pina colada sauce. Choose from fresh house-made soups and salads (look for the Cuban Caesar with manchego and Mojo Caesar dressing) plus desserts and choices for kids. The yucca fries with garlic cilantro crema are a shareable musttry. Full bar service with custom cocktails plus wine list. Ask your server about daily specials. Catering available. Dine inside or on the covered patio enjoying a wooded view Tuesday – Thursday 11 am to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am to 10 pm, Sunday 11 am – 8 pm. Closed Monday.
Elevations Tavern and Grill, 3990 Highway 105, Suite 6, Banner Elk, NC. Just opened this spring, Elevations brings updated décor and an upscale menu to its Tynecastle location. The innovative choices feature familiar favorites as well as unique variations, such as the housesmoked brisket, tortilla crusted crab cakes and the wild Texas boar chop. Choose from locally sourced mountain trout pan seared with a Za’atar crust, Mediterranean Couscous Bowl, or the popular Pastrami-style Salmon. Small plates such as the lobster salad tacos or Korean fried chicken are available as appetizers or entrées for smaller appetites. Four versions of beef burgers made with 80% freshly ground bison are sure to please. Elevations offers a full bar with house-infused syrups and an unlimited array of unique cocktail choices as well as a wide selection of wines. And on Wednesdays enjoy all-day half-price selected wines by the bottle or glass. Dining hours Tuesday – Saturday 11:00 am to 10:00 pm; Sunday and Monday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Groups can reserve the private dining area with the traditional menu or catering to order. The new outside patio offers dining and beverage service and can also be reserved. 828-898-9880
chew on this Reid’s Café and Catering at Tynecastle has recently expanded its original dining room and counter area, adding additional seating for 45 to its bright and cheery decor. The new lunch menu features NC oysters with lemon and housemade hot sauce, house made soups and fried Joyce Farms chicken. Dinner choices range from grilled buttersteak to lamb tenderloin to the grilled sunburst trout, all with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal and local ingredients. Be sure to check out their mobile food truck, Betty’s Biscuit Truck, you’ll find it offering breakfast biscuits at happenings and events around our area. Choose from a variety of upscale coffees, lattes and juice to accompany your choice of sweet or savory biscuits, including fried chicken, Italian style local sausage or the Yo Nanna, made with bananas, Nutella and honey whipped cream. Café serves lunch Monday – Saturday 11 am – 3 pm; dinner 5:30 – 9:30 pm. Bar menu available 3 pm to 5:30 pm. 828-268-9600
Stonewalls Restaurant continues to update and upscale its décor, both inside and outside. Newly remodeled restrooms with backlit mirrors, wallpaper and fresh tile and new dining room chairs continue the theme, and a covered patio welcomes outside patrons. A firepit with comfortable chairs offers a gathering spot while waiting for your table. Known for its gourmet steaks and prime rib, Stonewalls also offers unique appetizer choices such as fried deviled egg with candied bacon in addition to its famous salad bar (don’t miss the housemade pimiento cheese), pasta and seafood entrees such as the Maryland-style crab cakes and the chicken fried shrimp. Ask your server about the special soup of the day. Serving dinner daily 5 pm to 9 pm; and enjoy the hearty Sunday brunch 10 am – 2 pm offering delectable chicken and waffles, pulled pork grilled cheese, salads, free style traditional choose-youreggs-and-meat plates with house-made sausage, country ham, and much more. 828-898-5550. 344 Shawneehaw Avenue South, Banner Elk.
Sorrento’s Bistro has a new look outside and two fresh new dining venues to choose from in addition to their patio seating and the inviting new dual fire pit areas. The Wine Room on the main floor features rich solid maple tables, new flooring and a mirrored wall plus locally hand-crafted solid maple wine cabinets stocked with your favorites. Enjoy Sorrento’s traditional Italian menu with ample seating for large groups and an adjoining area for your family or other small group. Special catering menus are also available or you may create your own. Lunch Wed–Sat 11–4 pm; dinner Mon–Thurs 4 pm-10pm, Fri and Sat til 11pm. Sunday 10am-10pm (Sunday brunch 1–3 pm). Upstairs at The Chef’s Table, you will find a full bar and comfortable lounge plus dinner choices from a menu specially designed by Chef Nicole Palazzo, with emphasis on locally sourced farm to table ingredients. Ask your server about the daily specials. Wednesdays offer New Orleans style cuisine and of course, jazz music by Shane Chalke. The sparkling décor and stunning artwork will make your evening memorable. Chef’s Table serving dinner Wed–Sun 5pm-11pm (828-8981940). Downstairs at Barras, look for daily early specials such as Prime Rib Thursdays and Friday Night Lobster ($13.99). 828898-5214. Check out Barra’s hours and our calendar of events to include live entertainment at www.sorrentosbistro.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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PRODUCT REVIEW
seasonal menus oysters
The Life of the Party: Shell Shock By Kim S. Davis
T
he High Country likes to throw a good party and there is one local you need to be sure and invite to your next gathering. Shell Shock Cocktail Sauce made right here in Blowing Rock is a cocktail sauce that claims, “Now it’s a cocktail party.” Shell Shock truly is a get together of wonderful ingredients who show up at the party at just the right time. When you take a bite, the first flavor to arrive is vine ripened tomatoes, followed closely by a variety of spices with black pepper being predominant. The most boisterous and flavorful ingredient, horseradish, comes in last but you definitely know it is there. What makes Shell Shock so delicious is the collection of flavors that come together throughout each bite to deliver a very tasty complement to food. Whether you are enjoying shrimp cocktail on your deck after work, a Bloody Mary with brunch, a family dinner, oyster roast, or full out soiree, be sure and include some Shell Shock, Now it’s a Party, Cocktail Sauce! n Find Shell Shock at the Town Tavern, and Sunset T’s and Hattery in Blowing Rock; Peabody’s Beer and Wine, and Alray Tire in Boone; and all Lowes Foods stores throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. For more information, visit www. shellshockcocktailsauce.com.
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handcrafted cocktails
mon - sat 11am- 9pm 4004 nc hwy 105 s. banner elk, nc
visit:
reidscafeandcatering.com
Offering artisan-inspired cuisine and locally brewed craft beer. 152 Sunset Drive Downtown Blowing Rock, NC 828-414-9600 (Ale House) 828-414-9254 (Inn) www.BlowingRockBrewing.com
UNCATCHABLE SOUR MASH MOONSHINE
336-990-0708 • 1611 Industrial Dr. • Wilkesboro, NC 28659 www.CallFamilyDistillers.com
PHOTO BY GENE SMITH
Maw’s Produce By Cindy Michaud
I
t’s difficult to find someone who has visited Maw’s Produce on Hwy 105 in Foscoe only once. Folks are either regular customers or they have yet to discover the wonderful produce market, which is an icon in this small High Country town. Even vacationers make two visits: the first to load up for the week and the last one on their way out of town with tomatoes and peaches to share. In fact, it was the passionate pleas of those tourists that prompted Susan Kirkland, Maw herself, to start opening Sundays so they could take the best home with them. A bit of a celebrity, this vibrant grandmother laughs when asked if she has always been in the produce business. “My first career was in family and child services,” she smiles. “I enjoyed my work and retired in 1995. I had enjoyed one month of retirement when my son called.” That son was Danny Kirkland who, with his wife Jackie, was running “Lettus Produce,” a quality wholesale produce business catering to area restaurants. They had decided to open a retail market to deliver the same perfect specimens to individuals. It would be located in Foscoe and wouldn’t “Maw” like to come help? While the younger Kirklands knew their stuff, Susan admitted it was a steep learning curve for her, jumping from juvenile delinquents to heirloom tomatoes and 40 different kinds of apples. “I understood relationships,” she said, “so treating people proper came easy—the rest I learned on the job.” Truth is, she admits, her clientele were the best sources of much of the information she now shares. “Everyday someone would talk about something their granny
did or reveal a tip or trick that was old family lore. I learned a lot from what folks told me and I took notes.” Pride of product figures highly as well. “Danny’s wholesale business promised the best and freshest available, and in the exact amount his customers desired. We do the same here retail. If it is not the freshest we won’t sell it.” Susan and her employees are all eager to share what they know; if customers can’t find what they are looking for they have recommendations at the ready. Need a sample? Help getting bags to the car? Crackers for that cheese or mayo for that tomato? Maw’s knows how to make your produce shopping an experience you want to repeat. Chat just a bit and no doubt the person ringing you up (cash please to keep costs down) will slip something extra into your bag. It’s like visiting a well-loved friend. Business acumen runs in the family blood as Susan’s other son, Brooks, runs a business in Atlanta with his wife Penni. As well, Susan can trace her roots in groceries all the way back to the 1900s when the well-known “Fowler’s Food Store” was opened in Chapel Hill by her grandfather. “I guess I should have known that I’d eventually end up behind the counter,” Susan says with a twinkle in her eyes. Young people are still very much a part of her life, as Maw’s has a reputation for giving some exceptional kids their start in the working world. Her first helper was a 14-year-old who worked every summer for four years. When football practice messed with his schedule he ended up sending his brother to cover; he, too, worked for four years. “I love it
when the kids return to visit after they graduate,” Susan smiles with pride. “They have all been hard workers, dedicated and a pleasure to be around. They even give me credit for teaching them a thing or two.” When pressed, Susan reveals her fail safe top credential in interviewing prospective teenaged employees. “The ones that say ‘yes ‘ma’am’ and ‘no sir’ are certain winners,” she discloses. “That’s just an outward symbol on how they will treat the customers and fellow employees. It hasn’t let me down yet.” When pressed about her “top sellers” there is no hesitation in her reply: tomatoes! But she confirms that peaches are a close second depending on how the seasons play out. Don’t think that produce is all you find at Maw’s. As a true local who supports locals, Maw’s also offers StickBoy breads, fried pies from Janine down the road, jams, jellies, and all sorts of locally made butter, cheeses and nuts. Nuts? Did someone say “boiled peanuts”? Folks swear by the boiled peanuts at Maw’s and buy them by the scoop hot out of the pot. Danny started with nuts as a student selling them in the parking lot of the Beech Mountain Ski Resort. Not too salty, never mushy, the peanuts were cooked in a special pot brought from a stand in Savannah. Susan is tight-lipped today about how they make these green nuts so delicious, ending the inquiry with, “Let’s just say that mountain people like their boiled peanuts.” And before filling up bags with produce and peanuts, visitors are well advised to take a stroll upstairs where locally made crafts take center stage. continued on next page
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PHOTO BY GENE SMITH
MAWS: continued from previous page
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PHOTO BY GENE SMITH
ummertime is such a fun time to spend frivolous hours outdoors foraging and enjoying nature. We have been endowed with so many beautiful things to see, smell and taste! The great outdoors is packed full of so many edible and medicinal plants that were created for our good. Why not partake of them?
Quilts, pottery, handmade dolls and wooden toys are offered at incredibly reasonable prices. And every spring Susan drives her truck to Wren, GA to hand select 300 dried gourds; every year she sells out. “We like to keep things interesting,” the petite proprietor says, “We even keep a ‘call list’ of folks wanting fresh (never frozen) seafood from the coast. It’s ready with their name on it every Wednesday.” Clearly Susan Kirkland, a.k.a. Maw, knows and serves her clientele well. n Open May through December, Tues-Sun (closed on Mon). Hours are 9am until 6pm May through Oct, and 10am until 5pm in Nov and Dec.
Huckleberries Huckleberries are the tiny cousin of the well-known larger blueberry, but they pack a powerful punch in nutrition for their size! These berries are prolific in the backwoods all around my property here in the High Country, growing mostly in moist, semi-shady mountain habitats, but I have also found them along mountain ridges where it is quite dry and rocky. Huckleberries grow on short bushes that can range from 8 inches tall up to 30 inches. The leaves are small, tender and oblong with rounded edges. Berries will emerge once the bush is around 14 inches tall. The fruit is small and dark when compared to traditional blueberries, but the nutritional profile is far more impressive. Because of the small size, they have a larger ratio of skin to flesh, which yields high amounts of fiber and vitamins. With the stresses encountered in the wild, these huckleberries develop a high Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity rating that far exceeds what you can find in the grocery store. The blue/red pigment reflects a flavonoid called anthocyanin that is excellent for vision and brain health, with strong anti-aging properties. Eat huckleberries raw, right off the bush or bring home to add to salads. You can also make tea, an infusion, or syrup out of the berries, leaves and tiny stems (see instructions below). Elderflowers Have you noticed large bushes along the roadsides and creek banks that erupt with clusters of whitish-yellow flowers?
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The flower heads are branched and lacy with flat or slightly rounded tops. The bark is smooth, grey and slightly bumpy with a spongy, white pith inside of the twigs. The leaves are pointed, coarsely toothed and about 3-4 inches long. The elderflowers make a wonderful food. Avoid collecting the flowers after a rain because all of the beneficial yeasts and vitamins will have washed off during the rain. Instead, wait for a dry spell and collect only the freshly bloomed flowerheads. I like to collect the flowers and fry them up as fritters. Once collected, just shake off bugs or other residue and dip in your favorite tempura batter, then fry up in hot coconut oil. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and enjoy! I also use elderflowers to make a delicious and nutritious soda. I fill a large glass container with elderflower heads, raw honey and peeled organic lemons. Next I cover with cheesecloth and let ferment until bubbly, which normally takes about 4-5 days, depending on the temperature of the surroundings, which can speed up or slow down fermentation. Elderflower soda makes a delicious summertime drink over crushed ice! Elderflowers also make a delicious tea sweetened with honey and fresh peppermint. Serve hot or cold. I even use elderflower tea on my skin to soften, tone and restore a youthful appearance! Pin Cherries Pin cherries are quite prolific here in the Appalachian Mountains, growing on the edges of woods and fields in groups, mostly because they have been naturally propagated themselves as cherries have dropped off the trees. Wild pin cherries are undoubtably the most sour cherry you will find, which is an accurate reflection of the high levels of vitamin C. We eat them raw right off the trees but they can also be used for beverages, pies and medicine. Try infusing raw honey with the fruit and use as you would plain honey
By Samantha Stephens
or add to your favorite fermented beverage like Kombucha or Kefir. Cherries also make a delightful brandy or vinegar infusion. The bark on cherry trees, which is smooth, shiny and reddish brown in color is as valuable as the fruit. It can be peeled and made into a powerful cough syrup. The fruit can be cooked whole, reduced by half and strained to be used for coughs as well. Sweeten with raw honey and store in the refrigerator for up to a month. How to make an herbal infusion: Boil one quart of non-chlorinated water per 2-3 ounces of plant material (herb, fruit or bark). Fill a heat-safe canning jar with the plant material and pour boiling water over top. Place lid on jar to preserve all the components of the herb and let steep for at least 60 minutes. How to make an herbal tea: Herbal teas are made exactly as you would prepare the herbal infusion, but with half the plant material and reduced steeping time. For instance, one quart of water per one ounce of plant material steeped for 15 minutes should be sufficient for most herbal teas. A longer steeping time for tea is most certainly acceptable, and will yield a stronger tea, but is not necessary. How to make an herbal syrup: Combine one part coarse herbs to four parts water and bring to a boil. Coarse herbs are the bark, twigs or roots of an herb. Set aside tender flowers and leaves for later. Simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, then turn off heat source, adding any flowers or leaves that you have reserved. Cover, then let steep for 30-60 minutes. Strain out all plant material and add raw honey, then heat just enough to incorporate the honey into the liquid. Hot temperatures will negatively affect the nutritional properties in the honey. Store in refrigerator for up to a month.
Hopefully this has stimulated your interest in learning more about all the wild and free foods that so abundantly grow literally at our feet. I encourage you to try slowing down and taking some time to explore the outdoors. Wild foods are abundant in all climates and settings. Become familiar with your surroundings so that as you study more about wild foods, you can more easily find what you’re looking for when you forage. And remember to follow these guidelines while foraging: Choose the right location. When wild harvesting, gather plants that are at least 50 feet back from the edge of the road, never gather where domesticated animals linger or near telephone lines (pesticides are usually sprayed there), and not under roof drip lines (roofing materials leach toxic material). Do not harvest near old, lead-painted buildings, industrial sites, or other areas at risk for soil contamination. Know your plants. The best way to learn how to accurately identify wild plants is to forage with an expert who knows wild foods well. Take photos and use for reference. Use identification books, like a Peterson’s Field Guide. Bring along a canvas bag or basket to take home all your goodies in. Carefully gather only what you plan to use immediately, and always leave plenty behind for others and for continual growth. Wash your herbs carefully with well or spring water before use. n • Disclaimer: Never attempt to identify and harvest wild foods without an expert or without plenty of experience and a complete field guide. • Samantha Stephens is a nutritionist, food scientist and herbalist who loves spending time outside foraging for wild foods while appreciating the abundance of God’s creation. Samantha can be contacted at cmlmag3@ gmail.com.
Wild Huckleberries
Pin Cherries
edib les Elderflowers
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Check out these area markets for the true flavor of western North Carolina and beyond. ...where everyday is a
Farmer’s Market!
fresh produce locally baked goods moranian pies • quiches boiled peanuts • pickles Jams • honey cheese & crackers artisan crafts & unique gifts tues-sun 9am-6pm May thru Dec Yummy Weekly Specials 828.898.6084 Hwy 105 South, Foscoe NC
owned & operated by
LETT-US PRODUCE
Wholesale Supplier of Fine Produce Est. 1993 • Boone NC 828.963.7254
ASHE COUNTY
WATAUGA COUNTY
Ashe County Farmers’ Market Saturday 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. Wednesday 8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. 108 Backstreet, West Jefferson, NC Fresh Produce, Nursery Plants, Homemade Baked Goods & Crafts
Watauga County Farmers’ Market Saturdays thru Oct: 8am - Noon Wednesdays thru Sept: 8:00am-Noon Horn Ave., Boone, NC Fresh Produce, Meats, Cheeses, Breads and Pastries, Crafts, Potted Plants, Fresh Cut Flowers, Children’s Corner, Live Music Cooking Demonstrations & More
AVERY COUNTY Avery County Farmers’ Market Thursday 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Old Banner Elk Elementary School Parking Lot, 191 Main St., Banner Elk, NC Fresh Produce, Jams and Jellies, Artisan Breads, Beef, Poultry, Pork, Fresh Eggs,Plants and Honey Newland Farmers’ Market Saturday 8:00 a.m. - Noon Newland Elementary School Parking Lot – Fresh, Local Fruits and Vegetables, Homemade Breads, Jams, Jellies and Preserves, Handmade Soaps, Herbal Products, Seedlings and Nursery Stock, Meats & Cheese
BURKE COUNTY Morganton Farmers’ Market Saturday 8:00 a.m. - Noon 300 Beach St., Morganton, NC – Local Produce, Apple Pies, Baked Goods, Jam, Jellies, Pickles, Shitake Mushrooms,Poultry, Beef, Lamb, Pork, Soaps and Crafts
Our 6th generation family farm makes farm- fresh cheese on site from our own happy dairy cows. Our farm store also offers other local goods! 828-756-8166 Fri-Sat, 10am-6pm, year-round 19456 US 221 North (.5 miles south of Linville Caverns) Marion, NC 28752
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CALDWELL COUNTY Lenoir Downtown Farmers’ Market Thursday 10:00 a.m. -5:30 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. 385 Harper Ave., Lenoir, NC – Produce, Fresh Seafood, Local Beef, Pork, Fresh Eggs & Crafts
MITCHELL COUNTY Spruce Pine Farmers’ Market Wednesday 2:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. 165 Locust St., Spruce Pine, NC – Produce, Microgreens, Fresh Eggs, Mushrooms, Pastured Meats, Herbal Tinctures, Baked Goods, Soaps & More
King Street Market Tuesday 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 126 Poplar Grove Connector, Boone, NC – Fresh Produce, Meats, Goat Cheese, Baked Goods, Scroll Art, Photography, Organic Skincare & Special Events Blowing Rock Farmers’ Market Thursday 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 132 Park Ave., Downtown in Blowing Rock, NC – Local Produce, Meats, Fresh Flowers, Chocolate, Honey and Baked Goods from Area Farmers
WILKES COUNTY Wilkes County Farmers’ Market Tuesday 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday 7:30 a.m. - Noon CBD Loop Yadkin Valley Marketplace, North Wilkesboro, NC – Local Produce, Jams and Jellies, Flowers, Herbs & More Wilkesboro Open Air Market Friday 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. West Main St., Wilkesboro, NC – Farm and Artisan Vendors, Live Music, Children’s Activities, Food Trucks & More
JOHNSON COUNTY, TN Mountain City Farmers’ Market Saturday 9:00 a.m. - Noon 345 N. Shady St., Mountain City, TN – Local Produce, Beef and Pork, Eggs, Jams and Jellies, Breads and Pastries, Live Music & Crafts.
It’s Market Time in the High Country By Julie Farthing
S
et your alarm clock to rise with the sun, grab a few boxes or bags and slap on some sunscreen...it’s market time! For a few hours each week, empty parking lots and open fields across western NC and eastern TN spill over with farmers, bakers, artists and musicians, much to the delight of eager shoppers. What used to be just a place to find local produce has morphed into a celebrated event all over the region. From the aroma of fresh brewed coffee and baked goods to produce and flowers in all colors of the rainbow, the Farmers’ Market is an enchanting sensory delight. Let’s face it...shopping in cold grocery stores, list in hand, propelling a metal cart up and down isles of packaged foods, can be a boring weekly chore. Not at the Farmers’ Market! Not only do you get to wander around brightly colored awnings and tables loaded with veggies and fruits freshly harvested, you also get to meet the farmers who rise early to tend to crops, check on the beehives, feed the livestock, and weed flower beds. It’s empowering to know where your food comes from and to have the opportunity to ask questions about the goods brimming in your basket. Nar-
row grocery store isles are replaced by open spaces where patrons chat over hot beverages or cold smoothies. A list is no longer needed as seasonal selections arrive each week depending on what’s currently growing in the fields or blooming in the garden. Farmers’ Markets have become so popular over the last decade that towns now schedule markets on different days so patrons can visit more than one during the week. The High Country is no exception. You can find an open market from at least one of the area’s roughly dozen markets just about any day during the peak growing season. The term “1000 miles fresher” is often used to promote goods offered at the market, where many items are organically or naturally grown, free of harmful pesticides and fertilizers. It’s a win-win for both our health and the environment. Farmers’ Markets not only provide the freshest produce, eggs, meats, dairy, and breads, they also promote economic growth for both the farmer and the local community. Quite a bit of research has gone into the economic benefits of local Farmers’ Markets. The United States Department of Agriculture refers to the
recycling of dollars spent at Farmers’ Markets as “The Multiplier Effect,” often returning more than three times as much of their sales back into their community compared to grocery store chains. Important as that economic fact is, there’s another huge bonus––the social impact of Farmers’ Markets plays a huge role in weaving the fabric of a community that cares about sustainability and eating healthy. Markets have significant opportunities for social interactions compared to one or two per visit to the grocery store. That’s why the market is such an anticipated event. With no walls or ceilings to pen you in, you can enjoy the sunshine and fresh air while listening to local music or grabbing lunch from a nearby food truck. Patrons have the option to be immersed fully in the local culture and regional cuisine. With gorgeous cool mountain mornings and breezy warm afternoons, no wonder locals and tourists alike flock to the High Country and other mountain gateway markets. Just remember this motto: “Where smiles are abundant and the produce is 1000 miles fresher!” n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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From CML’s Kitchen
By Brennan Ford
As the cover portrays, we love colored peppers and so we thought we’d bring you a fun and delicious stuffed pepper recipe. And since watermelons are prolific now, we also have a couple of tasty twists on that great fruit. We love to grill at our house, and so we suggest you get the charcoal going and roast some fresh veggies, maybe trying some you’ve never grilled before. Roasting brings out the sweet essence of almost any vegetable—you can toss them on the grill alongside your protein, and bam! you’ve got a tasty, healthy meal. Check out a plancha—a steel griddle that instantly upgrades your charcoal kettle or gas grilling options by keeping items from falling through the grates… and no more flareups from meat drips. My clan especially loves to do BBQ chicken wings—a mess to eat but finger licking good. Isn’t that what summertime grilling is all about? Don’t forget dessert: almost any fresh fruit works on the grill. Try pineapple slices, peach halves or mango skewers—they cook quickly and bring a new dimension to your faves from the farmers market. And there you have it, a complete meal on the grill! Enjoy these recipes—let us know how your meal turned out! 134 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
Matt Cooper – Local Farmer
Southern Style Stuffed Peppers
Watermelon Balsamic Margarita
1 cup country ham chopped 1 large Portobello cap chopped 1 large Vidalia onion chopped 2 Tbsp. garlic minced 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter ½ pound shredded Romano cheese 2 cups half and half 3 cups cooked rice, variety of your choice 3 bell peppers with the tops removed and insides cleaned Black pepper to taste Sour cream for garnish
1 quart watermelon chunks Juice of one lime 1 Tbsp. sugar in the raw 1 cup silver tequila ¼ cup triple sec ½ cup balsamic vinegar reduced over low heat until thick as syrup 1 cup ice
In a large sauté pan over medium heat add olive oil and butter. Once the oil has reached temperature add country ham, Portobello, onion, and garlic. Cook until onions are slightly browned. Pre-heat oven to 375. Add half and half and cheese to pan, bring to a fast simmer until cheese is completely melted. Fold in cooked rice, add black pepper. Fill bell peppers to the top with rice mixture, place on sheet pan and bake in oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sour cream and enjoy.
Add watermelon, lime juice, sugar, tequila, triple sec and ice into a blender. Blend until smooth, pour into serving pitcher through a fine metal strainer. Drizzle inside of glass with balsamic reduction, fill with watermelon mix and garnish with watermelon. Enjoy.
Summer Watermelon Salad 5 cups watermelon cut into small cubes 2 avocados cut into small cubes Juice of 1 lemon 3-5 fresh basil leaves cut into fine chiffonade 1 cucumber cut into small cubes 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
it ‘s summertime! Crumbled goat cheese (enough to garnish) Add all ingredients (except cheese) into a large chilled salad bowl and gently mix. Garnish with goat cheese, serve and enjoy.
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Where flavors reach new heights. Our menu simply can’t be topped—and it isn’t just the altitude. Chef Patrick Maisonhaute makes your dreams come true in four courses, featuring passionately crafted selections and a wine list that will leave you in awe.
800-742-6717 • Eseeola.com
WINE TASTING SATURDAYS, 1-5pm
Proceeds support the Avery County Humane Society
Visit our tasting room Wine by the glass Visit our Craft Beer Cave
“One of the High Country’s largest selections of awardwinning, imported and domestic cheese, incredible chocolates, fine specialty foods, expanded gift selections, and the wines... aah, the wines!”
ERICKS CHEESE & WINE Grandfather Center Junction NC 184 & NC 105 Next to ABC Store Banner Elk NC 28604 828.898.9424 erickscheeseandwine.com
GIFT BASKETS, PARTY TRAYS, ACCESSORIES, KNOWLEDGEABLE HELPFUL STAFF
136 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
SUSHI BISTRO AND BAR
Monday-Saturday: 5-Close Amazing Magic Night every Thursday, all Winter! 161 Howard Street, Boone 828-386-1201 | www.cobosushi.com
On Being a Wine Collector By Ren Manning
S
o, my wife and I are in the midst of a move from a big old house in downtown Charleston, SC to a smaller condo just a few miles from there. Moves are supposed to be among the five most stress-creating events in life, right after nuclear attacks, Armageddon and being asked by the significant other to fix the leaking toilet. D-day is here—the day after the departure of the movers and when approximately 250 bottles of Burgundies, Bordeaux, Brunellos and Barolos get displaced from their comfy homes in their chilled wine room racks, ignominiously boxed in discarded cardboard cartons scrounged from behind liquor and grocery stores, loaded into a friend’s pick-up truck and transported over bumpy roads on a hot, sunny spring day and deposited on the floor of what will be their new home. Wines are living, evolving things, so presumably they get stressed out, too, and they weren’t even consulted about whether to move. The 250-bottle collection of prized potables numbered about 300 when we started planning the move last December. Sensing the challenge, we began to downsize the inventory to the extent our livers would allow. Never were tuna fish salad sandwiches, frozen macaroni and cheese or turkey burgers so honored as during the past four months when their consumption was accompanied by premier cru Burgundy, cult Cabernet or single vineyard Barolo. Why did I do this to myself? Why do people collect anything??? At least a wine collection can be squeezed into a nook and cranny at home and enjoyed over time as the elegant elixirs age into form. Which FINALLY brings me to the main point of this article. Contrary to perceived “wisdom,” a wine collection is well worth pursuing
for those who love the sensory characteristics only an aged red wine can give. However, wines do not need a 55-degree limestone-replicating underground cave environment to hold up and improve as gracefully as you and me as we age. I once unwittingly carried around a “lost” bottle of Barolo in the trunk of my car over the course of a sweltering Atlanta summer. Finding it in September, I gave it up as a ruined pasteurized product of my negligence. Madeira would have actually improved in that environment (refresh your recollection by referring to my article in the Fall 2007 CML magazine you have carefully filed away). But Barolo? Extracting the cork with a sense of foreboding, I was amazed at its perfect condition. Now, I would never advise outfitting the trunk of your car as your wine “cellar,” as much as its portability feature would tempt, but it would seem that wines have the constitution to hold up under torture better than humans do. Consider also that people “store” wines in 72-plus-degree kitchens all over the world and that wine shops and grocery stores display wines in upright, brightly lit conditions for long periods of time before they are adopted and taken home by some happy parents. While there are some white wine varieties from some noted producers that will age marvelously, it is the reds that improve the most over time—yes, even the Cabernets and Merlots from the High Country. Over time, the tannins break down, transforming their bitter bite into a silky tactile sensation, and the pretty, precocious bright bouquets and fruity flavors pick up beautiful background secondary and tertiary nuances of saddle leather, cedar, autumn forest floor and other interesting complexities. Picking up the metamorphosis of a wine as it ages over time is a most interesting facet that comes only
from buying more than the one bottle of wine you plan to drink tonight. Buy a half case, stash most of it away and drink it over the next few years and notice and appreciate its growth and development. It’s kind of like having children that you watch and enjoy grow up, except you get to consume the wine. And like a proud parent, you get to enjoy every minute of the experience. A chilled, dark wine cellar or wine room would be an ideal storage space, but what is acceptable within the means of, and space available to, most wine lovers— a nice, dark space. Temperatures should be relatively stable and about 72 degrees or lower. The primary effect of fluctuating or higher temperatures is that the wine will age more rapidly. While a slooooooow aging over 5, 10 or 20 years promotes a better, more complex and better integrated wine, the benefits of faster aging holds enormous appeal to geezers like yours truly, who don’t buy green bananas anymore. Go buy an inexpensive wine rack and stick it in an out of the way spot out of direct sunlight—under the stairs, in a basement or somewhere dark and cool. Buy at least six bottles of red wine at a time and drink them over the next six years to monitor their aging and development. Don’t be like most people whose only aging regimen is between the wine shop and the house. Start now, because the clock is running! As for the consequences of storing wine on the hall floor of a warmish condo, stay tuned. Hopefully, it won’t be for months and months, but who knows, judging from the chaos and clutter. n Ren Manning is co-owner of Erick’s Cheese and Wine in Banner Elk, and has a Level 2 diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. He organizes the wine education program and teaches summer wine classes at Erick’s. CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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INTELLIGENT CHOICES FOR THE COMMON CRAVING
AFTER ALL, LIFE IS SHORT AND TIME REALLY DOES FLY
Gideon Ridge Inn Lunch: 11 AM to 3 PM. | Dinner: 5 PM to 10 PM. Sunday Brunch: 11 AM to 3 PM.
10 wonderfully comfortable bedrooms with evening turndown service Serving Dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 5:30pm - 8pm Reservations Required Dining & Cocktails Alfresco and the view...
143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
202 Gideon Ridge Road, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605
bistroroca.com / 828-295-4008
gideonridge.com / 828-295-3644
THE NEW RIVER COME FLOAT, FISH, & HIKE
Exotic Teas | Spices & Herbs Salts & Sugars | Spice Blends Accessories | Gifts 1087 Main St., Unit 4 Blowing Rock NC | 828-372-7070
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Ashe County
The Coolest Corner of North Carolina! ashechamber.com 336-846-9550
Would You Like an Adventure with That Beer? By Kelly Melang
C
arolina Mountain Life recently sat down with four local brewers, enjoying a cold beer and asking about their favorite local adventure. Gary Brown of Boondocks Brewing in West Jefferson immediately talked about the New River. “There are numerous ways to enjoy the New River—either casually floating down the river in a tube or kayak with cooler in tow, or with a fly rod. We have some amazing outfitters in the area that we work with on a regular basis and each year we hold a month-long ’Save the New‘ fundraiser in cooperation with the New River Conservancy. The New River is the oldest river in the United States, estimated to be between 10 and 360 million years old. It also is one of the few rivers flowing primarily from south to north. Starting in Ashe County, the river runs 320 miles through Virginia and West Virginia. Ashe County is also the home of a world class disc golf course, along with several state parks for outdoor adventure.” End your day with a stop at Boondocks Brewing Tap Room and Restaurant, enjoying a nice light Honey Orange Kolsch on a hot day or Crumpler Crippler Citra 2X IPA named after Crumpler, NC. Boondocks cans their brews along with other craft beers if you want to take a few with you. “Cans are easier to pack if you are enjoying the outdoors, easier to pack back out and recycle,” says Brown. Beech Mountain Brewing was currently named on the Brewers Association’s list of the “50 FastestGrowing Small and Independent Craft Breweries in the U.S.” Located in the village of Beech Mountain Resort, we sat down with Will Young, master brewer. “Of course Beech Mountain Resort is known for summer mountain biking,
with trails ranging from beginner to pro. Beech Mountain Resort rents bikes and gear for a day of biking and offers lessons. There’s nothing like sitting in the newly reconfigured Taproom and Grill after a long day of riding and enjoying our 5506 Pale Ale. One of our new beers is the Emerald IPA named for the Emerald Outback Park located on Beech Mountain. The Emerald Outback has seven miles of trails for hiking, biking and trail running. Hike the Outback while others mountain bike at the resort and meet up at our 5506’ Sky Bar. Located at the summit of the resort, 5506 has mile high views and our beers on tap.” Young adds, “Two of my favorite trails are Lower Pond Creek Trail along with Buckeye Falls Trail. There’s nothing like hiking to a waterfall.” Beech Mountain Brewing is featuring over 12 beers at the Taproom and Grill, with two taps available for local beers. “Don’t forget to take a growler with you for your adventure or home after,” says Young. Tuesdae Rice of Blowing Rock Brewing found it hard picking just one adventure in Blowing Rock. “Blowing Rock has many hiking and mountain biking trails close to the brewery. We are fortunate having the Blue Ridge Parkway in such close proximity. If I had to pick one favorite adventure it is the Moses Cone Memorial Park, open to hikers, runners and horseback riders. The 3,500acre park has 25 miles of carriage trails. The park also preserves textile magnate, philanthropist and conservationist Moses Cone’s summer residence, Flat Top Manor. The 1,300 square foot, 20 room mansion was built in 1901. It now houses the Parkway Craft Center for the Southern Highland Craft Guild. I love starting at Bass Lake hiking up to the
manor for panoramic views, then back down. You’ll encounter horses along the way and may even spy the resident swans. If you make it up to the manor, take the 20-minute Craftsman’s Trail around the manor, created by Moses Cone for summertime exercise.” When asked about post adventure refreshment, Rice added, “Blowing Rock Brewing includes a full service restaurant for a snack and cold beer after your adventure. We also offer free brewery tours on Saturdays from 1 to 5 p.m.” Take a ride along the Blue Ridge Parkway, park at the Moses Cone Manor or down at Bass Lake and enjoy the outdoors before a relaxing meal at Blowing Rock Brewing and a stroll through Main Street Blowing Rock. Our last stop was Lost Province Brewing in Boone, NC. Located in downtown Boone, from here you can’t miss the highest peak in the town: 4,396 feet Howard’s Knob, named after early settler to the area Benjamin Howard, a contemporary of Daniel Boone. The park used to be the site of an experimental wind turbine built during the Carter years. The turbine was dismantled and the land donated to the town when the vibration twenty cycles below human hearing disrupted television signals and irritated locals. Howard’s Knob offers expansive views of the town of Boone along with Appalachian State University. After a trek to the top, a stop at Lost Province provides great fare with much coming from local farms. When looking for refreshment, think about the Compass Rose, an American Style Amber Ale, and a wood fired pizza. No matter what the adventure, enjoy the carbohydrates you burned off in the great outdoors with a great local beer. Cheers! n CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Two in Two
VISIT TWO DISTINCT WINERIES WITHIN TWO MILES
Walk through history at Watauga Lake Winery. Our historic school is rumored to be haunted. Come visit the classrooms and gymnasium that have been transformed into the wine producing area and tasting room and just maybe meet our resident ghost.
AND
Experience Tuscany in Tennessee — Nestled in the Appalachian High Country, the vineyard-laced hills of our winery give way to a breathtaking 360-degree view of the mountain ranges. Enjoy “Wine with a View” as you enjoy the special character of fruit produced from the vines of Villa Nove Vineyards.
Villa Nove Vineyards Winery
1877 Dry Hill Road Butler, TN 37640 423-768-3633 / 423-768-0345 VillaNoveVineyardsWinery.com
Watauga Lake Winery
6952 Big Dry Run Road Butler, TN 37640 423-768-0345 / 423-768-3633 WataugaLakeWinery.com
Celebrating 22 Years! 140 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
Two great dining options under one grand green roof
Chestnut Grille
Thurs - Sun thru April 7 nights beginning in May Resv. recommended
&
Divide Tavern Food & Drink 7 nights a week
We are excited to introduce new menu selections & preparations Music on the Veranda is back beginning May 13! Ask us about special holiday events, and theme and wine dinners! Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram & Twitter: @TheGreenParkInn www.greenparkinn.com 828.414.9230 9329 Valley Boulevard, Blowing Rock
Serving Lunch & Dinner 7 days 11-10 Sunday Brunch Specials Gluten Free options Grandfather Center – 3990 Hwy 105 S Suite 6 Banner Elk, NC 28604
CAFE & BAKERY
DeliciousSandwiches
(Served on our homemade bread)
Inspire Your Tastebuds Painted Salad
Pies • Cakes • Tarts Shepherd’s Pie Steak & Ale Pie Chicken Pot Pie English Specialties (On request)
Catering
Serving Dinner Twice Monthly Call or Check our Website for Dates & Menu
828.963.8228
www.eatcrownc.com Fabulous British Chef/Owner
Dominic & Meryle Geraghty
MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NOW! 2941 tynecastle highway • banner elk (across from the entrance to Sugar Mountain)
828.898.6800 paintedfishcafe.com
EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE EAT CAKE
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm Lunch served till 3pm 9872 Hwy. 105 S. in Foscoe (Across from Mountain Lumber) CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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summertime. shell shock!
Now it’s a Cocktail Party
Catering Available | Open 7 days a week Mon-Sat 11am-9pm & Sunday Noon-9pm 190 Boone Heights Dr, Boone, NC 28607 Reservations Suggested 828-386-6101 – Visit our Banner Elk Location –
828-898-7773 BodegasBE.com 488 Main Street, West Banner Elk, NC
www.ShellShockCocktailSauce.com
142 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
and General Store
BAYOU A New Orleans style Restaurant & Bar A boutique bed & breakfast in historic downtown Blowing Rock, serving breakfast every day, lunch Saturday, brunch Sunday, and dinner Tuesday thru Saturday with fresh, locally sourced, New American Cuisine.
r e e s B m e e t I in Open Daily in Historic Valle Crucis & l a W thenewpublichouse.com | 828.295.3487 c Tanger Outlets, Blowing Rock o L 239 Sunset Drive, Blowing Rock NC 28604 828-260-6221 | www.JerkyOutpost.net ts f i G
J E R KY • S E A S O N I N G S • H OT S AU C E S
“Best Chicken Tenders Hands Down! “ Mon-Sat 10:30am - 9pm Sun 11pm - 6pm
(and Breakfast Mon-Fri 7am - 10:30am)
Live Music Friday & Saturday Nights! 828-737-0700 carolinabbqnewland.com Catering for 25 - 1200 people!
Voted Best BBQ in the High Country 15 years running! In Downtown Newland
Cajun & Texas Cuisine
A Friendly General Store
Visit the Wall of Flame! Beer • Wine Local Items Souvenirs Hot Sauce Downtown Banner Elk Open 7 Days a Week
Kitchen Open Late! 828 898~8952 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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Banner Elk Winery & Villa Experience Luxury in the High Country’s Original & Most Acclaimed Winery Savor award-winning wine and pamper yourself at The Villa, a luxury B&B. Spend your days exploring the local golfing, fishing, and skiing. Or recharge with a spa treatment and a glass of wine in front of the magnificent stone fireplace. A weekend getaway, corporate retreat, family vacation, or destination wedding ... it’s the perfect place to relax, re-inspire, and rejuvenate ~ both inside and out.
Soft Sheets Perfect Location Great Hospitality Reservations 828-898-8195
Corporate Meetings • Weddings • Special Events 135 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604
828-260-1790
www.BannerElkWinery.com 144
— Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE BannerElkWVSep/Oct2012.indd 1
8/14/12 10:56 AM
149 Azalea Circle SE Banner Elk 28604 Azaleainnbb.com
Sorrento’s Dining & Entertainment Complex In Downtown Banner Elk
O utdoor P atio D ining • B arra S ports & C igar B ar • C hef ’ s T able - F ine D ining
140 Azalea Circle, Banner Elk, NC 828-898-5214 • SorrentoBistro.com
SPECIAL EVENTS & CATERING
828-528-1558 • SorrentosBistroCatering@gmail.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Summer 2018 —
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OUR SPONSORS: 125.............A to Z Auto Detailing 82...............Abode Home Design 114.............Adams Apple 67...............Alta Vista Gallery 125.............Amy Brown, CPA 105.............Andrews & Andrews Insurance 35...............An Appalachian Summer Festival 54...............Antiques on Howard 63...............Anvil Arts Sculpture Garden & Gallery 122.............AppOrtho – Appalachian Regional Health 96...............Appalachian Angler 7.................Appalachian Blind and Closet 114.............Appalachian Elder Law Center 55...............Appalachian Voices 44...............Apple Hill Farm 60...............Art Cellar 64...............Artists in Residence 63...............Ashe County Studio Tour 138.............Ashe County Chamber of Commerce 73...............Avery Animal Hospital 125,26........Avery County Chamber of Commerce 67...............Avery Heating 144.............Azalea Inn 55...............Bailey Drapery and Design 44...............Banner Elk Book Exchange 67...............Banner Elk Café & Lodge 88...............Banner Elk Consignment Cottage & Barn 73...............Banner Elk Realty 10...............BannerElk.com 34...............Banner Elk Olive Oil and Balsamics 144.............Banner Elk Winery 28...............Banner House Museum 85, 145.......Barra 62...............Barter Theater 96...............Base Camp BE 143.............Bayou Smokehouse & Grill 125.............BB&T 27...............BE Artists Gallery 24...............Beech Mountain Club/Beech Mountain TDA 47...............Beech Mountain Throwback Music Festival 142.............Bella’s Italian Restaurant 138.............Bistro Roco 35,17..........BJ’s Resort Wear 128.............Blowing Rock Ale House Restaurant/ Brewing Co 111.............Blowing Rock.com 110.............Blowing Rock Farmers Market 46...............Blowing Rock Music Festival 110,111......Blowing Rock Pages 54...............Blue Blaze Bicycle & Shuttle Service 34...............Blue Mountain Metalworks
50...............Blue Ridge Energy 28...............Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation--The Denim Ball 76...............Blue Ridge Professional Services 6.................Blue Ridge Propane 50...............Blue Ridge Realty & Investments 142.............Bodegas Kitchen and Wine Bar 76...............Boone High Country Rentals 63...............BRAHM 96...............Brinkley Hardware 128.............Call Family Distillery 16...............Carlton Gallery 143.............Carolina BBQ 76...............Casa Rustica 54...............CF Home by Charleston Forge 145.............Chef’s Table 141.............Chestnut Grille 105.............Children’s Hope Alliance 6.................Classic Stone 47...............Clean and Dry 40...............COMMA 72...............Compu-Doc 136.............CoBo Sushi Bistro & Bar 125.............Creative Interiors by Darlene Parker 86...............Creative Printing 12...............Crossnore School for Children 46...............DAR Tea and Toddies 44...............Dereka’s Sugar Mountain Accommodations 2.................Dewoolfson 8.................Distinctive Cabinetry of the HC 110.............Doc’s Rocks Gem Mine 63...............Doe Ridge Pottery 37...............Downtown Boone 141.............Eat Crow Café 98...............Echota 141.............Elevations Tavern and Grill 11...............Elk River Club 66...............Encore Travel 132.............English Farmstead Cheese 34...............Ensemble Stage 136.............Ericks Cheese and Wine 136.............Eseeola Lodge 72...............F.A.R.M. Café 44...............Footsloggers 114.............Fortner Insurance 96...............Foscoe Fishing Company 27...............Fred’s General Mercantile 35...............Front Porch Antiques 8.................Fuller & Fuller 142.............Gamekeeper 66...............Gardens of the Blue Ridge 138.............Gideon Ridge Inn 16...............Grandfather Golf and Country Club 147.............Grandfather Mountain 14...............Grandfather Mountain Highland Games 15...............Grandfather Vineyard
88...............Graystone Aesthetic Center 75...............Greater Newland Business Association 111.............Green Park Inn 88...............Gregory Alan’s Gifts 111.............Handtiques 60...............Hardin Fine Jewelry 125.............Headquarters Bike & Outdoor 37...............High Country Animal Clinic 76...............High Country Resort Rentals 124.............High Country Wine Trail 66...............Highland Forestry Land & Timber 82...............Hound Ears 66...............Hunter’s Tree Service 37...............Incredible Toy Company 140.............Italian Restaurant 35...............Jack’s 128 Pecan 143.............Jerky Outpost 58...............J.W. Tweeds 74...............Leatherwood Mountains Resort 27...............Lees-McRae College 62...............Lees-McRae Summer Theater 85...............Libby’s 54...............Liberty Mountain 34 ............Linville Caverns 116.............Linville Falls Mountain Club 36...............Linville Falls Winery 69...............Linville Land Harbor 3.................Lodges at Eagles Nest 51...............Long Journey Home 140.............Lost Province Brewing Company 148.............Mast General Store 66...............Mayland Comm. College Bare Dark Sky Observatory 132.............Maw’s Produce 67...............Mica Gallery 74...............Mountain Dog and Friends 47...............Mountain Jewelers 86...............Mountaineer Landscaping 85...............My Best Friend’s Barkery 110.............Mystery Hill 125.............Nick’s Restaurant & Pub 72...............Outlander NC 85...............Pack Rats 141.............Painted Fish Café 86, 125.......Peak Real Estate 37...............Pedalin’ Pig BBQ 72...............Premier Pharmacy 37...............Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop 74...............Reeves DiVenere Wright Attorneys at Law 128.............Reid’s Café & Catering 58...............Reinert Fine Art 46...............Resort Real Estate & Rentals 125.............Rite Aid Pharmacy 36...............Rivercross
86...............Root Down 62...............Rustik 62...............Sally Nooney Art Studio Gallery 125.............Salon Suites at Tynecastle 5,29............SeeSugar.com 44...............Seven Devils TDA 142.............Shell Shock Cocktail Sauce 125.............Shooz and Shiraz 29...............Shoppes at Farmers 125.............Shoppes 0f Tynecastle 110.............Six Pence Pub 145.............Sorrento’s Italian Bistro 58...............Southern Highland Craft Guild 110.............Stella Blue’s Pawtique 141.............Stick Boy Bread Co. 84...............Stone Cavern 16...............Stonewalls Restaurant 29,5............Sugar Mountain Golf and Tennis 28...............Sugar Mountain Nursery 75...............Sugar Mountain Resort 50...............Sugar Ski and Country Club 14...............Summit Group 54...............Sunset Tee’s 114.............Tahja Entertainment 15...............Tatum Gallery 46, 111.......The Blowing Rock 68...............The Cabin Store 75...............The Consignment Cottage Warehouse 125.............The Dande Lion 105.............The Happy Shack 76...............The Lodge at River Run 143.............The New Public House & Hotel 138.............The Spice & Tea Exchange 63...............The Twisted Twig 5,29............The Village of Sugar Mountain 4.................Tom Eggers Construction 114.............Tom’s Custom Golf 62...............Turchin Center for the Visual Arts 125.............Tynecastle Builders 125.............Tynecastle Realty 75...............Ultimate Kitchens Direct 140.............Villa Nove Vineyards Winery 125.............Valle de Bravo Mexican Grill 68...............Village Jewelers 117.............Waite Financial 72...............Watauga County Farmers Market 140.............Watauga Lake Winery 27...............Weaving Room 29...............West Jefferson Antiques Fair 111.............Woodlands Barbecue 26...............Woolly Worm Festival 86...............YMCA of Avery County
thank you! 146 — Summer 2018 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE
{
You can see forever.
Together.
Hand in hand is a wonderful way to share the awe and delights that await you at Grandfather Mountain. Share the joy today and help us preserve it for tomorrow. w w w. g ra n d f a t h e r. c o m
}
GRANDFATHER® MOUNTAIN WONDERS NEVER CEASE