Elijah Woods · Dianne Davant & Associates
Sugar Mountain Golf Club
Sugar Mountain Tennis Club
45 Years of Dianne Davant & Associates
By Jan Todd
"We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service, personalized design, and going above and beyond to make our clients happy. Those things only come by spending time listening and putting together a design that not only suits the clients’ needs but gives them the home of their dreams." - Margaret Handley
RiverGirl Fishing Co.
By Zenda Douglas
"I’ve always wanted RiverGirl to be educational and it always has been a little. People gathered on the porch before going in and learned the name of the river and a bit of history. Some people have no idea what river they’re floating on." - Kelly McCoy
Arborcrest Gardens
By Anna Beth Adcock
"It's not a particularly happy world out there… but when you come here, all the problems are out there. This is all about God’s beauty and happiness. It’s a respite from the not-so-nice world." - Dr. Ronald Stanley 34
The Care Collective
By Anna Beth Adcock
"Wellness looks different for every person. We live in a really beautiful place where lots of wellness has to do with nature. [While] massage isn't for everyone, [it’s good for] more people to be exposed to it and open to it—and to see that it's more than feeling good… it's beneficial." - Megan Ward
Celebrating Stuart Nye Jewelry
By Melinda Burris
"It takes a lot of patience, and the women that did it over the years enjoyed it to a large extent and got used to it and were obviously very talented at it." - Joe Morris
Elijah Woods
By Tim Gardner
"I'm a blessed man and I'm most thankful for what having the opportunity to sing has meant to me. It has made me a better person. I just tried to be an inspiration to people through my singing, and I hope the songs I sang reached people in a meaningful way. And I hope they still do when people listen to me sing on recordings." - Elijah Woods 16 26 48 56 64
Fall is almost here!
As the crisp air of September begins to weave its way through the High Country, we are excited to bring you a collection of stories that celebrate the rich history, creativity, and spirit of our community. This month’s issue of High Country Magazine is filled with tales of longevity, passion, and the unique character that defines our beloved region.
We begin with a special feature on Dianne Davant & Associates, an interior design studio that has been a cornerstone of style and elegance for an impressive 45 years. This milestone is a testament to their dedication to transforming spaces into beautiful, personalized havens. Their journey is one of creativity and vision, influencing the aesthetic of countless homes and businesses throughout the High Country.
Our journey continues with a spotlight on RiverGirl Fishing Co., a beloved destination that has been drawing visitors of all ages to the New River year after year. At RiverGirl, guests are not only invited to fish, kayak, canoe, and float down the river, but also to engage in the vital work of keeping this waterway clean and healthy. It’s a place where adventure meets stewardship, and where the beauty of nature is cherished and preserved.
We then take you to Arbocrest Gardens, Boone's secret botanical paradise. Arbocrest Gardens offers a tranquil retreat for those who seek solace in nature. This hidden gem is a testament to the power of botanical beauty and the peaceful escape it provides to all who wander through its lush, carefully curated landscapes.
In the heart of our community, The Care Collective stands as a beacon of health and wellness. Dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing space, this collective offers a variety of services aimed at fostering well-being and healing. Whether it’s through therapeutic practices, holistic treatments, or simply offering a space for connection, The Care Collective embodies the spirit of caring for both body and soul.
As we reflect on the passage of time, we also honor the legacy of Stuart Nye Hand Wrought Jewelry, which will sadly close its doors at the end of this year after an extraordinary 91 years in business. Known for their exquisite craftsmanship and timeless designs, Stuart Nye has been a symbol of artisanal excellence and tradition. Their departure marks the end of an era, but their influence on the world of jewelry will be remembered for generations to come.
Finally, we are privileged to share the story of Elijah Woods, a noted Southern gospel artist who reflects on his superlative music career. His powerful voice and heartfelt lyrics have touched the lives of many, and his journey through the world of gospel music is one of dedication, faith, and an unwavering commitment to his craft.
As you immerse yourself in the stories of this issue, we hope you find inspiration in the enduring legacies, the passion for creativity, and the deep sense of community that we are so fortunate to have in the High Country. Here’s to a September filled with reflection, celebration, and the beauty that surrounds us.
Thank you for reading and supporting High Country Magazine!
A Public Ation o f
High Country Press Publications
Publisher /editor
Sam Garrett design
Ashley Poore
Advertising d irector
Michelle Harrell
contributing Writers
Anna Beth Adcock
Melinda Burris
Zenda Douglas
Tim Gardner
Sherrie Norris
Jan Todd
cover Photogr APher
Ashley Poore
High Country Magazine is produced by the staff and contributors of High Country Press Publications, which serves Watauga, Avery and Ashe counties of North Carolina.
HIGH COUNTRY MAGAZINE
P.O. Box 152, Boone, NC 28607 828-264-2262
Copyright © 2024, All rights reserved
ON THE COVER:
Sam Garrett - Publisher
Sam Garrett making a new friend while visiting the Avery County Humane Society.
Arborcrest Gardens, established in 1989, is located at 174 Evergreen Lane in Boone, NC. Photo by Ashley Poore.
mountain echoes
The 24th Annual Blue Ridge Conservancy 5K Set for September 21st in Blowing Rock
STORY COURTESY OF BLUE RIDGE CONSERVANCY
The Blue Ridge Conservancy 5K and Kids Fun Run, a favorite autumn event in the high country, returns to Blowing Rock on September 21, 2024. Now in its 24th year, the run begins in downtown Blowing Rock and winds its way through the Mayview Neighborhood, challenging runners with hills and switchbacks, and rewarding participants with spectacular views and delicious treats. Proceeds benefit Blue Ridge Conservancy, a local land trust committed to protecting lands with agricultural, cultural, recreational, ecological, and scenic value.
The 5K is sponsored by Stick Boy Bread Company, and the Kids Fun Run is sponsored by Blue Ridge Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.
“We’re so excited about this year’s 5k and Fun Run,” says BRC Director of Communications Leila Jackson. “For 24 years now, this event has been an opportunity for the community to gather for a beautiful fall morning run to support BRC’s work in the High Country, and to enjoy treats from our amazing local
sponsors. We’d love for everyone to come join us.”
Those who participate in the 5K race will receive a t-shirt and race bag, and there will be awards for the top three fastest runners in each ten-year age category. Kids signing up for the Fun Run will receive a t-shirt, bag, and special treats from Stick Boy.
Register for the event here: https://www.athlinks.com/event/ blue-ridge-conservancy-5k-15646
For more information, including a map, visit: https:// blueridgeconservancy.org/blue-ridge-conservancy-5k
Thank you to the sponsors of the event: Stick Boy Bread Co., Blue Ridge Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Ashemont Title, Moltox, Rosemyr Corp., McGuire Woods, Mayview Park HOA, Hemlock Inn, Rumple Memorial Creation Cares Committee, Bistro Roca, Mast General Store, Booneshine Brewing Co., M-Prints, Appalachian Ski Mountain, Bald Guy Brew, EarthGirl Ceramics, New River Distilling, and Snake Mountain Iron Works.t
Photo courtesy of Blue Ridge Conservancy 5K.
mountain echoes A Run To Remember: 11th Annual Hunter’s Heroes Event Set for Sept. 14
STORY BY SHERRIE NORRIS
It’s time for the race to remember as the 11th Annual Hunter’s
Heroes Race kicks off on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Boone.
Beginning at 8 a.m., Clawson-Burnley Park near the Greenway Trail will attract dozens of participants for one of the area’s premiere outdoor events of the late-summer season.
Since the 2012 tragic death of local deputy William Mast Jr., and the subsequent birth of his son, Hunter, just days later, the community has come together to honor his memory in a huge way. Along with other memorial events in Mast’s honor, this one continues to grow with each passing year.
This 2024 event will once again feature a 10k, 5k and 1-mile fun run for kids 2-10.
Everyone — regardless of age or ability — is invited and encouraged to be part of this community-wide gathering.
On behalf of the hard-working group of volunteers who make this event happen, Paige Mast-Blevins shared with High Country Press that things will be a little different, this year.
“Rather than designate one or two specific heroes to honor, as has been our custom, this year’s event will pay tribute to all heroes, past and present. We will join together to raise funds that will allow Hunter’s Heroes to help heroes all throughout the year, as well as members of our community that need assistance with medical expenses.”
And, she added, “We have a lot of volunteers lined up to help
us make sure that our routes go smoothly, too.”
She said it has been an honor to have been able to help so many first responder families over the past 12 years, as well as members of this wonderful community.
“The Hunter’s Heroes Team wants to be able to continue helping our first responders, families, and to serve our community for years to come, but we can’t do it without your help. Please join us as we run to remember and honor all our heroes. We can’t wait to see you there.”
The races will start and end at Clawson-Burnley Park on the Greenway Trail in Boone.
“Proceeds benefit those that gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our community and also to embrace the loved ones that lost someone too soon, the team spokesperson surmised.
“Our Hunter’s Heroes group welcomes participation from our entire community. We (especially) honor officers and military personnel of their service to North Carolina and to the United States of America.
In addition to funds raised at this event, year-round donations are needed to increase awareness and assistance as needs arise.
For more information and/or to register, visit www. huntersheroes2013.com. Also, links are available through Facebook and Instagram. t
These kids definitely have fun when they run, as evidenced by this photo from the 2023 Hunter ’s Heroes event. Photo submitted.
A’ huggin’ and a’ kissin’ Carolina Gal
By Jan Todd
Ihad a business appointment recently. We had talked on the phone and had exchanged several emails, but this was the first time we were meeting face-to-face. When I walked into her office, she stood up and gave me a big ol’ hug.
Now, mind you, this occurred in the small town of Lincolnton — not in the big city of Charlotte — so I wasn’t overly surprised. After all, I am an extremely huggable Southern gal and naturally, people are glad to see me wherever I go. At least I think so.
This was a simple Southern friendly hug, nothing that would raise eyebrows, but it did get me to wondering about our greeting traditions.
I have some friends from Up North, who I find quite friendly except when it’s football season and they’re rootin’ for a certain team from New England. Bless their hearts.
It was at the home of these folks when I first experienced being kissed goodbye after a dinner party. Now usually, I reserve my sugar (that’s kissin’, y’all) for my Main Man, but evidently these New Englanders are a little more footloose and fancy free with their smooches. It was just a little peck on the cheek, mind you, but it caught me by surprise.
At least it was a real kiss, though. Years ago in a business setting I was air kissed by some woman from New York City. Gracious daisies! She shook my hand then pulled me in for a double air kiss, about four inches away from each side of my face. I hardly knew what to make of that.
So, I reckon the Southern custom of huggin’ is pretty tame.
There is some hug protocol, however.
When folks are invited to our house, most times they’ll be greeted with a hug. If a person shows up with a good friend or family member — even if we don’t know that person — they’ll get a hug.
To newcomers, my husband will usually announce, “We’re huggin’ people,” prior to the act. That’s just good manners, seeing how he is a Southern gentleman, and a big one at that. Letting people know what to expect curtails the holy-cow-why-is-thisbig-guy-coming-so-close-to-me stage of panic that can occur in someone not accustomed to the Southern hug greeting.
But if a neighbor shows up unannounced, perhaps to borrow a cup of grits (it could happen), a hug would probably not be involved. If they’re wearing a team jersey from that New England football team, there would definitely not be a hug. ‘Course, they probably wouldn’t be coming over to borrow a cup of grits, either. Bless their hearts.
Anyone who shows up at our football game tailgate will get a hug, and they’ll get fed, too. And if our team wins a close game, we’ll hug everybody, even complete strangers.
Now, there ain’t nuthin’ much more awkward than someone who tries to duck out a hug greeting/farewell, so I wouldn’t recommend you try it unless absolutely necessary. But — if you do need a way out, simply hold up your hands and say, “I’ve just gotten over a stomach bug,” or “Go Patriots.” t
Hugging is a Southern tradition. It is even practiced among fans of different teams. Well, at least SOME teams. Photo submitted
DIANNE DAVANT & ASSOCIATES INTERIOR DESIGN CELEBRATES 45 YEARS COMING HOME
STORY BY JAN TODD
When Dianne Davant Moffitt makes her annual trek from Florida to Blowing Rock each spring, she is coming home.
For the past few decades, she has split her time between serving clients from her interior design studio in Banner Elk and the firm’s second location in Stuart, Florida. Residential and corporate design work has taken Dianne and her team all over the world to transform spaces in luxury country clubs and resorts, corporate yachts and jets, stadiums and businesses, upscale restaurants, and private homes of distinction.
Founded in 1979, Dianne Davant and Associates is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year.
Dianne and her husband, Lee Moffitt—former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives and the founder of the Floridabased Moffitt Cancer Center—have shared several different homes in Florida and the North Carolina High Country during their 22-year marriage.
Their latest mountain move, though, is most significant, because the house is Dianne’s childhood home in Blowing Rock. When her mother passed away in 2020, Dianne couldn’t bear to see the beloved homeplace sold, so she and Lee decided to part with their High Country address in Banner Elk’s Diamond Creek Golf Club and move into her family home on Chestnut Drive.
Built in 1938, the house was purchased by the Davants after moving from Lenoir in 1948 when Mayor Grover Robbins, Sr. persuaded Dr. Charles Davant, Dianne’s father, to relocate his family and establish a medical practice in town.
When I was young, my mother said she was always careful if she had to walk into my bedroom at night when the lights were out. I was constantly rearranging the furniture, and she was afraid she’d trip!
- DIANNE DAVANT MOFFITT
Upon arriving, Dr. Davant built a small clinic, where Dianne was born, then established the Blowing Rock Hospital in 1951. He practiced medicine for more than 50 years before he died in 2003. His wife, Harriet, advocated for education and volunteered extensively in the area and was named “Woman of the Year” by the Blowing Rock Community Foundation in 2016. Dianne’s brother, Dr. Charles Davant III, became a doctor and has practiced medicine in Blowing Rock since 1972.
Dianne Davant Moffitt in her living room on Chestnut Drive in Blowing Rock. Behind her, a fireplace constructed with Grandfather granite, taken from a quarry that used to be in operation on the southwest side of Grandfather Mountain. Photo submitted.
In 2014, The Blowing Rock Historical Society placed a marker at the homesite to recognize the home’s significance and honor the Davants’ many contributions to the community.
Before the Moffitts moved into the historic home, Dianne had to do a few renovations. After all, remodeling and design are in her blood.
“When I was young, my mother said she was always careful if she had to walk into my bedroom at night when the lights were out. I was constantly rearranging the furniture, and she was afraid she’d trip!” Dianne laughs.
Dianne notes her parents made very few changes to their home in the decades they lived there. It was typical of mountain homes built in the 1930s, with a stone foundation, lots of dark wood paneling, and living space divided into smaller rooms.
Trees around the house had grown into a thick canopy, shading the home from sunlight. “Even with all the lights on, it was so dark inside,” Dianne recalls.
Dianne wanted to preserve the legacy of the home while transforming it to fit the Moffitts’ lifestyle and incorporate the beauty of the outdoors. She opened up the kitchen to the living and dining areas and added an expansive covered porch and deck to create an outside living space with multiple seating areas, perfect for enjoying the cool mountain air.
To provide open access to the kitchen, which was originally reached by walking through the laundry room, Dianne had the large indoor fireplace dismantled and reconstructed on the porch.
“The fireplace is made with Grandfather Granite, which you can’t get anymore,” Dianne shares. “The builder took every salvageable piece from the three-story fireplace that separated the kitchen from the dining room. That poor man lived inside our chimney for weeks, removing stone by stone.”
To bring light into the house, Dianne had skylights installed in the living room and added a bank of glass doors leading to the porch outside. She had trees on the property trimmed and thinned.
Dianne Davant Moffitt (2nd from right) with her team inside her studio located at 5111 NC-105, Banner Elk. “We’ve been told we have the largest selection of fabrics, wall coverings and carpet samples in the Southeast,” Dianne remarked. Pictured from left are Pamela McKay, Margaret Handley, both partners in the firm, assistant designer Sarah Lafaille, Dianne and assistant designer Laura Olds. Photo by Jonathan Burton.
The Blowing Rock Historical Society erected a marker in front of the Davant home on Chestnut Drive. The home was built in 1938 for Miss Mary Arrington of Rocky Mount, then served as the longtime residence of Dr. and Mrs. Charles Davant and their children, Dianne and Charles (“Bunky”). Photo by Jan Todd.
“It was so exciting when they started to cut branches and trees and the view opened up. We can now see Cone Manor plus all the lights in Blowing Rock, which are so pretty,” Dianne observes.
In the original floorplan, all the bedrooms were upstairs. Mindful of steps as they grow older, Dianne said they considered installing an elevator but ultimately decided to transform a den into the primary bedroom suite. They expanded the room to include his-and-her baths, each equipped with a private walk-in closet.
“I could live in my closet,” Dianne jokes. She tucked a desk into her closet, setting up a private workstation where she could scatter her papers and materials out of sight from the rest of the home.
Even with all the changes, the Moffitt’s home still feels like the place where Dianne grew up. The laundry room contains its original wormwood cabinetry and artwork that hung next to the washing machine when Dianne was a child. A door leads to the outside, where her mother used to hang laundry on the clothesline.
“Standing here, I can still smell the fresh linens after they’d dried in the sun,” Dianne muses.
Dianne salvaged the wooden doorframe from the den, where the Davants measured the heights of children and grandchildren over the years. She placed it in the laundry room as a nostalgic nod to celebrating family milestones.
We don’t have a signature design style. If you come in and want a gothic castle, we can do it. If you want a LEED-certified home, something traditional or something super contemporary, we can do that, too.
- DIANNE DAVANT MOFFITT
Throughout the home, Dianne has incorporated work by local artisans and manufacturers including an iron base for her dining room table constructed by Boone-based Charleston Forge, and a custom sink in a guest powder room by Doe Ridge Pottery.
Renovating her childhood home was a labor of love, and as always, Dianne crafted their personal living spaces with the same energy, creativity, and “nothing is impossible” attitude that has defined her award-winning design business.
A Team of Professionals
No matter the price tag or size of the project, at Dianne Davant and Associates, the goal is the same: to create a classic, comfortable, and enduring space that is as unique and extraordinary as the client.
“We don’t have a signature design style,” Dianne explains. “If you come in and want a gothic castle, we can do it. If you want a LEED-certified home, something traditional or something super contemporary, we can do that, too.”
Dianne attributes much of the firm’s success to her team of designers, three of whom she named partners in the company last year. Margaret Handley and Pamela McKay are based in Banner Elk, with Priscilla Hyatt Councill in the firm’s Florida location. Dianne considers the three women “family.”
“We’ve worked very closely together all these years. At times, the office was like a nursery, with our children playing on the floor while
The star of the show, an antler chandelier. Lighting is one of a designers favorite things to pick out for each room. Space designed by Margaret Handley, photo by Veronica Sandoval.
A kitchen lover's dream work space. Space designed by Margaret Handley, photo by Jason Hatcher.
we were doing our jobs,” Dianne shares.
“My philosophy in managing staff has always been to hire good people and let them go. I am not a micromanager. I just expect them to be great. I know they can do the work, even if they don’t know it themselves at the time,” she says.
Margaret, who joined Dianne in 1996, notes, “I have learned so much about this business in my years working with Dianne. I think of her as a mentor and best friend. She has shown me how to gracefully be a strong-willed woman.”
Margaret earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Georgia. She is a LEED GA-certified professional, which means she has a documented understanding of current “green” building principles and practices. She and the other designers incorporate earth-friendly features in their designs, presenting options such as LED lighting, fabrics made from natural materials, and locally sourced supplies.
Pam came to work for Dianne in 2001. She studied Art Marketing and Interior Design at Appalachian State
Dianne (right) and her brother Bunky, pictured beside her, prepared to ride in the Blowing Rock Charity Horse Show in the early 1950s. Their mother, Harriet, stands to the left of Dianne’s pony, “Trigger.” Photo submitted.
The Davant house after a snowstorm in 1961. “It snowed a lot more when I was a girl,” Dianne recalled. “We played outside, even in the winter, and built igloos when it snowed.” Photo submitted.
Luxury Mountain Getaway
Designed by Margaret Handley
The homeowners of this elegant home had owned a house in Blowing Rock for years — but always had their eye out for something with a view. When they found this property in the Mayview Park area of Blowing Rock, they jumped on it. Designer Margaret Handley worked alongside the builders, Enterline and Russell, to create an elegantly casual home with a nod to “old Blowing Rock.”
Reclaimed timbers were used for ceiling beams, and reclaimed wood was used for the floors as well. The owner has an extensive collection of antiques from her mother, and making space for these heirlooms was a big consideration in the design, Margaret said. They also incorporated an extensive collection of art and pottery by local artists. t
Margaret Handley, ASID, partner and senior designer. Photo submitted.
Home photos by Jason Hatcher.
The living room, with a magnificent valley view, features reclaimed timbers on the ceiling and around the entry, an antique sideboard (left), rocking chairs handcrafted by a local artist, and a burled wood slab coffee table made by a local woodworker.
The family loves to watch sports and enjoy the adjacent wine room in this large gathering room. The husband wanted several games in the space, and Margaret found an antique foosball table which has become a fun focal point of the room.
The wife loves to take a daily bath, so a view from the tub was important. In their main home in Charlotte, the owners have a beautiful crystal chandelier in their bath, and wanted something similar in their mountain home.
During construction, the owners noticed how beautiful the view was from the attic area. Designer Margaret Handley went back to the architect and they carved out a wonderful space with a delightful reading nook.
The stonework around the kitchen range complements the fireplace in the living room. In both, Margaret and the owners worked closely with the mason to incorporate large stones (“shiners”) chosen by the owner.
“all
and
University, and then in 1993, she opened the Art Cellar Gallery in Banner Elk, which she has continued to run throughout her career as an interior designer.
Her work takes her all over the world, acquiring key pieces for her designs, or collaborating with clients who have sought her innovative creativity from near and far. “We are very fortunate as a firm that gets to do a little bit of everything, catering to our clients’ unique tastes,” Pam says.
Priscilla is a fourth-generation Miamian who moved to Boone as a young child when her grandparents purchased Hound Ears Country Club in 1987. She graduated from Watauga High School and then enrolled in the Interior Design program at Cape Fear Community College in Wilmington. She scored an internship at Dianne Davant and Associates in 2008 and then joined the firm full-time.
When Dianne needed extra help to manage her design work in Florida, she asked Priscilla to make the move back to her home state.
“The lessons I’ve learned from Dianne, Pam, and Margaret have been priceless,” Priscilla notes. “I am blessed to call these remarkable women my mentors, friends, family, and now partners. It feels surreal!”
We are very fortunate as a firm that gets to do a little bit of everything, catering to our clients’ unique tastes. - PAMELA MCKAY
Each of her partners is “equally versed” in any style or design skill set, Dianne observes. All senior designers in the company are ASID (American Society for Interior Designers) certified, a distinction that sets the team apart from others in the High Country. The certification indicates an elevated level of education and experience and having passed
SUGAR
Dianne spent most of her childhood outdoors, she said, riding her Welsh pony, named Charlie,
over town”
on carriage trails at Moses Cone Park. Photo submitted.
the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) exam.
“Some people say they ‘dabble’ in decorating, with little awareness of what is required to be a professional designer—the years of experience and study needed,” Dianne explains.
The NCIDQ exam, which the official website indicates has a general pass rate of about 50%, measures core competencies in building systems, codes, construction standards, contract administration, design application, professional practice, and project coordination.
We’re really good listeners, which makes us good at what we do. Our job is to give the client a house they’re comfortable in and they’re happy to live in every day.
- PAMELA MCKAY
Their professional designations enable the team to work side-by-side with architects and builders on both residential and commercial projects. During a new construction or renovation, the design team reviews building plans and may suggest changes in the placement of doors, windows, or overall layout to accommodate furniture arrangement or to better match the lifestyle goals of the client.
“We’re really good listeners, which makes us good at what we do,” says Pam. “Our job is to give the client a house they’re comfortable in and they’re happy to live in every day.”
Before beginning a project, the designers interview the clients very thoroughly to understand how they live.
Dianne and Lee Moffitt added a large porch to the original Davant home in Blowing Rock, extending their living space into the outdoors. The porch has multiple seating areas, an outdoor bar and kitchen, and a fireplace that was relocated from the interior of the home, where it once separated the kitchen from the dining room. The remodeled space features a more open floor plan, ideal for entertaining. Photo by Jan Todd.
Right: An antique cabinet, set against the knotty pine paneling, is useful storage in Dianne Davant Moffitt’s kitchen. It was an heirloom belonging to her grandmother. Above the cabinet is a painting by Bryan Keith Smith depicting a bench next to Bass Lake, where Lee Moffitt proposed to Dianne in 2001. As a wedding gift, one of the couple’s friends arranged to get the bench for them, and it now sits in their backyard on Chestnut Drive. Photo by Jan Todd.
Classical Villa
Designed by Priscilla Councill
This Florida home, located in Lake Wales, was completely transformed from its original décor — with dark hues, layered wallcoverings and draperies, and heavy carved furniture — to a Mediterraneanstyle villa that maximizes natural light and showcases the views and gardens. The property overlooks rolling hills and gardens and the famous “Singing Tower”, a Carillon in the Bok Tower Gardens. t
The foyer is captivating with its original pecky cypress ceilings, preserved from the home’s original design. Warm brass tones of the French market lanterns enhance the organic beauty of the wood, achieving a harmonious visual balance in the entry room. Antiques grace each end of the hall: a secretary from the family’s collection and a three-drawer painted neoclassical marble-top cabinet Priscilla discovered during a shopping excursion on Antique Row in West Palm Beach.
Attention to detail is evident in the custom-painted palm tree containers. Enhancing the room’s grandeur, a large custom antique mirror wall reflects the surrounding grounds and the
Priscilla Councill, ASID, partner and senior designer. Photo submitted.
Home photos by Dan Forer.
The elegant living room is adorned with a custom mural inspired by a wall in the famous drawing room of the Layford Cay Club on New Providence Island in the Bahamas. The original Venetian chandelier adds to the ambiance, while custom furniture ensure it is an ideal space for entertaining.
Bok Tower.
The backyard of this Mediterranean oasis in Lake Wales, Florida, offers a glimpse of gardens which, once matured, will become a spectacular complement to the home’s view of the Bok Tower Gardens, a National Historic Landmark.
The family room is inviting with its original brick floors arranged in a herringbone pattern, guiding people in to a cozy space. The design of the room revolves around the linen floral chintz fabric, drawing inspiration from the surrounding grounds. Custom furniture blends seamlessly with antiques from the family’s personal collection, adding character and a sense of history to the room. The Venetian glass wall clock serves as a striking focal point.
Mountain Modern
Designed by Pamela McKay
This elegant “mountain modern” styled house in Banner Elk’s luxurious Eagles Nest incorporates many natural elements to blend with the outstanding views from the home. t
Pamela McKay, ASID, partner and senior designer. Photo submitted.
Home photos by Paul Sherar.
Living spaces flow from one to another, indoors and out from the great room in this Eagles Nest home. Natural elements such as the nickel gap ceiling, timbers and custom stone complement the scenery outdoors with a large blown rock crystal glass and steel chandelier from Hammerton Studio takes center stage.
Each of the five guest bedrooms on the lower level of the house has access to the exterior, with private seating for every suite. The stone fireplace features a custom copper paneled chimney breast and steel mantle — a combination utililized throughout the home.
Comfortable eating areas flow easily from indoors to the deck. Pamela McKay sourced Vanguard furniture for the dining room table, dining chairs and barstools. Custom lighting from Hammerton Studio is repeated in ayers with the linear fixture over the dining room table and the large pendants over the island.
The primary bathroom is divided for the homeowners, with each side providing a private vanity, shower and water closet. The oversized soaking tub is accessed from either side. Custom cabinets are locally sourced from High Country Cabinets. The shower tile, floors and vanity tops — featuring waterfall edges — were fabricated by Classic Stone Works in Newland.
down. Builders were considered essential workers, so we were out on the job sites working. People wanted to live up here more than ever.”
The ability to work remotely has brought younger families to the mountains and into their base of clients, Margaret explains. “In the past, many of our clients were retirees with second homes in the area. Now, we’re working on more primary homes with younger families.”
We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service, personalized design, and going above and beyond to make our clients happy. Those things only come by spending time listening and putting together a design that not only suits the clients’ needs but gives them the home of their dreams.
- MARGARET HANDLEY
“Do they have [a] family? Do they have pets? Do they like to entertain? To cook? Are they casual or formal? What are their likes, dislikes, and personal styles? We’re usually very successful in reading the clients so we’re prepared to deliver a design they’ll love,” Dianne explains.
Designed to Grow
The past few years have brought growth to the design firm, and the momentum is expected to continue.
Margaret shares, “Our business has thrived as people have come to the High Country and discovered they could work remotely while living where they wanted.”
Pam notes their business is no longer seasonal. “We used to slow down in the winter, but now we are busy year-round,” she observes. “Even during the height of the pandemic, we didn’t slow
As they look to the future, the partners plan to be intentional about how they grow the business.
Margaret shares, “There are so many opportunities out there, but we can’t get ahead of ourselves by taking on more than we can do. We pride ourselves on outstanding customer service, personalized design, and going above and beyond to make our clients happy. Those things only come by spending time listening and putting together a design that not only suits the clients’ needs but gives them the home of their dreams.”t
Design team in the Florida studio of Dianne Davant and Associates. From left, Elisabeth Altvater, design assistant; Dianne Davant Moffitt; Priscilla Hyatt Councill, partner; Jeannette Gore, administrative assistant; and Alyce Kavanagh, operations manager. Photo submitted.
The partners of Dianne Davant & Associates attended a trade show in Paris. From left, Margaret Handley, Priscilla Hyatt Councill, Dianne Davant Moffitt and Pam McKay. Photo submitted.
Dianne Davant Moffitt (left) and Priscilla Hyatt Councill celebrate summer at the firm’s hospitality tent at the Symphony by the Lake held annually at Chetola in Blowing Rock. Photo submitted.
LIVE LEARN AND FISH RIVERGIRL FISHING CO. STYLE!
STORY BY ZENDA DOUGLAS
at the spigot of the Big New and of the South Fork,” explains McCoy. The New River is 360 miles long. It flows through North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. The headwaters are close to the Town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
“We’ve had families that have come here for 15 years— watched the kids from five years old to ready to go to college,” says McCoy. “This business is all about relationships. When they call, we know who it is and we’re excited to see them.
Kelly McCoy is planning on a very successful year for RiverGirl Fishing Co. “24 is my favorite number; I do everything by 24s and I know 2024 is going to continue to be a great year.”
McCoy recounts starting fifth grade in Alabama and waking up at 6:24 a.m. on the first day and every day thereafter. “It kept happening and I would see it all the time, everywhere; it became my comforting number.”
Her expectations are buoyed by 18 years of RiverGirl’s success and growth as an outfitter and guide service providing river recreation, fishing instruction, and education about life and conditions in the New River.
Year after year, RiverGirl Fishing Co. has drawn visitors of all ages to enjoy and learn about the ancient New River. They come to fish, kayak, canoe, float in tubes, and often, help to keep the river clean and healthy.
The New River is the oldest river in North America and the second oldest river in the world. It flows in a northerly direction— one of the few rivers in North America that does so. Estimated to be over 300 million years old, this enduring feature of the Earth predates the Appalachian Mountains as well as dinosaurs. These facts alone, seem ample reason to protect and sustain this awesome waterway.
RiverGirl is located a short distance from Boone and West Jefferson, North Carolina. “We are at the headwaters, at the skinny part of the river on the South Fork of the New, kind of
Kelly McCoy, owner of RiverGirl Fishing Co. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
The New River is a hidden gem nestled right in the heart of Ashe County.
Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
We’ve had families that have come here for 15 years—watched the kids from five years old to ready to go to college. This business is all about relationships. When they call, we know who it is and we’re excited to see them.
- KELLY MCCOY
Most customers are from the Charlotte, Raleigh, and Greensboro areas, according to McCoy. “It’s 15 degrees cooler up here in the mountains.”
Locals come, as well, and RiverGirl offers a half-price rate to people who live in Todd, the town where RiverGirl is located. Students in any college also enjoy a half-price rate. “It’s a gift back to the locals and to students trying to get through school and eating rice and beans,” expresses McCoy.
“More customers call it river therapy now. People want to find experiences for loved ones versus buying gifts from a store,” explains McCoy. “People are being more thoughtful, not just partying but creating memories. They realize it’s not just to have a good time but escaping life by getting away and enjoying the critters.” Still, a good time is to be had by river adventurers, those longing for a relaxing and scenic float, and those who want to use or expand their fishing skills.
RiverGirl caters to all who wish to fish, whether they are interested in spin or fly fishing. McCoy and staff offer fly-fishing lessons and guide fly-fishing float and wade trips. Visitors can expect high-quality fishing equipment including rods, reels, and tackle, and may take flytying and fly rod-building lessons.
The river running through the Todd area is gentle, rarely reaching over a Class I rapid, and suitable for first-time boaters. RiverGirl offers single kayaks, tandem kayaks, and canoes which are clean and maintained for every trip. “Our kayaks are made in Tennessee and have really comfortable seats,” says McCoy. “We make sure our customers are very comfortable as they are floating down the river.” Paddles and safety equipment are included for each boat trip.
For visitors who prefer an even more leisurely float on the river, RiverGirl offers tubes complete with backrests and cupholders. Some tubes have floors, which is nice for younger children. Cooler tubes are available, or visitors can use carabiners to attach their own. Pets are welcome to tube along. It is suggested to clip their nails first to avoid an unwelcome popping of the tube.
Eco tours are led by well-trained guides with knowledge of the local ecology and wildlife. “I train all the guides because I want them to have the same philosophy as me,” McCoy notes, referring to her commitment to education and stewardship of the river. Given McCoy’s background in fisheries and marine biology and years of experience on the river, that’s a high bar. The tours showcase the natural beauty and diversity of the farms, meadows, and woodlands along the river and of course, the
RiverGirl offers fly-fishing lessons, guide fly-fishing floats and wade trips. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
For visitors who prefer a more leisurely float on the river, RiverGirl offers tubes complete with backrests and cupholders. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
Being a biologist, Kelly really understands what it takes to keep the river healthy. She has a depth of knowledge that I have found unmatched about the species in the river—fish, frogs, salamanders as well as plant life. She contributes her knowledge and her passion for the river.
- STEVE TRINKLE
fish habitats. “We have everything under the sun—mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, dragonflies, damselflies, water pennies,” shares McCoy. “Smallmouth bass is the main species in the river, but we also have three species of trout—brook, rainbow, and brown.”
“We teach visitors how to tell the health of the stream by its macroinvertebrates, river life you don’t need a microscope to see.”
RiverGirl takes advantage of being housed in the old railroad station of the former Virginia Creeper Railroad that started in Abingdon, Virginia in 1917 and terminated in Todd, then known as Elkland. The tracks were pulled up in the early 1930s, leaving behind a flat, cleared road that was renamed Railroad Grade Road. While slow-moving cars and trucks use the road, it’s become a popular bike route. RiverGirl rents quality bikes and equipment to allow visitors to venture over the 11-mile route.
Part of RiverGirl’s mission is to engage visitors and the community as much as possible. The company offers opportunities and special events to encourage visitors to see the river in a new light and to serve as stewards. Coming up is “Sip-n-Paint,” a two-hour float trip and paint class combination.
Visitors can take photos while floating on the river and choose what they would like to paint. There is also the delightful and self-explanatory “Full Moon Floats.”
“Trashy Tuesdays” comes around the first Tuesday of every month. “We put all the kayaks and canoes out for free if people pick up trash along the river,” McCoy explains. It’s a win-win for both boaters and the river.
On “Trade Thursday” RiverGirl offers boats, tubes, or bike rentals in exchange for useful items and services.
“We don’t accept money, but people bring services or things that are about the same price,” says McCoy. The RiverGirl trading list includes bottled water, hand sanitizers, gift cards for Boone or West Jefferson restaurants and gas stations, carabiners, and more. Trade services such as electrical, plumbing, carpentry, and welding are also welcome. “Trade Thursday” occurs on the second Thursday of each month.
However visitors choose to enjoy the clear crystal waters of the South Fork of the New River, they are assured of being enriched by the scenic beauty of the waterway, mountains, forests, plants, and shady trees along the riverbank and the wildlife they observe.
A feature of the RiverGirl station is the Brew River Café which offers
Kelly McCoy has a passion for providing river recreation, fishing instruction, and education about life and conditions in the New River. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
RiverGirl Fishing Co. draws in visitors of all ages for fishing and float trips. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
RiverGirl guest Leslie Cuthbert is all smiles after a kayak trip down the river. Photo courtesy of AJ Best Photo.
visitors a variety of refreshments and food and bakery items from The Todd Mercantile, often called the Todd Bakery, a fully functioning bakery that has had a presence in Todd for over one hundred years. Visitors familiar with Todd appreciate the Brew River Café for helping to fill the gap left by the historic Todd General Store which succumbed to fire in 2021. “To go by there and see that it’s not there, it’s pretty heart-wrenching,” observes McCoy, who also serves on the Todd Fire Department. Hopes are high that the store will be rebuilt.
Visitors will likely want to explore the small, historic Town of Todd. “Now, in Todd, we have us, the bakery, the art gallery, two churches, and the post office,” notes McCoy. An obvious perk of visiting Todd is the incredible natural beauty along the roads leading in and out of the town. Todd has several options for overnight guests.
Running RiverGirl
Holding a degree in fisheries biology and falling in love with the North Carolina mountains, McCoy started RiverGirl Fishing Co. in 2006. She had previously worked in marine biology in Florida for five years. She now runs the company along with her wife and RiverGirl coowner, Renata Dos Santos. “My wife handles the money stuff,” McCoy acknowledges. “She runs the register. I can’t get near it because I give away too many things.”
McCoy is regarded as an expert on the river and the animal and plant life it supports. “Being a biologist, Kelly really understands what it takes to keep the river healthy,” explains Steve Trinkle, who joined the board of the New River Conservancy (NRC) in August of 2024. “She has a depth of knowledge that I have found unmatched about the species in the river—fish, frogs, salamanders as well as plant life. She contributes
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Renata Dos Santos, co-owner of RiverGirl Fishing Co. and owner of T.I.M.E. (Todd Impromptu Moveable Experience). Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
her knowledge and her passion for the river.”
Trinkle, a retired business executive, participates in river cleanups and helps to organize riverbank restoration programs. McCoy is an active member and supporter of the New River Conservancy.
In addition to co-owning RiverGirl Fishing Co., Dos Santos is a professional chef and runs her own business called “It’s TIME,” an acronym for Todd Impromptu Moveable Experience. “She is a wonderful chef,” McCoy exclaims. “She does multiple dinners throughout the summer, with guests meeting at different locations, and getting a unique experience. They’re situated across the river, water under our feet, you eat there, and everything utilized is biodegradable.” McCoy describes another dinner where a pig and vegetables are buried underground and cooked for six hours. “Diners have to dig it up. Guests never know what they have to do when they come to the dinners,” McCoy notes. The couple live near RiverGirl Fishing Co. on a property they affectionately call “Aslan” a name pulled from “The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Mission to Educate and Sustain the River for Future Generations
McCoy loves teaching, and her classroom is the river. “I’ve always wanted RiverGirl to be educational and it always has been a little,” McCoy reflects. “People gathered on the porch before going in and learned the name of the river and a bit of history. Some people have no idea what river they’re floating on.” McCoy remarks that in the past year, she has become really concentrated on education and history. McCoy shares the secrets of the river with visitors, including scientific
The river is the perfect place for friends to gather and make new memories. Photo by Kyla Willoughby
information and fun facts about animals that live in the river and around it. She educates them about how rivers change and the impact of land management practices as well as riverbank and forest restoration.
“That’s what sets her apart. She protects the river and the land around it,” says Elizabeth Underwood, former executive director of the New River Conservancy. “Kelly is one of those environmentalists who understand the importance of riparian buffers (vegetation between river and inland) to protect silt and siltation, the number one pollutant in America.
A favorite topic is the Eastern Hellbender, a species of lungless Salamander that aspirates through the skin, allowing for cutaneous gas exchange. Consequently, Hellbenders need clean, high-quality water. “If you have a lot of dirt and erosion going into the river, they won’t be able to absorb the oxygen they get through their skin,” explains Underwood. Hellbenders are endangered but can be found in the New River.
Visitors can learn a lot from the various species taken from the river that are temporarily kept in tanks in the RiverGirl shop. “Over the years, we’ve had every critter known to man in the shop,” McCoy remarks. “We release them back
I’ve always wanted RiverGirl to be educational and it always has been a little. People gathered on the porch before going in and learned the name of the river and a bit of history. Some people have no idea what river they’re floating on.
- KELLY MCCOY
A day spent on the river with RiverGirl is a day well spent. Photo by Kyla Willoughby.
RiverGirl offers a variety of boating experiences through the water of the New River in Todd, North Carolina. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
Visitors prepare for a kayaking trip down the New River. Photo by Kyla Willoughby.
With a degree in fisheries biology, Kelly McCoy started RiverGirl Fishing Co. in 2006. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
into the water.” Shop residents include Chubs, Shiners, Darters, and Sculpins—all fish. One long-term resident of the shop was a Hellbender that garnered much attention. Not all members of the menagerie come from the river. Petunia the pig, who greeted customers for years, has passed on, and now Pepper the pig holds the post.
The New River has been here long before we showed up; it will be here millions of years after we’re gone. Our job is to take care of it, to be a good steward.
- STEVE TRINKLE
Education about the river necessarily includes its challenges. “When we put people on the river, we are potentially putting trash in the river—soda cans, plastics, Styrofoam. None of these are good for the environment,” McCoy maintains. “We don’t eat things straight from the trees or ground; everything is packaged and then we have to dispose of it.” McCoy is particularly concerned with the growing problem of microplastics. “They’re everywhere.” She encourages visitors to drink from a Yeti or stainless-steel bottle. In years past, tires were frequently dumped in the river, but thankfully, that is not a big problem today. Still, things fly out of trucks and end up in the river.
Land management choices often cause harm. “More population, more farmers, more people are moving along the river, but they can’t see the river, so they chop down the trees so they can see it. Without trees, there is no filter against petro carbs and chemical run-off. We need to educate [people] as to how they can get a view but also protect the riverbank. We need to educate folks about how the river needs that riparian buffer zone.”
McCoy is knowledgeable about the river’s history, part of
A RiverGirl visitor shows off her catch after spending the day on the river with Kelly McCoy. Photo courtesy of RiverGirl Fishing Co.
which is its rescue from a proposed dam to facilitate a hydroelectric plant in the 1970s. The dam would have flooded 40,000 acres of Ashe County running along the river. The New River Conservancy was founded in opposition to the proposed dam. The NRC, which now works in three states, 20 counties, a national park, and a state park, is dedicated to protecting the waters, woodlands, and wildlife of the New River Watershed. A significant section of the New River is designated as a Wild and Scenic River, the nation’s highest form of protection for free-flowing rivers and streams.
"The New River has been here long before we showed up; it will be here millions of years after we’re gone. Our job is to take care of it, to be a good steward,” Trinkle maintains.
RiverGirl Fishing Co. is fully committed to those goals and partners with the New River Conservancy for river clean-ups and project work to restore riverbanks and boundaries. Kelly is a frequent speaker at New River Conservancy events and fundraisers. Most recently, she attended the “Saved by a Salamander” event and spoke about the Hellbender.
“I can’t say enough about Kelly as a steward of the water and the land,” Underwood notes. “When you are out on the water, she is such a brilliant scientist, rattling off natural herbal remedies, edible foods, native species, aquatic life—there’s never a dull moment with Kelly.”
McCoy’s approach has become more focused. “I just turned 50 this year,” she shares. “I’ve slowed down and am paying more attention to things.” Her advice for people taking to the river is to, “Go slow. Along with enjoying all the fun activities, slow down, see the wildlife, experience the ecology; get more out of it than simply floating down the river.” It fits with RiverGirl’s simple motto: Live. Learn. Fish! t
Floating down the river. Photo by Elizabeth S. Underwood.
DISCOVER BOONE’S SECRET BOTANICAL GARDENS
STORY BY ANNA BETH ADCOCK
“It's not a particularly happy world out there… but when you come here, all the problems are out there. This is all about God’s beauty and happiness. It’s a respite from the not-so-nice world.” So says Dr. Ronald Stanley, the founder, designer and director of Arborcrest Gardens, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit botanical garden with a focus on horticultural research in western NC—the High Country’s version of “The Secret Garden.”
Taking things back to the roots, Stanley began his foray into the realm of gardening at the age of six when the budding horticulturist received a small patch of his grandmother’s large vegetable garden while growing up in Kernersville. “It was a miracle,” he reflects about seeing his first plants grow. “You put seeds in the ground and get food you can eat. It really stuck with me.”
Planting Roots in the High Country
At the start of their stint in the High Country, Dr. and Mrs. Stanley solely ran their practice as a doctor and receptionist team, respectively. Now, the practice has 80 employees.
Stanley continued to garden all the way through until his high school graduation—but during his college and graduate school years, his green thumb took a backseat to his studies (due in part to the lack of a backyard). After obtaining an undergraduate degree at Duke University and a medical degree specializing in dermatology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the newly minted doctor made his way to Boone with his wife, Cheryl, to fill the need for a dermatologist in the area circa 1976.
It didn’t take long for Stanley to begin seeking out a space that might allow him to rekindle his gardening hobby. Shortly after their move westward, the couple bought a 5-acre tract of land from James Councill; eventually purchasing the remainder of the land in 1985 at an auction at the Daniel Boone Inn, broadening the property to an expansive 50 acres. “I went home and told my wife we were going bankrupt,” recalls Stanley. “Now it's worth much more than what I paid for it… but I’m not selling it now.”
Arborcrest Gardens is nestled at the base of Howard’s Knob, at 174 Evergreen Lane in Boone. It is a place where Stanley not only rekindled his love of gardening but dove deeper into the art and science behind the craft. “I was a backyard gardener like
It's not a particularly happy world out there… but when you come here, all the problems are out there. This is all about God’s beauty and happiness. It’s a respite from the not-so-nice world.
- DR. RONALD STANLEY
Arborcrest Gardens was established in 1989. Photo by Ashley Poore.
Dr. Ronald Stanley, the founder, designer and director of Arborcrest Gardens Photo courtesy of Arborcrest Gardens.
most people,” notes Stanley. “[But] those early years came back to bite me. I kept reading about plants and wanted to try this and that.”
To expand his horticulture know-how, the plant enthusiast experimented with a myriad of plants and vegetables while learning effective methods to help them grow and thrive by consulting with local gardeners, perusing gardening books such as “Crockett’s Victory Garden” and teaching himself through the tried-and-true “trial and error” method.
Walking the Walk
Beyond his planting endeavors, Stanley worked to add walking trails to the area—with wildflowers and other plants lining the paths. “I put in trails and added wildflowers. I kept adding more and more and kept going until it turned into this.” Commenting on the foliage lining the trails, Stanley notes, “I [initially] planted 15,000 plants—and now there are millions there.”
Visitors Are Welcome
While Stanley and his wife were immensely gratified by the joy their private outdoor oasis afforded them, they began to consider opening up their garden to visitors. One such push came as a result of a local newspaper column citing polling from locals revealing they craved more green space.
As a true community member would, Stanley took this intel to heart— and took action to provide the High Country with an outlet to enjoy green space. Arborcrest Gardens has been open to visitors on select days for approximately four years. Yet, the site remains intentionally under
Dr. Stanley and his wife, Cheryl, made their way to Boone in 1976. Photo courtesy of Arborcrest Gardens.
Stanley began his gardening hobby at the age of six when he acquired a patch of his grandmother’s vegetable garden. Photo courtesy of Arborcrest Gardens.
I feel blessed to take part in the garden. I’ve built the bridges and the benches, and I like learning from Dr. Stanley every day about the plants. I’ve enjoyed being here and hope to be here for many years to come.
- JOSH HOLLARS
the radar, with word-of-mouth communication being its main form of advertisement. Stanley acknowledges this noting, “Arborcrest is so far off the radar that even people who have grown up in Boone have no idea this place exists.”
Initially, the gardens were open to locals and visitors alike for walking and electric vehicle tours only on Fridays. Recently, the decision was made to open for group tours on Thursdays as well. “The challenge is there are [now] only three days to maintain the gardens—but we have a great staff that makes it work,” Stanley explains. That small but mighty team consists of the husband-and-wife duo along with four full-time staff members.
Get to the Garden
Access to the gardens is by reservation only. To make plans to explore this hidden gem of horticulture, go online and use the newly automated reservation system. “The staff would have a shovel in one hand and a phone in the other making reservations,” Stanley remarks, explaining the need to pivot to online booking. “This has freed them up to do the gardening they need to do.”
Arborcrest Gardens offers two tour options: an electric shuttle tour and a self-guided walking tour; totaling about 200 visitors a day. The people who serve as tour guides on visiting days are employees who tend the gardens Monday – Wednesday. Despite the intentional lack of advertising, tours continue to be booked weeks in advance.
Two members of the gardens’ vital full-time staff are Josh Hollars and Leigha Henson, both of whom are also behind the first-class riding tours. “They aren’t just drivers,” maintains the gardens’ founder. “They tell you the history, the plants and the stories—even pointing out the foxes. They are very knowledgeable.”
Hollars, formerly a construction supervisor, began working for Stanley after replacing a few rotten fence posts, and then, “one thing led to
The vegetable garden at Arborcrest was chosen as one of the top six in America by the viewers of The Victory Garden show on PBS. Photo by Ashley Poore.
Arborcrest Gardens include 2.5 miles of paved trails and bridges. Photo by Ashley Poore.
Arborcrest Gardens offers electric shuttles as one of the two ways to tour the grounds. Photo by Ashley Poore.
another, and 15 years later I’m still here,” he says. “I feel blessed to take part in the garden. I’ve built the bridges and the benches, and I like learning from Dr. Stanley every day about the plants. I’ve enjoyed being here and hope to be here for many years to come.” The feeling is mutual. After Stanley quickly recognized Hollars’ vast skill set and ingenuity, it was an easy decision to bring him onto the team full-time.
For her part, Henson recently earned a master's degree in biology from Appalachian State University, bringing a whole new dimension to the operation. She plans to begin teaching classes aimed at helping visitors dig deeper into the world of planting veggies.
“I love working at Arborcrest because I feel welcome and like I have a purpose here,” says Henson. “Caring for plants is a form of artistic expression to me. I love the weird and wonderful plants that exist and their ecological and cultural purposes. I feel that this garden really showcases the beauty and importance of each one.”
I love working at Arborcrest because I feel welcome and like I have a purpose here. Caring for plants is a form of artistic expression to me. I love the weird and wonderful plants that exist and their ecological and cultural purposes. I feel that this garden really showcases the beauty and importance of each one.
- LEIGHA HENSON
Dr. Stanley spends about 40 – 60 hours a week working in the gardens and managing projects for his staff. Photo courtesy of Arborcrest Gardens.
Visitors can thank the expertise of garden maintenance specialists, Alejandra Ambrocio and Obdulia Aguilar for keeping the surroundings pristine. “Mother Nature has her own ideas about how to landscape it,” notes Stanley. “We are always battling her. So, we hired [Ambrocio and Aguilar] to help. They are amazing and such perfectionists. They pull a weed if it's a half-inch tall.”
Truly embracing the challenge of balancing it all, the 78-year-old practicing dermatologist continues to see patients at the beginning of the week, making him quite possibly the longest-practicing physician in the county. With patients he’s been seeing for 48 years, Stanley stays in his original profession both to care for his longtime patients and to support Arborcrest Gardens.
Growing Generosity
Since its debut, Arborcrest Gardens has never charged an admission fee but always appreciates it when guests donate toward the cultivation and continuation of the plant conservatory. “It started like my backyard, and I can’t charge people to come to my backyard,” says the plant lover. “But it’s
Arborcrest Gardens is nestled at the base of Howard’s Knob, at 174 Evergreen Lane in Boone.
Photo by Ashley Poore.
evolving now. [The gardens] are getting recognition and people are coming from foreign countries.”
Looking ahead, Stanley and his team are working toward having Arborcrest Gardens recognized as a botanical garden site, solely supported by visitor donations, to ensure that admission remains complimentary. “When people come, they are told how they can support the future of the garden, and people have become very receptive to that.” That said, most open-to-the-public botanical gardens have huge endowments. “We didn’t do it that way,” Stanley continues. “I built the garden first with no endowment, so we are doing it a bit backward. We need help from visitors.”
While he hopes to eventually run the garden based solely on the benevolence of others, the owner and founder encourages visitors to Arborcrest Gardens to give as they are able. “I am just hoping we can make [Arborcrest Gardens] sustainable forever,” maintains Stanley. “[Charging an entry fee] is the last resort for me. I am resisting that with all of my force.”
Cultivating Community and Creativity
Beyond donations, Arborcrest Gardens has become a community and countywide project that many locals are also investing time, energy and other resources into to add personality and whimsy to the area.
One such example comes compliments of Stanley’s own family; he has three children and eight grandchildren who give him a new tree face each year for Christmas to place in the always developing “enchanted forest.” Apart from holiday gifts, there is a frequent garden visitor who comes by to pick up myriad stones, moss and sticks to build his own DIY tree faces for Arborcrest; a mushroom display; a large smiley face that can be spotted from the top
Stanley’s children and grandchildren add to Arborcrest’s “enchanted forest” by gifting him with new tree faces every year for Christmas.
Photo by Ashley Poore.
of Howard’s Knob; cabbage patch dolls sitting atop actual heads of cabbage; and herbs growing in Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrels.
Arborcrest Gardens has recently welcomed a plethora of eager volunteers who are rewarded with excess veggies for their efforts. … “There are people who want to be part of it,” emphasizes Stanley. “[While we] just started the volunteer program, many people are saying, ‘Please, let me be part of this.’”
Just Keep Digging
In the future, Stanley hopes to do a series of videos on social media with the help of Henson. “That’s what Leigha brings to the table,” he elaborates. “[Endeavors] to emphasize education and the teaching aspect…that takes staff and capital. We are taking it step-by-step.”
The largely self-taught veggie planting expert emphasizes how, especially post-pandemic, people are craving connections to nature and the earth, with a living off-the-land mindset at the forefront. Yet, many aspiring green thumbs mistakenly believe “all it [requires] is putting seeds in the ground,” according to Stanley, who has spent
People ask why we do this…
Most moms say this to their kids when you are bickering with your siblings over a toy, you need to learn to share. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m sharing it.
- DR. RONALD STANLEY
Cabbage patch dolls can be found sitting atop actual heads of cabbage in the vegetable garden. Photo by Ashley Poore.
most of his life cultivating his gardening knowledge. “New gardeners don’t know all this stuff,” he explains. “Each veggie requires something different. There are pests; some plants need nitrogen, and some don’t; there are different kinds of soil; and you have to know how to handle it safely.”
The idea is to bring the stores of knowledge and expertise from Stanley’s brain to the public via online videos. Currently, the goal is to keep the videos short, sweet and to the point so they remain engaging for the average social media scroller.
Blooming Something Bigger
Arborcrest Gardens began simply, born out of a lifelong love of gardening and connecting with the great outdoors. That vision is now being shared with the High Country community and visitors from near and far. “Gardening” Stanley maintains, “is man’s attempt at having something as close as possible to peace and perfection in life.”
Two examples of Arborcrest Gardens’ cultivation of joy and appreciation of natural creations are a recent visitor from Ukraine who didn’t speak English but was brought to tears touring the gardens, which reminded her of her homeland and a group of memory care patients. “The person who came with them [the patients] cried because she had never seen them so happy,” recalls Stanley. “One lady who hadn’t spoken in two months was pointing and saying ‘flowers, flowers, flowers.’” Stanley sums it up by noting, “And once you experience that, you don’t care if people park in your yard...People ask why we do this… Most moms say this to their kids when you are bickering with your siblings over a toy, you need to learn to share. So that’s what I’m doing. I’m sharing it.”
Seeking to continue cultivating? Grow into more intel at arborcrestgardens.org. t
Dr. Stanley was heavily inspired by the landscape design at Walt Disney World with their big sweeping, curving and meandering plants. Photo by Ashley Poore.
MEET THE CARE COLLECTIVE SELF CARE SANCTUARY
STORY BY ANNA BETH ADCOCK
Massages have the power to provide more than just a physical release. The timeless therapy showcases a slew of appeals— from assisting with pain and other ailments and promoting circulation to boosting morale and increasing a sense of Zen. … And channeling this vital method of comprehensive self care in Boone—and the High Country as a whole—is the seasoned one stop shop for physical and mental health, The Care Collective.
The wellness oasis—“I shy away from the word spa,” notes owner Megan Ward, was masterminded by the longtime North Carolina licensed massage therapist and High Country native, who fell in love with the art of massage during her time in undergrad at Appalachian State University. Despite pursuing a degree in business management, and double minoring in art and art history, Ward stumbled upon massage through an injury she had at the time. “I was amazed at the relief I found through massage [and its] ability to solve pain problems,” the founder reflects. “I did not want to have neck pain for the rest of my life at [only] 23 years old. Massage resolved a lot of my pain, brought attention to muscles and helped me relax and come into myself.”
I was amazed at the relief I found through massage [and its] ability to solve pain problems. I did not want to have neck pain for the rest of my life at [only] 23 years old. Massage resolved a lot of my pain, brought attention to muscles and helped me relax and come into myself.
- MEGAN WARD
The Care Collective is dedicated to facilitating health and wellness in a safe space. Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
The team at The Care Collective has over 100 years of combined experience in massage and bodywork therapy. Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
Thus began the snowball into Ward’s career as a massage therapist and owner of her own thriving wellness enterprise. Itching to go deeper, the Appalachian graduate enrolled in massage school, a place where she learned more about human anatomy—from muscles and bones to methods of treating specific pain issues throughout the body. After obtaining her massage therapist license and opening her own business in 2010, the newly minted masseuse started seeing clients, which eventually led to her hiring employees of her own and blossoming into a full-blown business by 2015.
Now, The Care Collective has a total of 25 employees including 15 massage therapists, eight front-facing wellness staff and a management team. “I still do massage and manage the massage staff [while] encouraging [the staff] to pursue their own interests,” she says. … And those interests cover a wide range of niches and needs from foot and hand care to deep tissue, abdominal massage and prenatal therapy.
“Megan is such a wonderful person to work with,” notes Manager Cynthia Lowrance. “She genuinely seeks to make the business a place where each individual’s skills, strengths and accomplishments are highlighted as well as offering room to grow and advance in your role here.”
Get Booked
At The Care Collective, services can be booked online with the option to peruse a brief bio about each therapist— or call for personalized help with deciding who and what to book. (Plus, stay tuned for videos coming soon to the website with more information). Ward ensures that she and her staff really lean into discovering more about each client to cater each treatment and session to individual needs. “Our staff is trained to find out more,” she elaborates. “To ask issues [the client] is trying to solve to make sure we match with the right therapist—and we spend a lot of time training the wellness staff to know who is good with [what treatments] such as neck issues or hip pain.”
Tranquil Surrounds
Ward began searching for her dream space during the height of the pandemic, eventually locating the building that is now The Care Collective and signing a lease in February 2021 after a brief stint renting it. “Everything really fell into place,” she recalls of the locale she designed and revamped into the peaceful oasis it is today. “We were looking for a place when no one else was.”
Flashing forward to the present: Once you step inside the lobby of The Care Collective, you are welcomed by an emporium of greenery and plants with wood furniture exuding an essence of nature and calm, along with a wellness staff at the ready for a friendly greeting. Spot art on the walls compliments of local artist Owl, with the plants nurtured by mobile houseplant boutique Plant
The current location of The Care Collective was strategically designed to be a peaceful oasis for customers. Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
The Care Collective is dedicated to pain relief and injury reduction, and that extends seamlessly into their foot wellness offerings. Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
Bustique and a local handyman and a local cleaners business on call as well.
Arrive a bit early for time to take a seat and soak in the Zen vibes in a heated or nonheated chair; flip through a magazine; and sip on a cup of tea or another healthconscious beverage of your choosing (there’s also gluten-free and vegan grazing boards with veggies, crackers, cashew cheese, jam and other quick bites!). For those seeking to extend their leisure beyond their appointment, there are also a lineup of wellness products to pursue out front (think magnesium flakes to sprinkle in a bath and a selection of various ointments and creams).
Upon venturing around the corner, discover the sauna lounge featuring a trio of different saunas, plus cubbies with robes; continue for the foot soak area; then onward to find more massage rooms. The entire essence of the space radiates relaxation—
with large windows and natural light in the lobby and dim soothing light in the massage areas.
An All-day Getaway
When you imagine a reset, does it have a strict time limit? If clients are rushing into their wellness appointments only to zip out afterward, it takes away from the overall experience, and the lasting positive effects of the massage, according to Ward.
“We tell people to give themselves time to be here,” says the owner. “It’s recommended for people to stop trying to fit their hourlong massage in an hour. Arrive early; enjoy a hot or cold drink; sit in a chair and relax. Don’t just jump right back into your busy life. Take a minute and let your body have time to be in that relaxed state—it teaches you so
It’s recommended for people to stop trying to fit their hourlong massage in an hour. Arrive early; enjoy a hot or cold drink; sit in a chair and relax. Don’t just jump right back into your busy life. Take a minute and let your body have time to be in that relaxed state—it teaches you so much about your body you might not have known.
- MEGAN WARD
Heat therapy is offered in traditional and infrared saunas.
Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
Foot soaks are enhanced with warm water, steam, and the customer's choice of herbal infusions.
Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
much about your body you might not have known.”
Stopping to smell the roses, or simply showing up a smidge early to sit down while enjoying a few refreshments and opting for some sauna time after your treatment can make a world of difference in enhancing the longevity of wellness and relaxation benefits. That said, if patrons have the schedule flexibility, the vision for The Care Collective is to be a daylong escape (see the day package options).
“The dream situation is for people to come and spend the day with us,” says Ward. “We try to keep our prices at an affordable place—so people could come and have a foot soak; go to the sauna; then have a massage.” The owner brings up the concept of a third place—aka a goto public place beyond work and home— with the hopes that The Care Collective will continue to establish itself as a third place for people to come again and again to enjoy.
To wit, the massage, bodywork and wellness biz started offering memberships for visitors as recently as this year. “It’s for people to engage with the business while also having discounted retail products [and other incentives],” shares Ward.
KNEAD-TO-KNOW REVIEWS
◉ “I CURRENTLY HAVE A 45-MINUTE DRIVE TO GET TO THE CARE COLLECTIVE IN BOONE, BUT TO ME IT’S WELL WORTH IT.”
◉ “MY FRIEND AND I BOOKED A PACKAGE WITH CARE COLLECTIVE WHILE WE WERE IN TOWN VISITING FOR THE WEEKEND. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME. THE FACILITY IS THE EPITOME OF TRANQUILITY.”
◉ “THIS WAS MY FIRST-EVER TIME GETTING A MASSAGE. I WAS SUPER NERVOUS BUT I HAD THE ABSOLUTE BEST EXPERIENCE AT THE CARE COLLECTIVE.”
◉ “I RECENTLY FOUND THE CARE COLLECTIVE AND AM SO GRATEFUL I DID! I DEAL WITH CHRONIC PAIN. MY EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN SO HEALING AND HELPFUL. … I LEAVE THERE FEELING LIKE A NEW, RELAXED AND PAIN-FREE PERSON.”
◉ “EVERY EXPERIENCE I HAVE HAD WITH THE CARE COLLECTIVE HAS BEEN WONDERFUL. WHENEVER MY HUSBAND AND I ARE VISITING THE HIGH COUNTRY, WE MAKE SURE WE SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR A MASSAGE.”
◉ “I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO RELAX AND TAKE CARE OF MY BODY. I HAVE FOUND THE PLACE, THE CARE COLLECTIVE! THIS SPACE IS WARM, WELCOMING, CALM AND METICULOUSLY KEPT. THE STAFF ARE POSITIVE, ENERGETIC AND KIND AND WERE GRACIOUS TO SHOW ME AROUND TO EXPLAIN ALL THE SERVICES THEY OFFER.”
A Grounded Business Model
Yet another huge core value that is nurtured at The Care Collective is the creation and cultivation of a thriving business that not only serves the High Country area—but is a good place to work for its employees too.
“I’m humbled daily by how hard it is to own a business,” says Ward. “The people we have here [at The Care Collective] are amazing—from the massage therapists to the wellness team to management. It’s wonderful to have a group of people who are also passionate about massaging, with many people on staff who have been [in the industry] for 15+ years with a tremendous amount of knowledge.” Translation: A collective community that contributes
feedback and a healthy environment that encourages continually learning and improving.
“The Care Collective is the best work experience I have had as a massage therapist during my 16 year career,” says Stephanie Athena, who specializes in abdominal therapy, deep tissue massage, medi-cupping and intuitive bodywork. “I believe in part this is because of our leadership and the fact the business is massage therapist-owned. Having leadership that understands what massage therapists need, as well as how important our clients are to us, makes all the difference between a good massage spot… and the best.”
Adds Wellness Team Member Montana Stetter: “One of the reasons The Care Collective is such a wonderful place to work is because of our wonderful management team of strong compassionate women
The people we have here [at The Care Collective] are amazing—from the massage therapists to the wellness team to management. It’s wonderful to have a group of people who are also passionate about massaging, with many people on staff who have been [in the industry] for 15+ years with a tremendous amount of knowledge.
- MEGAN WARD
125 Burley Ave. West Jefferson, NC
doeridgepottery@gmail.com
doeridgepotteryshop.com
The Care Collective has a total of 25 employees that includes 15 massage therapists. Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
Heat therapy offers a wide range of health benefits including physical, mental and emotional benefits.
Photo courtesy of The Care Collective.
Benefits of Massage + Wellness Treatments At a Glance
◉ Better circulation
◉ Faster post-workout recovery time
◉ Improved sleep quality
◉ Decreased muscle pain, soreness + joint inflammation
◉ Better flexibility
◉ Boosted mood, energy + relaxation
◉ Lowered stress + anxiety
◉ Assistance with injuries
◉ … And more!
who strive to benefit and support the community through this business.”
Further leaning into this inclusive philosophy, The Care Collective emphasizes an attainable pricing model, despite the overall perception that massages are expensive and out-of-reach for many. Think costs as low as $66 for a 30-minutelong massage session; $110 for an hourlong massage session; and $26 for a 30-minutelong sit in the sauna. Adding another option, patrons can add-on a two hourlong traditional sauna session to any massage or foot soak for $20.
Beyond the budget-friendly cost point, potential massage clients might also consider the value of investing in their physical and mental health via massage treatments and an overall wellness getaway experience.
“Wellness looks different for every person,” elaborates Ward. “We live in a really beautiful place where lots of wellness has to do with nature. [While] massage isn't for everyone, [it’s good for] more people to be exposed to it and open to it—and to see that it's more than feeling good… it's beneficial.”
To boot, Ward calls out her roots in the area—she grew up in Zionville and attended Mabel Elementary School—that contribute to her longtime commitment to her local business and her love of adding a positive asset to the High Country. Not to mention, she extends gratitude to her supportive parents who are locals as well. “I want to create a business that can support good jobs in the area,” she concludes. “I think it really sets me apart as a business owner.” … Sounds like a kneaded part of the community, indeed!
Want to get deeper? Visit The Care Collective at takecareboone. com or stay social on Instagram at @thecarecollectiveboone. t
Wellness looks different for every person. We live in a really beautiful place where lots of wellness has to do with nature. [While] massage isn't for everyone, [it’s good for] more people to be exposed to it and open to it—and to see that it's more than feeling good… it's beneficial.
- MEGAN WARD
Reflections on 91 Years of Artistry and Hand Wrought Jewelry Stuart Nye Jewelry
STORY BY MELINDA BURRIS
After an impressive 91 years in business, Stuart Nye Hand Wrought Jewelry at 940 Tunnel Road in Asheville will close at the end of this year. High Country Magazine spoke with owner and manager Joe Morris to find out what led to the decision to close the iconic shop and what the future holds.
How Stuart Nye Jewelry Began
Stuart Nye was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Orange Park, New Jersey. Nye was a World War I veteran who had been diagnosed with tuberculosis. Like so many, he came to Asheville in the late 1920s in hopes the mountain air and climate would improve his health. He received treatment at Oteen Veterans’ Hospital near Asheville which had earned a reputation as the best care facility for veterans suffering from tuberculosis and other respiratory diseases. While there, Nye met a nurse who would become his wife.
Married with a young daughter to support, Nye had to find a way to make a living. He had a popcorn cart at Recreation Park in Asheville and one day he came upon a man making jewelry, but the man wasn’t making any money as the
Nye pictured (left) with a worker at SNHJ. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
Stuart Nye (right) shown at the future site of SNHJ. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
country was in the midst of the Depression. Nye bought the man’s tools and as Joe Morris puts it “started making jewelry on a whim.” Nye had no experience making jewelry, although he had participated in craft therapy as part of his treatment at the Oteen Veterans’ Hospital. He also had experience as a woodworker. The first piece of jewelry he designed was a dogwood blossom broach, inspired by a hand-carved walnut tray with a dogwood motif at the sides he created in 1932 and entered into the 1933 Dogwood Festival in Chapel Hill, North Carolina where his entry received recognition.
It takes a lot of patience, and the women that did it over the years enjoyed it to a large extent and got used to it and were obviously very talented at it.
- JOE MORRIS
Morris describes Nye as a “vagabond” who had held numerous jobs including working as a surveyor. None of his career aspirations stuck until he began making handmade jewelry. Nye began making bangle bracelets which became popular, and he had a house constructed on Arco Road, not far from the current site of Stuart Nye Jewelry. Working out of his basement, which he converted into a studio, Nye began making jewelry and training women in the area in the craft. He continued producing his wares from his home for more than a decade.
Nye drew inspiration for his jewelry designs from the flora and fauna that surrounded him at Recreation Park, Morris maintains, claiming, “Nye didn't know what to make; he wanted to do flowers and leaves because that's what he saw at the park.”
Morris has seen some of Nye’s early work and reveals that he did some Scotty dogs and a starfish design, it was through trial and error that Nye learned what appealed to his consumers, and in the end, “He stuck to the flowers and leaves” that have become
Stuart Nye Hand Wrought Jewelry will close its doors later this year after an impressive 91 years in business. Photo courtesy of SNHJ.
Exterior of Stuart Nye building, 940 Tunnel Rd., Asheville, NC. Photo by Melinda Burris.
Construction of Stuart Nye building. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
Nye's flora and fauna inspirations are shown heavily in these examples of link and charm bracelets. Photo courtesy of Stuart Nye Jewelry
synonymous with Stuart Nye Handwrought Jewelry.
The Role of Women in Stuart Nye Jewelry’s Success
Morris reveals, “No one we've ever hired has had formal jewelry training or any jewelry training at all. Everybody we've hired was taught here, which is remarkable.” Morris credits this to Nye’s desire to teach employees to perform each step in the process just the way he wanted it done. While Morris understands that and accepts Nye must have had his reasons, he admits, “It confuses me that he had a particular way that he wanted it done even though he wasn't a [trained] jewelry maker.”
Despite the lack of formal training, Morris asserts the business has “never lacked for talented people.” The workers at Stuart Nye Jewelry have always been women except Mr. Ralph Morris, Sr., his son
and grandsons, an employee named Cy Holland, and of course, Nye himself. These women were incredibly loyal, staying with the company for 30, 40, and even 50 years. Describing what’s involved in handmaking each piece of jewelry, Morris maintains, “It takes a lot of patience, and the women that did it over the years enjoyed it to a large extent and got used to it and were obviously very talented at it.”
Morris explains the majority of women who worked at Stuart Nye Jewelry “...grew up in Oteen, and they came over here while their husbands went and did something else, and they made a life out of it...some of them worked into their 70s and 80s, just remarkable.”
Describing the shop as “a nice neighborhood business” Morris attributes the appeal of working at the shop to it being close to their homes and offering positions with convenient working hours and no weekends. He also notes his father, Ralph Morris, Jr. “was very good to those women, and they were good to him. So, it worked both ways.”
Apparently, my grandfather was doing very well because when he came to Asheville, he not only bought the shop from Nye, but he also built four buildings: He built the shop and a house behind it, the building the Southern Highland Craft Guild occupies, and then he built a building that served as a doctor’s office for many years.
- JOE MORRIS
Staff at SNHJ seated at workbenches, creating hand-hammered jewelry designs. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library
Female employee at work at SNHJ. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
This archival photo of Stuart Nye and Walter B. Stephen was taken at the 1953 Southern Craft Guild Fair. Photo courtesy of Southern Highland Craft Guild.
Ralph Morris Sr.
Joe Morris’s grandfather, Ralph Morris, Sr., was a jewelry merchandiser and also owned a jewelry store in Ft. Mill, South Carolina, just south of Charlotte. He purchased Nye’s products until his business in Ft. Mill burned down. Not knowing what to do, Morris Sr. contacted Nye and asked if he could join him in Asheville.
In 1949, Nye retired and Morris, Sr. took over the business. Joe Morris notes, “Apparently, my grandfather was doing very well because when he came to Asheville, he not only bought the shop from Nye, but he also built four buildings: He built the shop and a house behind it, the building the Southern Highland Craft Guild occupies, and then he built a building that served as a doctor’s office for many years.”
Embracing Innovation
Joe’s grandfather passed away in 1968 and his father, Ralph Morris Jr. took over and worked at the jewelry shop until he died at the age of 84 in 2012. Joe Morris had taken over daily management of the company before that but shares that his dad continued to have an interest in the business and could be found at the shop most days. As Morris tells it, his dad wasn’t one to enjoy simply sitting around the house. Having his dad
Stuart Nye Jewelry wares on display. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
around proved to be a valuable resource for Joe because if questions ever arose about how something should be done, he could consult his father.
Joe recalls working at the shop during summers along with his brothers, Ralph and John. Describing himself as a businessman rather than an artist, Joe explains he worked at a real estate development helping sell condos part-time. When that ended in 89, he began working at the jewelry company full-time. His brothers still live in North Carolina, and they are part owners, but they don’t work at the shop.
Under Joe Morris’s management, the company has evolved, “Gradually, in some ways, we've kept things the same and made them a little more efficient.” He further explains.
“You know, back in the day, they hand-cut every blossom, which was tedious... I mean, it's just beyond comprehension that anybody takes a small pair of shears and cuts an earring. And we had four people in the back who did that. So, my father, at some point in time, took a jeweler's saw and made handmade cutting tools that we could put under a press. And you had to do them one at a time. But it worked.”
Joe’s idea was to have open jewelry displays that would get the items out from under the glass where people could touch the pieces of jewelry and read about them and how they were made. He credits these displays with having a definite positive impact on the business’s bottom line.
As time has passed, the number of people employed by Stuart Nye Jewelry has scaled down. At its height, it’s estimated that 14 people were working at the shop. Eventually, that number dwindled until for the last five years there have been four people keeping the shop running including Joe and
Female worker hand-making Dogwood motif broaches,SNHJ. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
A handwritten letter by Stuart Nye itemizing how SNHJ got its start. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library
Female worker creating jewelry pieces at SNHJ. Photo courtesy of Buncombe County Special Collections, Pack Memorial Library.
You know, back in the day, they hand-cut every blossom, which was tedious... I mean, it's just beyond comprehension that anybody takes a small pair of shears and cuts an earring. And we had four people in the back who did that. So, my father, at some point in time, took a jeweler's saw and made handmade cutting tools that we could put under a press. And you had to do them one at a time. But it worked.
- JOE MORRIS
his wife Leslie. Currently, the Morris’s employ one person.
That person’s name is Amber Ledbetter and although she will not be part of the Morris’s plans for the future, Joe compliments his long-time employee observing, “She's been a real workhorse. And you couldn't have a nicer, better employee.” Although Morris hates to think of parting ways with Amber, he believes she too is “ready for something different.”
When the main hammerer quit without notice earlier this year, it simply hastened plans that were already in motion. Morris explains, “We'd already planned to close the shop in January. So, it made sense that this year would be our last, and I made the right call with that.”
The Backward Loop Earring Company
Morris notes that in all his years in the jewelry business, “Earrings have always been our bread and butter; 90% of our business has been earrings.” So, it’s only fitting that his next business venture focuses exclusively
Photo of Joe and Leslie Morris. Photo by Amber Ledbetter.
Amber Ledbetter has been a dedicated and hardworking employee for the Morris's. Photo courtesy of Stuart Nye Jewelry.
on backward loop earrings. He explains that they began offering the backward loop earrings at Stuart Nye Jewelry in the early 90s. However, they weren’t an instant success. Eventually, though, word of mouth spread and he now has wholesale customers that only carry the backward loops. Designed to go through the back of the ear, Morris explains women like not having to worry about losing an earring back and the hoops are so light they are easy to wear. They have become so popular according to Morris that 75% - 80% of his business today at craft shows is backward loops. Women put them in and leave them in for years; he has had customers approach him and tell him they have been wearing the same pair of backward loop earrings for eight to 10 years. The
earrings also sell at an Inexpensive price point, running $17-23 dollars a pair, and they are available in silver and gold.
Morris is confident going forward stating, “We’re going to keep a lot of our regular business and we've got a lot of retail business.” He plans to use the same open displays he developed for Stuart Nye pieces to display the backward loop earrings.
Joe and Leslie Morris will be working out of their home to create the backward loop earrings, bringing the Stuart Nye Jewelry story full circle. The earrings will be available at all Southern Highland Craft Guild shops and Joe and his wife will be doing eight shows a year with the Gillmore Craftsman Classic shows throughout the southeastern United States. t
Joe Morris showing the workbenches and tools at Stuart Nye. Photo by Melinda Burris. Nye drew inspiration for his jewelry designs from the flora and fauna that surrounded him at Recreation Park. Photo courtesy of Stuart Nye Jewelry.
ELIJAH WOODS
Noted Southern Gospel Artist Reflects on His Superlative Music Career
STORY BY TIM GARDNER
Elijah Woods sang Southern Gospel music for approximately 50 years and became known as one of the most recognizable and beloved singers ever to consistently perform in the North Carolina High Country and various nearby states.
As the East Tennessee native and resident reflects on his regional Southern Gospel music singing career that included tenures with two groups—the Gospel Harmoneers and the Journeymen (both based in Kingsport) and appearing before, during, and after tenures with them as a soloist, Woods says he felt a thrill every time he picked up a microphone to sing, much as if he was doing it for the first time.
"I just loved singing and trying to inspire and bless people," Woods shares. “I met thousands of wonderful people through my singing and developed friendships with many of them. I loved traveling and singing with the Gospel Harmoneers and the Journeymen as well as by myself. I maintained my zenith level of enthusiasm for singing throughout my career.”
Woods, who endeared himself to many through his class and kindness, as well as his singing, sang thousands of times—in
churches, auditoriums, nursing homes, and at outdoor concerts and Celebration of Life services, as well as on various radio programs.
Many of his concert appearances came in the North Carolina High Country, of which he most fondly recalls: “Some of the most spiritual and most enjoyable concerts I ever sang at were in the North Carolina Mountains. I sang at many different venues there, where I talked with so many people who were among the finest and most genuine, I’ve ever met in my life. I will always treasure my time singing in the High Country there. I will also add that it’s unquestionably among the most beautiful places on Earth.”
Currently 88 years young, Woods is in over-all good health and still has a high-quality singing voice.
“I’m especially grateful that my physical and mental health are both good and I would still travel and sing if I were younger, still drove a vehicle, and didn’t have to use caution about getting around where I sang due to my age,” he explains. “But I had a wonderful time sharing the Gospel in song with others and I’m thankful to God that He gave me a singing voice and helped me to remain active traveling and singing in most weeks every year for such a long time.”
Woods possesses an emotionally expressive and reverberating lead voice that showcases his singing prowess. It is also known for having the most desirable technical attributes for a lead singer: power, clarity, a beautiful sound, along with volume and range that seems to have no end.
Woods stands only 5-foot, six inches in height and said he doubts he has ever weighed more than 150 pounds, which have combined to make many who have heard him sing ponder: “How can so much come out of someone so little?”
He jokes about that, often describing himself as a “Little man with a big, loud mouth.”
Woods has also been noted by
The Woods Family (left-to-right): Ryan Armstrong, Rylie Armstrong, Carrie Kindle, Drew Kindle, Pam Woods Kindle, Steve Kindle, Joan Woods, Elijah Woods, and Ginger Woods. Not pictured: Tyler and Lisa Armstrong. Photo submitted.
his family, friends, singing peers, musicians, and those who listened to him sing for having a special gift for injecting much feeling into every song he sings and igniting concert crowds into a genuine spiritual frenzy through his singing and personal testimony, the latter of which he would also share at each concert in which he performed.
I just loved singing and trying to inspire and bless people. I met thousands of wonderful people through my singing and developed friendships with many of them. I loved traveling and singing with the Gospel Harmoneers and the Journeymen as well as by myself. I maintained my zenith level of enthusiasm for singing throughout my career.
- ELIJAH WOODS
He is featured on various 33-long-play albums, 8-track tapes, cassettes, and compact discs while singing with the Gospel Harmoneers, Journeyman, and as a soloist. Those recordings sold well, as his listeners wanted to hear him sing outside of his concerts and as often as possible. Some can often be found available for purchase online at eBay.com and Amazon.com auction sites, with his solo compact discs and cassettes also available for purchase by contacting him directly at (423) 247-4437.
Elijah Woods on the cover of his “Life Has Been Good" cassette recording. Photo submitted.
Elijah Woods on the cover of his "Singing For Jesus" cassette recording. Photo submitted.
Left to right; Pam Woods Kindle, Joan Woods, Elijah Woods, and Ginger Woods. Photo submitted.
Born on January 16, 1936, Woods was raised in the Tiger Valley Community of Carter County, Tennessee. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be a Gospel singer.
"When I was young, I became interested in Gospel music,
Chetola
and I knew then that I wanted to sing to others and that desire kept growing until I followed through with it and start singing anywhere and anytime anyone would listen to me," he recalls.
After singing as a soloist for approximately 25 years, he started singing with the Gospel Harmoneers in 1974. He sang with them until 1976, left the group for a short time, and then rejoined them the following year. His second tenure with the Gospel Harmoneers lasted until 1983. Two years later, Woods helped form the Journeymen, and he sang with that group until the early 90s. Then he closed out his singing career performing as a soloist.
Woods shares how he came to sing with the Gospel Harmoneers: “I was at a church singing
Another Gospel Harmoneers 33-long-play album and 8-track tape on which lead singer Elijah Woods sang “My Day Will Come.” Photo submitted.
Posed on the cover of their "Water of Life" recording, produced on 33-long-play album and 8-track tape, the Gospel Harmoneers. Photo submitted.
Shown on the cover of their "On The Way Home" recording, produced on 33-long-play album and 8-track tape, the Gospel Harmoneers. Photo submitted.
When I was young, I became interested in Gospel music, and I knew then that I wanted to sing to others and that desire kept growing until I followed through with it and start singing anywhere and anytime anyone would listen to me.
- ELIJAH WOODS
and they also sang there at the same concert. They needed a lead singer then and after hearing me sing at that concert, they asked if I would be interested in singing with them. I said I would be, and we talked more about it, and soon after I was singing with the Gospel Harmoneers. When I first started, we had five members, who besides myself included Bud Lawson, first tenor; Morris Cox, baritone and rhythm guitarist; Roy Klepper, bass; and Kyle Collins, bass guitarist, who also occasionally sang with the group, filling the baritone.”
The Gospel Harmoneers had several personnel changes during Woods’ second tenure. Lawson and Klepper had already left the group by the time Woods made his second recording with it in 1978. The group was then a trio consisting of Cox, who had changed vocal parts from baritone to first tenor, Woods, singing lead, and Collins, singing baritone full-time and still playing the bass guitar. Additional instrumentation was provided by Roy Ison, pianist, and Bill Baines, lead guitarist.
About a year later, Baines left the group and Cliff McMurray joined to sing bass, making the Gospel Harmoneers a singing quartet again. Jeff Morrison played piano for the Gospel
Harmoneers briefly after Ison left around 1980. Tommy Copas played lead guitar and sang baritone for the group occasionally during this time. McMurray left the group around 1981. For the remainder of Woods’ time with them, the Gospel Harmoneers consisted of himself, Cox, as first tenor and rhythm guitarist, Collins, as baritone and bass guitarist, bass singer Waylon Yokley, and pianist Kevin Davenport.
The Journeymen lineup featured Woods, Collins, Yokley, Copas, Morrison, and tenor Norman Smith. Collins and Copas took turns singing baritone, while the other played bass guitar.
Every song Woods sang seemed to fit his vocal style. Songs for which he is most noted include “Mercy,” “I’ve Got My Foot On The Rock,” “The Best Thing That’s Ever Happened To Me,” “The Best Is Yet To Come,” “That I Could Still Go Free,” “I’ve Never Been This Homesick Before,” “A Wedding Invitation,” and “He Was There All The Time.”
Reflecting on the songs he sang, Woods explains, "It was a personal priority that all songs I sang [have] a Godly message, exemplify the life I try to live, and [talk] about the unbelievably wonderful rewards that await me and all other Christians when
we get to Heaven. I'm satisfied that I sang songs that met each [criterion].”
Woods’ advice to any aspiring Gospel Music artist or group hoping to achieve longevity in the field is to “sing every chance you get, stay close to the Lord, stay active in church, and get as much exposure singing and/or playing musical instruments as you can.”
Woods listed the aspects of singing Southern Gospel music he liked best, stating: "My favorite part of singing was that I got to witness to lost people through it, and hopefully, I made an impression in their lives that helped them accept Jesus Christ in the free pardon of sin. Also, the friendships I made with so many people who you know will be in Heaven with you for eternity through singing is another top favorite... I'm a blessed man and I'm most thankful for what having the opportunity to sing has meant to me. It has made me a better person. I just tried to be an inspiration to people through my singing, and I hope
I'm a blessed man and I'm most thankful for what having the opportunity to sing has meant to me. It has made me a better person. I just tried to be an inspiration to people through my singing, and I hope the songs I sang reached people in a meaningful way. And I hope they still do when people listen to me sing on recordings.
- ELIJAH WOODS
the songs I sang reached people in a meaningful way. And I hope they still do when people listen to me sing on recordings.”
Woods and his wife, the former Joan Caldwell, celebrated 65 years of marriage. She was promoted to Heaven in 2021 after battling cancer. Their union produced three children—daughters Pamela (married to Steve Kindle) and Ginger, son Timothy (Tim)— and three grandchildren: Tyler Armstrong (wife, Lisa), Ryan Armstrong (wife, Rylie), and Drew Kindle (wife, Carrie).
Following a heroic battle with cancer, Tim Woods was promoted to Heaven in 1973 at just ten years old. The Gospel Harmoneers dedicated their “On The Way” album, released in 1978, to his beloved memory. The album includes the following liner notes written by Elijah Woods about his son, with songs on the recording used to describe his feelings about his son’s promotion to Heaven, set off in quotation marks:
“Ever since Timothy (Tim) passed away, I have wanted to share his testimonies with the people who have prayed and gave of themselves to help make our
On the cover of their "Signing and Happy" recording, produced on 33-long-play album and 8-track tape, the Gospel Harmoneers. Photo submitted.
The Gospel Harmoneers on the cover of their "The Glory Road" recording, produced on 33-long-play album and 8-track tape. Photo submitted.
(my family’s) burden and loss a little lighter. The Gospel Harmoneers and myself have visited a lot of churches sharing our faith in Christ in testimony and song. When Morris (Cox...our manager), asked if I would like to dedicate this album in Tim’s memory, I was touched greatly by his kindness. I hope that by sharing with you the faith that Tim had in God and the vision he saw thirty minutes before God took him home will encourage you in the Lord in time of sorrow.”
“Tim’s sickness began when he was threeand-a-half years old. Tim made many trips to St. Jude’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee for leukemia treatments. During Tim’s suffering and illness, he continued to be a happy child and trusted in God. In memory of our trips to St. Jude’s, I remember one particular time while traveling to Memphis, I looked over at my wife and told her that, ‘I wished we had brought our two daughters with us.’ During the middle of the conversation, Tim said, ’Let’s go back and get them, Dad. Then if we wreck, we can all go to Heaven together.’
Before Tim became sick, I did not know Jesus as my personal Savior. Therefore, I feel this helped me to realize my need for Christ and just “Give Up” and let Jesus take over my life. With Jesus and Tim there, Heaven Will be Such a Beautiful Place.
The last words Tim spoke to me before Jesus took him home with his hand in mine were: ‘Dad, Dad, Dad, I see a statue and nine little lambs.’ I believe that the statue Tim saw was Jesus. I am so glad I have made preparations to see Jesus and Tim. “I Believe He’s Coming Back” again. When Jesus splits The Eastern
Timothy (Tim) Woods, son of Elijah and Joan Woods, was promoted to Heaven after a heroic battle with cancer. The Gospel Harmoneers album “On The Way Home” is dedicated to his beloved memory. Photo submitted.
Sky, we will be “On The Way Home.”
Woods credits his successful singing career to his faith in God and support from his family, friends, and the singers and musicians with whom he collaborated in the Gospel Harmoneers and Journeymen.
He states, “I can't comment enough about the support and love my family gave me throughout my tenure singing. I'm a very proud husband, father, and grandfather. Joan was an ideal wife, and I certainly couldn't have lasted singing as long as I did without my family's help and encouragement as well as [that] I received from my friends and all the other members of the Gospel Harmoneers and Journeymen.”
Woods, who worked as a brick and cinder block mason, has attended various churches and has served as song leader at many of them. He is currently a member of Souls Harbor Church of God in Kingsport.
Woods identifies his foremost purpose in singing as a way, “To give back as much of myself as possible to God, because He has given so much to me, although I could never give as much back to
God as He has given to me.”
Indeed, Woods is a Southern Gospel music institution in these parts and the East Tennessee region. His God-given talent as a singer, his reputation as a true Christian gentleman, and his love for God and people are his enduring legacy. t
I can't comment enough about the support and love my family gave me throughout my tenure singing. I'm a very proud husband, father, and grandfather. Joan was an ideal wife, and I certainly couldn't have lasted singing as long as I did without my family's help and encouragement as well as [that] I received from my friends and all the other members of the Gospel Harmoneers and Journeymen.
- ELIJAH WOODS
Elijah Woods (second from left) with grandsons (from left) Drew Kindle, Tyler Armstrong, and Ryan Armstrong. Photo submitted.
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Ashlee Yepez’s Journey at Watauga Humane Society Lead Her to Position as Director of Operations
STORY COURTESY OF WATAUGA HUMANE SOCIETY
Ashlee Yepez started her journey at Watauga Humane Society 11 years ago as a valued member of the kennel team. After several months, she quickly realized she had a lot more to offer and set out to soak in all the knowledge she could. She absolutely loves to learn, so any downtime she had was spent around the front desk soaking it all in and helping on busy days. From there, it snowballed, and she quickly found herself cross-trained in almost every department.
As she grew, so did her role and when the position for Director of Operations became available, she was the natural choice for succession. Fast forward to 4 years later, and she has embraced that role wholeheartedly. Ashlee has truly become the heart and soul of this organization and has dedicated herself to our cause.
Throughout her time at WHS, she has taken several courses to increase her understanding and knowledge of animal welfare. Although they were all helpful and crucial to her success, none really tackled “the ways and means” of how to lead and manage an
animal shelter successfully. Honestly, there really wasn’t one that was all encompassing, until Best Friend’s Animal Society created an Executive Leadership Certification (ECL) program geared towards creating better leaders in the animal rescue world.
The ECL program is rather new, and participation is by nomination only. To say we are proud that Ashlee got nominated and accepted into the program would be an understatement. We are eager to see all the positive changes she plans to put in place over the next few years, using what she has learned to better the lives of all the animals in our care – as well as creating a positive work environment with our incredibly hardworking bunch!
Ashlee is a natural born leader and we know she will thrive in whatever she does. We feel very fortunate that she has chosen us as her foundation! There are no words to adequately describe Ashlee or what she means to Watauga Humane Society – and we might be biased – but remarkable is the one word that comes to mind. t
Ashlee Yepez. Photo courtesy of Watauga Humane Society.
