Capturing a Midnight Waterfall

With some precautions and the correct equipment, waterfalls at night can boost your portfolio with stunning images.

Photographing waterfalls at night may not be your cup of tea but, although challenging, it can be quite rewarding. Without a doubt, hiking to waterfalls at night can be very hazardous for obvious reasons. We would not attempt to hike to a waterfall in the dark without first scouting it out during the day. Most waterfalls can be shot at night but we prefer a setting that includes a clear night sky with visible stars to make the scene more interesting. We also prefer a night with no moonlight, although it’s possible to have success with some moonlight. Appropriate gear is important – include an SLR camera, wide angle lens, a sturdy tripod, and a good LED flashlight with an adjustable beam. About five years ago there was a TV series that included an episode on photographing waterfalls at night that explains the techniques quite thoroughly. It can be viewed by going online and entering “Night Photography Waterfalls-Wild Photo Adventures” in the address bar.

The waterfall shown here is Silver Run Falls which is located close to Cashiers. The shot was taken during a dry spell, so the water was flowing lighter than normal. Ironically, it’s the same waterfall shown in the TV series mentioned above.

There are two viewpoints at the falls. The first is short, a few hundred yards,

and easy. The second, where our photo was taken, is a short distance further down the trail. It is more difficult due to the many roots encountered. Caution is advised here during the day or night.

Trailhead Directions

From the intersection of US 64 and NC 107 in Cashiers, go south on NC 107 for about four miles. Look for the small parking area on the left.

by Ed and Cindy Boos

At a Glance Waterfall Guide

Enjoy this sampling of area waterfalls, for a deep dive visit thelaurelmagazine.com/recreation.

HIGHLANDS Bridal Veil Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 2.3 miles west on US 64. Waterfall GPS: N35.07180 W-83.22910 Difficulty: You can park your car in a little parking area and walk 50 feet.

Dry Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 3.15 miles west on US 64 to a parking area on the left. Waterfall GPS: N35.06884 W-83.23869 Difficulty: There are lots of steps you must go down to get behind Dry Falls.

Bust Your Butt Falls

From NC 106 in Highlands, drive 6.35 miles west on US 64 to the pullout on the left. Waterfall GPS: N35.09268 W-83.26573 Difficulty: Don’t stop on the road itself!

Glen Falls

From the junction of US 64 and NC 106 in Highlands, drive 1.75 miles south on NC 106 and bear left at the sign for Glen Falls. Take Glen Falls Road, not Holt Road. Drive 1.05 miles to the parking area. Waterfall GPS: N35.03128 W-83.23829 Difficulty: There’s some climbing involved here.

Upper Middle Creek Falls

From the intersection of NC 106 and US 64, follow NC 106 South for 9.3 miles. Exactly 1 mile before you reach the Georgia state line, and about 0.3 miles after NC 106 crosses Middle Creek, a yellow School Bus Stop sign will be on the right. Park on the right side of the road right at the sign. Waterfall GPS: N35.00714 W-83.32916 Difficulty: The four-tenths of a mile hike is not strenuous but it can be confusing.

CASHIERS Silver Run Falls

From US 64 in Cashiers, head south on NC 107 from 4.05 miles – there’s a pullout area on the left. Waterfall GPS N35.06599 W-83.06558 Difficulty: No difficulty.

Whitewater Falls

From US 64 west of Lake Toxaway, take NC 281 for 8.5 miles and turn left at the sign for Whitewater Falls into a parking area. Difficulty: Not strenuous, though the paved path is a bit uneven.

Cashiers Sliding Rock

Cashiers Sliding Rock, a million miles from the cares of the 21st century, is easy to get to. From the Cashiers Crossroads, travel south on NC 107 to Whiteside Cove Road. Head down the road for 2.6 miles to where the road crosses the Chattooga River and pull over just across the bridge. Difficulty: A piece of cake.

Spoonauger Falls

From Cashiers, travel on NC 107 8.2 miles. The name changes to SC 107 – travel for 4.9 miles. Turn right onto Burrells Ford Road. Drive approximately 2.0 miles to the Chattooga Trail parking area on the left (look for the Forest Service Bulletin Board) Hike north on the Chattooga Trail, which roughly parallels the Chattooga River for 0.25 mile, then cross Spoonauger Creek. Immediately on the right will be a side trail. Difficulty: There’s nothing tricky.

Schoolhouse Falls

From US 64, take NC 281 North for 0.85 mile and bear left on Cold Mountain Road. Stay on the road. When it becomes unpaved, travel about 0.1 mile. Take the road on the right and travel for 0.1 mile to a parking area. Take the trail to the right of the information kiosk. At the intersection, proceed straight on Panthertown Valley Trail. Turn left onto Little Green Trail. Schoolhouse Falls is about 0.15 mile ahead. Waterfall GPS N35.16330 W-83.00674 Difficulty: The hike isn’t challenging.

Scan for interactive map of waterfalls in the Highlands and Cashiers area.

Don’t make it a Routine!

Without new streams and new schemes, the magic built into Fly Fishing can vanish.

Routines are boring! What’s not boring is the great sport of fly fishing. Fly Fishing is an interactive game with nature that will take you to beautiful destinations you would otherwise not see. As a fly shop owner, I get to interact with lots of people before they go out for their day of fishing. Too often I see people getting in a “rut” when it comes to enjoying their time on the water. They once went to a certain stretch of a certain river and caught a fish on a certain type of fly. Because that outing was a success, they decide to repeat it over and over again. Successful or not, that gets boring after a while. Go to a new river, try a different style of fishing, try a different time of year, just don’t make it a routine. It’s amazing the new things you will learn and put into your bag of tricks to becoming a more proficient angler by staying out of the “rut.” I’ve been fly fishing all my life, and have turned it into a career, and I’m still finding new things to try. Recently I decided to combine two of my favorite hobbies: Fly Fishing and Mountain Biking. I’ve found that this new mode of transportation to the trout stream has opened up way more options of where I can go and find un-pressured fish. Yes, that’s a photo of a native Brook Trout caught and released underneath the tire of my mountain bike in a remote part of the Cashiers /Highlands Plateau. It would have taken me most of the day hiking in and out of this particular location, but with the bike it was done in just a few hours. You don’t have to take it as extreme as I did, but just try and spice up your most valuable commodity (your time in nature) by trying something different. There are tons of techniques and methods of how to fool a trout into biting that often get overlooked. If you need ideas of a new place to try, and new technique, or even a new species to target, your local fly shop is always a great place to start!

by Matt Canter, Brookings Anglers

Be a Steward of the Land

The important work of the Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is more vital than ever. To learn more and support the Land Trust, visit hicashlt.org.

Ten new land protection projects that conserved 280 acres were completed in 2021 by Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, the nationally accredited, nonprofit land conservation organization that serves southern Macon and Jackson Counties.

These projects protect two Southern Appalachian Bogs, two major rock outcrops, a new public park for Cashiers, and a piece of a historic trail.

With the influx of new home and landowners here now, it is really important that we work together as a community to balance this new growth with conservation. As an ecologist, I would like to remind everyone of the important ecological concept of carrying capacity. Fundamentally, it means how many people can live in a given area. What it doesn’t tell us is the quality of that living. Too many people can lead to conditions that negatively impact living conditions. We could see our sandy soils erode, habitat fragmentation, diseased flora and fauna, warmer unhealthy streams, and warmer temperatures. How many folks can live on and visit the Plateau before we begin to see degradation of the environment?

I believe that we have not reached that tipping point yet but as a community we need to think collectively on how we can avoid it. It’s very encouraging that the recent Urban Land Institute report identified as their number one recommendation to develop a conservation vision for Cashiers. Conservation planning could determine not just where we develop, but also where we should not develop. This does not mean zero development, rather guided

development. This approach would allow Cashiers to protect its natural heritage and character while directing development both for commercial purposes and affordable housing. So, to those friends that are new to our mountains I have some suggestions. Do not plant invasive plants, as they can choke out the species we need and unravel our delicate ecosystem. Keep in mind your carbon footprint and when building a new home, consider working with the land, not against it. Let’s be gentle when we live, play, and build and above all let’s be good stewards of the land and water so we do not kill the goose that laid the golden egg. If you are not already a member of HCLT, we invite you to join today – visit us at hicashlt.org.

by Dr. Gary Wein Executive Director, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust

A Truly Rare Bird

Male Canada Warbler by Tim Carstens

The anything-but-ordinary Canada Warbler may be vanishing from Plateau woodlands.

The Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis) is a migratory bird that winters in South America and follows North American flyways in the spring to breeding grounds far to the north. Over 80 percent of “Canadas” breed in Canada and fewer than 20 percent do so in the U.S., although that lesser breeding range includes the Highlands Plateau. Because they are the last of the migratory birds to arrive in the spring and are among the first to depart in late summer and early fall, they are a rare and prized sight in our area. The plumage is distinctive and delightful: the throat, breast, and belly are yellow while the back is dark gray; the long, dark tail has white underneath matching its white eye ring; and the dark markings on the upper breast comprise a necklace fit for royalty. Males and females are similarly adorned, with the female being muted as is the case with most warblers.

According to Sibley, the distinctive song features, “high, clear, liquid notes; varied: sputter, descending, and ending loudly; all notes different…erratic with scattered, sharp chips inserted.” This is not your average songbird! Canada Warblers are creatures of the forest, feeding on insects gleaned from the foliage. They nest on the forest floor, laying a large clutch of up to six eggs. Pair bonding appears to be monogamous with the mated pair staying together year-round. Banded Canada Warblers have lived to 8 years, making the trip from South America to Canada and the U.S. every year. These lovely denizens of the forest, like hundreds of avian species, are in sharp decline. The years of 1966 through 2015 saw a loss of 65 percent of their population. They are now on threatened lists and are at risk of extinction. Ours could be the last generation to catch a glimpse of this rare avian gem. And here they are! Happy July birding from the Highland Plateau Audubon Society. Look for these avian delights this month, a few feet above the forest floor.

The mission of the Highlands Plateau Audubon Society is to provide opportunities to enjoy and learn about birds and other wildlife and to promote conservation and restoration of the habitats that support them. HPAS is a 501(c)(3) organization, a Chapter of the National Audubon Society. Visit highlandsaudubonsociety.org for information on membership and all activities.

by William McReynolds, Highlands Plateau Audubon Society

The Magic of Microgreens

Cathy Clark’s Hidden Vale Microgreens is seducing Plateau palates with these little jewels of flavor and goodness.

So here we are – smack dab in the middle of salad-for-supper season. The perfect time to talk about gardening – and microgreens. While most gardeners on the Plateau have only recently started harvesting their crops, Cathy Clark, owner of Hidden Vale Microgreens, has been farming all winter long – inside the home she shares with husband Gary in Highlands. The path that led Cathy Clark to embark on microgreen farming is notable. For nearly ten years, Clark had been grappling with health issues. Deciding she needed to lose weight, she signed up for a weight loss program. It worked, she lost 54 lbs., and pledged to continue to focus on eating healthy. At the same time, she was searching for a business opportunity. Months of prep work and research during covid led to her the discovery of microgreens. She knew that though for a long time the only place one would see microgreens was in a high-priced restaurant, in recent years they have gone mainstream. That was good news on two fronts. For those seeking a healthy lifestyle, microgreens are nutrient-dense, containing up to 40 times the nutrients of the mature plants. And secondly there’s the flavor! Their concentrated taste really is next level. So Clark started exploring you-tube videos. She learned that microgreens-fully developed seed leaves, bigger than sprouts but smaller than baby greens – can be grown indoors in a small space, making them her ideal business venture. She understood that it didn’t take a plant whisperer to enjoy success in this venture. And the thought of the rewards of cultivating the tastes of summer throughout the year was very appealing. It occurred to her, “I can do this.” Still the venture has had its challenges. As Cathy told me “Everyone’s environment is different – so there’s been a lot of trial and error finding what grows best.” Currently, Clark is growing leeks, pea shoots, popcorn shoots, radish, and a powerhouse mix of broccoli, kale, red and golden cabbage, and kohlrabi. Sunflower, the most popular, are also the most finicky of the microgreens. Clark produces about 35 trays a week of microgreens, that she subsequently packs in pint and quart containers and sells directly to consumers and restaurants. If you’ve yet to discover microgreens, they’re a delicious treat on avocado toast, piled on a salads and soups, tossed with your favorite pasta, used as a stand-alone ingredient in scrambled eggs and terrific on a homemade burger! As every food lover knows, living well means eating well. Clark sells her microgreens on Saturdays at the Highlands Farmers Market and delivers them at no charge to restaurants and residents in the Highlands area. You can reach her at garyandcathy33@gmail.com or on facebook @hiddenvalemicrogreens. Oh, and if you’re wondering about the dog on their logo, Cathy and Gary are the proud owners of 2 Boxers.

Invite Nature Into Your Life

The Zahner Lecture Series explores the art of ancient America and the incredible stressors facing the natural world. Lectures are presented at the Highlands Nature Center. For a full schedule, visit highlandsbiological.org or call the Highlands Biological Station at (828) 526-2221.

For decades, the Zahner Conservation Lecture series has been a cherished summer tradition at the Highlands Nature Center.

Named for the significant contributions of Dr. Robert Zahner and his wife Glenda, to conservation efforts on the Highlands Plateau, this series serves to educate the public through weekly talks. The Zahner tradition continues this summer as HBF gears up for their first lectures of the season. Each program will be held at the Highlands Nature Center (930 Horse Cove Road) on Thursday evenings at 6:00 P.M. between July 7 and September 1. On July 7, join us for Precontact Native American Cave Art in the Southeast with Dr. Jan F. Simek, Distinguished Professor of Science and President Emeritus at the University of TennesseeKnoxville. This lecture will provide an overview of the ancient cave art of Appalachia. On July 14, it’s Unpaved Roads, Ditches, Missing Riparian Buffers, Fertilization: Why Many Mountain Streams Aren’t Cold, Clean, and Pristine with Dr. C. Rhett Jackson, John Porter Stevens Distinguished Professor of Water Resources at the University of Georgia. In this lecture, Dr. Jackson will discuss how low-density rural development in the Blue Ridge Mountains has completely shifted rural valley stream systems. On July 21, we’ll present Meet the Conservation Heroes Who Are Saving the Wild South with Georgann Eubanks, Writer, Consultant, and Executive Director of the Paul Green Foundation. Join Eubanks as she discusses her latest book, Saving the Wild South: Native Plants on the Brink of Extinction. Learn about her wondrous trek from Alabama to North Carolina to search out native plants that are endangered and wavering on the edge of erasure. On July 28, Managing the Coastal Zone in a Changing Climate: Everything We Are Doing Is Wrong with Dr. Rob Young, Director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University. This lecture will explore how climate change is impacting the coastal environment and coastal development in the USA and discuss the grand failure of government at all levels to act on the crisis in an organized and sensible way.

by Winter Gary, Communications & Events Coordinator, Highlands Biological Foundation

ARTS

Pages 92-119

The Place I Call Home

Cover Artist Penny Pollock’s entire life has been a sequence of inspiration and discoveries.

When your mom is a stunning fashion model (a 1950s Coca Cola Pin-up Girl), you know your world is destined to be out of the ordinary. Penny Pollock, daughter of that mid-century icon says, “I emulated my mom. She had a style like nobody’s business, and a personality to go with it.” Penny benefitted from her family’s travels to fashion hubs – New York, Paris, and Rome. That exposure, plus being surrounded by exotic textiles (many worthy of framing), gave her a leg up in the fashion realm. It’s no wonder fashion, fabric, and design came naturally. Another family mentor, her stepmom, designed maternity-wear. She owned the nation’s largest maternity clothing chain (250 stores). Bolstered by her family’s fashion success, Penny enrolled in the University of Denver Art Program. After that, she says, “I immersed myself in my passion, which I knew was always Fashion. So I went to Switzerland to study clothing design. “Perhaps Switzerland wasn’t fashion-central, but the curriculum did take me to all the European fashion districts.” When asked why she didn’t go to schools in France or Italy, she said, with a twinkle in her voice, “If I were going to be that far away from home, my father insisted Switzerland would be the safest country.” Her fascination with the exciting world of fashion fired up Penny’s artistic talents and her gregarious nature. She says, “It gave me exposure. I am outgoing. I thirsted for diversity of people, places, things, and ideas. I can’t get

Penny Pollock with Leif and Layla

enough of it.” Later in life, while managing a successful fashion career, she took a class at The Bascom in encaustic painting. She says, “I was very involved in the ceramic program at The Bascom, when I decided on a whim to enroll in an encaustic workshop with Sue Fazio also at The Bascom – and absolutely found my medium. Encaustic painting is a process dating back to Ancient Greek times. It is a process of melting beeswax, tree resin and pigments (colors), and burning them together to create magical results on treated wooden boards.” When the wax melted, so did Penny’s heart. It was an awakening. Her studies, her work, her history swirled together, just like the fusion of pigment and wax. She’d discovered her ultimate medium-match.

And yes, folks, Penny plays with fire. Penny’s love for engaging with people of all cultures, particularly strong women, also blended beautifully with the encaustic process. She did several series of female portraits, each image rife with symbolism and loaded with story. Those stories became blogs, thus feeding Penny’s desire to reach out to friends she has made around the globe and closer to home. You can see Penny’s work at The Bascom Visual Arts Center during their Pop Up Show through July 26. In additon to The Bascom, Penny also shows at Cashiers Showhouse, August 31st, St. Augustine Art Center, St. Augustine, Florida; her home studios by appointment in both Highlands and Atlantic Beach, Florida. One of Penny’s proudest moments is when she was chosen to show in It’s Liquid Exhibition in Venice, Italy, this past April. To see more of Penny’s work go to pennypollockart.com. To email her concerning commissions and further inquiries, contact her at pennywave@yahoo.com.

by Donna Rhodes

Art League’s Double Play

With its season in full swing, The Art League of Highlands-Cashiers is staging its Summer Colors Fine Art Show and hosting a presentation by legendary local artist Betti Hankey.

Betti Hankey

The Art League of Highlands-Cashiers is sponsoring two events in July, as the 2022 season gets into full swing. On July 23-24, it will stage the annual Summer Colors Fine Art Show at the Sapphire Valley Community Center. At this indoor show, located off U.S 64, two and one-half miles east of the Cashiers Crossroads, members will have on display and for sale artwork in a variety of media. There will be paintings in oil, acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media as well as photographs, glass art, fiber art, and unique jewelry. Plateau artists, as well as those from surrounding states will be present. ALHC members are among the most talented artists in the area. With a comfortable indoor venue and ample free parking, weather is never a problem, and visitors may take their time browsing. There’s no admission fee for this show, although visitors so inclined may make donations to support the Art League’s various children’s programs. On Monday, July 25, the Art League will hold its monthly meeting at The Bascom at 5:00 P.M. Refreshments will be served at 4:30 P.M.

July’s presentation will be given by ALHC board member Betti Hankey, who’s been a member of the Art League since its inception. She has been painting for more than 50 years. Majoring in Art at Georgia State University, Ms. Hankey received her …a combination of religion BA in Art Education. She studied and social commentary under well-known Atlanta artist Joe expressed in bright colors Perrin. Her work has been described with a touch of humor… as a combination of religion and social commentary expressed in bright colors with a touch of humor. The theme of her presentation will be Every Picture Tells a Different Story. This promises to be an interesting and informative talk. Please join us at 4:30 P.M. for refreshments and a chance to socialize and to meet the speaker. For more information about the Art League and its activities, visit artleaguehighlands-cashiers.com. by Zach Claxton, The Art League of Highlands-Cashiers Scan to learn more.

Bascom’s Resident Artist

The Bascom welcomes Highlands native Sayla Hawk Roman as the 2022 Bascom Education Fellow.

Sayla Hawk Roman

The Bascom’s Resident Artist program invites influential artists from across the country to live, work, and engage with the Plateau communities, creating mutually beneficial relationships for artists and the visual arts center. Over the past decade, The Bascom has welcomed more than 40 visiting artists, encompassing a wide range of backgrounds, ages, and focus areas from ceramics to photography, sculpture, and interdisciplinary studies. Though these talented individuals act in their role as resident artists with The Bascom for limited periods of time, their impact is long lasting, and essential to The Bascom’s mission to inspire and empower individuals and communities through seeing, thinking, and doing. This summer, The Bascom welcomes a new resident artist, 2022 Education Fellowship recipient Sayla Hawk Roman. A Highlands native, Sayla is a rising junior at Columbia University studying the visual arts and art history. Sayla is working towards a career in museum curation and is enthusiastic to work with The Bascom this summer to learn more about museum education, curriculum development, and the inner workings of an art center. Her role will include developing summer education curriculum that will result in a portfolio of classes she can take with her in the next phase of her journey as an arts professional. No stranger to Bascom programs, Sayla shares her experience as a Bascom participant during her youth in Highlands: “I have benefitted from the teaching of the Bascom staff greatly since I first began to attend after-school and summer programs at The Bascom 14 years ago. The Bascom’s programing has aided me in my artistic pursuits, passions, and was key player in my decision to become a Visual Arts and Art History major. The Bascom has nurtured the passions of many local children like me in Highlands and the surrounding areas. Overflowing with passion and gratitude, I hope to be able to spread the joy of art to others in my future career.” Members of surrounding communities and visitors will have the opportunity to experience Sayla Roman’s educational programs June through August this summer. These include Bascom youth summer camps and workshops, and exhibitions created with youth for exhibition in the Bascom Education Gallery. Her projects will also involve partnerships with the Literacy and Learning Center, Macon County Public Library Epic Teens, and Cashiers Senior Center. Please join all of us in welcoming the talented Sayla Hawk Roman to The Bascom!

by Billy Love, The Bascom

Pique Assiette

Becky Savitz’s unique vision transforms elegant rubble into something startling and beautiful.

What do you do when you drop a plate, and it shatters to pieces? Most of us would reach for the dustpan seeing only a worthless pile of china to discard in the trash. But Becky sees creative possibility. In her hands, broken dishes become beautiful pique assiette mosaics. Pique assiette is a style of mosaic that incorporates ceramic objects, broken dishes and other found items into a work of art. In French, a “pique-assiette” refers to someone who is a “scrounger,” which of course fits, because most pique assiette mosaics are created with recycled or rummaged materials. A visit to Becky’s studio reveals an extensive collection of plates, decorative figurines, ceramic birds, and porcelain baskets of flowers. She scours flea markets, eBay, and companies that sell damaged dishware. “I have friends who give me dishes that they’ve chipped instead of throwing them away,” she says. Becky began creating pique assiette 22 years ago, when she and her husband Ed purchased their home in Cashiers. With both of her daughters in college, she discovered “found time” to pursue mosaic art and gardening. Treatment for Graves’ Disease had also changed her. Becky views this as a transformative part of her life. “I was very mathematical. Then suddenly that went out the window and I became creative. And I like the creative a lot better.”

She also observes, “God’s world opened up to me.” Becky is eager to share her passion with others. She has more than 33,000 followers on TikTok where she demonstrates her art.

A visit to her Tampa home studio also reveals her enthusiasm as she demonstrates the creative process for pique assiette. She covers all kinds of objects with her mosaics. She cuts pieces of ceramic with special “nippers,” or with a diamond blade saw to cut more intricate artwork from a plate. She applies a concrete adhesive to affix the pieces in a decorative design on

Becky Savitz

the surface item then cleans it up and applies grout in between. The result is whimsical and wonderful.

Watering cans with mosaic flowers sit on a shelf with plants in terra cotta pots with different mosaic designs. A game of hopscotch fashioned from mosaic steppingstones in the path to her garden. A statue of a dog in mosaic stands guard on the patio. He has a basket of birds in his mouth, a hummingbird on his collar, and a rooster on his head.

She comments, “This is a bird dog. I did this mosaic as a tribute to Fred, the English setter that adopted us.” Each piece she creates tells a story. On a visit to Chartres, France, Becky was introduced to Raymond Isidore, a famous pique assiette artist. Isidore collected broken pieces of china in junkyards on his way home from work. He started gluing them on the outside of his house. Before he died, his entire house was covered in mosaic. Seeing his cottage became the inspiration for her to create a mosaic on the back of the fireplace in her home in Cashiers. “It started with a large flower, but I realized if I was going to cover the whole [thing], I needed to think bigger.” She started creating a vine pattern that looked like a bean stalk. Suddenly, the mosaic began to tell the familiar story of Jack and the Beanstalk.

“It starts with flowers at the bottom with Jack and his cow. Then the vine goes up to the top near the ceiling where you find the Giant’s boot. The whole story is there except it is in mosaic,” she says. Becky says she very rarely has the finished product in mind when she starts a project. “In fact, I never do,” she notes, “I know just a general idea.” She also views her work as a spiritual expression of her faith. “I believe that God takes our broken pieces, doesn’t throw them away, then puts them back together in a beautiful way.” She notes when she cuts a piece of china to fit in a design, she thinks about the things in her life that need to be cut away to fit a bigger picture. Next time a dish breaks, pause before you reach for the dustpan. Survey the broken pieces and consider the creative possibility. See what story might emerge. It might just transform the way you see the world.

by Ann Self

By The Book

Susie deVille has written her first book – Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free. Available for pre-order now.

Susie deVille

Susie deVille, entrepreneur coach, creativity energizer, and founder of The Innovation and Creativity Institute has written her first book, Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free. Based in Highlands, deVille taps into her academic degrees – anthropology and entrepreneurship – and years of research and extensive coaching experience to help entrepreneurs build successful businesses and rediscover creativity, as well as leverage the power of their true nature. Even individuals who are not entrepreneurs can be encouraged and motivated by deVille’s principles, which incorporate a multi-faceted, whole-brain approach. She shares, for example: • Powerful exercises to transmute feelings of fear into decisive action and confidence; • Tools aimed at protecting and fueling creativity in order to break through burnout, hone awareness, and flow into business success; • Meaningful advice on unleashing potential; and, • Embracing identity as both entrepreneur and creator to take action in transforming the future. Buoyant is part memoir and part exercise-filled guide. Said deVille, “Buoyant helps you shed the belief that being an entrepreneur means prioritizing productivity at all costs. Instead, the book invites you to get lost on purpose and dig deep to become the person and entrepreneur you long to be.” The book is filled with resources, tips, and inspirational anecdotes designed to encourage, inspire, and equip readers. Internationally-renowned entrepreneur and bestselling author of Let It Be Easy, Susie Moore, said, “Free-flowing creativity and authenticity are a powerful duo. Susie deVille shows you how to become the most powerful version of yourself by unlocking both in her generous book, Buoyant. A wonderful read for entrepreneurs ready to welcome their next level.” Businesses and companies can purchase multiple copies of Buoyant: The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Becoming Wildly Successful, Creative, and Free and may receive a discount, depending on volume, by contacting susie@innovationcompass.com. Otherwise, individual copies of the book are orderable on deVille’s website, InnovationandCreativityInstitute. com, at Shakespeare and Company, and through such online resources as Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, Books a Million, and Indiebound.

by Deena Bouknight

Scan to learn more.

Needlepoint and Community

With the fruits of its talented members popping up all over the Plateau, the Sapphire Valley Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild is looking for enthusiastic new members.

(L to R) Barbara Cuscachs, Marsha Moxley, Bill Trotter (incoming President of Hudson Library Board), Renee Corbett, Leila Chapman and Jessica Smith (Administrative Assistant at Hudson Library).

If you’ve been charmed by the whimsical needlepoint piece in the Children’s Room at Hudson Library or been comforted by the sudden appearance of a set of nine needlepoint designs at Highlands-Cashiers Hospital, then you’ve been touched by the artistry and creative energies of the members of the Sapphire Valley Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild. “There are eight of us, and we meet on the second Thursday of the month (though we don’t meet in the winter months),” says Chapter Co-President Marsha Moxley. “We meet and share a bite to eat and share our ideas, then we go home and work on our projects. For instance, our library project took about a year.” Marsha says that the hospital project had been finished back in the 1990s, but changes in administration resulted in the panels being relegated to an out-of-the-way corner of the facility. HCA Hospital CEO Tom Neal was instrumental in rescuing the the panels from their ignominious fate and placing them once more in a position of prominence. If you’d like to join this group of friends and needlepoint enthusiasts, contact Marsha at marsha.moxley@gmail.com. Marsha says you don’t have to be a needlepoint maven to be welcomed into the group. (Editor’s Note: She means it – she even invited me to join, and the last creative thing I did with my hands was using a hammer to gish (squish) a spider in the bathroom last Friday. Don’t blame me, it was looking at me in a scary manner.)

by Luke Osteen

The Jersey Boys take Highlands Playhouse by storm when Mountain Theatre Company stages Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, July 1 - 24, (Wednesdays - Saturdays at 7:30 P.M., and Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00 P.M.) Get your tickets at mountaintheatre.com.

Kicking off Mountain Theatre Company’s 2022 Mainstage Season at the Highlands Playhouse this month is Jersey Boys: The Story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons!

Jersey Boys is the Tony, Grammy, and Olivier Award-winning musical phenomenon that became an international sensation. Taking Broadway by storm in 2005, it continued to play to sold-out crowds for over a decade.

Jersey Boys takes audiences on an exhilarating journey behind the music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. The four main characters were just four guys from Jersey, until they sang their very first note. They had a sound nobody had ever heard, and the radio just couldn’t get enough of. But while their harmonies were perfect on stage, off stage it was a very different story. Follow the incredible story of four guys bound by one dream, who sang their way from the streets of New Jersey to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Audiences around the world have gone wild over the electrifying performances of the golden greats that took these hometown boys from Jersey all the way to the top of the charts. You’ll recognize hit songs including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, My Eyes Adored You, and many more. You’re sure to leave exclaiming, “Oh, What a Night!” after experiencing Mountain Theatre Company’s top notch cast of professional actors perform this amazing musical! The cast of Jersey Boys has come to Highlands from across the country and will feature familiar favorites and performers new to Highlands audiences. Playhouse audiences will recognize Erin Knowles, Brandon Leporati, and Kyle Ivey from last season’s smash hit, Music in Motion. The cast will feature two recent graduates from Elon University, a North Carolina school which houses one of the nation’s best musical theatre programs. And the lead role of Frankie Valli will be played by Highlands’ own Emanuel Carrero (Music in Motion and The Scott & Patti Holiday Spectacular), who also serves as Mountain Theatre Company’s full-time Company Manager. Don’t miss this phenomenal cast of artists put on the show Highlands is bound to be talking about all summer.

by Lindsay Garner Hostetler, Director of Marketing and Outreach, Mountain Theatre Company

Summer Comedy

Highlands Performing Arts Center welcomes Tales of a Weary Waiter and christens its new theater with Bravo Amici. For tickets or more information, visit HighlandsPerformingArts. com. Highlands PAC is located at 507 Chestnut Street.

Bravo Amici

The summer fun continues at the Performing Arts Center. Saturday, August 13 at 7:30 P.M. the comedy of Darron Cardosa in Tales of a Weary Waiter. Cardosa, also known as the Bitchy Waiter, is a food service professional with over thirty years of restaurant experience. He has waited tables in diners, pubs, chain restaurants, neighborhood bistros, clubs, and even a short stint in a celebrity-owned restaurant, before he was fired for blogging about his experience. Over the last 15 years, he has written more than 1,500 articles and blog posts, each and every one about the food service industry. He has written for Food & Wine, Plate, the Washington Post, and others. Darron has been seen on NBC’s TODAY Show and CBS Sunday Morning discussing the service industry. His book, “The Bitchy Waiter,” was published in 2016, and his years as a professional actor eventually led to the creation of his one-man comedy show, Tales of a Weary Waiter, which tours around the country. Saturday, September 17 at 7:30 P.M. marks the Grand Opening of the new Performing Arts Center theater. The long awaited performance of Bravo Amici will christen the new stage and theater. Bravo Amici have wowed audiences all over the world, from London to LA, Miami to Moscow, St. Moritz to Sardinia, New York to New Zealand. Combining the essential elements of classical crossover - pop, Broadway, the West End and opera - this group of endlessly talented friends and stage stars melt hearts and blow minds in every theater they perform, becoming a worldwide phenomenon over the years. With a show that not only entertains and excites audiences, but also connects with them on a deeper level, you can guarantee it’s a concert you’ll never forget because of how they made you feel.

by Mary Adair Trumbly, Highlands Performing Arts Center