Laurel Winter 2010
Your Guide To The Finest In Highlands And Cashiers
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Contents
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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Publisher’s Note
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here has the time gone? In one brief moment, we closed out the first decade of the new millennium and are walking through the door to another ten years. Hard to believe that it’s been eight years since we began the Laurel. So much we’ve weathered together. But, through it all we know that you, our readers and advertisers, are the ones who have helped us come this far. So as we embark on the journey of a new season - and a new decade - we thank you for your unending support and wish you a 2010 full of prosperity, peace and joy. n Marjorie & Janet
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Contents
Contents Winter 2010
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Events
16 • The Dixie Swim Club 17 • Wine, Dine and Crime 21 • Monte Carlo 22 • Cajun Cookoff 21 • Winter Botany Walk 23 • Valentine’s Day Dance 24 • Area Calendar
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Maps 18 • Highlands Map 34 • Cashiers Map
Dining 38 • A Romantic Dinner 40 • Dining Guide
Arts
28 • Cover Artist, John Sill 30 • Feature Artist, Cathryn Sill 31 • Summit One Gallery 32 • The Bascom 33 • Betsy Paul Art Raffle 35 • Art League of Highlands
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History
42 • Blackbeard and the Carolina Coast 43 • Cashiers History
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Janet Cummings, Managing Partner
janet@themountainlaurel.com
(828) 371-2689
Marjorie Fielding, Managing Partner
Michelle Munger, Art Director
Digitographer/Distribution
(828) 371-2764
(828) 342-3774
(828) 332-0473
marjorie@themountainlaurel.com
mungerclan5@aol.com
Guy Fielding, fielding@marketeers.biz
Volume Nine • Issue One • www.themountainlaurel.com • 828-526-0173 email: editorial@themountainlaurel.com • P.O. Box 565 • Highlands, NC 28741 12
www.themountainlaurel.com • Winter 2010
Literary 46 • Highlands Writer’s Group, Diane McPhail 47 • Donna Rhodes
Phi l anthropy 57 58 • Friends for Life 59 • Literacy Council 60 • Land Trust 61 • Carpe Diem Farms 62 • Highlands Rotary 63 • Mountaintop Rotary 64 • Humane Society 65 • Cashiers Rotary 66 • International Friendship Center 67 • Hospice
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68 • Business News
Homes & Lifestyles
Guides
18 • Highlands Map 34 • Cashiers Map 24 • Area Calendar 40 • Dining Guide 56 • Service Directory 72 • Advertisers Index
50 • Home of Distinction 52 • Being Green 53 • Real Estate Talk 54 • Money Watch
Contributing Writers:
Wiley Sloan, Writer
wileyandsarah@nctv.com
Luke Osteen, Writer
dumbdogs@earthlink.net
Donna Rhodes, Writer
Krysti Rogers, Deborah Reeves, Mary Adair Leslie, Jane Gibson Nardy, Tom Chillemi, Pam Nellis, Sue Aery, Cassie Walsh, Victoria Ingate, Jennifer McKee, Gary Wein, Kathy Bub, Laura Miller, Robin M. Armstrong, Maryellen Lipinski
donna847@verizon.net
Copyright © 2010 by The Mountain Laurel, LLC. All rights reserved. Laurel Magazine is published eleven times per year. Reproduction without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. The publishers and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to Laurel Magazine’s right to edit. Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, photographs and drawings. Every effort has been made to assure that all information presented in this issue is accurate, and neither Laurel Magazine nor any of its staff is responsible for advertising errors, omissions, or information that has been misrepresented in or to the magazine. Any substantial errors that are the fault of the magazine may be subject to a reduction or reimbursement of the amounts paid by the advertiser, but in no case will any claim arising from such error exceed the amount paid for the advertisement by the advertiser.
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Events
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The Dixie Swim Club
he Highlands Cashiers Players present “The Dixie Swim Club,” opening Thursday, February 25th, 2010. “The Dixie Swim Club” by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope and Jamie Wooten, is a heart warming comedy featuring five women who were all on the same swim team in college. They meet for a reunion the same week every year at the same cottage on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. All five have taken different paths in life, but the friendships hold true. The play spans twenty six years, through the happy events, the sadness’s, the marriages, the trials and tribulations of the five friends. This ensemble cast features, Jennifer Royce, Clair Simpson, Carla Gates, Lee Lyons, and Mary Adair Leslie. And in his directorial debut is Rick Siegel. The production crew includes assistant director Donna Cochran, stage manager Kristin Aravjo, spe-
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cial assistant to the director, Peggy Fuller. Sound design created by John Williams and light design by Jim Gordon. The beach cottage set is the design of Gary Clark and
will be decorated by Diane McPhail and Pam Nellis with the help of the Purposeful Women Painters. The costumers will be Barbara Werder and Joan
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Levinson. Hair and makeup crew will be led by HCP Board member Betsy Johnson, and the props will be gathered by Helene Siegel “The Dixie Swim Club” sponsored in part by The Center for Plastic Surgery, Dr. Robert Buchanan, runs Thursday, February 25th and continues through the 28th and again the following weekend, Friday, March 5th through the 7th. Join the cast and crew after the performance on opening night for a reception downstairs. Evening performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees being at 2:30 p.m. All performances are at the Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, Highlands. The box office opens for season subscribers on Thursday, February 11th and on Saturday, February 13th for the general public. For tickets please call (828) 526-8084. For more information visit www.highlandscashiersplayers.org. n
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Wine, Dine and Crime
hat’s there to do on a Wintry weekend in January?… Why not Wine, Dine and Solve the Crime. That’s the plan at 6:30 p.m. January 29th and 30th at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center when Highlands-Cashiers Players stages “Destination Highlands Murder,” a dinner theater fund raiser. Billed as the return of “Langston Hughes, The Detective,” the mystery is set in and around Highlands. Tabletop Sherlocks will enjoy a three-course Italian dinner complete with wine and appetizers and, of course, a most delicious murder to solve. The mystery at the heart of the evening will feature perennial favorites Ronnie Spilton, Dean Zuch, Stuart Armor, Jim Gordon, Michelle Hott and Bonnie Earman. It’s directed by Donna Cochran. Make plans now to attend. The cost of the affair is $55 per person, or $225 for a table of eight. Proceeds will help Highlands Cashiers Players stage performances throughout the year. Tickets go on sale January 21st. For information or reservations, call (828) 526-8084. Can’t make it that weekend? A slightly different version will be held at the Sapphire Valley Community building the following weekend, February 5th and 6th to benefit Summit School. Details were still being worked out as we went to press, so for more information, call (828) 526-8084. n
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Don’t miss “Destination Highlands Murder,” slated for Januar y 29th and 30th at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center.
Humility is no substitute for a good personality. - Fran Lebowitz
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Accommodations
…on the Verandah...........................
Martha Anne’s..................................
4-1/2 Street Inn ...............................
Pescados...........................................
Mountainiques ...............................
Colonial Pines Inn............................
Sports Page.......................................
Peak Experience..............................
Whiteside Cove Cottages................
The Brick Oven................................
Radio Shack......................................
Old Edwards Inn..............................
Wild Thyme Gourmet.....................
Rainy Day Golf..................................
Wolfgang’s Restaurant &
Rhodes Superette.............................
Arts
Wine Bistro.......................................
Scudders...........................................
Bryant Art Glass..............................
Madisons...........................................
Silver Eagle.......................................
John Collette Fine Art.....................
The Summer House.........................
Laurel Magazine...............................
Retail
Suzette’s Boutique...........................
Mill Creek Gallery & Framing ......
Alyxandra’s ......................................
The Toy Store...................................
Marge Rohrer Originals..................
Basketcase........................................
Whole Life Market...........................
Summit One Gallery........................
Bear Mountain Outfitters................
Xtreme Threads ..............................
Bird Barn..........................................
Highlands Fine Art .........................
Real Estate
Cabin Casuals...................................
Highland Hiker.................................
Chambers Agency............................
Carolina Eyes ..................................
Mirror Lake Antqiues......................
Country Club Properties.................
Christmas Tree ..............................
Harry Norman Realtors..................
Cyrano’s ..........................................
Services
John Cleaveland Realty....................
Drake’s Diamond Gallery ..............
Craig and Craig................................
John Schiffli Real Estate..................
Dry Sink............................................
Highlands Cabinet Company..........
Nellis Realty.....................................
Dutchman’s Designs........................
Highlands Visitors Center...............
Signature Properties.......................
East and West...................................
Lupoli Construction.........................
Sundrops on Caney Fork................
Gates Nursery..................................
Mountain Rayz..................................
Hen House........................................
Scott Neumann, Attorney................
Restaurant
Highlands Emporium......................
Warth Construction.........................
Fressers / Fressers Express..........
Highlands Wine and Cheese..........
Tranquility Cove Massage..............
Log Cabin Restaurant......................
Jackson Madeleine...........................
Four Seasons Landscaping.............
Nicks.................................................
Lindy’s ..............................................
View the Highlands, North Carolina interactive map at thehighlandsmap.com To list your business on the Highlands map email marjorie@themountainlaurel.com. 18 18 18
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Events
A Romantic Escape The wonders of a mountain winter make a perfect backdrop for a romantic weekend, Januar y 29th through the 31st.
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ince its earliest days, Highlands has been a destination for passionate souls. Perhaps it’s the sense of being removed from the cares of the world. Maybe it’s those shadowed forest trails that invite casual strolls with a loved one and almost demand warm hugs and languid kisses. Or maybe there’s something in the brisk evening air that stirs the soul to unfettered friskiness. Whatever the secret, Highlands’ formula for passion gets amped up with the arrival of the Romantic Escape Weekend, January 29th through the 31st. Like any good seduction, the mood is set with good wine and warm conversation, in this case a 6:00 p.m. Friday, January 29th, wine tasting social at the Hummingbird Lounge and Piano Bar, the storied gathering place at the magnificent Old Edwards Inn and Spa. The ambience is magical and the mood is marvelously indulgent with the serenading of Cy Timmons. There is no charge for this event, which is like catnip for the incurably romantic. The evening goes in a completely different direction with Highlands-Cashiers Players’ production “Destination Highlands Murder,” slated for 6:30 p.m. at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center. This Highlands-set mystery, served up with a complete threecourse Italian dinner (more wine!), is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate your powers of deduction to a loved one and offers plenty of laughs and a dash of excitement (all important elements of a successful seduction). After that? Well, you’ll think of something. The next morning, you and your sweetie are invited to join in a historical walking tour of Highlands. There’s no charge and it’s a marvelous opportunity to revel in the qualities that have made this community a treasured
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getaway for over a century. Gather at Old Edwards Inn’s Fitness Center at 9:30 a.m. Old Edwards Inn’s Dance Studio is the stage for Tango Lessons from 10:00 a.m. to noon and 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Choreographer Joe Extine reveals the secrets of this most passionate of dances. If your idea of romance involves breathtaking vistas and magnificent landscapes, don’t miss the Whiteside Mountain hike. Free transportation will be provided from Old Edward’s Inn’s Fitness Center at 1:00 p.m. This ancient mountain (one of the oldest in the world) has been beguiling its visitors since the time of the Cherokee. After you’ve strolled, tangoed and hiked, unwind at Oak Street Café with a wine tasting from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The Farm at Old Edwards will be hosting a Mollydooker wine dinner on Saturday to further tempt your palate. If you were unable to attend “Destination Highlands Murder” the night before, it’ll be staged again on Saturday night. These Highlands restaurants will also be serving romantic menus during your stay– Cyprus, Fressers, Madison’s, Oak Street Café, Rib Shack and Wild Thyme. And for your romantic evenings, make reservations at Chandler Inn, Colonial Pines Inn Bed and Breakfast, Fire Mountain, Hampton Inn, Highlands Suite Hotel, Inn at Half Mile Farm, The Lodge at Mirror Lake, Main Street Inn, Mitchells Lodge and Cottages, Morningside Bed & Breakfast, Mountain High Lodge, Old Edwards Inn & Spa or Whiteside Cove Cottages. For more information on all the things that’ll make this weekend a cherished memory, call the Highlands Visitor Center at (828) 526-2112 or visit www.winterinhighlands. com. n
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Monte Carlo
lans are falling into place for an evening of fun that’s a sure bet on Highlands’ social calendar. The Highlands Rotary Club’s Monte Carlo Night, slated for 6:30 p.m.. Saturday, March 13th, at the Community Center, promises to deliver on all the excitement of a gambling getaway. There’ll be heavy hors d’oeuvres, setups (bring your own refreshments), complimentary wine and games of chance that’ll test your skill and your relationship with Lady Luck. Cost of the event is $40 and that includes $15 worth of chips to launch the evening. The first hour of the night is devoted to socializing and planning strategies to win at the games – blackjack, craps, poker and roulette. At the end of the gaming, you’ll be able to parlay your winnings into great prizes at the live auction. Local businesses and individuals have donated a showroom’s worth of goods and services. The magic of the evening doesn’t end when the last chip has been cashed in, however. Highlands Rotary will take the evening’s proceeds and share them with the community. Last year’s Monte Carlo Night helped to fund the Literacy Council of Highlands, Rotary scholarships, Highlands School clubs and projects – in all, over 100 causes received funding thanks to the generosity of Highlands Rotary. For more information or to reserve your tickets, contact Derek Taylor at (828) 526-3571 or any member of Highlands Rotary. n
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Monte Carlo Night will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 13h, at the Highlands Community Center. For information, call (828) 526-3571.
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Events
Cajun Cookoff A
The Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center will stage its Bi-Annual Cajun Cook-off Competition on Saturday, Februar y 20th, at the Highlands Community Center (Conference Center).
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t first blush, a Cajun Cook-off may seem a strange event for a winter-locked town ringed by mountains. But when you think about it, it makes perfect sense – an irresistible splash of spice and excitement on an ice-tinged calendar. That’s why you’re invited to the Highlands Chamber of Commerce’s Bi-Annual Cajun Cook-off Competition, slated for Saturday, February 20th, at the Highlands Community Center. You’ll be treated to a full spectrum of culinary delights, anchored by steaming bowls of gumbo and jambalaya. It’s the formula for an evening as irresistible as a neon “Good Food” sign blinking on a frigid winter’s night. If you have a can’t-miss gumbo or jambalaya recipe, join the competition. It’s open to everyone. There’ll be a $150 Gift Certificate and a five-piece stainless steel cutlery set for the winner of each category, plus a prize for Best Overall Presentation. If your taste buds have gotten a little sleepy this winter, wake them up with this palate-challenging lineup. Contestants can set up at 5:30 P.M. and everyone will be admitted at 6:30. Plans were still being finalized as this issue of Laurel went to press, so if you’d like more information, call the chamber at (828) 526-2112. n
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Valentine’s Day Dance
bit of song and dance and a lot of love are on the calendar for Friday, February 12th, when Hampton Preschool hosts its Valentine’s Party and Dance at The Gamekeeper’s Tavern at 3646 Highway 64 East in Sapphire. There’ll be hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer, a full dance card of live music and a dazzling auction raffle featuring a gorgeous necklace and a vacation package. The Gamekeeper’s Tavern, with its irresistible blending of mountain elegance and sophisticated casual style,
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serves as the perfect setting for what’s become a cherished event on Hampton Preschool’s calendar. Last year, the party filled up quickly, so reserve your spot on the dance floor as quickly as possible by calling (828) 743-6522. Of course, the event itself is testimony to the deep love reserved for Hampton Preschool and the invaluable service it provides to the community. Since its founding in 1976, the center has introduced generations of Cashiers and Sapphire children to the joys of learning.
Those lessons are administered in an atmosphere of warmth and love by caring, committed teachers. In a broader sense, Hampton Preschool is a resource that benefits the entire valley. It’s a lifesaver to working parents, and many businesses would fold if their employees couldn’t count on the school. Hampton Preschool is located at 46 Plastic Plant Road in Cashiers. If you’d like to know more about the school and its mission or offer your help, call (828) 7433056. n
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Hampton Preschool will stage a Valentine’s Party and Dance on at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Februar y 12th, at The Gamekeeper’s Tavern in Sapphire.
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Mark Your Calendar • Highlands Cashiers Players, The Dixie Swim Club, February 25-28 and March 5-7, Evenings at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m., Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, (828) 526-8084.
Upcoming Events • Monte Carlo night, 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 13, Highlands Community Center, presented by Highlands Rotary. For information, call (828) 526-3571. • Earth Day 2008, the Village Green, Wednesday, April 28, Food, kids activities, displays, live music and more!! Join us from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. For more information, call (828) 526-9938 extension 320. • Wine and Dine on the Mountain, A Living Artfully Weekend, April 30, May 1-2. Wolfgang’s on Main, (828) 526-3807. • Highlands Cashiers Players, Rebecca, May 13-16, 20-23. Evenings at 7:30 p.m., Sunday matinees at 2:30 p.m., Martin Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, (828) 526-8084. Spa, (828) 526-8008 • Betsy Paul Art Raffle for the Cashiers Glenville Volunteer Fire Department, • Highlands-Cashiers Players’ will be held January 30, and another on production “Destination Highlands February 27. For more information, call Murder,” slated for 6:30 p.m. January 29- (828) 743-0880. 30, at the Martin-Lipscomb Performing Arts Center, (828) 526-8084. • Romantic Escape Weekend, January 29-31, featuring a variety of events at area • Hampton Preschool Valentine’s Party businesses in Highlands. Contact the and Dance, 6:30 p.m., Friday, February 12, Highlands Visitor Center at (828) 526-2112 at The Gamekeepers Tavern’s in Sapphire, or visit www.winterinhighlands.com for (828) 743-3056. more information. • Highlands Chamber of Commerce and • Wine Tasting, 5-7 p.m., Saturday, January Visitor Center Bi-Annual Cajun Cook30, Oak Street Café, (828) 787-2200. off Competition, 6:30 p.m., Saturday, • Mollydooker Wine Dinner, The Farm February 20, Highlands Conference at Old Edwards, Saturday, January 30, Love Center, (828) 526-2112. is in the Air and on the Palate. (828) 526- • WinterFest in Highlands, February 25 8008 - March 7, the perfect stage to enjoy arts, • Romantic Escape Weekend music and culinary activities. Contact the Wine Social, Friday, January 29, Highlands Visitor Center at (828) 526-2112 Live Entertainment by Cy Timmons, or visit www.winterinhighlands.com for Hummingbird Lounge, Old Edwards Inn & more information.
January Events
February Events
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www.themountainlaurel.com • Winter 2010
Weekly Events EVERy TuESDAy • Highlands Rotary Club, meets noon, Highlands Community Center. • Weight Watchers, Highlands Rec Park, 5:30 p.m. EVERy WEDnESDAy • Highlands Mountaintop Rotary, 7:30 a.m., Ruka’s Table, 164 Main Street. • Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley, 8 a.m., Cashiers United Methodist Church, (828) 743-2243. • Pre-school Creativity Class for Parent and Child, 11-11:45 a.m., The Bascom, (828) 526-4949 ext. 100. • Cashiers Quilters Guild, 12:30 p.m., Cashiers United Methodist Church. EVERy SATuRDAy • Saturday Art School for Kindergarten - 8th grade, 10 a.m. -noon., The Bascom, (828) 526-4949 ext. 100.
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Winter in the Mountains Winter share - together we have 9 - so one full page:)
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The Arts
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Arts
Cover Artist John Sill by Donna Rhodes
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J
ohn Sill’s first wildlife drawing was of a cardinal rendered on a church bulletin. He was five years old. The sermon may have slipped from memory, but that cardinal hung forever on his mom’s wall. Little did he and his mom know how prophetic that drawing would be. Sill kept drawing. It came naturally to him. His family, particularly his Aunt Della taught him to love birds. His father, a talented watercolorist, gave him instruction and encouragement. In junior high he took an aptitude test. Sill says, “I scored high in science and art. It makes perfect sense in retrospect. When I went to college I majored in wildlife biology. But at the end of my junior year I reviewed the curriculum.
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I wasn’t sure if research in wildlife biology was what I wanted to do forever.” Even so, he finished his degree and contemplated his next move. The thing he was most passionate about was how to make an animal species flourish. He felt that could be done through art. At that time wildlife painter, Guy Coheleach and a few other artists began releasing limited edition prints. Wildlife prints became the rage. Coheleach dedicated a painting to the wildlife cause, and prints were sold to support it. Sill says, “I wanted to be good enough to donate a painting and make a difference too. So I gave it a shot and started painting birds in their natural habitats.” And from there, his career took flight. Now he and
his co-creator wife, Cathryn Sill, have produced a large collection of beautifully written and illustrated children’s books. Those editions are well on their way to being an illustrated wildlife encyclopedia for primary ages. These excellent non-fiction narratives have made a measurable impact on the way young readers and their parents see the natural world. Sill says, “I have learned a lot with these books Cathy has written.” And that is saying something, considering his field of study. Even his brother, an engineering professor at Clemson, is wowed by the vast amount of information in the seemingly simple presentations. When he read the recent edition on penguins, he said, “I have learned more about penguins in this book
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
than I have ever known in my entire life.” The Sills feel that there are a lot of intelligent people who haven’t been exposed to wildlife study and simply don’t know a lot about it… yet. If Sill has his way, he will change that, one creature at a time, one painting at a time, one person at a time. To see more of Sill’s work, visit his website at www.johnsill.com or stop by Creative Framing in Franklin. His paintings have appeared in calendars, magazines, “Birds of the World,” “The Bird Song Bible,” publications by the Audubon Society, and well respected exhibits. Visit www.amazon.com to see the children’s book collection or e-mail him through his website to view and purchase his exceptional wildlife watercolors. n 29
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Mollusks and Rodents and Fish, Oh, My! by Donna Rhodes
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athr yn Sill is the kind of teacher ever y parent wants his or her child to have. She is passionate, funny, kind, and she’s a terrific writer. But writing children’s books came to her in a rather round-about way. She, her husband, John, and his brother, Ben, co-authored/ illustrated three parody books on birding. Their books featured interesting, albeit suspect, bird families such as the Auger-billed Clam-digger and its extremely distant cousin, the Blunt-billed Woodpecker, who lives only in Arizona’s Petrified Forest. Needless to say, its habitat regenerates ver y… ver y…ver y slowly. Even though the parodies were aimed at grownup bird-fanciers, Sill was
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always thinking about her students. There were ver y few entertaining, educational books for kindergarteners on the subject of birds, or any other animal species for that matter. So, with the blessing of her publisher, she and her husband, an accomplished wildlife illustrator, set about writing a book on birds. It was so successful it spawned a series. Next came a book on mammals, then reptiles, amphibians, and insects. Each book led to another at the rate of one or two a year. Over time she penned books on rodents, fish, arachnids, crustaceans, mollusks, marsupials, rodents, penguins, and several books on animal habitats. And there are more in the pipeline. Sill retired from teach-
ing to keep up with her writing, though she still loves to dip her toe in the teaching pool. She and her husband do school presentations in surrounding states, she, talking about the writing process, and John demonstrating his painting. Sill says, “I love teaching, and even though I have retired, I am still connected to the classroom.” As a teacher, she delights in children’s curiosity. Since she is rarely able to personally answer kids’ questions, she includes after words and glossaries in her books to help teachers and parents respond to the queries the text prompts. Sill says she owes her love of nature to her parents who instilled in her an appreciation of the natural world.
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Together with her husband, she hopes that their books positively influence current and future generations about the stewardship of the land and the wildlife in it. When asked what Sill’s favorite book is, she replies, “The one I just wrote.” To find out more about the one she just wrote and all her other volumes, check out almost any public librar y children’s section or purchase your favorite volume at Cyrano’s of Highlands or Books Unlimited of Franklin. Can’t get to a bookstore? Visit Amazon.com to view and purchase one or more for your own junior naturelover. And don’t be surprised if you too learn a lot about the natural world from this delightful, beautifully illustrated collection. n
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New Year… New Artists
Arts
Contributed by Mary Adair Leslie
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ntroducing two new artists to Summit One Gallery: Dixie Purvis and Elizabeth Chapman. Both are contemporary abstract artists but are very different in their technique and approach. Dixie Purvis is a graduate of University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA with a M.Ed. and a BFA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA (studied with Dean Carter and Maryann Harman) and Queens College, Charlotte, NC (studied with George Shealy). She is known as an abstract colorist and mark maker. Dixie finds her landscapes restful to do. They are distilled, simplified. She purposefully excludes details…roads, barns, rivers…and instead tries to create a sense of place…..sky and ground; and use multiple layers of color to create a feeling of space, light, and distance. The paintings are atmospheric. The viewer has an opportunity to personalize the landscape… marsh, field, water, mountain or valley. Very minimalist in style. Ms. Purvis’s work is included in the collections of Federal Reserve Bank Atlanta, King & Spalding, Atlanta, Piedmont Hospital, Atlanta, Parker, Hudson, Rainer and Dobbs LLC, Atlanta, Georgia Tech, Atlanta GA, Northwestern Mutual and many others. Elizabeth Chapman earned her MS in Art Education from Florida International University, completing her studies with “Academic Excellence” at Cambridge University in England. She also earned a BS from Southeast Missouri State University. She exhibits her work in national and international exhibitions where they have garnered numerous awards Her work is included in private and corporate collections throughout the United States, Canada, France, Mexico and New Zealand. Elizabeth’s mixed-media approach to the creative process recognizes the many dimensions that shape her sense of personal creative growth. It articulates a procedure that is equally additive and subtractive as it reaches for completion and authenticity. The force and beauty of its process is compelling. She utilize acrylic paint, along with subsequent layers of hand-made papers, altered mass media, textured reliefs, gels, acrylic mediums and glazes. More exciting news for Summit One and Highlands…the return of Alan Campbell. Alan will be represented by Summit One Gallery beginning in early 2010. Summit One Gallery is located in “The Galleries” on South Second Streetin Highlands.They can be reached at (828) 5262673, summitonegallery@verizon.net or at www.summitonegallery.com. Summit One Gallery is open all year. n
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Arts
Among the Very Young at Art M
y! How YAP has grown! The Bascom’s Community Youth Art Program (formerly YAP) now offers three programs for the children of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau. In addition to the traditional Tuesday after-school classes for K-6th grade, taught by Susan Nastasic, there are two new ongoing offerings teeming with hands-on, fun-filled activities. The first, Saturday Art School for K-8th grade, is offered weekly from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Drawing exercises help teach a strong foundation of the fundamentals, and students learn about famous artists, the
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by Donna Rhodes
principles and elements of design, and a wide variety of mediums and techniques, including painting and quality handcrafts. Younger students learn self-expression and immersion in the joy of creating. The older group enjoys a more in-depth study of the basics and creative problemsolving to prepare them for future studies and more advanced projects. Instruction is conducted in the nurturing, innovative environment of The Bascom’s studios. Cost is $64 per eight-week session. The second new offering, a Pre-school Creativity Class for Parent and Child is offered on
Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. by Katy Calloway. These delightful, expressive sessions introduce the ver y young to art activities designed to develop creativity and master basic motor skills. Cost is $40 per eightweek session. Work from all these classes is exhibited in The Bascom’s ground-floor Children’s Galler y throughout the year. In addition to these offerings, The Bascom offers a summer art camp for residents and summer visitors. Other intergenerational classes are featured throughout the year to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers and “greats˜ with their little
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ones. So send your child to art school for a class in creative magic. And don’t forget, while your child is relishing Renoir, you can take a class yourself or simply relax with a latte and enjoy your own quality time on the beautiful Bascom campus. Youth education corporate sponsors as of press time include The Art League of Highlands and Kids, Inc. For more information about The Bascom’s Community Youth Art Program, becoming a sponsor, volunteering or signing up for classes for yourself or your child, visit www.thebascom. org or call (828) 526-4949 ext. 100. n
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Betsy Paul Art Raffle
he Betsy Paul raffle to benefit the Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department starts off 2010 with some beautiful and unique pieces.Dottie Bruce’s surreal painting of the moon with it’s mystical light bathing the landscape is the prize for the raffle in January. Dottie says, “Nature usually speaks loudest - probably due in part to where I spend much of my time - in a log home beside a river surrounded by miles of forests.” February’s featured artist is Beth Bowser, and her contribution is a charming stained glass bear. Beth’s work includes copyrighted designs and numerous commissions. Viewers are invited to see each month’s raffle item on display from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays at Betsy Paul Properties, 870 Highway 64 West, Cashiers, North Carolina. Checks can also be mailed directly to the Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department, P.O. Box 713, Cashiers, North Carolina, 28717. For more information contact Betsy Paul Properties, (828)743-0880. “Artists receive promotion, winners receive a piece of art for a minimal investment, and the fire department gets crucial funding. And don’t forget, tickets can be purchased in blocks of 12 for $60. They make a great gift!” says Paul. n
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Arts
The Betsy Paul art raffle for the Cashiers Glenville Volunteer Fire Department, will be held in Januar y on the 30th and in Februar y on the 27th. For more information, call (828) 743-0880.
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Arts
Be a part of the Cashiers map for $20 a month. Email janet@themountainlaurel.com or call her at 828-371-2689. 34
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Arts
The Art League of Highlands
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he Art League of Highlands wishes all a happy new year of living creatively and lovingly with one another. Regular meetings will resume in April when Ruth Ballard presents a program on iconography. Meanwhile, this winter, as you go about town we hope you’ll take note of the children’s work in the Civic Center Rec Park lobby, the result of the teamwork of The Bascom and ALH during the summer art camp program. The nine-panel needlepoint work at the hospital was also a team effort with the Sapphire Valley Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild. Janet Baumrucker, Dr. John Baumrucker’s mother, was an extraordinary teacher of needlepoint and the piece is dedicated to her memory. This year is the 30th anniversary of the Art League of Highlands. The first show was held in Helene Sparks’ Barn (at the top of Webbmont) after an “Affair of the Arts” gathering called together by Lucien and Mary Jane Harris in July 1980. For this anniversary, we are expecting a memorable year of events. Programs are already lined up for the entire year (April through October) and include demonstrations of methods and materials as well as the regular July Summer and October Fall Colors Shows. A history-to-date is in progress at this point and will be added to the material compiled several years ago by Pat Boyd. Guests are always welcome at our meetings. For information on the League, contact Dottie Bruce at (828) 743-7673 or (864) 877-2454. n
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Contributed by Kathie Wyatt Blozan
The exquisite needlepoint hanging in the main corridor of the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital was designed by Art League members and stitched by the Sapphire Valley Chapter of The American Needlepoint Guild in memor y of Janet Baumrucker (Dr. John Baumrucker’s mother). It depicts the road between Cashiers and Highlands in four seasons. (photo by K. Blozan)
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Dining Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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Dining
A Romantic Dinner A
Mollydooker’s wines will seduce the palate during Highlands’ Romance Weekend.
s part of Highlands’ Romance Weekend, Madison’s Restaurant is hosting a tempting wine dinner featuring the wines of the award-winning Mollydooker. This Australian winer y began in 2005 and has since turned the heads and palates of wine lovers throughout the world. In 2006, The Wine Advocate rated Mollydooker’s 2005 Lefty Wines the 1st, 2nd and 4th best value wines in the world under $20, and their Love Wines received 99 and 96 point scores. In 2007, The Wine Advocate rated their 2006 Lefty wines among the best value wines in the world, and
Velvet Glove became our fifth wine to be awarded 99 points. Wine Spectator selected The Boxer as a “Best Value Wine” and ranked the 2006 Carnival of Love as the 8th Best Wine in the World. In 2008, the Wine Spectator chose the 2007 Velvet Glove as a “Classic” wine, and five other Mollydookers as “Outstanding”. The 2007 Carnival of Love was ranked 9th Best Wine in the World. A “Top 10” wine two years in a row. If cool esthetics is just as important to you as happy taste buds, you’ll fall madly in love with the labels of Mollydooker. They are some of the most imaginative and artistic labels found
on any bottle on any shelf. Paired with these impressive wines will be the culinar y creations of Madison’s own Executive Chef Johannes Klapdohr. Johannes dishes are pure art with a dash of undiluted magic. The outcome is nothing less than a frolic for the palate. You can enjoy the dynamic duo of Mollydooker and Chef Johannes on Saturday, Januar y 30th at The Farm at Old Edwards. For reser vations call (828) 7872525. For more information about The Farm at Old Edwards and Madison’s Restaurant visit www.oldedwardsinn.com. n
Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he’s buying. - Fran Lebowitz
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Dining
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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See Ad On Page
Take Out
Outdoor Dining
Checks Accepted
Credit Cards
Dress Code
Reservations Recommended
Vegetarian Selections
Children’s Menu
Full Bar
Wine
Dinner
Lunch
Sunday Brunch
Your Guide to the Restaurants of Highlands & Cashiers
Breakfast
Mountain Dining Highlands’ Restaurants
The Bistro at Wolfgang’s • 460 Main Street • 828-526-3807 $-$$ • • Fressers Eatery • Helen’s Barn • 828-526-4188
$
Fressers Express • 470 Oak Street • 828-526-8867 The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering • 350 S. Fifth St. • 828-526-2110
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Madisons • 445 Main Street • 828-526-5477 $$$ $$$ • • • • NC • • • 4 Oak Street Cafe • Main Street/Oak Street • 828-787-2200
$ ¢-$ $-$$ • • • •
Rib Shack • 461 Spring Street • 828-526-2626
¢ ¢-$ • • • •
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Ristorante Paoletti’s • 440 Main Street • 828-526-4906 $-$$ • •
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Wild Thyme • 490 Carolina Way • 828-526-4035
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Wolfgang’s Restaurant • 460 Main Street • 828-526-3807 $-$$ • •
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Cashiers’ Restaurants Café 107 • Highway 107 South • 828-743-1065
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Four Seasons Grill • Sapphire Valley • 828-743-4284
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Wild Thyme Cafe • Frank Allen Road • 828-743-5452 ¢ -$
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Zookeeper • Mountain Laurel Shoppes • 828-743-7711
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¢ $
Pricing Guide Minimal, most entrees under $10 $$ Deluxe, most entrees $15-$20 Moderate, most entrees $10-$15 $$$ Grand, most entrees over $20
Highlands Restaurants The Back Room Deli - 828-526-2048 The Bistro at Wolfgang’s - 828-526-3807 The Brick Oven - 828-526-4121 Bryson’s Deli - 828-526-3775 Cafe 460 - 828-526-8926 Cyprus Restaurant - 828-526-4429 Don Leons Deli Cafe - 828-526-1600 Fressers Eatery - 828-526-4188 Fressers Express - 828-526-8867 Golden China - 828-526-5525 Highlands Hill Deli - 828-526-9632 Jack’s at Skyline Lodge - 828-526-2121 Junction Cafe - 828-526-0994 The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering - 828-526-2110 Lakeside Restaurant - 828-526-9419 The Lodge - 828-526-1663 Log Cabin Restaurant - 828-526-3380 Madisons - 828-526-5477 Main Street Inn - 828-526-2590 Mountain Fresh - 828-526-2357 40
¢ $
¢ $ $ BYOB
Checks Local Only ★ Takeout Only
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Nick’s - 828-526-2706 Oak Street Cafe - 828-787-2200 …on the Verandah - 828-526-2338 Pescado’s - 828-526-9313 Pizza Place - 828-526-5660 Rib Shack - 828-526-2626 Ristorante Paoletti - 828-526-4906 Rosewood Market - 828-526-0383 Ruka’s Table - 828-526-3636 Sports Page - 828-526-3555 Subway - 828-526-1706 SweeTreats - 828-526-9822 Wild Thyme - 828-526-4035 Wolfgang’s Restaurant - 828-526-3807 Buck’s Coffee Cafe - 828-526-0020 Cashiers Area Restaurants Bella’s Kitchen - 828-743-5355 Café 107 - 828-743-1065 Carolina Smokehouse - 828-743-3200 Cashiers Exxon - 828-743-7153 Cashiers Farmers Market, On the Side BBQ - 828-743-4334
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Dress Code C Casual NC Nice Casual J Jacket
Daily Bread Diner 828-743-1983 Four Seasons Grille - 828-743-4284 Glenville Country Store - 828-743-5422 Good Food - 828-743-9374 Grill at Jimmy Mac’s - 828-743-1180 Happ’s Place - 828-743-2266 High Hampton Inn - 828-743-2411 Horacio’s - 828-743-2792 The Inn at Millstone - 828-743-6513 The Library - 828-743-5512 The Orchard - 828-743-7614 Pantry Meat Market & Deli - 828-743-3573 Pescado’s - 828-743-5452 Rosie’s Café - 828-743-0160 Subway - 828 -743-1300 SubsExpress - 828-743-2121 Wild Thyme Cafe 828-743-5452 Zeke & Earl’s - 828-743-2010 Zookeeper - 828-743-7711 Cornucopia - 828-743-3750 Mica’s Restaurant - 828-743-5740 The Tavern - 828-966-9226
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History
Highlands’ Restaurants
The Bistro at Wolfgang’s • 460 Main Street • 828-526-3807 $-$$ • • • • N Fressers Eatery • Helen’s Barn • 828-526-4188 $ $ $-$$ • • • • C/ Fressers Express • 470 Oak Street • 828-526-8867 ¢ • C Golden China • 68 Highlands Plaza • 828-526-5525 ¢ $ • • • C ★ The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering • 350 S. Fifth St. • 828-526-2110 $-$$ $-$$ • Lakeside Restaurant • Smallwood Avenue • 828-526-9419 $-$$ • • • C Madisons • 445 Main Street • 828-526-5477 $$$ $$$ • • • • N Nick’s Fine Food • 108 Main Street •828-526-2706 $ $$$ • • • • C Oak Street Cafe • Main Street/Oak Street • 828-787-2200 $ ¢-$ $-$$ • • • • C On the Verandah • Hwy. 64 (Franklin Road) • 828-526-2338 $-$$ $-$$ • • • • • N Pescado’s • 226 South Fourth Street • 828-526-9313 ¢-$ ¢-$ • • C Rib Shack • 461 Spring Street • 828-526-2626 ¢ ¢-$ • • • • C Sports Page • 314 Main Street • 828-526-3555 ¢ • • • C SweeTreats • Mountain Brook Center • 828-526-9822 ¢ ¢ ¢ • • C Wild Thyme • 490 Carolina Way • 828-526-4035 $ $-$$ • • • C Wolfgang’s Restaurant • 460 Main Street • 828-526-3807 $-$$ • • • • N
Cashiers’ Restaurants
Café 107 • Highway 107 South • 828-743-1065 ¢ • • C Carolina Smokehouse • 281 Highway 64 West • 828-743-3200 ¢ ¢ BYOB • C Cashiers Exxon • Crossroads • 828-743-7153 ¢ ¢ • C The Daily Bread Diner • Highway 107 South • 828-743-1983 ¢ ¢-$ ¢-$ • • C Four Seasons Grill • Sapphire Valley • 828-743-4284 ¢ $ • • C The Inn at Millstone • 119 Lodge Lane • 828-743-6513 ¢ $$$ • • • • req N *On the Side at Cashiers Farmers Markets • Crossroads • 828-743-4334 The Orchard • Highway 107 South • 828-743-7614 ¢ $-$$ BYOB • Dinner N Pescado’s • 25 Frank Allen Road • 828-743-5452 ¢ ¢ • • C Zeke & Earl’s • Highway 107 South • 828-743-2010 ¢ ¢ C Zookeeper • Mountain Laurel Shoppes • 828-743-7711 ¢ $ ¢ $ $ BYOB • • • C
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Histor y
Blackbeard and the Carolina Coast by Donna Rhodes
C
enturies ago the pirates of the Carolinas roamed, and often controlled the coastline from Bath, North Carolina to Charles Town (Charleston, South Carolina). From the late 1600’s to the early 1700’s the pirate Blackbeard, and his brethren, Charles Vane and Stede Bonnet, laid claim to the Outer Banks and shallow coastline of North Carolina. Their ships, which had shallow-drafts, could navigate the low rivers and inlets in which merchant vessels would run aground. From Ocracoke to Cape Fear River pirates could easily give gov42
ernment sloops the slip. Pirates were often welcomed to Carolina coastal settlements. Townsfolk, wanting no trouble, would hang out greeting signs, offering refuge to the buccaneers. Leaders, even governors, weren’t above taking bribes for pirates’ safe passage. Even though the Carolinas were home to the pirates, the damage they did affected neighboring states. In 1718, Virginia Governor Spotswood sent Lt. Robert Maynard to Ocracoke to put an end to Blackbeard once and for all. After a bloody battle Blackbeard was killed
and decapitated. Thirteen of his crew were captured and hung. Maynard searched the surprisingly small and wellkempt cabin of Blackbeard looking for papers that might implicate others. When he pried open a strong box he discovered letters from New York traders and documents with the North Carolina Governor Eden’s seal, agreeing to accept sugar and other sought-after commodities in exchange for certain favors. As it turns out, while Governor Spotswood was sending men to capture Blackbeard, Governor Eden was sending an emissary to
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warn Blackbeard of the plan. This type of scandalous exchange between pirate and official would be played out again and again over the next three decades. In fact, there are those who say, things aren’t that much different now. There are plenty of modern-day pirates and officials on the make. They just don’t use the seaways to do their deeds…wait a minute, yes they do. Okay, nothing has changed. Pirates are alive and well, doing their worst on land and sea. Which poses the age-old question… What arrrrrrr you gonna do?! n
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1923 Photograph of a Bull Pen Area Bryson Family Contributed by Jane Gibson Nardy, Historian, Cashiers Historical Society
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1923 photo of the Thomas Hillman Br yson/Sarah Francis Fowler Br yson family.
ill Morris of Brevard provided the featured picture this month which is historically important in at least two ways. First, it is simply a lovely photo of an extended Br yson family group taken at the 1923 Zachar y Family Reunion. Second, the man who took the picture was Joseph S. Wilde of Toxaway, who was a professional mountain area photographer. Dressed in their Sunday clothes, we see Thomas Hillman Br yson (1866-1948) with his wife, Sarah Frances “Fanny” Fowler Br yson, their seven children and many grandchildren. Thomas, son of James Byers Br yson and Nancy Morgan Br yson, lived in Bull Pen on the Br yson Homestead, and the family’s old log cabin
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is still extant and is encompassed in the corner of a larger modern home built in the 1970s. Canty Br yson [who later married Donald O’Kelley], the first person on the top left, gave this photo to her grandson, John O’Kelley and from her “sharp as a tack” memor y, provided him with the identity of each individual in the picture. Next to Canty is her father, Thomas Hillman Br yson, and slightly in front of him is his wife, Fanny Fowler Br yson. Fanny’s hands rest on the youngest child in the family – Gene Br yson. Standing next to Gene Br yson, to his left, is Carl Br yson. On the back row and tallest in the photo is Bill Morris, standing behind his wife, Arletta Br yson Morris. Next to
Arletta is her sister, Dona Br yson Lombard and beside Dona is her husband, Bud Lombard. Standing next to Bud is Walter Br yson, holding his baby Harold Br yson, and at the end, beside Walter, is his wife Sally Dillard Br yson. The small girl on the front row, wearing the bonnet, is Myrtle Picklesimer and directly behind her is her mother, Eva Br yson Picklesimer. Eva’s husband, Deroy Picklesimer, stayed home that day to work in Pisgah Forest. On the front row, to the right of little Myrtle are two Lombard siblings, Wilma, (who today lives in Cashiers), and her brother, John Everett Lombard, followed by Logan Br yson and Francis Br yson, children of Walter Br yson. Dorothy Wilde Gal-
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
loway, descendant of photographer Joseph S. Wilde provided the following information on her ancestor in the book, “The CashiersArea: Yesterday, Today, and Forever” -- “Joe Wilde and his wife, Ethel, came to the Toxaway area about 1914 and became the parents of nine children. They spent many of their early years together in various logging camps where Joe plied his unique profession as a photographer. He also took photos all around the Cashiers area at weddings, reunions and other family and community events.” Thanks to three Br yson cousins whose help made this article possible: Will Morris, grandson of Arletta Br yson Morris and Bill Morris; John O’Kelley, grandson of Canty Br yson O’Kelley 43
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Literary Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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Literar y
Highlands Writers Group
Diane McPhail majored in French and English. She began a Master’s in poetr y and linguistics that was interrupted by a move from Mississippi to Atlanta. Her poetr y, begun in adolescence, emerged again in conjunction with the visual image after completion of her Master of Fine Arts, in the experimental “book” sculpture garden commissioned as the center of Lenox park in Atlanta. She recently received an Honorable Mention from the North Carolina Writers’ Workshop for the beginning chapter of her novel in progress, LEAVING EDEN. Diane also holds an MA in Art Therapy and a Doctorate in Ministr y.
Eden
Response to a Manuscript Read After Breakfast
Why do you wander
I wake my ribs aching the dream hovering just beyond recall something missing
Your certain arrows know my target’s center where the tears are laughing in relief at knowing goofy kids who, overgrown, elicit known and unknown women’s most maternal orders not to burn yourself or trip on undone laces. Our mothers never thought to say, “Don’t drive the rental car on woodland paths or sidewalks where co-eds walk to class.” If oatmeal’s unavailable, let’s try the chili. Will you take coffee in your tea? I take my eggs with orange juice. The colors mix. Your magic makes the world a place where I can be, alive. Working poets often have a way with cats. My husband’s mother once took tea with Auden forcing down the cup in which his cat had swished its tail. That’s true. I know this wasn’t oatmeal from the color of the empty bowl, stained red as Wednesday’s roses, blooming in a desert barren under other touch than yours, bleeding for you where the clippers move. If we were sane, we’d know oasis moments, made of dreams and cat food, mere mirage and would not see the broken pain of windows on each other’s world. The laughter is a gift received as rarely now as tears are given. Such exchange we make and need not wait for Christmas.
Why do you wander From room to room Calling my name When I have never left you?
My back is bruised from sleeping on hard ground and leaves once green are falling golden through the sun-split air Falling as if to make a bed to soften my awakening and my turning to inhale the light A glint gold –red and warm as breath and blood reflecting in my eye my I I touch loose strands of hair as fine with light as spiders’ webs at dawn
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Why do you spend the restless hours Of your unslept night whispering To the empty room I fill beside you? Why do you speak my name as if it were your own? You have a name It is yours And holy Call out your name Shout and whisper it And be Whoever You are called And by whatever name
Cleaning House
I know you well
The drawer left empty? Look again. It’s filled (say overspilled) with fresh and ample air, exuberant excess of potpourri! Misplaced convention? And where propriety? Oh, I wrapped them both in my old girdle yesterday and threw away the pair. I’m only cleaning house, you see— somehow I hadn’t room for me.
I know you well my stranger I invented you myself out of need but not necessity Necessity erects the wall between us and keeps it there And I who invent can invent neither its absence nor my acceptance
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Literar y
Larry, the Locomotive by Donna Rhodes
I
went to a superstore to buy a toy for my two-year old grandson. He loves toy trains, especially one that we will call Larry… Larry the Locomotive. Larry is a friendly little fellow. He struck up a conversation the instant I picked up his box. “Hi, I’m Larry. Who are you?” he asked. “CRIPES!” I yelled, jumping back, flinging the box, sending it sailing end-over-end. The next few seconds were a well-choreographed comedy of errors, me grabbing all the places in the air Larry had just been… before he landed ker-thunk on the floor. “Uh-oh! Careful…” he chided. “Sorr-rrry,” I said, running to his aid, realizing that I was apologizing to a piece of plastic, which, luckily was still talking, though I would live to regret saying that. “Hi, I’m Larry, the Locomotive,” he said, as I picked him up, looking all around for witnesses. Thankfully, there weren’t any. I traded his box for a new one. It wasn’t that I thought I broke Larry. It was that I thought this particular Larry was possessed, you know, like Chucky. So I carefully put a different train in my shopping cart and pro-
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ceeded to check-out, Alas, Larry 2 was another motor-mouth. We went puffin’, chugging , and tootin’ all the way to the register where I asked the cashier if she knew how to turn him off. She said, “No, but I’ll try.” She pushed his buttons. “Hi, I’m Larry!” he said. Turned his knobs. “Look! I’m smokin’!” Thumped his nose. “Toot, TOOT!” And shook him silly. “Bluh-luh-luh-lub!” But nothing stopped the unrelenting Larry. It was when she went after his nether regions with a box cutter that he squawked, “Don’t go there!” “I’ll show you where to go, you little piece of…” she
tle toot said, “Hi, Illustration by Andrew Dinwiddie I’m Larry. Who are you?” “Arrrrrrrrr!” I screamed, turning on my heel, tearing at the box, packaging be damned. When I clawed my way to the switch, I realized I had changed it from demo to on, not off. Off was the third choice. Offing Larry… I can’t tell you how satisfying that was. I found my receipt, threw the toyfrom-hell into the back seat of my car and raced to Wally-land where said, eyes wild by now. I plunked Larry down at the “Don’t worry about it,” return counter. By this time I interrupted. “Just ring me I was seeping adrenalin. up. Really… I’ll figure it out The glare in my eye and the later.” sneer on my lips made me an Ka-ching, ka-ching. Fifty unstoppable force. No one bucks later, I threw Larry gave even a passing thought into the cart and sped home, to refusing my demands. Larry serenading me all the I grabbed my refund, way, his annoying robotic crammed it into my wallet voice, slowly grinding out and steamed out the door, my eardrums. thanking God I survived yet Once home, I grabbed another made-in-China inthe box, removed the sult. screws, detached the plasBut I know, somewhere, tic wing nuts, razored the in the dead of night, a child tape, dismantled the twist is awakened to the glaring ties, disengaged the clips headlights of a demonic and wrenched Larry from train that is saying, “Hi, I’m his enclosure. HA! I found Larry. Put your little head his switch and flipped it. Si- on my track… and we’ll play lence… at last. smash the baby. Mooo-ah-haI put Larry and his box haaaaa……” back together, set him on Thank God it won’t be the table, and walked away my grandson. n when, you guessed it, the lit-
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Homes and Lifestyles Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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Homes and Lifestyles
A Cabin in the Woods
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Homes and Lifestyles
S
erenity and peace abound less than 15 minutes from Highlands. This Cabin in the Woods rests on three and a half acres and is surrounded by National Forest and old growth rhododendron; framed with a flowing creek on one side and a small pond in front. This property is why we all are drawn to Highlands …to delight in the natural beauty and tranquility of the mountains. At the cabin, you are close to the rivers and streams for fly fishing, to the forests for hiking and hunting and are able to enjoy the soothing solitude of listening to the birds and crickets.
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Three Forks waterfalls (where three branches of the Chattooga River converge) is a pleasant hike from the property for a beautiful picnic setting and great fly fishing. The Chattooga River is an easy drive for a summer’s day float down the river. A river rock wall enhances the entrance steps, the perfect greeting to this backto-nature home. The cabin itself offers a fabulous space for entertaining inside and out. A wrap around covered porch is cantilevered over a waterfall and flowing creek making it ideal for outdoor dining, game playing or just relaxing in the spa as you gaze at the forest
and stars. But perhaps sitting out front in your rocking chair would be the best way to watch the day melt into evening. The interior open floor plan provides a warm area for quiet family evenings while also being spacious and inviting for your dinner parties. This two story, three bedroom, two bath house has a sunroom/office, walk-in pantry, custom built cabinets, distressed heart pine floors and lightly white-washed pine interior walls. The Cabin in the Woods is a cozy respite for the outdoor minded, families, and for those with a penchant for entertaining. n
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
The Cabin in the Woods is being offered for sale by Doug Helms at Black Rock Realty. To see this spectacular home and property call (828) 5269937 at ext. 213 or email doug@doughelms.com. MLS#67765. An investment value at $299,000.
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Homes and Lifestyles
It’s So Easy Being Green Contributed by Robin M. Armstrong-Neil
Robin is a local Green Living Guru and owner of Whole Life Market in Highlands.
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his New Year, while you are working on greening up your daily habits by recycling and switching to natural cleaning products (see previous articles in Laurel Magazine if you need extra incentive on why these are great resolutions to keep), don’t forget to green your body by assisting it in the elimination of stored toxins. Toxins surround us everywhere. These harmful chemicals are found in the products that we use from day to day, the air that we breathe, in the water that we drink and clean with, and in the food that we eat. During the winter months, the weather drives us to spend a greater amount of time indoors instead of outside in the fresh air. The EPA estimates that the air indoors
is two to five times more toxic than the air outside. It is also estimated that you will absorb as many chemicals during a 10-minute shower as you would drinking five glasses of non-filtered water. Your body is made to filter and rid itself of all contaminants. Yet in the ever increasingly toxic world that we live in, our bodies cannot handle the toxic load that we encounter. As the small, dangerous chemicals circulate throughout your body, they will begin to accumulate and be stored in your liver, fatty tissues, and joints. Over time, the buildup will cause joint and muscle pain, diarrhea and constipation, gas and bloating, allergies, headaches, mood swings, weight gain, and chronic and unexplained
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fatigue. As the toxins continue to stress every organ in your body they will bring about heart disease, diabetes, attention disorders, osteoarthritis, and will slow down your metabolism. You can cleanse internally by fasting, but several companies make easy kits that use herbal products that clean your entire body including your lymph, liver, blood, lungs, colon, and skin. These cleanses do not interrupt daily activities. By the end of a good cleanse, you will be feeling refreshed and revitalized and more energized. You will also jumpstart your diet and lose any unwanted weight that came with the over-indulgence the holidays bring. So start fresh for 2010 and green your body by giv-
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Homes and Lifestyles
One of the Oldest Professions Contributed by Lynn Kimball
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he Federal Reserve is currently keeping interest rates down in an attempt to boost the economy. The theory is that lower rates will encourage people to invest. But what about those who depend on earning interest to make a living? These potential consumers are hanging on to their cash assets, with little return, waiting for a time when there will be more secure and profitable investments. Recession can be perfect timing for unparalleled opportunities, if we are properly advised. Holding a mortgage can be a sensible and practical approach to investment in today’s economy. Mortgage loans have been the backbone of the banking industry since the foundation of our country. They have recently become problematic due to poor lending practices prior to the recession. Many lenders gave higher loan to value mortgages on properties with inflated values. In many cases these loans were made to unqualified buyers or to those depending entirely on their existing pre-recession income. With regard to holding mortgages locally, real estate values in the Highlands-Cashiers area are holding better than most parts of the country. I believe this is because our typical property owner does not entirely depend on the economy for survival. Although our property values have decreased some, all indications point to leveling off. Certificates of deposit (CD’s) are the most secure investment, but they are currently earning an average interest rate of 2%. If you happen to own property free and clear of mortgages, you could sell and easily earn a 4 to 5% return by holding owner financing for a qualified buyer. If you want to consider a potentially higher profit margin, there are still some foreclosures and short sales which can be purchased far below today’s market value. By buying low, reselling these properties at their higher value and holding seller financing at 4 to 5% interest could increase your profits substantially. Mortgages need not be long term investments. Many run from only 2 to 5 years with balloon payments at term. The typical HighlandsCashiers buyer is affluent and more often than not they pay cash for real estate. However, in these times they may want a mortgage until they can sell an existing property. In the remote case that foreclosure becomes necessary, you will be in a position to sell the property again, at the market value at that time. A professional agent with experience in owner financing and knowledge of the local real estate market will appreciate the opportunity to apply for the position as your Realtor. For further information, you are invited to contact Signature Properties’ Downtown Office at 828-526-4218 or Highlands Falls Office at (828) 526-4101. n
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Homes and Lifestyles
Financial Confidence
Contributed by Steve Perry
Wells Fargo/Wachovia Securities, is located at 479 South Street, Suite 2, or call (828) 787-2323.
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ife can be uncertain, especially in regard to managing your personal financial affairs. Some investors find themselves overwhelmed with information and conflicting advice. Others don’t have the time or interest to manage their personal assets and liabilities with discipline. Take, for example, planning for retirement, your children’s or grandchildren’s education, and other major financial goals in your life. How much is enough? As you answer this question, you generally should consider a reasonable rate of compounded growth, as well as principal erosion through taxes and inflation and the possible impact of ongoing market
changes. But few people have the knowledge or the time to do this on their own. Traditional planning can create an illusion of stability. But nothing happens every year exactly as predicted. Goals change with your station in life — and financial and market conditions are constantly changing as well. And what about drawing down your wealth once it has accumulated? How much can you safely withdraw each month in your retirement? This will depend on your investment returns, the inflation rate, changes in your health or marital status, whether you live beyond your life expectancy and other factors. As you take inventory of
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your important financial goals and prioritize them, know that proper planning can help provide a picture of financial strategies. However, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Through periodic reviews of your goals and the performance of your investments, you can assess how your actual investing and spending patterns affect your chance of success. With this information, you can make changes as needed to keep your plan on track toward your unique financial objectives. There’s no substitute for common sense, a realistic and comprehensive plan that accommodates uncertainty, and sound financial advice from someone you can trust.
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Homes and Lifestyles
Visit
Village Walk in Cashiers • Highway 107 South Great Dining & Shopping
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Ser vices Cabinet design
Florists
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construction
interior design
electronics
LODGING
granite fabricators
ReAL ESTATE
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Philanthropy
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
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Philanthropy
Friends For Life Contributed by Kathy Bub, Executive Director
In honor of “Miracle” the special needs cat, and in memor y of Bear Jones, the ver y special senior dog. www.friendsforlifeforeverfarm.org.
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inter is a time for retrospection - and a time for making plans for the future. As the Board of Directors of Friends for Life, and the staff of the Forever Farm begin this process, we would like to ensure that our community and especially our supporters are properly informed concerning our organization. Friends for Life started in 2003, incorporated as “Animal Friends for Life”, we were deemed a 501(c) (3) in 2004. During that time we rescued dogs and cats, fostered them in our homes, and held our adoption events in a travel trailer in the center of Cashiers. It became very evident that there was a great need for our mission, that of rescuing senior and special needs animals - those that other organizations considered unadoptable. After attending a course at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah on “How
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to Start a Sanctuary” in November or 2004, our founder returned to North Carolina, began an extensive search for land, and in May of 2005 personally purchased the property that is now the Forever Farm. Within a year, thanks to many wonderful supporters, we developed the Forever Farm to a point where we could care for as many as a 130 animals. It was all an amazing whirlwind of events getting to where we are now. Proudly, as of December 10th, 2009, taking advantage of the current economy’s lower interest rates, and with major equity in the property, Friends for Life procured a loan, and now holds title to the Forever Farm. Our next major goal is to pay off this mortgage and own the property “free and clear” for the security of the animals and the future of our mission. Friends for Life is an independent, non-profit cor-
Two sisters with Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
poration with no fiscal or organizational ties to any other entity. Because of our roots in Cashiers, and our founder’s past involvement with the Cashier Area Humane Society (now the CashiersHighlands Humane Society), some folks have the misconception that we are a part of that organization. Although both groups are exceptionally dedicated to helping animals and people, our missions, policies and service areas differ. Friends for Life assists, almost exclusively, senior and special needs animals. We draw our animals from shelters, veterinary clinics, animal welfare groups and individuals throughout Western North Carolina. The Forever Farm is a permanent sanctuary for our animals that are not placed in new homes, and makes a lifelong commitment to those that are adopted from us should they ever need to return.
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Funding for the operation of the Forever Farm comes almost exclusively from personal, tax deductible donations. In-kind gifts of food and supplies, and the amazing amount of time given by our compassionate volunteers, both make a major contribution. Grants from charitable, private and public, foundations are sought for capital improvements. A charitable bequest has allowed us to start an endowment for the Forever Farm. We are adamant about growing this endowment to establish the security essential for our future, because we believe that along with compassion -- there must be commitment. We’re for “the underdogs” -- those who cannot help themselves. We need your help to change their lives. Please call (828) 5082460 to find out how you can help through donations, grants, gifts or bequests. n
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Ask Your Doctor About: Literacy
Philanthropy
Contributed by Laura Miller
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old and flu season is upon us, and literacy is an important factor in staying healthy. According to the North Carolina Health Literacy Council, literacy is the strongest predictor of a person’s overall health status. In the US Department of Health and Human Services’ report “Healthy People 2010,” health literacy is defined as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.” Patients with inadequate reading skills are more likely to misunderstand a doctor’s instructions or misread directions for prescription and over-the-counter medications, and have more difficulty managing chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. People with low literacy are less likely to maintain up-to-date health knowledge, relying instead on drug advertisements and the latest dieting fads for their health information. In surveys conducted by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 35 percent of adults could not use information contained on a drug label to identify substances that might cause adverse reactions when taken with a particular medicine. Even among those with good literacy, confusing labels make it hard to understand the directions for many over-thecounter drugs. Many of the medicines that the Food and Drug Administration recently disapproved for use in infants were shown to have confusing labeling that has led to overdosing and improper usage, resulting in the deaths of more than one hundred infants over the past forty years, as well as serious side effects like seizures and hallucinations. Costly and tragic medical mistakes like these can be prevented through education: Low health literacy is believed to cost the American health system as much as $58 billion annually, through overuse of emergency rooms, improper use of medications and overdosing, or poor management of chronic diseases. Good literacy is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The Literacy Council of Highlands is here to help with all literacy needs. If you are interested in participating in a health literacy workshop or other literacy programs, please call the Literacy Council at (828) 526-9938 extension 240 for more information, or stop by our offices in the Peggy Crosby Center. n
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Philanthropy
Protect our Mountains!
Contributed by Gary Wein, Executive Director, Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust
Beth Greenlee’s generous spirit ensures the preser vation of 42 spectacular acres.
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he Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust’s Mission is all about protecting land for future generations but this cannot be accomplished just by the Land Trust but needs all of us to pitch in. One of the ten conservation easements we did in 2009 is Beth Greenlee’s Summer Solstice. Beth’s easement started with a conversation about property taxes. She was worried about being able to pay for them without having to sell her land and see it developed. It took nearly three years but with the help of the Mountain Garden Club, a grant from WalMart directed to low income land owners, and some pro bono work from local attorney Richard Melvin we were able to place her 42 acres into a conservation easement. When asked about the ease-
ment Beth said “I have gained some tax advantages, but make no mistake -- I could have sold this land for much more than the tax advantages I received. What I have really gained is the tremendous satisfaction of knowing that this beautiful piece of our mountains, which my family and I love so much, will now never be “developed” out of existence.” Beth’s 42 acres contains some beautiful forest including a marvelous old basswood tree. This easement will protect some 2,000 feet of small creeks that feed the trout stream, Norton Mill Creek. On the property are two beautiful waterfalls, the one pictured is the small one. Just upstream is one that measures some 40 feet in height. In a conservation easement, the donor still owns
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their land but donates their development rights to a land trust. By placing their land in a conservation easement, the owner protects their land, but also receives a federal tax deduction, a state tax credit, and are eligible for reduced county property taxes. Beth commented that her favorite quotation from “Gone with the Wind” isn’t “I’ll think about that tomorrow,” or even Rhett’s “Frankly my dear...,” but Scarlett’s “Ill always have Tara.” And that’s what it’s all about after all, isn’t it? And thanks to the Land Trusts, we in Western North Carolina will always have Tara. To learn more about your local land trust, call (828) 5261111 or visit www.hicashlt. org. Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust is a proud member of Blue Ridge Forever. n
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Philanthropy
Happy New Year from Carpe Diem Farms! Contributed by Sue Blair, Executive Director, Carpe Diem Farms
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hat began 17 years ago as an idea, a vision to create a place where individuals who came could learn to listen to the still small voice within, has grown into an amazing personal enrichment center. Individuals and groups from across the countr y have come for a wide variety of programs, dancing with the horses, participating in personal growth workshops and personal vision quests. Magic and miracles have unfolded for those willing to get quiet enough to listen and explore their potential. Recently a group of seven young adults, three women and four men, citizens of the world, came to the farm for a reunion. They
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were celebrating the 26th birthday of one of the men. A charming young man, Ade Omitowoju, who has called me “Auntie Sue” for the past 12 years, recently returned from an MBA internship in India and wanted to bring together the important friends of his life from college. Two came to from Washington, DC, and the others from Atlanta. Like most-under 30 adults I know they are attached to their BlackBerr y phones. When they awoke on their first morning there was snow, no power, limited water and the conveniences attached to that; no satellite dish so no internet ser vice and there’s never cell service. They admitted that for
a little while they were suffering technological withdrawals and then they they began to listen to the silence. Like most who come, they rediscovered their reason for coming; each other, and their personal connections. They spent 48 hours talking, sharing their personal visions, dreams and intentions for their futures. Their laughter was contagious. They were electrified with enthusiasm. They took advantage of all that nature provides on the property. They saw no need to leave the farm, hardly leaving their seats in the living room, instead they kept a never-ending fire burning, stayed present to one another and listened to each
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
other. They waited until the 11th hour to leave, relishing the moments. They left, promising to return. That’s what winter on the farm is all about; taking the quiet time to listen to the still small voice. As we begin a new decade we vision our future setting our sights on more reunions, personal growth, exploring possibilities and opportunities. Remember to give yourself the gift of living in the present. May 2010 be your personal best. To that end we hope that you too are visioning and stating your intentions for the new decade. From all of us at Carpe Diem Farms, Happy New Year. n
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Philanthropy
Highlands Rotary Club
Contributed by Zach Claxton
The Highlands Rotar y Club’s tireless 2009 efforts pay big dividends for the community.
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s the new year begins, like many individuals, The Highlands Rotary Club reflects on its accomplishments of the past year. As a part of the community, our 100 members feel a responsibility to support local needs. That support comes from the many hours of Rotarians’ volunteer work, as well as monetary assistance. Many non-profit organizations work hard to improve the quality of life in Highlands. Their missions are varied, but to be successful they share a common need for funds. To support this need the Highlands Rotary Club raises money in a variety of ways.
A new idea that became very successful this past year was monthly Bingo. Partnering with The Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society, Boy Scout Troop 207, The Blue Ridge Dental Clinic, The Highlands Playhouse, Carpe Diem Farms, Cub Scout Pack 207, the Highlands School PTO, the Girl Scouts and the “Shop With a Cop” program. Bingo raised over $15,000 in funds greatly appreciated by these organizations. Other efforts funded local grants of nearly $15,000 for winter heating assistance, The Highlands School Interact Club, the Food Pantry, New Century Scholars, Honor Air, The
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Girls’ Clubhouse, The International Friendship Center, the Macon County Soccer Club, Leadership Highlands (high school playground equipment), The Highlands Historical Society, The Highlands Literacy Council, and scholarships for Highlands School. An additional $3,000 was raised for national entities. In total, the Club donated over $33,000 in 2009 to many worthwhile causes While the Highlands Rotary Club can be justifiably proud of its 2009 accomplishments, it can never be satisfied. Our members look forward to meeting the new year’s challenges and wish all a healthy and prosperous new year. n
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Philanthropy
Mountaintop Rotary Contributed by Robin Austin
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he Highlands Mountaintop Rotary Club donated $1000 to fund two heart surgeries for poor children in Vietnam through Heartbeat Vietnam, a program of VinaCapital Foundation (VCF). VCF, an American non-governmental organization working in Vietnam to help alleviate poverty by increasing access to and quality of healthcare for the poor, was co-founded and is currently directed by fellow Highlands Rotarian Robin King Austin, who lives in Vietnam nine months of the year. There are thousands of children in Vietnam who are waiting for a chance to be a normal, happy child. “Children with heart disease miss out on childhood. They can’t dance, they can’t run, and many can’t walk across the room without help. Without
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surgery the child’s life is full of medicines, constant doctor visits, and hospital stays. Every episode puts the family deeper in debt. Every year without surgery puts the child further behind in school … and in life. We are extremely grateful for the support from the Highlands Mountaintop Rotary Club.” The first surgery took place in mid-August for little Tài, a member of Vietnam’s Jarai ethnic community. The Jarai also have a large presence in North Carolina. Tài, a second-grader at school, lives with his mother and grandmother in a thatched roof home of about 50m2. Thanks to the generosity of the Highlands Mountaintop Rotary Club, little Tài is now a healthy and happy little boy who can run and play like any other child his age. His mother is grateful for the
Club’s support, as her financial burdens have eased and she can now plan a future for her son and spend more time working to feed the family. The second Rotary Clubsponsored surgery was for a 12-year-old girl named Nguyen Thi Hong Trang. Trang is from a very rural hamlet in Tien Giang Province in the Mekong Delta area of southern Vietnam, and lives with her parents and two siblings in a small house made from scrap wood and palm fronds. Like Ro O Tai, Hong Trang suffered from Ventricular Septal Defect (CIV), and desperately needed a heart operation in order to lead a normal life. Her parents, Hai and Bay, are in their late thirties and work as hired laborers. They barely make enough money to feed their family, let alone pay for Hong Trang’s life-saving surgery.
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Hong Trang’s case was sent to Heartbeat Vietnam and matched with the Highlands Mountaintop Rotary Club, and the little girl finally received her second chance at life on October 23, 2009. At any given time, there may be as many as 10,000 children waiting to receive surgery in Vietnam. Many of these children die while waiting for help. Heartbeat Vietnam began in December 2005. Over $900,000 has now been donated to help poor children who need heart surgery and the fund has saved over 1150 children. For more info please visit the website at www.heartbeatvietnam. org. For further information, please contact Rotarian Robin at rkingaustin@vinacapitalfoundation.org or Victoria Ingate at (828) 421-2548 or tripvic@aol.com. n
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Philanthropy
Contributed by Cassie Welsh, Executive Director
Happy New Year from the staff and some of the animals at the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society!
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Pets as Presents O
ne of the busiest times of the year for shelters is two to three months after Christmas when the cute little puppies and kittens given as presents start growing and become mischievous. A study by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy found that 26 percent of the people surrendering pets at shelters had received them from friends. Good intentions are no guarantee your present will be happily accepted if the prospective owner is not 110 percent ready to be a pet owner. Puppies and kittens poop, pee, chew stuff, need training, cost money and can live for 10 to 20 years. A pet is a living being, and not
easily returned after the holidays. If you are absolutely certain that your friend or family is ready for a pet and the responsibilities, consider adopting from a shelter or a rescue organization. Then it’s a gift of life for the animal and much-needed funds for the organization. Most shelters can organize a gift certificate for you, and then the prospective owner can make his own choice. Staff can help the person choose the right animal for his life and lifestyle. Our shelter also promotes “overnights” so people can take home an animal “on approval” for a few days before adoption. Pets teach us patience, they teach us compassion.
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They teach how to play and how to rest. They can make us laugh and lower our blood pressure. Pets give us companionship and unconditional love. Remember a pet is for life, not just a present. The Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society (CHHS) is a private, no-kill shelter, totally funded by donations and grants. All donations are tax-deductible. You can contact us by mail at CHHS, PO Box 638, Cashiers, NC 28717; call (828) 7435752; or visit our website atwww.chhumanesociety. org. We also welcome visitors to our shelter, which is 2.3 miles from the Cashiers Crossroads on Highway 64 East. Please drop in and say hello! n
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Philanthropy
Cashiers Rotary Club Contributed by Cassie Welsh
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here are over 33,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries, with an active membership of more than 1.2 million men and women. The universal motto is “Service Above Self,” and the object of Rotary is to encourage and foster the ideal of service in each Rotarian’s personal, business, and community life. Each year, Rotarians contribute on an individual basis to The Rotary Foundation. In the past year over $200 million was spent to support the goal of a polio-free world – the PolioPlus project – and other humanitarian efforts that provide clean water, medical care, literacy classes, and other essentials. The Rotary Club of Ca-
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shiers Valley received its charter in March 1993, and was in fact the first club in Western North Carolina to include women as members. Like all of the clubs worldwide, we have numerous projects and initiatives to benefit our own community. Since our charter, we have raised and disbursed over $850,000 to a number of community groups that work on behalf of public health and welfare, education, recreation and so on. Several of the more recent community projects include the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic, Blue Ridge Interact Club, Blue Ridge School, Cashiers-Glenville Fire Department, CashiersGlenville Rescue Squad, Community Care Clinic,
Fishes and Loaves Food Pantry, Friends of the Library, Honor Air, Rotary Children’s Dental Health Project, Summit School, and Tour de Cashiers. Earlier this year, the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley ran a series free health screenings in conjunction with the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital with the aim of improving the health of the people in the area. Participants received health checks for height, weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and prostate for men over 45 – all supported by Rotary funding and volunteers. Based in Cashiers, the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic is now open three days a week
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
and will expand to include 10 dentists offering services in 2010. According to the club, for every $1 donated to this project, $4 in service is returned to the community. In addition, the Children’s Dental Health Project now has a 94 percent participation rate in the schools’ rinse program. The club’s major fundraising efforts for 2009 included the Spring Fling and Fall Fling Arts and Crafts Festivals, the annual vehicle raffle, and first-time charity golf tournament. For more information on the Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley and its projects, go to www.cashiersrotar y.org. For more information on Rotary International, visit www. rotary.org. n
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Philanthropy
International Friendship Center Contributed by Jill W. Montana
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he idea of making resolutions at the beginning of a new year is familiar to all of us. Usually the resolutions are to lose weight, to stop smoking ( or to stop any addictive behavior,) or to start a new direction for one’s life, such as doing more reaching out to helpless others, in other words to become a more loving unselfish person. Here at the International Friendship Center we are resolving to keep you, the generous public on whom we depend for our survival, better informed about our actions and our accomplishments.
How will we do this ? First, we just recently completed the printing of our latest Community Report. This concise, colorful brochure will be placed all around town, in gas stations, grocery stores and in all the churches. Please pick one up and read it. And then if you want to help us or if you have any comments about our humanitarian work please give us a call at 526-9938 x252 or 290. Next, here are the answers to a few questions we are frequently asked. What do we actually do? Since 2002 we have strived to connect individuals and
businesses with resources for their lives, their families and their livelihood. We do not give hand-outs; we give direction and hope. Why do we help? Our motivation is humanitarian based and network oriented. Everyone with whom we come in contact seeks information. An informed community is a stronger community. Our mission is to guide and educate individual, families and businesses. We need your help. Please contact us as part of your own new year’s resolutions to reach out to others in need. Call 828) 526-9938, extension 290 or 252. n
Remember that as a teenager you are at the last stage of your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you. - Fran Lebowitz
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Hospice and Hope
ast July, I was stunned when my father, age 91, was put in Hospice Home Care. I packed my bags, prepared for the worst. My step-sister described him as looking almost homeless, gray, unshaven and shockingly thin. She took him to the cardiologist, who diagnosed a critical loss of cardiac output, with an alarmingly low blood oxygen level and prescribed Hospice. By the time they arrived home, Hospice had ordered oxygen equipment and staff appeared. When I arrived the next day, he was clean, shaven, and his color had returned. Since then, Hospice has been on the scene with a multitude of services. The nurs-
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es keep a regular check on medications, blood oxygen, and other vital needs. The aide helps him to shower, washes his hair and has been able to remove the “cradle cap” from his scalp. His bed, bath, and kitchen are again spotless. The chaplain assists with his spiritual needs since he can no longer go to church. The volunteer coordinator helps to meet general needs. All at no expense. Today my father is a renewed man. He rolls his garbage to the curb. He walks to get the mail and the afternoon paper. He works endless word puzzles, watches reruns of Andy Grif fith and Jeopardy. He practices counting — yes, that’s right -- 100, 98, 96, 94 — 3, 6, 9, 12!
And he remembers — my mother who died when he was 24; my stepmother, his wife of 42 years; his third wife, who was with him for 10 years before she died, who brought with her my dear stepbrother and sister, who love him and care for him as devotedly as I. Last November, my father drove to Highlands to bring the beautiful cradle he made for our expected granddaughter and a rocking chair he made for me. He will not be making the drive again. But he is alive — thanks to Hospice. The nurse said to me once, “I hate to lose my patients.” She smiled and said, “And I lose almost as many to health as I do to death.” n
Winter 2010 • www.themountainlaurel.com
Contributed by Diane McPhail
Hospice benefactor “Papa Cox” with great-granddaughter.
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The Deckmans Join Signature Properties J
oe and Kay Deckman have been residents of Highlands since 2004. Their story began with an unexpected visit. They were on their way home to Destin, Florida, after visiting relatives in Kentucky while escaping a hurricane. They had settled into the car with their two dogs and mounds of dirty clothes as Kay had thoughts of held mail, friends to call and cleaning up after the hurricane. Nowhere in Kay’s mind was there an idea to explore a new area. After Joe stopped the car for gas and let the dogs out to stretch, he spread a map out on the car. He said, “I thought we would go by Highlands. I’ve always heard it is a beautiful place and I want to see it.” After checking in at Kelsey-Hutchison Lodge, they sat down to a wonderful meal at Paoletti’s. A discussion ensued about how they were instantly taken with the
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ambiance of Highlands and the friendliness of its people. Joe walked outside to grab a copy of Laurel Magazine and thumbed through the homes for sale. The very next morning, they visited Signature Properties and contracted to buy a home. Shortly thereafter they sold and then bought another residence, also through Signature Properties. Kay said, “The agents and staff at Signature Properties welcomed us to Highlands and made us feel right at home. They proceeded with a strong sense of professionalism and deep regard for personal service throughout the entire sale and closing process. When we moved to Highlands, Signature Properties extended their hand to help us settle into our home and transition into the community.” Joe’s background started as president of a family building supply company and
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has executive experience in other related fields. Until his retirement in 2003, Joe served as president of International Operations for Master Builders, a division of Martin-Marietta, and president of Building Products and Services Division for Apogee Enterprises, a highend designer, manufacturer and installer of curtain wall and window systems. He received a BSCE in 1966 and a BSBA in 1967 from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.. Kay has worked as a Registered Nurse with a degree in psychology and is an experienced real estate agent. The Deckmans are residents and members of Highlands Falls Country Club, where Joe serves on the Board of the Highlands Falls Community Association. For recreation, they find time for golf, hiking, bridge and Kay enjoys photography and
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Index of Advertisers Accommodations Cabins in the Laurel www.nc-cabins.com Page 25 The Chambers Agency www.chambersagency.net Page 16 Country Club Properties www.ccphighlandsnc.com Page 2 Fire Mountain Inn & Cabins www.firemt.com Page 6 Hummingbird Realty www.hummingbird-realty.com Page 60 Inn at Millstone www.MillstoneNC.com Page 14 Mountain Laurel Inn www.MountainLaurelInnandShoppes.com Page 56 Old Edwards Inn & Spa www.OldEdwardsInn.com Page 4 Whiteside Cove Cottages Page 66 Antiques & Home Furnishings Bound’s Cave www.boundscave.com Page 19 Bryant Art Glass www.bryantartglass.com Page 14 Cashiers Customs Page 74 Details of Cashiers www.detailsofcashiers.com Page 54 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Museum of American Cut & Engraved Glass Page 62 Nora & Co. Page 55 Peak Experience Page 20 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Page 18B Vivianne Metzger Page 25 Art Galleries/Artists Around Back at Rocky’s Place www.aroundbackatrockysplace.com Page 9 Blue Valley Gallery Page 25 Bryant Art Glass www.bryantartglass.com Page 14 Highlands Fine Art Page 8 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Marge Rohrer Originals www.margerohrerdesigns.com Page 33 Mouse www.mouseonthehill.com Page 70 Museum of American Cut & Engraved Glass Page 62 Peak Experience Page 20 Peter J. Pioli Interiors www.macdonaldhomeconstruction.com/interior.html Page 9 Summit One Gallery www.summitonegallery.com Page 31 Banks/Mortgage Companies Macon Bank www.maconbank.com Page 19 Bedding Blue Ridge Bedding www.blueridgebedding.net Page 64 Details of Cashiers www.detailsofcashiers.com Page 54 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Lenz Gifts Page 16, 63 Bird Supplies Bird Barn n Garden Page 55 Builders America’s Home Place www.americashomeplace.com Page 17 Arrowood Construction www.arrowoodconstruction.com Page 48 Koenig Homebuilders www.koenighomebuilders.com Page 35 Schmitt Builders www.schmittbuilders.com Page 68 Srebalus Construction Co. Page 56 Sweetwater Builders www.sweetwaterbuilders.com Page 6 Warth Construction www.warthconstruction.com Pages 18A Cabinetr y Cashiers Customs Page 74 Highlands Cabinet Company Page 48 Keystone Kitchen and Bath www.keystonekb.com Page 56 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 Welcome Home Kitchen & Bath www.welcomehomecashiersnc.com Page 56 Cards The Corner Store Page 55 The Dry Sink www.thedrysink.com Page 9 Caterers Fressers Eatery www.fresserseatery.com Page 39 The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering Page 38 Rib Shack Page 39 Chambers of Commerce Cashiers Chamber of Commerce www.cashiersnorthcarolina.com Page 69 Chocolates Kilwin’s www.highlands4118.com Page 25 Churches Estatoah Wayfarers Chapel Unity Center Page 62 Clothing & Accessories Bear Mountain Outfitters Pages 18B, 48 Cabin Casuals Page 5 Marge Rohrer Originals www.margerohrerdesigns.com Page 33 McCulley’s Pages 6, 7, 22 Mountain House Page 25 Nora & Co. Page 55 Peak Experience Page 20 VC for Men www.victoriasclosetnc.com Page 36 Victoria’s Closet www.victoriasclosetnc.com Page 36 Victoria’s Sportswear www.victoriasclosetnc.com Page 36
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Vivace Comforters Blue Ridge Bedding www.blueridgebedding.net Wholesale Down Comforters Computer Ser vices Trillium Technologies Radio Shack Concierge Ser vices Cashiers Carolina Connection www.CashiersCarolinaConnection.com Condiments The Hen House Construction Companies Larry Rogers Construction Cosmetic Surger y Center for Plastic Surgery Robert T. Buchanan, M.D. www.PlasticSurgeryToday.com Custom Cabinetr y Cashiers Customs Keystone Kitchen and Bath www.keystonekb.com The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Welcome Home Kitchen & Bath Custom Countertops Black Rock Granite & Marble www.blackrockgraniteandmarble.com Keystone Kitchen and Bath www.keystonekb.com Welcome Home Kitchen & Bath Custom Furniture Cashiers Customs Gordon Gray Woodworks www.GordonGrayWoodworks.com The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Dentists Dr. Joe Wilbanks www.comprehensive-dentistry.com Electronic/Electric Trillium Technologies Radio Shack Events A Romantic Escape to Highlands www.winterinhighlands.com WinterFest in Highlands www.winterinhighlands.com Fabric/Upholster y Into the Woods Home Interiors Feng Shui Nellis Realty www.nellisrealtyandcommunities.com Florists Fiddlehead Designs Little Flower Shoppe Oakleaf Flower & Garden Furniture Blue Ridge Bedding www.blueridgebedding.net Cashiers Customs Details of Cashiers www.detailsofcashiers.com Into the Woods Home Interiors The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Furniture Refinishing Furniture Barn www.thefurnitureman.com Garden Supplies Bird Barn n Garden Gift Shops Around Back at Rocky’s Place www.aroundbackatrockysplace.com Bird Barn n Garden Bound’s Cave www.boundscave.com Bryant Art Glass www.bryantartglass.com Cashiers Customs The Corner Store The Dry Sink www.thedrysink.com The Hen House Highlands Pharmacy Into the Woods Home Interiors Lenz Gifts Little Flower Shoppe Mountain House Mouse www.mouseonthehill.com Nora & Co. The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Stone Lantern www.stonelantern-highlands.com The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Glass/Window Supplies Highlands Doors & Windows, Etc. Golf Cars Appalachian Golf Cars www.appalachiangolfcars.com Gourmet Foods Nina Bobina Cookie Company www.ninabobina.com The Hen House
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Index of Advertisers Green Supplies Whole Life Supply Page 52 Hardware/Building Supply Highlands Doors & Windows, Etc. Page 36 Heating and Air Madco Page 60 Home Accessories Bird Barn n Garden Page 55 Details of Cashiers www.detailsofcashiers.com Page 54 The Dry Sink www.thedrysink.com Page 9 HomePlace www.homeplaceblinds.hdwfg.com Page 56 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Lenz Gifts Pages 16, 63 Mountain House Page 25 Mouse www.mouseonthehill.com Page 70 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 Stone Lantern www.stonelantern-highlands.com Page 76 The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Page 18B Home Care Ser vices Cashiers Carolina Connection www.CashiersCarolinaConnection.com Page 60 Ice Cream Kilwin’s www.highlands4118.com Page 25 Insurance Wayah Insurance www.wayah.com Page 17 Interior Design & Home Furnishings Bound’s Cave www.boundscave.com Page 19 Details of Cashiers www.detailsofcashiers.com Page 54 HomePlace www.homeplaceblinds.hdwfg.com Page 56 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Ken & Kerri Designs www.kenandkerridesigns.com Page 66 Mountain House Page 25 Peter J. Pioli Interiors www.macdonaldhomeconstruction.com/interior.html Page 9 Raffa Design Associates www.raffadesignassociates.com Page 69 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Page 18B Investment Planning Wachovia Securities Page 52 Jewelr y Drake Diamond Gallery Page 11 Highlands Fine Art Page 8 Peak Experience Page 20 Stone Lantern www.stonelantern-highlands.com Page 76 Vivace Page 62 Kitchen Accessories Bird Barn n Garden Page 55 Cashiers Customs Page 74 The Dry Sink www.thedrysink.com Page 9 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Page 18B Lighting Cashiers Customs Page 74 Into the Woods Home Interiors Page 59 Lenz Gifts Pages 16, 63 Mountain House Page 25 The Rustic Cabin www.therusticcabin.com Page 69 Massage Therapy Tranquility Cove Massage www.tranquilitycovemassage.com Page 48 Medical Ser vices Mountain Lakes Medical Center Page 33 Museums Museum of American Cut & Engraved Glass Page 62 Needlework Supplies Needlepoint of Highlands Page 62 Silver Threads & Golden Needles www.silverthreadsyarn.com Page 70 Organic Supplies Whole Life Supply Page 52 Paint & Decorating Highlands Decorating Center www.highlandsdecorating.com Page 22 Painters D.P. Painting Page 44 Permanent Makeup Beauty Secrets Page 65 Pet Ser vices Cashiers Carolina Connection www.CashiersCarolinaConnection.com Page 60 Pet Supplies Bird Barn n Garden Page 55 Pharmacies Cashiers Valley Pharmacy Page 63 Highlands Pharmacy Page 66
tents
Plastic Surger y Center for Plastic Surgery Robert T. Buchanan, M.D. www.PlasticSurgeryToday.com Porch and Patio The Summer House www.summerhousehighlands.com Potter y Around Back at Rocky’s Place www.aroundbackatrockysplace.com Bird Barn n Garden The Hen House Pressure Washing D.P. Painting Produce Whole Life Supply Radio Stations WHLC FM 104.5 www.whlc.com Real Estate Sales Betsy Paul www.betsypaulproperties.com The Chambers Agency www.chambersagency.net Country Club Properties www.ccphighlandsnc.com Harry Norman, Realtors – Bert Mobley www.highlandsrealestate.com Hummingbird Realty www.hummingbird-realty.com John Cleaveland Realty www.jcrealty.com John Schiffli Real Estate www.johnschiffli.com Landmark Realty Group www.landmarkrg.com Nellis Realty www.nellisrealtyandcommunities.com Preferred Properties - Ann Scott www.ppoh.com Prestige Realty Group wwww.highlandsncproperty.com Signature Properties www.sigpropnc.com Remodeling D.P. Painting Restaurants Highlands-Cashiers Directory Café 107 Four Seasons Fressers Eatery www.fresserseatery.com The Kitchen CarryAway & Catering Madison’s www.oldedwardsinn.com Oak Street Café www.oakstreetcafeinhighlands.com Rib Shack Ristarante Paoletti’s Wild Thyme Cafe Wild Thyme Gourmet www.wildthymegourmet.com Wolfgang’s Restaurant & Wine Bistro www.wolfgangs.net Zookeeper Rugs Bound’s Cave www.boundscave.com Into the Woods Home Interiors Shipping Ser vices Stork’s Wrap, Pack & Ship Shoes Bear Mountain Outfitters Shutters & Blinds HomePlace www.homeplaceblinds.hdwfg.com Into the Woods Home Interiors Spas Center for Plastic Surgery Robert T. Buchanan, M.D. www.PlasticSurgeryToday.com Old Edwards Inn & Spa www.OldEdwardsInn.com Toys The Corner Store Transportation Ser vices Cashiers Carolina Connection www.CashiersCarolinaConnection.com Tree Ser vice Ellenburgs Tree Service Web Sites The Brothers Web www.thebrothersweb.com Window T inting Custom Window Tinting www.customwindowtinting.us Window Treatments HomePlace www.homeplaceblinds.hdwfg.com Ken & Kerri Designs www.kenandkerridesigns.com Wines & Accessories Highlands Wine & Cheese www.highlandswine.com Woodworking Gordon Gray Woodworks www.GordonGrayWoodworks.com Yarn Silver Threads & Golden Needles www.silverthreadsyarn.com
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Contents