Life in Our Foothills - October 2022

BRINGING WORLD-CLASS

Jeff Allison Editor

Crisp leaves underfoot, a slight chill in the air, apple cider while enjoying downtown strolls – autumn has arrived in the Foothills. Those who know me are fully aware that October is my favorite month. There is nothing like the feeling of enjoying nature this time of year; be it a casual hike along one of the trails in the area, or just sitting under the stars on a quiet night.

October also features some of the best community events of the year, such as the various Halloween Strolls.

Speaking of Halloween, this month we have a “spooky” feature, where we meet Trinah Falgout Kulp, and learn about her connection to the other side. Trinah, a professional medium, ghost hunter and local history buff, offers ghost walks in the area. What better way to get into the Halloween spirit?

Also in this month’s edition, we are introduced to one of the newest additions to the local art scene, Wood Berry Gallery in downtown Saluda. Proprietors Mark Holland and Rhonda Woodbury share their story while showing off some of the most interesting pieces in their gallery. We also visit one of the oldest Donald Ross-designed golf courses in North Carolina at Tryon Country Club, where history and camaraderie, along with the beauty of this magnificent course, take center stage.

Looking for something to do in the Foothills? Our calendar of events will lead you in the right direction.

You’ll find all of this and more in this month’s edition! We hope you enjoy what we’ve put together for you this month, and as I do each month, I encourage readers to reach out and help us share your story. Email me at jeff.allison@tryondailybulletin.com with any thoughts or ideas for upcoming issues. As always, thanks for reading!

Jeff Allison Editor

Operations Manger Allison

Graphic Design

Marketing

Distribution

Life in Our Foothills is published monthly by Tryon Newsmedia LLC. Life in Our Foothills is a registered trademark. All contents herein are the sole property of Tryon Newsmedia LLC. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Please address all correspondence (including, but not limited to, letters, story ideas and requests to reprint materials) to Manager, Life in Our Foothills, 16. N. Trade St., Tryon, NC 28782, or email to jeff.allison@ tryondailybulletin.com. Life in Our Foothills is available free of charge at locations throughout Polk County and Upstate South Carolina, and online at www.tryondailybulletin.com. Subscriptions are available for $30 per year by calling 828-859-9151. To advertise, call 828-859-9151.

Allison Dale

Kevin Powell

Ben Bouser

Jamie Lewis

Sydney Wilkie

CONTRIBUTORS

Mark Levin, Writer and Photographer

Mark is retired from a career in education. In addition to the classroom he has had a lifetime of experiences earning a buck as a photographer, videographer, author, musician and camp director. You can follow his blog about people and places in the foothills at www.FoothillsFaces. com or check out his new podcast he enjoys with a friend of 50 years at www.garyandmark.com.

Linda List, Writer and Photographer

Linda List’s career was spent in the food industry, often surrounded by chocolate and candy. Retirement and the Tryon Daily Bulletin have provided the opportunity for her to share her writing. Growing up in New York on the Canadian border, she lived most of her adult life at the foot of the Rockies in Golden, Colo. And is now enjoying life in Landrum the foot of the Smokies.

Terry Brown, Writer and Photographer

Terry Brown grew up in South Carolina and spent much of his youth hiking, camping and playing music in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Terry and his wife, Cher, are visual storytellers and the creative force behind Keva Creative, an award-winning documentary film and video production company. For more than two decades they’ve honed their skills in journalism, public relations, corporate communications, marketing and advertising.

Claire Sachse, Writer and Photographer

Once the editor of the Tryon Daily Bulletin, Claire Sachse now manages several freelance side-hustles in the public relations and publishing arena. She’s also working on writing a mystery novel in which an editor solves crimes in a fictional (maybe) mountain railroad town. Raised by a painter and a diplomat, she considers herself immensely lucky to have a home full of weird and wonderful art, and a passport full of stamps.

Storme Smith, Writer and Photographer

Storme Smith is a writer who lives in the Foothills of North Carolina. He is the co-founder and publisher of Buno Books, and has a passion for the arts. He also enjoys writing about the history, sports and unique people and places of our area.

Pebbles, Writer

Pebbles is the “spokespony” for HERD, or Helping Equines Regain Dignity, a local nonprofit that saves equines from dire conditions and in many cases slaughter. She dictates her monthly columns about her adventures, and what a rescue organization does, to Heather Freeman. Pebbles and Heather can be reached through HerdRescue.org

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CONTENTS

EARL SCRUGGS MUSIC FESTIVAL

September 2 - September 4

Tryon International Equestrian Center

Photos by Mark Levin

Gryffin Carruth and dad, Josh, enjoyed the kids’ entertainment as well as the music and festival happenings.

Banjoist Alison Brown chats with Sandy Carlton with the “Big Sound, Small Town” Podcast.

Festival goers enjoy some liquid refreshment at the Silo Bar, which hosted various jamming musicians throughout the festival.

Dale Bartlett, coordinator of the Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina program, was on hand to explain the organization’s mission.

Our local PacJAM group, the Clover Pickers, en tertained an enthusiastic audience at the festival.

Balsam Range

The Venetian Carousel was popular with kids and adults alike throughout the Earl Scruggs Music Festival.

Jim Lloyd (left) picks with Austin and Courtney Derryberry of Gallagher Guitars of Murfreesboro, TN. Jim is the program director of JAM (Junior Appalachian Musicians) that helps introduce our traditional music with youngsters across a four-state region. Trakas, Moore & Jenkins performs a set of traditional music on the Foggy Mountain Stage.

John and Paula Jay, of Raleigh, were some of the hundreds of participants staying onsite at the Tryon International Equestrian Center. They biked over from their RV parked in the center’s campground.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Columbus Farmers Market

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

40 Courthouse St., Columbus PolkCountyFarms.org

Wood Carvers, Whittlers, and Wood Crafters Festival

Oct. 1, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Lawn of Historic Courthouse Columbus DiscoverColumbusNC.com

Saturday Night Lights

Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 5-10 p.m.

Tryon International Equestrian Center

25 International Blvd., Mill Spring Tryon.com

Walks in The Woods

Oct. 2, 16, 2 p.m.

Meet at 44 W. Main St., Saluda info@saludaclt.org

Green River Plantation Tours

Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

6333 Coxe Rd., Rutherfordton GreenRiverPlantation.info

Concert: Conrad Tao

Oct. 4, 7:30 p.m.

Tryon Fine Arts Center 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon TryonArts.org

Drumming With Horses

Oct. 6, 6-7:30 p.m.

Whispering Feather Farm

5911 Big Level Rd., Mill Spring

Tryon International Film Festival

Oct. 7-9

Various locations around Tryon incl. Historic Tryon Theatre, Upstairs Artspace & Tryon Fine Arts Center

TryonInternationalFilmFestival.com

OCTOBER 7-9

Tryon International Film Festival

Various locations around Tryon incl.

Historic Tryon Theatre, Upstairs Artspace & Tryon Fine Arts Center

TryonInternationalFilmFestival.com

THROUGH OCT. 14

Carefully Placed Lines on Paper

Human Connections

The Thinking Eye

Tues. - Sat. 12-5 p.m.

Upstairs Artspace

49 S. Trade St., Tryon UpstairsArtspace.org

OCTOBER 22

Ache Around the Lake 8K Ouch 2 Mile & Kids 1 Mile

Fun Run

Oct. 22, 7:30 a.m.

Lake Lanier RunSignUp.com

Car Cruise In

Oct. 15, 3-7 p.m.

Old Mill Market Square 151 Southern Mercerizing Rd., Tryon OldMillMarketSquare.com

Family Concert: The Scatterlings

Oct. 16, 4 p.m.

Foothills Equestrian Nature Center 3381 Hunting Country Rd., Tryon Fence.org

Jam By Day, Fright By Night Oct. 21, 5-11 p.m.

Free Yoga

Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 10:15 a.m., Great Room Foothills Equestrian Nature Center

3381 Hunting Country Rd., Tryon Fence.org

Film Fridays

Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 1 p.m., Columbus Library 1289 W. Mills St., Columbus PolkLibrary.org

Saluda Tailgate Market Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28 4:30-6:30 p.m. West Main St., Saluda PolkCountyFarms.org

Saluda Shop and Stroll Oct. 7, 5-8 p.m. Local art, shopping, food Downtown Saluda

Carefully Placed Lines on Paper

Human Connections The Thinking Eye Through Oct. 14 Tues. - Sat. 12-5 p.m. Upstairs Artspace 49 S. Trade St., Tryon UpstairsArtspace.org

Westside Mixers 2022 Oct. 14, 6-8 p.m. Tryon Arts and Crafts School 373 Harmon Field Rd., Tryon TryonArtsAndCrafts.org

Parker-Binns Vineyard and Winery 2275 Whiteside Rd., Mill Spring ParkerBinnsVineyard.com

Ache Around the Lake 8K

Ouch 2 Mile & Kids 1 Mile Fun Run

Oct. 22, 7:30 a.m. Lake Lanier RunSignUp.com

47th Annual “Morris the Horse” Trials

Oct. 22-23, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Foothills Equestrian Nature Center

3381 Hunting Country Rd., Tryon Fence.org

4th Friday in Tryon

Oct. 28, 5 p.m. Trade St., downtown Tryon DowntownTryon.org

Brian Owens & Rissi Palmer –Soul in my Country

Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. Tryon Fine Arts Center 34 Melrose Ave., Tryon TryonArts.org

Trotting for Tatas 5K Wine & Dine Oct. 29

Parker-Binns Vineyard and Winery

2275 Whiteside Rd., Mill Spring ParkerBinnsVineyard.com

Halloween Strolls Oct. 31

Downtown Landrum

WOOD BERRY

Saluda’s newest gallery showcases the art of the Foothills

Story and photography by Storme Smith

Awalk through downtown Saluda will surely lead one to Wood Berry Gallery at 66 E. Main Street. A recent addition to the town, the Wood Berry was founded in April by Rhonda Woodbery and Mark Holland to highlight local contemporary artists and craftspeople. Holland describes it as “a peaceful community-oriented place where people

can come enjoy emerging and established artists.”

Mark came to Polk County in 2019 after spending 15 years in Asheville, and is originally from Indiana. He received his art education at Bob Jones University and spent several years teaching art both in the Greenville County School system and in Mexico at Tijuana Christian Evangelical.

From there, he would go to Santa Fe, where he would meet Rhonda, and the two would become fast friends and eventually neighbors. Rhonda, an accountant by trade, is the definition of a renaissance woman. A partner in the accounting firm Worley, Woodbery, & Associates, she also spends a great deal of time working in the community.

Rhonda donates her time and knowledge to help nonprofits and small businesses in the Foothills area, and even created a program to support more young people interested in plumbing, electrical, and carpentry work. However, it is her love of art and art collecting that would be the main impetus for the Wood Berry Gallery, with the name

of the gallery slightly changed from her own.

The two artists reunited in Western North Carolina, and soon after, Mark decided to take a break from being a full-time artist after years of supplying works for the Grand Bohemian hotel chain’s galleries. They would embark on the journey together of opening a community-centered gallery in the heart of Saluda. The fact their space exists in an old garage, in many ways, fits the grassroots theme of the gallery.

Where cars were once worked on now sit the works of local artists. Colorful oil paintings of nature at its finest hang beside the work of Bernard Edwards, well known in the area for perfectly sculpted wood-

The woodwork of Bernard Edwards.

Mark Holland’s paintings of nature.

The work of Anne Gleason, Anne Harkness and Bernard Edwards

An example of the numerous artists and art styles displayed.

carvings of animals, with both serving as reminders of the beauty of nature in the Foothills.

There is truly something for everyone at the Wood Berry Gallery, from the familiar in the form of Anne Harkness’ work depicting Main Street Saluda, “From across the tracks,” to the sentiment echoed by the warm landscapes of Asheville artist David Skinner portraying the beauty of the Western North Carolina countryside.

Rhonda and Mark have made a genuine effort to highlight local artists while including a variety of styles and skills. A perfect example can be seen in the combined works of husband and wife Tom and Janet Leazenby from Hendersonville, combining Tom’s oldschool woodworking and Janet’s intricate clay rabbits and pottery.

Saluda is well represented by Cathey Cassady Stoney’s oil and cold wax paintings and Allison Hull’s linoleum and woodcut prints.

Ceramics artist Trish Salmon’s handbuilt figurative sculptures add to the pleasing aesthetic. Her work is joined by fellow residents of Asheville’s River Arts District, including BlueFire MacMahan’s energetic abstract clay sculptures, Jacqui

Fehl’s charming mixed-media metal prints, and Michelle Hamilton’s mesmerizing mixed-media animal paintings.

The exotic wire sculptures by Sally Prangley of Seattle, WA, dot the gallery alongside the primal glasswork of Ben Greene-Collonese and the intricate ceramics of Tryon resident Anne Gleason that look as if they belong on the pages of a storybook. Likewise, the ceramics work of Lisa Hager of Lake Lure, whose art holds both intricacy and functionality, is both picturesque and unique.

Abstract expressionist Wan Marsh’s paintings built from elaborate acrylics deliver dreamlike images that captivate the viewer. Libby Skamfer’s mixed media work speaks to the gallery’s visitors, conveying something different for each viewer. Sandra Bottinelli’s colorful cloudscapes created with oils would undoubtedly brighten any room. And recent addition, Katherine Jost’s glasswork and wearable pieces, while smaller, still make a significant impact upon any art lover who visits the gallery.

An excellent reason to visit Wood Berry Gallery is the Bon Vivant events

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Unique artwork from Allison Hull and Janet Leazenby

Prints by Allison Hull, hanging next to ceramic owls by Lisa Hager.

held every third Thursday of the month. The Wood Berry opens the night with a featured artist, such as photographer Melanie Foster for September. The artist speaks about their work while the gallery serves hors d’oeuvres and wine before attendees head next door to the Azalea Bistro. Chef Garrett Tallent dishes out a specially curated threecourse meal. And to top it off, the night ends with a raffle where a lucky patron might walk away with a masterpiece for their wall.

While it is one of the newer galleries in the area, one would be hard-pressed to find one that better represents the local area. Rhonda and Mark are off to an impressive start and will be mainstays on Main Street for some time.

The Wood Berry Gallery, featuring contemporary art and fine craft Of Western North Carolina, Carolina’s Foothills, the Upstate, and beyond is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit woodberrygallery.net.

LEFT: The work of BlueFire McMahan.

A gem

Tryon Country Club

IN THE VALLEY

There once was a young Scotsman who landed on these fair shores with $2 to his name and dreams of creating golf links that would one day rival the master himself, Old Tom Morris, the legendary golf pro and architect from the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. The young man, Donald J. Ross, would craft his playing skills, build clubs, and learn greens keeping at Royal Dornoch Golf Club, but it was his apprenticeship

under Morris at the Old Course where he fine-tuned his craft and gave flight to his dreams of coming to America.

Ross seized his opportunity in 1899 when he accepted a job at Oakley Country Club in Massachusetts and set sail for America, but it was his appointment the following year as golf professional at the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina that would forever seal his place in the annals of golf history.

BACKGROUND: Donald Ross built the course to follow the natural contours of the mountain valley.

TOP RIGHT: Tryon Country Club USGA Professional Gerald Weathers gives a lesson to member Joey Prince.

BOTTOM RIGHT: The Tryon Country Club is one of the oldest Donald Rossdesigned courses in North Carolina.

Story and Photography by Terry Brown Aerial Photography by Cher brown

LEFT: Clubs made of hickory and steel make you feel as if you’ve stepped back in time at Tryon Country Club.

RIGHT: Tryon Country Club USGA Professional Gerald Weathers is only the 10th professional in the club’s 106-year history.

It was in the sandhills, set among the Carolina pines, that Ross began to realize his dream of designing golf courses, including what would become one of the most famous and history-rich golf courses in the world, Pinehurst No. 2 which he completed in 1907.

Around this same point in time, says Tracey Beaver who is instrumental in the compilation of history for the Tryon Country Club (TCC), local philanthropist, artist, and author Emma Payne Erskine set her sight on building a golf course, one built with

distinction that would help set the town apart from other mountain destinations and establish Tryon as a social, artistic, and recreational destination.

Erskine and her husband, Charles built the Lynncote estate in 1895 on the outskirts of Tryon. Shortly after Charles’ death in 1908, Erskine purchased a dairy farm cradled within the mountains just west of Lynncote with the intent of building her golf course.

With rave reviews of the Pinehurst No.2 layout, Ross was sought to design and build courses

across the country. Erskine traveled to meet Ross at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville and was able to retain him to build her golf course on the dairy farm. According to the Donald Ross Society list of courses, the Tryon course was laid out in 1914 and would open for play in 1916, making it one of Ross’ oldest courses built in North Carolina

Ross designed the nine-hole layout to play to 18 holes by utilizing two different sets of tee placements, one set for the front nine and another for the back nine, within each hole’s tee box. It allows for a challenging 18-hole, par 72 course. The layout utilizes the natural contours of the land, which Ross was known for, in the valley formed by Little Creek.

“The golf course is on very solid footing, and we’ve been able to make a lot of small improvements to maintain the quality of the course while remaining true to the original Donald Ross design. We have a very solid grounds crew, and they keep the course in excellent condition.”

USGA professional Gerald Weathers

The Tryon Country Club is listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The rustic clubhouse and pro shop are literally a step back in time. Both are log cabin-style built in 1922 and were relocated to their present site on the north side of the course after the original clubhouse was replaced.

They look distinctive with white chinking between the logs. The clubhouse features impressive post beams, original hardwood floors and a welcoming stone fireplace. It is not hard to imagine a scene from the past of a warm fire and gathering of golfers, sharing their stories of the day’s round with a flask or two to provide aid to the tales of missed approach shots or lipped-out putts.

The pro shop has its own charm with a nostalgic nod to golf’s history. The pro shop is a place that draws you in and causes you to pause and appreciate the game. There are several golf displays and canvas golf bags holding clubs made of hickory and steel. There’s also paraphernalia from a more genteel time when golf was a gentleman’s sport. A photo of Old Tom Morris and a framed copy of the original Rules of Golf hangs on the wall. There’s also a fascinating photograph, pre-1940, of the fifth hole that shows one of the original rectangular oiled-sand greens Ross designed and built.

When you walk onto the deck that overlooks the ninth green, you see the same vista that must have captured the eye and fascination of Ross as the Scotsman envisioned his small Tryon jewel.

Lore hangs as thick as the mountain mist that sometimes nestles between the peaks surrounding the golf club. Member Joey Prince took a moment before his chipping lesson to share a few tidbits about

Brian Owens & Rissi Palmer

Donald Ross built some of the most famous and history-rich courses in America and the layout at Tryon Country Club is one of the oldest courses in North Carolina.

the club and some of its history that he finds of interest.

“First of all, there’s not a more beautiful place to play golf than here in the fall –it’s absolutely stunning,” says Prince as he surveys the beauty of the undulating course spread across his view. “There used to be a cabin across the way on the hill behind the fifth hole and there was a spring between the cabin and clubhouse (pointing to a stand of trees separating two holes). The family that lived there would bring down milk and other food that was perishable and place it in the spring to keep it cold.”

Prince says there was a second spring on the ninth fairway that used to provide golfers with fresh, cold mountain spring water while they were playing.

He also shared a lesser-known piece of golf history about Ross. The architect was originally slated to design Augusta National which is home of The Masters golf tournament. According to various historical records, Ross and Bobby Jones had a handshake agreement to design a course for Jones near his Atlanta home. However, during the 1929 U.S. Amateur golf tournament, Jones unexpectedly lost his first-round match at Pebble Beach.

With time on his hands before his

The Donald Ross-designed Tryon Country Club golf course is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Tryon Country Club USGA Professional Gerald Weathers gives a chipping lesson to member Joey Prince.

travel back to the East coast, Jones spent the week playing Cypress Point on California’s Monterey Peninsula and got to know the course architect Alister McKenzie. Jones made the decision to hire McKenzie over Ross for Augusta National. It was a decision that many say got under Ross’ skin.

The hiring of McKenzie thrust the Scotsman to rededicate himself to his craft, and Ross put his refocused energy into perfecting Pinehurst No. 2 into the golf masterpiece it is today. In all, Ross is credited with designing and building more than 400 courses throughout his illustrious career.

Perhaps no one appreciates Ross’ Tryon course layout more than USGA professional Gerald Weathers. He’s been a golf pro for more than 30 years and is only the tenth head pro in the 106year history of the TCC.

Weathers says he’s been fortunate to play a number of Donald Ross courses, but

clearly he is most proud of his association with and of the standing of TCC.

“The golf course is on very solid footing, and we’ve been able to make a lot of small improvements to maintain the quality of the course while remaining true to the original Donald Ross design,” Weathers says while looking at the tee schedule for the upcoming weekend. “We have a very solid grounds crew, and they keep the course in excellent condition.”

Weathers says the overall course is much like it was when first built, except for the oiledsand greens that were replaced with grass in 1940. He says the holes remain as Ross laid them out, so playing the course truly is a step back in golf history.

For anyone fortunate to play Ross’ gem in the valley, the Tryon Country Club remains what Erskine envisioned for her tiny dairy farm, a golf course of distinction that still charms members and guests in this mountain destination.

Emma Payne Erskine, owner of the Lynncote estate purchased the former dairy farm and hired Donald Ross to build the Tryon Country Club which opened its doors in 1916.

Walking with the Ghosts of tryon

everyone loves a good ghost story.

Ghost tourism has evolved dramatically since it became popular in the late 1700s, when tourists would picnic around gothic ruins and cemeteries. Eventually, during the early 1900s cities would use the supernatural works of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe to promote tourism. The

idea would spread from there, delivering chills and thrills by showcasing the plethora of stories based on America’s haunted places.

While taking a ghost walking tour through historic Gatlinburg on a vacation several years ago, professional medium and amateur historian Trinah Falgout Kulp thought to herself that the walk was

missing something. She felt a ghost walk needed a tour guide that not only knew the history and the haunts, but also the ins and outs of ghost hunting and the equipment involved.

When she mentioned this to her husband Elias, an executive chef, he pointed out that she lived in a small Southern town with a rich

Story and photography by Storme Smith

history as well. Echoes of Tryon Ghost Walks was soon born.

Trinah, a mother of two daughters with a third on the way, came to Tryon in 2016 from Birmingham, Ala., and quickly developed a love of the town, the Foothills, and the local history.

Trinah’s ghost walks are given added depth by an ability that sets her apart from the average tour guide. She works as a professional medium, a person with the unique ability of clairvoyance. She says that she discovered her gift at a young age and that it enables her to communicate with the other side, which in turn helps her find out aspects of the town that might be hidden from others.

Trinah says, “That, of course, is if they are willing to talk or communicate. I can only share what they wish to share with me. So I use my gift to give a better experience of Tryon’s history.”

The Echoes of Tryon Ghost Walk tours are designed for both believers and skeptics. Falgout Kulp’s definition of “ghost” is as much a metaphor for our shared past, the town, the buildings, and the stories surrounding them as it is about actual spirits. Trinah points out, “My

tours are designed to honor the people and places that came before us. So they are remembered.”

Her first ghost walk in Tryon was at the Melrose Inn three weeks before it burned down. “I want everyone to remember how beautiful the inn was. The owner Marilyn Doheny was so kind to me when I started my tours, and I hope we never forget the inn’s history.”

Trinah’s other favorite stops include the Tryon Theatre, where she focuses on

Oak Hall Hotel

the 1953 murder of theater manager Edward Ball. Over the years, she has become a bit of an expert on the unsolved murder and has even given talks about the facts surrounding the case.

It’s clear she takes every opportunity to research and soak up the local history surrounding the area by often visiting the town archives, libraries, and local museums. Falgout Kulp also concentrates on the long history of Trade Street, particularly the many fires that occurred during its early years.

Another location Trinah visits on her ghost tours is the Tryon Depot, where the death of a local innkeeper is something she has invested time in learning about, and found conflicting stories. It is also an example of how she shares both the history and the legends of the town.

Mr. McAboy, a local

innkeeper, used to greet the passengers off the train daily and one day was found keeled over on the bench after suffering a heart attack. For years, the legend said he had died at the depot. But while researching the event, she found news reports that he had died at home. The differing stories allow an opportunity for the listener to learn about both the history and the legend.

One thing that sets Echoes of Tryon tours apart is the availability of modern “ghost detection equipment.” Handheld K2 Meters are used to detect electromagnetic fields of possible apparitions. Digital recorders capture EVPs or Electronic Voice Phenomenon, while modified radios, nicknamed spirit boxes, scan both AM and FM radio waves.

“Everyone should check out Tryon’s Historic Cemetery. I have photo evidence of an apparition,” says Trinah. “I also love to visit the Tryon History Museum and, of course, the Polk County Museum.”

A trip to the Tryon Cemetery is a must for any history buff in the area. It is the final resting place of Tryon founder Lemuel Wilcox, whose tombstone is easily recognizable as the tallest. His is one of many names and families that hold a valuable place in the area’s history. These are the people Trinah plans to continue highlighting so they will be remembered by future generations for their contributions to the Foothills.

The Turpin family proves that living and dying in the South are seldom tidy and always hilarious. Despite their best efforts to pull themselves together for their father’s funeral, the Turpins’ other problems keep overshadowing the solemn occasion. The Turpins turn to their friends and neighbors, an eccentric community of misfits who just manage to pull together and help each other through their hours of need, and finally, the funeral.

“Drop dead funny.” —NY Daily News TLTinfo.org 828-859-2466

To attend one of Trinah’s ghost walks, contact her at https:// echoesoftryonghostwalks. com/. 516 S. Trade St., Tryon • 828-859-2466 • www.TLTinfo.org

It happens to the best of us. We formulate a game plan. Then fate enters the equation with a different idea of how the journey will unfold over time.

With equines, fate is at the mercy of their owners. Will they keep us for our entire life, or sell us, breaking apart bonded friendships? One day follows seamlessly just like the last. Then an unrecognized horse trailer arrives. We gallop around at the intrusion. Which one of us will leave? What is next? As the trailer exits the gate, we call out frantically wondering where our friends are going.

I am one lucky pony. Oh yes, I had my brush with cruelty, as I lost my family in a Texas livestock lot. However, I ended up in a loving home with a career as “Spokespony” for Helping

Equines Regain Dignity (HERD). So many of the horses and ponies HERD has rescued over the last six years have found wonderful homes in the Carolinas and well beyond, as far away as Colorado, Washington State, Connecticut, and New Hampshire. They are champions at eventing, endurance, in the show ring, and in the hunt field as the hunt master’s prize horse. Ninety percent of the horses we save thrive in competition careers. However, there are a few equines that meet challenges that derail our best-laid plans for their future. No one ever promised us that rescue work was going to be easy. In fact, 2022 has been the toughest year for HERD. Fate threw handfuls of marbles underfoot to trip us.

There are horses that have

Jazz ’22 TFAC Community Outreach Series

Jazz ’22 Opening Reception with live music & film

@ TFAC, Oct 25 @ 6 PM

Free with RSVP by Oct 18 to sharol@tryonarts.org

Jazz & Etiquette Masterclass

@ TFAC, Oct 29 @ 12-4 PM

For registered students only

Jazz Concert: The Gardening Club

@ TFAC, Oct 29 @ 4 PM

Tickets: $10 adults, free for Students

Jazz Concert: The Hymns & Spirituals Collective (Charleston, SC)

@ Zion Grove A.M.E. Zion Church

Oct 30 @ 4 PM

Free with Advanced Ticket for General Seating

Jazz ’22 Story Walk

@ Stearns Park by NC Arts Council & Polk County Schools, Nov 1-30, Free

Jazz ’22 Visual Arts Exhibit: Opening Nov 10 @ TFAC’s JP Gallery, 6:30 PM, Free

Jazz Films: November 13 Miles Ahead @ 2 PM & Round Midnight @ 4 PM

Tickets: $8/film or 2/$15

Fundraiser: An Elegant Evening of Jazz music by Quentin Baxter Quintet Dinner & Dancing

@ TFAC Pavilion, Nov 19 @ 7 PM

Tickets: $150/person

Jazz Brunch with live music

by TFAC’s Jazz ’22 All-Stars

@ TFAC Pavilion, Nov 20 @ 1 PM

Tickets: $25/person

By Pebbles

FAR LEFT: Samara Manich the talented trainer who transformed Klaus ABOVE: Young equestrian student, Ella Mayer, on Klaus taking a lesson.

Tapas with Ava Gibson in the saddle

been the catalyst for so many sleepless nights. All were purchased to avoid them going to slaughter. The plights of Klaus, Journey, and Tapas come to mind.

One of our foster training partners adores fox hunting. When she saw Klaus, she thought with his great looks and draft cross-breeding, he would be ideal for the hunt field. Klaus was a reactive handful, age five, with loads of muscle. While in quarantine, he learned to accept a halter and the human touch. Then off he went for over a month to a trainer the foster knew in North Carolina. Klaus made modest improvements. He was too challenging a steed for the foster to train as a fox hunter. The decision was made to send Klaus to Hearts of Phoenix in West Virginia, as this is a much larger horse organization with tremendous reach, sponsors, and expansive facilities. Klaus would enter the Appalachian Trainer Face Off. After 90 days of intensive training, by a gifted professional rider, Samara Manich, he would compete as her mount. The prize money for the winning horse trainer is considerable. As with HERD, the horses are assured great homes with an adoption contract

to keep them safe, after the competition.

Klaus’ progress reports have been posted monthly on HERD’s Facebook page for followers to marvel at his transformation. He went from a frightened force to a mellow fellow, thanks to Samara’s steady training and patient nature. He is going to make someone an incredible partner whether it be for riding lessons, trail riding, or even moving cattle. As I pen this column, Samara can ride him without a bridle and drag a long pole behind him. Life is looking rosy for Klaus. HERD did right by him despite not being able to rehome him directly through our program.

The same month we saved Klaus, we also rescued a bay roan mare, Journey, and a cute chestnut large pony we named Tapas. These two were both broke to ride but needed reconditioning. Described as country horses, their former career was trail riding in the mountains. Tapas arrived exceptionally friendly, but Journey was more aloof. Both suffered from respiratory infections that needed time and medication to recover.

On a Sunday night, the dreaded call came. Tapas was experiencing a bad case

of colic. She was rushed to a vet clinic. The doctor was not hopeful she would survive. Tapas surprised us all and pulled through. However, her respiratory illness had also worsened into a case of pneumonia. She was placed on stall rest with additional steroids and antibiotics.

It took over six months to secure, but HERD eventually found an equine therapy home that would welcome sweet Tapas in Virginia. Her bout with pneumonia had scarred her lungs. She needed an easy life with low-stress riding and ample interaction with people. We donated her to become an equine partner helping children.

Journey went back to work when she was well enough to ride. Her training level was perfect for a beginner, and she was adopted to a local family. After about sixty days in her new home, the owner of Journey called and asked HERD to take her back as she was limping on every ride. We sent Kailey Greene to pick her up the following day. Journey was very thin. Kailey took her straight to the Hunt Country Equine and Bibi Freer x-rayed the foot in question. She found only a bruised sole,

and no serious issues. So, Kailey took Journey home with her for rehabilitation. With the horse’s weight gain, came a swollen belly. Journey was pregnant.

HERD secured a foster situation for Journey with a member of our network of supportive friends. Everything was going well. Then came the punch-in-the-stomach news. Journey was suffering from a severe case of colic. Her unborn foal was in jeopardy. We all prayed hard, but Journey turned septic very quickly. Her body was shutting down, her intestines had twisted. She was dying internally. There was no hope of recovery. The vet ended her suffering quickly, and we arranged a private burial service on the foster’s farm.

HERD invested heavily into these three horses and received no adoption fees, which is how we cover future vet bills, feed, and training costs. The upside of this saga is we did our best to ensure that each of these equines experienced the kindest outcome for their journey’s end.

Journey saved from the kill pen

TACKLE TAILGATE MENUS WITH FAST, FLAVORFUL FOODS

Sweet and Spicy Bratwurst Subs

Recipe courtesy of Aramark

Servings: 8

8 bratwursts (4 ounces each)

8 hoagie rolls (6 inches), split

Kimchi:

1 1/2 cups green cabbage, cut into thick strips

1/4 cup water

4 teaspoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon gochujang paste

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon minced, peeled ginger root

1/2 cup daikon radish strips

1/4 cup shredded, peeled carrot

1/4 cup sliced green onion

Mango Slaw:

2 cups shredded green cabbage

1/3 cup diced mango chunks, thawed from frozen

1/4 cup shredded, peeled carrot 1/4 cup sliced green onion

1/4 cup red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons minced, peeled ginger root

2 tablespoons white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

Spicy Sesame Mayonnaise:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon sriracha

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

To make kimchi: Place cabbage in microwavable bowl. Add water. Cover and microwave on high 2 minutes, or until ten der-crisp. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

In large bowl, mix vinegar, gochujang, fish sauce, garlic and ginger. Add steamed cabbage,

daikon, carrot and onion; toss to coat. Cover and chill.

To make mango slaw: Mix cabbage, mango, carrot, onion, red bell pepper, cilantro, ginger, vinegar, salt and garlic. Cover and chill.

To make spicy sesame mayon naise: Mix mayonnaise, sriracha, sesame oil and vinegar until well blended. Cover and chill. Heat grill to medium and lightly oil grill rack. Grill bratwursts 8 minutes, or until internal tem perature reaches 155 F. Spread mayonnaise on rolls.

Place grilled bratwurst on rolls and top with kimchi and slaw.

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Pavillon Recovery Technician • Full-Time, Evening & Overnight Positions • Mill Spring, NC • This position monitors the activities of patients to ensure optimal safety, support, structure and crisis intervention.

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POLK COUNTY SCHOOLS •Full-Time EC Teacher Asst/Bus Driver - up to $15/hr •Open Interviews Tue/ Thur 2pm-4pm for Custodial & Food Service •Substitute Teacher/Food Service - $13 an hour Visit https://polkschools.org/ personnel/ to apply Or Call:828-894-1001

TRADEMARK BUILDING SUPPLY. 343 E Mills St. Columbus, NC 28722. 828-229-3160. From DeWalt Tools to Exterior Products, call or visit Trademark for all of your remodeling and building needs.

Come join the team at White Oak of Tryon. Benefits (FT). Competitive pay. Great environment! Applications currently accepted at White Oak of Tryon, 70 Oak Street, Tryon, NC 28782. White Oak of Tryon is an equal opportunity employer.

HELP WANTED: Part-time Assistant Truck Driver with benefits Must be able to lift/carry 100lbs Apply in person: Steps to HOPE Thrift Barn 1810 SC-14, Landrum SC MondaySaturday 10am-4pm. Environmental Services/Materials Technician Part-time Days & Full-

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The Hare & Hound Pub Now Hiring for Kitchen & Dishwashers. Please apply in person Monday-Friday: 101 East Rutherford St. Landrum SC 29356 864625-2510

CDL DRIVER WANTED

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Mowing & Maintenance

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RNs and LPNs WANTED BAYADA Home Care provides 1:1 skilled nursing services for adult and pediatric patients who require complex care throughout Western North Carolina. We are seeking pediatric RNs and LPNs to provide care in the Mill Spring area. Flexible schedules: Full Time, Part Time, Days, Nights, and Weekends available. Please apply at jobs.bayada.com or contact Alexandria Hunter at 704-621-8307.

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West Point Baptist Church Part-time Minister of Music Leads praise team, congregation, choirs, & other worship duties. Worship services contain blended musical styles. Band includes electric+acoustic guitar, bass, drums, sometimes keyboards and violin. If interested, please send resume: West Point Baptist Church, c/o Personnel Team 1160 Union Rd. Rutherfordton, NC 28139 • 828.859.9151

ACTS Tryon Estates 20

Brunson’s Furniture 23

Carolina Storage Solutions 34

Carruth’s Furniture 11

Cason Builders 22

Congregational Church of Tryon 19

Dr. Jonathan Lowry 31

Farm Bureau 7

Highland Design & Construction 4

HomeTrust Bank 7

Hospice of the Carolina Foothills 2

Hypnotic Massage Sleep Boutique 23

JB Trees 21

Lake Pointe Landing 51

McFarland’s Funeral Home 45

New View Realty, Tryon Beer Fest 5

Parkside Dental 35

Penny Insurance 21

Polk County Transportation 40

Red Bell Run 38

REMAX Advantage Realty 26

Rutherford Regional Health 41

SC / NC Realty 47

ServiceMaster of Polk County 19

SG Power & Equipment 31

Southside Smokehouse 40

St. Luke’s Foundation 9

St. Luke’s Hospital 3

Strauss Attorneys 22

Tryon Builders 35

Tryon Fine Arts Center 33, 43

Tryon Garden Club 50

Tryon Horse & Home 52

Tryon International Equestrian Center 39

Tryon International Film Festival 11

Tryon Little Theater 41

Tryon Presbyterian Church 32

Turquoise Cowgirl Boutique 24

Turquoise Cowgirl Mobile Horse Trainer 25

White Oak Retirement 46

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