Carolina Mountain Life, Winter 2021-2022

ABSOLUTELY PRICELESS! WINTER 2021/22

Carolina Mountain Life

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What’s Inside: About our Winter 2021/22 Cover: On cold, winter days, it’s not uncommon to find Grandfather Mountain’s evergreens covered in snow or rime ice. Photo

by Skip Sickler | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

19....... Skiing in the High Country

By Tom McAuliffe

31....... Winter Fun: Limitless Options

By Karen Rieley

43....... AYPT at 50

By Keith Martin

45....... Day Trips with an Artful Twist

By LouAnn Morehouse

47....... All That Jazz

By Steve York

54....... Astrophotography: An Interview with Todd Bush

By CML Staff

70....... Truck’n

By Edwin Ansel

76....... Leaders of the Pack

By Elizabeth Baird Hardy

80....... AMOREM

By Pan McCaslin

81....... Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health

By Kim S. Davis

83....... Where are They Now? Michael Vetro

By Trimella Chaney

84....... Good Work in Our Community

By CML Staff

94....... Comfort in the Cold

By Sarah Mize

99....... Winter Hot Toddies

By Steve York

100..... CML’s Winter Restaurant Guide

By CML Staff

Cultural Calendar with Keith Martin...41 Book Nook with Edwin Ansel...52 Movie Review with Elizabeth Baird Hardy...53 Notes from Grandfather Mountain...57 Blue Ridge Explorers with Tamara S. Randolph...59 Blue Ridge Parkway Update with Rita Larkin...63 Trail Reports by CML Staff ...64 Fishing with Andrew Corpening...65 Wisdom and Ways with Jim Casada...68 An Ounce of Prevention with Mike Teague...73 History on a Stick with Michael C. Hardy...77 Local Tidbits...88 Community and Local Business News...90 Be Well with Samantha Steele...97 Recipes from the CML Kitchen with Meagan Goheen...104

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CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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Carolina Mountain Life

PUBLISHER’S NOTE TM

A publication of Carolina Mountain Life, Inc. ©2021-2022 by Carolina Mountain Life Magazine, Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the Publisher.

Babette McAuliffe, Publisher & Editor in Chief Deborah Mayhall-Bradshaw, Design Director Kathy Griewisch, Account Manager Meagan Goheen, Marketing Manager Tamara S. Randolph, Editor Keith Martin, Cultural Arts Editor Contributors: Edwin Ansel, Jim Casada, Trimella Chaney, Andrew Corpening, Kim S. Davis, Brennan Ford, Morgan Ford, Elizabeth Baird Hardy, Michael C. Hardy, Annie Hoskins, Rita Larkin, Julie Loven, Tom McAuliffe, Pan McCaslin, Sarah Mize, LouAnn Morehouse, Karen Rieley, Frank Ruggiero, Samantha Steele, Anna Lisa Stump, Mike Teague, Doug Winbon, and Steve York

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CML is published 4 times a year and is available by subscription for $35.00 a year (continental US) Send check or money order to: Carolina Mountain Life, PO Box 976, Linville, NC 28646

livingcarolina@bellsouth.net CMLmagazine.online 828-737-0771

T

oday I took a long hike on some trails that lead to a view of the Balds on Roan Mountain and other areas in between. The two-hour jaunt gave me time to reflect on the seasons of life. The passage of time seems so fleeting—especially as I look back on 25 years of publishing CML Magazine.

When I was in school years ago at App State, I was then seeking ways to be able to stay in the area following graduation. I loved living here with four distinct seasons and having the great outdoors as my playground, and, to top it off, having cultural offerings that rivaled my hometown of Charlotte.

The stories in this area were just ripe for sharing, so off we went with an idea to create a lifestyle magazine for the High Country. Since the first issue back in 1997, we have poured ourselves into telling the tales and sharing the sometimes-hidden gems with our readership. Strong journalism has always been our first and foremost goal. We felt that if we could capture our readers, then our advertisers would benefit and continue to have faith that we will be there as a guide and a resource for not only locals and second homeowners, but visitors alike to learn about where to play, shop, dine and explore the arts.

We recently experienced one of the most spectacular fall color displays this area has seen in years. When the cold winds that herald in winter came and swooped the remaining color off the branches, we were rewarded with a new perspective of our mountains. We can now see clearly the lay of the land and the starkness brings into focus the small yet beautiful little green sprigs that are still hanging on the trunk of a Leyland Cypress tree signaling that yes, another season will evolve.

Word of snow in the forecast always elicits joy for the young and the old as we all search for our mittens, scarves and gear to hit the slopes—or to just make a snowman or snow angel.

When we blazed the magazine trail a quarter century ago, we had no idea how this area would explode and become a place sought after by so many looking for the beauty and offerings of our mountains.

We hope you take this issue with you and then share it with your friends.

We always love to hear from our readers, so pop us an email and let us know of other story ideas you might have for us to explore.

Happy Winter!

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The “Winter to Remember” Prepares Stirring Encore

By Tom McAuliffe

L

ast winter’s pandemic, to borrow from Charles Dickens, “was the best of times and the worst of times.” Recreation, winter or summer, enjoyed maybe its best year ever. Americans looked to the outdoors, and particularly the Blue Ridge Mountains, for refuge, a safe place from the unknown terrors of the pandemic.

More first-time visitors discovered what natives, transplants, and transients have known for decades—the High Country is a great place to be. Resorts, lodging and restaurants operated to full capacity. Midweek crowds, as students and parents performed virtually, were free to roam and ski on Monday or Thursday. It was by all accounts, the perfect storm. If you subscribe to the axiom, “The more things change, (and yes change has descended on the region), the more they remain the same,” we’re in for a great ski season.

As the snow guns fired and the six-seat Summit Express carried sailboat fuel to the top of Sugar Mountain and back again in a dress rehearsal November 5, locals were again reminded that the man behind the resort had only serious intentions for the upcoming ski season.

Gunther Jochl made clear those intentions 45 years earlier to the day, when Sugar Mountain opened the lift ticket windows to the skiing public, sending shock waves through the southern ski industry.

So, it’s Sugar Mountain winter enthusiasts who look for the first sign of the ski season to this day, where they found it again when ticket windows opened for skiing ten days later November 15. Beech and Appalachian Ski Mountains welcomed their first riders in time for the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanks to steady cold temperatures and state-of-the-art snowmaking systems, all three resorts were in midseason form. And if opening week crowds are any indication, any suggestion that this season will not be a repeat of last year’s record performance would seem premature.

“They’re here,” Sugar Mountain’s Holly Greene said of opening week. “It’s already busy.”

Much has changed since Jochl took over day to day operation of Dixie’s flagship winter resort. With each passing season improvements came. Neighboring ski areas Beech and App Ski Mountain hold close to the same business model. More snowmaking, better grooming, better lifts, better lighting, better food service. It never stops in the High Country ski industry, and the $250 million economic impact in the state is only growing.

Last season, in an unbridled effort to remain open and relevant during the uncertain winter of COVID, the National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) proactively published its own protocols to operate

safely. The North Carolina Ski Areas Association (NCSAA) embraced the document, “Ski Well-Be Well.” As unprecedented crowds flowed to the sanctuary of outdoor recreation in the Appalachian Mountains, the local industry was prepared to deliver.

Even as lodging, dining, and lift ticket access was pushed to the limits, resorts maintained the masking, social distancing, and spacing recommendations that allowed the resorts to meet mandated safety guidelines and remain open.

It was a winter to remember—a tremendous success. And as the new season opens, mandates are fewer, as more of the population is vaccinated and immunity grows. The opening statement from the NSAA is hopeful.

“This season, outdoor operations will look much more like they did prior to the pandemic,” the Ski Well-Be Well advisory reads. “Chairlifts will most likely be loaded to capacity. Unrelated parties will be able to ride the lift together. Masks will likely be optional outside. You can expect standard organization of lift lines. Wear a mask if you are high risk or if you feel uncomfortable. And keep a mask in your pocket so you’ll always be prepared if you need one.”

Optimism reigns, and the ski resorts are prepared for a repeat of last year’s triumph. continued...

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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The Magic of Winter! www.skisugar.com Sugar Mountain, NC

20 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

View from the top of the Summit Express.

Sugar Mountain Christens Another New Lift “We had no idea what to expect in 2020,” Gunther Jochl recalled of last winter’s record shattering season. “The variables were unprecedented and high demand stretched resources. It was challenging, but successful,” he said. “There were many groups of skiers here from different regions with different mandates. Our team worked very hard to adhere to state and federal mandates to insure a safe environment.”

But Jochl, like his High Country counterparts, had his own set of mandates—ostensibly to make his mountain better than the year before. Fresh off the renovation of Easy Street, the mountain’s beginner/intermediate slope two years ago, the vintage triple chair servicing Big Birch has been replaced with its own shiny new quad lift by Doppelmayr.

“We had rebuilt the lift in 2005,” Jochl said of the triple chair that debuted in 1969. “We could have serviced the existing lift and do it safely, but bringing in a new lift system just made more sense.”

The fixed-quad serving Big Birch was the fourth new lift in six years installed on Sugar Mountain. As for the Easy Street renovation, the definitive reviews are just now being fully recognized. The beginner/intermediate run, sporting its new detachable quad lift, just may be the premier run for up and coming ski and snow boarders in the south. Its gentle and wide terrain measures almost a half mile, and the wannabe crowd is reveling in its perfection. Additional snowmaking has

made it a priority equal to the centerline Flying Mile that heralds the resort opening from the top of the Summit Express, the iconic six-seater detachable lift. Lift capacity at the “new” Sugar Mountain can deliver nearly 12,000 riders each hour to enjoy the south’s longest vertical drop of 1,200 feet.

That leaves only “Big Red” that services Oma’s Meadow, the only slope served by its own lift, for updating. Nothing official, but it’s most likely the next lift upgrade for a ski run sporting the purest ‘fall line’ on the mountain. Oma’s Meadow is the site of NASTAR Racing and the Monday Night Beer League, where local business race teams compete for bragging rights in the High Country ski scene. Oma’s Meadow, once at the lower tier of snowmaking priority, is moving up the pecking order with a new arsenal of snowmaking fan guns installed for the upcoming season, a welcome development for recreational riders.

Sugar’s new look is not confined to slopeside. Visitors will embrace two acres of new pavement that replaced the gravel at the resort’s primary parking area. Sugar Mountain’s reconfiguration and expansion of its rental operation came just in time last season for the onslaught of traffic generated in the winter of COVID. Longtime race coach and second year equipment rental director Dick Casey oversaw the redesign, and customer movement was greatly improved, just as sellout crowds became the new normal in the North Carolina High Country. A massive inventory of Head skis and snowboards delivered a quality rental.

SUGAR

Snowmaking is serious business at Sugar.

Ski School Director Len Bauer returns to Sugar this season. Bauer has been at the ski school for 37 years, 31 years as its director. The food service, including the popular Last Run Lounge, remain the domain of Keith and Shelly Lane, who like Bauer enjoy the longest time of service behind Gunther Jochl himself. There are few unknowns in the administration at Sugar Mountain Resort. As the company line states, “we’ll deliver the best ski experience possible given the weather on any given day.”

Like other area resorts, family plays a big role in the operation. Kim Jochl, former member of the U.S. Alpine Ski Team, handles marketing and communications. Her brother, Erich Schmidinger, has his hand on just about every button in or out of the building. Gunther’s son, Andrew, is rapidly becoming an indispensable player in all operations.

Snowtubing and ice skating enjoyed a vigorous season, more so again as children and working parents were freed from school and the office. Weekday crowds were akin to weekend crowds of years past. It proved a great combination, but a challenge for the mountain.

“We have a great team,” Jochl said.

“Bodies alone don’t make a team, what’s important is they care. They are mature, and professional. It was a demanding year and they met the challenge. All in all, I think things will be easier for all of us this winter, but like any year, the weather has the last word in the ski business.”

But in what has become a local tradition, Sugar Mountain had the first word on the new season. continued...

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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BEECH Beech Mountain: An Upward Trajectory Eastern America’s highest town has been home to southern skiing since 1968. But since the inaugural years on Beech, when Austrians colored the experience for eager southerners discovering alpine sports for the first time, locals will acknowledge the last 12 years as perhaps the most significant in resort history. In 2009, a young GM was given the reins and a mandate to bring the mountain back to its glory years. Pursuing a careful business plan built on more snowmaking and better grooming, Ryan Costin, who took over for his father John, elevated the resort where it belongs alongside Sugar and App Ski Mtn. With the arrival of two Doppelmayr Quad Lifts, replacing the aging detachable quad and worn out double chair, both serving the top of the mountain, Beech was really on the move. “Snow making improvements have paid dividends,” Costin said of the obvious. “The pump room has been built out over the last three years and we’ve added two new pumps, more snowguns and 4,500 feet of pipeline.”

Water reserves have been increased, as the resort and the Town of Beech Mountain develop a cooperative plan to connect a series of lakes to serve the public utility as well as Costin’s snowmaking operation.

Greater snowmaking capacity adds another benefit. The OZ run, a popular recreational level slope serviced by its own quad lift, will enjoy fuller utilization. Usually the last terrain to open, the picturesque western facing slope relieves congestion on the mountain on busy days and is sure to get more attention from snowmakers this season.

During Costin’s tenure, the View Haus was completely rehabilitated, helping highlight the success of Beech Mountain Brewing Company alongside the landmark high volume cafeteria. Rechristened The Lodge, it joins two other locations featuring the brewed product, including the 5506’ circular bar perched at the top of the mountain. Founding brewmaster Will Young also presides over the resort’s food service with a big assist from master brewer Aaron Maas.

A new outdoor food service at the Lodge will give visitors the option to remain outside.

The original Bavarian-themed village, in disrepair when Costin launched his campaign, has been rejuvenated, even though the outdoor ice rink has been closed, maybe for good. “We wanted to rebuild the ice rink last year,” Costin said but the rebuild proved daunting. “It served its purpose for over 40 years.”

In place of the ice rink, Beech unveils the Pavilion Courtyard, with six propane driven fire pits and intimate seating around each on a surface of flagstone and landscape gravel. With indirect lighting in place the new courtyard should prove particularly fetching after the sun goes down.

“We wanted to be proactive and adhere to the guidelines last year,” Costin said of a winter loaded with challenges.

“It was clear that called for more outdoor venues like the courtyard and outdoor food service at the Lodge.”

Beech returns this winter with online access to lift ticket sales, enrollment in ski schools, and junior programs. However, the resort has removed ski and snowboard rentals from internet access,

preferring instead a first-come, firstserved model. “It’s just easier to size up your guests when they’re in front of you,” Costin said of the return to the in-person rental process.

The ski school will be headed by Alex Ettinger, an in-house promotion from his assistant’s role last winter.

This season the resort celebrates the contribution of long-time Ski Patrol Director Gil Adams in a much deserved gesture. After a complete rebuild of the resort’s Ski Patrol building over the summer, the new patrol room will be christened The Gil Adams Ski Patrol Base.

Adams got the ski bug as a Boy Scout visiting the Holstein Presbyterian Camp at the foot of the mountain in 1968. The young scout skied Beech every chance he had, later joining the ski patrol. Over the next half century Adams proved the glue through the good times and bad times, serving as ski patrol director, marketing manager, and Director of Personnel and Hospitality. Retiring from an active role in operations last year, Adams remains a regular winter visitor who rightfully owns the Key to the Village.

It’s evident that Costin and Company have all the pieces in place following the stampede of visitors last winter.

“It was an operational anomaly and I hope we don’t have to go back there,” Costin concluded of the Winter of COVID. “There wasn’t the peak and valley mode we had grown accustomed to. We were exposed to a brand new customer.

And that customer base was stronger than ever.”

continued...

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

23

APPSKI

Appalachian Ski Mountain Doubles Down on Innovation

“We’re always looking ahead,” said App Ski Mtn. President Brad Moretz.

“The moment you walk into the lodge you’ll find a streamlined experience that’s unique in the U.S.” Online registration is not just a suggestion, it is required.

“Reservations are required,” Moretz explained. “Once online you can select your arrival time in five-minute time slots. It’s like getting a tee time at the golf course. People want certainty. This is an unparalleled level of organization for our customers.”

On-site reservation kiosks are located in the lodge as well. After last season’s monumental winter, Moretz is more convinced than ever that ski crowd congestion, even on holidays, has been reduced, and substantially so.

Staggered arrivals at any ski resort with traditional ski sessions can prove problematic. But a few years ago, App Ski Mtn. introduced the revolutionary ‘flex’ ticket. Gone is the traditional lift ticket good for a fixed session. At App, your nine hour ski session begins with your first run. Noon time arrivals segue right into the night session. An option even more flexible Friday and Saturday when Midnight Blasts extend the night session an extra two hours. Better yet, if you fall short of your nine hour ski session the mountain will return a prorated residual to a gift card.

The Flex Ticket and staggered online reservations, according to Moretz, has reduced wait times in the lift line.

“Our average lift line wait is under ten minutes,” he observed. “Even on sell-out days.”

Today you can book ten categories of products and services online at Appala-

24 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

chian, from clothing to lessons, equipment rentals, children’s nursery, and even parking. Two-thirds of all resort clothing rentals are now secured online.

An additional group lesson model debuts this winter. The “small group” lesson is designed for six or less students.

The French-Swiss Ski College, founded by now retired pioneer Jim Cottrell, is now under the direction of French national Benjamin Marcellin. A longtime director of instruction on the mountain, Marcellin takes over an institution that has delivered well over a million alpine lessons since its inception by Cottrell in 1968.

“I love the job but I’m not much into titles,” Marcellin said.

A native of Annecy, a city called “The Pearl of the French Alps,” he first joined the French-Swiss staff in 1979 through 1989, and returned in 2006 to present.

Last winter was his first as director, an unequivocal baptism under fire. “There were times our teaching staff was overwhelmed,” he admitted, a condition shared by many during the winter of COVID. “But it has been very easy to work with Brad [Moretz] and it’s been a very good transition.”

The affable Frenchman knows much is expected and last winter’s performance on the mountain was proof positive he was the right person for the job.

But no conversation about Appalachian Ski Mountain can overlook its model snowmaking operation, which arguably delivers more snow per square foot than any ski resort in the world.

Snowmaking, of course, is the life blood of southern skiing, and each mountain in the NCSAA is very good at delivering the white stuff. Appalachian has been

Benjamin Marcellin

an international pacesetter since the late Grady Moretz took over the busted Blowing Rock Ski Lodge in 1968. “A year never goes by without adding snowmaking,” Brad Moretz declared.

While free riding is a mainstay at Appalachian, the mountain is well known for its terrain parks, first established in 1999, the first year snowboarders got the green light in Blowing Rock.

At the time the resort was one of only four in America where snowboarders were not welcome. Since then, under the direction of local boy Drew Stanley, App Terrain Park (ATP) has been recognized as the regional leader. Twenty-one years later Stanley is the mountain marketing manager. With in-house fabrication facilities turning out new features every year, an abundance of dedicated snow making, its season-long Shred for the Cup series, and weekly events like Ladies Night Out, Stanley’s efforts have taken root. ATP product Luke Winkleman shocked the world snowboarding community with a third place finish in the junior world competition. It earned the board specialist a place on the U.S. Snowboarding Team competing in the China Olympic Games. This winter a competition sponsored by Red Bull called “Wink’s Way,” a street inspired free style event, makes its debut.

“Luke can compete on the global level,” Stanley said. “He’s at the top of his game, pushing the state of slopestyle snowboarding. He’s just a natural.”

For Moretz, there’s no secret to success.

“We lie awake at night trying to make it better, if only a little bit better for our customers,” Moretz concluded.

“You never run out of ways to improve.”

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Buy Tix Online: MysteryHill.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

25

Jim Cottrell

child

with grand

Jim Cottrell Leaves Lasting Alpine Legacy

By Tom McAuliffe Last winter, French-Swiss Ski College founder, Jim Cottrell, walked away from his life’s work of 53 years, the iconic ski instruction institution based at Appalachian Ski Mountain. Cottrell leaves his ski and snowboard school in the hands of the Moretz family, with whom he partnered since 1968 to bring ski instruction to the South.

His teaching methods became a model throughout America as he and his legion of instructors introduced downhill skiing to Dixie.

There were no illusions of grandeur in 1968, when Cottrell, armed with his graduate degree from Appalachian State Teachers College, was a first-year economics professor at Central Piedmont Community College in Charlotte. The Boone native, an avid skier, had no idea what lay in store, but it wasn’t long before Economics 101 was in his rearview mirror.

“Central Piedmont’s philosophy at the time was if you had ten students interested in any course of study they would add it to the curriculum,” he remembered. “Well, I set up a snow skiing program down there and 120 people signed up. I had to hire a staff to help teach all those students and that’s how the whole thing got started.”

The ‘help’ came from the ski patrol unit at The Blowing Rock Ski Lodge, the High Country’s first winter resort when it opened in 1962 with two t-bars and a rope tow. Cot-

trell had learned to ski there through physical education classes offered in college, and later as a ski patroller working at the lodge in some capacity every winter since 1963.

When he brought his first ski class to Blowing Rock five years later, Grady Moretz and four other investors had just purchased the operation out of bankruptcy and renamed it Appalachian Ski Mtn. The timing of Cottrell’s budding avocation couldn’t have come at a better time.

Content with his fledgling ski program at Central Piedmont, Cottrell’s vision was enlarged the following summer through the eyes of Jack Lester, a neighbor in Charlotte. Semi-retired at the time and a selfdescribed promoter, Lester handled bookings for the Ink Spots, the legendary rhythm and blues musical group. His eye for talent picked up something about Cottrell’s new venture during their casual patio conversations.

“Let’s start a ski school,” Lester said, and a partnership was formed.

“The French had won practically everything in the ‘68 Winter Olympics with the Swiss racers just behind,” Cottrell explained as the name for the new enterprise took shape, “and since we were developing college programs we decided to call it The French-Swiss Ski College.”

Wasting no time, Cottrell took his ski course presentation to other schools in the region and sold seven institutions, including Davidson College, on the French-Swiss program. By 1971 the partners boasted 43 schools in the fold, and that season Cottrell and his corps of instructors gave 25,000 lessons at Appalachian Ski Mtn. With Lester’s eye for promotion and Cottrell’s organizational abilities, FrenchSwiss Ski College became synonymous with the boom in southern skiing. The FrenchSwiss banner carried a lot of weight among schools, clubs and organizations that were candidates for the learn-to-ski programs it symbolized. Cottrell’s first book, “Skiing Everyone,” was published in 1972, the year Lester brought Jean-Claude Killy to Appalachian Ski Mtn. The charismatic Frenchman had swept all three gold medals four years earlier at the Grenoble Winter Olympics, standing atop the awards podium for slalom, giant slalom, and downhill.

“First Union Bank was entering the Charlotte market and they had started a club called ‘Young Carolinians’ in an effort to attract new business,” Cottrell remembered. “Well, Jack convinced them to bring Killy to North Carolina and underwrite the trip. They held a reception on the top floor

of the First Union Tower, and because Killy endorsed Moet Champagne, they brought a truckload of the stuff and had three fountains flowing with champagne at the party.

We got to know him and we all got to be close friends.”

Thanks to Lester, it proved the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

“No one in those days knew how to handle big-name sports stars and Killy was one of the biggest sports figures in the world,” Cottrell said. “But Jack had been handling big-name theater people and he knew how to take care of them and make their experience a whole lot better. From then on whenever Killy was in the region he would check in with us and we would try and take care of him. When the West Point Ski Instructors were here for training he came by and worked with them and our staff.”

As French-Swiss programs grew in popularity, Killy’s imprint remained.

“We were real big on pre-season conditioning,” Cottrell said. “We were going around to ski clubs talking about the things you could do before the season begins and everything we were doing was taught to us by Killy. He said ‘this is what I do to get ready to race and this is where you learn— this is where you win.’ It’s as important as what you do on the snow.”

Jack Lester passed away in 1974, but not before he booked French-Swiss into the grand opening promotion for Charlotte’s SouthPark Mall. An exhibition dubbed “Winter in July” transformed the shopping mecca into a Bavarian Village with ski clubs, travel agents, and ski shops in a week-long exhibit. At the heart of the extravaganza were the instructors of French-Swiss Ski College.

“They built us a ramp and covered it with poly-snow,” Cottrell remembered.

“When those ski shows were going on you couldn’t even move in the aisles. They figured more than 500,000 visitors came. Jack was the one who orchestrated all of those big shows. He just had a way with it. I was the logistics guy. It was a good partnership and I learned a lot.”

Out of necessity, Cottrell took on some of the old showman’s mantle. He fabricated his own portable ski ramp, which became a signature promotion of French-Swiss.

When he heard a delegation of seven Special Olympics participants were headed to the 1977 International Winter Games from North Carolina, he brought them first to Appalachian Ski Mtn. for training. He convinced the Holiday Inn to board them and the Daniel Boone Inn to feed them during

leaving a legac y 26 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

a three-day crash course. Later, when he heard the Colorado games had proved a logistical disaster, he teamed up with Special Olympics officials to plan a regional winter games the following year in Blowing Rock.

“About 100 athletes came that first year and it was a learning experience,” Cottrell said. “We worked to improve the process and the next year we had 200 participants.

It went pretty well, but we had to get better.

By the third year with 300 athletes, we had the thing together and we knew we could do this.”

Eunice Kennedy Shriver, head of the International Special Olympics movement, heard about the effort in Blowing Rock and came to observe the games firsthand.

Impressed by the procedure refined at French-Swiss, Shriver asked Cottrell to write a manual for training coaches for Special Olympics Alpine events, and the organization adopted his system for conducting the games.

“From registration, skier classification system, the way we handled equipment, our dry-land program—basically our whole system of running the games was adopted

by International Special Olympics,” marveled Cottrell. “It’s the same system in use today and it was created right here at Appalachian Ski Mountain. Running games for a special population had been so hard, but once the system came into play it became so easy that it’s no different from working with anybody else.”

More than a half-century removed from his first group lesson, Cottrell doesn’t travel the highway pulling his portable ski ramp anymore. And the truth be known, his staff probably gives fewer lessons today than during the early years when the challenge to instruct the south to ski was fresh.

“Things have grown and our school groups aren’t just beginners. Because of our programs we teach a large percentage of intermediate and advanced skiers. We teach more intermediate lessons here than anybody—more advanced lessons here than anybody. The most important thing is that we create a safe atmosphere and get people into a realistic expectation of how long it takes to learn to ski. And have fun doing it.”

“I think the secret of our success is that we try to make people feel like they’re a part of the ski scene, that if you come here and take a lesson from us that it’s not just a lesson,” Cottrell said. “That’s what we give people that makes us different and why people feel good about skiing with us.”

Jean Claude Killy, and at least a million others, would agree.

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Cross-country skiing at Moses Cone Park

Sugar Mountain Snowshoeing

Ziplining at Hawksnest

Ice skating at Appalachian Ski Mountain

Winter Fun in the High Country

By Karen Rieley

T

hink of the High Country in the winter and, no doubt, you think of snowboarding and snow skiing. After all, the area boasts three great ski mountains, including Beech Mountain Resort, Sugar Mountain Resort, and Appalachian Ski Mountain.

But make no mistake, the High Country is no one-trick pony in the winter. There’s lots to do for all ages, whether there’s snow or not. If standing at the edge of a mountaintop with nothing between you and the bottom but two skis and a couple of poles or one lone snowboard isn’t your cup of tea (or hot cocoa), or if you’re ready for a change of pace from snow skiing/snowboarding, check out these other fun winter activities!

Google the website or Facebook page for each listing to check out times, days of the week, costs, age restrictions, advance reservation requirements and other specifics.

Snow Tubing & Ziplining If snow tubing and ziplining are more your speed and comfort level, you have several great choices in the High Country.

All offer sweeping views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, plenty of lanes, snowmaking, plus moving carpet lifts to quickly transport you back to the top. Check out Beech Mountain Resort, Hawksnest in Seven Devils, and Sugar Mountain Resort, all in the northwest mountains of North Carolina.

Ice Skating While others are skiing or snowboarding on the slopes, you and your children may enjoy ice skating. Sugar Mountain Ski Resort has the added advantage of ice skating located next door to restaurants,

retail stores and other amenities. At Appalachian Ski Mountain, families can watch the resort’s Zamboni scrape the ice floor to get the rink ready for skaters! At Beech Mountain, ice skating is currently under construction and will be closed for the 2021-2022 season.

Sledding Sledding is the easiest and most accessible winter activity for all ages. It can be done almost anywhere there is a hill and public property—an inexpensive plastic sled will do—and snow in the High Country is almost certain throughout the season!

Beech Mountain has a new sledding hill across the street from the Visitor Center and behind the Brick Oven Pizzeria. It can be accessed from Bark Park Way, the paved road that runs beside the pizzeria. Parking is either in the public gravel lot just before the restaurant off the Beech Mountain Parkway, or the new, paved pay-to-park lot on Bark Park Way. Two state-of-the-art snow guns ensure a good base and quick coverage when the weather is optimal for snowmaking. Only plastic sleds may be used—no tubes or sleds with metal runners.

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing If you’re looking for fun, easy, and safe new ways to stay active and energized over the winter months, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing offer great alternatives for outdoor enthusiasts of every age and skill-level to get out and explore winter.

They are much faster to learn, and are also more affordable as a sport. The region offers a variety of options.

Tubing at Su gar M Photo by Todd ountain Bush

Beech Mountain has an extensive trail system available for snowshoeing with all levels of difficulty. Experienced snowshoers might consider the Emerald Outback trails at the top of the mountain. An easier snowshoeing option is the 1/3-mile walking track surrounding the Buckeye Recreation Center.

Sugar Mountain Resort offers a snowshoe guided tour that can be a casual walk or an intense workout in a wonderful winter wonderland.

Boone Greenway Trail (Boone, NC) is a nice flat trail that meanders through the woods and mountains and along creek beds. The trail is maintained by the Town of Boone, but it is “last on the list” to be scraped for snow after all town sidewalks and roads are clear, so there is a good chance you can get in some skiing if you arrive right after a good snow!

When the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed to vehicles due to ice or snow, it is open to hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Visit the National Park Service website for Blue Ridge Parkway road closures. Two good starting points are the gate on U.S. 221 near Beacon Heights to travel to the Linn Cover Viaduct, and off U.S. 221 just outside of Blowing Rock and south of the Cone estate on the parkway. In both cases, make sure to park without blocking the gates in case a park ranger needs to enter the area. Moses H. Cone Memorial Park near Blowing Rock offers some fine crosscountry skiing in an attractive and historic venue.

Valle Crucis Park has a nice and flat ¾-mile paved loop that is great for crosscountry skiing. (The park also offers excellent trout fishing locations that are accessible on snowy days.)

Continued on next page CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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Flat Top Manor

Elk Knob State Park in Todd is the only North Carolina State Park to offer crosscountry skiing.

Roan Mountain State Park in Tennessee sits at the foot of the soaring ridgetop for which it is named. Roan Mountain gets more snow than other local areas. It offers a variety of terrain—from scenic routes for novices to thrilling downhills for experts (though none of the trails are groomed).

Hiking If there isn’t enough snow for crosscountry skiing or snowshoeing, a winter hike is in order! Winter hiking offers crystal clear views, fewer people on the trails, and peace and quiet. And it’s worth braving the chill to make your way to one of the area’s waterfalls that transform into wondrous works of icy art during the winter season.

In Blowing Rock, Glen Burney Falls Trail is less than two miles long and offers several mini falls along the way that make for good photographs.

Blue Ridge Parkway has many trails to explore: Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Trails at Milepost 294 near Blowing Rock include 25 miles of historic carriage roads that are now wide, gravel trails. Three top hiking picks are: Flat Top Road Trail, about a six-mile hike from Flat Top Manor; Bass Lake Trail, an easy eight-tenths of a mile loop that takes you around the lake that is accessed from the Bass Lake entrance on U.S. 221 just outside downtown Blowing Rock; and Rich Mountain, about a five-mile roundtrip hike from Shulls Mill Road.

Julian Price Memorial Park at Milepost 296.7 is a majestic 4,200 acres at the foot of Grandfather Mountain. The park lies directly adjacent to Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. Price Lake Trail at Milepost 297 is a 2.5-mile loop trail that is mostly flat with

32 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Half Mile Bridge Trail on Grandfather Mtn.

plenty of lake vistas. Green Knob/Sims Pond Trail, inside Julian Price Memorial Park, is a 2.4-mile loop trail by a pond and cascades, and through a highland pasture. Boone Fork Trail, another loop trail in Julian Price Memorial Park, is five miles, taking you by many small waterfalls and through rhododendron tunnels.

Tanawha Trail stretches 13.5 miles from Julian Price Memorial Park to Beacon Heights and parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway on Grandfather Mountain. The many accesses from the parkway let hikers choose as long a section as they like.

Marked with white blazes, the Mountainsto-Sea Trail (MST) runs jointly with Tanawha Trail. The MST stretches from Clingmans Dome in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to Jockey’s Ridge State Park on the NC coast. Rough Ridge at Milepost 302.8 is actually a part of the larger 13.5-mile Tanawha Trail, but it is also a popular trail in its own right.

Beacon Heights Overlook Trail at Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 305.2 near Linville, N.C., is a short hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway to a stone summit with big views, especially nice for picnics.

Flat Rock Nature Trail at Milepost 308.3 is a mostly flat, ¾-mile loop that offers panoramic views from a “stone mountain” as you walk across the smooth rock summit.

Linville Falls at Milepost 316 is the most popular waterfall in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is a spectacular, threetiered waterfall plunging into Linville Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of the Southern Appalachians.” The Falls Trail distance is 1.6 miles round trip and easy. The Gorge Trail distance is 1.4 miles round trip and strenuous. The Plunge Basin Trail is a one-mile round trip and moderate.

Grandfather Mountain, the privately owned nonprofit nature park near Linville, offers access to 12 miles of premier hiking

Rock Dimensions Tower

trails, some of which venture into the adjacent Grandfather Mountain State Park. The nature park offers access to 11 trails varying in difficulty from a gentle walk in the woods to a rigorous trek across rugged peaks. Inpark trails include the Woods Walk, Black Rock Nature Trail and Bridge Trail. The nature park also provides access to backcountry trails within Grandfather Mountain State Park. Along the Grandfather Trail, a very strenuous trail that runs from the mountain’s Hiker Parking Lot out 2.4 miles to Calloway Peak, hikers use in-place cables and ladders for extra steep sections and at times are traversing the ridgeline of the mountain. If guests plan on hiking the backcountry trails, they’re asked to fill out hiking permits before setting out. These permits also give the hiker contact information to utilize if needed. Profile Trail is a 3.6-mile strenuous trail inside Grandfather Mountain State Park that takes you up the side of Grandfather Mountain to Calloway Gap. The trailhead to access the Profile Trail is located at 4198 NC Highway 105 North.

Williams Park in Sugar Mountain is a wooded 14-acre boulder-field forest with three short hiking trails that follow a cascading stream.

Beech Mountain Trails offer hikers of all ages and skill levels a number of options: Emerald Outback features more than eight miles of outstanding trails near the mountain’s summit. Upper Pond Creek Trail is Beech Mountain’s favorite trail with an easy one-mile hike and 15 different educational stations. Wild Iris Trail is an easy 2.5-mile woodland trail with only a moderate elevation change. A trail for all seasons, Wild Iris is perfect for hiking and biking as well as cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Lower Pond Creek Trail is a one-mile moderate to strenuous trail that offers some of Beech Mountain’s greatest natural beauty.

Hi-Lo Trail starts at Beech Mountain and offers you three choices of trails—the Tasters

Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster

Loop, Lakeside Loop and Mountain to Mountain Loop.

Elk Knob Summit Trail in Todd is 1.9 miles to one of the highest peaks of the Appalachians.

Otter Falls Trail in Seven Devils is a short 6/10-mile trail to a 25-foot waterfall.

Crab Orchard Falls Trail in Valle Crucis is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike that takes you to the beautiful Crab Orchard Falls waterfall.

Access to the trail is behind the Valle Crucis Conference Center.

Elk River Falls Trail in Elk Park is a short half-mile hike that leads you to a 50-foot waterfall cascading over a cliff.

Waterfalls Park in Newland is a small roadside park on NC Highway 194 across from Ingle’s grocery store with a 50-foot multi-tier waterfall for easy enjoyment for all, including picnic tables and a short trail.

Big & Little Lost Cove Cliff Trails near Newland are two sections of Lost Cove Cliffs in Pisgah National Forest and in the Wilson Creek Wild and Scenic River Area. You can hike to both Big Lost Cove Cliffs and Little Lost Cove Cliffs with this 5.5-mile trail combo.

Hawksbill Mountain Trail in Burke County is a 1.5-mile roundtrip hike to the summit of Hawksbill Mountain offering panoramic views of the canyon of Linville Gorge Wilderness Area with the valley floor and Linville River 2,000 feet below you.

Indoor Climbing When being outside is less than appealing, indoor climbing can be a great alternative. Two facilities in Boone offer superb options. Center 45 Climbing & Fitness has 2,000 square feet of indoor climbing (bouldering) terrain. The walls are all 14 feet at the apex with varied terrain. Every week, talented and creative route setters craft new and exciting climbs. The facility also offers

additional weightlifting and general fitness opportunities, along with a climbingspecific training area. Rock Dimensions Tower, next to the Footsloggers store in downtown Boone, stands about 40 feet tall and has more than 4,000 square feet of varying climbing terrain to accommodate both beginners and seasoned veterans.

The “Tower to Rock” program combines a tower experience with climbing out on real rock all in a day! Staff belays as well as belay classes and certification opportunities for belaying at the tower are also offered.

Attractions Wilderness Run Alpine Coaster in Banner Elk is the first alpine coaster in the North Carolina mountains. Each cart accommodates one or two people. Once the cart is pulled by a cable to the top, the remainder of the ride is downhill—fed by gravity—on multiple 360-degree loops, with riders using hand brakes to control the speeds, which reach up to 27 miles per hour.

Mountain Warriors UTV in Elk Park is a recreational UTV touring business that offers scenery, fun and adventure started by mother and son Regina and Carson Gordon.

It has more than 80 acres of land and trails, with top-of-the-line Polaris Rzr 1000 XP 4-seater vehicles. This is a guided UTV tour that offers views of the Appalachian Mountains, beautiful trail riding and intense hill climbing.

Sugar Creek Mining Company in Banner Elk lets you experience the thrill of prospecting for your very own authentic gemstones. You’re guaranteed to find precious and semi-precious gemstones in every bucket. The expert staff will set you up on the heated flume line and then help you pan for gems and identify them. If desired, expert gem cutters can cut your rough

Apple Hill Farm

gemstones and set it into a piece of jewelry.

Apple Hill Farm in Banner Elk features alpacas, llamas, angora goats, and more! Find joy and connection through the animals and the experience of a real working farm. Take the 60-minute guided tour and leave with a smile on your face and memories to share. Public tours are Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during the winter months, with private tours offered seven days a week. Tours by advance reservation only.

Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock celebrates the holiday season through Dec. 30 with Tweetsie Christmas, a winter wonderland and a nighttime train ride among thousands of dazzling lights! Enjoy the rides, shops, Santa, and much more.

The Blowing Rock in Blowing Rock is North Carolina’s oldest tourist attraction.

Enjoy the endless winter views and read the legend. Call ahead for hours, especially during inclement weather.

Mystery Hill in Blowing Rock is a unique blend of indoor and outdoor adventure. Explore the mysterious Natural Gravitational Anomaly, and watch a ball roll upwards and water flow uphill! Have fun with weird science in the hands-on science attraction, the Hall of Mystery, or encase your friends in a giant bubble at Bubblerama. Try your hand at axe or knife throwing and brave the Bull Riding Challenge at Tomahawk Hill. This winter, experience Crazy Christmas at Mystery Hill with daily elf hunts, Christmas Crafts, Christmas-themed photos, gem mining for Christmas jewels, snowball fights and weekend activities, including a YETI encounter, roaming carolers, Christmas light walk, Santa’s landing and more! (Also see “Museums” below.)

The Children’s Playhouse in Boone provides children from birth to age eight Continued on next page CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

33

Swimming at the YMCA

with an enriching, educational play environment while at the same time offering their parents and caregivers friendly support in the important job of raising children.

Ellwood’s Hatchet House in Boone is the town’s first and only indoor axe throwing tavern. Enjoy eight axe throwing targets, two corn hole lanes, a giant connect four, pool table, air hockey, pinball, cold craft and domestic beer, and great food.

Let’s Be Artsy! in Boone unleashes your creative side. The talented team of instructors guides you step by step through the session’s featured painting. All painting supplies and artist instructions are provided. No art experience is needed. You can even take a fun, introductory belly dancing class, too!

Grandfather Mountain in Linville features the Mile-High Swinging Bridge.

Weather permitting, the swinging bridge is the perfect spot to take in the endless winter vistas and capture the snowcapped mountains. Afterwards, head down to the animal habitats and see how otter, bear and eagles stay busy during the winter months!

Linville Caverns in Marion are the only show caverns in NC and have a constant year-round temperature of 52 degrees.

This is a perfect place to visit on a cold and windy winter day! See the winter hibernation of granddaddy long-legs and unique limestone formations. The caverns are open on weekends only during the winter. Bring a raincoat or a coat with a hood. The cave tends to drip!

YMCA of Avery County has something for everyone! Visitors can get a day pass and access everything the YMCA has to offer, including the indoor swimming pool with water slides and aerobics classes, a wide variety of group exercise classes, the Wellness Center with cardio and strength machines, basketball courts, indoor batting cages, golf simulators, drop-in childcare and more! If you’re staying longer, ask about YMCA membership opportunities. You can

34 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Blowing Rock Winterfest Polar Plunge

also see upcoming holiday programs and events on the YMCA website and social media accounts.

The Fred and Margie Pfohl Buckeye Recreation Center in Beech Mountain offers non-members day passes for full access to the facility, including a weight room, regulation-size gym, indoor tennis courts and a soft playroom for kids eight and under. The lobby provides wi-fi, cozy seating and an extensive lending library. Fitness classes are offered as well. The recreation center also manages the free canoe and kayak rentals on Buckeye Lake.

NC High Country Fresco Trail throughout the High Country includes more than a dozen frescoes painted in small mountain churches in the 1970s by artist Ben Long, a NC native. Follow the trail to see the following: 1849 St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Fresco, downtown Wilkesboro; Holy Trinity Church Fresco, Glendale Springs; St Mary’s Church Fresco, West Jefferson; and Sloop Chapel, Crossnore.

Museums BRAHM (Blowing Rock Art and History Museum) in Blowing Rock promotes the arts and Southern Appalachian heritage and history, through educational programs, exhibitions, activities and permanent collections. Current exhibitions include “Wildflowers: Glass Sculptures”

by Ronnie Hughes, through May 3, 2022; “Emergent Landscapes: Mountains, Music, & Improvisation in the Paintings of Abie Harris,” through January 15, 2022; “Potters & Patrons: The Gorelick Collection at BRAHM,” through April 16, 2022; “Storyland: A Trip Through Childhood Favorites,” through January 22, 2022; The Janet H. Wilson Collection, ongoing; Philip Moose, permanent collection; and “The Village of Blowing Rock: Exploring Our History,” permanent exhibit.

Appalachian State University’s Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in Boone offers free admission to the following permanent collections and rotating exhibitions: “Matters of the Heart (and Other Abnormalities)” by Shawn Morin, through February 5, 2022; “98.6 – A Creative Commonality,” through February 5, 2022; “35th Rosen Sculpture Competition and Exhibition,” through April 16, 2022; “In the Garden of Healing” by Dara Mark, through May 7, 2022; “To Remain Connected,” through May 7, 2022; and “19th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition,” March 4 - June 5, 2022.

Mystery Hill Museums include the 1903 Dougherty House: Appalachian Heritage Museum and Appalachian Fossil Museum in Blowing Rock. The Dougherty House was the first home in the area to have electricity and running water. The home is being restored to its original 1903 condition. Guests can tour the home, which is filled with turn-of-the-century furniture, antiques and memorabilia. Appalachian Fossil Museum displays North Carolina’s largest private collection of fossils.

Festivals 24th Blowing Rock Winterfest returns to Blowing Rock January 27 – 30, 2022. Jump into winter with the Polar Bear Plunge and Beer Garden. Keep warm with restaurant specials, a Chili Challenge and family activities at area attractions. Shop till you drop on Main Street while enjoying the Ice Sculptures outside various retailers. Whether you’re looking for a couple’s getaway or a family friendly weekend, WinterFest has something for everyone!

Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock’s Festival of Lights in Blowing Rock becomes a Winter Wonderland through January 2022, with over 50,000 dazzling

VX3 Trail Rides

Mountain Warriors UTV

lights around Chetola Lake. Make the drive around the resort and Chetola Lake for a stunning winter lights experience—the warm colors against a cool mountain background makes for a view like no other and highlights the natural beauty of the High Country. The displays illuminate at dusk each evening. The festival is a High Country tradition that culminates in Blowing Rock’s Winterfest.

Additional Holiday Festivities are offered in each of the High Country’s towns.

Holiday decorations and twinkling lights are especially magical against a background of snow in the High Country. Check out the parades and Christmas tree and art exhibits.

Horseback Riding Riding a horse or taking a carriage ride through snow-covered woods can be a one-of-a-kind experience. Two services offer 2.5-hour guided tours with trustworthy horses on easy carriage trails throughout Moses H. Cone Memorial Park at Milepost 294 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. VX3 Trail Rides offers custom rides for individual riders with experienced trail guide Tim Vines.

Rides are limited to a maximum of five to give you the best experience possible.

Carriage Run Carriage Service offers carriage rides on the 32 miles of carriage trails in the Cone Estate.

Fishing If your passion is fishing, winter is an ideal season to stalk wily mountain trout.

The crowds are gone, leaving you with solitude, spectacular scenery, and brook, brown and rainbow trout. There are guide services around the High Country offering outings.

Dan Tyminski at the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country

Live Theatre

Kids’ Camps & Lessons

When the weather turns blustery and cold, a matinee or night at the theater may be in order. Check out the offerings around the region, such as the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, several groups at Appalachian State University (Department of Theatre and Dance, Hayes School of Music, and the Schaefer Center for the Performing Arts), BeanStalk Community Theatre and Blue Ridge Community Theatre in Boone; Ensemble Stage and Lees-McRae College performances in Banner Elk; and Ashe County Little Theatre in West Jefferson, among many others. See the CML Cultural Calendar for a complete listing of upcoming productions and contact information for each theatre.

If you want to expose children to the lifelong sport of downhill skiing, you’re in the right place. While you can learn at any age, kids have the advantage of being flexible, nimble and relatively fearless. Enrolling your child in one of the region’s ski or snowboarding camps is a great way to introduce them to a positive and fun first-time experience. Plus, while they’re in camp, you’re freed up to enjoy some adults-only time!

Appalachian Ski Mountain has SKIwee and Cruiser Camp programs designed to teach beginning skiers, ages 4-10, and snowboarders, ages 7-12. Beech Mountain Resort offers several kids’ camps: Burton Learn to Ride Center for ages 6-12 to learn the basics of snowboarding; Snow Kamp for ages 3-5 to provide a positive and fun first-time experience; and Traxx ski instruction for ages 6-12. Also, Ski & Ride School offers hourly lessons for ages 4 and older and Snowflakes Childcare watches kids, ages 1-5, while adults hit the slope.

Sugar Mountain Ski Resort’s Children’s Snowsports School includes Sugar Bear Ski and Polar Bear Snowboard schools to teach skiing to children, ages 5-10, and snowboarding to children, ages 7-14.

Breweries & Wineries The High Country is home to several great breweries, including Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Beech Mountain Brewing Company, Blowing Rock Brewery, Boondocks Brewing Tap Room & Restaurant, Booneshine Brewers, Kettell Beerworks and Lost Province Brewing Company.

If wine is your preference, check out the wineries on the High Country Wine Trail including Banner Elk Winery & Villa, Eagles Nest Winery, Grandfather Vineyard & Winery, Linville Falls Winery, Thistle Meadow Winery, and Watauga Lake Winery.

Live Indoor Music Check out the many restaurants, breweries and wineries throughout this issue to find live music, from jazz to traditional mountain jams, all season long.

“We didn’t realize we were making memories, we just knew we were having fun.” ­—Unknown CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

35

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CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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The Other Mozart at CoMMA Everett McCorvey and the American Spiritual Ensemble at ATHC THE LITTLE PRINCE at Schaefer Center Presents

A Winter Wonderland In The Performing Arts: Regional Groups Return To Their Venues With A Flurry Of Productions he joy of audience members attending live, in-person productions is palpable as loyal patrons of our region’s performing arts organizations eagerly return to theatrical productions for the first time in a very long year and a half, or even longer for most patrons. While a few groups cautiously resumed operations in the late summer or early fall, most are now taking to stage with a wide array of eagerly awaited events.

“The success of recent in-person performances has clearly demonstrated that High Country audiences are ready to resume attending events,” said Appalachian Theatre Executive Director Laura Kratt, who noted that attendance has been building steadily since the venue resumed live programming last September.

Indeed, the cultural calendar has quickly filled up with even more concerts, festivals, plays, musicals, and dance events over the winter months and in the new year that will welcome local residents and visitors alike.

Here are but a few of the events that have been announced from now through mid-April, listed alphabetically by producing company, with many more to be announced shortly. PLEASE NOTE that all of the performances, dates, and times are subject to change; readers are strongly encouraged to check individual websites and/or the theatre box offices for the most current information.

See you at the theatre!

Following soon after is the American Spiritual Ensemble on January 28. This choral group is comprised of some of the finest classically-trained singers in the U.S. and preserves the traditions of the American Negro spiritual. Founded in 1995 by Dr. Everett McCorvey, this vocal ensemble has thrilled audiences around the world with their dynamic repertoire ranging from spirituals to classical to jazz, with Broadway showtunes that highlight the Black experience.

On February 8, ATHC presents the acclaimed Aquila Theatre Company and their production of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. Founded in London in 1991, Aquila Theatre is one of the foremost producers of classical theatre in the U.S., visiting fifty to sixty American cities each year.

For more info, go to AppTheatre.org.

Soapbox Time: The BENTON HALL COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER in North Wilkesboro is perhaps the best kept secret in our region. This 1913 architectural gem was a school for over half a century until its closing in 1979, when the venue was abandoned by the local school board and left in disrepair. Civic businessman Clarence Benton (“bless his heart,” as my mother would say) acquired the building in hopes of salvaging the historic structure and restoring it to its former glory. Fortunately for all of us, it is now home to the dynamic Wilkes Playmakers, an avocational theatre that is the pride of its community, and rightfully so.

Their next production is Disney’s The Little Mermaid, a stage musical based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story by Hans Christian Andersen about a mermaid who dreams of the world above the sea and gives up her voice to find true love. Performances run March 4 – 6 and 11 – 13 with ticket information available at www.wilkesplaymakers.com.

Their clever phone number is 336-838-PLAY (7529). You gotta’ love them, as I do.

A double-handful of offerings are on the winter season schedule at the CITY OF MORGANTON MUNICIPAL AUDITORIUM (CoMMA). Here are just a few that I’m looking forward to seeing. On February 18, The Other Mozart is the true, untold story of Maria Anna Walburga Ignatia Mozart, nicknamed Nannerl, the older sister of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. She, too, was a prodigy, a keyboard virtuoso, and prolific composer, who performed with her brother throughout Europe to equal acclaim, but Nannerl’s work and her story faded away, lost to history. Written and performed by Sylvia Milo, the play is based on facts, stories, and lines pulled directly from the Mozart family’s humorous and heartbreaking letters.

On February 22, the Russian Ballet Theatre presents their production of Swan Lake, Tchaikovsky’s timeless classic, with new choreography, hand-painted sets, and 150 new hand-sewn costumes. On February 26, “a modern day Mr. Rogers with hipster appeal” takes the stage in The Joshua Show, with live music, puppetry, physical comedy, and tap dancing by the multitalented Joshua Holden and friends. It is followed on March 21 by the Tony Awardwinning musical comedy Hairspray, about 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. “Can a girl with big dreams, and even bigger hair, change the world?” This all-new touring production will reunite Broadway’s award-winning creative team led by director Jack O’Brien and choreographer Jerry Mitchell. Additional information and tickets are available at www.commaonline.org or at yet another ingenious phone number, 800-939-SHOW (7469).

Continued on next page

C U LT U R A L C A L E N D A R

T

By Keith Martin

t heatre!

The APPALACHIAN THEATRE OF THE HIGH COUNTRY (ATHC) rings in the New Year on January 22 with acclaimed artist Dan Tyminski. Honored with 14 Grammy award wins and the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) “Male Vocalist of the Year” award, this modern Bluegrass musician is most famous for his performance of “I’m a Man of Constant Sorrow” in the film, “Oh Brother Where Art Thou?”

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

41

ROSANNE CASH Schaefer Center Presents

C U LT U R A L C A L E N D A R

NOBUNTU / Schaefer Center Presents / Photo by Werner Puntigam There are several anniversaries being celebrated this spring in the DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND DANCE (T&D) at Appalachian State University, including the 50th year of the Appalachian Young People’s Theatre, highlighted elsewhere in this issue. From February 23 through 27, the quadricentennial of the 1622 birth of renowned French playwright Molière will be commemorated with a production of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme. This beloved comedy features a rising member of the middle class who lusts for social status and higher learning. The strength of the play lies in its rich comic invention and its sure delineation of character. Its underlying themes of social striving, financial greed, and love’s ingenuity still resonate.

The Spring Appalachian Dance Ensemble (SADE) from March 23 through 27 features Appalachian faculty and students showcasing their talents in choreography and performance. New works featuring original choreography are a hallmark of this creative laboratory which includes eight different premieres with movement ranging from abstract to expressionistic, and rhythmic works of sheer physical energy, each exuding the joy of dance. The T&D season closes April 20 through 24 with Everybody, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality play Everyman.

The story follows Everybody (chosen from amongst the cast by lottery at each performance) as they journey through life’s greatest mystery: the meaning of living. It was a Finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

Info at www.theatreanddance.appstate. edu or 800-841-ARTS (2787). Are you seeing a trend with these astute box office phone numbers?

The good news outshines the bad in the PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT AT LEES-McRAE COLLEGE, housed in the School of Arts, Humanities, and Education.

42 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

While the pandemic forced the rescheduling of two fall productions, we still have opportunities to attend shows staged under the overarching theme that “women’s stories take center stage.” This includes a popular Broadway musical based on a muchloved movie, and a script that won both the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.

From February 9 through 12, David Auburn’s play Proof is a quiet, intimate drama that meditates on both grief and mental illness. The main character is Catherine, a young woman who gave up her own dreams to care for her sick but brilliant father. After his death, she is faced with her own lack of demonstrated success compared to her father’s legacy, her fear that she has inherited his mental illness, and the question of authorship of a groundbreaking, mathematical proof found in her father’s possessions.

9 to 5: The Musical, with book by Patricia Resnick and both music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, centers on three women employed by a chauvinistic male boss whose behavior and policies make life miserable for his employees. Through a series of mishaps, the women end up essentially in charge of the company and start making changes that benefit everyone. Performances take place April 6 through 9 in the Broyhill Theatre of Hayes Auditorium on their idyllic campus in Banner Elk, NC. For more information, visit www.lmc.edu/ theatreshows.

Over at SCHAEFER CENTER PRESENTS, Appalachian State University’s Office of Arts and Cultural Programs has an outstanding lineup over the winter months. First up is BalletX, a contemporary-ballet company from Philadelphia performing The Little Prince on March 19. This full-length ballet is choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and performed to the original music of

composer Peter Salem. This family-friendly event is inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s timeless novella of adventure and enlightenment.

Nobuntu, an all-female acapella quintet from Zimbabwe, takes centerstage on March 22. The group has drawn international acclaim for its inventive performances that range from traditional Zimbabwean songs to Afro Jazz to Gospel. The ensemble’s concerts are performed with pure voices, augmented by minimalistic percussion, traditional instruments such as the Mbira (thumb piano) and organic, authentic dance movements.

On April 9 the Schaefer Center welcomes Americana-country singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash. One of the country’s pre-eminent singer-songwriters, she has released 15 albums of extraordinary songs that have earned four Grammy Awards and 12 nominations, as well as 21 Top 40 hits, including 11 chart-topping singles.

The season also includes two special family matinees designed for young audiences, part of the APPlause! Family Series: an interactive concert with the Western Piedmont Symphony and excerpts from The Little Prince. Info at 800-841-ARTS (2787) or www.theschaefercenter.org.

NOTE: For those of you picking up a copy of this magazine “hot off the press” in December, please go to our website for a listing of holiday events and other seasonal performances.

CMLmagazine.online

2

022 marks the 50th anniversary year of the Appalachian Young People’s Theatre (AYPT), a dynamic component of the Department of Theatre and Dance at Appalachian State University. Founded in 1972, AYPT works in partnership with communities and public schools of northwestern North Carolina to bring high-quality, affordable, live theatre experiences to young audiences who otherwise see little or no theatre.

AYPT has a two-pronged mission: 1) To produce a variety of quality plays with educational value, including fairy tales, folk tales, musicals and plays with contemporary themes for K-8 audiences, and 2) To provide practical experience in producing and performing for young audiences for students seeking degrees in Theatre and/or Education.

Each spring the AYPT company consists of dedicated undergraduate theatre students who participate in tours to schools, libraries and museums to perform for approximately 7,500 young people every season. AYPT has also performed at the North Carolina Theatre Conference (NCTC) and the Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) Invitational Children’s Theatre Festival.

In 1996, the Constance Welsh Award for Excellence in Theatre for Youth was presented to the AYPT by the NCTC. In 2016, AYPT received the Sara Spencer Child Drama Award from SETC. This prestigious honor recognized the work of the organization for dynamic and engaging work for young people, and is named after children’s theatre pioneer and founder of the Children’s Theatre Press (now the Anchorage Press) Sara Spencer.

AYPT is currently under the leadership of only the fourth director in its history, Professor Teresa Lee, who is concluding her 34th year tenure at Appalachian this May. According to Lee, Professor Emeritus Ed Pilkington began the AYPT tradition in 1972, “when a small band of university students loaded into a 1941 Ford pickup truck and ventured into remote mountain communities with shows that were designed to teach components of the curriculum such as math, language arts, social studies and history.”

Lee is particularly proud of the fact that the shows encourage self-expression and selfconfidence by allowing the children to become part of the performance through audience participation. “The experience was and continues to be invaluable training for young theatre students at Appalachian,” said Lee. “The class was designed for students to earn three credit hours for their work, including building sets, props, and costumes, then touring the production for several weeks in the semester.”

Leadership of AYPT was passed along from Pilkington to Appalachian faculty members Vernon Carroll and Jonathan Ray before Lee took the directorship in the fall of 1988. “The program has seen changes over the years, but remains true to the roots of its beginnings,” said Lee. Under her leadership, the group typically performs published plays for young audiences. Very often the plays still include audience participation, which was one of the founding elements of AYPT. Simple sets, props, costumes and music are used to bring the Appalachian Young People’s Theatre productions to life. The students participating in AYPT coordinate their talents and energy, under the supervision of the faculty director, to build and rehearse the shows for the first half of each spring semester. The troupe then loads the show in a van and trailer to tour northwestern N.C. for seven weeks every March and April, plus three-days in residence on campus in Appalachian’s I.G. Greer Studio Theatre.

Each production is adaptable to a variety of performance spaces including gymnasiums, auditoriums and multi-purpose rooms. Teacher/student study guides are provided with all public school performances.

In recapping “the first half century” of AYPT, Lee enumerates over seventy theatrical productions, including one tour abroad to the islands and highlands of Scotland, as well as several collaborative productions with both Blue Ridge Community Theatre and the nowdefunct Blowing Rock Stage Company.

Approximately 500 Appalachian State University students have been involved in these productions with a total audience that will approach the 200,000 mark this spring in tours that have played 18 different counties in North Carolina.

For Lee’s final production, and in celebration of its “home,” AYPT will present Appalachian Echoes, adapted by Teresa Lee from stories by native writer, Doris Bliss. The audience will become part of the storytelling as we step back in time to a child’s life growing up in the mountains of western N.C. in the 1930s and ‘40s. This interactive performance will include live old-time music and is appropriate for all ages.

50

AYPT AT 50

Appalachian Young People’s Theatre Celebrates a Half Century of Excellence

By Keith Martin

t heatre!

For more information, visit www.theatreanddance.appstate.edu.

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

43

Barter Theatre’s Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights

By Keith Martin

This annual festival is a “not to be missed event” as Barter Theatre celebrates the richness of the Appalachian storytelling tradition by showcasing the stories of the region, both past and present, and the inspiration it provides the writers who live here.

Who better to do that than “The State Theatre of Virginia”? No one, in my opinion.

Since 1933, Barter Theatre has been developing new works and nurturing area talent. The Appalachian Festival of Plays and Playwrights (AFPP) has gained national attention by developing a process that has resulted in new plays being produced not only on Barter’s stages, but in regional theatres across the country.

In 2022, the AFPP will be held at Barter Theatre's Gilliam Stage from February 3 to 6 when audience members are invited to come to the theatre and hear brand new Appalachian plays read by Barter's resident company of professional actors.

Barter’s College Play Festival (CPF) is a 10-Minute Play Festival designed to give undergraduate college students a professional experience. Student playwrights selected for the CPF will have the opportunity to develop their play with professional Barter artists as well as attend workshops and meet professional playwrights. The 2022 CPF readings will be held on Barter Theatre's Gilliam Stage January 30.

Barter Theatre's Black in Appalachia Initiative was added as part of AFPP in 2021 and will continue in 2022. The first evening, Thursday, February 3, is dedicated to this year's Black In Appalachia projects, and includes readings of six newly developed monologues based on stories from the region's Black community and by Black playwrights around the nation; a piece from Black Appalachian storyteller, Ronnie Pepper; and a short documentary titled, "Sound and Sole," written and directed by Cara Hagan, a former dance professor from Appalachian State University, featuring Arthur Grimes, a renowned African American buck dancer.

On Saturday, February 5, there will also be a Black in Appalachia monologue writing workshop led by Darren Canady from the University of Kansas.

For more information visit https://bartertheatre.com/playwriting-festivals/

44 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

BALLETX:

THE LITTLE PRINCE Sat., March 19 / 7pm Story ballet inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic children’s novella.

NOBUNTU

Tue., March 22 / 7pm All-female a capella quintet in a performance featuring traditional Zimbabwean songs, Afro Jazz and Gospel.

ROSANNE CASH Sat., April 9 / 7pm

One of the country’s preeminent singer-songwriters!

WESTERN PiEdmONT SymPHONy Link Up: The Orchestra Sings Sun., February 13 / 3pm

fAmiLy SEriES

BALLETX Excerpts from The Little Prince Sat., March 19 / 11am

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New Mural at New River State Park

Winter Day Trips I

t’s an amazing thing, to live in a place with a full-blown winter, and yet be able to slip away for a day trip to warmer climes.

Due to their elevation, the Blue Ridge Mountains experience winters comparable to those of northwestern Pennsylvania, with its average snowfalls of 100 inches and bitter cold—and that’s more than four hundred miles north of here. Blue Ridge peaks average more than 6,000 feet of elevation, but just “down the mountain” from those heights, the climate quickly returns to the moderate winters of the upper south.

All that to say there’s no reason to endure a spell of cabin fever up at the highest points of the High Country when a quick trip—an hour of two in most any direction—can restore spirits and revive energies. To prove the point, here are three day trip destinations, all within about 50 miles of the High Country, that offer a break from the winter doldrums. They each have something worth seeing, whether great art or great scenery—or both. And while the trip might require a jacket and hat because, you know, WINTER, it’s a fair bet that mittens, snow boots, and scarves can be set aside for a few hours.

Situated at 2,716 feet in elevation, New River State Park in nearby Ashe County, North Carolina, is a quick drive and at least 1,000 feet lower than where most High Country living takes place. In Ashe County, the mountains seem to leave more

By LouAnn Morehouse

space for valleys, and the vistas are all the better for it.

It might be that the prevalence of wide-open scenery has led the good people of Ashe to welcome large-scale art with enthusiasm. The bustling town of West Jefferson is already known to be a place to see murals; there are more than seventeen of them throughout downtown.

The West Jefferson murals have been so well received that they’re now spreading throughout the county. Chamber Director, Kitty Honeycutt, says that she and other Ashe County advocates recognized the connection between seeing a major artwork and viewing majestic scenery, and decided to “cross-pollinate” their audiences. The mural at New River State Park is the first in their planned Mural Connectivity Project, which is envisioned as a driving trail through Ashe County for art lovers as well as outdoor enthusiasts.

The new mural stretches across the ground level of the park’s welcome center at the Wagoner Access, one of two areas in the park where people can put a canoe or kayak into the New River. Conceived and painted by Whitney Landwehrmann, the scene encompasses a broad view of the river from various perspectives as the images wrap around the building. The artist, an Ashe County native and professed river lover, has incorporated several points where a visitor can pose against the mural and “become” a part of the scene. It’s a beautiful

painting in a lovely natural setting, and for bonus points there’s a park ranger at hand to provide more information—such as why the New River is considered the oldest river in North America.

The park’s 3,000+ acres have walking trails for visitors who enjoy mixing their art and nature viewing, and tent camping is allowed year round. Or bring along a picnic—hot chocolate, anyone?—and plan a return trip with the canoe when the weather warms up a bit.

If descending just 1,000 feet isn’t far enough, drive a little further down, to 2,087 feet, and the fine old town of Abingdon, Virginia offers many charms and diversions. As one native puts it, “Everyone knows about Abingdon thanks to the Barter Theatre and the Creeper Trail, but we have even more to offer.” The Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace is an ideal destination to sample more of those offerings.

Located just off I-81 at exit 14, the Center’s distinctive profile is easy to spot. It’s a true showcase of the region, presenting an array of talents from fine handcrafts to revered musical traditions.

The Center’s marketplace is a spacious, light-filled hall that displays for sale a juried selection of products from 180 local artists and artisans. There are wood works, weaving, jewelry of all kinds (including carved coal), as well as tatting, beading, Continued on next page CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

45

Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace

patchwork, slab glass, and much more. It’s an exceptional variety with many items that would be difficult to find elsewhere.

Gallery exhibitors are frequently on hand to talk about their work, and special arts and crafts events take place throughout the year.

The Center’s cultural resources are equally rich. The venue has a comfortable screening room for videos and film, as well as a handsome performance area frequently used to host music events. Marketing director, Chad Thompson, explains that the Center is a major hub for the Crooked Road, also known as the Virginia Heritage Music Trail. The Crooked Road Trail itself is a 330-mile driving “trail” that links sites of musical heritage with more than sixty venues across nineteen counties in Southwest Virginia. It’s a veritable gold mine of day trip destinations, and full information, along with itineraries, can be had at the SW Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace.

Another 1,000 feet off the mountain, at a mere 988 feet in elevation, is North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, a pretty foothills town with its own fair share of history and culture. The Wilkes Art Gallery makes a point of assuring that those traditions are still available to everyone with a variety of art classes, a gallery with a rotating schedule of exhibitions, and a shop featuring local artists and craftspeople.

The Wilkes Art Gallery is housed in North Wilkesboro’s former public library, and is just around the corner from the newer library quarters in the business district. Director Ashley Barton says that

46——Winter Winter2021/22 2021/22CAROLINA CAROLINAMOUNTAIN MOUNTAINLIFE LIFE

Wilkes Art Gallery

the space provides ample room for all their activities. Pottery classes, which meet three times a week, are held in the basement studios, while the weekly knitters group meets upstairs among the latest exhibitions in the gallery. There are yoga classes and watercolor classes as well. All classes are fee based, available year-round, and open to anyone who is interested.

The gallery’s exhibition schedule begins every January with a photography competition open to all photographers.

March is Youth Art Month, and Barton says the whole town gets involved in that exhibition, with artwork from high schoolers featured in the gallery and younger artists proudly displayed in storefronts throughout town. In April 2022, Barton will present an “Art Mix” from a collective of women artists based in Watauga, Ashe, and Wilkes Counties. May 2022 will see the focus expand to furniture designer, Richard Prisco, encaustic painter, Pat Spainhour, and silversmith, Mike Walsh. Director Barton says she finds that varying exhibitions of local talents with work from notable artists from afar gives patrons the most well-rounded exposure to the art world.

A look through the gallery shop reveals the quality and quantity of fine arts and crafts to be found in the Wilkes area. Traditional skills such as bark basketry share the space with paintings and glasswork, pottery and more. Barton says that the shop inventory will soon be available as an online store, too.

Just as is the case with the New River State Park and the Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace, the

Wilkes Art Gallery is a noteworthy stop on yet another driving trail, the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, which is sponsored by the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.

That organization, dedicated to preserving and celebrating mountain traditions, has developed an extensive driving trail that lists artist studios and galleries of traditional crafts, with itineraries throughout the area.

For the best day trip, take a few minutes to study these venues’ excellent websites for full information on events and operating hours. Here’s a quick reference guide to the day trips described in this article: New River State Park - www.ncparks. gov. You might also want to visit www. ashecountyarts.org to learn more about the murals in West Jefferson.

Southwest Virginia Cultural Center and Marketplace – swvaculturalcenter. com. And www.thecrookedroadva.com has full information about The Crooked Road – Virginia’s Music Heritage Trail.

Wilkes Art Gallery – www. wilkesartgallery.org. To learn more about the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, go to www.

BlueRidgeHeritage.com and search the left column for “Craft Trails.”

So when living among snowy mountain peaks turns into Cabin Fever, it’s time to scrape the ice off the car and get away. And remember, not all who wander are lost.

Happy trails!

ANDY PAGE Photo by Ashley Warren, Natural Craft Photography

and…

All That Jazz!

SHANE CHALKE performs at Chef’s Table in Banner Elk

By Steve York

J

AZZ! It can be cool. It can be warm.

And it can most definitely be hot! Yet, somehow, it’s always cool. It can be Big Band, quartet, trio, or simply solo. Born in the deep South, “creoled” in New Orleans, “bootlegged” to Chicago and “citified” in New York, jazz, in all its forms, rose to become a distinctively American musical and cultural global export. And all that jazz is just as much at home here in the High Country as it is anywhere.

Although the local jazz scene is at its liveliest between spring and fall, the cold winter months are kept just a little bit warmer by several hot musicians who perform here at both public and private settings, as well as for special holiday events.

One of those is local jazz piano icon, Charlie Ellis. He’s been keeping the music smooth at the Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock for years. His most recent Charlie Ellis Jazz Trio—featuring Ellis, Mike Barlowe on drums, and Rick Stapleton on bass—have performed together for over 15 years.

Charlie started his affair with the long 88’s at age eight in his hometown near Fayetteville. After eventually settling in the High Country, he spent several years playing at the Hound Ears Country Club.

But it was his own legendary Jazz Parlor in Blowing Rock’s Martin House from 1972 to 1982 where Charlie, his bandmates, and a host of guest musicians really began to juice up the local jazz scene.

After the Jazz Parlor, Charlie could be heard at Blowing Rock’s former P.B. Scott’s, where he’d played with the likes of jazz greats such as Ramsey Lewis, Herbie Mann and others. Then came his current musical residency at the Green Park Inn.

His last Trio performance there was actually recorded live and entitled the Charlie Ellis Trio Finale. Prior to that, Charlie had produced two more recordings called A Consoling Christmas and Above the Hills, the latter featuring both Charlie and several studio musicians.

Not surprisingly, Charlie is much beloved at the Green Park Inn by both patrons and staff. “He’s always a gentleman, a class act and a big draw,” noted the Inn’s management. And that’s where you’ll find him year-round and throughout the winter from 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

He’s joined most weekends by renowned guitarist, Dave Braun, as a regular duo.

But you never know when another special guest musician or singer may appear and add to the show.

Shane Chalke is another name synonymous with High Country jazz. His “BE Jazz” group—so named for his Banner Elk seasonal setting—is on the musical menu every Wednesday night from spring to late fall at The Chef ’s Table within the town’s Village of Banner Elk dining and entertainment attraction.

Picking up the trumpet at age 10, Shane has played in a variety of funk bands, swing bands, and jazz groups over the years before founding his own trio. His most recent and locally inspired albums include “Jazz in Thin Air” and “Jazz on the River.”

Shane’s Trio, in its eleventh season at Chef ’s Table, includes Shane on Trumpet, Jim Fleri on keyboard, Ben McPherron on electric bass and, occasionally, local guitarist, Andy Page. As the Village’s developer, Angelo Accetturo, puts it, “Downtown Banner Elk has never been so alive. And Shane Chalke’s ‘BE Jazz’ is a big reason why.”

Other than Chef ’s Table in Banner Elk, Shane’s typical High Country seasonal venues include Alpen Inn on Beech Mountain, Chetola in Blowing Rock and Eagles Nest amphitheater on Beech Mountain. His last two High Country gigs for 2021 take place at Chetola on December 17 and at the Chef ’s Table Christmas Jazz event on December 23.

Jim Fleri, who is also a regular with Shane Chalke’s BE Jazz group, is equally well known as leader of his six-piece jazz ensemble called the Lucky Strikes Orchestra. This very popular regional band, which he founded over a decade ago, offers a rich variety of musical genres, from Swing and jazz standards to Motown, Beach and Classic Rock from the 1950s through the 1970s, all with a full jazz band sound.

After initially playing various woodwind instruments, Jim began his professional career as a drummer. Since his dad was a professional jazz pianist, being a drummer gave Jim a chance to play along with his father and mentor. But, after his dad’s passing, Jim turned back to his piano roots with his specialty being keyboard bass.

The Lucky Strikes Orchestra runs a busy spring through fall schedule that includes Grandfather Vineyard, Linville Falls Winery, Beech Alpen Inn, Valle Crucis Park, Inn at Ragged Gardens, Todd Community Park, West Jefferson’s Christmas in July and Backstreet Concerts, Lost Province, and the Blue Ridge Theater.

And, in the winter, Jim’s The Lucky Strikes Quartet performs regularly at Timberlake’s Restaurant in the Chetola Resort every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m.

music!

Continued on next page

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

47

THE LUCKY STRIKES at Chetola in Blowing Rock

Charlie Ellis (center) at Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock, with Dave Braun (right) and guest guitarist Don Miller (left)

Saxophonist TODD WRIGHT

Of course, we can’t talk about High Country jazz without spotlighting saxophone great, composer, studio musician, recording artist and Downbeat Magazine’s Gold Award honoree, Todd Wright.

Wright, who is Director of Jazz Studies at Appalachian State’s Hayes School of Music, is a world renowned and traveled musician who has played for Presidents and celebrities alike. He’s also played with or opened for more famous musicians than there’s room to list here, including having opened for the Dave Brubeck Quartet.

Wright is head of the High Country Jazz Society (formerly Blowing Rock Jazz Society), which brings regional and national musicians together for Second Sunday jazz concerts to help fund App State’s Jazz Studies program. Wright keeps a busy year-round schedule, teaching and playing with his App State jazz students, globetrotting, or performing with a who’s who list of local fellow jazz musicians.

“I began playing saxophone during the second semester of my high school sophomore year in Kentucky. I also played in a jazz band in undergraduate school but actually didn’t begin jazz training until after I entered graduate school,” noted Wright.

From that background, he has risen to a

place of notable respect and admiration from jazz peers, jazz music academia and a world of jazz lovers.

Wright and his quartet, trio or duo have played at numerous venues across the High Country for decades. He’s even pulled together a Big Band group for special occasions and founded a Latin jazz group called Brazilian Romance. You can catch his duo with guitarist Andy Page every Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at Casa Rustica Italian Restaurant in Boone. And, aside from his passion for actual performing, his other inspiration comes from guiding his App State jazz students over the past 30 years and seeing many of them also go on to become acclaimed professional musicians.

The aforementioned guitarist, Andy Page, is another force for local jazz. He’s been playing and performing for 35 years across all 50 states, Canada, Europe, Japan and Australia. He carries a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies and has taught jazz guitar and music history at App State for 20 years.

As noted above, he’s played with both Shane Chalke periodically and Todd Wright regularly over the past 20 years.

His trio, the Swing Guitars, has ongo-

music!

48 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

ing gigs across the High Country. He plays with a vocal group called Belleville Rendezvous every Tuesday at the Beacon Butcher Bar in Boone. And, along with twin brother Zack, The Page Brothers perform with various guest artists any chance they get.

One of Andy Page’s bandmates, Ben McPherron, is equally a key local jazz talent. McPherron, another App State grad, began playing electric base at age 14. He’s performed across all musical genres before swinging mostly to jazz and double bass over the past decade. Aside from his regular spot in Shane Chalke’s Trio, he joins with both Page and guitarist Jim Schaller in playing French-based gypsy jazz with Page’s Swing Guitars trio.

So, you see, all that jazz is exceptionally alive and well here in the highlands, even during our winter season. And, along with their regular public venues, most area musicians are also available for private bookings and special events. As Shane Chalke puts it, “I’ve always been amazed at the audience reception for jazz here in the High Country. I never would have expected to be playing so much jazz outside of a big city!”

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for Lending a Helping Hand Winter’s cold temperatures always result in tough challenges for those struggling to pay electric or fuel bills. That’s why so many people have stepped up to join Blue Ridge Energy in helping out.

Thanks to the generosity of thousands of Blue Ridge members and customers who participate in Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up® Plus, more than 2,500 local residents have received crisis energy assistance during the last 12 months.

Through Operation Round Up, participants voluntarily round up their electric bills to the next dollar amount.

The average contribution of just fifty cents per month (or $6 a year), joined with others’ gifts, goes a long way in sharing warmth and hope with neighbors in need.

Many members are going the extra mile through Operation Round Up Plus. In addition to rounding up their bills, they contribute an extra amount to assist deserving families. They have generously donated an additional $1, $5 or even $10 a month.

Be a good neighbor and lend a helping hand. Join Blue Ridge Energy in supporting your neighbors in need.

And THANK YOU to all those who have helped along the way!

50 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Join Operation Round Up or Operation Round Up Plus today.

Visit BlueRidgeEnergy.com/ORU.

It’s Always Play Time in Abingdon

Home of the Virginia Creeper Trail and the Barter Theatre, Abingdon, VA offers outdoor recreation, arts and culture, history, and an exclusive culinary experience. Stroll down Main Street, browse our unique shops, and visit local artisans right in their studios. Named USA Today 10Best Small Town Food Scene 2019 and 2020. Explore the charm and make memories that will last a lifetime. www.visitabingdonvirginia.com | 800.435.3440

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CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

51

BOOK NOOK

Book Nook Cut to the Chase D. Marshall Craig, MD, Author —Reviewed by Edwin Ansel

B

y day, Dr. Kyle Chandler is a trauma surgeon, mending torn bodies, holding life in his hands, staring down Death with a passionate “not my patient, not today!” By night, when any normal person with his career would be huddled on the couch with the remote and a glass of wine, Kyle is instead plunging into the high-stakes game of 19th Century French antiques.

Really? At first it seemed an unlikely pairing, like bacon dipped in chocolate. On second thought I’m thinking, heck yeah, why not? It’s a novel. I don’t want to read about ordinary people doing ordinary things. So when dabbling in antiques become as much a life and death matter as meeting an ambulance at the emergency room, I say, Bring it!

Kyle is the brainchild of D. Marshall Craig, MD., and the hero of this medical/Beaux Arts thriller, “Cut to the Chase.” Dr. Craig has over thirty years’ experience as a surgeon and is now a winemaker as well as a novelist, so maybe Kyle’s resumé is not so unlikely at all.

A novel can be a buffet, should be, really. A bit of this and that, everybody will find something good. Dr. Craig’s story is just such a buffet.

First of all, the scenes in the ER are both finely detailed and compelling. Real medicine is being described, and you can’t look away. And there’s a heartfelt critique of “managed care” where bean-counters are making life and death decisions and doing it badly. It’s pretty clear that Dr. Craig found that system to be monstrous, and that he wants us to beware of it.

Kyle is a gifted surgeon and a canny investor in antiques, but he is also a bit of an ingénue, constantly opening doors and walking down dark alleys when he shouldn’t. But fortunately he has super-competent, charismatic people to help him. Sydney Alfred is an older, wiser man who helps get Kyle into collecting and also out of trouble. Though he seems to be just another country club guy, he knows people, people with certain skills.

And there’s Caroline. Smart, sophisticated, elegant. Kyle is smitten, anybody would be, but he is suddenly thirteen years old again, a complete idiot, but also so genuinely in love with her that she can’t not like him back. Or maybe even more than like…

Dr. Craig notes that he has been influenced by good television scripts, and it shows. “Cut to the Chase” is structured like a TV series, short episodes moving in a longer arc towards the big finish. It’s a great way to tell a story, and this one is a wild ride.

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C M L’S W I N T E R R E A D I N G L I S T Check out these other titles that have been mentioned in CML Magazine this past year. n Images of America: Beech Mountain The Beech Mountain Historical Society A comprehensive look at Beech Mountain, then and now.

(Published by Arcadia Publishing, www.arcadiapublishing.com/) n Blowing Rock: Crown of the Blue Ridge Todd Bush, Author and Photographer A pictorial journey through Blowing Rock, NC with over 200 beautiful images of this beloved mountain town and the surrounding Appalachian High Country scenery, communities and faces. (Publisher, Don Iverson) n A Smoky Mountain Boyhood: Musings, Memories, and More Jim Casada, Author “Jim Casada’s passion for the work of the great outdoor writers is well known, and with ‘A Smoky Mountain Boyhood’ he cements the case for his inclusion in their ranks.” – Rob Simbeck, Amazon reviewer (Published by the University of Tenn. Press, utpress.org) n Even As We Breathe | Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle, Author “A fresh welcome, and much needed addition to the fiction of the Appalachian South and its neglected people and places.” – Charles Frazier, bestselling author (Published by Fireside Industries, www.kentuckypress.com/fireside-industries/) n Check out a variety of works by Michael C. Hardy Award-winning local author, historian and CML contributor Michael C. Hardy has published a long list of books on the history of our region. Recent titles include Lee’s Body Guards: The 39th Battalion Virginia Cavalry; Kirk’s Civil War Raids Along The Blue Ridge; and General Lee’s Immortals. Visit Hardy’s Facebook page at www.facebook. com/Michael.C.Hardy or website at www.michaelchardy.com. n Jeff’s Journey | Rick Herrick, Author “An ever-widening circle of love grows from one courageous man, Jeff, at its center to encompass his family, his friends, his work, and his community in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina to create this emotionally honest and large-hearted story.”

- Holly St. John Bergon, New York State University (Published by Resource Publications) n Hardly Easy | Kimberley Jochl, Author “Interesting, lively and informative about a teen girl who wanted to learn how to fly—against the wishes of her parents. Encourages the practical use of a STEM program in school to teach the science behind aircraft and flying.” – Kathy A., Amazon reviewer (Published by Wilfred Lee Books LLC) n Rhapsody | Mitchell James Kaplan, Author “Kaplan builds an enchanting world featuring musical giants George Gershwin and Kay Swift...This spellbinding and luminous tale will linger in readers’ minds long after the final page is turned.” Publishers Weekly (Published by Gallery Books, simonandschusterpublishing.com/gallery-books/) n Adventures in Park Valley: The Panicky Picnic Penny Lea, Author; Tony Uriz, Illustrator “This is a great story to read with the youngsters in your life that shares an all-toopowerful, yet simple lesson: Kindness wins!” – CML review (Published by Palmetto Publishing Group, www.palmettopublishing.com) n Canvas and Cuisine: The Art of the Fresh Market Jorj Morgan, Author; Susan Fazio, Artist “Part coffee table book, part travel log, this visually delicious, delectably readable cookbook pays tribute to what may be the world’s most important treasure: fresh, locally grown food.” – Amazon (Published by Dorrance Publishing Co. Inc., www.dorrancepublishing.com/) n The Ashe County Frescoes of Benjamin F. Long IV Janet C. Pittard and David B. Chiswell, Authors “...presents the most up-to-date and complete history of the frescoes that decorate the walls of the two Episcopal churches in Ashe County, NC.” – CML review (Published by McFarland Books, mcfarlandbooks.com/) n Waterfalls & Wildflowers in the Southern Appalachians: Thirty Great Hikes Timothy Spira, Author “An artistic and athletic feat. . . . As useful for vacation-at-the-cabin reading sessions as it is as a field guide.” - Asheville Citizen-Times (Published by the University of NC Press, https://uncpress.org/)

The Big Picture Show:

Warm up Your Winter with Dune

By Elizabeth Baird Hardy

I

“For all the exotic worlds, strange languages, and dizzying technology, this is a story about politics and people, following the old familiar patterns of empire-building and myth.”

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

53

BIG PICTURE SHOW

n 1965, Frank Herbert’s Dune was first published after initially appearing as a serial. The award-winning novel and Herbert’s five sequels have spawned spin-off books, games, and a massive fan following, while also inspiring a complex history of film and television adaptations, sometimes confusing those who had not read the book and irritating those who had. The newest incarnation, Dune: Part One, directed by Denis Villeneuve, is a feast both for the senses and the mind, with something for both those well acquainted with Herbert’s book and for the novice as yet unfamiliar with the far-flung worlds and vast cast characters caught up in the spiritual and political intrigues surrounding the world of Arrakis and its precious resource of spice.

From its opening scenes, Dune is visually stunning, taking viewers to fictional, yet realistic locales, from the sparkling sands of Arrakis to the depths of space. The film incorporates Herbert’s descriptions, from costumes to the distinctive blue eyes of the Fremen, inhabitants of Arrakis who have been constantly exposed to Melange, the “spice” that makes their planet so valuable. Homages to the 1984 film adaptation are also included. Yet, the film truly possesses its own unique palette that uses light, color, and texture effectively to capture the sensation of the heat shimmering on the surface of the sands or the cold metal of spacecraft moving through the void of space. The audio landscape of the film is equally mesmerizing. From the haunting, stirring score, to the ominous sounds of the mighty sandworm, to the effects that provide the sounds for ships, weapons, and tools, Dune is incredible to hear as well as to see.

The story of Dune, while familiar to readers of the novel, is one that even the unfamiliar will quickly grasp. For all the exotic worlds, strange languages, and dizzying technology, this is a story about politics and people, following the old familiar patterns of empire-building and myth. The feudal world of Dune has historic and literary echoes, with its powerful families, mysterious mystics, and scheming emperor attempting to control the supply of the most valuable substance in their universe, often by crushing or manipulating those under their rule.

Paul Atriedes (Timothée Chalamet), our hero, is a young man with a weighty destiny.

Although his role as a “chosen one” is one that may seem familiar, his resemblance to other young men destined to greatness is part of the mythic quality of Dune. Paul shares qualities with figures like Harry Potter and Luke Skywalker, not because of authors borrowing others’ ideas, but because they are pulling from the same mythic well; and while Paul’s gifts, trials, and expectations echo those of the great hero myths, he is still unique. One of the most interesting motifs in the film stems from Paul’s prescient dreams. The film’s opening statement—”Dreams are messages from the deep”—prepares viewers for the way dreams are woven throughout the film. The heroic Duncan Idaho (Jason Momoa) assures Paul that “Dreams make good stories, but everything important happens when we’re awake.” Yet, Paul’s dreams are critical to his survival against political machinations, inhospitable environments, and hand-to-hand combat.

Dune carefully balances heart-pounding action sequences, backroom scheming, and gently humorous human interactions. Paul’s dream sequences tie the narrative together while demonstrating the power of the spice to both distort and heighten perception.

The acting is excellent, with a talented cast creating the impression that these characters all have history together. Their natural interactions, as friends, lovers, parents, or enemies, bring a level of humanity to what could be an overly technical and cerebral film. Instead, the performances immediately draw the viewer into the lives of individuals swept about by impersonal and distant intrigues and the larger forces of greed, envy, and revenge.

The engaging cast, visual and auditory power, and well-balanced story all work together to create a film that can appeal to those who love the book and to those who have never read or even heard of it. Science fiction may not be everyone’s favorite genre, but during our chilly High Country months, Dune: Part One can be a welcome escape to distant worlds, and even the soaring temperatures in the desert of Arrakis may be an inviting place to visit, at least for two hours.

Rated PG-13 for some disturbing material as well as for scenes featuring intense action and violence, Dune: Part One was released in theaters in October 2021 and is available through streaming services.

The Art of Astrophotography:

An Interview with Todd Bush Perseid Meteor Shower

D

id you ever come across a photograph of a fiery comet shooting through the sky, or the northern lights casting their eerie, magical glow, and wonder, “How did I miss seeing this?” or, “Who took that amazing shot!?”

The answer to the latter question might just be “Todd Bush.”

Todd Lewis Bush has taken photos as long as he can remember, citing his father as his initial inspiration. Bush opened his first photography studio across from the entrance to Sugar Mountain in 1990, working part time at a one-hour photo lab, before becoming a full-time photographer in in the mid-90s. Today, he is one of the High Country’s most recognizable names in commercial photography.

When he’s not focusing on photo shoots for a long list of happy clients, Bush is busy pursuing what he calls his “hobby”—astrophotography—or the photographing of celestial objects and phenomena. “Whenever news of a comet being visible reaches me, I’ll oddly spring up from a sound sleep to get up and go outside to photograph it,” says Bush. “It’s near instinctual.”

CML sat down with Bush to learn more about his quest to capture the sky’s marvels and share them with those of us who may otherwise miss the beauty and awe of these heavenly occurrences.

CML: Is it accurate to say that the sky is one of your favorite subjects?

Bush: Beyond a doubt! Hearing the phrase time and again, “Keep looking up,” inspired me to a lifetime of doing just that.

So much in the natural world is encouraging, and worthy of witnessing or photographing to share with those who may not be present when you see something

54 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

By CML Staff Aurora over Beech

fascinating…things like vast expanses and mighty mountains. But the sky is indeed special. Home to soaring birds, clouds and transiting celestial objects, the sky is like a movie screen of activity—ever-changing.

CML: How did you first become interested in capturing sky scenes and celestial events?

Bush: My interest in astrophotography really kicked in during the mid-80s when Lorie (my awesome wife) and I joined the Charlotte Amateur Astronomy Club (CAAC). The club had an observatory southeast of town in Weddington.

CAAC members could get a key to their observatory building and access a 16-inch Cassegrain telescope to which you could attach your 35mm SLR camera and get a taste of photographing night sky objects big-time. Also in the mid-80s, Halley’s Comet made its once-every-75-to-76-year appearance. To see how something barely visible to the naked eye could have so much more impact when revealed in a photograph was what really set the scene for my personal interest in astrophotography.

CML: What celestial event or atmospheric phenomenon is the most memorable—where everything came together to create a spectacular moment on “film”?

Bush: The totality moment of the Great American Eclipse of August 21, 2017 tops the list.

But not far behind and not necessarily in order would be photographing several comets; getting to twice witness and photograph aurora borealis right from home in Banner Elk; on a few occasions witnessing an atmospheric phenomenon known as a Glory, as well as seeing and photographing

lightning, meteors, milky way, rainbows, sun-dogs, moon-dogs, iridescent clouds, a mysterious green air-glow at night, and one time at the coast witnessing the elusive green flash that sometimes spectacularly appears just before the sun breaks the horizon.

CML: Tell us more about the planning that went into capturing such a rare event as the Great American Eclipse of 2017.

Bush: Having photographed and enjoyed several lunar eclipses but having never photographed a total solar eclipse, I had a lot to learn. Eclipse chasers are an elite breed who think nothing of traveling to the other side of the world to see these spectacular and rare events. In 2016, a couple of our eclipse-chasing friends told us about a total solar eclipse in 2017 that would be visible across much of the U.S., giving us time to prepare for photographing it—within a budget. Those same friends had given us a motorized equatorial mount that moves to compensate for the rotation of earth, keeping celestial objects in view as the earth spins. With that mount, and cameras and lenses in hand (including a hand-me-down from Grandfather Mountain’s Hugh Morton, my hero and mentor of all-things-photography), we decided to additionally get a small telescope with more magnification to make the sun appear even bigger for this potentially once-in-a-lifetime event.

Next was the matter of selecting a spot along the line of totality—the eclipse’s centerline path where observers can witness a total eclipse of the sun, which is when the moon completely obscures the sun creating a ring of light. After reviewing maps, satellite images and the projected path of the

Great Eclipse of 2017

sun for that day, I chose a dam along Lake Rabun in Lakemont, Georgia.

With cameras pre-programmed with exposure times and intervals, I was able to watch the event live through eclipse glasses while back-floating the warm, calm lake waters—the cameras doing the heavy lifting. As the eclipse entered totality, the coloring in the sky and general feeling was like nothing I had ever witnessed.

Otherworldly comes to mind. The silvery light illuminating the world around was like seeing a scene from another planet.

The stillness, the crescent shadows on the ground, the joy expressed in shouts of wows by everyone in earshot made for an exhilarating, unforgettable experience.

Note to readers: Another Great American Eclipse is slated for April 8, 2024 (https://www.greatamericaneclipse.com/april-8-2024/).

CML: What astronomical events are you hoping to capture this winter?

Bush: Like many, I’ve always been a fan of the constellation Orion. Orion is a wonderful winter subject. A nebula of glowing dust and gas below the belt of Orion known as M-42 is a birthplace of stars and an ideal target for binoculars, telescopes and most cameras. This winter I hope to get a photo of the whole constellation of Orion that also shows M-42 prominently with its array of reds that show up during long exposures.

CML: Can you provide some guidance for readers who may be interested in astrophotography, including some of the essential tools/equipment one needs?

Bush: Some tips for anyone interested in astrophotography would be to start out

Equipment and Dalai

Venus Transit across the sun from Grandfather Mtn.

researching astrophotography online or in a book. The website space.com has a guide to astrophotography for beginners.

Then check out videos on the subject on YouTube, especially those by Alan Dyer. I use the app PhotoPills for planning shoots and really like the app SkySafari for seeing what’s going on in the night sky. Star Walk is very nice too. The app developers’ tutorials on all of these are excellent.

A tripod is pretty much a must, though some modern cell phones and cameras can even capture the Milky Way handheld.

Wide-angle camera lenses are nice to use for astrophotography of the Milky Way and meteor showers, as you can go up to 30-second exposures recording a lot of detail without much movement of the stars.

The wider the better in that regard. Once you increase the magnification, it is imperative to look into getting a motorized star tracker (or similar) to mount your camera onto. A red headlamp or flashlight is best to have on-hand to help see your gear better without ruining night vision (as a white light can). Practice with and set your camera controls and settings for astrophotography indoors before heading out.

Finally, I recommend visiting the website spaceweather.com to find out what’s going on in the night sky throughout the year.

See more of Todd Bush’s astrophotography at bushphoto. com. Bush’s photographic works, including astrophotography, are available for purchase at BE Artists Gallery in downtown Banner Elk. Bush also teaches digital photography classes at Mayland Community College. Learn more at https://www.mayland.edu/.

Milky Way CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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...notes from the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation

One of Gran dfat from frolicki her Mountain’s resident ng in the snow river otters ta Grandfather ’s habitat an . Wintertime often mea kes a break ns ‘fun time’ im among the fl al for uffy flakes. Ph s, who can frequently be fo oto by Frank Ruggiero | G und playing MSF.

Winter may be one of Grandfather Mountain’s longest seasons, but this tranquil time of year brings mountains of opportunities for mile-high wonder.

Less traffic and fewer crowds mean more to see, as guests can savor the solitude and take in seasonal sights unique to winter.

The weather atop Grandfather is some of the most extreme and fastest changing in the eastern United States. But between the periods of wind and snow, Grandfather can offer many pleasant, sunny and mild days for hikes and even picnics.

“Grandfather Mountain becomes a veritable winter wonderland during the colder months,” said Frank Ruggiero, communications manager for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that owns and operates the Linville, NC, nature park.

“Rime ice coats the Mile High Swinging Bridge, the river otters frolic on their frozen pond, and the mountain itself feels exceptionally peaceful.”

Here are just a few more reasons to visit Grandfather Mountain during winter: Postcard Views See the longest views in the Blue Ridge Mountains! Winter brings many clear days with deep blue skies without the haze of most summer days. Sometimes, you even get a glimpse of the Charlotte skyline more than 80 miles away and postcard scenes of trees covered in ice and snow. Walk the famous Mile High Swinging Bridge, but dress warmly and hold on to your hat! Often, you will have the bridge all to yourself!

Wildlife Habitats Snow especially brings out the animals’ personalities in Grandfather’s environmental wildlife habitats. Cougars

frolic in the fluffy flakes, elk look particularly regal against a backdrop of snow, and the mountain’s river otters steal the show.

Dine & Splurge Savor lunch favorites at Mildred’s Grill inside the Nature Museum with homemade soups, salads and sandwiches.

While you dine, watch winter birds outside at the feeders. Just down the path, Grandfather’s Fudge Shop has many yummy flavors. Picnic areas remain open for those warmer days!

Shop From holiday presents to special souvenirs for yourself, find plenty of unique items and collectibles in the gift shops located inside the Nature Museum and Top Shop. Both shops carry a variety of artisan crafts and goods, as well as signature Grandfather Mountain souvenirs, from apparel to hiking gear to drinkware and all things in between. For that someone with everything, adopt an animal for them. All proceeds benefit the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.

Hike Surprising to many, Grandfather Mountain has many milder days that make for the best hiking weather of the year. During icy and snowy periods, trails will be closed for safety. Trails close at 4 p.m. Those planning to hike are encouraged to call the park’s Entrance Gate at 828-733-4337 to check on trail conditions and ensure that trails are open. If you plan to hike, wear adequate layers and prepare for sudden changes in the weather.

Hours & Tickets Grandfather Mountain is open yearround, weather permitting, with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

During winter, the park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with ticket sales ending at 3:30 p.m. Trails close at 4 p.m. Advance reservations are required by visiting www. grandfather.com. Discounts and coupons are only valid when booking your visit online.

Guests are strongly encouraged to call the Entrance Gate at 828-733-4337 before visiting to check on the park’s conditions and opening status (see below).

Weather Permitting During times of inclement weather, including snowy, icy and windy conditions and extremely low temperatures, the mountain may close entirely or halfway, meaning no access to the Mile High Swinging Bridge until conditions improve. If the park is closed halfway, guests may visit for half-priced admission—even if the remainder of the mountain opens during their stay. Updates will be posted on the homepage at grandfather.com.

Get the Grandfather Mountain weather forecast at www.grandfather.com/ weather. As you drive up the mountain, the temperature often drops up to 5-10 degrees. The mountain is frequently 20 degrees cooler than the foothills below.

“Whether you’re snapping photos of snow-dusted evergreens, sipping soup or hot cocoa from Mildred’s Grill or just sharing the solitude with your loved ones, winter at Grandfather Mountain is a special time of year,” Ruggiero said.

The nonprofit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation (GMSF) strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call 800-468-7325, or visit www. grandfather.com to book a trip.

Winter notes CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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G R A N D FAT H E R N OT E S

Grandfather Mountain: Winter Wonders Never Cease

n be inging Bridge ca The Mile High Sw ter, and with fewer crowds in magical during w year, guests can often of during this time lves! se have it all to them e GMSF. th Photo courtesy of

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Blue Ridge Explorers:

On the Rocks

By Tamara S. Randolph

Museum displays include fossils and petrified wood Archie the aetosaur

long our stretch of the Blue Ridge Mountains, we walk, scramble and climb among some astonishingly old geological formations. When we say “old,” we’re talking hundreds of millions of years to more than one billion years old! Rocks may not be something we think about daily, but the more people learn about the long and complex geologic history of our area, the more fascinated they become.

For serious rock hounds, one of greatest, yet lesser known, opportunities for the public to explore rocks, minerals, fossils and more is on the campus of Appalachian State University in Boone. The Geological and Environmental Sciences department at App State (a.k.a. APPGES) has put together an extraordinary geology venue for all to discover.

Here you’ll find rare mineral collections, ancient boulders, and even fossilized dinosaur bones. It’s a place where you can come to get your geology fix—for free—any hour of the day, every day of the year.

Take a Stroll through a Rock Garden Just outside the Rankin Science Hall on App State’s campus is the Fred Webb Jr. Outdoor Geology Laboratory. This unique rock garden was created by Appalachian State geology professors and alumni to commemorate the 30+ year career of Dr. Webb, who taught at App State from 1968 until his retirement in 2004. Open to the public 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the garden is a major component of the APPGES public outreach program.

“Public outreach is something our department is fully committed to,” says Marta Toran, Lecturer and Outreach Coordinator with APPGES. “We are the only science department on campus with dedicated outreach facilities that are open to the public daily.”

Kids and adults alike enjoy meandering through the rock garden to view more

than 30 ancient boulders from all over our region. Here you can discover a dazzling 377-million-year-old Spruce Pine Pegmatite. Or touch a 740-million-year-old boulder that was once a piece of the Grandfather Mountain Formation. Continue to wind along the garden path and check out the Cranberry Gneiss (pronounced “nice”), a rock from the Mesoproterozoic Era that dates back 1.1 to 1.3 billion years!

The garden tour even includes an encounter with a dinosaur from the Triassic period—“Archie” the aetosaur is a lifelike bronze sculpture that now makes its home in the Fred Webb Jr. rock garden.

Warm Up in the Teaching Museum After your rock garden tour, head inside Rankin Science Hall to find The F. Kenneth & Marjorie J. McKinney Geology Teaching Museum. “Our museum is small but has amazing minerals and fossils on display and is the only place around where you can touch an actual 200-million-year-old dinosaur bone and a chunk of the oldest rock formation in the world, the Acasta Gneiss, which is around four billion years old!” shares Toran.

The Geology Teaching Museum is open to the public any time the University is in session, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday evenings 5:30-8:30 p.m. “During the day, the museum is unstaffed—people can just walk in and explore by themselves,” says Toran. “During evening times (5:30-8:30 p.m.) it is staffed by a geology or environmental science major called an ‘Answerspherian,’ who can answer geology related questions, ID rocks and minerals, and more.”

She adds that there are other displays along the hallways near the museum showcasing North Carolina minerals, rocks from every corner of the Appalachians and scientific research posters featuring the work of the department’s faculty and students.

Tours, Events and the Geobago Interested in a guided tour? “Our facilities tours are customized to each group and we provide hands-on activities for kids, usually facilitated by our geology and environmental science majors,” Toran explains. “We also join public events in museums and science centers; for example, there will be a Fossil Fair at the Schiele Museum in February for the public that we will participate in, and the Catawba Valley Gem and Mineral Club Show in Hickory in March.”

The department’s “Geobago” is a mobile classroom, specifically for K12 education.

Available to schools and informal education groups, this lab on wheels stores many hands-on activities related to rock and mineral identification, paleontology, hydrology and environmental science.

So if you or anyone in your inner circle has ever been curious about the ancient rocks that are all around us here in the High Country, get to know APPGES and the amazing resources they make available to the public. “People can go to our outreach website, http://earth.appstate.edu/ outreach, for more information about our programs, or email toranml@appstate.edu,” advises Toran. “We also post special events information on Twitter (@app_earth_sci) and Facebook (@appalachiangeology).”

The APPGES Geobago Tamara Randolph is a N.C. Certified Environmental Educator and Blue Ridge Naturalist. She is the founder of Carolina Explorers: Adventures in Nature, an educational day camp for kids in Banner Elk. You can reach Tamara at tamara@NCexplorers.com.

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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The Effortless Girl Presents: DIY Valentine Hearts

By Julie Loven February is for Valentines! This project is simple but from the heart. We’re making DIY Valentine Hearts with paint and pencil erasers.

Use this painting technique to create a heartfelt card, a shirt, or maybe even fabric napkins. Making handmade gifts is an especially personal way to show your special someone how much you care. Valentine’s Day is the most important day to do this (ahem, wink).

However, this technique is not just for Valentine’s Day—you could use the pencil eraser dot method to paint anything, and it requires very little artistic skill. This project is very kid-friendly and the investment is minimal, around $5. Let’s get started!

Materials: • Number 2 Pencils ($1 for box of 18 at a dollar store) • Craft paint (89 cents per tube at discount store) • T-shirt, towel, fabric napkin, paper— whatever you want to paint • Heart-shaped stencil or cut-out How-To: • Begin by cutting the heart shape for a template. I downloaded a heart shape from the internet, printed it, and cut it out. Lay the heart template flat on the surface you want to paint.

• Next, squeeze two dollops of paint onto a paper plate to dip the pencil eraser in. Use one or more colors; I used red and pink paint.

• Hold the pencil upside down and dip the eraser into the paint. Then press the eraser onto the surface you are painting and make a dot. Continue with dots around the heart.

You may do as many or as few as you want.

• Conversely, you could paint dots inside of a heart shape. Place dots around a heart cutout or inside the heart stencil until the heart shape is visibly formed; then allow the paint to completely dry. Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Lifestyle expert Julie Loven, also known as The Effortless Girl, specializes in DIY crafting, growing, and building for fun and function. Loven shares her creativity with others on both local and national television, in a variety of publications, and at her website, www.effortlessgirl.com.

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Grand Revival: Renovations Renew Flat Top Manor’s Exterior

By Rita Larkin

railings. At the company’s workshop in Greensboro, N.C., the team meticulously repaired and repainted the features before returning them to their original locations on the building.

The project is one of many that Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation donors and volunteers have made possible at the estate, including the construction of restrooms at Bass Lake, clearing of vegetation on carriage trails, care of the hydrangea garden, and the installation of a fire suppression system in the manor.

“Flat Top Manor is grand again thanks to the outpouring of community support for its rehabilitation,” said Carolyn Ward, CEO of the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “The home is an iconic feature of North Carolina’s High Country and the Parkway, and we are delighted visitors today and for years to come will now see its true beauty.”

Moses H. Cone Memorial Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The park was owned and developed as a gentleman’s country estate by Moses H. Cone, an American captain of industry of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who with his brother, Ceasar Cone, brought denim production to the South with several mills based in Greensboro, N.C. Beginning in 1897, Moses carefully created an impressive 3,500-acre country estate featuring carriage trails, lakes, orchards, fields, and forests. His vision was influenced by a great regard for the natural landscape.

Before his untimely death in 1908, Moses and his wife, Bertha, constructed Flat Top Manor as the centerpiece of this idyllic mountain retreat. After his passing, Bertha operated the estate for 40 years, adhering to his original concept. The estate became part of the Blue Ridge Parkway in 1950.

B LU E R I D G E PA R K WAY

For years, peeling paint, crumbling woodwork, decaying columns, and even a boarded up window at Flat Top Manor signaled that the former country home of Moses and Bertha Cone was desperate for repairs. Historical buildings require lots of care, and the circa-1901 Colonial Revival style manor needed as much as it could get.

After 14 months of exterior renovations, the grand 23-room manse gleams from its perch overlooking Bass Lake. To complete the transformation, crews removed columns, balusters, and windows, repairing as many elements as possible and recreating those that could not be saved. Each piece of compromised clapboard siding was replaced before the entire exterior was repainted. The cedar roof shingles were replaced with a sustainable composite shingle from Enviroshake. Even the beadboard ceiling of the spacious porch was refreshed.

The cost of the exterior renovation was approximately $2.4 million. The renovations were funded by generous Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation donors and the National Park Service (NPS).

“Not in its 120-year history has the exterior of Flat Top Manor undergone such an extensive restoration,” said Kevin Brandt, Project Manager for the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. “With proper annual maintenance this work should last a generation or longer.”

Architects from the Denver Service Center, the National Park Service’s planning, design, and construction management office, led the restoration work. The center tackles the park system’s largest projects including preservation of Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, and the Wright Brothers Memorial. The NPS hired Ritz Construction, Inc., to lead the onsite effort to complete the restoration. Double Hung, LLC, was responsible for the process of delicately removing all the windows, columns, and

To learn more about the project, visit BRPFoundation.org/remakehistory.

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oes your family enjoy hiking and exploring our local forests, parks and trails? Follow our “Trail Reports” in each issue for some of the latest developments on trails and public lands, and to learn about opportunities to discover our region’s rugged mountain beauty.

Trail Reports: Winter 2021/22 TRAIL REPORTS

By CML Staff

Foscoe Wetland Opens to the Public A 10-acre wetland for birding is now open to the public in Foscoe, NC, thanks to a partnership between High Country Audubon Society (HCAS) and Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC). The property was donated in 2016 to the Conservancy, who partners with landowners and local communities to permanently protect natural resources with agricultural, cultural, recreational, ecological, and scenic value in northwest North Carolina.

“This area represents a natural habitat that is not that common in the High Country—a hardwood wetland,” said Debbie Shetterly of the High Country Audubon Society. “HCAS is happy to be able to help BRC provide public access to this habitat. Birders can expect to find birds such as the belted kingfisher, osprey, and several species of flycatchers, among many others.”

A wetland is an important area between dry land and water that creates a unique, saturated home for water loving plants and animals. A variety of birds, insects, amphibians, and other aquatic life visit and live in wetlands, creating a healthy mix of biodiversity. Along with providing habitat, wetlands act as filters, removing toxins and pollutants that would otherwise flow downstream. They also help control flooding.

A short trail constructed by American Conservation Experience leads to the wetland, but there are no official trails within the wetland. The Foscoe Grandfather

64 — Summer 2017 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Tracy Swartout

Belted Kingfisher / Photo by Joshua Cotten

Community Center allows public parking and access to the trail, located at 233 Park Rd, Banner Elk (off Hwy 105, on the Watauga River side). To learn more, visit www. blueridgeconservancy.org (Blue Ridge Conservancy), https://highcountryaudubon. org/ (HCAS), and https://www.epa.gov/ wetlands/.

Get to know The Blue Ridge Parkway’s Newest Superintendent Superintendent Tracy Swartout joined the Blue Ridge Parkway team in mid-2021 and is the first woman to lead the Blue Ridge Parkway in its 86-year history. Swartout is a 21-year veteran of the National Park Service, and prior to her new role, she served as the deputy superintendent at Mount Rainier National Park in Washington. Prior to moving out west, Swartout served as the superintendent for Congaree National Park in South Carolina. She was recognized as the southeast region’s Superintendent of the Year.

“Throughout my life, the Blue Ridge Parkway has played a prominent role, with some of my most treasured memories being shaped along that winding road and in the national parks and communities beyond,” shared Swartout. “The area’s landscape, arts, music and culture are deeply meaningful for me.” Learn more about Superintendent Swartout and the Blue Ridge Parkway at https://www.nps.gov/.

North Carolina Invests in Trails The General Assembly’s final budget, approved by the NC Senate and signed by Governor Cooper in November, includes $29.25M in nonrecurring funds in FY 21-22 for the Complete the Trails Fund, marking the first time North Carolina has made a significant direct investment in trails.

According to the Great Trails State Coalition, “This vital funding will lead to tremendous progress in building North Carolina’s 12 official State Trails.” These long-distance trails range from the French Broad River Trail in the mountains to the Roanoke River Trail in the northeastern part of the State.

The longest trail is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail which runs 1,175 miles from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park to the Outer Banks.

“Trail funding in the state budget is a landmark victory,” said Judge Robert C. Hunter, President of Friends of the Fonta Flora State Trail, Inc, and member of the Great Trails State Coalition. “The citizens of North Carolina will benefit from this cooperative effort whether a trail brings them recreational opportunities, healthy lifestyle choices, a positive economic impact, or transportation options.”

The Great Trails State Coalition is a broad-based group of more than 30 diverse organizations, agencies and supporters advocating for increased state investment in all types of trails statewide—hiking, paddle, mountain bike, equestrian, and shared-use paths. Learn more at www.greattrailsnc.org.

Winter Fishing: Maybe

By Andrew Corpening

or most people, fishing does not come to mind when thinking of High Country winters. With the area’s snow sports resorts up and running, what does come to mind is skiing, snowboarding, snow tubing, and ice skating. But if you are an avid fisher, think again; there are some good fishing opportunities during the winter.

The winter/spring season in the High Country can be a roller coaster with a nasty day followed by a beautiful one. Even if it is a little chilly, a bright sunny day can be a great day to fish. If you are concerned about “opening day,” remember that most of the area streams are open all year. Only Hatchery Supported streams are closed for one month, from March 1 until the first Saturday in April.

Streams designated Wild Trout are open year-round but are limited to single hook, artificial lures only. Four trout can be kept from these streams with a minimum size of seven inches. Delayed Harvest streams are also open during the closed month and require single hook, artificial lures but all trout must be released. Also remember that the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) passed a rule that no scented baits can be used on streams designated single hook, artificial lures.

If you do decide to go fishing during the winter, there are some things you need to keep in mind. If the temperature is well below freezing you might be better off going skiing or curling up with a good book. Fly fishing line is thick and picks up water. If it is below freezing, that water will freeze in the guides on the rod making it difficult, or impossible, to cast.

Another consideration is ice on the streams. Even though High Country rivers seldom freeze over entirely, there will be ice along the edges. This ice can easily cut your leader if a trout swims under the ice.

Also of concern is your safety. River rocks above the water level can become icy from the natural spray coming from the stream. Be very careful when wading on these rocks since a bad fall is possible.

And speaking of falling, don’t get too far from your car or other heat source. Falling in is part of the wading experience. In fact, if you don’t fall in occasionally, you probably are not fishing enough. This is no big deal during the spring, summer, and autumn, but can become life threating during the winter. You need to have a heat source close by because hypothermia can be a real possibility.

If the weather is not cooperating and fishing is out of the question, one good thing to do during the winter months is to purge your fly boxes. Nearly every fly fisher has flies that they have never used or have used just once. This comes from the nearly universal trait of fly fishers who have to buy a few flies whenever they are in a fly shop.

As the late Lee Wulff said, “Most flies are tied to catch the fisherman more than the fish.”

If you have flies that are not used, why carry them? Get them out of your box and give them to someone just starting to fly fish.

Speaking of purging, when was the last time you purged your vest or pack? As with the flies, most fly fishers are carrying around more “stuff” than they really need.

Using the same rule of thumb for cleaning out a closet, get rid of the things you haven’t used in two years. Your neck and shoulders will appreciate the lighter weight of your vest or pack. And who knows, you might find something you can use but forgot you had.

Since you will have emptied your vest to inventory what you need and don’t need, why not give it a wash. If you wash your vest, use a non-scented detergent. Even though fly fishers love aquatic insects, they don’t necessarily like the biting kinds. You are less likely to attract nuisance insects if your vest does not smell like perfume.

Another good winter fishing activity is to check your equipment. Are your reels turning smoothly? If not, apply a little reel lubricant. Next, check out your fly lines.

Dirty fly line does not cast as well or float as high as a clean one does. You can clean your line with a little dish detergent in a bath

tub full of water. Soak and wipe the line and then rinse it. If this method seems like a lot of trouble, commercial fly line cleaners are available that reduce this multi-step process to one application. Cleaning only works if your fly line is in good shape otherwise. If it is cracked or frayed, buy some new line.

If you are a fly tier, the winter is the perfect time to stock up on your favorite fly patterns. Even though trying a new pattern or just experimenting is part of the appeal of fly tying, it is not particularly productive.

If you want to replenish a favorite fly, go ahead and tie one or two dozen. It is much easier to tie multiple flies while you have the appropriate materials at hand. This is the way commercial fly tiers do it.

One last equipment item that needs to be checked are your waders. If you felt like you might have a leak in them the last time you fished, try to find and repair it. If you use stocking foot waders, the easiest way to pin point the leak is to turn them inside out and fill them with water. When you find the leak mark it with a felt tip pen. Then dump the water, turn them right side out, and, after drying, patch the leak. If you use waders with a built-in boot that cannot be turned inside out, you will just have to go over them closely until you think you have found the leak.

If you have gone over your gear three times but the weather is still too brutal outside, it is time to grab a good fly fishing book. A new book recently published is The Unreasonable Virtue of Fly Fishing by awardwinning author Mark Kurlansky. If you have an interest in the history of fly fishing, this book is for you. Kurlansky has done a mindboggling amount of research in writing this book. It is both informative and entertaining, and is sure to become a classic.

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FISHING

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67

Unwelcome Neighbors:

Coping with Coyotes

By Jim Casada

W I S D O M A N D WAYS

Coyote - Photo by Melissa McGaw, courtesy of NCWRC

T

ales of coyotes run as bright threads through the fabric of American folklore.

For many Native American tribes in the coyote’s original habitat west of the Mississippi River, the animal figures prominently in their mythology. In some cases the canine is a wise mentor that guides and helps humans, others envision the animal as a trickster constantly getting into trouble only to use cleverness to extricate itself, while in a few cases coyotes represent greed and overweening pride. Many tribes include the coyote in their hunting lore, a reflection of the animal’s abilities as a predator, while for others they are a clan animal or part of annual festivals or dances.

In his book Roughing It, Mark Twain, the consummate voice of American folkways, went on a multi-page rant depicting the coyote in quite negative fashion. He describes it as “a long, slim, sick and sorrylooking skeleton” that represented “a living, breathing allegory of want.” Then there’s the coyote as a sort of bungling buffoon in the popular Warner Brothers cartoon series that sees Wile E. Coyote hopelessly, haplessly attempting to outwit the Road Runner with an incredible array of Rube Goldberg-like contraptions invariably ordered from Acme Corporation.

With the notable exception of some Native American tribes that held the coyote in high esteem or even venerated the animal, and not all did, these representations are far wide of the mark. In actuality the coyote is a clever, highly adaptable, deeply socialized creature with such a distinctive ability to adjust to its surroundings that it has to be reckoned the ultimate survivor. In fact,

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when coyotes first began to show up in the Carolina High Country and indeed all across the Southeast, a wildlife biologist offered me a telling if somewhat gruesome assessment of their capabilities to integrate into almost any environment from remote wilderness to the heart of urban areas. “When the last man on earth dies,” he said, “the coyote will be there to gnaw his bones and cockroaches will clean up the scraps.”

The coyote is not a native of the High Country and indeed was not present east of the Mississippi until the 20th century.

Numerous factors entered into the eastward spread of this animal, originally a resident of open country and the plains of the West. Fox hunters illegally trapped and transported them to provide a chase animal for their dogs. Ever opportunistic, coyotes used bridges across the Mississippi River as travel corridors bringing them to new territory. The near extirpation of their greatest enemy, the wolf, allowed the species (sometimes known as prairie wolves) to increase exponentially. Clear cutting of eastern forests and vast expansion of agricultural lands provided prime habitat. Then there’s the remarkable adaptability that was always part of the equation when it came to the coyote’s ever-expanding range. The fact that they are now thriving in the heart of major metropolitan areas such as Chicago and New York City attests to this trait.

On the local scene, anyone who spends much time outdoors in the High Country and pays close attention to the natural world has to be aware of the fact that there is a substantial coyote population here. The evidence is readily available for anyone

with keen observational skills and an understanding of the wilds. If there seem to be fewer red foxes, it’s because coyotes are killing this competitor. Piles of scat filled with hair or, in season, persimmon seeds, spotted along woodland trails or those meandering through old fields tell a story. So does the nocturnal howling and yipping of individual coyotes or family packs, and those eerie sounds often frighten humans roaming in the gloaming. Add frequent actual sightings, the occasional disappearance of pets allowed to run loose (smaller dogs and cats are prime coyote prey), or mysteriously vanishing pet food along with intrusions into garbage, and the overriding message is pretty clear. The coyote has arrived on the scene. Rest assured it is here to stay.

That “here to stay” message may not be welcome, but it’s reality. The coyote, although generally viewed as a meat eater, will consume almost anything: they prey on small animals such as mice and rabbits; packs can and do kill deer (especially recently born fawns); they are opportunistic nest predators and bad news for groundnesting birds such as turkeys and grouse; they will kill and eat domestic animals ranging from chickens and livestock to household pets; carrion, fruit, vegetables, all sorts of garbage, and much more are on the menu. That dietary versatility translates to ready survival.

Even more striking is the flexibility the animal exhibits in its breeding habits. When numbers are reduced well below the carrying capacity of a given area through trapping, hunting, or other human-connected means, coyotes instinctively react by

Coyote - photo by Alan Cameron, courtesy of NCWRC will eat (as mentioned, they are omnivorous to the point of consuming pretty much everything) should never be present. If you are already feeding wildlife—which for deer and turkeys is probably a bad idea to begin with—stop doing so. Bird seed is a different matter so long as it is in elevated positions where coyotes cannot reach it. *Coyote repellents such as sprays can be useful. *You can hunt coyotes with firearms or archery equipment, although studies reveal that they excel in population replacement even when hard pressured. There is no closed season on coyotes on private lands in North Carolina, and they may be hunted at night and with the aid of electronic calls.

Check North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) regulations for full details. *Have a guard dog (breeds traditionally used to protect and work with sheep are especially good, although the livestock owner dealing with coyotes potentially faces problems of a magnitude going far beyond that of the average individual).

While all of these deterrents merit consideration, you should keep firmly in mind the fact that none represents anything approaching a full solution. Coyotes, along with being highly adaptable, are also quite intelligent. Over time and repeated exposure to a given measure to repel them, odds are quite good they will in effect become accustomed to such measures. At that point their effectiveness declines dramatically.

Mark Twain may have written of the coyote that “the meanest creatures despise him, and even fleas would desert him for a

velocipede,” but his literary loathing, other than being entertaining in the vigor of his vituperation, is meaningless. In the final analysis the facts of the matter are quite simple. We may have an unwelcome neighbor, but he’s here to stay. About the best we can do is to take precautions such as those noted above, realize that complete or permanent extirpation is essentially a nonstarter, and accept the necessity of coming to a sort of uneasy truce with our canine adversary. To declare full-scale war on coyotes is, quite simply, a commitment to an unwinnable conflict. We may not like it, but that’s where matters stand.

Jim Casada is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in natural history, hunting and fishing, regional foods and food folkways, and Southern Appalachian traditions. He is the author of numerous books, and more information on these, along with an opportunity to sign up for his free monthly e-newsletter, is available on his website, www. jimcasadaoutdoors.com.

“In actuality the coyote is a clever, highly adaptable, deeply socialized creature with such a distinctive ability to adjust to its surroundings that it has to be reckoned the ultimate survivor.”

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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W I S D O M A N D WAYS

producing much larger litters. If you want that translated into practical terms, if an animal control or wildlife agency states they will completely resolve a coyote problem, they are indulging in fantasy, fiction, or outright mendacity. I’ll let readers choose the description they prefer, but the flatout truth of the matter is that it is humans, not coyotes, who will require some of what country singer Hank Williams, Jr. styled “Attitude Adjustment” in the title of one of his songs. As humans we have to figure out a sensible path to coexistence. Here are some simple pointers on how to deal with these naughty neighbors. *If you are a pet owner, keep them inside, especially at night (although coyotes do roam and hunt some during the day, they are largely nocturnal creatures). Small dogs and cats are particularly vulnerable, since for opportunistic coyotes they just represent an easily acquired meal. *During the day, if you take walks in areas where there are known to be coyotes, keep pets, particularly smaller dogs, on a leash. *Should you encounter a coyote, perform what experts sometimes describe as hazing. Yell at the animal, wave your arms, and maybe use some type of noise maker (an air horn is a great choice). Whatever you do, resist any temptation to flee. Running away kicks in the coyote’s predation and chase instincts. *If coyotes are intruding on your property at night, consider installation of motion-activated lights or sprinkler systems. *Keep your grounds clean. Accessible garbage, pet food, or other items coyotes

Coyote - Photo courtesy of USFWS

Courtney Greene of CLG Transportation, Inc.

Truck’n

By Edwin Ansel

S

o, as you’re reading this it’s entirely possible that I’m in the truck and preparing myself and the vehicle for the long descent into Laramie. It’s snowing. It’s dark. There is a wind advisory, gusts up to 60 miles per hour. That wind wants to push me in the ditch. The truck weighs about 70,000 pounds, and on this hill it wants to run away with you. You’ve got to control your speed. But the brakes can get you into trouble on a winter highway. I’ve got to slow down, and gear down, before pointing it down the hill. And then resist the urge to run with the cowboys who think they can get safely to the bottom going twice my speed.

Stressful? Absolutely. Scary? Can be.

Trucking is on anybody’s short list of dangerous jobs. (Oh, the wrecks I’ve seen.)

Driving across Wyoming in the winter takes that danger up a notch. Or three. But I’ve been trained to do this correctly. Let’s just say this hill has my full attention.

One question: Why am I out here doing this?

The simple answer is that the other day Rob Burleson, the owner of Jack Hicks, Inc. in Elk Park, NC, looked me in the eye and said, “You want a job?” This was right after, “Hello.” But you’ve heard that the industry is like that right now. Everybody is looking for drivers. This job is to take dry goods from Elk Park to Salt Lake City, then go

70 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

on to Idaho, load potatoes, and bring them back. What he offered was a chance for me to double down. Twice the distance. Half the time. Twice the money.

It’s turned out to be a good gig, but no easy one. Out and back is about 5,000 miles. It takes the two of us drivers about a hundred hours, Monday through Thursday. You’d think we were being chased by wolves, we never stop. Sleeping in a moving truck is not easy, but you learn. Midway there’s a place, “Little America,” that is literally an oasis, a speck of green in vast desert of grey dust and sage. They’ll sell you a half a roasted chicken on a bed of fries that’s better than it has a right to be. I saw my first tumbleweed the other day. It made me laugh.

Being away from home is tough; my Audrey is not thrilled by it, but modern telephony really helps. I promised to take her to Italy, and that helps too. I’ve seen the way Rob’s company takes care of people, you can’t ask for more, not in this business, so signing on was a good decision. I’ve got money in the bank. And pulling a reefer (refrigerated truck) turns out to be important to me. I’m an “essential worker,” right?

It may sound a little sappy, but bringing food matters. On our return trip I sit a little taller in the saddle.

Driving can be a good job, and trucking can be a good business opportunity, well suited to the High Country. If you want to have your own business, trucking offers this virtue: You can start with one truck and build from there. That’s what Courtney Greene is doing.

“I graduated from high school in 2010, and that’s when I bought my first truck,”

says Greene. She grew up in the business.

Her grandparents, Danny and Barbara Herman, started Danny Herman Trucking (DHT). They started with one truck, and DHT now operates over four hundred trucks across the U.S. and Mexico.

Courtney currently owns three trucks that she leases to Jack Hicks, Inc., operating as CLG Transportation, Inc. Trucking has allowed Courtney to double down, also. Not only does it provide an income, but “it’s allowed me to travel, to meet new people, and enabled me to invest in real estate.”

Courtney is helping her sister Channie to get in the business, too. “She owns three trucks, and she has her commercial driver’s license, she does it all.”

And hear this: Working conditions for women drivers, even solo, are good, and in Channie’s experience, no different than the conditions faced by the men. In fact, Courtney would like to have more women drivers. “They’re more careful, they pay attention to their surroundings, they have fewer accidents and violations, and they listen better.” Drivers are paid by the mile, and the numbers don’t lie. Equal pay for equal work. I see more and more women out on the road. So, want to get out of the house, or change careers and get equal pay?

Give us a call, we need you.

Driving has its charms. One morning in Idaho, the sun just touching the tops of the mountains, bringing the first color to alien landscapes, stands out. Driving can be contemplative, and an artist needs a day job anyway. Novelist James Lee Burke drove a truck. Sean Connery drove a truck.

Liam Neeson drove a truck. Elvis drove a truck, before he was Elvis. Still think

trucking is a bit déclassée? Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor drove a truck during the war—you may know her as the Queen of England—so there.

Guiding forty tons of truck across Wyoming, pounding the hills with five hundred Detroit Diesel horsepower, chasing the sun through that desert, that’s something. It’s about as close as you can get to being a bit of a pirate and also keep a little cabin tucked away in the forest above Linville, NC. One last thing. You get frustrated with trucks, I know you do. They’re too big for the roads up here, and they go too fast.

Out on the interstate they’re too big and they go too slow. People do insane, deathdefying things just to avoid the possibility that my truck will inconvenience them for, maybe, a few seconds. Now, I’m not saying every trucker is a hero every day, but most of us, we’re looking out for you. It’s part of the job. You may not even notice, but truckers give a little space here, create opportunities there, so we can all get where we’re going in one piece. And when you cut me a little slack, make my job a little easier and safer, it makes my day. And I pay it forward.

Edwin Ansel is a truck driver, as well as a writer and Art Director for Kudzu Press, an independent publisher of popular fiction and literature here in the High Country.

Find Kudzu Press on Instagram and at kudzupress.com.

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

71

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An Ounce of Prevention:

The Case for Gun Safety

By Mike Teague

Photo courtesy of https://projectchildsafe.org/ n the emergency services world, it is the preventable incidents that can sometimes weigh heaviest on first responders. While there is no comparison to the sadness and/ or remorse felt by the families and friends, preventable injury or death has an incredible impact on those who respond when we dial 911. Truth be known, one of the major reasons I write on preventing injuries and deaths is the impact of 37 years of incident response. I can’t count the number of times that I have had to witness the pain and heartache that afflict family members when a loved one has been accidently killed or injured.

According to the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence, each year over 500 persons are killed by unintended firearm injuries. Half of those who die are accidently shot by someone else. Thousands more are injured by the unintended gun shot. Thirtyseven percent of non-fatal gun injuries are unintentional in nature.

National Public Radio has been tracking unintentional shootings by children.

Unintentional shootings involving a child happen daily in the U.S. And since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, accidental shootings by children are up 31 percent.

One can only surmise this is due to the increase of children being left at home alone, coupled with adults in the home not properly securing their firearms.

The goal of this article is to inspire readers to reflect on their own personal firearm safety habits. I’ll offer a basic guide—from firearm purchase, to firearm use, to how to improve your firearm safety.

Purchasing Firearms When deciding to purchase a firearm, it is important to reach out to one of our local firearm stores and other firearm experts to ask for help and guidance with your purchase. These trained professionals can make sure the firearm you are looking to purchase is the right fit for you. Joe Moody with Xtreme Gun and Pawn in Boone, NC, says that they sit down with every customer to help them find the right firearm to match their needs. Moody warns, “Don’t just buy a firearm because it’s pretty. You need to know the pros and cons of each firearm before you buy it.” Certified firearm instructor and local expert Sandra Hoyle agrees with Moody’s advice, and adds, “Instruction begins before you purchase the firearm—do your research.”

Firearm Training Once you have purchased your firearm it is crucial for you to have proper training in the use and care of the firearm. This training is vital for your safety and the safety of those you will come in contact with, and for proper operation of the firearm. Most of the local gun stores can provide firearm-specific training as well as basic safety classes. Another great resource to turn to for firearm training and safety is a local gun club.

Hoyle, a firearm instructor since 2004 who also offers additional training through the Watauga Gun Club, believes that everyone who owns a firearm should take a basic firearms class to improve their overall fire safety. She reminds everyone that the owner of the firearm has the responsibility to know how to safely operate their fire-

arm. “The best place to start is to read the owner’s manual,” says Hoyle. “There is a lot of good information in the manual, such as cleaning, loading and recommended ammo.”

This is echoed by Moody; with 32 years of Law Enforcement experience in Watauga County, he has seen the tragedy that comes from an unintentional shooting. He stresses the importance of knowledge on operating a firearm, but also the need to have respect for all firearms. “Practice firearm safety every time you are around any firearm or you are apt to get hurt or killed,” says Moody.

Basic firearm classes are offered at the Watauga Gun Club. Hoyle and husband Gary are actively involved in these classes, and encourage firearm owners to check out the Watauga Gun Club’s website for a list of upcoming classes. Additionally, Sandra Hoyle teaches classes specifically for the women in our community. These classes are tailored toward the understanding and needs of women firearm owners.

Firearm Use and Storage Remember to properly secure your firearm when it is not is use. As we have seen in the statistics, children are watching and will play with firearms when given a chance.

Consider the purchase of a lockable gun safe if multiple firearms are in the home. A simple gun lock will prevent the accidental use of an individual firearm in the wrong hands. Gun locks are inexpensive, and most new firearms will include a lock. But like a seatbelt, gun locks aren’t effective if they aren’t used.

Continued on next page CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

73

OUNCE OF PREVENTION

I

When using any firearm, there are many things to consider. Here, I have included the NC Department of Public Safety’s “12 Golden Rules of Safe Gun Handling.” Following these rules every time you use your firearm will allow for greater enjoyment while keeping yourself and those around you safe from an unintentional injury.

12 Golden Rules of Gun Safety:

Frequent CML contributor Michael Teague is the Assistant Chief of the Boone Fire Department. If you have questions or a topic you would like to see addressed, email Mike at mike.teague@ townofboone.net.

For additional information: Watauga Gun Club https://www.wataugagunclub.com

n Always treat the gun as if it is loaded. n Always keep the gun pointed in a safe direction. n Always keep your finger straight and off the trigger until you are ready to shoot. n Always keep the gun unloaded until you are ready to use it. n Never point the gun at anything you don’t intend to shoot. n Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. n Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the gun you are using. n Always use proper ammunition. n Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before loading and shooting. n If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, hold your shooting position for several seconds; then, with the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, carefully unload the gun. n Don’t rely on the gun’s safety to keep it from firing.

Xtreme Gun and Pawn https://www.xtremegunandpawn.com NC Department of Public Safety https://www.ncdps.gov National Public Radio https://www.npr.org The Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence http://www.efsgv.org Sandy and Gary Hoyle (certified firearms instructors) http://garynsam.com

n Be aware of your surroundings when handling guns so you don’t trip or lose your balance and accidentally point and/or fire the gun at anyone or anything.

Ultimately the decision to improve firearm safety lies with us all, but the real effort requires individual actions. Whether you are a brand new firearm owner, or someone like me who grew up learning to hunt and shoot with my Dad, firearm safety in not something in which you simply “check a box” and then move on. Firearm safety must be an everyday choice for life.

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Leaders of the Packs:

High Country Cub Scouts Going Strong

By Elizabeth Baird Hardy

E

very week, in community centers, schools, and churches across the country, Cub Scouts come together to learn skills, have fun, and develop friendships that can last a lifetime. Many Cub Scouts continue in Scouting until they age out, with some even achieving the rare distinction of Eagle Scout, and some remain involved as adult volunteers. Yet, Cub Scouting is much more than a stepping stone to later opportunities; it is an amazing and fun adventure for Cub Scouts and their families. Over the past two years, many organizations have struggled to connect to members and maintain momentum, with limited or cancelled meetings and fewer activities, but the Cub Scouts of Avery County have come roaring back, with growing numbers and exciting opportunities for boys and girls in Kindergarten through fifth grade.

Cub Scouts advance from Lions (Kindergarten) to Tigers (First Grade), Wolves (Second Grade), Bears (Third Grade), and Webelos (Fourth Grade) before completing their Arrow of Light achievement and crossing over from a Cub Pack into a Scout troop. Each Cub Scout den, with scouts of a specific level, focuses on age-appropriate activities and goals that will help Cubs understand and demonstrate the skills and values that are central to Scouting. In addition, the Pack takes part in adventures and opportunities that help the Cubs learn while having fun.

After a wonderful fall campout, Pack 807 of Banner Elk is eagerly anticipating a spring campout as well as the alwayspopular Pinewood Derby. On March 19, 2022, Pack 807 and Crossnore’s Pack 800 will hold a joint Pinewood Derby to race the cars each Cub Scout will construct and customize. To make sure every Scout can participate in this exciting and

76 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

fun event, each Scout received a Pinewood Derby Car Kit as a Christmas gift from local business supporter Carolina Swaybar. The Cub Scouts will craft the cars into individualized racing machines that will be tested on Pack 807’s impressive track. “Our goal is to make sure every scout has the opportunity for the Pinewood Derby,” says Alice Courtland, the Cubmaster for Pack 807, who notes that the Pinewood Derby, a flagship event for the entire Cub Scout program since 1953, continued even during the challenges of 2020, with the Pack 807 Cubs still holding the Pinewood Derby last March, even with only seven active members during the challenges of the pandemic.

Now, membership in Pack 807 is growing strong. According to Cubmaster Courtland, the Banner Elk Pack currently has 27 registered members, more than in the last ten years, many of them from families new to the area who understand what a valuable community Cub Scouting provides. Of course, there is always room for another Scout, and Pack members and their families are eager to recruit and welcome new members.

Since 1930, the Cub Scouts have helped to instill the positive values that will help children and their communities.

Like the Boy Scouts of America, founded twenty years earlier for older boys, the Cub Scouts have always promoted opportunities for adventure, fellowship, and growth. Now, both Cub Packs and Scouts BSA Troops are welcoming girls as members. Currently, Pack 807 of Banner Elk has a number of girls as members, with female Cub Scouts making up about 30 percent of the pack. Since two of the six Cubs who will be crossing over into a Scout Troop later this year are girls, they are hoping for three more girl

members to form their own girl troop.

Girl and boy Cub Scouts participate together in activities, including archery, which Cubmaster Courtland describes as illustrating one of her favorite parts of working with Cub Scouts, “seeing them light up when they learn something new.” As the shooting sports range officer, Courtland loves seeing Cub Scouts go from struggling to even hit the target to doing well and becoming adept at a new skill.

In addition to providing opportunities for children, Cub Scouting is an incredible opportunity for adults to gain skills and build relationships. Courtland, who has worked as both a Scouting professional with the BSA and as a volunteer in a variety of leadership roles with Cubs and Scouts, thinks she has actually benefitted from Scouting as much as her son did, crediting the organization with introducing her to lifelong friends and a supportive community. The values that Scouting encourages for children are also reinforced for adults and allow lifelong learning for volunteers at every level, whether or not they have children currently active in the program.

Since Pack 807 presently has an excellent leadership team, new volunteers needn’t fear being thrust into an unfamiliar and daunting leadership role.

Instead, they will have opportunities to build relationships while being involved with a tremendous organization.

To learn more about the fantastic opportunities offered by Cub Scouting, to learn more about registering a boy or girl for a local Cub Scout Den, or to volunteer with Pack 807, contact Alice Courtland at abcourtland@gmail.com.

More information about Cub Scouting, about Scouts BSA, and about Packs and Troops across the country can be found at https://beascout.scouting.org/.

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

77

S T I C K

By Michael C. Hardy

A

Lees-McRae College

O N

History on a Stick:

n the early 1900s, education, or the lack thereof, was brought to the forefront of many a debate. Children in North Carolina were behind, and some leaders sought to improve conditions. During the administration of Gov. Charles B. Aycock, more than 3,000 schoolhouses were constructed between 1900 and 1910. Yet there were still many areas underrepresented. Edgar Tufts, sent to start a Presbyterian church in Banner Elk (then called Banner’s Elk), saw such a need.

Tufts was teaching in the local school by 1896. But the terms were short—only a few weeks often in the summer. Soon, he opened a school in the winter months in his home. After much prayer and helpful donations, Tufts purchased a lot and began building. In September 1900, he opened the Elizabeth McRae Institute, a girl’s school.

The name was soon changed to the Lees-McRae Institute, and the school was chartered by the state in 1907. There was a brief consideration to changing the name of the school after Woodrow Wilson sent a $25 donation in 1916, but the school decided to keep its name. After a fire consumed the Plumtree School for Boys in 1927, Lees-McRae became co-educational. In 1931, the school became Lees-McRae College, a two-year accredited junior college.

Tucked away in the mountains, the school has an impressive array of campus buildings. The Virginia and Tennessee residence halls are similarly constructed two-andone-half-story U-shaped buildings made of irregular stonework. The North Carolina building was originally an administration building constructed in 1922, but was later converted to classrooms. It is also made of stone and has a central tower. Another stone structure on campus is the Tufts Tower, a water tower that now houses the campus chimes. It doubled as a lookout for an Aircraft Warning Service post during World War II. Tate Residence Hall was originally the third Grace Hospital constructed in Banner Elk. When the hospital moved to a location east of town, the building was converted into housing. The original buildings have all been updated, and there are many modern buildings on campus.

Lees-McRae College is known as the “Campus in the Clouds,” largely due to sitting at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level in the shadow of Beech Mountain. In 1987, the Board of Trustees voted to expand the two-year school to a four-year school, which was granted in June 1990. In 2018, the college added its first graduate program, a master of arts in secondary education. As of late 2021, Lees-McRae College offered 26 majors, 21 minors, and had 853 students from 20 states and 19 countries, along with one of the most beautiful college campuses in North Carolina. The summer theater program is outstanding, bringing together professional actors, dancers, and musicians alongside local volunteers.

The North Carolina Highway Historical Marker for Lees-McRae College was erected in 1993.

H I S T O R Y

I

Same-Day and Walk-In Clinics

Meet Lillith &

Olive Oil

ADVOCATES for the Care of

ANIMALS ANI MALS in Avery County

*Avery County is the only county in North Carolina where the County does not provide any animal control resources.

They’re just two of many

animals in our community who have been affected by abandonment, neglect, or abuse, yet could not speak out for themselves.

If you live in Avery County* and want to support efforts to rescue and care for animals in need, make your voice heard.

When our voices are heard, so are the animals’.

Speak Out Take Action Learn about the ways in which you can take action by calling 828-783-9143.

78 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Proudly serving Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties since 2014.

Bringing Burke and Caldwell organizations together to maintain the legacy of community-based hospice care.

As AMOREM, we offer our communities

828.754.0101 l 1.844.4AMOREM WWW.AMOREMSUPPORT.ORG F O R M E R LY B U R K E H O S P I C E A N D PA L L I AT I V E C A R E & C A L D W E L L H O S P I C E A N D PA L L I AT I V E C A R E

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H E A LT H

more quality. more compassion. more support.

Scott Mise with Looper Construction and Kerri McFalls, AMOREM VP of Community Engagement

AMOREM: More Quality. More Compassion. More Support.

H E A LT H

By Pan McCaslin

Providing thoughtful, loving and quality care for patients facing end-oflife and support for the patients’ families is the mission of AMOREM, whose High Country team serves patients in Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties.

Formerly Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care and Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, a May 1, 2021, integration created AMOREM. The organization’s vision is to transform the way people view and experience serious illness and end of life and to foster a culture of compassionate, respectful and innovative care. Following a lengthy evaluation of ways to best serve patients in Burke, Caldwell and the High Country counties, the boards of both organizations agreed their mission and values were similar; in fact, for many years, the two organizations had worked collaboratively to provide care for patients and their families.

“The intent behind the integration is to retain the integrity and vision of our community-owned hospice organizations,” says Cathy Swanson, CEO of AMOREM. “The vision for the collaborative partnership is to integrate two like-minded providers to have a greater impact on serious illness and end-of-life care in the communities served.”

“The AMOREM logo was inspired by the Flower of Life symbol for creation and connectedness, representing both the secular and the sacred as a bridge of the spirit and the body,” shares Swanson, who previously served for more than 30 years as the CEO of Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care. “AMOREM—which is Latin for the act of love—is committed to provide compassionate, quality end-of-life services to those who seek the support and care.”

A non-profit organization that ad-

80 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

dresses the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of terminally ill patients and those they love, AMOREM provides each patient an individual assessment of needs and services. An interdisciplinary team of staff and volunteers help support the patients and their families to assist patients to live as comfortably as possible. Team members include medical providers, nursing, social work and chaplain staff, as well as volunteers, grief support and 24-hour on-call staff members.

AMOREM offers both hospice and non-hospice palliative medicine services.

Palliative medicine addresses a patient’s serious illness, at any stage in the illness, and provides an extra layer of medical support in the community and in the patient’s home. “Our goal in Palliative care medicine is to minimize or eliminate repeated hospitalizations and to provide symptom management, which will improve and optimize quality of life,” says Palliative care nurse practitioner, Donna Tate. Hospice care is provided when a patient’s life expectancy is six months or fewer if medical conditions follow a normal course. Lisa Caviness, public relations coordinator for AMOREM, shares, “Research has proven that hospice care relieves anxiety and helps support symptom management, pain management, and overall quality of life.”

All care recommended for a patient is coordinated with the patient’s physician. Care can be provided at a patient’s home, a long-term care facility or one of AMOREM’s patient care units, currently in Lenoir, Hudson and Valdese, with a facility in design for the High Country area, to include Ashe, Avery and Watauga Counties. “We are excited for the opportunity to continue to grow and to serve the communities in our area,” says Tate.

“Because we are a non-profit organization, we are able to offer enhanced services for our patients which include Advanced Cardiac Care program, pulmonary care resources, dementia care resources, Veteran resources, therapies such as massage, aromatherapy and pet visitors as well as ongoing grief support groups and Advanced Care Planning,” Caviness explains. “Some of these services are not reimbursable under Medicare but are provided if the patient’s care team believes the services will improve the patient’s quality of life.”

Caviness talked at length about the Legacy Project offered to any patient who would like to document their life story or to share a legacy with their families. “We have volunteers video record patients telling their life histories, taping messages to their children, or even reading bedtime stories to children or grandchildren.” The stories are then edited and the patient and family receive the Legacy story on a DVD. The expanded use of technology has even allowed end-of-life patients to experience a wish for travel by the use of virtual reality goggles.

Residents of Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties have been served by Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care since 2014.

The name change, new colors and a future change of workstation for the High Country team are the only noticeable changes since the AMOREM merger in May. “The staff is still the same. Our High Country team is made up of local medical providers, nurses, nursing assistants, social workers, chaplains and volunteers.

We all live and work in the High Country area. We are neighbors taking care of neighbors,” says Tate.

The High Country Advisory Council, comprised of area residents, addresses

Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital:

Serving the Community with Quality, Safety, & Dignity

By Kim S. Davis

T

For more information about resources available, or to make a referral, call 828-754-0101 or 1-844-4AMOREM, or visit www.amoremsupport.org.

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H E A LT H

the needs of hospice and palliative patients in the three-county area. One of the members sits on the Board of Directors for AMOREM, ensuring that High Country needs are voiced.

Volunteers are integral to the success of hospice care. Individuals who are interested in working with AMOREM are asked to complete the application form found on the website, www.amoremsupport.org, or call 828-754-0101 or 1-844-4AMOREM. Volunteer trainings are currently taking place virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interested individuals can assist in the office or at the thrift store in Valdese, assist with story gathering for the Legacy Project, serve as grief support volunteers, or patient or family support volunteers. Tasks might include reading, letter-writing, caregiver relief or yardwork. Volunteers have been used to provide music for patients. Veterans Honoring Veterans allows military veteran volunteers to honor veteran patients with a small Aamerican flag, a certificate of appreciation and a lapel pin to honor their military service.

“There are several important ways individuals can help in the community,” shares Caviness. “Donor assistance is always appreciated because we care for anyone who desires our care. In addition, one can provide educational information about hospice and palliative medicine to one’s faith group or service organization to help dispel myths about end-of-life care. Finally, anyone can make a referral…for someone or yourself.

The admission team will determine if the patient meets the criteria for care and needed services for improving quality of life.”

he long awaited opening of the Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital (ARBHH) has arrived. Not only does this mean that more patients can now access high quality behavioral healthcare treatment, but the new facility has helped create 60 new jobs for the area. This top-tier treatment center provides innovative designs, streamlined processes, and applicable technology that enhance exceptional and dignified care beginning with an expedited admission process. The hospital’s phased-opening is now underway.

Behavioral health issues affect every family to a certain extent, as well as the entire community. And while the focus of Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health (ARBH) is to improve access to high quality behavioral health services, it is also important to normalize behavioral health conditions. “People are comfortable sharing medical conditions with others but are less willing to talk about anxiety or depression,” explains Stephanie Pate Greer, President of Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health Hospital. “We need to take away the stigma so people will seek care earlier and reduce the likelihood of a crisis situation.”

Early intervention behavioral health, like any other medical condition, can limit the severity of the illness and support a more complete and rapid recovery. ARBH strives to meet people where they are and provide what is needed at that given time; therefore, as of December 27, 2021, potential patients are able to walk into the first-floor admissions area and receive an immediate evaluation without having to go through the emergency department at Cannon Memorial Hospital or Watauga Medical Center. After the evaluation, those requiring inpatient services will receive meals, personalized medication, and therapy treatment schedules based on their specific needs. If an individual does not require hospitalization, they will be referred to outpatient behavioral health services and receive a customized action plan.

For patients who are admitted to inpatient care, they will spend an average of 5-7 days as active participants in their treatment and healing in the inpatient setting. The residential areas offer both private and semi-private rooms, but patients will spend very little time in those spaces. Patients will spend the majority of their day in the treatment mall with clinicians. In this space, innovative technology allows professionals to capture and print the content of every open group setting so patients may add that to their individual recovery plan.

All of the spaces are designed with safety and comfort in mind. Open floor plans and windows not only provide visibility but also let in a lot of natural light. The beauty and peace of the mountain views also help provide a unique healing environment.

Family support and involvement is a cornerstone of care, and they are encouraged to visit. Visitation spaces include dedicated areas for court, outside support meetings, attorney conferences, and collaboration with other physicians and providers.

To help provide patient dignity and autonomy, meals are served buffet-style and several choices of mealtimes are available.

When treatment is complete, patients, staff and family members meet to discuss discharge plans and ways to support the patient as they acclimate back into the community.

Often, patients who are discharged from ARBHH will continue their care through Appalachian Regional Behavioral Health’s outpatient clinic, which provides care for adults and children over the age of five. Services include assessments, medication management, psychological testing, therapy services, and counseling.

If you or someone you love needs help, don’t hesitate to call 828-737-7071 or come

by ARBHH. No referral is necessary. For more information, please visit apprhs.org/appalachian-regional-behavioral-health.

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Where Are They Now?

Michael Vetro

By Trimella Chaney

Periodically, we focus on people from our region who have ventured out into the world and are making a difference.

In this issue, we check in with Michael Vetro, formerly a Watauga County resident, who is sharing his talents at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Michael Vetro in the St. Jude Kitchen

M

any area theatre goers, especially those in Watauga County, may remember a teenaged Michael Vetro belting out “Put on a Happy Face” as Albert in the Watauga High School production of BYE BYE BIRDIE. Vetro might also be remembered for the popular eatery he later founded in Boone, NC, Vidalia Restaurant. Now, as Executive Chef and Director of Food Services at St. Jude Hospital in Memphis, TN, Chef Michael Vetro continues to share his culinary talents and spread joy for others.

There is only one St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. St. Jude partners with affiliates in the U.S. and worldwide, and together they fight to end catastrophic childhood diseases. When patients from other countries first arrive at St. Jude, they are so excited to have American burgers, fries, and Cokes. But after about two weeks, patients get homesick for the food from their home countries. This provides a stimulating challenge for Vetro and his staff of 100. The nurses or clinicians contact the Chef with the information of what foods the child is missing, and the staff goes to work to provide the comfort of native food for the patient.

This interaction with families from all over the world is one of the most gratifying and stimulating aspects of Vetro’s position.

“I find it fascinating to meet people from different cultures and backgrounds.” One story Vetro shared was of an Indian mother who felt completely helpless watching her sick child. Her comment to the staff was, “The doctors and nurses are doing all they can for my child. The only thing I can do is make food for him.” Hearing this, the staff brought her to the St. Jude kitchen and allowed her to prepare food for the comfort of her child.

Another example involved a young boy who was in palliative care and wanted to have a special cake. “The culinary team goes to great lengths to fulfill requests,” says Vetro. “One day a patient and sibling from South America wanted to make one of their favorite dishes, a tres leches cake.

The chefs sourced the ingredients, invited the family to the kitchen, and helped them bake and eat the cake together as a family.” Vetro admits that this particular story touched many hearts. “Food is a commonality. It brings us together.”

Chef Vetro is currently working on a national initiative with a committee of chefs and manufacturers to develop menu concepts for the healthcare segment. They are hoping to change the reputation of hospital food. This is a cause Chef Vetro is passionate about and will no doubt affect a nationwide change.

How did this all-American Watauga County boy become a successful nationally-known chef? “Reflecting on my childhood delivers clues I should have seen all along,” Vetro explains. “My Scottish and Italian grandparents made simple but delicious meals I create to this day.” At age eight, Vetro learned to grill. By fifth grade, he was copying recipes from celebrity chefs and making dinner for his family. For Junior Prom, he cooked dinner for 15 people at his house.

“Any culinary disasters?” I asked. He laughed and admitted that he has difficulty cooking at home. “I don’t have the proper tools. And I make five gallons of something no one likes!” But at St. Jude, the catering services he oversees, the main café (serving 2,500 lunches per day), and the bistro (serving breakfast, lunch, juices, and smoothies) have no complaints.

When asked how he had landed at St. Jude, one word summed it up: Family. Vetro and wife Camille made a choice to sell their very successful Vidalia Restaurant in Boone and move to Memphis when they started their family. They wanted their children to know and have memories of their great-grandparents. Chef Vetro appreciates the work/life balance he is afforded in his current position. Unlike previous positions in other organizations, he has weekends and holidays off to enjoy with his wife and three daughters. In fact, the day I interviewed him for this article he was enjoying a tea party with his children. What does one serve a nationallyknown chef at a tea party? “My kids like to cook and eat their own creations,” he says.

“Crinkle cookies, nachos, smoothies, muffins. It depends which one is the chef that day.” Using his tea party experience, he tells me that cupcake and cookie decorating is a regular event with the children at St. Jude.

At work, patient happiness is not Chef Vetro’s only focus; each month he calls a “huddle” of his staff and they celebrate the birthdays of that month with singing and dancing. The joy he feels for his work and the joy he creates for others is readily apparent.

As Michael Vetro’s former High School theatre teacher, I can recall the lyrics that he once sang in a long ago solo and realize that today, he is living those lyrics: “Spread sunshine all over the place and Put on a happy face!”

Ms. Trimella Chaney is a veteran theatre arts teacher and founder of the Theatre Arts Department at Watauga High School. She currently teaches at Appalachian State University in the Department of Theatre and Dance, and is a local community theatre director.

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Good Work in Our Community Like every community, our High Country community depends on a variety of not-for-profit organizations to serve and support the people, places, animals and environments that are most in need. We have an abundance of effective and efficient organizations who rely on support from neighbors and businesses to realize their missions. Here is a list of just some of these noteworthy organizations—and our list keeps growing!

Appalachian Mountain Leadership is a non-profit organization that uses adventure programming to foster and inspire servant leadership. 828-278-9499, http://www.amlnc.org/ Appalachian Voices is a leading force in Appalachia’s shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, healthy communities and 21st-century local economies. 828-2621500, https://appvoices.org/

Ashe Food Pantry leads the fight to end hunger in nearby communities by acquiring and distributing food to those who seek aid. Their vision is “No one should go hungry.” 336-846-7019, http:// AsheFoodPantry.Org/

A Simple Gesture is a convenient way to help end hunger here in the High Country. They simply give you a bag, you fill up the bag every two months with non-perishable items, and on a designated day they will come by and pick up the bags. 828-262-1628, http://asimplegesturehc.org/

84 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

In support of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation creates a spirit of stewardship to address the challenges faced by this national treasure. With your help, the organization can ensure cultural and historical preservation, natural resource protection, and educational outreach now and for future generations. 336-721-0260, https://www.brpfoundation.org/

The Children’s Council of Watauga County is a local nonprofit that works to build a strong foundation for children’s learning and development by strengthening families, the early childhood system, and the wider community. 828-2625424, https://www.thechildrenscouncil. org/

By CML Staff

Crossnore Communities for Children is a recognized leader in helping children who have experienced abuse or other trauma reclaim, rebuild, and reimagine the essential belief in a safe, dependable home. 828-733-4305, https:// www.crossnore.org/

F.A.R.M. Cafe builds a healthy and inclusive community by providing high quality meals produced from local sources, served in a restaurant where everybody eats, regardless of means. 828-3861000, http://www.farmcafe.org/

Children’s Hope Alliance provides hope, health, and healing for generations by healing the hurt, providing a safe home and encouraging a healthy start.

800-320-4157, https://www.childrenshopealliance.org/

Feeding Avery Families (FAF) is a non-profit Christian organization in Avery County, NC, dedicated to eliminating hunger by any means possible, including monetary donations, volunteerism, and food donations. 828-783-8506, https:// feedingaveryfamilies.org/

The Community Care Clinic is a non-profit community-supported medical clinic that provides free primary care, mental health and behavioral health services, select specialty services and health education to low income, uninsured persons. 828-265-8591, https://ccclinic.org/

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is an afterschool program for 3rd-8th grade girls centered on self-esteem enhancing lessons and uplifting workouts, based in Watauga, Ashe, Wilkes and Avery Counties. 828-262-7557, http://www.gotr.appstate.edu/

The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation established to preserve Grandfather Mountain, operate the nature park sustainably in the public interest, provide an exceptional experience for guests, and inspire them to be good stewards of the earth’s resources. 800468-7325, https://grandfather.com/support/non-profit-foundation/

Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing.

Learn more about the work Habitat for Humanity does in Avery County (828733-1909, http://www.averycohfh.org/), Watauga County (828-268-9545, https:// wataugahabitat.org/), and Ashe County (336-846-2525, https://www.ashehabitat. org/).

The High Country Breast Cancer Foundation is a local non-profit with an all-volunteer board where 100% of the money donated or raised goes to those in need who have been impacted by breast cancer in the North Carolina High Country. 614-928-6544, https://highcountrybreastcancerfoundation.org/

The High Country Charitable Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a vision to help the Avery County, NC, community by providing for neighbors and animals in need. 828-8983810, https://highcountryfoundation. org/

High Country United Way serves Avery, Watauga, and Mitchell Counties with the mission of uniting people and resources to improve lives in the High Country. High Country United Way also serves as the fiscal agent for donations in Ashe and Yancey Counties. 828-2652111, https://www.highcountryunitedway.org/

Horse Helpers of the High Country is the only 501(c)(3) equine rescue serving Watauga, Ashe, and Avery Counties in NC and nearby Tennessee. Their main goal is to offer aide to horses, donkeys, and mules. 828-297-1833, https:// horsehelpersnc.org/

Hospitality House, founded in 1984, is a non-profit crisis agency in Boone, NC, which serves seven counties and helps those in crisis, poverty and homelessness rebuild their lives using housing, prevention, nutrition and myriad supportive programs and services. 828-2641237, https://www.hosphouse.org/

Our local Humane Societies provide food, shelter, medical care and lots of love to our region’s homeless animals as staff and volunteers work to find permanent,

loving homes for them. Learn more about the work the Humane Society does in Avery County (828-733-9265, https://averyhumane.org/), Watauga County (828264-7865, https://wataugahumane.org/), and Ashe County (336-982-4297, https:// www.ashehumanesociety.org/).

Hunger and Health Coalition’s mission is to be a resource for individuals and families within our community that are struggling to provide themselves with basic needs. 828-262-1628, https://www. hungerandhealthcoalition.com/

NAMI High Country supports those living with mental illness as well as their families and loved ones. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) strives to increase public understanding of mental disorders and give hope to those experiencing them. Through events, outreach, and advocacy, they work to decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness and ensure that those living with it have a voice. 828-278-9293, http://www.namihighcountry.org/

OASIS, Inc. (Opposing Abuse with Services, Information, and Shelter), founded in 1978, is dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault in Watauga and Avery Counties, NC. 828264-1532, https://www.oasisinc.org/

Continued on next page CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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Quiet Givers Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization created to serve the people of Watauga, Ashe, and Avery Counties in the NC High Country. It is a source for people to find out about specific needs in the community and do something about them. Area nonprofits, social workers, schools and other community organizations send Quiet Givers the needs that they are having trouble meeting through existing funds or programs. The organization’s connection to the local community allows them to meet needs in creative ways in order to change the reality of local people who are genuinely struggling. http://quietgivers.org/ Resort Area Ministries is an ecumenical organization providing ministries/ services to the residents of, and tourists to, the High Country. RAM provides worship services and family evening programs in local campgrounds, and hosts mission groups for home repair projects for low-income residents who own their homes. The RAM’s Rack Thrift Shop provides financial support for RAM and also provides clothing at no charge to those in need, working with other nonprofits. Volunteers are welcomed. 828-2646605, https://www.facebook.com/resortareaministryRAM/

Spirit Ride Therapeutic Riding Center is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to helping children with disabilities and other health concerns achieve their full potential through equine related therapeutic and educational activities. 828-278-7464, http:// www.spiritridenc.org/

WAMY Community Action’s mission is to partner with communities and families to provide the disadvantaged the support and tools they need to become self-sufficient. 828-264-2421, http:// www.wamycommunityaction.org/

Watauga Riverkeeper, a program of MountainTrue, is dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring the Watauga and Elk River watersheds “because everyone has a right to clean water.” 828-4062429, http://mountaintrue.org/

Western Youth Network (WYN) is a relationship-focused resource for atrisk youth in the High Country. Through prevention and intervention programs, WYN specializes in providing youth with the tools they need to reach their potential and discover their place in our world.

828-264-5174, http://www.westernyouthnetwork.org/

The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge is a collective giving organization formed to make a positive impact on the lives of women and girls in the High Country through grant making, advocacy, and community building. 828-2644002, http://www.womensfundoftheblueridge.org/

If you are aware of a not-for-profit organization in the CML area that should be included in future listings, or if you have an event or announcement that you would like to share with CML readers, please email the editor at tamara@NCexplorers.com.

JONES HOUSE

CULTURAL & COMMUNITY Center

Boone, NC

828 . 268 . 6280 | joneshouse . org 86 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

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87

of the remarkable opportunity I have been given to fulfill my passion for the arts by working every day to engage our community.” Ray grew up in Ashe County and knows “firsthand how valuable accessible arts programming is in all stages of our lives.” Board President Wesley Barker said, “We look forward to having her artistic talents and fresh ideas as part of our organization.”

Grandfather Mountain’s Wilson Center for Nature Discovery Nears Completion

Ashe County Arts Council Welcomes Joni Ray

Joni Ray has been named the new Executive Director of the Ashe County Arts Council (ACAC), one of the High Country’s most cherished grassroots organizations.

Reflecting on how “very honored” she was to join the ACAC, Ray said, “I am aware

88— Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

App State Ranked among Nation’s Top Colleges

Appalachian State University is among the country’s best higher education institutions in the nation, according to several prominent publications. Honors include “Best Colleges” rankings for 2022 (U.S. News & World Report); “The Best 387 Colleges” and “Best Colleges: Region by Region” rankings for 2022 (The Princeton Review); and “America’s Top Colleges” rankings for 2021 (Forbes magazine).

Diana Travis and MaryAnn Mueller, photo by Leila Jackson

Land Donation Adds Watauga River Access in Valle Crucis

Thanks to a generous donation of land, Blue Ridge Conservancy (BRC) will soon open 8.5 acres of river access along the Watauga River in Valle Crucis, NC. MaryAnn Mueller and Diana Travis gifted 6 acres, and the Tennessee Valley Authority and Watauga Tourism Development Association funded the purchase of the other 2.5 acres.

This land, located just past the NC 194 bridge, will have a public parking area and create easier access to the Watauga River Paddle Trail.

The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge Grants $196,900 to Local Non-profits

The Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge (WFBR) continues to make a difference for women and girls in Ashe, Avery, and Watauga counties. The success of the 2021 outdoor Power of the Purse luncheon, the increase in membership, their many sponsors, and the community

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Under construction since fall 2019, the Wilson Center—part of an all new Conservation Campus—will nearly double the size of the park’s current Nature Museum with 10,000 square feet of education space, including state-ofthe-art museum exhibits, three classrooms, restoration of the ADA-accessible auditorium, enhanced food service facilities to allow for catering and serving educational groups, and expanded capacity for hosting conferences, seminars, receptions and community events. The new facility is officially “under roof” and is expected to open in spring 2022. For updates and more information, visit www. grandfather.com/fulfillingpromises.

The mission of the ACAC is to offer, “leadership, collaboration and growth through the arts,” and they operate two cultural facilities. A historic WPA building, the Ashe Arts Center in downtown West Jefferson houses the offices for the Arts Council, The Gallery, and Gallery Shop. The Ashe Civic Center is a 282-seat theatre which serves as the home of the Ashe County Little Theatre, among other local groups. Learn more at https:// www.ashecountyarts.org/.

helped the organization bring in $196,900, which is being awarded to a variety of agencies that will create positive change for women and girls in the High Country. For a full list of agencies included in the grant, visit www.womensfundoftheblueridge.org.

The future App State Hickory Campus | Graphic by Jim Fleri

In other App State News

The university recently announced the purchase of a 225,800-square-foot building to establish the App State Hickory Campus in the state’s largest metro area without a public university. “Hickory is a vibrant, growing city, just a short drive from Boone, that offers opportunities for App State to continue the mission we have had since 1899—to increase access to education,” said Chancellor Sheri Everts.

The building sits on 15.7 acres of land and includes large open spaces, a cafeteria and nearly 700 parking spaces.

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Lost Province at Hardin Creek

The Helping Hands Woodlot Ministry

The Helping Hands Woodlot Ministry, an outreach ministry of Grace Lutheran Church in Boone, is located next to the Hospitality House in Boone and is run in partnership with the Hunger and Health Coalition and WeCAN agencies. Volunteers meet every Tuesday year round from 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. to collect, cut, and split donated trees and wood. The split wood is then given to people who cannot otherwise afford firewood to heat their homes during the winter months.

If you have a fallen tree, or trees on your property that need to come down and that you would like to donate to this ministry, or if you can volunteer, please contact Harold Stophel at 828.789.9127.

Support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. Learn more about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org.

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Lost Province Brewing Co. is a destination microbrewery and gastrobpub located in historic downtown Boone, NC. As a small, family owned and operated business, they are committed to our community, environment and employees. Last summer, the Company opened its second location, Lost Province at Hardin Creek, just east of downtown Boone. Lost Province at Hardin Creek is an intimate taproom that focuses solely on the beer, and also serves as the primary production facility. https://www. lostprovince.com/

Winter Farmers’ Market in Downtown Boone

Boone’s Winter Farmers’ Market, powered

by Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, is returning for the 2021-2022 Winter Market season. The Boone Winter Farmers’ Market offers a wide range of local products, such as fresh produce, meats, bouquets, pottery, prepared foods and preserves, honey, homemade body products, herbal remedies, chocolate, coffee, and more. For more information about featured vendors, vendor pre-order info, and special events, customers are encouraged to follow Boone’s Winter Farmers’ Market Facebook page: www.facebook. com/BooneWinterFM/ and Boone Winter Farmers’ Market Instagram page: www. instagram.com/boonewintermarket/. The Market runs December - March, every Saturday from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m., at 252 Poplar Grove Rd, downtown Boone.

Gift to An Appalachian Summer Festival

Benefactor Chris Petti has pledged $500,000 to be applied toward a $1 million challenge gift from Nancy and Neil Schaffel, in support of the endowment fund for An Appalachian Summer Festival —App State’s annual celebration of the performing and visual arts. The challenge is part of the festival’s larger $5 million endowment goal. Says Denise Ringler, director of arts engagement and cultural programs at App State, “The endowment will enable the festival to maintain the breadth and quality of its programs, while also supporting its mission to provide affordable access to the arts for all. Chris’s generous gift is a major step forward in reaching our goal and inspiring others to contribute.”

Warm Up Your Household

As the cold weather continues this season, consider adding some furry warmth to your household! We are fortunate to have several animal shelters in our area that do an amazing job caring for animals in need and placing those animals in forever homes! Visit a Humane Society in Watauga, Avery, or Ashe County and find a special pet to add some “warm and fuzzy” to your winter!

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“...read all a bout it ” Community & Local Business News

Watauga Medical Center Receives Gift in memory of Dr. Al Petti

Chris Petti and Dr. Al Petti

When Chris Petti visited her parents’ Avery County cabin as a teen, she didn’t realize just how much the North Carolina mountains would impact her. Nor could she foresee how she and her husband, Dr. Al Petti, would make their own impact on the community.

Before Dr. Petti passed away in 2019 Chris remembers a friend saying, “There are no pockets in coffins. You can’t take it with you, so spread the good around.” And that’s what the Pettis spent more than 40 years doing in the High Country.

At the pinnacle of a lifetime of philanthropy, Chris is still living by the friend’s advice today, but now she says, “is the time to do bigger and better things.” Because Dr. Petti spent many years as an innovative orthopedic surgeon, Chris chose to honor his legacy with a $1 million gift to the Appalachian Regional Healthcare Foundation toward a new, ultramodern orthopedic program at Watauga Medical Center. A part of the orthopedic expansion project will bear the Petti name as a tribute to their history of medical excellence and community advancement.

Chris has been a long-time supporter and ambassador of Appalachian Regional Healthcare System throughout her time in the High Country, having personally received exceptional patient care. She has also served with the Pretty in Pink fundraiser, and has made other donations. But in this phase of life she wanted to help position Watauga Medical Center to rival any other hospital in terms of modern technology, advancements, facilities, and people.

“The High Country is such a close-knit community, and knowing the people involved makes it personal to me. . . I’m giving to people who will carry on a quality of care that will honor my husband’s memory and make us proud.”

For more information about the Watauga Medical Center Expansion Project, and how to get involved, visit apprhs.org/higherelevation.

Anne’s Kids Supports School Children

Anne’s Kids started with a dream. Well, actually three dreams. Maria Martinez Sylvester kept getting “visits” from her deceased mother, Anne Marie Davis Martinez, telling her she needed to do something for her community and for the kids, in particular.

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Maria Martinez Sylvester moved to Newland, NC, in 2019 and immediately recognized children in her community who were in need. She had the opportunity to discuss this with the school nurse from Newland Elementary and Principal Dr. Monet Samuelson. They both talked to her about how local children were in need of basic necessities. She called on her sisters and some close friends and Anne’s Kids, Inc. was born.

Maria’s mother, Anne Marie, was a devoted mother of six children. She loved and cared for others unconditionally and always made everyone feel accepted and welcome in her home. After fighting a long battle with cancer, she passed away in 1987.

Anne’s Kids began as a way to honor her and carry on her legacy.

“All Are Loved” is the motto for Anne’s Kids. The mission is to give all children the security and excitement of going to school

fully prepared with all that they need regardless of their circumstances. According to the website, “Whether it is crayons or a new favorite sweater, every child deserves to feel special and Anne’s Kids is committed to making that happen.”

Anne’s Kids is housed in a special room at Newland Elementary School. Children can go in and “shop” for clothes, shoes, coats, underwear, personal care items, school supplies, and even food. Teachers can also pick up classroom prizes and basic supplies. The room is colorful, welcoming and very organized, and according to Dr. Samuelson, every student and teacher at the school has now utilized Anne’s Kids.

You can support Anne’s Kids by going to the website (www.anneskids.com) and purchasing items on the Wish List; you can also make a donation or designate Anne’s List as your Amazon Smile recipient (AnnesKids Inc Newland).

L & N Performance: Auto Repair Experts

The modern auto industry calls for a modern approach. L & N Performance provides top-of-the-line service to include quality, expertise, and the kind of attention to detail that is aimed to satisfy every customer. With the introduction of such developments as Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS), the general public needs a reliable auto team to care for their vehicles in an ever-changing industry.

Since 2007, the shop has remained steady in their promise to always put the customer’s needs first. Awards including “North

Carolina Shop of the Year” can attest to the reliable nature of the work performed by this shop and team of professionals.

In addition to outstanding customer service and professional proficiency, L & N Performance is proudly founded, owned, and operated

by Lucas Underwood. Lucas grew up on the very land on which L & N was built. His passion for fast diesel trucks grew from an expensive interest to a soaring business as he worked hard to figure out every last detail for creating a customer-focused shop. He insisted from the beginning that the focus would not be on the dollar amount, but the communication with customers, warranties with no questions asked, triple-checked work, superior cleanings inside and outside each vehicle, and service as a whole concept rather than the sum of parts and labor. He takes great pride in doing what’s right by the customer, particularly considering that he and his team are caring for, “the second largest investment you’ll ever make.”

Learn: https://lnautorepair.com/.

Jessie Kotzmoyer and Thea Young at the new West Jefferson Footsloggers

Footsloggers Celebrates 50 Years and a New Store!

Footsloggers, the premier source for outdoor travel gear, adventure gear, and water sports gear in the High Country, is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. Why not celebrate by opening a new store? The new location is in the lovely mountain town of West Jefferson, NC. “We were looking to expand, and West Jefferson was at the top of our list,” say owners Wayne and Jenny Miller. The new store sits in the heart of downtown and is managed by Jessie Kotzmoyer, who has been with Footsloggers since June 2020.

“We love the beauty and the people of West Jefferson,” says Kotzmoyer. “We are excited about the future at our new location and look forward to being deeply involved with this community.” Footsloggers has a long history of supporting causes within the communities the business serves and is well known for their model of giving back—much of the company’s profits go to local organizations who work to improve the quality of life for people here in the High Country.

“My favorite part about my job is meeting new folks in the community and catering to their needs for outdoor gear,” says Kotzmoyer. “As the manager, I want to make an effort to ensure our guests enjoy their experience in our shop and have fun. We aren’t just an outdoor store, we are your neighbors!” Stop by their new West Jefferson store this season—or their stores in Boone and Blowing Rock—for premium outdoor gear, shoes, boots and clothing you need to make the most of your journey on the trail, rocks, ice, water, or anywhere under the starry skies.

Footsloggers’ knowledgeable and friendly staff will help you choose the right items for your next adventure.

Footsloggers West Jefferson: 08 A South Jefferson Ave, West Jefferson, NC 28694 Footsloggers Boone: 139 Depot St, Boone, NC 28607 Footsloggers Blowing Rock: 921 Main St, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 Footsloggers Online: https://footsloggersnc.com/ CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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Choose the most convenient and versatile structural wall retaining system—one that can be installed quickly and trusted to last. We also customize LOCK ROCKS in various colors and sizes to meet the needs of any project. Because we manufacture our products locally in the high country, we keep your construction costs lower and offer personalized service.

Add LOVEN to your next construction project!

Family owned since 1961 Serving the High Country and Beyond Call 828-733-0525 www.LovenCasting.com

Blowing Rock’s Auto Repair Experts "Quality repairs and unparalleled customer service. L & N goes above and beyond to make you feel confident and comfortable that your car is in the right hands!"

189 Mystery Hill Lane, Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828-266-9077 | lnautorepair.com | Check Us Out On Facebook!

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Three NC Locations to Serve You: Linville • Winston-Salem • Lake Norman/Mooresville averyheating.com / 1600 Linville Falls Hwy, Linville, NC 28646 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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Comfort in the Cold

By Sarah Mize

W

hen the weather turns colder and the prospect of snow looms large, we all need a snug, happy place to help us get through the rough winter months. The shorter days make it harder to stay warm, causing many people to struggle both mentally and physically. Small comforts can help us take care of ourselves as well as others, and self-care is an important aspect that most people need to work on. There are several businesses in the High Country primed to provide exceptional warmth and comfort—whether it is through European inspired bedding, hand-woven garments, or a unique “floating spa” experience, these businesses are sure to have exactly what you need this winter.

DeWoolfson, located at 9452 NC Hwy. 105 S in Banner Elk, is a High Country manufacturer of European-inspired down comforters, pillows, and featherbeds. DeWoolfson’s main goal is to supply “warmth without weight,” and they offer a variety of fabrics, warmth levels and “fill power,” each guaranteed to help you through every season. Products include down duvets and pillows, and luxury linens from France, Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, and Austria.

DeWoolfson was started over 40 years ago when Richard Schaffer, one of the owners of DeWoolfson, entered a linen store in Vienna, Austria, and discovered the beautiful Daunendecke comforters. A Daunendecke, meaning down comforter in German, was like nothing Schaffer had ever seen in American bedding. Europeans had moved away from the heavy bedspreads, quilts and blankets all piled onto the bed to provide layered warmth. Instead, they used just one down comforter that took care of all their needs without weighing them down. Another European tradition that DeWoolfson brought to America

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was the idea of individually sized comforters, which they offer in addition to American sizes. This allows couples sharing a bed to select the exact weight and warmth they require, ensuring both parties the comfort they need to have a good night’s sleep.

DeWoolfson uses only all-European white goose down fills and the world’s finest Austrian and German-engineered downproof fabrics. Their finished down products are never filled overseas, prepacked or warehoused, but made in the High Country for their local retail store or for shipment to customers around the country.

Walking into DeWoolfson’s showroom, with its beautiful European linens and fragrances, is like walking into a spring garden that’s constantly blooming and changing. The store’s sights and smells put you at ease as you pick out cozy bedding and plush towels, or have a pillow stuffed exactly to your tastes. DeWoolfson hopes to bring back the joy of shopping for comfortable and beautiful bedding and allow their customers to treat themselves to a good night’s rest every night.

In the High Country, not only can you buy coziness for the cold season, you can also make your own. Crossnore Weavers in Crossnore, NC, preserves the art of hand weaving, an old Appalachian tradition. Founded in 1920 by Dr. Mary Martin Sloop, Crossnore Weavers has grown into a working museum as well as a functioning store. It started out as a means for women to support themselves and has continued that tradition while also providing future generations the chance to learn Appalachian history. Connected to Crossnore Communities for Children, Crossnore Weavers provides lessons for both children and adults, offering week-long classes

throughout the year. Lisa Banner, Crossnore Weavers’ manager, encourages everyone to try a class, stating, “Weaving is very therapeutic. Learning to weave in one of our week-long classes can teach you a skill that might become a hobby for years to come.”

Crossnore Weavers continues to hire women and students to hand-weave beautiful garments and household items. They sell hand-woven tartans, table linens, bookmarks, and more. The store is made up of over 30 looms and a beautiful finishing room, which lures guests to come in and watch the magic happen. Lisa Banner is very proud of the wearable and home decor items that can keep you warm and make your home welcoming. However, that is not the only thing she is proud of: “Perhaps more importantly, our weaving room has an inviting atmosphere. Everyone is welcome to visit and sit with us for a while.

Whether you buy anything or not, you will leave feeling refreshed.”

Crossnore Weavers is guaranteed to warm you up this winter, physically and emotionally, through hand-woven goods, a welcoming environment, and an opportunity to give back to the community. All of the net proceeds from the business go into the operating budget of Crossnore Communities for Children.

Last but not least, 180 Float Spa in Boone, NC, offers a unique way to soak up the warmth this winter. Locally owned and operated by Angela and Brad Heavner, Boone’s first and only “float spa” provides a way to soothe your mind and body through 60- to 90-minute float experiences. Float Therapy was originally created by Dr. John C. Lilly, a neuropsychiatrist, back in 1954, but the first commercially available float pod didn’t exist until 1972. The 180

Colorful, hand-crafted winter warmth at Crossnore Weavers

180 Float Spa also sells items that will warm up your winter

Float Spa was started back in 2020 after Brad and Angela witnessed how beneficial the floating experience could be. Brad had broken his back in a car accident which led him to try a float spa in Asheville, NC, in 2017. The experience was life changing.

A visit to a float spa provides stress relief, muscle recovery, improved sleep, and reduced anxiety, making it the perfect experience for sufferers of PTSD and other injuries. Float Therapy removes excess noise and distraction, allowing the body and mind to reach a peaceful state. A typical session includes floating inside a pod filled with mineral based saltwater. Angela Heavner says, “The water is kept at a skinneutral 93.5 degrees to create a zero gravity feeling so that the line between body/ skin and water is erased,” which she says, “encourages the mind and body to connect, heal, and find relief from physical, mental, and emotional stress.”

With the 180 Float Spa, the Heavners have created a distinctive enterprise that “focuses on promoting self-care by providing a space free from distractions to focus on restoring the body and mind.” The Heavners add, “With regular self-care we can improve the quality of our lives, which makes us better to ourselves and everyone around us.”

Businesses across the High Country are stepping up to provide comfort and warmth this winter. Through cozy European-inspired bedding, we can stay warm and rest well. With hand-woven wearables and a peaceful environment, we can brave the winter air engulfed in warmth. Lastly, with a space free from distraction and outside stimuli, we can connect our mind and body—all of which contributes to our overall comfort and helps us weather this chilly season.

“Small comforts can help us take care of ourselves as well as others, and self-care is an important aspect that most people need to work on.”

Evolution Float Pod at 180 Float Spa

Dewoolfson specializes in European-inspired down comforters, pillows, and featherbeds

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Be Still

Where Blowing Rock began and the Legend continues...

• Divide Tavern serving nightly • Chestnut Grille Restaurant

The Valuable Practice of Meditation

By Samantha Steele

Historic Hotels of America

Divide Tavern Chestnut Grille

national trust for historic preservation®

9239 Valley Blvd Blowing Rock www.greenparkinn.com 828.414.9230

Let Us Shop For You!urbside Website C -Sat Pickup Mon 11am-6pm

“Just Be” Your LOCAL source for Organic & Fresh Foods, Bulk, Produce, Supplements and so much more!

273 Boone Heights Drive, Boone, NC 28607 Across from the Wellness Center 828-262-5592 • www.benaturalmarket.com

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Our 6th generation family farm makes farm- fresh cheese on site from our own happy dairy cows.

Our farm store also offers other local goods!

828-756-8166 Fri-Sat, 10am-6pm, year-round 19456 US 221 North (.5 miles south of Linville Caverns) Marion, NC 28752

Meditation is the practice of silence, stillness and solitude that anchors the core of all great religious traditions. It is the integration of heart and mind, the spirit and soul. It requires very little, yet yields an immeasurable harvest in both peaceful and troubled times. Take a moment to learn how to easily incorporate this ancient practice into your daily regimen.

• Decide on a purpose for meditating (release fear or anxiety, general relaxation, selfdiscipline).

• Find a quiet space free from distractions and interruptions.

• Slowly and intentionally deep breathe with lips closed, through nose.

• Scan your body and purpose to release tension.

• Consider a “guided thought” (imagine taking a walk through a forest, on a beach, flying through the air like a bird, warming your face in the sunshine).

• Instead, you may prefer to repeat a word, phrase or contemplative prayer.

• Allow yourself at least 15-20 minutes to practice meditation.

Start once per day and work up to twice each day for maximum results.

• Remember: Silence-Stillness-Solitude…

These are the basic elements of meditation. Keep it simple and you will succeed!

For more about meditation, see www. listeningflower.org.

Cold Therapy

By Samantha Steele

Physical and Emotional Resilience

Cold showers will train your nervous system to be more resilient to stress by acting as a small form of oxidative stress on your nervous system. Although the first time you turn on that cold shower, you won’t be able to think straight, after about a month your body adapts and the ice-cold water will be a welcome addition to your plan for modulating stress in everyday life.

Over time, you’re likely to feel more “calm, cool and collected.”

Blood Circulation and Lung Function

When cold water hits your body, the blood vessels on the surface of your body constrict. This causes blood in your deeper tissues to circulate at faster rates to maintain ideal body temperature. Remember how a cold plunge or burst of cold water takes away your breath? It’s that breathlessness that improves your lung function. This is proven in a study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences. So, when you gasp and hold your breath each time you take a plunge, slowly, methodically release your breath to improve your lung function.

Advanced Immune Response

A study from England found that those who took daily cold showers had increased numbers of disease-fighting white blood cells (compared to people who took hot showers). The investigators at Britain’s Thrombosis Research Institute suggested that as the body tries to warm itself during and after a cold shower, metabolic rate speeds up and activates the immune system, which leads to the release of more white blood cells. And, according to one German study, consistency is essential! Those who only participated in an occasional winter swim in cold water had increased oxidative stress, but, done regularly, such swimming leads to an adaptive antioxidant response. Those who regularly partook in cold water swims had bodies better equipped to combat oxidative stress in general once they were accustomed to cold-water swims.

Inflammation and Pain Reduction

Submerging yourself in the chilled water instantly numbs the nerves that surround your joints and muscles, causing the constriction of blood flow and extracellular fluids; it also causes the release of hormones and endorphins, which help reduce inflammation. Most of us have benefitted from the relief that a cold pack brings to a swollen or injured body part, so believing that a cold stream of water from the shower or other cold immersion like an ice bath helps with pain is not at all a stretch.

Studies show the release of hormones and endorphins acts as an analgesic, which relieves inflammation and alleviates muscle strain and joint pain.

Mood Boosting

symptoms, and, when used regularly, might even be more effective than prescription antidepressants.

In addition to the benefits already stated, you can expect to see higher energy levels and overall improvement in metabolism, quality of sleep and focus.

So if you’re ready to more enthusiastically embrace the cold, be sure to speak with your healthcare professional about cold therapy, especially if you have a history of heart conditions. Although alternating hot/cold shower therapy of any degree is most certainly helpful for blood flow and inflammation, shoot for a temperature of 55 degrees or below to see the greatest benefit.

Let’s face it, the first few seconds of extreme cold exposure is tough, but powering through can work wonders at training your brain and strengthening your will power to do things you otherwise may not do. This positive attitude could then translate to other areas of your life!

Samantha Steele is a nutritionist, food scientist and herbalist who loves spending time outside foraging for wild foods while appreciating the abundance of God’s creation.

• Samantha can be contacted at cmlmag3@gmail.com.

• The views are those of the author and should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your personal physician or healthcare professional before making changes to any treatments, regimens or diets.

Be Well

As the cold water envelops the entire body, norepinephrine, an anti-stress hormone and neurotransmitter, and epinephrine/adrenaline are released, which is what makes you feel so invigorated! Several studies are now being conducted on the use of cold water therapy and cold showers to help treat depression; one small study showed that cold hydrotherapy can relieve depressive symptoms rather effectively.

In addition, a 2007 study found evidence that cold showers can help treat depression

References:

“Body hardening” with cold therapy: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/ pii/0891584994900302 Depression and cold showers: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/ S030698770700566X https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17993252/ Antioxidant protection: https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/ 92/4/193/1586500 Whole body cryotherapy stimulates the body’s autonomic nervous system and decreases core temperature: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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W E L L

t’s wintertime in the High Country and with the frosty beauty of the outdoors that surround us, isn’t it tempting to spend more time outside? But “IT’S COLD!” you say.

Cold actually isn’t so bad. We have used cold packs to reduce inflammation and swelling, right? Ice is useful for numbing pain in muscles and can even be used to decrease spasms. What is not as well known is that cold can be used to treat a wide range of physiological and psychological ailments, including chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.

Cold Therapy, otherwise known as “Deliberate Cold Exposure,” or DCE, can be extremely effective in improving your emotional resilience, reducing stress, strengthening your willpower, increasing mental alertness, improving your skin and hair, stimulating weight loss, increasing testosterone in men, enhancing fertility, improving circulation, boosting your immunity, and stimulating your lymphatic system.

Let’s look more closely at some ways in which DCE can help the body:

B E

I

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Beattie’s farm-crafted potato vodka

Irish Coffee Hot Mulled Wine

The Spice & Tea Exchange’s Mulling Spice Kit

T

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hroughout ages past and across all cultures, “go fetch the medicine” has been a common call to bring on some mysterious liquid brew to soothe whatever may ail the body, mind and soul. Perhaps when you were a small child, your mother, aunt or grandmother treated the aches and discomforts of your winter colds, sore throats and fevers with their own special concoctions. And our centuries-old High Country traditions have always held such medicinal treatments as both common, reliable and warmly welcomed.

You may recall that this potion was always hot to the tongue, had a sharp sting to the back of the throat and—almost magically—seemed to help quiet your symptoms, comfort your ills and lull you into a cozy slumber. And it was often called a hot toddy. The origin of the term dates back at least to 18th century India and a hot drink called “toddy” that was made of fermented palm tree sap combined with sugar and spices. Historically, whether as a remedy for winter’s ills or simply to put the worries of the day behind, this drink was frequently relied upon to help relieve one’s troubles while easing the body and mind into a restful respite.

The recipe for these magic potions was sometimes a well-guarded family secret passed down from generation to generation. It usually combined special healing herbs, honey or some other sweetener (to make it more palatable) and, of course, a decided dose of alcoholic libation such as whiskey or brandy. These homemade remedies were then heated and served as hot as a person could tolerate. Long before modern medicines arrived on the scene, some form of this exotic elixir proved to be at least mod-

Winter Hot Toddies erately effective in treating ills, wounds and even post-surgical infections.

Even centuries of ancient folk lore about witches and cryptic healers are ripe with recipes to cure the sick, woo a lover, curse an enemy, win the throne or win a battle. Common to many of these recipes was a boiling caldron along with some obscure ingredients plus various blends of fermented fruits, berries, grains, herbs and the obligatory mystical incantation.

Of course, those formulas were pretty strange, if not downright scary, and most likely much less tasty than your great grandmother’s nurturing stove-top brew.

But the healing and metaphysical arts certainly weren’t the only use for stirring up these potent potables. There was also the warming of spirits and enlivening of festivities that surely enticed folk to prepare and enjoy hot toddies throughout history—especially on cold winter nights and as a warm bedtime sleep aid.

Here in the mountains of western North Carolina we’ve always had at least two compelling components to inspire the mixing up of hot toddies: cold winter nights and the long-practiced and revered agricultural art of fermenting spirited libations. Top on that libations list was, and still is, mountain moonshine.

Hard apple cider may come in second, followed by various wild berry-based spirits.

In more recent years, the explosive growth of our viticulture industry has dotted our mountain slopes with sprawling grape vineyards and exceptional upscale wineries, all contributing to the creative concoction of many hot mulled wine recipes. Our four closest AVA rated wineries—Linville Falls, Banner Elk, Grandfather Mountain and, next door in Tennessee, Watauga Lake—offer a wide

By Steve York

selection of wines plus occasional hard ciders for your favorite hot toddy blend.

Along with traditional grape wines, area AVA blueberry, blackberry and strawberry wines make for a good base as well as for your favorite sangria.

And, of course, the ever-popular fortified “cherry bounce” recipes are always a perfect choice. This legendary George Washington inspired treat—a tradition at Linville Falls Winery—is so wellloved in North Carolina that there’s even an annual Cherry Bounce Festival held in Forest City each June. And, down in Ferguson, North Carolina, hundreds of the Outlander book and TV series fans gather twice a year in full costume for a Fraser’s Ridge Homecoming celebration where their officially designated cherry bounce beverage receives an honorary toasting.

Many mulled wine and liquor-based hot toddy recipes call for a special blend of spices and spirits. But, if you’re not sure where to start, check out either of the two Spice and Tea Exchange locations on Main Street in Blowing Rock or on Main Street in West Jefferson. They specialize in everything tea and spice, including great mixes for mulled wines and other hot toddy drinks.

If vodka is your choice of spirits, Beattie’s Vodka boasts seven vodka cocktails created especially to lend themselves perfectly to your own homemade winter warmers. And don’t forget to check with your favorite restaurants, cafes and pubs to see what they may have on the menu to spark your spirits on our long, cold and frosty winter nights ahead. For some sample recipes to make your own seasonal libations, see CML’s special “Hot Toddy” recipes on page 102.

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W I N T E R R E S TA U R A N T G U I D E Fine food, friendly service, great atmosphere—you’ll find it all at our High Country restaurants!

Here, we feature a selection of popular dining establishments and showcase some of our favorite chefs’ specialties.

Photo by Casey Davis

Reid’s Cafe & Catering

4004 NC-105 Suite #8 Sugar Mountain, NC 828.898.9200 https://reidscafeandcatering.com/ “I would have to agree with Julia Child’s, ‘People who love to eat are the greatest people!’ We value the handmade and fashion from scratch details as small as the aioli and dressings we use, to house made focaccia and pastries, slow roasted meats, and naturally fermented pickles.”

–Tina Houston owner

Bistro Roca

143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.4008 https://www.bistroroca.com/ “Local pork shoulder, pickled veggies, cellophane noodles, & gochujang aioli all wrapped in romaine...It’s like a taco but better.”

Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria

Gideon Ridge

202 Gideon Ridge Rd, Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3644 https://www.gideonridge.com/ “Bring your honey. Order the charcuterie board and the bottle. Stay awhile.”

100 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

402 Beech Mountain Parkway Beech Mountain, NC 28604 828.387.4209 https://www.famousbrickoven.com/ “We have been making and baking pizza for over 25 years. We have beers from around the world, cinema under the stars, hand crafted candies, fresh baked cookies, large flat screen TVs, full bar menu, polar golf, and an arcade. We are the place to eat, play and drink.”

Holy Smokes BBQ

3005 Shulls Mill Rd, Boone, NC 828.387.4200 https://www.facebook.com/ Holysmokesnc/ “Offering delicious BBQ comfort food right here on beautiful Beech Mountain!

We offer 7 different BBQ sauces made in house.”

Best Cellar

203 Sunset Drive Blowing Rock, NC 28605 828.295.3466 https://www.ragged-gardens.com/bestcellar-restaurant “The Best Cellar prides itself on having provided its customers with the finest of food, wine, and service for 30 years.

Featured is our Bone-In Pork Chop, grilled to medium rare, topped with roasted red pepper puree and pepper jack cream; finished with crispy onion strings.”

Pedalin’ Pig

4235 Hwy 105 S Banner Elk 28604 2968-A Hwy 105 Boone NC 28607 Banner Elk: 828.898.7500 Boone: 828.355.9559 https://www.thepedalinpig.com/ “We smoke our meats low and slow, up to 16 hours, using hard woods. Everything is seasoned with our house made, hand crafted rubs. All sauces and sides made inhouse with careful attention to consistency and quality. Come enjoy a local craft beer or a signature craft cocktail with the best BBQ in the High Country. Visit our other restaurants in Blowing Rock, Woodlands and Wheelies Refreshers!”

Bayou Smokehouse & Grill Restaurant

130 Main Street East, Village Shops Banner Elk, NC 28604 828.898.8952 https://www.facebook.com/ BayouSmokehouse/ “The Heart of Texas and the Soul of Louisiana in the High Country of North Carolina, we offer a menu with something for everyone in a casual, comfortable atmosphere. Wine Amnesty available whenever the Bayou General Store is open!”

And… Enjoy these restaurants in our area: Highlander’s Grill & Tavern 4527 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.9613 www.highlandersbannerelk.com

Bodega’s Kitchen and Wine Bar 488 Main St W, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.7773 www.bodegasbe.com/

Bella’s Italian Restaurant 3585 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.9022 bellasbannerelk.com/

Fred’s Backside Deli 501 Beech Mountain Pkwy Beech Mountain, NC 828.387.4838 fredsgeneral.com/

Banner Elk Café, The Lodge and The Tavern 324 Shawneehaw Ave S Hwy 184 Banner Elk, NC 828.898.4040, 828.898.3444 www.bannerelkcafe.com/ Lost Province Brewing Company 130 N Depot Street, Boone, NC 828.265.3506 lostprovince.com/

344 Shawneehaw Ave. South Banner Elk, NC 828.898.5550 http://stonewallsrestaurant.com “Stonewalls offers the finest cuts of beef found in prime rib, sirloin, rib eye, New York Strip and Filet Mignon. Our chicken & ribs are second to none and we have a great lineup of seafood. Our chefs have been performing for years, and our buyer selects the best cuts available. Our salad bar is a destination for locals and for tourists.”

L “ et food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Elk River Depot Family Restaurant 6460 Banner Elk Hwy, Elk Park, NC www.facebook.com/elkriverdepot

Stonewalls

Stick Boy Kitchen 211 Boone Heights Drive Boone, NC 828.265.4141 www.stickboybread.com/kitchen The Chestnut Grille at The Green Park Inn 9239 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock, NC P: (828) 414-9230 greenparkinn.com/

—Hippocrates

Casa Rustica 1348 NC-105, Boone, NC 828.262.5128 casarustica1981.com/

Jack’s 128 Pecan 128 Pecan St SE, Abingdon, VA 276.698.3159 https://www.128pecan.com/

The Chef’s Table 140 Azalea Cir SE, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.1940 bannerelkvillage.com/chefstable/

Painted Fish Cafe 2941 Tynecastle Hwy, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.6800 https://www.paintedfishcafe.com/

Woodlands Barbeque 8304 Valley Blvd, Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3651 www.woodlandsbbq.com/

CoBo Sushi Bistro 161 Howard St, Boone, NC (828) 386-1201 https://cobosushi.com/

The Italian Restaurant 2855 Linville Falls Hwy, Pineola, NC 828.733.1401 www.theitalianrestaurantnc.com/

Sorrento’s Italian Bistro 140 Azalea Cir SE, Banner Elk, NC 828.898.5214 bannerelkvillage.com/sorrentositalian-bistro/

Gamekeeper Restaurant 3005 Shulls Mill Rd, Boone, NC 828.963.7400 https://gamekeeper-nc.com/

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Traditional Hot Toddy Recipes

SEASONINGS • FINE TEAS SUGARS • SALTS • SPICES • HERBS DOWNTOWN WEST JEFFERSON | 336.846.8327

Gifts They will Use!

Gather for a Good Time!

Hot Toddies are traditionally a blend of several spices, a sweetener, some fruit base and either a hard liquor or wine all heated together, allowed to steep and then served hot in a small glass, mug or cup. The hard spirits are often a whiskey, bourbon, rye, brandy or rum with each culture favoring their own special brand. Scottish and Irish whiskeys are renowned for their brands.

Whereas a Russian toddy would favor vodka.

Jamaican or Latin cultures may prefer rum.

And Asian customs may use a rice wine. Here are a couple of common recipes: Liquor-based Toddy Recipe Ingredients: • 1½ ounce brown liquor such as brandy, whiskey, rum, cognac etc.

• 1 tablespoon honey • ½ ounce lemon juice • 1 cup hot water • Optional garnish: 1 lemon wedge, cinnamon stick and star anise Directions: • Combine ingredients in a small pot.

• Simmer and steep until well-blended (do not bring to a boil).

• Pour into a warmed mug.

• Sip and occasionally stir the residual ingredients to keep flavors alive.

Mulled Wine Toddy Recipe

The Banner Elk Cafe and The Lodge Espresso Bar & Eatery Are Under One Roof!

Located in the Heart of Banner Elk

Open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

Daily Drink & Food Specials Expansive Menu Indoor & Outdoor Dining Large Bar with Comfortable Seating ...and a Warm Fireplace!

Trivia | Live Music

828-898-4040 102 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

Schedule & Specials: Facebook, Instagram and at www.bannerelkcafe.com

Ingredients: • 1 small bottle of dry red wine • 1 orange, sliced into rounds (peel the orange for a less bitter taste) • 8 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise • 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar, honey, or maple syrup to taste (or your desired sweetener) • Optional add-in: 1/4 cup brandy or your favorite liqueur • Optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime) Directions: • Same as with liquor-based hot toddy.

NOTE: Several tea blends can also be substituted for some of the optional spices.

Hard cider toddies may add extra apple slices and cinnamon sticks. Some honey sweetened recipes recommend adding the honey afterwards to the already heated beverage rather than during the heating process.

Call for Store Hours | Curbside delivery available www.beoliveoil.com | 828-898-4441 155 Banner Rd., Banner Elk

- Award Winning -

Craft Beer

Down bedding

MANUFACTURED BY DEWOOLFSON

brewed in Downtown Boone, NC 1ostprovince.com

Visit our 2nd location

Lost Province at

Hardin Creek

FINE LINENS FROM FRANCE, ITALY, AUSTRIA, SWITZERLAND, AND AROUND THE WORLD. © 2006-2021 DeWoolfson Down Int’l., Inc.

with water from the headwaters of the New River

Brewery & Taproom

-Now Open-

Fresh Ingredients Handcrafted Dough

~ WORLD CLASS PIZZAS ~

®

down bedding & fine linens

BAKERY . FULL BAR ARCADE/MINI GOLF

Since 1983.

Between Boone & Banner Elk 402 Beech Mountain Pkwy, Beech Mountain, NC 28604

www.famousbrickoven.com

. 828-387-4209

9452 NC Hwy. 105 S 828.963.4144

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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CAULIFLOWER LEEK SOUP Ingredients 2 leeks, washed thoroughly and sliced 1 head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite size pieces 4 slices of bacon, diced 4 cloves of garlic 8 cups chicken bone broth 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 1 tsp salt ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper

made

Directions n In a stock pot cook bacon on medium heat until crispy, set aside. n To the same pot add leeks and garlic, salt, pepper and thyme—sauté until soft. n Add cauliflower and bone broth and bring to a boil. n Cover and simmer on low for about 20 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender. n Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth, adjusting the salt and pepper to taste. n Serve with crispy bacon.

104 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

From CML’s Kitchen

By Meagan Goheen

Ingredients 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped 4 chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped 1 TBSP paprika 2 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp salt and pepper 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast 1 14-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1 10-oz can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies 8 cups chicken broth 1 15-oz can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 15-oz can corn, drained, and rinsed 1 15-oz can hominy, drained and rinsed Juice of 3 limes, with zest reserved for wonton strips For serving: Cilantro, avocado, sharp cheddar, sour cream, radish and crispy lime wonton strips (directions follow)

Crispy lime wonton strips n Slice 12 wonton wrappers into thin slices n Heat ¼ cup avocado oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat. n Fry wontons in batches for 1 minute, turn over and fry for another minute. n Drain on a paper towel lined plate. n Sprinkle with salt and lime zest. n Repeat in batches.

Directions n Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. n Add onion, garlic, poblano peppers, chipotle peppers,paprika, cumin, salt, and pepper. n Cook for 5-8 minutes. n Add the tomatoes, broth, and chicken. n Partially cover and simmer over medium-low heat 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. n Using 2 forks, shred the chicken. To the pot add back the shredded chicken, black beans, corn, hominy, cilantro, and lime juice. n Top as desired with sour cream, cheese, avocado, cilantro, radish, squeeze of lime and crispy wonton strips.

R E C I P E S

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN SOUP

e wit h love!

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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BA Y O U µ

Bayou Smokehouse & Grill Restaurant

Banner Elk Winery & Villa Experience Luxury in the High Country’s Original & Most Acclaimed Winery Savor award-winning wine and pamper yourself at The Villa, a luxury B&B. Spend your days exploring the local golfing, fishing, and skiing. Or recharge with a spa treatment and a glass of wine in front of the magnificent stone fireplace.

A weekend getaway, corporate retreat, family vacation, engagements, elopements, rehearsal dinners, or special events...it’s the perfect place to relax, re-inspire, and rejuvenate – both inside and out.

The Heart of Texas The Soul of Louisiana in the

High Country

of North Carolina

General Store Downtown Banner Elk (828) 898-TxLa (8952)

106 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

• Weddings • Special Events • Corporate Retreats • Family Reunions 135 Deer Run Lane, Banner Elk, NC 28604 828.260.1790 www.BannerElkWinery.com

BannerElkWVSep/Oct2012.indd 1

8/14/12 10:56 AM

Come spend the day!

Amy Brown, CPA Certified Public Accountant 828.898.7607 Avery County Chamber of Commerce 828.898.5605 / www.averycounty.com BB&T 888.BBT-ONLINE / www.BBandT.com Creative Interiors by Darlene Parker 828.898.9636 Encore Travel 828.719.6955 www.encoretravelltc.com Highlanders Grill & Tavern Open 7 Days a Week 828.898.9613 Peak Real Estate 828.898.1880 www.peakrealestatenc.com Salon Suites at Tynecastle • SALON M 828.260.3791 Shooz & Shiraz A Shoe & Wine Salon at The Dande Lion Sky Mountain Nail Bar 828.783.9393 The Dande Lion Ladies Apparel, Shoes, & Accessories 866.222.2050 and 828.898.3566 Tynecastle Builders 828.387.1222 / tynecastlebuilders.com Tynecastle Realty 828.898.7777 / tynecastlerealty.com Valle de Bravo Mexican Grill valledebravomexicangrill.net 828.898.4949 Walgreens Pharmacy 828.898.8971

SPACE AVAILABLE!

For Leasing Information Please Call 828.898.6246

SHOPPING • DINING • BUSINESS • At the Corner of Hwy 105 & 184 Tynecastle Hwy. • Banner Elk

Avery County’s Dining

Catering

The High Country’s Premier Steak & Seafood Restaurant • • • • • •

Dinner nightly from 5pm Martini & Meatloaf Mondays with $7 house martinis and comfort food specials Tuesday – Specialty burger night Wednesday – 25% off bottles of wine Private room available “Avery County Chamber Business of the Year”

828-898-5550

344 Shawneehaw Ave. South, Banner Elk stonewallsrestaurant.com

108 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

The High Country’s Best Choice for Event Catering • • • • •

Creativity, passion and culinary excellence Parties of all sizes In-home catering Fully insured and licensed Largest mobile kitchen in the High Country

828-898-5550

344 Shawneehaw Ave. South, Banner Elk stonewallsrestaurant.com

Best

DINING | CATERING LODGING | EVENT VENUE

Event Venue

Lodging

The High Country’s Best Vacation Rentals • • • • •

One main lodge and three cabins with mountain views 1-4 bedrooms available Event barn, outdoor pavilion, open field, meandering streams, and ponds all onsite Located in the heart of Sugar and Beech Mountains, with proximity to all High Country attractions Pet-friendly

828-860-3673

64 Cornerstone Cir, Banner Elk cornerstonerentals.com

The High Country’s Best Space for Gatherings • • • • • • •

Vacations, weddings, family reunions, church events, and business retreats Newly built barn with 1,700 sq. ft., and 18-ft. high ceilings Barn equipped with a complete catering kitchen Climate controlled barn 1,750 sq. ft. outdoor pavilion with fire pit Lodge and cabin rentals Fields, streams, and ponds

828-860-3673

64 Cornerstone Cir, Banner Elk thebarnatcornerstone.com

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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“Where the Locals Go”

astle At Shoppes of Tynec in Banner Elk, NC

Visit our Facebook page to view daily specials and LIVE MUSIC listings: Facebook @ Highlandersbannerelk

• Daily lunch and dinner specials • Large selection of appetizers, burgers, salads, and wings • Children’s menu • Enjoy dancing, sports viewing, and other entertainment • Full bar and daily drink specials, 14 beers on tap • To-Go orders available

Open Tuesday - Sunday (closed Monday) 4527 Tynecastle Hwy, at the Corner of Hwy 105 and 184 Tynecastle Hwy | 828.898.9613 highlandersbannerelk.com

Country Style at Its Best!

• Serving breakfast lunch, and dinner, country style • Breakfast served 7 - 11 a.m.

• Lunch served 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

• Dinner served 3 - 8 p.m.

• Entrees include meatloaf, pot roast, ham, and other country staples • Daily Specials • To-Go orders available

Our Newest Restaurant in Elk Park, NC

Open Tuesday - Sunday (closed Monday) Located in Elk Park at the corner of Banner Elk Highway 194 and 19E 6460 Banner Elk Hwy, Elk Park, NC 28622 | 828.742.1980 | Facebook @ elkriverdepot 110 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

INTELLIGENT CHOICES FOR THE COMMON CRAVING

AFTER ALL, LIFE IS SHORT AND TIME REALLY DOES FLY

Gideon Ridge Inn Lunch: 11 AM to 3 PM. | Dinner: 5 PM to 10 PM. Sunday Brunch: 11 AM to 3 PM.

10 wonderfully comfortable bedrooms with evening turndown service Serving Dinner Tuesday - Saturday from 5:30pm - 8pm Reservations Required Dining & Cocktails Alfresco and the view...

143 Wonderland Trail, Blowing Rock, NC 28605

202 Gideon Ridge Road, Blowing Rock, NC, 28605

bistroroca.com / 828-295-4008

gideonridge.com / 828-295-3644

Live Music every Sunday from 2-5pm

Join us for Sangria Saturdays

All red and white bottles are only $20 Flatbreads and Cheese Baskets served daily!

Instagram: @wataugalakewinery_

423-786-0345 | www.wataugalakewinery.com CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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"Inspiring your tastebuds for 10 years."

EAT, DRINK, BE SOCIAL...

Inspire Your Tastebuds

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW! Call for updated hours, specials and take out.

2941 Tynecastle Highway • Banner Elk (across from the entrance to Sugar Moutain)

Lunch • Dinner • Full Bar Tues-Sat, 11am-9pm 128 Pecan Street Abingdon, Virginia (276)698-3159

828.898.6800 • paintedfishcafe.com Painted Salad

Caribbean Style Fare in a Unique Mountain Setting

MAKE YOUR RESERVATION NOW! 2941 tynecastle highway • banner elk (across from the entrance to Sugar Mountain)

828.898.6800 paintedfishcafe.com

488 Main St. W. Banner Elk • 828-898-7773

112 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE

U LT I M AT E KITCHEN DESIGN And Now

“Pedalin’ Pig at Woodlands” Blowing Rock

We Make Beautiful Kitchens Affordable!

828-260-2592 ultimatekitchendesign.com

Family Owned & Operated “Simply Great Food” Salads • Pasta • Hot Sandwiches Italian Pizza • Calzones • Desserts All ABC Permits – Carry out available – Intersection of Hwys 221 & 181 2855 Linville Falls Highway Pineola, NC 28662 (828) 733-1401 TheItalianRestaurantNC.com

SUSHI BISTRO AND BAR Monday-Saturday Dine-In: 4pm - 10pm | TOGO: 4pm - 8pm 161 Howard Street, Boone 828-386-1201 | www.cobosushi.com

Celebrating 26 Years!

CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFE Winter 2021/22 —

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OUR SPONSORS: 98.............. 180 Float Spa 51.............. Abingdon Virginia 78.............. Advocates for the Care of Animals in Avery County 37.............. Allen Tate Realtors 25.............. Alpine Ski Center 79.............. AMOREM 107............ Amy Brown, CPA 40.............. Appalachian Blind and Closet 87.............. Apple Hill Farm 78.............. Appalachian Regional Healthcare System 27.............. Appalachian Ski Mountain 78.............. AppFamily Medicine 49.............. Ashe County Chamber of Commerce 79.............. Ashe Memorial Hospital 107............ Avery County Chamber of Commerce 74.............. Avery Animal Hospital 93.............. Avery Heating 78.............. Baker Center 30.............. Banner Elk Book Exchange 102............ Banner Elk Café, Lodge Espresso Bar & Tavern 103............ Banner Elk Olive Oil & Balsamics 49.............. Banner Elk Realty 4................ BannerElk.com 106............ Banner Elk Winery 75.............. Barra Sports Bar 106............ Bayou Smokehouse & Grill 107............ BB&T 96.............. BE Natural 98.............. BE Scooped 38.............. Beattie’s Distillers 22.............. Beech Mountain Resort 16.............. Beech Mountain TDA 111............ Bistro Roca 36.............. Blowing Rock Brewing 30.............. Blowing Rock Winterfest 50.............. Blue Ridge Energy 7................ Blue Ridge Mountain Club 72.............. Blue Ridge Propane 82.............. Blue Ridge Realty & Investments 112............ Bodegas Kitchen & Wine Bar 72.............. Brinkley Hardware 36.............. Callista Flower Co 28.............. Carlton Gallery 112............ Casa Rustica 15.............. Century 21 Mountain Vistas 75.............. Chef’s Table 56.............. Classic Stone 113............ CoBo Sushi Bistro & Bar 39.............. CoMMA 62.............. Compu-Doc 109............ Cornerstone Cabins & Lodge 107............ Creative Interiors by Darlene Parker 12.............. Crossnore School for Children

2,103......... Dewoolfson 3................ Dianne Davant Interiors 28.............. Doe Ridge Pottery 60.............. Downtown Boone 110............ Elk River Depot 78.............. Elk River Medical Associates 87.............. Elwoods Hatchet 107............ Encore Travel 11.............. Engel & Volkers 96.............. English Farmstead Cheese 104............ Erick’s Cheese and Wine 51.............. Explore Boone 74.............. F.A.R.M. Café 103............ Famous Brick Oven Pizzeria 17.............. Footsloggers 72.............. Fortner Insurance 58.............. Fred’s General Mercantile 111............ Gideon Ridge Inn 87.............. Glen Davis Electric 115............ Grandfather Mountain 10.............. Grandfather Vineyard 96.............. Green Park Inn 28.............. Gregory Alan’s Gifts 38.............. Hardin Jewelry 16.............. Hawksnest Snow Tubing & Zipline 56.............. Hemlock Inn 107,110..... Highlanders Grill & Tavern 87.............. Holy Smokes BBQ 56.............. Hunter’s Tree Service 113............ Italian Restaurant 112............ Jack’s 128 Pecan Restaurant 93.............. Jerky Outpost 86.............. Jones House Cultural & Community Center 66.............. Kelle’s Krib 67.............. Kue King 92.............. L & N Performance Auto 49.............. Leatherwood Mountains 61.............. Let’s Be Artsy 74.............. Life Store Insurance 6................ Linville Caverns 6................ Linville Falls Winery 8................ Linville Land Harbor 103............ Lost Province Brewing Company 92.............. Loven Casting & Construction 58.............. Lucky Lily OBC........... Mast General Store 18.............. Mayland Community College 36.............. Meadowbrook Inn 67.............. Mears & Associates 67.............. Mountain Jewelers 60.............. Mountain Warriors UTV 36.............. Mountainaire Inn & Log Cabins 60.............. My Best Friend’s Barkery 25.............. Mystery Hill 93.............. OP Smiles

28.............. Pack Rats 112............ Painted Fish Café 98.............. Peabody’s Wine & Beer 72,107....... Peak Real Estate 113............ Pedalin’ Pig BBQ 66.............. Premier Pharmacy 60.............. Ram’s Rack Thrift Shop 91.............. Reid’s Café 61.............. Resort Real Estate & Rentals 66.............. Root Down 49.............. Sally Nooney Art Studio Gallery 107............ Salon Suites at Tynecastle 5................ SeeSugar.com 107............ Shooz and Shiraz 38.............. Shoppes at Farmers 107............ Shoppes 0f Tynecastle 16.............. Ski Country Sports 107............ Sky Mountain Nail Bar 62.............. Skyline/Skybest 75.............. Sorrento’s Italian Bistro 112............ Stick Boy Bread Co. 108............ Stonewalls Catering 108............ Stonewalls Restaurant 58.............. Sugar Creek Mining 20.............. Sugar Mountain Resort 25.............. Sugar Ski & Country Club 14.............. SugarTop 62.............. Sunset Tee’s 109............ The Barn at Cornerstone 29.............. The Bee & The Boxwood 98.............. The Best Cellar 30.............. The Blowing Rock 62.............. The Cabin Store 40.............. The Consignment Cottage Warehouse 107............ The Dande Lion 44.............. The Happy Shack 98.............. The Inn at Ragged Gardens 67.............. The Manor 44.............. The Schaefer Center Presents 102 ........... The Spice & Tea Exchange 66.............. The Twisted Twig 5................ The Village of Sugar Mountain 72.............. Tom’s Custom Golf 28.............. Turchin Center 107............ Tynecastle Builders 107............ Tynecastle Realty 113............ Ultimate Kitchen Design 107............ Valle de Bravo Mexican Grill 10.............. Village Jewelers 66.............. VX3 Trail Rides 107............ Walgreens Pharmacy 111............ Watauga Lake Winery 38.............. Wealth Enhancement Group 87.............. White Wolf Lodge 79.............. YMCA of Avery County

thank you!

114 — Winter 2021/22 CAROLINA MOUNTAIN LIFEE

{

Winter.

Wonderland.

}

Fall colors give way to a blanket of white, then come the blooms of spring. But the wonder of Grandfather Mountain knows no season. Or equal.

B o o k t o d a y a t g ra n d f a t h e r. c o m

GRANDFATHER® MOUNTAIN WONDERS NEVER CEASE