Smoky Mountain Living Aug. 2012

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2012 • VOL. 12 • NO. 4

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MOUNTAIN FAMILY HISTORY • REMEMBERING DOC WATSON • TURNING TRASH INTO ART • FINDING ONESELF

Mountain Adventure

Smoky Mountain L I V I N G

HIGH COUNTRY & GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA & TENNESSEE

Exploring faith FINDING ONESELF

FOUND ART Creating something from nothing

FAMILY HISTORY How to trace your mountain lineage

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Music: David Holt remembers Doc Watson Recipe: The 1861 Farmhouse’s banana pudding Outdoors: Mobile maps and hiking apps

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we lco m e :

FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR When my family moved from Raleigh to outside

the tiny town of Sylva nearly thirty years ago, my four-yearold mind was astounded by and more than a little wary of the fact that there were conspicuously few traffic lights. One of my mother’s surefire ways to get me to take a nap had been to put me in my stroller and push me around the Crabtree Valley Mall.

Being suddenly thrust into the middle of nowhere was not my idea of fun.

As an only child living in a community with houses far enough apart that one couldn’t see a neighbor, I spent a fair amount of time playing by myself. My swing set was where Mom could keep an eye or an ear on me while she was doing laundry or working in the Sarah E. Kucharski kitchen. Settling in to mountain life, I adapted. We set up a fire circle made of red clay stained rocks, and from time-to-time we’d sit around the fire and roast hotdogs and marshmallows as a family when the season was right for catching fireflies. More often, Dad would set up the charcoal grill on the front deck, and we would feast on barbecued chicken or cheeseburgers. It was common to see bunnies hiding in the grass and squirrels scurrying through the trees. Every now and then something really interesting would pass through—a flock of wild turkeys, a fox or raccoon, an eagle.

Beyond the confines of the yard, informal as it was, the woods were what I loved most. Behind the house, at the base of the mountain, a stream ran cold and clear. Nothing made me happier than managing what I deemed my little section of waterway. I’d clear leaves and twigs to encourage the water to flow, seek out salamanders and the occasional crawfish, and daydream while staring at the streambed glittering with mica dust. I knew every nook and cranny of the stream from where it pooled in the remains of an ancient periwinkle covered springhouse—a stacking of rocks recognizable only to those familiar with early mountain ways—all the way down to the pond harboring frogs and turtles at the bottom of the hill. I learned to identify the various flora from tulip poplars accompanied by trilliums to the soft evergreen hemlocks and wild mushrooms. The rule was that I wasn’t allowed any farther away than I could hear my mother’s whistle—one of those powerful, fingers in the mouth whistles that meant, “Come home now.” It was the same rule her mother had given her as a child. Sure I occasionally arrived a little dirty, briar scratched, and dotted with green pods of beggar’s lice, but my disheveled state was never more than a bath could overcome, and I was infinitely happy.

Nonetheless, I yearned for something bigger. As time

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came to begin looking at colleges, I wouldn’t even consider anywhere local or in another small town. It came down to the University of Georgia-Athens or the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Athens was too damned humid, and I’d always wanted to be a Tar Heel, so back to the Piedmont I went. In Chapel Hill, crosswalks had a purpose; busses were easier to use than it was to find car parking; stores stayed open past 5 p.m.

It was months before I returned home to the mountains. I caught a ride with a friend from high school, and we blasted up I-40 West. It was around Black Mountain that the enormity of the landscape began to dawn on me. Crossing Balsam Mountain, passing the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance nearest Waterrock Knob and heading down into the valley, I imagined the mountains as giant sleeping dinosaurs. At home, in my childhood bedroom, my third-story windows looked out not at an asphalt parking lot but at the treetops. I

It was around Black Mountain that the enormity of the landscape began to dawn on me.

Crossing Balsam Mountain, passing the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance nearest Waterrock Knob and heading down into the valley, I imagined the mountains as giant sleeping dinosaurs. awoke not to leaf blowers and sirens but to dappled sunlight and songbirds. Only then did I realize how much I missed the respite of mountain life, that despite my big city dreams, I was a mountain girl.

Years later, working in a small town in Lowcountry South Carolina, I turned down a job at the Washington Post. When a job came open at a regional newspaper back in the mountains, I took it. That was nine years ago. The mountains may not necessarily be where I’m from, but they’re where I found to be home.

This issue of Smoky Mountain Living is about finding things—hidden uses for old stuff; family histories; spiritual enlightenment. What is it that you seek? What is it that you find?

— Sarah E. Kucharski, managing editor

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About our writers VOL. 12 • NUMBER 4 Publisher/Editor . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Mc Le od editor@smliv.com General Manager . . . . . . . . . G re gBoothroyd ads@smliv.com Advertising Sales Manager . . Hylah Smalley hylah@smliv.com Managing Editor . . . . . . . Sa ra h EKucharski . sarah@smliv.com Art Director . . . . . . . . . . . Travis Bumgardner travis@smliv.com Graphics . . . Margaret Hester, Micah McClure Finance & Admin. . . . . . . Amanda Singletary Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . G re gBoothroyd, Whitney Burton, Scott Collier, Drew Cook Distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scott Collier Contributing Writers . . . . . . . . . . . Jo Harris, Joe Hooten, Marla Hardee Milling, Anna Oakes, Jim Parham, Angela Raimondo Rosebrough, Rebecca Tolley-Stokes, Mary Casey-Sturk Contributing Photographers. . Jim Gavenus, Lisa Hale, Margaret Hester, Sabrina Hoglen, Ed Kelley, Camille Kerley, Vonda B. Magill, Vita Nations, Anna Oakes, Jim Parham, Beverly Stone, Kurt Volker, Jamie Wheeler Contributing Illustrator . . Mandy Newham Smoky Mountain Living is published bi-monthly

by SM Living LLC. Smoky Mountain Living has made every effort to insure listings and information are accurate and assumes no liability for errors or omissions.

For advertising information, contact Hylah Smalley at 828.452.2251 or hylah@smliv.com.

For editorial inquiries, contact Sarah Kucharski at sarah@smliv.com.

Smoky Mountain Living assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Queries should be sent to Sarah E. Kucharski at sarah@smliv.com. ©2012. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reprinted without the express, written consent of the publisher.

Smoky Mountain Living is published bi-monthly (Dec/Jan, Feb/Mar, Apr/May, Jun/Jul, Aug/Sep, Oct/Nov) by SM Living, LLC, 34 Church Street, Waynesville, NC 28786. Application to Mail at Periodical Postage Prices is pending at Waynesville NC and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: please send address changes to Smoky Mountain Living, PO Box 629, Waynesville, NC 28786.

Marla Hardee Milling is a

lifelong resident of Asheville, N.C. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors and her work has appeared in Our State, WNC, Charleston, Denver, Blue Ridge Country, Luxury Living, Health, Parenting, Redbook, Pregnancy, American Style and many others. She spent ten years at WLOS-TV as a news producer and six years as Director of Communications at Mars Hill College—but her greatest role is that of mom to Ben and Hannah.

Jo Harris

is a Pigeon Forge, Tenn., native. Her ancestors were among the earliest to settle the wilderness we call the Great Smokies. She began writing in 2011 when her other hobby—collecting American and postWWII Japanese china—was abandoned for lack of cabinet space. She found freelance writing more fun than ad copy, press releases, and stockholder reports she’d written during her twenty-year banking career. She lives in Kodak, Tenn., within sight of her daily inspiration—the Great Smoky Mountains.

Joe Hooten

was born in Macon, Ga., but spent his formative years surfing the beaches near his home in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. He eventually found his way to Western North Carolina. Hooten taught public middle and high school history in Hendersonville, Cary and then Raleigh for ten years before moving back to Asheville with his wife and three young kids in 2008. Hooten writes about his all-time favorite hobby— music—for The Smoky Mountain News and Smoky Mountain Living. A secondrate guitarist, he can be found most evenings pickin’ some tunes on the back porch while enjoying the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains.

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Anna Oakes is a mountain girl

raised in the rural northern end of Caldwell County and a proud graduate of Appalachian State University. She tolerates the harsh mountain winters in exchange for the heavenly summers of the High Country, where you’ll find her on the river, vegetable gardening or dancing to an old-time string band. She writes for the Watauga Democrat in Boone.

Rebecca Tolley-Stokes is a

writer, librarian, and East Tennessee native who no longer has time to knit, sew, quilt, play accordion, ride horses, or enjoy any other favorite pastimes. She hates the way that people from “off” mispronounce Appalachia, and loves how the Southern Appalachian region is rife with opportunities for learning about ecology, community, and culture.

Angela Raimondo Rosebrough is

associate editor of High Country Magazine and a freelance writer.

She loves hiking the Blue Ridge Parkway and has fun experimenting with cooking, entertaining friends and traveling whenever she can.

She lives with her son in Asheville, N.C.

Mary Casey-Sturk is a

freelance travel and features writer. The daughter of a travelhungry British ex-pat and a multi-talented mountain man from Pike County, Ky., she brings an unusual and humorous perspective to everyday events. Growing up with a slight British accent made her somewhat of a curiosity, and she has returned the favor by speaking of the virtues of a hot cup of tea on a warm summer day to anyone who will listen. Now residing in Northern Kentucky, she can often be seen squatting accommodations in Black Mountain, N.C.

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in this issue:

Cataloochee Creek. SABRINA HOGLEN PHOTO

One Man’s Trash Regional artists repurpose found objects into new art. By Anna Oakes

Finding a Foothold in Faith Religion, worship, spirituality—what's the difference and what do they mean today? By Angela Raimondo Rosebrough

Heritage Lost, Heritage Found Genealogists track down stories of the past and help individuals grow their family trees. By Marle Hardee Milling

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departments Mountain Voices A look back at East Tennessee’s country and old-time music scene. 10

Out & About Let a llama lug your clubs at High Hampton. 16

Outdoors Stretch your legs and your hiking skills in the Tallulah Gorge. 18

Sustainable Living Volunteer with Friends of the Smokies to preserve the national park. 21

Arts Children’s book author Eric Carle’s educational exhibit hangs in Boone. 26

Mountain Letters Ron Rash explores mountain mysteries. 28

Cuisine On the cover: Sunset at Round Bald near Roan Mountain.

Try the 1861 Farmhouse Restaurant’s Southern Banana Pudding. 30

ED KELLEY PHOTO • EDKEL LEY.COM

resources: Shopping Directory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Shop Savvy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Select Lodging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 Calendar of Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Swain County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Waynesville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 East Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

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Hide and seek—it is a game both active and passive. Our senses help us search the world for answers, yet what is found may come as a surprise. What do you find in the mountains and the valleys?

Beverly Slone

Vita Nations

Camille Kerley

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Jamie Wheeler

Beverly Slone

Kurt Volker

“Surely a man has come to himself only when he has found the best that is in him, and has satisfied his heart with the highest achievement he is fit for.”

— Woodrow T. Wilson

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Vonda B. Magill

Lisa Hale

Beverly Slone

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Smoky Mountain Living’s next issue will be dedicated to preservation.

Where do you see preservation in action? Submit your images to photos@smliv.com

by July 20.

Jamie Wheeler

Kurt Volker

“I have found out there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them.”

— Mark Twain

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d e p a r t m e n t :

MOUNTAIN VOICES

Mountain Music: Tangy as a Crab Apple–Sweet to My Ears

BY JO HARRIS

L

was to have a family that loved music. Mama When I came along in 1953, the music of ike the eternal haze that gave the often invited local entertainers into our home my forebears had evolved considerably. With mountains their name, music has for jam sessions though we didn’t know to the popularity of the Grand Ole Opry, this drifted over the hills and through the call them that back then. Our small living mountain, or hillbilly music as it was being coves of the Great Smokies for centuries. My room fairly throbbed from the picking, called, was the favorite genre. Aspiring muancestors danced to this music in celebration singing and toe-tapping. Making music sicians were performing it wherever and of bountiful harvests; sang it as they planted worked up an appetite, so mama usually whenever an audience could be assembled. crops, butchered hogs, preserved food; served up her biscuits and hummed it as they rocked gravy before sending everybabies; and recorded it in one home around midnight. the thickets of their memory With good food and good so it could be handed down music, I felt within spittin’ just like the family Bible. distance of heaven.

Someone once described There were no close this music—folk tunes, neighbors on our lonely spirituals, ballads—to be stretch of road, but our “tangy as a crab apple, ebulfriend, Osie Ownby, who lient as hard cider.” That’s lived on a farm two miles also a fitting description of away, was always a key parwhat mountain life, not just ticipant in those fun the music, was like when I evenings. was young.

Osie was raised in the I grew up at the end of a early 1900s in Gatlinburg narrow, pot-holed road a and could play just about handful of miles from PiThe Good Guys Wear White Hats — Left to right: Roger Ball, Osie Ownby, any instrument he picked geon Forge, Tenn. Today Brenda Huskey, and Jim Ball at Mt. Harrison in the late 1960s. DONATED PHOTO up. His daughter, Mary, the town is a bustling, jummy sister, Brenda, and I were no different It seemed to me that just about everyone in bled-up mix of all things touristy, but during from all the other wannabes, so we formed a Pigeon Forge, and in nearby Gatlinburg, my youth it was a sedate farming community. trio and Osie played for us. If our group had wanted their piece of the music pie.

It was a time when ruler-straight corn rows a name, I don’t remember it. If I did, I’d I came to love this tangy music. It domihugged the byways; when wide expanses of probably be reluctant to publicize it. nated my childhood summers. If I wasn’t grass separated the few homes and busiI couldn’t learn a simple G chord, but doing household chores, picking blackbernesses; when it was common practice to cage Brenda, an apt pupil, soon began accomparies, swimming in an icy mountain stream, black bears so tourists could watch them nying Osie when we sang. Here I use the or attempting Tarzan’s jungle yell while drink chocolate sodas bought for that very word “we” lightly. Remember that part about clinging to wild grape vines as thick as my purpose. The word chain hadn’t been atme not being able to carry a tune? They let thigh, I was somewhere doing something tached to our restaurants yet, and mom and me be part of the group anyway. Lip-syncing that involved music. pop motels always shut down for the winter. wasn’t in my vocabulary back then, but I sure And, for a time I was even one of those asConsidering the setting, snuggled in the knew how to do it. piring musicians—until I realized talent was lap of the Great Smoky Mountains as it was, As the number of tourists visiting the a requirement! Being the last of a dozen chilI’m inclined to romanticize my far-fromSmokies increased, the number of musicians dren, all the musical talent had been distribidyllic childhood. That old saying about livseemed to rise in direct proportion. Even our uted by the time I came along. I couldn’t ing off the tourists in the summer and trio was part of the rage; we debuted in the carry a tune, but that didn’t stop me from enpotatoes in the winter rang true for my family parking lot of the Toni Motel in Pigeon joying the music of my heritage. as we earned money from the motels, restauForge. Guests sat near the office, or around We didn’t have much, but how blessed I rants and music.

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the pool, as we sang songs like “On Top of Old Smoky.” We didn’t dazzle our audience, but did provide a bit of amusement before they headed off to the comfort of air-conditioned rooms.

Like the lowly parking lot, as early as the 1940s, musical venues in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg included street-side gazebos, cafes, motel lobbies, campgrounds, craft and county fairs, fall festivals and events like Old Timer’s Day. Even a converted Quonset hut wasn’t off limits, for that’s where Jim Ball and the Smoky Mountain Ramblers played—it was called Tubby Griffin’s Rec Hall.

Television stations in nearby Knoxville were airing programs like The Cas Walker Show and The Smoky Mountain Hayride. Families gathered around the TV to see which local entertainer would get the coveted fifteen minutes of fame that week.

In the mid 60s, the Smoky Mountain Travelers, led by Jack Grooms, played nightly in Gatlinburg. Not in a parking lot, but close; it was on the Pi Beta Phi school outdoor basketball court.

Smoldering rags purported to keep the gnats and mosquitoes away, cleverly dubbed “gnat smokes,” were piled in large galvanized tubs and strategically placed around the court. I’ve often thought the Osborne Brothers’ song, “Don’t Let the Smoky Mountain Smoke Get in Your Eyes” would have been perfect for that show, unfortunately it came along just a bit too late.

Wiley Oakley, known as the Roamin’ Man of the Mountains, had a café/gift shop in Gatlinburg called the Wiley Shop in the 40s and 50s. It’s no surprise the shop had a stage for nightly performances. Great quantities of locally-made handicrafts displayed on and

That old saying about living off the tourists in the summer and potatoes in the winter rang true for my family as we earned money from the motels, restaurants and music. around the stage sometimes commanded as much attention as the entertainers.

A Gatlinburg attraction called Homespun Valley Mountaineer Village provided entertainment for over 20 years. The nightly square dances gave locals and tourists a chance to swing their partners to music provided by a core of regular entertainers and special guests. My older sister, Joda, performed there in the 1950s earning a much-needed $25 a week. Even my group sang there on occasion, as did Dolly Parton.

During the daytime, I often joined the tourists catching a show atop Mt. Harrison (Ober Gatlinburg). Getting there meant a slow, peaceful ride on the chair lift. Once there, after I’d filled up on the scenery, and hotdogs from the snack bar, I enjoyed old standards like “Cripple Creek,” “Orange Blossom Special” and “Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss” being performed on a rustic stage set in a structure resembling a three-sided potting shed.

As a teenager I sold tickets and ushered for a show called Archie Campbell Presents Stars of the Grand Ole Opry. Along with Nashville stars, this show had elaborate sound and lighting systems. A nightly feature was Osie Ownby doing the Barnyard Shuffle. As the music played, he

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comically danced around the stage, always attired in his faded bib overalls, black ankle boots and jet-black toupee. When the music suddenly hit a prolonged sour note, Osie would stop, look down at his feet, shuffle to the edge of the stage and painstakingly wipe some imaginary barnyard offal from his boot. The audience loved it! They also loved my sister, Brenda, even giving her standing ovations when she held a note in “Mule Skinner Blues” so long it appeared we’d have to call the rescue squad.

In time, music theaters popped up from Sevierville into Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

Nashville celebrities like Lee Greenwood and Louise Mandrell entertained in opulent theaters.

Dolly had her own elegant Music Mansion.

Today, talented artists at Dollywood, and at theaters like Country Tonight, The Smith Family, Smoky Mountain Opry and many others, continue the tradition.

Life took me away from my mountain home when I was barely out of my teens. When I moved back after 30 years, I found urban sprawl had taken up residence, too. We now had condos instead of cornfields. Many of our beautiful hills had been clear-cut for cabins. Historic hotels had been razed, and popular music hangouts were just memories.

I’ll never forget those talented musicians— Osie Ownby, Jim Ball, Jack Grooms, and especially my family—who inspired my love of mountain music. With music seasoning my summers, all those potatoes I had to eat in the winter tasted mighty good.

Downtown Gatlinburg, Tenn., circa 1940s.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNA PORTER PUBLIC LIBRARY

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d e p a r t m e n t :

MOUNTAIN MUSIC

Doc Watson:

Just One of the People

BY JOE HOOTEN

Doc Watson’s brothers David, 87, and Linney, 93, (left to right) came out to downtown Boone, N.C., to see the statue of Doc full of flowers on June 4. Watson’s funeral was held on June 3.

Doc said that his first memory of song came

MARIA RICHARDSON/ HIGH COUNTRY PRESS PHOTO

from his mother singing church hymns and spirituals—some of which he would later play to audiences and record on albums. Songs that were passed down from generation to generation in the most honest of folk traditions became a part of his life.

Carolina backcountry on a 3,000-acre tract, joined thousands of other immigrants settling among the Appalachian Mountains, carving a place for themselves in the new country. Although Doc’s career took him all over the country, he and his family never left North Carolina and he resided in his Deep Gap home until the end.

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Influenced by his immediate environment, his family, neighbors and church, Doc grew up secluded in the North Carolina backwoods. Doc said that his first memory of song came from his mother singing church hymns and spirituals—some of which he would later play to audiences and record on albums. Songs that were passed down from generation to generation in the most honest of folk traditions became a part of his life. Doc was exposed to other musical influences and a whole other world of sounds and styles when the family acquired a record player. Doc completely lost his eyesight due to an eye infection before he turned a year old.

However, his lack of sight honed his ears. His first instrument was the harmonica, but it was the banjo that his father hand-made for him that got him into stringed instruments. The banjo was the gateway instrument to the one that would become Doc’s alltime passion—the flat-top guitar.

Doc learned how to play the guitar while at the Morehead School for the Blind in Raleigh, N.C. After using a thumb-and-strum method in the Carter family style, Doc decided to play with a flat-pick, mimicking some of the famous Jimmie Rodger’s leads he had heard—the transition was enlightening and crucial to the style that Doc would pioneer.

Doc’s greatest source of pride would not come in the form of awards or albums; it was the family that he dearly loved. In his 20s, he fell in love with Rosa Lee Carlton, daughter of old-time fiddler Gaither Carlton, and they married in 1947. Following the birth of their son Eddy Merle in 1949, the proud parents were blessed with a daughter, Nancy Ellen in 1951. Merle would later go on to be Doc’s playing partner, and the duo would record multiple albums and play hundreds of shows together.

Merle would be the driver and the businessman for his dad when they were on the road traveling. Al-

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

SEE WATSON , PAGE 16

JIM GAVENUS PHOTO

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oc Watson’s story is every bit of the American dream fulfilled. He was one of North Carolina’s greatest musicians, responsible for influencing multitudes of musicians and music lovers across the globe. When the 89-year-old guitarist succumbed to complications from abdominal surgery this May, there was an immediate outpouring of emotion from all around the world—people whose lives had been touched by the man from Deep Gap, N.C. Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson’s humble beginnings go back to the late 1700s when Tom Watson, a determined Scot who settled in the North

JIM GAVENUS PHOTO

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Saturday October 20, 2012 10 A.M. - 5 P.M.

Historic Downtown Waynesville North Carolina

Carolina Mountains Literary Festival 6-8 Sept. 2012 Burnsville, NC

presented by

Arts & Crafts • Live Entertainment Local Merchants • Great Food

cmlitfest.org

For more information

828.456.3021 • HaywoodAppleFest.com Sponsored in part by The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority 800-334-9036 • www.visitncsmokies.com

69285

Clay County < North Carolina Come and enjoy Clay County year round. No matter what time of the year it is, there's always something to explore.

From seasonal celebrations and special events to natural beauty and local history, every family member can find something enjoyable. Whether you like hiking on a mountain trail, fishing on Lake Chatuge, or shopping on the square.

Also, history lovers will be interested in the Clay County Courthouse, which was built in 1888 and is designated in the National Register of Historical Places, the Clay County Museum, and the John C. Campbell Folk School.

Join us for our Special Events: AUGUST 11 Brasstown Community Center - Concert Just Us Band (Bluegrass) 11 John C Campbell School Contra Dance 17 John C Campbell School - Concert Georgia Potlickers 18-19 Chamber Golf Tournament 24 CCCRA Concert on the Square Steven Phillips & Midnight Express 25 Peacock Playhouse Brasstown Big Band 25 Hot Summer Nights at Goldhagen Glass 25 Brasstown Community Center Lone Mountain Band

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CCCRA Concert on the Square – Lee Holland John C Campbell School - Concert Bluetastik Fangrass

SEPTEMBER 14-15 Chamber of Commerce Sportsman Show 14-16 Licklog Players present “Foxfire” 21-23 Licklog Players present “Foxfire” 22 Hot Summer Nights at Goldhagen Glass 22 Tractor Parade around the Town Square 28 CCCRA Concert on the Square Gnarly Fingers 29 96.5 House Blend – Peacock Playhouse

To keep up with the scheduled events for Clay County, please visit the Clay County Chamber of Commerce website. While there log on and like us on Facebook.

Clay County Chamber of Commerce 14

Contact us for event details & lodging information:

388 Business, Hwy. 64 | Hayesville, NC 877.389.3704 | www.NCMtnChamber.com

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David on Doc: Remembering a legend

Merle Watson, David Holt and Doc Watson all are part of North Carolina’s musical legacy.

DAVIDHOLT.COM PHOTO

SML: When and where did you first see Doc Watson play?

David Holt: I first heard his recordings in high school. I saw him play in 1972 at a bluegrass festival in North Carolina. After I saw him play I went backstage and it was then I asked him how blind people dream. He said, “Feelings, pure feelings.”

How did your partnership begin with Doc? I used to host the “Fire On the Mountain” TV series for TNN. Doc and Merle were guests on the show and really enjoyed playing together. In 1985 Doc and Merle played on my Reel and Rock CD. In 1998 we taped a special for PBS in North Carolina and presenters started asking for us to perform together. We won the Grammy for our LEGACY CD in 2002 and performed together for fourteen years.

“Doc showed us all the way to take an old time mountain song and make it more palatable to a modern audience … not breaking the tradition, just bending it a little.”

What was it like playing with Doc live?

Fun and challenging. Doc never played any tune the same way twice … so I really had to stay on my toes. He was a great rhythm guitarist as well as one of the best lead guitarists. I loved his harmonica playing and singing. I

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have really tried to learn most of his guitar fingerpicking tunes.

Give us five essential Doc albums we should be listening to.

They are all great. A few favorites are “Doc Watson,” “Doc Watson and Son,” “Memories,” “Legacy” and “Ballads from Deep Gap.” How were you influenced by Doc Watson?

Doc showed us all the way to take an old-time mountain song and make it more palatable to a modern audience … not breaking the tradition, just bending it a little. He was a great singer who put feeling into every song.

He listened to every note he played and made each one count. I have tried to absorb that from him. Of course, I have learned many, many of his songs and tunes. He was a truly great man.

— Joe Hooten

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Five essential Doc Watson albums

“Doc Watson” (Vanguard/1964): Where it all started, the speed and youthfulness that inspired thousands of musicians is clearly apparent on tracks like “Nashville Blues” and “Black Mountain Rag”

“Doc Watson and Son” (Vanguard/1965): The first recording Merle played on, incredible that Merle had only been playing for eight months when this album was made.

“Live & Pickin’” (United Artists/1979): The original concert album, long out-ofprint, remains a classic and has been noted as one of the best live performances captured of father and son.

“Legacy” (Legacy/2002): Mixed with stories, interviews, songs, Doc Watson and David Holt blaze through many Watson classics.

Rosa Lee Watson with Doc and Merle, 1982.

WATSON , CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

JIM MORTON PHOTO

ways gracious, Doc would proudly tell everyone that his son was the most talented picker in the family. Their first show together was the Berkeley Folk Festival in 1964, which was during the popular folk-revival era. During the 1970s and 80s, Doc would tour with various players, but Merle would always be there with him until the ultimate misfortune that could ever be felt by any parent. October 1985, Merle was thrown from his tractor as he drove on a steep incline on his farm in Lenoir, N.C. The tractor flipped over on top of Merle, killing him instantly.

Merle’s death came as a blow to Doc. He found it extremely hard to go back out on the road without his most trusted friend and playing partner. Eventually, Doc continued touring and was joined by acoustic guitarist Jack Lawrence, who would go on to play with Doc for many years. David Holt, Southern Appalachian Mountains storyteller and musician, became his accompaniment in his final years.

Although his lighting speed licks slowed with age and his beautiful baritone voice wavered and fumbled with words at times, his will to play for audiences never waned.

He recorded more than fifty albums in his career and won countless awards including eight Grammys (a Lifetime Achievement as well), a National Medal of Arts awarded

by President Bill Clinton, and President Jimmy Carter’s declaration of being a “national treasure.” However, Doc Watson remained exactly what the inscription says on the life-size statue placed in downtown Boone, N.C., where he used to play for tips to support his family: “Just One of the People.”

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“Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (Capitol/1972): An allstar cast of players including Roy Acuff, Earle Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, and Mother Maybelle Carter, Doc’s career and popularity exploded after this piece of essential listening was released.

From tragedy, a celebration is born MerleFest was founded in 1988 in Memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College and to celebrate “traditional plus” music.

Doc Watson himself described it best: “When Merle and I started out we called our music ‘traditional plus,’ meaning the traditional music of the Appalachian region plus whatever

other styles we were in the mood to play. Since the beginning, the people of the college and I have agreed that the music of MerleFest is ‘traditional plus’.”

Merlefeset will be held April 25-28, 2013. The festival includes instrument and songwriting contests, jam sessions and more in a family-friendly environment on the Wilkes Community College campus in Wilkesboro, N.C. For more information, visit merlefest.org or call 800.343.7857.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

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Thrive

“We wish we would have moved sooner.”

It’s the comment we hear most often from new Deerfield residents. They delight in our location and their new-found friends; love the state-of-the-art amenities; feel safe, secure and well cared for by our expert staff – their only complaint is that they didn’t make the decision to move sooner. Since the best time to move may have been years ago, then isn’t the next best time now?

Call to schedule a visit and learn how you can thrive at Deerfield – in body, mind and spirit.

A N E P I S C O PA L R E T I R E M E N T COMMUNITY

1617 Hendersonville Rd. Asheville, NC (828) 274-1531 ext. 1 www.deerfieldwnc.org WWW.SMLIV.COM

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Blowing Rock, N.C. celebrates state legends with new exhibit

OUT &ABOUT

Llamas at the lake

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North Carolinian Bob Timberlake devoted himself to painting after encouragement from artist Andrew Wyeth. DONATED PHOTO

T HIGH HAMPTON INN PHOTO

The new guests at High Hampton Inn wear fur coats, walk on four legs and enjoy golf and long hikes around Hampton Lake.

Llamas are making their home at High Hampton Inn this summer! Serving as furry Sherpas for guided hikes and as golf caddies every Thursday and Friday during the summer, the llamas are a special addition during the Inn’s 90th season.

Carrying picnic baskets, blankets and provisions, the llamas will accompany families and children on hikes to Cherokee Campgrounds, around Hampton Lake and up to the top of Rock Mountain. In the evenings, the llamas will make special guest appearances at the Inn’s Rock Mountain Tavern where guests are invited to meet and take pictures with the shaggy, friendly animals. Also, by request, golfers can arrange for a llama to be their caddy.

“I wish I had a camera to capture guests’ faces when they see the llamas standing by Rock Mountain Tavern,” said Clifford Meads, general manager of High Hampton Inn. “It’s a look of surprise, excitement and awe all in one.”

The llamas arrive each Thursday with owner, Mark English, who has been raising them at his family’s farm in Brevard, N.C., since 2008. While this is the first summer High Hampton Inn has partnered with English’s company, Llama Caddy, the llamas are already attracting major attention in the short time they have been at the Inn . Their hikes and meetand-greet at the Tavern are some of the Inn’s most popular activities.

Celebrating its 90th season in 2012, the historic High Hampton Inn & Country Club is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For additional information about the llamas, children’s programs or High Hampton Inn, call 800.334.2551 or visit highhamptoninn.com.

he Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (BRAHM) will honor three legendary North Carolina artists and artisans with an exhibit that runs from August through November.

“North Carolina Treasures: Bob Timberlake, Glenn Bolick & Max Woody” runs through November.

Lexington native Bob Timberlake, who turns 75 this year, is North Carolina’s most recognized and successful living artist.

After receiving encouragement from the legendary American artist Andrew Wyeth,

Timberlake devoted himself to painting in 1969. Since his first exhibition in WinstonSalem in 1970, he has been featured in galleries in Raleigh, New York, Washington, D.C., Seattle and Tokyo. The Timberlake exhibit will feature a selection of his original works along with memorabilia and personal items that illustrate his interests.

The multi-talented Glenn Bolick is a walking monument to traditional mountain arts. He is an accomplished old-time musician, storyteller and potter. His wife Lula is the daughter of legendary master potter M.L. Owen, who also taught Glenn how to work clay. On his family farm in Lenoir, he and Lula built their own kiln and sawmill, along with a stage for weekly jam sessions. North Carolina Treasures will display pieces of Bolick pottery as well as some of his musical instruments.

Known as “The Chair Man,” McDowell County’s Max Woody has been making chairs for more than 60 years. The Woody family has been known for generations for their quality handmade products, and Max continues that tradition with his fine rocking chairs, sold nationally and beyond. BRAHM has a set of Max Woody chairs on its own porch, and the exhibit will also include other examples of Woody’s work, along with traditional tools used in woodworking and other items from the artisan’s long career.

For more information on the exhibition and BRAHM, call 828.295.9099 or visit blowingrockmuseum.org.

Dinner and a show at Stecoah Stecoah Valley Center closes out An Appalachian Evening Concert series in August with The Kickin Grass Band, Jeff Little, and The Snyder Family Band.

An Appalachian Evening begins with dinner seating at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. with music beginning at 7:30 p.m. All dinners are freshly prepared from scratch and include options such as southern fried chicken, coleslaw, cucumber salad, biscuits, corn bread and locally grown fresh seasonal vegetables. Dinner is $15.95 for adults and $9.95 for kids.

The Kickin Grass Band tells true-to-life stories in a rootsy, Americana style.

Jeff Little’s distinctive two-handed piano style is much influenced by the mountain flatpicked guitar tradition and is known for its speed, precision and clarity. The Snyder Family Band features siblings Zeb and Samantha Snyder, backed by their dad, Bud, on upright bass. Tickets to musical performances are $15.

To learn more and buy tickets, visit stecoahvalleycenter.com or call 828.479.3364.

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A L P I N E

H E L E N

G E O R G I A

MOUNTAIN BEAU TY

Bavaria WITH A TOUCH OF

Tom McCool photo

NO PASSPORT REQUIRED!

ROMANCE • FAMILY F UN • SHOPPING • ENTERTAINMENT

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OUTDOORS

ONLINE TIMELINE MARKS PARK’S 75TH

TENNESSEE STATE PARKS PHOTO

In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation launched www.tnstateparks75.com, which displays Tennessee State Parks’ rich heritage and showcases the many outdoor adventures awaiting state park visitors.

Content can be used as a tool to plan a visit to one of Tennessee’s 54 state parks.

Visitors also may time travel through history via Tennessee State Parks’ interactive timeline that stretches all the way back to the beginning of the state parks system to the most current events. Sharing photos, depicting either recent trips or trips from yesteryear, provides a chance to win a one-night stay at any Tennessee State Park Inn or dinner for two at any state park restaurant.

Tennessee State Parks’ features range from pristine natural areas to 18hole championship golf courses. For upcoming events in connection with the 75th Anniversary of Tennessee State Parks, visit tnstateparks.com or call 888.867.2757.

Let the kids play in the Park Two hiking programs aimed at getting families and kids outdoors and on the trail have been launched in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Hike the Smokies encourages families to hike shorter, less-strenuous trails and offers them an opportunity to record the number of miles hiked in a booklet designed especially for the program. The booklet contains a spot for family members completing 10 and 40 miles to display special stickers awarded for achieving those two milestones.

Special lapel pins will be awarded to those completing 25 and 50 miles.

• The Adopt a Trail program gives parents and children an opportunity to help maintain a short, kid-friendly park trail. As trail adopters, families help preserve the beauty of a park trail by keeping it trash-free and reporting large maintenance needs to the park. After five maintenance trips, families receive a special certificate and lapel pin in recognition of their work.

Park Ranger Adrienne Kurtz describes a soil experiment to a group of middle school students The Park also offers traditional while on a fieldtrip. DONATED PHOTO ranger-led hikes. Many of these are opportunities for children to complete fun activities as well as to learn about the park’s plants and animals. Some hikes also incorporate learning how to properly prepare for hiking in the park’s backcountry.

Schedules for ranger-led hikes may be found in the Smokies Guide, which is available at any park visitor center or by calling 865.436.7318, 828.497.1949 or grsm_trails_volunteer@nps.gov.

YOU CAN SEE HERE FROM THERE A new series of short internet videos feature North Carolina sections of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

The series is available for viewing on Great Smoky Mountains Association’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/user/ GreatSmokyMountains. The videos take viewers to places like Cataloochee Valley, Deep Creek, the Oconaluftee Mountain Farm Museum and Clingmans Dome.

Great Smoky Mountains Association is a nonprofit partner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, providing support through revenue generated from park bookstores and memberships.

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There are more non-venomous snakes than venomous.

Remember that it is illegal to possess or kill most nongame species, including all nonvenomous snakes. Do not attempt to handle the snake. Give it the space it needs.

Snakes are predators that feed on rodents, insects and even other snakes. If a clearly identified venomous snake is in an area where it represents a danger to children or pets, consider contacting local wildlife officers for a list of private wildlife removal specialists. Most snake bites occur when a snake is cornered or captured, prompting the animal to defend itself.

Venomous snakes are often identified by their broad, triangular-shaped heads. Yet many nonvenomous snakes flatten and broaden their heads when threatened and may have color patterns similar to those of venomous species.

Use caution around any unidentified snake.

Reduce the potential for snakes near your home by removing brush, log piles and other habitat that attracts mice, lizards and other animals on which snakes prey.

Black snake.

BEVERLY STONE PHOTO

Serpents savoring milder weather Snake sightings are on the rise, but biologists say that it’s not a matter of an increasing population but a combination of snakes having being more active during mild winters and encroaching development.

“It’s putting people in closer encounters with snakes,” said John Jensen, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources What should one do when encountering a snake? First, try to identify it from a distance.

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Gear • Flies • Guides Friendly Helpful Staff First rate guided fly fishing trips on the Tuckasegee River, Oconaluftee River, Raven Fork Trophy Water and surrounding Great Smoky Mountains National Park Streams and even the Little Tennessee River. We specialize in guided float trips on the Tuckasegee and the Little Tennessee for trout and smallmouth bass.

546 W. Main St. • Sylva, North Carolina 828.587.4665 • www.hookersflyshop.com

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OUTDOORS

Tallulah Gorge Scramble B Y J I M PA R H A M ADAPTED FROM HIS GUIDEBOOK W AT E R FA L L H I K E S O F N O R T H G E O R G I A

A

motorist driving along US 441 south of Clayton, Ga., and crossing over the dam that forms Tallulah Falls Lake, might never guess that Georgia’s most rugged gorge is just below.

Tallulah Gorge State Park is home to five major waterfalls dropping hundreds of feet over a two-mile stretch. Cliff walls stand on

The 96-foot Hurricane Falls in Tallulah Gorge State Park.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM PARNHAM

either shore as tributaries cascade into the river below. One of the tributaries forms Caledonia Cascade, at 600 feet the fifthhighest waterfall east of the Mississippi.

This route is not for the casual hiker.

Those folks should stick to the trails along the rim. Only more agile, fit hikers should tackle the climb down into the gorge, across the footbridge, and then back up the other side. Walking down 500-plus steps on one side and up 500-plus steps on the other gets your heart beating, but it’s not a technical challenge. Not only will you see the gorge from the rim and go down and then up all those steps, you’ll hike and scramble right down on the floor of the gorge. That’s the best way to see the bottom three of the five big waterfalls and become more a participant than a spectator.

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Hiking the gorge floor requires a permit.

Permits are issued to the first 100 or so folks each day, so show up early. Also, permits are not issued during inclement weather, so pick a nice day. Besides getting there early for the permit, it’s a good idea to start in the morning, since you won’t want to rush.

The permit carries no charge in addition to the entry fee, but everyone gets a talk from the ranger about safety precautions and what to expect.

Once on the floor of the gorge, your first obstacle will be crossing to the other side of the river. This requires either near superhuman leaping ability (rock to rock) or wading through waist deep water.

Either way, chances are, by the time you get to the other side you’ll be wet. Just upstream of the crossing is the 96-foot Hurricane Falls.

Work your way down the left side of the gorge. There is no marked trail, but you can see where folks have been before. Much of the time you’ll be climbing over, around, and between river boulders.

It’s really not too difficult; just don’t expect to move quickly.

The real challenges come in the areas around Oceana and Bridal Veil Falls, as well as at the base of Caledonia Cascade. At these locations, the more rockclimbing experience you’ve had, the more comfortable you’re likely to be. The kind of hiking you’ll be doing will resemble what is known in the climbing world as friction moves. In other words, you are relying on friction to keep your feet from slipping on the rock. The “grippier” your shoes, the better (leave the stiff boots at home today).

Pick your route carefully. In the case of Oceana and Bridal Veil, stay well left of the falls, lower your center of gravity by getting on all fours, and stay off anything that is wet or looks wet. Don’t be embarrassed to scoot along on your rear if necessary.

Park rules allow you to go down as far as the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls. There’s a

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

An app for the Appalachians Hikers who want to travel smarter on trails in the southern mountains now have one more good reason to stash their phones in their daypacks, thanks to a mobile app called Great Hikes of the Southern Appalachians, available for the iPhone.

The new app is the brainchild of Jim Parham, guidebook author and founder of Milestone Press, an Almond, N.C., publisher that has been producing outdoor adventure guidebooks since 1992. “This app takes advantage of the GPS function of your phone to show your precise location on the trail— or while driving to the trailhead,” says Parham.

The result is an app with hikes organized by state and region—all proven routes described in detail by expert hikers. Users can also choose a hike by category—for example, a day hike, an overnight, or a waterfall hike—or choose from hikes closest to their current location, whether they are at home or on vacation in the mountains.

Great Hikes of the Southern Appalachians is a free app with an in-app purchase option. Users get a “catalog” of hikes with basic information—trailhead location, distance, elevation gain, a photo, and hike synopsis—to help them choose which hike they want to buy; each individual hike is priced at $.99. Once a hike is purchased and downloaded, the app functions with no data plan or phone service required.

plunge pool here the size of a small lake, and it’s a great place to swim or have picnic or both. Hang out here as long as you like, but remember, you have to get back to the footbridge over the same terrain you covered on the way down.

Aside from the gorge floor, the remainder of the hike takes in all the overlooks that let you peer into the gorge from high above. It’s fun to look down on the waterfalls and pick out where you were earlier in the day.

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Icon’s outdoor legacy lives on

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ne of North Carolina’s most iconic outdoorsmen, Franc White, 85, producer of the “Southern Sportsman” television show from 1972 to 1996, passed away this June; however, his memory will live on via a memorial fund established in his honor.

White is best known as an expert outdoor sportsman, writer, and conservationist. He made the “Southern Sportsman” show an institution in households throughout the South for more than 25 years. His show included one of the foremost live cooking segments on television, and he was widely known as “Julia Child of the Wild.” The show’s cooking segment and his recipe books especially appealed to his female viewers who were eager to learn how to prepare the day’s hunting and fishing prizes.

Although thousands have his cookbooks, tapes of his shows, and memories of “Stalking the Wily Whelk,” “Goodbye, Little Tennessee,” and the “Poor Man’s Tarpon,” few are aware of the extent of his conservation and environmental efforts. White successfully stopped commercialization on many of the Carolina islands, one of which was the last nesting ground for some Atlantic sea turtles. His daughters Libby and Shaun remember their father constantly

agonizing over the loss in just half a century of so many natural resources and the deterioration of the planet, a loss he felt his grandchildren and great-grandchildren would probably never comprehend, yet have to endure.

“From his plane, his boat, his canoe, even his cookbooks, all painted with his trademark zebra stripes, dad always reminded everyone just how deeply sportsmen care about protecting our outdoors,” daughter Libby said. “He Sportsman and conservationist Franc White produced “Southern Sportsman” from 1972 to 1996.

DONATED FAMILY PHOTO

also knew the future of those outdoors we love will depend on our ability to raise up new voices for conservation.

That’s why he ended each and every show imploring us to ‘Do yourself a favor, take a kid fishing’.”

The Franc White Legacy Fund will be used to strengthen the North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s outreach programs that bring the voices of sportsmen and others to the conservation decision-making table. Contributions may be sent c/o N.C. Wildlife Federation at 1024 Washington St., Raleigh, N.C. 27605, by calling 800.264.6293 or online at ncwf.org/support/honor.php.

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SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Competing interests, common ground Started in 1996, Forestry for Wildlife Partnership promotes blending wildlife conservation into corporate forestry practices. Habitat is key to wildlife. And with 93 percent of Georgia’s forestland privately owned, conservation on private lands is critical.

Wells Timberland, Plum Creek and Georgia Power were honored as partners in February, having helped improve nearly 974,000 acres for wildlife.

Plum Creek is maintaining habitat at Paulk’s Pasture Wildlife Management Area near Brunswick for Henslow’s sparrows, a secretive songbird. The company has also teamed with the DNR and University of Georgia to study the region’s bear population.

Georgia Power is helping the DNR relocate gopher tortoises displaced by development, including restoring 300 acres of longleaf pine as a future site. Staff is also working with the state to place nest boxes critical for kestrels on transmission towers.

Wells Timberland has protected habitat for rare fringed campion in Talbot County; thinned pine plantations to allow native understory plants to grow, benefitting wildlife; and joined with the National Wild Turkey Federation in restoring longleaf pine in sandhill habitats in Marion County.

For information about Forestry for Wildlife Partnership, visit georgiawildlife.com/FWP.

“[Forestry for Wildlife Partnership] serves as a great example of how you can manage property for multiple objectives.”

— Mark Whitney, chief of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Game Management Section

Find friends in important places Friends of the Smokies assists the National Park Service in its mission to preserve and protect Great Smoky Mountains National Park by raising funds and public awareness, and providing volunteers for needed projects.

Volunteers in the Parks (VIPs) work directly through the Park VIP Program in a variety of positions and services. A special group of hikers, VIPs help maintain a section more than 70 miles of the Appalachian Trail within the park under NPS agreement with the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. One also may help with the search for new species in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including collection, sorting and identification in conjunction with the Discover Life in America program.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities with the Friends of the Smokies and their affiliates, visit friendsofthesmokies.org/volunteer or call the Tennessee office at 800.845.5665 or the North Carolina office at 828.452.0720.

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VISIT

Swain County NORTH CAROLINA

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MOUNTAIN ARTS Children’s author and illustrator Eric Carle inspires future educators at Appalachian State

BY ANNA OAKES

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line meandered from one end of Appalachian State University’s new College of Education building, through an open, echoing lobby lit by the late afternoon sunlight, and down a narrow hallway, as visitors murmured excitedly.

Acclaimed children’s book author and illustrator Eric Carle, most famous for his 1969 work “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” was greeting fans in conjunction with the installation of thirty prints, signed lithographs and murals of Carle’s iconic illustrations on the walls of the new academic building, which opened in 2011.

Born in Syracuse, N.Y., on June 25, After a young fan at a June 1 book signing at Appalachian State Univer1929, Carle moved to sity shyly handed children’s book author and illustrator Eric Carle a Germany with his handmade card reading “I love you Eric Carle” with one dollar and five cents enclosed, Carle gives the money back to the child, thanking her for parents when he was the gift but asking that she use the money to buy ice cream instead. six years old. He Above: College of Education Dean Dr. Charles Duke requested that Eric graduated from the Carle’s illustration of a sloth be mounted in the education building’s prestigious art school conference room. ANNA OAKES PHOTOS Akademie der bildentrations. He creates his images using a colden Künste and returned to New York in lage technique with hand-painted papers, 1952, where he landed a job as a graphic dewhich he cuts and layers to form bright and signer for The New York Times and later bedistinctive images. came art director for an advertising It was Dr. Charles Duke, dean of Apcompany. Carle’s career in children’s books palachian State’s Reich College of Educabegan when author Bill Martin Jr. asked tion, who had the idea to decorate the Carle to illustrate a story called “Brown Bear, university’s halls and training rooms for fuBrown Bear, What Do You See?,” which ture teachers with Carle’s illustrations for was later followed by Carle’s first original children. “Dr. Alice Naylor and Sarah Borbook, “1, 2, 3 to the Zoo.” Since publishing ders, who are good friends of my wife Bobhis second book, “The Very Hungry Caterbie as well as being associated with pillar,” Carle has illustrated more than 70 Appalachian State University, approached books, including many bestsellers, and more me when the project was just beginning. I than 103 million copies of his books have immediately said yes, but did not know what been sold around the world. it entailed,” Carle said. Interior designer Vivid colors, simple shapes, and use of Mark Crowell assisted with the selection of ample white space characterize Carle’s illus-

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“It always means a great deal to me when an educator finds my work valuable in the classroom.”

— Eric Carle

Carle’s works and design of the installation.

Carle’s works, including massive images of Brown Bear, the Sloth, and the Spider, are now part of a permanent display. The exhibit is open to the public during regular operating hours of the college.

“My background is in design, not education, but I feel strongly that children should be encouraged to learn in their own particular way, and it always means a great deal to me when an educator finds my work valuable in the classroom,” Carle said.

Carle splits his time between the Florida Keys and Blowing Rock, N.C. “When I turned 75, I made the decision to retire from the business end of my work, and my wife Bobbie and I decided to move from our home in western Massachusetts to two places of great beauty, spending the winter in one of the Florida keys and the summer in the mountains of North Carolina,” Carle said. “Bobbie is from North Carolina and still has friends and family in the area where we live. We have a lovely view of the hills, which are sometimes covered in fog, and we both enjoy the climate there in the summer.”

Carle is working on several book projects expected to be published within the next year.

info:

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

For more information about Carle, visit his official website at eric-carle.com. y For information about viewing the exhibit at Appalachian State University, call 828.262.2234. y

“Fo DON

Backroads beauty and finding the forgotten Award-winning photographer Barbara Sammons’ exhibit “Dusty Roads” at the N.C. Arboretum features photographs of cars and trucks, from classics to junkyard castaways, captured during Sammons’ travels along the backroads of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

In addition to more than thirty years behind the camera, Sammons also is an accomplished writer. Her passion for the stories behind the rusty heaps of scrap metal drives her to capture their beauty.

“I’m often asked, ‘Why do you want to take a picture of that rusty old car?’ Tell me its story, I’ll say,” Sammons said.

Without fail, the stories include tales from blissful honeymoon trips to Niagara Falls to white-knuckled drives across snowy Mount Mitchell.

Though not her own, those memories strike an inspirational chord with Sammons. “I hear the joy and love,” she says. “And I love a good story.”

The exhibit will be on display in the at the N.C. Arboretum in Asheville, N.C. through Sept. 23. For more information, call 828.665.2492 or visit ncarboretum.org.

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d e p a r t m e n t :

MOUNTAIN LETTERS

Fleeting feathers connect future, past

Slidell, who remembers how the Civil War affected the area during his childhood. A sense of place dominates as Rash interweaves the state’s local history of Hot Springs’ German internment camp, Mars Hill College, and establishes milquetoast characters whose misguided patriotism triggers tragedy.

N

orth Carolina appears sporadically as a setting or in passing in Bergman’s short story collection Birds of a Lesser ParBY REBECCA TOLLEY-STOKES adise, but her Carolina upbringing and southern sensibility inform her writing, themes, and voice. Ten of her stories previously appeared in journals such as Greensboro Review, Southern Review, he last known Carolina parakeets, the only parrot native to Oxford American, and Ploughshares and two debut in the collection.

North America were extinct around the turn of the twentieth Animals and humans’ symbiotic relationship with them reoccur in century; reports of the exact year vary. Their habitat exseveral stories. In “Housewifely Arts,” the narrator and tended south to the Gulf of her son take a road trip to Myrtle Beach to a roadside Mexico and east through attraction to find her mother’s parrot. The narrator hates the Ohio Valley. Specithe parrot and refused to care for it as her mother fell mens are preserved in muinto the end-stages of cancer, but the parrot proves a seums and John James gift as it perfectly mimicks her mother’s voice.

Audubon captured their Opposites attract in “Every Vein a Tooth.” Bowhuntbeauty in several of his ing Gray belongs to Ducks Unlimited while the narradrawings and paintings. tor rescues animals. She has several dogs, a few feral Curiously, Carolina cats, a chinchilla, and a raccoon in her home. Between parakeets are referenced in them, she and Gray have developed so many rashes two very different books: they named them after the Jackson Five. Gray’s last The Cove by Ron Rash, patch of poison ivy was Tito. When the feral cats deand the collection of short stroy Gray’s carefully curated scrapbook of leaf collecstories Birds of a Lesser tions he offers up an ultimatum: them or me.

Paradise by Megan May“Yesterday’s Whales” is another relationship ultimahew Bergman. tum story. Lauren and Malachi meet at a vegan cookThe town closest to the ing class and soon move in together. Lauren says: “In cove is Mars Hill, where our house, the word breeding was said with the same Laurel Shelton and her vitriol used when mentioning Republicans, Tim brother Hank, who reTebow, and pit bull fights.” Malachi established an orcently returned from ganization his senior year at Yale advocating the end of World War I missing an humankind because nature should reclaim the Earth. arm, grew up as outcasts The Cove by Ron Rash. NY: Ecco, April 2012.

Lauren suspects she’s pregnant, then a stick-in-a-box because of the cove’s reppregnancy test confirms it. The story follows utation for malice. Laurel and Hank’s mother died when Laurel the conflict between the two as their relationwas eight and their father died soon after Hank was conscripted.

Birds of a ship stretches to accommodate their beliefs Like most young women, Laurel lives in a limbo of routine chores Lesser Paradise and desires. and occasional trips to town for victory jubilees, seeing the same

by Meghan Bergman takes readers on a strange, sad faces she’s known since childhood.

Mahew trip forty-some years into the future in “ArtiYet Laurel revels in the outdoors, escaping her family’s dim cabin Bergman. NY: ficial Heart” set in 2050 Key West on the and the cove’s bleakness for an outcropping of granite. One day she Scribner, cusp of the dying ocean. The narrator and hears a song. Could it be birdsong of the Carolina parakeet like the March 2012. her partner Link live with her elderly father still form her teacher Miss Calicut showed her class sixteen years earwho is ninety and still spry due to his artificial heart. “I’d become lier? Miss Calicut told them not to forget what the birds look like one of many cash-strapped caregivers with no children of my “because soon there’d be none left, not just in these mountains but own—just the responsibility of an aging parent modern medicine probably in the whole world.” Inspired by the hope of glimpsing the had turned into an invincible robot, a robot puttering around outrare parakeet, Laurel leaves her laundry by the stream and scuttles moded and diapered, trying to make sense of tangled strings of through thick rhododendrons until she discovers a man playing a silthought,” the narrator muses. ver flute. The man’s entrance into her family’s life changes everything.

Bergman’s stories are quirky, spare, filled with longing, animalRash fills The Cove with simple homey details of sweet milk, centric and heart-felt. Anyone easily connecting with animals in cakes of butter from the spring house coupled with blackberry jam, tune with the seasons will be keen on their visceral charm. and creasy greens donated by the family’s only friend and neighbor,

T

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SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

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d e p a r t m e n t :

MOUNTAIN CUISINE A place to eat where water and railroad meet

I

n what can be fondly described as in the middle of nowhere, The Riverside Restaurant at Brownwood is an outpost of bluegrass and fried fish along the shore of the New River.

The closest things around this little treasure in Todd, N.C., are cows and canoes, which should draw rather than deter diners. The restaurant was once the R.T. Greer and Company Root and Herb Warehouse, which was the nation’s largest dealer of crude botanicals in 1928, according to the National Register of Historic Places.

The Blue Ridge Mountains were known for their abundance of natural resources, including roots and herbs. Small-scale gatherers typically sold to small general stores. Warehouses dedicated to the industry were rare and tended to be in larger towns with established trading centers—hence the location of Greer’s warehouse in Todd was unusual. The warehouse was a branch of the company, which was headquartered in Marion, Va., and connected via the VirginiaCarolina rail line. The Riverside is on Railroad Grade Road.

At the warehouse, herbs were separated and stored until there was sufficient quantity to bale. Herbs were thrown from the second floor down through a square hole and into the baling apparatus.

Bales were then loaded on to the train for shipment. When the rail line from West Jefferson, N.C. to Todd closed in 1933, the warehouse shifted to truck transportation, which lasted until the warehouse closed in 1945.

Head to The Riverside for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The menu ranges from chicken biscuits to a chef’s salad with homemade dressing, from a hand-packed third of a pound burger to grilled salmon filet. The fried fish is hard to pass up though, particularly served alongside fresh lemonade and sweet potato fries. Saturday and Sunday bring a breakfast buffet, with a lunch buffet on Sunday

‘A GATHERING IN’ OF TRADITIONAL FARE The last weekend of September brings Mountain Heritage Day in Cullowhee, N.C., and each year home preserved canned, baked and dried goods are part of “A Gathering In,” the festival’s celebration of traditional foods.

Canned goods, honey, and heritage foods are entered just a few days prior to the festival, while baked goods arrive the day before for judging. Winners are announced at the festival, which is held on the Western Carolina University campus.

Ribbons are awarded in youth and adult divisions for each category, and an overall grand champion is named.

For more information about the festival—a combination old-fashioned mountain fair and showcase for

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eat at:

The Riverside Restaurant 7181 Railroad Grade Road • Todd, N.C. 336.877.4847

SARAH E. KUCHARSKI PHOTO

too. Don’t plan on eating too late—The Riverside stops serving dinner at 8 p.m.

Check the schedule for live music or storytelling, though there’s entertainment enough to be had checking out the historic photos upstairs, letting the kids play a game of tag in the wide open fields, or strolling down to the bank of the New River. There’s even Wi-Fi.

Southern Appalachian music, arts, dance and song held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 29—and “A Gathering In,” visit wcu.edu or call 828.227.7129.

BUNCOMBE COUNTY’S BREWING BOOMTOWN Asheville has grown from a town with a taste for mountain moonshine to an international destination for beer lovers, renowned as Beer City, USA, in less than twenty years. Eleven established breweries operate within the city limits and another five call Western North Carolina home. At least six more are in the planning stages, including beer giant Sierra Nevada Brewing, which recently chose the area as a locale for its new East Coast brewery.

Learn about the history of ales and lagers in Asheville starting with a

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

murderous downtown rampage by a drunken desperado at the turn of the 20th century. Anne Fitten Glenn’s book Asheville Beer, An Intoxicating History of Mountain Brewing is due out this fall. It includes the story of F. Scott Fitzgerald writing at The Grove Park Inn while downing up to thirty beers a day. It includes one brewery pouring thousands of gallons of “not right” beer into the city’s sewers, a burgeoning brewery on the wrong side of the tracks (literally), one that fought a small town’s laws to open, and more.

Glenn has been writing about beer and the beer business since 2005. Her work appears at CraftBeer.com, the national Brewers Association’s on-line magazine.

Glenn also developed and teaches Beer Education classes to servers and to the beer-loving public.

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MOUNTAIN CUISINE

Southern Banana Pudding T H E 1 8 6 1 FA R M H O U S E R E S TA U R A N T & W I N E R Y VA L L E C R U C I S , N O R T H C A R O L I N A

INGREDIENTS: Serves 6-8 5 Large Bananas, perfectly ripe (don’t use overripe bananas) 1 Large Box Instant Vanilla Pudding 1 8-ounce Carton Sour Cream Homemade Whipped Cream (see recipe below) 2 ½ Cups Whole Milk 1 Box Vanilla Wafers - or Pepperidge Farm Chessmen

For more information about the 1861 Farmhouse, visit 1861farmhouse.com or call 828.963.6301. Lunch is served seven days a week, dinner six nights a week.

SARAH E. KUCHARSKI PHOTOS

WHIPPED CREAM INGREDIENTS: 1 ½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream 4 Tablespoons Confectioner’s Sugar 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

IMPLEMENTS: Deep Casserole Dish (or Lasagna Pan) Mixer 1 Medium Bowl 2 Small Bowls

love to eat?

Visit smliv.com to help determine which recipes from regional restaurants Smoky Mountain Living will feature, and find out how to submit your own recipes!

READER RECIPE

TECHNIQUE: Vanilla Pudding: Whip pudding with milk according to package directions.

Whipped Cream: Start with cold whipping cream, a chilled mixing bowl and chilled beaters. Beat the cream until it begins to thicken. Add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Divide whipped cream. Put half in separate bowl. Add sour cream and mix thoroughly.

Slice bananas about ½ inch thick, set aside.

Crush vanilla wafers.

Layer 1/3 of crushed wafers in bottom of casserole. Layer ½ of sliced bananas. Pour ½ of pudding mixture over top in a smooth, even layer. Add sour cream–whipped cream mixture in a smooth, even layer. Repeat layers of crushed wafers, bananas, and pudding. Top with straight whipped cream in a smooth layer.

Cover with remaining crushed wafers.

Chill thoroughly. Best made a day ahead and chilled overnight to enhance the flavors.

Vidalia Onion Casserole Serves 8 3 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onion 3 tbsp. butter 1 9-inch pre-baked deep-dish pie shell ½ cup milk 1 ½ cups sour cream 1 tsp salt 2 eggs, beaten 3 tbsp. all-purpose flour 4 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Saute onion in butter until lightly browned. Spoon into pie shell.

Combine milk, sour cream, salt, eggs, and flour.

Mix well and pour over onion mixture. Garnish with bacon. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm in the center. Pie has taste and texture of a quiche.

— Linda Dixon, Griffin, Ga.

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SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

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A DVERT ISING SEC T IO N

Haywood County, N.C. See Yourself in the Smokies!

We invite you to experience beautiful Maggie Valley, Waynesville, Canton, Clyde and Lake Junaluska, NC. Discover one of our many outdoor activities, The Wheels Through Time Museum, events, delicious restaurants, or just relax and enjoy the splendor of the Great Smoky Mountains and Blue Ridge Parkway that surround us.

AUGUST EVENTS: • 8.03: Mountain Street Dance in Downtown Waynesville • 8.03: The Lake Junaluska Singers Concert at Stuart Auditorium • 8.3-8.04: 3rd Annual Popcorn Sutton Summer Jam at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 8.04: 7th Annual Downtown Dog Walk in Downtown Waynesville • 8.04-8.05: Lake Logan Multisport Festival • 8.05-08.06: Mountain Mater Fest in Downtown Canton • 8.10: Young Artist Concert at, HART Theatre • 8.18: Blue Ridge Breakaway Bicycle Race Lake Junaluska

• 8.24-8.25 Maggie Valley Moonlight Race at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 8.24 - 8.25: Fines Creek Bluegrass Jam at Fines Creek School • 8.30-9.03: 106th Canton Labor Day Celebration • 8.31-9.1: 42nd Smoky Mountain Folk Festival at Lake Junaluska.

SEPTEMBER EVENTS: • 9.01: Block Party in Downtown Waynesville • 9.01-9.02: Labor Day Weekend Craft Show at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 9.03: Labor Day Parade in Downtown Canton • 9.07-9.09: Thunder in the Smokies Fall Rally at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 9.14-9.15: Fall Rally in the Valley at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 9.15: Bed Turning Lunch & Lecture at the Shelton House Barn • 9.16: Sunday Concert Series at the Haywood County Library • 9.21-9.2: 39th Annual Fall Regional Mustang Event at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds • 9.21-9.23: Maggie Valley Swap Meet & Car Show at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds

For detailed information connect with us at www.visitNCsmokies.com or on Facebook at www.facebook/SmokyMountainsNC.

SML_Vol.12-Iss.4 TRAVIS:Layout 1 7/6/12 12:41 PM Page 34

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Hundreds of folks, from babies to senior citizens, wearing costumes and carrying flags and puppets made from trash and other reused materials, march in the communitycreated Liberty Parade in Todd, N.C., in July 2010.

ANNA OAKES PHOTO

One Man’s Trash

Treasures from trashcans, dumpsters, and scrap yards create works of art displayed in fine galleries, front lawns and town squares.

BY ANNA OAKES

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“We like to show beauty in unusual places.

And there is so much trash! We have to do something with our waste, [and] we might as well make art.”

— Cindy Ball, Elkland Art Center

WWW.SMLIV.COM

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B

“Window on the World” by Steebo Design DONATED PHOTO

ones, lint, Styrofoam, banana skins, the squishes and squashes found on the street: nothing is so humble that it cannot be made into art,” the Hungarian-born artist Sari Dienes once proclaimed, as quoted in her 1992 obituary in The New York Times.

But prior to the twentieth century (and even throughout), the artistic elite indubitably would have begged to differ. Art was something that was planned and composed, something to be created only by the talented and the trained using the traditional media of oils, watercolors, metals, and the like.

It was the European Dada movement—born out of frustration with World War I and the modern society that produced it—that began to incorporate the everyday object in works of art, most famously with Marcel Duchamp’s series of “Readymades,” including “Fountain,” a urinal turned on its side.

“Duchamp…removes the artist’s hand from the process and gives himself over wholly to the randomness of chance,” writes art history professor and author Dr. Jeanne S. M. Willette.

Today, the found object—whether purchased at a thrift store, discovered in a dumpster or received as a gift— appeals to artists for a whole host of reasons.

“Cost is a factor. Free materials!” explained Asheville Area Arts Council Executive Director Kitty Love. “Crushed metal, old wood, etc. communicate a history, the past, which is evocative, has presence, a sense of a story, and meaning. Making something ordinary into something extraordinary is a gratifying process, like alchemy. Turning trash into gold. When you can do it, it proves that people are missing things. It triggers a shift in perspective. Or seeing the beauty in something perceived as worthless, and showing others so that they can see it.”

And as more people work to practice sustainable ways of living, it makes sense for artists, too.

“The values of a generation brought up under the shadow of the destruction of the earth by an over-consuming culture may have shifted, causing artists to engage in reuse and preservation, and a return to the values that guide a frugal homesteading approach valued by our forebears, who had less to work with and valued what they had.

It’s a way of supporting a move toward a greener way of life.”

“The shapes and forms

that I find inspire me. Often times the shapes and forms dictate the result in the end.”

— Stefan Bonitz

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STEFAN BONITZ • ASHEVILLE, N.C.

A run to the industrial scrap yard is akin to a trip to the art supply store for Asheville artist Stefan Bonitz of Steebo Design, and forget the paintbrush—Stefan’s strokes are made with a crane and a skid-steer.

Born in Long Island, N.Y., Stefan moved to Greenville, S.C., and then to Asheville, N.C., at age five. Under the tutelage of Howard Munson of the San Francisco Art Institute, Stefan rekindled his childhood interest in creative projects.

He became co-creator of an Asheville retail outlet showcasing more than two hundred artists and his own works, which from 1989 to 1995 included fabric, leather, airbrushing, acrylic painting, graphic design and mixed media assemblages.

Stefan launched Steebo Design in 1995, and metal became his primary focus. His media comes almost exclusively from recycled found objects, but the appeal of his pieces is diverse, ranging from functional works such as lighting and furniture, to folk art, to outdoor sculptures of large scale and high design. Stefan said he takes pleasure in diverting heavy-gauge metals from the waste stream.

“I’m intervening in the whole process of the materials being transported to a foundry,” said Stefan. “I’m reclaiming the shapes and forms and well as the materials.”

Perhaps most distinctive among the Steebo body of work are Stefan’s fanciful metal humanoids and “critters,” with their signature protruding spheres for eyes and mouths agape in surprise or delight. A pair of these metallic beings— one slim, one portly, and both donning wide-brimmed hats—can be spotted picking a tune on the banjo and washtub bass in a work called “Old Time Music” erected in Waynesville, N.C., as part of the town’s public art program.

Other works in his collection are funky mailboxes, abstract sculptures, dramatic signs, sleek bicycle racks, old, geometric fences and railings, and striking pieces of décor and functional whimsy for the wall, coffee table or kitchen. Most of Stefan’s outdoor creations are caked in the deep reds and browns or burnt oranges of a rust patina created by the controlled oxidation of iron and steel; works for the indoors are generally brushed steel.

Stefan travels around the Southeast in search of material, much of which isn’t produced locally. Hauling a 24-foot trailer, he returns with a load of purchased or collected metals for immediate use or storage

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“The Pop artists were using trash. Joseph Cornell made the museums and 50 years later it’s in the gift shops. It takes a long time to go to the populace.”

— John D. Richards

at his West Asheville studio. Stefan is a trained welder and positions pieces into place using a crane and a Bobcat. And although he may have a concept for a figure or character prior to heading to the scrap yard, the pieces he finds could take him in a different direction.

“The shapes and forms that I find inspire me,” he said. “Often times the shapes and forms dictate the result in the end.”

In 2011, Stefan was voted the No. 1 metalworker in Mountain Xpress’ Best of WNC awards.

been creatively unemployed ever since. The unfortunate result of that misguided compulsion fills the following pages,” reads a short bio on his webpage.

ROBYN RAINES: CEDAR BLUFF, VA.

Mixed media artist Robyn Raines, originally from Cedar Bluff, Va., has experience in textiles, paper arts and bookmaking. Her work combines the familiarity of found objects with newer pieces made by hand. Found objects incorporated in her works include books, paper, spools of wire, steel, fabric, flash cubes, ballpoint pen springs and other finds.

Recent work includes pieces examining the ideas of “women’s work,” with sewn garments and embroidery, as well as elements from vintage women’s magazines, books, uniforms, and other media. Her compositions capture and remember the small—but significant—details of daily life.

Raines, who studied at the Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina, currently is a member of the staff of the Barter Theatre in Abingdon, Va. JOHN D. RICHARDS • BURNSVILLE, N.C.

John D. Richards of Burnsville, N.C., is a purveyor of art and self-deprecating humor.

“In 1963 he quit his job, moved to NYC, took various courses at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and began his freelance art career. He has

The Dada art movement of the early twentieth century began to incorporate the found objects, including Marcel Duchamp’s “Fountain.”

ELKLAND ART CENTER • TODD, N.C.

An announcement touting one of his workshops in June called John a “junk artist extraordinaire” and the “pied piper of recycled art.”

“When I was a kid in Wisconsin, the only material available was mud and sticks in the back yard,” John said. Hence the name of his home and studios shared with wife and potter Claudia Dunaway: Yummy Mud Puddle. He says he’s never short on supplies.

“I live in America. It’s the greatest trash country there is,” he deadpans. Now that all of his friends know what he does, they save things for him—buttons, pull tabs, spark plugs, cat food can lids, beer caps. There’s a friend who repairs chip boards for washing machines, so John gets the unusable chip boards.

A Tabasco Sauce bottle forms the head and abdomen of this winged insect fashioned by junk artist John D. Richards of Burnsville, N.C. DONATED PHOTO

40

“Mostly little things. The objects I make are for sale, and people don’t buy large things, especially in a downturn. I probably have two lifetime supplies already, but I still want more because that’s my addiction.” His creations are primarily decorative: mermaids, angels, and all sorts of animals, with birds and fish being the best sellers, he says. Although he’s been making art from discarded junk for decades, John acknowledges the increased interest in found object art.

“The world has finally caught up to me,” said John, feigning a sigh. “We have more and more trash. The Pop artists were using trash.

Joseph Cornell made the museums and 50 years later it’s in the gift shops. It takes a long time to go to the populace.”

John’s works can be found throughout Western North Carolina, from Blowing Rock to Bryson City, as well as locations in Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

Based in the tiny community of Todd, N.C., where time seems to move as slowly as the New River flows, the Elkland Art Center is devoted to building community through art, and most of that art is created from reused or recycled materials.

Founded in 1997 in the old Elkland School, the center produces community parades; puppet shows for schools, festivals, and libraries; workshops; and documentary videos on matters important to communities. In 2000 and 2001, the Elkland Art Center held several parades that featured giant puppets and costumed marchers depicting the Todd community’s relationship with the New River and its ecosystem. Based on their success, the Liberty Parade became an annual event in Todd—and it’s hands down

SML_Vol.12-Iss.4 TRAVIS:Layout 1 7/6/12 12:43 PM Page 41

one of the most unusual Fourth of July parades ever seen. No pageant queens, classic cars or dignitaries here. Just ordinary folks—hundreds of them, from anywhere and everywhere— marching down the narrow, winding Railroad Grade Road in Todd, dressed in colorful, handmade costumes and oversized masks, walking dogs, beating drums and pushing babies in strollers, some carrying larger-than-life puppets along the way. There’s the Trash Dragon— much like the ones in Chinese New Year celebrations—constructed from landfill-bound materials such as Styrofoam trays and plastic yogurt containers. Two years ago was the debut of the Earth Puppet, a giant spectacle celebrating land-based creatures. This year the theme was “Viva la LibAIRTodd,” with a focus on the element of air highlighted by new banners, pinwheels and windsocks.

Each June, several public workshops are held so that community members can create new puppets and costumes for use in the Liberty Parade.

“Most of our puppets are recycled in some way,” said Cindy Ball, an Elkland staff member. “We often find art that we have made in the past and give it new life. We also find materials everywhere. People litter and we make it into art. People donate a lot of material that they would otherwise throw away.”

Elkland’s other programs, offered to schools and communities throughout the region, include the Trash’n Fashion Show, a partnership with Appalachian State University students who showcase their designs—made from trash—on the runway. “Jason’s Dream” is a show about a young boy’s adventure into the depths of the landfill to discover that trash is “stuck! stuck! stuck!” and the only way to free the nice trash he meets is to not put it there in the first place. How? Recycle! Reduce! Reuse!

Jason comes to realize that he and audiences everywhere can be a vital part of the solution by remembering to recycle, reduce and reuse.

“At Elkland, we like to show beauty in unusual places. And there is so much trash! It seems like we have to do something with our waste, [and] we might as well make art,” said Cindy.

Learn more about Elkand and its community programs at elklandartcenter.org.

KATHE HALL • JASPER, GA.

Kathe Hall is no pack rat but she confesses to being a “plate hoarder.” She collects fine china and decorative plates, and inevitably, plates are broken. And when she just couldn’t bring herself to sweep the beautiful shattered remains of her collectibles into the trashcan, a new hobby was born.

Boone artist Dan Kaple works on a piece for his You Found My Art project from his Depot Street studio.

ANNA OAKES PHOTO

You Found My Art! What makes a better conversation starter: art you bought at a gallery, or art you found in a tree?

Boone artist Dan Kaple’s side project, which he’s reviving this year after a brief hiatus, is called You Found My Art. Dan, along with any friends who want to participate, creates small, original works of art and then hides them in public places.

The first persons who happen to notice them, then, are free to keep them or hide them again.

“I like the whole chance discovery aspect of it—people can find it without even knowing they were looking for it,” Dan said. On the back of each artwork, Dan includes his email address and URL for the You Found My Art blog, where he documents the project. Almost all of the pieces have been found, he said, and often, the finders do get in touch. A small painting placed on a tree branch near the Appalachian State University campus found its way into the hands of a Brit, who took the piece across the pond to London. Other works have been hidden in alleys, windows, a metal storm drain, underneath a bridge, in parks, and on hiking trails.

Though the project could be considered a form of guerrilla art, political and social commentary isn’t the objective—it’s non-confrontational, Dan explains.

“It’s a way to completely randomly reach out to people,” he said. “Because this world can be lonely, and sometimes it makes me feel better to think that, even if I don’t know who they are, I am somehow reaching out and maybe making the world a little less lonely for someone else.”

And, Dan adds, it’s a freeing process. There’s no burden of storing the art or selling it, or placing a dollar amount on its value: “Once I put it out there, it’s not my problem anymore.”

Dan invites other artists to participate in You Found My Art. Create an original piece of art, hide it, take a photo and send it to Dan so he can post it on the blog. “I don’t own this idea,” he emphasized.

Check out youfoundmyart.blogspot.com or email dkkaple@gmail.com.

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“Making something ordinary into something extraordinary is a gratifying process.”

— Kitty Love, Asheville Area Arts Council

“I thought, ‘I’ve got to be able to do something with these broken plates,’” said Kathe. She loves to decorate and has a knack for color, especially hues that are bright, bold and funky. “I would see blues and think I could do a beautiful blue and white mirror from this,” she said. So for the past 17 years, Kathe has taught herself to make colorful mosaic works using broken pieces of china, glass, mirrors, pottery and other found objects.

“I probably have over 300 dishes in my studio at any one given time,” remarked Kathe, along with bins and shelves of all kinds of other bits and pieces accumulated from her own mishaps, friends and discount stores: drawer hardware, old game pieces, bottle tops, bottle caps, mannequins, porcelain figurines, and window panes. Arranged in patterns, the colorful elements form picture frames, chalkboards, planters, birdbaths, decorative busts, lamps, wall hangings and other home décor. Kathe even used a teapot as part of a birdfeeder, filling the pot with yarn, leaves and other supplies for birds to use in building their nests.

“Anything to give them a repurposed life,” she noted. “When it hits me, I get going on it.”

Kathe works from her home studio but also owns a gallery and art studio called Van Gogh’s Hideaway in Jasper, Ga.

Dumpster Diving While objects and materials for art-making can easily be obtained without sneaking around, many nonetheless enjoy dumpster diving as part of the thrill of the process. SML does not endorse the practice, but if you dare to dive, here are some words of advice from sources on the internet: y Know the local laws. In some jurisdictions, dumpster divers can be charged with theft or trespassing if caught. y Dress for success. Long sleeves, pants, gloves, and closed-toed shoes are a must. y Take an accomplice. In case you fall in. y Know common move-in and move-out dates. In college towns, keep an eye out for furniture and appliances in late April and early May. y Take only what you plan to use. y Clean up after yourself. If you scatter trash around, put it back in the dumpster when you’re done.

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Kathe Hall of Jasper, Ga., uses broken china, glass, and other found objects in her frames and décor for the home.

DONATED PHOTO

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Finding a Foothold in Faith

BY ANGELA RAIMONDO ROSEBROUGH

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ow one defines his or her faith is a personal matter, yet it is not uncommon to engage in a search for meaning. That search may take one to an Ashram in India or a rural Southern Baptist congregation, from a loosely defined sense of faith to formal worship with liturgical significances.

Talking about religion and faith explores identities at the individual and community level. Believers who have found comfort in one tradition may be at odds with believers of another—sometimes due only to fear or uncertainty. Yet coexistence makes it important to examine how to embrace one’s own sense of truth while allowing others the right to have that same experience. Certain threads tie seemingly different spiritual paths together on a search for a life filled with integrity, connection and authenticity, as well as a sense of belonging.

For well over a century people from all over the country and even the world have been drawn to the serenity of these mountains. Today people in search of health and spiritual enlightenment still flood into them.

This surge of newcomers may seem problematic to those who so strongly value and respect the region’s traditionally conservative heritage. Yet changing generations have made it so that following a religion because one’s parents and grandparents did is less and less accepted as people search for meaning in a way that makes sense to them and their individual values. Change may come while still respecting roots and culture though, and in the process those who have found faith may find new friends. Recently the congregation at The New Vision Presbyterian Church in Conover, N.C., blended with a Spanish-speaking church, resulting in big changes to the way the group worships. Dr. Gary VanBrocklin has worked with the church closely through the transition. “Because they are sure in their identity they have the grace to say ‘we can change, and we’re even interested in learning some Spanish’,” VanBrocklin said.

VanBrocklin serves as the Department Chair and Associate Professor of Cross-Cultural and Biblical Studies at Montreat Conference Center, nestled in the mountains outside of Black Mountain, N.C. He grew up in a mountain revivalist religious tradition before joining the Presbyterian Church alongside his wife. One of his favorite parts of the

Presbyterian service is when members of the congregation confess their sins and the pastor responds, “Your sins are forgiven,” to which comes the response, “Thanks be to God.” For VanBrocklin, having someone objectively say something about a very interior part of his being—his sense of unworthiness—brings together his need as a struggling human and the revelation of the Gospel. As a pastor he finds joy in his role of voicing God’s action of forgiveness through Jesus Christ to his congregants. Objectifying a subjective experience that everyone is going through not only serves to feed the individual but creates a connected community based on a shared sense of seeking forgiveness from God. Rather than seeking objectivity for the subjective experience, Shambhala teaches that a

“In Shambhala our whole life is where we practice. We first connect with our heart, our success, our failures, and then our goodness.

And then we look at how we relate with others in our daily lives.”

— Charlotte Bernard

good society begins with two people at home.

People of different religions follow the secular tradition of Shambhala meditation practices.

Meditation begins to “train your mind to be with your body,” says Charlotte Bernard from the Asheville Shambhala Meditation Center.

“In Shambhala our whole life is where we practice,” Bernard said. “We first connect with our heart, our success, our failures, and then our goodness. And then we look at how we relate with others in our daily lives.”

By learning not to connect with one’s human experience with the things one owns or the relationships in one’s life, one is able to just be and find a new clarity.

Daily practice of Shambhala is not about trying to fix everything. It’s about connecting with humanity and allowing what is to simply be. Meditating is about learning about oneself so that one may then connect

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with one’s environment. Bernard believes that each country and culture has its own history and that the United States has a deep sense of unworthiness embedded in its societal narrative. Therefore reconnecting with humanity is important. American society is so focused on performance that it becomes hard to realize one’s goodness and the goodness in everything.

“You do not experience anything through someone else,” Bernard said. “You need to experience the world through yourself. The first act of bravery is to sit on the cushion and connect with yourself.”

When one does this one realizes how judgmental one is toward himself or herself and can start the process of shifting one’s focus so that one can connect with his or her goodness.

Accepting life for what it is and acknowledging the mystery of it is what drives Erin Marie and Powell Wheeler of Clyde, N.C., to a liturgical worship at the Christ Anglican Church in Asheville, N.C. “Many churches fall into this trap where they feel they have to explain everything about what’s happening in people’s lives,” Powell said. “Liturgy takes you above life’s experiences. It doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. It simply says I have no idea why this is happening, but I’m going to fall back and trust in God to just get me through it.”

That is precisely the faith that Elizabeth Swanger, of Canton, N.C., finds helping her through her days. Confined to a nursing home at the young age of 58, her body is deteriorating from progressive multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease that affects the brain and spinal cord, an illness so devastating it could certainly shake one’s faith, make one bitter or at least give way to pity parties.

When asked why her faith means so much to her Swanger simply responds, “Why would it not?” Swanger’s journey began at the age of seven when she started getting herself up each Sunday morning to walk alone to church. She can’t remember who introduced her to the Baptist Church, but she has remained a faithful believer her entire life. She felt drawn to the Gospel as a young child and it continues to give her encouragement. Her hope lies beyond what she experiences in this world and her belief in an eternity where she will be united with her Saviour. She gracefully accepts the mystery behind why her body is breaking down and has decided to trust God to take care of her.

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Easter at St. Paul’s. DONATED PHOTO

Sometimes the mystery behind life’s tragedies is too great and a person can find their faith diminished to non-belief. Gary Kleiner settled in Asheville with his wife and young daughter in 2011. Born in Poland, Kleiner emigrated to the United States at the age of nine and settled into Chicago with his family. His father, Moishe Kleiner, was one of approximately eight survivors of the Holocaust out of a Jewish population of 30,000 in what was then a town in Poland—Volodymyr Volynskyy (it now belongs to the Ukraine). For Moishe it was important to carry on the Jewish tradition with his family even though he was an atheist by then, as Moishe wondered how could God allow the things to happen that he had witnessed. He married Eugenia Bukadorova, a girl from Stalingrad who had lived through the war as a young person simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. As an adult, Kleiner was watching “The World at War,” a British documentary on World War II, and his mother came in the room as the TV depicted German planes carpet-bombing a city not yet named on the show. His mother quietly remarked, “That’s Stalingrad.” Gary looked at his mother and asked, “How do you know?” She simply said, “I was there.”

In his early twenties Gary took off for India, where he spent the next 33 years of his life “finding God finding him.” This phrasing is important to him because searching is about “finding what was never lost, and losing what we never had,” he says. Open to understanding himself as a spiritual person, he says “liberation is never for the person, it is from the person.”

He thirsts to have a deep understanding of who God is and what he must do in this lifetime that is consistent with his beliefs. Theology and philosophy drive him, and he drinks openly from the words of Meher Baba, a twentieth-century Indian mystic and spiritual master who believed himself to be the incarnation of God. This deep connection to God is what three years ago motivated Erin and Powell Wheeler to begin attending the Christ Anglican Church in Asheville, which is related to the Anglican Mission in the Americas based on the African continent. They became worn out from what they claimed was the Sunday morning circus where churches try to make each service more cool and exciting than the last. The family’s search took them into a deep love for liturgy because it provides a structure that keeps the service very focused on God and connects them to

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“You do not experience anything through someone else.

You need to experience the world through yourself. The first act of bravery is to sit on the cushion and connect withyourself.”

— Charlotte Bernard

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something larger. Even though it is distinctly Protestant, the Anglican liturgy is related to the Roman Catholic liturgy, which can trace its roots back to the time of the early Christian church. By participating in the liturgical service each week Powell feels he is part of something bigger. Celebrating communion at church is connected to what his spiritual forefathers did.

It provides a way for him to come into the presence of God, connect with him, and walk away knowing that he has done something significant that Christians around the world and throughout time have done.

Physically going through the service with its symbols and mystery behind them makes it

Russ and Rachel Leaptrot DONATED PHOTO

Russ and Rachel eventually found themselves attending The Body Church after they relocated to Asheville. “It was kind of a hippie church,” Rachel said. It was “on-purpose unstructured,” which allowed Russ and Rachel to dive into the Word and see God’s true nature toward them. From there they have started attending a new church that has encouraged them to dive even deeper into their relationship with God and the Bible. They appreciate that they have found a religion where it’s no longer about putting on their Sunday best, but about truly connecting from the heart. And ironically, now that he has found a new faith tradition, Russ has developed a deep appreciation and af-

“We all are fractured and fragile people and we need to acknowledge our need for a higher sense of healing than what we can provide ourselves.

I don’t want to be lost in my emotions—I want to be anchored in something that is real and goes beyond emotions. It can’t be imposed on people, and we need to feel free to seek that which is authentic.”

— Dr. Gary VanBrocklin

more of a holistic experience for Erin—it is more than just sitting there and listening. The structure is not based on how one feels at that particular moment in time. It guides one into worship and into the presence of God through the words and the creeds that one says and everything leads to communion. It’s a well-worn path, and Erin takes comfort in this. Saying the creed expresses and reaffirms what she believes, even if she is feeling doubt. At the end of each service they recite, “We’ve sat at your feet, learned from your Word, eaten from your Table.” Staying present in the actions leading to this moment is what keeps the ritual alive and full of meaning.

“It’s not manipulation or imposition but a way for us to say every week that we are lost and here is a way for us to be found,” VanBrocklin says. “It’s about knowing who Jesus is and his connectedness in the world, with nature, with people, with society and we take our brokenness and weave it together with the hope of the Gospel.”

On the other end of the spectrum that is Christianity, Russ and Rachel Leaptrot, residents of Asheville, find that it is the absence of

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ritual that brings them deeper into their relationship with God. Raised Southern Baptist in a church where four generations of his family helped to build the church, Russ grew up sitting in the same pew as his grandparents and found his roots firmly planted. As he grew up, however, he rebelled against the teachings from his youth. In 2005 he headed off to Alaska’s Denali National Park, where he met his wife, Rachel, who was also of a Christian background. She remained a believer in her heart even though church became less important to her as she went on to college. Meeting each other allowed them to reconnect with what they believed over the course of several years, and together they have reaffirmed their commitment to the Gospel. Their spiritual understanding has shifted from their childhoods into something much more personal and in touch with how they define their needs for faith as adults.

None of their friends were Christians—the appeal of Zen Buddhism and other Eastern philosophies was much more acceptable—yet Rachel and Russ each decided that they needed to be true to their beliefs.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

fection for his childhood church.

The connections between body and mind, belief and action, or choices and consequences is what brings religion alive in one’s daily life— whether one practices something formalized or simply believes in the goodness one should reach for with or without a higher power. Acknowledging one’s vulnerability compels a search for meaning and a willingness to ask oneself questions to find who one really is.

Jesus is recorded as saying “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17 KJV). Many lament that they know what they need to do in their lives to live their best life, yet they don’t do it. Connecting one’s daily choices with one’s beliefs is a task regardless of religious belief or thought.

“We all are fractured and fragile people and we need to acknowledge our need for a higher sense of healing than what we can provide ourselves,” VanBrocklin said. “I don’t want to be lost in my emotions—I want to be anchored in something that is real and goes beyond emotions.

It can’t be imposed on people, and we need to feel free to seek that which is authentic.”

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Open to understanding himself as a spiritual person, he says “liberation is never for the person, it is from the person.”

— Gary Kleiner

Meditation at the Shambhala House is a spiritual practice. DONATED PHOTO

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Heritage lost, heritage found GENEALOGY HUNTERS SEEK CLUES TO FAMILY LONG PAST

BY MARLA HARDEE MILLING

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Working crossword puzzles or solving a Sudoku puzzle can keep one’s mind sharp, but for Stan Smith, a more satisfying challenge comes in helping other people solve their genealogical conundrums. Just as the television show asks “Who Do You Think You Are?,” Smith helps others answer that question from 1 to 4 p.m. every Friday as he volunteers at the N.C. Room of the Haywood County Library in Waynesville.

“Sometimes we win; sometimes we don’t,” Smith said.

Smith is an active member of the Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society and celebrates every new piece of information he can unearth for someone. One such recent success story began with a phone call from a man in California who was searching for information about his great great-grandmother. He believed she had been a slave on the Robert Love farm in Haywood County.

“The way we found her is that I went to the deeds office. Because slaves were considered property, there were records. Her name was given and the first names of her children,” Smith said.

After Smith told the man he had found his ancestor, the man flew in from California to view the records at the deed’s office for himself. He was thrilled with the discovery, and it has fueled his interest in searching Madison County, N.C., for other relatives. resident Betty Clark has In a different case, been delving into the history a man was of the Sams family, pictured here at a reunion in 1939. disappointed after DONATED FAMILY PHOTO seeking Smith’s help to prove his Cherokee ancestry. He was convinced he had Cherokee blood because his cousin is Cherokee, but he found out that wasn’t the case.

Smith’s investigation showed the cousin was really a second cousin. “What this means is that instead of having the same grandfather, they had the same great grandfather,” Smith said. “The cousin’s grandmother was the source of the Indian blood.” She was not in the lineage of the man seeking confirmation.

and talked to people. It was a wonderful learning experience.”

He gained additional knowledge of the area when the genealogical society published a book about the cemeteries of Haywood County. The previous book had been written the old fashioned way with such references as “stop at the third gum tree” or “walk through a pasture.” The society undertook the task of modernizing the information and

TRAVELING THE BACK ROADS

NEW CONNECTIONS

While Smith is a native of Vermont and spent his career working as a chemist, he has more knowledge of Haywood County and Western North Carolina than many natives.

After retiring to Waynesville fourteen years ago, he joined the Haywood County Historical and Genealogical Society and he also collected information for the 2000 census.

“I was an old guy with a pickup truck, so they sent me into all the back hollers,” he said. “I sat on a lot of porches

Madison County resident Betty Clark has seen her fair share of cemeteries too, as she works to fill the blanks on family trees on both sides of her family. She also pores over obituaries from the past because they often reveal details that she can’t locate elsewhere.

“There’s a woman named Jan Plemmons who has written

finding cemeteries that were beginning to disappear due to growth or changes in landmarks.

“I took GPS readings at every cemetery in Haywood County. This again took me into the backwoods,” Smith said. “I learned a lot more about Haywood County than most people learn in a whole lifetime.”

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SEE ANCESTRY, PAGE 56

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yields a multitude of information and pictures online.

General John Sevier served under George Washington in the American Revolution, became the first governor of the State of Franklin (this area later became a part of N.C.) and became the first governor of Tennessee. He served six twoyear terms as Tennessee’s governor and is the man for whom Sevierville, Tenn. was named.

I also have a copy of the Sevier family history, handed down from my grandmother, with her hand written notations on relevant pages.

General John Sevier is my great, great, great, great, great, great-grandfather. He had ten children with his first wife and eight with his second wife. My lineage comes through his ninth child (Rebecca) with his first wife, Sarah Hawkins. Sarah died shortly after the birth of her tenth child.

Breaking it down, I know all the names of those relatives between General Sevier and me: • General John Sevier (b.

9/23/1745 d. 9/24/1815) married Sarah Hawkins (b.

1746; d. 1780) and had 10 kids.

• Rebecca (ninth child of John Sevier and Sarah Hawkins) (b. 1777/78; d.

11/17/1799) married John Waddell on February 26, 1795. ears ago when I was working as Director of They had two children: Sarah Communications at Mars Hill College, Darryl Rebecca and John.

Norton, manager of the campus bookstore, • Sarah Rebecca Waddell (b. sat down next to me in the cafeteria one day.

4/25/1796; d. May 1883) Jokingly I said, “You better tell me who you’re married (1815) Abraham Haire related to so I don’t talk bad about any of your kin (Hare) (b. 1795 d. 1883). They folk.” He laughed and said, “I’m just related to the Family members gather to decorate Grandpa Jim’s had at least four children.

Carters and the Garrisons.” I said, “So am I!” grave (top). Mitchell Chandley, married to Ruth • Elizabeth Hare (b.

My maternal grandmother (Bessie Garrison (above), was sheriff of Madison County, N.C., for a short 9/30/1825; d. 1900) married Shuford) grew up on Sugar Creek in Democrat near time after the Civil War—which he fought for the Union.

John Chandley on May 21, 1842.

Barnardsville. Such is life in the North Carolina DONATED FAMILY PHOTOS They had 10 children. mountains where the Scotch-Irish heritage is deep • Mitchell Alexander Chandley (b. 2/26/1845; d. 5/16/1926) in some places and distant cousins may wind up unknowingly married Ruth Eucebie Tweed on January 31, 1867. They had sitting next to each other at lunch someday. eleven children.

At that time, Richard Dillingham served as Director of the • Everet Orlando Chandley (b. 7/2/1881; d. 6/24/1940) Southern Appalachian Center at the college. He pulled out married Pearl Goode. They had two children. genealogy research on our families and to show us where our • Lucile Chandley Midyette Hardee (b. 6/9/1909; d. 2/17/1989). trees crossed. We were cousins down the line—I can’t remember This was my grandmother. She had two children: my dad, Ray, and how many places removed, but he provided proof of a similar a daughter, Frances Anne (b. 11/1/1931; d. 7/6/1948) heritage, no less.

And that brings my family tree from General Sevier to me.

I’m very lucky in my quest to fully understand who my ancestors Even cooler, I can go back in time as I investigate General John were. Much of the painstaking information gathering has already Sevier’s ancestry. His father, Valentine Sevier, was born about 1702 been done for me and I can read back through volumes of pages in London, England. He died December 30, 1803 in Tennessee. detailing marriages and births and anecdotes about those who Valentine’s father, Don Juan Xavier, left France after the came before me. While my maternal grandmother’s family has a revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) by Louis XIV. He moved strong Scotch-Irish ancestry, my maternal grandfather’s family to London and changed Xavier to Sevier.

(W.A. Shuford) hailed from Germany.

The family lineage includes a tie to St. Francis Xavier who was Johan Jerg Schuffert, born in Langendselbold, Hessen, born April 7, 1506 in the castle of Xavier in the French Pyrenees.

Germany in 1689, ultimately moved his family to Pennsylvania in He died in 1552 and was canonized by the Catholic Church in 1733 and then to Western North Carolina in 1755. At some point in 1622. He’s considered a patron saint of Roman Catholic America, the name Schuffert changed to Shuford, and Johan’s missionaries in foreign lands. son, Johannes Schuffert (John Shuford) became the father of Being able to connect the dots so far back on one track of my the Shufords in North Carolina. family history fascinates me and simply whets my appetite to There’s even more readily available genealogical information find out more. on the side of my paternal grandmother, Lucile Chandley — By Marla Hardee Milling Midyette Hardee. A search for one of my most famous ancestors

Strong mountain roots: My genealogical story

Y

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Bob and Etta Sams with their children. DONATED FAMILY PHOTO

“It really started me on my way,” Clark said. “It gave me a lot of names and birthdates. His book brought it to my great grandparents level.”

PRESERVING THE PAST

“If I had no other responsibilities I could work on genealogy eighteen hours a day and I wouldn’t get tired of it. I think it’s a pretty good hobby.”

— Betty Clark

Stan Smith pursues the fascinating stories told in stone. Roberta Putnam, granddaughter of Nancy Kerley, aka “Nance Dude,” is buried in Dellwood Cemetery (right). The story goes that Nance sealed Roberta up in a cave where she died as a child. STAN SMITH PHOTO

ANCESTRY, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

several books on Madison County history,” Clark said. “She went back through the local News Record and made copies of all the obituaries that were printed from 1904 to 1935.

Not everyone’s obituary was in the paper as it is today, but I’ve found invaluable information in her publication. Sometimes I’ve been able to find out the cause of death, names of surviving kin and even the name of the pastor who held the service.”

The 72-year-old Clark grew up in the Grapevine section of Madison County and began taking notes of things her grandmother told her about their ancestors. After her grandmother died in 1966, she began 56

gathering information from her mother.

Through the years, raising a family took center stage for her attention, but she got back to her genealogy research in the early 1980s and worked with cousins to create an annual reunion at Grapevine Baptist Church. It’s set this year for the third Saturday in October and welcomes descendants of the Sams family.

Clark carries a remote scanner with her to the reunions so she can easily scan in new information and pictures.

After one of the first reunions, Clark found out that a Dr. Crawford Sams, who was a professor at Berkeley University in California, had researched and published a book on the Sams family. She made contact with him and he sent her a copy of the book.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

Clark has used various methods of research throughout the years—she joined the local genealogical society and has spent time in libraries and courthouses, as well as made personal contact with distant relations. She also finds that genealogy research is becoming much easier through the use of computerized databases.

“I have a subscription to Ancestry.com,” Clark said. “You can view raw data of the censuses. This year they opened up the 1940 census. It’s not indexed yet, but you can still find some names. There are also so many public records you can access from your computer. It’s easy to do this from home.”

She also researches local history as she follows her lineage. Her goal is to not only find out who her ancestors were, but to learn what life was like for them when they were living in Madison County.

Clark wonders if her three children will continue her interest in genealogy, but she does take pride in the wealth of information she has uncovered for them if they ever take it up as a hobby. At this point her grandchildren seem more interested in finding out about the past than her children do. She tells them, “You can’t date anyone in school until you check with me.

They may be your cousin.”

Clark continues to work diligently to document everything she can about her lineage. She and her sister have promised each other that they will label every family photo and make copies for others. She’s happy to share her research and the photographs she’s gathered and says most people who conduct genealogy research are usually very generous with sharing with others.

“If I had no other responsibilities I could work on genealogy eighteen hours a day and I wouldn’t get tired of if,” Clark said. “I think it’s a pretty good hobby.”

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Stan Smith (standing) recently helped Chicago, Ill., resident Robert Austin search the archives in the North Carolina Room of the Haywood County Library. MARGARET HESTER PHOTO

“I was an old guy with a pickup truck, so they sent me into all the back hollers. I sat on a lot of porches and talked to people. It was a wonderful learning experience.”

— Stan Smith, on collecting information for the 2000 Census

Get started tracing your family tree

W

ondering how to begin tracing one’s family tree? It might be as simple as sitting down for a chat.

“If you’ve got any relative living—preferably a little white haired lady—go talk to her,” urges Stan Smith of the Haywood County Historical & Genealogical Society. “Some of those people can just sit and spin out a genealogy. It’s nice when you run into somebody like that.”

Make sure to take lots of notes when talking to relatives. Even better—get them on video re-

sponding to questions about their parents, grandparents, cousins and other family members.

Nancy Price, creator of ClickAmericana.com agrees. “The best place to start is to consider what resources you already have on hand.

Think family photo collections, scrapbooks, files and written or oral family histories.”

If one doesn’t have any relatives to ask, or even if so, take advantage of services at area libraries and genealogical societies. The North Carolina Genealogical Society (ncgenealogy.org) maintains a list of genealogical societies in WNC on its website. The Tennessee Genealogical Society is also a treasure trove of information (tngs.org).

WWW.SMLIV.COM

Smith volunteers his time each Friday afternoon to help people with their genealogical questions at the North Carolina Room of the Haywood County Library. There are many resources available including costly databases that may not be practical to buy on an individual basis.

“Ancestry.com is one source that costs a lot of money to subscribe to, but we have the library version on our computers at the North Carolina room that people can use any time,” Smith said.

Colleges also may have archives and genealogical books for the public to browse through. Peggy Harmon, Special Collections Supervisor at the Ramsey Library on the campus of Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, N.C., says the public is welcome to come and browse through their offerings as they search for ancestors.

“Usually people come in with a family name and ask if we have a book pertaining to that family,” Harmon said. “We recommend going to the index of the genealogy books we have.

The census is another good source for genealogical information and a lot of people haven’t thought of that.”

Also, as you are tracing the past, start making it easier for future generations to know about you. This means getting that box of old photos out and labeling them with names and dates, preserving documents and writing down your own history.

“I am very much an advocate of scanning or photographing anything that might be helpful to me now or may be of interest for future generations,” Price said. “It’s really an easy, inexpensive way to save and organize things. When you digitize old photos and documents, you’re preserving the records and keeping the data safe in case of loss or damage. You can also easily share them with family, friends and the world at large.”

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SHOPPING

ART ON DEPOT Open Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., The Gallery is where Contemporary Fine Arts & Crafts can be found from local and regional artists. Carrying a wide range of custom handmade pottery, paintings, sculpture, photography and woodworking and unique gifts to suit any style! Cathey can be found creating her pottery in her onsite studio.

Located in Historic Frog Level 250 Depot St. • Waynesville, NC 828.246.0218 • artondepot.com CHARLES HEATH GALLERY, THE Located at the corner of Depot and Everett Streets in Bryson City, North Carolina. Featuring works in Acrylic, Photography, Oils, Pastels and Pen & Ink. Original art and prints for sale. Custom framing available.

7 Depot Street • Bryson City, NC 828.488.3383 • charlesheath.com CHRISTMAS IS EVERYDAY Located in beautiful downtown Waynesville.

Offering wonderful ornaments and gifts year round. Visit our website for special items.

113 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC 828.452.7945 christmas-is-everyday.com EARTHWORKS ENVIRONMENTAL GALLERY Open: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We have always focused on artists who are stewards of our beautiful planet earth, in some way or other. Hand craft artisans in so many mediums grace our collections. Artists, both regional and from around the world seem to fit together at Earthworks.

21 N. Main Street • Waynesville, NC Gallery: 828.452.9500 Frame Gallery: 828.456.3666 earthworksgalleries.com FINE ART & CRAFT—SCENIC 276 CORRIDOR A 13-mile stretch showcasing galleries, studios, shops, lodging and dining venues.

See member listing for hours.

Brevard/Cedar Mountain, NC 828.883.3700 • artsofbrevard.org/tours GALLERY TWO SIX TWO Open Mon. and Wed.-Sat. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Gallery Two Six Two is a progressive, modern gallery featuring some of the finest local & regional artists Appalachia has to offer from watercolor to woodwork, photography to pottery, jewelry to acrylics & oils, mixed media to stained glass.

142 Main St. • Waynesville, NC 828.452.6100 • gallerytwosixtwo.com 58

SEVEN SILVER SEAS Specializing in handmade international jewelry. Unique world crafts, clothing and enchanting gifts from around the globe to you!

521 Soco Rd. • Maggie Valley, NC 828.926.1877 JEWELER’S WORKBENCH Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., A working gallery offering design services, along with on-sight repairs. Dedicated to providing a gallery that offers the best in hand-crafted jewelry, along with a venue to display the works of local metalsmiths. Your jewelry says a lot about you, so don’t just run with the pack … dare to be different!

80 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC 828.456.2260 • thejewelersworkbench.us JUST DUCKY ORIGINALS Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

(Waynesville open until 7 p.m. on Fri.) Classic fashions and unique gifts, just perfect for the children in your life.

25 Miller St. • Waynesville, NC 10 All Souls Crescent • Asheville, NC 828.456.4297 justduckyorignals.com MAST GENERAL STORE Experience the nostalgia of an authentic general store. The Original store, on the National Historic Register, has operated in Valle Crucis since 1883. Restored emporiums also in Boone, Waynesville, Hendersonville, Asheville, Knoxville, TN and Greenville and Columbia, SC. Hwy. 194 • Valle Crucis, NC 828.963.6511 mastgeneralstore.com MUD DABBERS POTTERY & GIFTS Functional and contemporary handmade pottery in Western NC. The creations of 23 local potters in a working studio.

Locations in Brevard and Balsam, NC 828.456.1916 • 828.884.5131 OCTOPUS GARDEN Open Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sun. 1-6 p.m.

Seven locations in the Asheville area!

Smoking accessories, gifts, T-shirts and more.

Call for directions: 828.232.6030 RUBY CITY April 1–Dec. 31: Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.–Sat. Winter hours: Tues.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

One of a kind gemstones, investment stones, diamonds and cut stones of all kinds as well as 14kt jewelry.

828.524.3967 • rubycity.com SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

SEQUOYAH NATIONAL GOLF CLUB Located 45 minutes west of Asheville, North Carolina and nestled among the oak, fir and flowered valleys in the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains resides Sequoyah National Golf Club. Owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee, this design offers golfers an idyllic 18 hole journey, filled with scenic vistas, beautiful landscapes and challenging golf.

79 Cahons Rd. • Whittier, NC 828.497.3000 sequoyahnational.com SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS CRAFT GUILD The Craft Fair is an event where connoisseurs and novices alike come to craft a collection, connect with tradition, and invest in regional culture.

828.298.7928 southernhighlandguild.org T. PENNINGTON ART GALLERY Colored pencil drawings of Western North Carolina scenery, landmarks, flora and fauna

by Teresa Pennington. Unique gift items, music boxes made to order, night lights, note cards, Christmas ornaments, etc. Have your favorite scripture included in the framing on any print. Custom framing for your prints or ours. Shipping available.

15 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC 828.452.9284 • tpennington.com TWIGS AND LEAVES GALLERY Open Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m., Sun. 1-4 p.m. (seasonal) Browse this unique gallery with its unforgettable collection of nature inspired works by 180 artists and craft persons.

98 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC 828.456.1940 • twigsandleaves.com WHITE SQUIRREL SHOPPE Open 7 days a week year round (Sun. 1-5 p.m.)

4,000 sq. ft. of quality merchandise! Largest selection of candles in the area, Amish furniture, home accessories, local crafts, unique lamps, large bird, white squirrel and lodge departments.

Downtown Brevard, NC 888.729.7329 whitequirrelshoppe.com GAINES KIKER SILVERSMITH/GOLDSMITH STUDIO AND GALLERY Specializing in custom design jewelry and accessories. Gaines’ creative influences vary from the natural world to the simplicity of pure geometric forms. Located in the village of Blowing Rock, the working gallery is open to the public Tues.-Sat. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

132 Morris St. • Blowing Rock, NC 828.295.3992 gaineskikersilversmith.com

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SHOP SAVVY

Earthworks Environmental Gallery Gallery: 828.452.9500 Frame Gallery: 828.456.3666 21 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.earthworksgalleries.com We see Earth through our artists’ eyes!

T. Pennington Art Gallery 828.452.9284 15 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.tpennington.com Fences along the Parkway series.

Original colored pencil drawing.

Christmas Is… Everyday 800.490.3433 113 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.christmas-is-everyday.com WoodWick Candles feature a natural wooden wick that creates the soothing sound of a crackling fire.

The Jeweler’s Workbench

Gallery Two Six Two 828.452.6100 142 Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.gallerytwosixtwo.com A modern gallery showcasing the finest in local & regional art.

Pictured artist: John Fitzgerald

828.456.2260 80 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.thejewelersworkbench.us Don’t just run with the pack ... dare to be different. Specializing in hand-crafted jewelry and distinctive watches.

Gaines Kiker Silversmith & Goldsmith

Twigs and Leaves 828.456.1940 98 N. Main St. • Waynesville, NC www.twigsandleaves.com Twigs and Leaves Gallery—where art dances with nature. Pictured: “Donkey Love” by Jenny Buckner.

828.295.3992 132 Morris St. • Blowing Rock, NC www.gaineskikersilversmith.com Reticulated sterling silver cuffs with turquoise; 40mm & 15mm wide.

Mast General Store 866.367.6278 Valle Crucis • Boone • Asheville Waynesville • Hendersonville Greenville • Knoxville • Columbia www.mastgeneralstore.com Pictured: handcrafted Amish rocker.

Sequoyah National Golf Club 828.497.3000 79 Cahons Rd. • Whittier, NC www.sequoyahnational.com The golf shop offers a ful range of men’s and women’s golf apparel.

White Squirrel Shoppe

Just Ducky Originals

Art on Depot

888.729.7329 2 W. Main St. • Brevard, NC www.whitesquirrelshoppe.com Willow Tree™ sculptures by Susan Lordi speak in quiet and meaningful ways of healing and hope, love and family.

25 Miller St. • Waynesville, NC 100 Charlotte St. • Asheville, NC www.justduckyoriginals.com Featuring Bunnies by the Bay, Zutano, Kissy Kissy and more! You'll always find the Just Ducky brand at 30% off or more.

828.246.0218 250 Depot St. • Waynesville, NC www.artondepot.com A studio and gallery where you can watch artist and owner Cathey Bolton create pottery while viewing a wide range of contemporary arts and crafts.

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SELECT LODGING

ANDON REID INN Experience the Smoky Mountain views from our beautifully restored 1902 home. Sumptuous breakfasts, private baths, Jacuzzis, working fireplaces, fitness studio and distinctive features that contribute to your comfort. Moments away from the Blue Ridge Parkway, Pisgah National Forest, waterfalls and Asheville. Let us “wow” you!

92 Daisy Ave. • Waynesville, NC 828.452.3089 andonreidinn.com OAK HILL ON LOVE LANE BED AND BREAKFAST Awarded Best in the South by BedandBreakfast.com, Oak Hill on Love Lane features “The service and amenities of a fine hotel in the quiet comfort of a B&B.” Each luxuriously appointed room in this historic 19th century home is equipped with hypo-allergenic bedding, fine linens, fireplaces, flat screen TVs, private en-suite baths and wireless internet access. Enjoy 24-hour access to the Butler Pantry, daily maid service, nightly turn-down service and a full 3-course gourmet breakfast. Within walking distance of historic downtown Waynesville.

244 Love Ln. • Waynesville, NC 888.608.7037 oakhillonlovelane.com GRANDVIEW LODGE Tucked away in a mountain cove just off the beaten path near Waynesville, North Carolina, the

newly-remodeled farm style home on 3 acres features 8 deluxe, country rooms with private baths. There’s also the 2-bedroom, 2-bath Grandview Cottage with full kitchen, living area and dining area. The Lodge has just introduced Popcorn's Moonshine Grill on Friday & Saturday nights from 5 til 9pm featuring a full bar, live entertainment, and an American Tapas menu featuring items such as Pig Wings, Redneck Caprese, and Drunken Clam Dip. The Lodge is the perfect getaway destination, and ideal for your next Special Event.

466 Lickstone Rd. • Waynesville NC 800.730.7923 • 828.456.5212 grandviewlodgenc.com HERREN HOUSE BED & BREAKFAST Six spacious guest rooms with sitting areas and private baths blend modern comforts and ample space with distinctive Victorian charm. Enjoy sprawling porches, an open-air gazebo, and relaxing gardens with nature’s seasonal colors.

Situated only one block from Main Street Herren House offers convenience to an array of shops and dinning as well as easy access to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

94 East St. • Waynesville, NC 28786 828.452.7837 herrenhouse.com BEST WESTERN RIVER ESCAPE INN AND SUITES A Best Western with a style all its own. Overlook a rambling river from your spacious room or relax on our scenic riverside patio. Enjoy deluxe guest rooms, suites, a heated indoor pool and hot tub, a hot breakfast bar and an atmosphere flowing with

charm. One block from Historic Dillsboro, NC. 248 WBI Dr. • Dillsboro, NC 828.586.6060 bestwestern.com/riverescapeinnandsuites BOYD MOUNTAIN LOG CABINS AND CHRISTMAS TREE FARM Featured in 2011 Southern Living Best Weekend Getaways . Enjoy a peaceful country setting in charming authentic log cabins, 1—4 bedrooms, located on 130 beautiful acres. Full kitchens, wood burning fireplaces, Wifi, & A/C. The cabins overlook the Smoky Mountains, our Fraser Fir Christmas tree farm, 3 stocked fishing ponds ,flower and vegetable gardens. Hiking trails to the top of Boyd Mountain, volleyball, basketball and badminton, swimming hole in the creek, sledding in the winter. Open every season.

828-926-1575 boydmountain.com RESIDENCES AT BILTMORE HOTEL Ideally located between Biltmore Estate and downtown Asheville. Studio, 0ne- and twobedroom suites available with full kitchens, fireplaces, balconies and most with whirlpool jet tubs. Property amenities include 24-hour Concierge, fitness center, heated outdoor pool, hot tub and fire-pit. Your mountain retreat in the heart of the city.

700 Biltmore Ave. • Asheville, NC 866.433.5594 residencesatbiltmore.com THE SWAG COUNTRY INN Chosen by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine as the #2 Best Small Hotel in the

69290

Over 60 vacation rental homes available!

(866) 586-8058 TOLL FREE www.smokymtngetaways.net 68420

A Blowing Rock Tradition...

11914 Hwy. 105 S. Banner Elk NC 28604

828-963-6505 Smoketree-Lodge.com Managed by Vacation Resorts International 60

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Discover the magic of Blowing Rock, NC with a relaxing stay at the beautiful Hemlock Inn. This historic inn, set just off Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock, is only steps from shopping, restaurants and event activities.

At the Hemlock Inn, you'll find 18 uniquely designed and decorated rooms.

Come and make Hemlock Inn your “Blowing Rock Tradition”.

Downtown Blowing Rock, N.C. 828-295-7987 • www.hemlockinn.net Owned and operated by the Summers family since 1994 Innkeepers: Bryan and Donna Summers

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Unites States, the secluded hideaway itself consists of 250 private acres. The main lodge and cabins, consisting of 15 rooms, are built of 17th and 18th century hand hewn logs and local field stone. Join us for our 30th season to experience just how remote, rustic, refined and remarkable it can be at 5,000 feet. 3 gourmet meals are served daily, with turn down service each evening.

800.789.7672 theswag.com THE WAYNESVILLE INN GOLF RESORT & SPA This resort has been welcoming visitors to the mountains with southern hospitality since the 1920s. Traditional resort amenities include historic and mountain view lodging, 27 holes of championship golf, restaurant and tavern, plus outdoor event space and pro shop. The location provides convenience to shopping, skiing, fishing, hiking and more.

176 Country Club Dr. • Waynesville, NC 800.627.6250 thewaynesvilleinn.com HEMLOCK INN This historic inn, set just off Main Street in downtown Blowing Rock, is only steps from shopping, restaurants and event activities.

Eighteen unique rooms, including suites with fully-equipped kitchens. All rooms are nonsmoking. Rooms feature private baths, cable TV, air conditioning, phone services, microwave ovens, refrigerators and WiFi. Take away the unnecessary stress and time spent planning your vacation by taking advantage of a variety of packages offered throughout the year.

Downtown Blowing Rock, N.C. 828.295.7987 hemlockinn.net MAGGIE MOUNTAIN VACATIONS Maggie Mountain Vacations offers cabin rentals in the Smoky Mountains! Large or small cabins with hot tubs, views, creeks, waterfalls and privacy anything you need for a great mountain escape we've got you covered. Call us today or check out our website for 24/7 online booking.

213 Soco Rd. • Maggie Valley, N.C. 888.926.4270 maggiemountainvacations.com BETTY’S AT HAWKSNEST This comfortably decorated condo includes a deck, with a breathtaking view of Grandfather Mountain. This magnificent 1200 ft. 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo for four is conveniently located on the ground level. Parking is on a level driveway with plenty of room. We are located in the Grandfather Mountain Community area almost mid-way between Boone, Banner Elk, Linville, and Blowing Rock. The condo is fully furnished with both comfort and convenience to meet your needs.

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Rustic Elegance IN NORTH CAROLINA’S GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS ————————————————————

1, 2, 3 & 4 bedroom cabins for your vacation stay.

445 Boyd Farm Rd. Waynesville, NC

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An unforgettable family vacation home overlooking downtown Waynesville, NC You and your family can relax in seclusion at 4500’ high enjoying long range views.

The custom home has 3 bedrooms with private baths, a kid’s room with bunk beds and a half bath. The screened in porch has a fireplace to keep you warm on those crisp evenings or you can enjoy making s’mores while sitting outside around the fire-pit counting the stars.

All Smoky

Mountain

Living readers enjoy any week of the year for only $1050* SmokyMountainVacation@gmail.com for more information. *does not include any local taxes or additional fees.

SMOKETREE LODGE Smoketree’s cozy atmosphere and prime location allows its visitors the choice of enjoying the peace and solitude of the Blue Ridge Mountains or the opportunity of partaking in the many activities available in the High Country!

11914 NC Hwy. 105 S. • Banner Elk, NC 800.422.1880 smoketree-lodge.com

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ca le n d a r :

UPCOMING EVENTS

North Carolina Apple Festival

Features a street fair on Historic Main Street. Includes entertainment, arts and crafts, apple products, child & youth activities, special exhibits, food and the King Apple Parade. Hendersonville, N.C. Aug. 31. www.ncapplefestival.org.

Gatlinburg Fine Arts Festival

GATLINBURG FINE ARTS FESTIVAL PHOTO

A family oriented fine arts festival featuring juried artists from around the country and music on the campus of Arrowmont School of Arts & Crafts.

Gatlinburg, Tenn. Aug. 31-Sept. 2. www.gfaf.net.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MOUNTAIN DANCE AND FOLK FESTIVAL

85TH ANNUAL MOUNTAIN DANCE & FOLK FESTIVAL A three-day festival featuring old time musicians, ballad singers, mountain dance groups and cloggers. Asheville, N.C. Aug. 2-4. 828.257.4530.

SEPTEMBER RockFest

Features a treasure hunt with prizes, hikes, live music and mine tours. Little Switzerland, N.C. Sept. 1.

828.765.6463.

‘Mater Fest

Features vendors, a petting zoo and activities for kids. Downtown Canton, N.C. Aug. 3-5. 828.776.2527.

Lake Logan Multisport Festival

Distance or sprint triathlons and aquathalon for any level of athlete make for a popular race weekend in the mountains. Canton, N.C. Aug. 4. www.gloryhoundevents.com.

Waldensian Festival

Celebrate the Waldensians and their successful return to their homelands. The day is filled with traditional Waldensian culture through music, food and dance. A traditional meal served at the Waldensian Presbyterian Church. Great food and craft vendors, and various types of music throughout the day. All historical attractions open including the Waldensian Heritage Winery. Children's rides, petting zoo, 5k run and a bocci tournament. Valdese, N.C. Aug. 10-11. www.visitvaldese.com.

Mountain High BBQ Festival & Car Show

Come mingle with professional cookers from all over the United States. as they compete to win Grand Champion. Music from The Hoss Howard Band and delicious food. Official BBQ competition and awards ceremony Saturday. Car Show with more than 80 cars on display. Miss Mountain High BBQ will also be crowned on Saturday in the Natural Beauty Pageant. Franklin, N.C. Aug. 10-11.

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Art in the Park

A juried art show featuring more than 100 exhibitors. Local and regional artists and craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more. American Legion Grounds in Blowing Rock, N.C. Aug. 11.

828.295.7851.

35th Annual Sourwood Festival

A family-friendly festival for locals and visitors alike.

Features mountain food and music as well as arts and crafts vendors. Black Mountain, N.C. Aug. 11-12. www.exploreblackmountain.com.

Blue Ridge Brutal 100 Bike Race

Beginning and ending in front of the Ashe Civic Center, in the shadow of Mount Jefferson, the ride offers 100 miles of varied and challenging terrain. Features three ride options: 50 mile, 75 mile and 100 mile. The ride is fully supported by SAG wagons, rest stops, mussette stops, Ham radio communication and fire and rescue squad. A hot meal, t-shirt and chip timing is included. West Jefferson, N.C. Aug. 18 336.846.2787.

Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival A celebration of the areas Appalachian musical roots. Gatlinburg, Tenn. Aug. 23-25. 865.604.9066.

Asheville Wine & Food Festival

Attendees sip, savor, and swirl hundreds of wines while sampling local delicacies. Regional culinary professionals also host cooking demonstrations, classes, and Q&A sessions throughout the day.

Asheville. N.C. Aug. 25. 828.777.8916.

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

Mile High Kite Festival

Come out to see how much string it takes to fly your kite a mile high. Atop beautiful Beech Mountain in Beech Mountain, N.C. Sept. 2. www.beechmountainchamber.com.

North Carolina Mountain State Fair

Enjoy the third largest fair in North Carolina. Celebrates the heritage of the Blue Ridge Mountains including agriculture, music, crafts, art, food, entertainment, display of livestock, competitions, and midway amusement rides. Fletcher, N.C. Sept. 716. 828.687.1414.

Smoky Mountain Harvest Festival

September’s warm, sunny days and cool, clear nights mix with just the right amount of rain to transform 800 square miles of lush green forest into a brilliant palette of vibrant autumnal colors.

Fall decorations, old fashioned hayrides, events, entertainment, and local craft exhibits. Gatlinburg, Tenn. Sept. 13-Oct. 31.

Mill Around the Village Bluegrass Festival

Music, food vendors games and more. Swannoa, N.C. Sept. 15. www.millaroundthevillage.com.

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Brewgrass Festival

Features over 40 American breweries showcasing more than 120 different beers. See a lineup of national and regional bluegrass musicians. Enjoy a variety of area food vendors and plenty of water.

Asheville, N.C. Sept. 15. www.brewgrassfestival.com.

Oktoberfest At Ober

Celebrate October with a festival featuring Bavarianstyle food, drink and music, but you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to don your finest lederhosen or dirndls to be a part of the fun.

Enjoy traditional Bavarian folk dances, schuhplattling, oompah music, sing-a-longs, and yodels. Gatlinburg, Tenn. Sept. 28-Nov. 4. www.obergatlinburg.com.

Mountain Heritage Day

An old fashioned mountain fair and showcase for authentic Southern Appalachian folk arts. Cullowhee, N.C. Sept. 29. 828.227.7100.

OCTOBER 100th Annual Centennial Cherokee Indian Fair

Carnival, art exhibit and agriculture show. Features traditional Cherokee food and music, rides, games, and fireworks. Cherokee white oak baskets, pottery and beadwork on display. Traditional Cherokee contests and competitions including Cherokee Stickball games. Cherokee, N.C. Oct. 2-6. 828.554.6471.

Brushy Mountain Apple Festival

One of the largest one day arts and crafts festivals in the southeast. More than 100 civic, church and non-

profit organizations participate. Enjoy a wide variety of locally grown apples. North Wilkesboro, N.C. Oct. 5. 336.984.3022.

Mars Hill Fall Heritage Festival

Traditional mountain music and old-time craft demonstrations. Local arts and crafts fill the town of Mars Hill and the Mars Hill College campus at this family-friendly festival. Food available from local vendors. Mars Hill, N.C. Oct. 6. 828.680.9031.

Stompfest

A contemporary art and music festival. Enjoy art and food vendors. Features storytelling and music. Lansing, N.C. Oct. 6. www.newriverwinery.com.

Gatlinburg Craftsmenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Fair

Art, crafts and music lovers can find almost 200 booths featuring some of the nation's finest work. Artisans and craftspeople are on hand to demonstrate their skills, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale. Live Country and Bluegrass entertainment.

Gatlinburg, Tenn. Oct. 11-28. www.craftsmensfair.org.

Best of the Blue Ridge

An annual juried art exhibit. Features artists from six counties in N.C. West Jefferson, N.C. Oct. 12-Nov. 15.

Asheville Oktoberfest

Enjoy beer tastings from local breweries including Highland Brewing, Asheville Brewing Company, Pisgah Brewing, Green Man Brewery, Craggie Brewing and French Broad Brewing Company. Stein Races and Keg-rolling and music from The Stratton Mountain Boys. Satisfy your craving for Oktoberfest cuisine with German staples like bratwurst, pretzels and tra-

WWW.SMLIV.COM

ditional sides from local restaurants. Asheville, N.C. Oct. 13. 828.251.9973.

Fall Harvest of Quilts

Award-winning quilts, raffle quilt, vendors, and quilters shoppe. Presented by the Western North Carolina Quilters Guild. Flat Rock, N.C. Oct. 19.

828.551.5334.

35th Annual Woolly Worm Festival

Family fun for everyone with the chance for your Woolly Worm to win a $1,000! 140 craft vendors, food, live entertainment and rides. Races begin in the morning and competition continues through the afternoon with the sun's help. Banner Elk, N.C. Oct. 20-21. 828.898.5605.

Moogfest 2012

A two-day festival celebrating the innovative spirit of Bob Moog. Featuring artists and audiences from throughout the world in different venues across Asheville's beautiful and historic downtown.

Asheville, N.C. Oct. 26-27. www.moogfest.com.

Leaf Lookers Gemboree

The mountains of southwestern North Carolina come alive with more than autumn color during this annual event. Choose from rough and cut gemstones, fine jewelry, minerals and more. Franklin, N.C. Oct. 26-28. 828.524.3161.

Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair

Enjoy educational workshops, demonstrations, and hands-on opportunities. Features a variety of livestock shows and vendors. Fletcher, N.C. Oct. 26.

828.687.1414.

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d e p a r t m e n t :

MOUNTAIN VIEWS

Me, my stuff, and I.

BY MARY CASEY-STURK

A

s we’ve aged together, I’ve noticed that many conversations with my husband include describing, often in great deal, something we’ve either lost or found. The best conversations rotate around something we lost and then found. And then sometimes lose again.

“Where is the power drill?” my husband asks. I dread what he needs it for. Later he exclaims, “I found a power drill in the garage!” Yes, he did, because it is his. “Where do you want this cool poster to hang?” he asks. Not in my house, thank you, I say.

Lost and found.

Finding things we ourselves did not lose is even more exciting; it’s these treasures that I simply cannot get enough of. I call these “found objects” our future 401K. We walk together and along the way I’ve found countless single earrings, numerous coins of all values, mismatched shoes, a twenty-dollar bill, and the cutest kitten I’d ever laid eyes on all have come home with us. Lost and found.

What I valued above all on these walks is the intangible thing I have found—myself. Walking in tandem allows us the opportunity for reflection about all things “Sturk.”

Will we ever be able retire and when? What about where to retire? How about the kitchen appliances, when will they die? And then there are the more serious conversations about caring for our parents and how will we pay for that. Who will care for us? Probably not the kitten.

Quiet walks alone allow my thoughts to travel even further. I reflect on my childhood and what could have been better and what could have been worse. I think about staying with my grandmother and eating her version of oatmeal, which I am still convinced, could be used to lay bricks. I think of her smile and patience while I learned to read and write. I think about the walks to the church

where we had our Girl Scout meetings and how she held my hand when we crossed the road, even though there were no cars for miles. I remember the first time I ate a candy necklace and sipped my first Coca-Cola. I recall struggling through adolescence and the angst that is palpable even today, people I should have stood up to and those I should have listened to. And lately, I dream of vacations I’ll never take, money I’ll never make, cakes I’ll never bake (even though all the ingredients are in my pantry). I think about the last twenty years (since I married) and what has changed and what has not. Have I fundamentally changed? I still vote for the same political party, drive the same type of car, live in the same home. And what would I have done differently? What and who have I found along the way? Lost and found.

Finding “me” has not always been an easy trek. Throughout various changes I have found myself morphing into other life forms to please people. “Sure! I adore kids and would love to watch your seven boys this weekend!” I’ll grit my teeth and say. “Why, yes, I am an expert at Excel and will have no trouble picking up where your previous employee left off,” I’ll fudge. Or to ameliorate affections, “I love watching you work on your car, I find hours in a hot garage listening to you curse simply fascinating!”

Of course, we all do this, to some extent, simply to survive.

Not that there haven’t been good times. There have been wonderful times! There have been trips I did manage to take, cakes I did manage to bake (even after the electric hand mixer caught fire for no particular reason). It’s MANDY NEWHAM the same for many people, ILLUSTRATION triumphs and regrets. Lost and found.

There are many definitions for the word “found,” but I use it as the verb representing the past tense of “find.” Found can describe objects, feelings or places. Found can describe new friends, adventures, jobs and hope. Found definitely describes the sense of peace I have when I’ve walked to highest point I can muster and simply take a break. Tangible, intangible, it does not matter what you find, it’s that you find it. Letting go of things you cannot keep (like the mismatched shoes) and embracing those you can keep (like your dreams and a kitten helplessly lost in the woods). Lost and found.

I suppose we all need to recognize what was “lost” before we can embrace what we’ve “found.” And on our walks in the hills we’ll continue finding ourselves a little more each day.

Finding “me” has not always been an easy trek. Throughout various changes I have found myself morphing into other life forms to please people.

64

SMOKY MOUNTAIN LIVING VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 4

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Go where no cat has gone before.

With over 60 years of proven performance and over 100 banking locations in three states, United Community Bank has emerged as one of the strongest and most respected banks in the Southeast. If you’re looking for a strong bank with exceptional customer service – plus the latest products and services for your business or family, we would love to be your bank. To find out more about our recent national customer service recognition, visit ucbi.com or stop by an office near you.

Member FDIC | Copyright © 2012 United Community Bank

ANDREWS 732 Main Street 828-321-2050

Dog tested. Dog approved.™

ARDEN 2349 Hendersonville Rd 828-654-1600

BREVARD - STRAUS PARK 10 Park Place East 828-884-2600

CHEROKEE 3273 US Hwy 441 N 828-497-3734

HENDERSONVILLE 2520 Chimney Rock Rd. 828-698-5684

SPRUCE PINE 800 Summit Ave. 828-766-8880

BAKERSVILLE 54 North Mitchell Ave. 828-688-5800

BRYSON CITY 145 Slope St. 828-488-1168

ETOWAH 50 United Bank Drive 828-890-3600

MURPHY 116 Peachtree St. 828-837-9291

SYLVA 1640 E. Main St. 828-631-9166

BLOWING ROCK 8036 Valley Blvd.

828-295-8072

BURNSVILLE 291 East US Highway 19E 828-682-9992

FRANKLIN 257 E. Main Street 828-369-6197

NEWLAND 200 Linville Street 828-733-9281

SYLVA - ASHEVILLE HWY 55 Asheville Hwy. 828-631-9600

BREVARD - DOWNTOWN 160 West Main St. 828-884-3649

CASHIERS 20 Frank Allen Rd. 828-743-6600

HAYESVILLE 95 Hwy. 64 West 828-389-6363

ROBBINSVILLE 132 Rodney Orr Bypass 828-479-3037

WAYNESVILLE 165 N. Main Street 828-452-0307

585 TUNNEL RD. ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

877.931.7822 • www.prestigesubaru.com

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Sponsored in part by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation

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MOUNTAIN FAMILY HISTORY • REMEMBERING DOC WATSON • TURNING TRASH INTO ART • FINDING ONESELF

Mountain Adventure

Smoky Mountain L I V I N G

HIGH COUNTRY & GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA & TENNESSEE

Exploring faith FINDING ONESELF

FOUND ART Creating something from nothing

FAMILY HISTORY How to trace your mountain lineage

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Music: David Holt remembers Doc Watson Recipe: The 1861 Farmhouse’s banana pudding Outdoors: Mobile maps and hiking apps