Appalachian Mountain Dreams

A year ago, My family was preparing for our first trip to the Highland Games. To say we all enjoyed them would be an understatement. From the moment we stepped through the gates until we made our way back down the mountain at the end of the day, we had a ball. From the athletics to the people watching to

Last year at this time we were on Nettles Knob south of Valle Crucis making our preparations for the Summer Games on Grandfather Mountain. The one thing that we missed because of the games was the Watauga County Farmers Market. It looks like we’ll be missing it again this years simply because we’ll be missing the mountains themselves this summer.

I have been tagged…You have probably seen this logo floating around, I know I have. Eric Drummond Smith over at Hillbilly Savants tagged me. It makes my day to think someone else out there enjoys the meanders of my mind. Thanks Eric your tag means a lot. I have been seeing these awards pop up on a number of my

I think it was Marie at Blue Ridge Blog that first pointed me to the Hillbilly Savants Blog. Since her tag line is…”All I need is an outhouse and a dream….” I thought this link back would be appropriate. The shack out back Tennesseans called it the “la-la.” Elsewhere known as the john, the shanty, the shack, the throne, the

Part of the serendipity that carried us into the mountains of North Carolina can be found in the following description I discovered so long ago. Nestled high in the mountains of North Carolina is a little known corner of the world called Valle Crucis (pronounced valley crew’ sis). First settled over 200 years ago, the Vale of the Cross is

I find that most of the places I have come to love in my search for my “North Carolina Mountain Dream” revolve around stories. Not just stories of the past, either. Many of the stories are being written by others who love these places. Each of the stories that have touched my life and heart are by special people who

From the top of the highest mountain in the eastern United States the view can be breathtaking. Already venerable when the Rockies were yet unformed, Mount Mitchell reigns as the highest point east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet. In 1916, at a time when extensive logging threatened the region’s virgin, old- growth forests, Governor Locke Craig led an effort

It’s been three years now since this picture was taken up on the top of Roan Mountain. We were a bit early for the full bloom but even what we were in time for was impressive. Every time we go back to North Carolina I try to take the time to run up to the AT and the Garden’s. Even

When I first started blogging I posted some photos from my North Carolina trips over my Photo Blog. One of the photos has consistently pulled in search engine hits. This is that photo.. Brinegar Cabin on the Blue Ridge Parkway Built circa 1875 by Martin Brinegar. He and his wife, Caroline, raised 3 children, hogs and cows and chickens, bees

I can see that I am not the only person in America looking for a “mountain fix” this summer. Some people though, have the good luck of being within driving distance for a day trip. This time of year, beauty is in mountains – by Linda DurrettCarolina rhododendron peaks in June, among other spectacular sights “Grandpa, tell me ’bout the