Get Seven Devils' TV listings ... I think

One of the great things about Google Alerts is you often get random links based on keywords. Well, I have one set up for Seven Devils, NC. I mostly get Duke Blue Devils sports articles. Occasionally I'll get something related to the High Country. Every now and then you get something even more interesting.

I'm not sure how legit it is, but the latest one was a link to the TV listings in 7D. Or at least I think it is. Again, not sure how legit it is. Regardless, enjoy the link!

http://www.topix.com/events/seven-devils-nc

Another nice weekend in the High Country

We spent a great weekend with some great friends in 7D a couple of weekends ago. We did some hiking, we enjoyed Blowing Rock, and more than anything: we relaxed.

Follow the High Country on Facebook

I don't know why it didn't hit me to look for them, but a number of High Country hot spots can be found via social media. The Town of Seven Devils, for instance, is on Facebook. So is Hawksnest. (Be sure to "like" them.) Also making its way to Facebook are Woodlands BBQ, Mast General Store and others.

Any others?

Wanna cut your own Christmas tree?

Yes, I know Halloween was literally just a few days away, but if the malls can start getting into the Christmas spirit, why can't we?

The Watauga County Christmas Tree Association has put together a list/map of places in the High Country where one could choose and cut (you know, legally) their own Christmas tree.

We have never done this, but we certainly plan to someday. At least now we'll know where to go!

Watauga County, also known as the Choose and Cut Capital, is home to some of the most entertaining and scenic Choose and Cut farms across the region. Choose and Cut involves customers visiting a tree farm and roaming across tree-covered hillsides hunting the perfect tree to take home with them. Choose and Cut is the essential holiday family tradition, where young and old alike can enjoy a day on a real farm. Many farms offer hayrides, farm animals, cookies and cocoa and even Christmas Shops to purchase other holiday gifts. Wreaths and roping are also available to purchase.

The candidates speak

November 8 is Election Day, and the High Country Press asked the candidates for the town board in Seven Devils to say what's on their mind. (As an absentee landowner, I can't vote, but it's still good to see what type of vision these folks have.)

Click here to read the entries. (Below are just snippets.)

Full disclosure: I attended a class with Brad Lambert, who previously was the town manager in 7D. Great guy.


SEVEN DEVILS CANDIDATES
Kathryn Copley (D)
“As a Council member since 2002 and chair of the Public Works Committee since 2006, I’ve influenced ongoing improvements in three important areas: roads, water system, and funding."

Richard DeMott (I)
“What I put in my campaign literature is based on three Ps—plan, prioritize and pursue. That’s what we have to do. You have to plan first. You have to prioritize your plan, and then you have to get busy and do it.”

Larry Fontaine
"Promote cooperation and more open communication between the residents and various town committees and administration. ... I would encourage more opportunities for recreation within our town limits such as a playground and pursuing easements for hiking trails and for the preservation of natural areas through grants and donations. ...”

Brad Lambert

"As a council member, I would get out and tour the Town—weekly, if possible—with boots on the ground and eyes on the target. Eliminate surprises at meetings by talking to citizens, visiting the site, asking questions before the meeting. Eliminate three-hour Town Council meetings."

More autumn fun

We made it up to Seven Devils a couple of weekends ago with some good friends and their kids. The weather was perfect for some hiking, gem mining and more. Enjoy the photos!

Ah ... the mountains in autumn ...

We just finished up a wonderful weekend in Seven Devils. The leaves are *just* starting to change to their vibrant autumn magical colors ... the night air was crisp and cool ... and the animals were foraging for food for the winter.

We arrived just after 5 in the evening on Friday, settled into Our Mountain Place and had a lovely dinner with our friends. Saturday began with a trip to Linville Falls (the "Grand Canyon of the East"). Having had a bunch of rain in the days leading up meant some very powerful waterfalls. We had been there in June, and the difference was astonishing. On the way back, we saw an approximately 4-foot-long rattlesnake in the m

iddle of the Blue Ridge Parkway (not far from Roseboro Road), which was a "thrill" for parents and kids alike.

After Linville, we headed to the Foscoe Mining Company where the kids had a blast. They kept thinking they

were going to mine some diamonds and pearls, but the many other gems were more than enough to give them a thrill. We

then hit the always-popular Mast General Store in Valle Crucis, where we loaded up on candy.

More rain was in store Saturday night. It started around 8 p.m. and poured until about 7 a.m. on Sunday. However, we were blessed with a break in the rain; Sunday was GORGEOUS. We had planned to go to Moses Cone, but figuring it was to be a wee bit muddy, we instead just went into

Blowing Rock to shop (downtown and at Tanger outlets, shown), play on the playground and then have lunch at Canyons. My wife and I have probably been to BR a dozen times, and it was our first time at Canyons. The food was great, and they offered a nice jazz brunch on Sundays. After some ice cream at Kilwin's, we loaded up and headed back to Raleigh, dodging rain the whole way back.

We can't wait to get back to OMP. Unfortunately, it won't be until November when we bring more friends up. Hopefully they'll enjoy it as much as our other friends did.

Still plenty to do this autumn in the mountains!

Summer may be winding down, but the events are just heating up in the High Country.

Among the things coming up are The Time Jumpers, featuring Vince Gill, coming to Farthing Auditorium on September 16.

N.C. icon Bob Timberlake will be celebrating his 75th birthday September 23-25 at Blowing Rock's Chetola Lodge.

The Ghost Train will leave the station toward the end of the month at Tweetsie.

And there's always Appalachian State U. football!

Zip across the mountains

The Raleigh News & Observer has an article today about the ziplining offerings in the High Country. While the article focuses on Scream Time Zipline near Boone, it should be noted that Hawksnest in Seven Devils claims to be the longest zipline course on the East Coast.

"Slicing through trees and across a mountain valley hanging from a steel cable, it's hard not to feel like a 21st century Tarzan, with more clothes and less arm strength," writes Katelyn Ferral.

"Ziplining offers all the perks of being a tree-swinging jungle man, and one of the longest and most unusual ziplines in the country is in the Appalachian Mountains, three hours from the Triangle."

"... There are at least 15 zipline attractions throughout the state, mostly in the Piedmont and the mountains. They fall into two categories: standard zip line tours, where participants fly on cable connected to poles on the ground, and canopy tours, where the wire is suspended from aerial platforms in trees. ..."

Tons of performances coming up in the High Country

We always love to promote the great things going on in the High Country. This latest update is no different.

Here are a few of the great performers coming:

• K.D. Lang
• Dierks Bentley
• The Manhattan Transfer
• Chita Rivera & Ben Vereen

And those are just a few of the great things going on this summer "up there."

Seven Devils SafetyFest is July 2

We won't be able to make it, which is a shame: sounds like a nice time.

On Saturday, July 2, the town of Seven Devils will host its eighth annual SafetyFest Bar-B-Que Dinner, Raffle, Craft Show & Silent Auction, according to the Mountain Times.

All are invited to eat-in at town hall or stop by for a carry-out. Dinners include pork barbecue, roll, baked beans, cole slaw, drink and dessert. Adult dinners cost $7; children's (under 12) are $5. Meals will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The craft show will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and there is still room for more crafters. Silent auction items will be on display at Seven Devils Town Hall, starting Monday, June 27. Bids close at 2:30 p.m. on July 2. Raffle winners will be announced every hour, with winnings including a 32-inch HD television, Kindle Reader and more. Raffle tickets are available at town hall.

Linville Falls, Pappy's, Art in the Park and more

The family spent a wonderfully-relaxing weekend at Our Mountain Place -- even though we had a few touch-ups and chores to do for the place. Still, we found ample time for fun stuff after marking the must-do things off our list on Friday night. That left plenty of time for the "want-tos."

On Friday, we went on a little hike around Seven Devils -- something we hadn't done before. We checked out some new roads, some new homes and even saw the resort and lake. We even saw some chipmunks!

We then went into Blowing Rock where we saw some great Art in the Park -- right before the rain got us. We managed to buy a terrific aluminum photo print from Jerald Winter. (Ironically, the print we got was for Our Beach Place. Go here and see if you can see it. It's photo 12 of 20.)

We left Art in the Park and did some shopping before heading over to Pappy's in Banner Elk for dinner. It was awesome. Charity and I both got pulled pork platters, with Texas toast. I got the beans (some of the best beans I've ever had) and fries. She got sweet potato fries and corn. The girls even loved it -- there's a bit waterwheel in the back to watch!

Sunday we got up and headed to Linville Falls (hopefully photos to come) to do some hiking. We were actually there for several hours which, with a 2- and 4-year-old, we were quite impressed. Linville Falls is as pretty as ever, and the weather was great. Once again, we got out just before some rain.

Anyway, we once again made a video to show some of the additions to the house, which we have dubbed "Honey Bear House." You can view it in the video below. Warning: the video quality is not great. And neither is the narrator. So sue me.

You could never get bored

Here's a nice look at some upcoming events to the High Country. Don't miss out on these awesome happenings! Horse shows, concerts, art ... the area has it all!

We plan to personally make it to Blowing Rock's Art in the Park at some point, and Grandfather Mountain is always a winner!

It is finished!

Well, the place in Seven Devils is completed! We have dubbed it "Honey Bear House." Check out the photos, and let us know if you want to rent it out!



The living room.


The Master bedroom.




Exterior



The basement or "Bear's Den."



Bedroom No. 2

The brand-new kitchen!

Return to Mitford coming up in BR

Jan Karon wrote her very successful Mitford Series books while a resident of Blowing Rock, so it makes sense for the town to celebrate her and the books.

Mitford Days will be held June 2-5.

If you love Jan's books as much as we do, you won't want to miss being a part of Mitford Days in Blowing Rock, a four day celebration of the Mitford books. Events include afternoon tea with Jan Karon and characters from the books, luncheons with Jan Karon, guided Mitford trolley tours, a lecture by Jan Karon, readings by Father Tim and much more! And - because many of the events are fundraisers for our Hayes Performing Arts Center per Jan Karon's request, a portion of the proceeds from the some of the events are tax deductable. Come! Support the Arts and Mitford!

LOTS going on in the coming months

Our good friends at Blowing Rock Investment Properties (hey, Denice!) sent us this link that highlights the wealth of great activities coming up in the High Country.

Among the events are the Rhododendron Ramble at Grandfather Mountain (May 30-June 12), MerleFest (April 28-May 1), Blowing Rock's Art in the Park (ongoing), the Banner Elk Herb Festival and much more.

How could one ever get bored?

Talk about proximity to EVERYTHING!

The town of Seven Devils is the ultimate escape. It may not have tons of "attractions" in the town limits proper, but that's OK. (It does boast Hawksnest snow tubing/zipline.) We have found it to be a fantastic place to just get away from it all.

But, boy, does it boast great proximity. I came across this listing of attractions "in" Seven Devils. While the aforementioned Hawksnest gets the nod as the "only" one in the town, there's no doubt that there are plenty of things to do nearby.

In short, you'll never bored up there. Unless you want to be. And that's OK too.

Here ya go:

Attractions near Seven Devils

Mountain Glen Golf Club Newland, North Carolina Mountains. 3 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Sugar Mountain Resort Banner Elk, North Carolina Mountains. 3 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Ski/ Snowboard Areas Activities: Skiing Ranked #4 in Banner Elk, NC High Mountain Expeditions Banner Elk, North Carolina Mountains. 3 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Tours Ranked #2 in Banner Elk, NC Banner Elk Stables Banner Elk, North Carolina Mountains. 3 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Horseback Riding Stables Activities: Horseback riding Ranked #3 in Banner Elk, NC Julian Price Park Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 3 miles southeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: State Parks Beech Mountain Beech Mountain, North Carolina Mountains. 4 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Ski/ Snowboard Areas Activities: Skiing Ranked #1 in Beech Mountain, NC The Greater Foscoe Mining Co. Foscoe, North Carolina. 4 miles east of Seven Devils Ranked #1 in Foscoe, NC Moses H. Cone Memorial Park Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 4 miles southeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites; Equestrian Trails Activities: Horseback riding, Hiking Ranked #3 in Blowing Rock, NC Edge of the World Banner Elk, North Carolina Mountains. 4 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Tours Ranked #1 in Banner Elk, NC Grandfather Mountain Linville, North Carolina. 4 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mountains; Nature/ Wildlife Areas; Natural History Museums Activities: Hiking, Picnicking, Leisure education Ranked #1 in Linville, NC Mast General Store Valle Crucis, North Carolina Mountains. 5 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Shops Activities: Shopping Ranked #1 in Valle Crucis, NC Alta Vista Gallery and B & B Valle Crucis, North Carolina Mountains. 5 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Art Galleries Dutch Creek Trails Valle Crucis, North Carolina Mountains. 5 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Horseback Riding Stables Ranked #2 in Valle Crucis, NC Moses Cone Manor Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 5 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites Activities: Hiking, Walking Ranked #6 in Boone, NC Yancey Ridge Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 6 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Biking Trails Activities: Biking Magic Mountain Mini Golf and Arcade Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 7 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Amusement/ Theme Parks Ranked #11 in Boone, NC Benson Hollow Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Biking Trails Activities: Biking Appalachian Resort Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Ski/ Snowboard Areas Activities: Skiing Ranked #8 in Blowing Rock, NC Christopher's Wine & Cheese Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Shops Ranked #6 in Blowing Rock, NC Scream Time Ziplines Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles north of Seven Devils Ranked #4 in Boone, NC The Blowing Rock Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Geologic Formations Ranked #9 in Blowing Rock, NC Wahoo's Adventures Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Tours Ranked #3 in Boone, NC River and Earth Adventures, Inc Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 8 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Educational Sites Ranked #1 in Boone, NC High Mountain Expeditions Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Tours Ranked #2 in Boone, NC Appalachian Ski Mountain Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Ski/ Snowboard Areas Ranked #7 in Blowing Rock, NC Mast General Store Old Boone Mercantile Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Shops Ranked #8 in Boone, NC Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Shops Ranked #7 in Boone, NC Horn in the West Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Theaters Ranked #5 in Boone, NC Grandfather Golf and Country Club Linville, North Carolina. 9 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Ranked #4 in Linville, NC Appalachian Cultural Museum Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Museums Ranked #9 in Boone, NC Mystery Hill Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Educational Sites; Mysterious Sites Ranked #4 in Blowing Rock, NC Doc's Rocks Gem Mine Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 9 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mines Ranked #1 in Blowing Rock, NC Boone Golf Club Boone, North Carolina Mountains. 10 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Ranked #10 in Boone, NC Bolick Family Pottery Lenoir, North Carolina Mountains. 10 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Shops Christa's Country Corner Pineola, North Carolina. 11 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Shops Activities: Shopping Tanger Outlets Blowing Rock Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 11 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Factory Outlets Ranked #5 in Blowing Rock, NC Plumtree Canopy Tours Plumtree, North Carolina. 12 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Other Ranked #1 in Plumtree, NC Linville River Linville, North Carolina. 13 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Bodies of Water Linville Gorge Linville Falls, North Carolina. 14 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Canyons; Geologic Formations Ranked #1 in Linville Falls, NC Blue Ridge Country Club Linville Falls, North Carolina. 15 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Roan Mountain State Park Roan Mountain, Tennessee. 16 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: State Parks Ranked #1 in Roan Mountain, TN Wilson Creek Asheville, North Carolina Mountains. 18 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Bodies of Water Activities: Group tours/day tour, White-water rafting Ranked #36 in Asheville, NC Butler Museum Butler, Tennessee. 19 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Museums Ranked #1 in Butler, TN Museum of North Carolina Minerals Spruce Pine, North Carolina Mountains. 21 miles southwest of Seven Devils Activities: Leisure education Ranked #3 in Spruce Pine, NC Mountain Aire Golf Club West Jefferson, North Carolina Mountains. 22 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Penland School of Crafts Penland, North Carolina. 22 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Educational Sites Activities: Arts and crafts Ranked #1 in Penland, NC Gem Mountain Spruce Pine, North Carolina Mountains. 22 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mines Ranked #1 in Spruce Pine, NC Tweetsie Railroad Blowing Rock, North Carolina Mountains. 23 miles southeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Amusement/ Theme Parks Ranked #2 in Blowing Rock, NC Hawksbill Mountain Trail Linville, North Carolina. 23 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Hiking Trails Activities: Hiking Table Rock Trail Linville, North Carolina. 23 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Hiking Trails Activities: Hiking Ranked #3 in Linville, NC

Linville Gorge Wilderness Area Linville, North Carolina. 23 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Geologic Formations Activities: Camping, Hiking, Viewing wildlife, Birdwatching Ranked #2 in Linville, NC Sitting Bear Trail Linville, North Carolina. 23 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Hiking Trails Activities: Hiking Appalachian Trail Damascus, Virginia. 24 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Trails Activities: Hiking Ranked #3 in Damascus, VA Linville Golf Club Linville, North Carolina. 25 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Linville Falls Visitor Center Spruce Pine, North Carolina Mountains. 25 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Tourist/ Visitor Centers Ranked #2 in Spruce Pine, NC Ashe County Cheese Factory and Store West Jefferson, North Carolina Mountains. 25 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Factory Tours Ranked #1 in West Jefferson, NC Mount Mitchell Golf Club Burnsville, North Carolina Mountains. 25 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Ranked #2 in Burnsville, NC Emerald Village Little Switzerland, North Carolina. 26 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mines Ranked #1 in Little Switzerland, NC Rhododendron Trail Jefferson, North Carolina Mountains. 27 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Hiking Trails Activities: Hiking Mount Jefferson State Natural Area Jefferson, North Carolina Mountains. 27 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mountains; State Parks Activities: Hiking, Viewing wildlife, Viewing foliage Sycamore Shoals State Park Elizabethton, Tennessee. 28 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: State Parks Ranked #1 in Elizabethton, TN Quaker Meadows Golf Club Morganton, North Carolina Mountains. 28 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Ranked #2 in Morganton, NC Jefferson Landing Jefferson, North Carolina Mountains. 29 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses; Ghost Towns Activities: Golfing Ranked #1 in Jefferson, NC Bouncin' Kids Morganton, North Carolina Mountains. 29 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Game/ Entertainment Centers Ranked #1 in Morganton, NC Youngs Mountain Music Burnsville, North Carolina Mountains. 30 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Concerts; Performances Ranked #3 in Burnsville, NC Tipton-Haynes Historic Site Johnson City, Tennessee. 30 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites South Holston Dam Bristol, Tennessee. 30 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Dams Mount Mitchell Burnsville, North Carolina Mountains. 31 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Mountains Activities: Hiking, Picnicking Ranked #1 in Burnsville, NC Summit Trail Burnsville, North Carolina Mountains. 31 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Hiking Trails Activities: Hiking, Viewing foliage Backbone Rock Shady Valley, Tennessee. 32 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Geologic Formations; Hiking Trails Ranked #1 in Shady Valley, TN Backbone Rock Waterfall Shady Valley, Tennessee. 32 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Waterfalls Ranked #2 in Shady Valley, TN Silver Creek Plantation Morganton, North Carolina Mountains. 32 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Activities: Golfing Hands On! Regional Museum Johnson City, Tennessee. 32 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Children's Museums Ranked #1 in Johnson City, TN Historic Carson House Marion, North Carolina Mountains. 33 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites Sundog Outfitter Damascus, Virginia. 33 miles north of Seven Devils Ranked #4 in Damascus, VA Freedom Hall Civic Center Johnson City, Tennessee. 33 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Civic Centers Ranked #2 in Johnson City, TN Adventure Damascus Damascus, Virginia. 34 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Shops Ranked #2 in Damascus, VA Rocky Mount Museum Piney Flats, Tennessee. 34 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites Ranked #1 in Piney Flats, TN USA Raft Erwin, Tennessee. 35 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Other Ranked #1 in Erwin, TN Cherokee Adventures Erwin, Tennessee. 35 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Bodies of Water; Tours Ranked #2 in Erwin, TN Bristol Motor Speedway Bristol, Tennessee. 35 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Race Car Tracks Ranked #1 in Bristol, TN Richard Petty Driving Experience Bristol, Tennessee. 35 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Amusement/ Theme Parks Deal Orchards Taylorsville, North Carolina. 36 miles east of Seven Devils Attraction type: Farms Ranked #1 in Taylorsville, NC Nolichucky River Erwin, Tennessee. 36 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Bodies of Water Activities: White-water rafting Downtown State Street Bristol, Virginia. 37 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Historic Sites; Landmarks/ Points of Interest Appalachian Caverns Tours Blountville, Tennessee. 37 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Caverns/ Caves Grayson Highlands State Park Mouth of Wilson, Virginia. 37 miles northeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: State Parks Activities: Hiking Ranked #1 in Mouth of Wilson, VA Tri Cities Golf Club Blountville, Tennessee. 37 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Golf Courses Birthplace of Country Music Alliance Bristol, Virginia. 38 miles northwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Specialty Museums Ranked #1 in Bristol, VA National Storytelling Festival Jonesborough, Tennessee. 39 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Educational Sites Ranked #1 in Jonesborough, TN Signature Spas of Hickory Inc. Hickory, North Carolina. 39 miles southeast of Seven Devils Attraction type: Spas Ranked #3 in Hickory, NC Catawba Science Center Hickory, North Carolina. 39 miles southeast of Seven Devils Ranked #1 in Hickory, NC Virginia Creeper Trail Damascus, Virginia. 40 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Biking Trails; Trails Activities: Biking Ranked #1 in Damascus, VA Barter Theatre Abingdon, Virginia. 40 miles north of Seven Devils Attraction type: Theaters Ranked #1 in Abingdon, VA Old Fort Monument Old Fort, North Carolina Mountains. 40 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Monuments/ Statues Linville Caverns Marion, North Carolina Mountains. 40 miles south of Seven Devils Attraction type: Caverns/ Caves Ranked #1 in Marion, NC Grant's Indian Museum Old Fort, North Carolina Mountains. 40 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Museums Wolf Laurel Ski Area Mars Hill, North Carolina. 41 miles west of Seven Devils Attraction type: Ski/ Snowboard Areas Ranked #2 in Mars Hill, NC Old Fort Railroad Museum Old Fort, North Carolina Mountains. 41 miles southwest of Seven Devils Attraction type: Museums

LOVE this kitchen!

Our fantastic builder, Steve, sent us some photos of the new kitchen. I am so happy with how it turned out!

We still need to get a backsplash in, but by and large, it is done!

Toot-toot! Tons to do do at Tweetsie this year

From a press release about Tweetsie Railroad, North Carolina's first amusement park, which "pulls out of the station" next Friday, April 29, for its 2011 season.

Tweetsie Railroad will host special events including fan favorites Day Out With Thomas™, the July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza and the annual Ghost Train® Halloween Festival along with new events including a visit from Barney™ the Dinosaur and Cool Summer Nights, a new evening program debuting this season. Guests can also enjoy the always entertaining K-9’s in Flight Frisbee® Dogs, Grammy award-winning performers Riders In The Sky and a day of adventure with Dora™ from Dora the Explorer™ and her cousin Diego™ from Go, Diego, Go!™

Tweetsie features live shows, amusement rides, the Deer Park Zoo, concerts and much more family fun. Visitors experience an unforgettable three-mile Wild West adventure behind Tweetsie Railroad’s historic steam locomotives. Family fun is discovered throughout the streets of Tweesie Railroad’s very own Western town, where you can experience firsthand the lives of North Carolina’s cowboys and Indians of the past. One can also take a scenic chair lift ride back in time and experience the gold rush while panning for gold at Miner’s Mountain.

Be part of Tweetsie’s live entertainment including Diamond Lil’s Can-Can Revue, Hopper and Porter’s™ Musical Celebration and Miner’s Mountain Magic. Tweetsie’s Country Clogging Jamboree is also sure to get your toes tappin’.

Tweetsie’s special events scheduled for the 2011 season:

Letterland – May 10, 11, 12

For three days, Tweetsie Railroad will be transformed into a magical place of Letterland based off of United Kingdom’s best-selling alphabet book, Letterland ABC. The reading system teaches young children the alphabet and phonics skills by bringing the letters to life!

Day Out With Thomas – June 3-12

All aboard as Thomas the Tank Engine™ chugs through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Children will have the opportunity to meet and take pictures with Sir Topham Hatt™, listen to Thomas and Friends™ storytelling, and enjoy activities in the Imagination Station.

Dora the Explorer™ and Diego™ – June 24-26

Enjoy meet and greets throughout the weekend with Dora and her cousin Diego, popular characters from the hit Nickelodeon pre-school series.

Cool Summer Nights – July 2, 9 and 16

This new program will be for three special evenings July 2, 9 and 16. On these days, the park will keep special evening hours, staying open late and feature movies, live music, a chuck wagon dinner and more. So once you’ve filled your day with all the great activities Tweetsie has to offer, and you’ve ridden our famed steam locomotive to your heart’s content, you’ll be able to see the park in a whole new light: moonlight.

Tweetsie’s Fireworks Extravaganza – July 4

Celebrate Independence Day with a great day of family-friendly fun! Watch as the night sky is illuminated with a dazzling fireworks display, and this year promises to be bigger and better than ever! The park will remain open until 9:00 p.m.

A Day in the Park with Barney™ – July 15-17

Meet everybody’s favorite purple dinosaur when he visits Tweetsie Railroad. Join Barney in his sing-along, clap-along show that’s filled with loads of Super-Dee-Duper™ fun!

K-9s in Flight Frisbee® Dogs – July 23-31

This team of canines will amaze you as they jump, flip and catch flying discs in ways that defy gravity. Don’t miss out on the action-packed thrill of these incredible dogs as they perform live at Tweetsie each day.

Riders In The Sky – August 6-7

Come hear America’s favorite cowboys, Riders In The Sky, as they fill the Blue Ridge Mountain air with sweet sounds. Known for their rich blend of Western harmony and comedy, the multi Grammy award-winning quartet has captivated audiences of all ages since 1977.

Tweetsie’s Railfan Weekend – September 10-11

Travel through the Blue Ridge Mountains on Tweetsie’s historic locomotives as the park hosts its seventh annual Railfan Weekend. Celebrate the rich history of steam locomotives and tour the famous Tweetsie Railroad Train Shop, where steam locomotives from across the nation are repaired and restored.

Ghost Train® Halloween Festival – Friday and Saturday nights September 30 – October 29

All aboard the Ghost Train for a can’t-miss spooktacular ride with engineer Casey Bones. There is also a haunted house, the freaky forest, trick-or-treating and other Halloween-themed attractions to provide a night of thrills and chills for the entire family.

Tweetsie Railroad is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting April 29, and seven days a week from May 27 until returning to the weekend schedule from August 21 through October 30, including Labor Day Monday. The 2011 season ends Sunday, October 30. The park’s regular hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., but will be open until 9:00 p.m. on July 2, 4, 9 and 16 for Cool Summer Nights. In addition, the park will be open at 8:00 a.m. both Saturdays (June 4 and 11) for the popular Day Out With Thomas ™ event. The Ghost Train® Halloween Festival will take place Friday and Saturday nights September 30 through October 29 from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Daily admission is $34 for adults and $22 for children ages 3 through 12. Children 2 and under are admitted free. Print at home tickets and Golden Rail Season Passes are available at Tweetsie.com.

Almost there!

We went up OMP this past weekend to put some furniture together and check on the general progress which, you will see, is coming along swimmingly.

We are *this* close to having it ready for rentals. (Contact us if you're interested!) We're thinking by Memorial Day.

As you'll see, the painting is done, the cabinets are in, the flooring is completed, the stove is cleaned and ready to rock (we enjoyed it Sat. night!) and the couches and beds and dresses are ready for your bottoms, heads and clothes, respectively.

Interior is coming along!

Well, looks like the paint colors are in. It's always a little nerve-wracking when you're waiting to see if you still like the color you picked out at the hardware store when it's slathered all over your walls!

Well, we ARE excited. We couldn't be happier about our paint choices. They really brighten the place up.

The blue is the color in the main living space: living room and kitchen.

The green is what is on the walls in the basement and bedrooms.

Thoughts?

(Thanks to Steve M. for providing the photos!)

Here come the 'cute, little bears!'

Even before our most recent trip to Grandfather Mountain, our oldest daughter was excitedly talking about going up to the mountains to see the "cute, little bears."

Well, sweetie, keep your eyes peeled!

"Take in the garbage, remove the bird feeders and stay alert on the Blue Ridge Parkway: The bears are waking up," says the Asheville Citizen-Times.

Black bear sightings are starting to roll in from around the region as the state's largest wild mammals leave their winter dens in search of food.

While the occasional bear sighting now might be exciting, it likely won't be long before problems start to arise between animals and humans.

“Bear-human interaction season is about to begin,” said Mike Carraway, a biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

Biologists said a bumper acorn crop last fall could mean fewer bears will be out looking for food. There should still be leftover acorns for the animals to eat, said Colleen Olfenbuttel, black bear biologist with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission.

“Because of all the acorns, they were really able to fatten themselves,” she said. “They are healthier and in better shape coming out of hibernation, so they won't look for artificial food sources like bird feeders and garbage cans.”

But the acorn abundance also means female bears gave birth to more cubs that likely survived the winter. ...

“We expect to see a lot of bear activity this year,” said Bob Miller, a spokesman with Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The park has about 1,600 bears, or two bears every square mile.

Wow. That many? We may not have to look far to spot the "cute, little bears."

The number of bear-human interactions has increased as both populations have grown. There are now 11,000 bears in North Carolina, with between 4,000 and 6,000 in the mountains.

The bumper acorn crop last fall kept the number of complaints about problem bears in Western North Carolina down. There were 236 complaints last year compared with 393 in 2009, Carraway said. ...

Male bears start coming out of their dens and wandering around in late March and early April, when the weather warms, days are longer and plants start blooming.

Female bears and their cubs come out later in April, once the young bears are able to keep up with their mothers.

The Blue Ridge Parkway has hundreds of bear sightings every year and has had to close some picnic areas in recent years because of problem bears.

“No feeding the bears and not approaching them too closely — I don't think you can say that enough,” said Tom Davis, a wildlife biologist at the Blue Ridge Parkway. “We have issues with people feeding the bears, luring them in with a hamburger or a doughnut to get that magical picture, but people just don't realize that it takes just one incidence for a bear to get habituated to human food.” ...

“People are definitely excited,” said Jessica Krippel, animal naturalist at the nature center. “All winter long we get questions about ‘where are the bears?' People definitely hang around if they see they see they are being active.”

Now THIS is why we bought the place

We headed up the mountain over the weekend to take some items that need to be installed into the house. We quickly remembered WHY we bought the place. Here it is March. It's 75 degrees in Raleigh, but snowing in Seven Devils. Nice.

I'll let the photos tell the tale: Grandfather Mountain, Moses Cone, the landscape.

Can't wait to get back again.

One of the (sleepy) bears and some deer at Grandfather.

Our Mountain Place ... BEFORE

Below is some video footage of our house that we took a few weeks ago so you can take a virtual tour of our home in Seven Devils ... BEFORE the work is done. Listen as my lovely wife explains what we plan to do.


Enjoy!

We've done our part, now just have to get some renovatin' done

We trudged up a bunch of stuff to the mountain place in Seven Devils. And we even have picked out the paint colors, flooring, kitchen plan, cabinets and more. We still have to get some appliances, but we are hopeful that in just a couple of months (fingers crossed), it will be done, and we can start enjoying it (or enjoying some rental income from it - double fingers crosse). Oh, and we even got some Broyhill furniture to be delivered when it's done.

If you are interesting in renting it (look for an early June start), let us know at collards12@yahoo.com

It's ours!

Well, this weekend we closed on the new house in Seven Devils. The "bones" of this place are really spectacular; aside from some cosmetic improvements, there's not much that has to be done to it.

We are very excited about making this place a home away from home -- not just for us but for friends and family.

Check out the view.

Check out the view from the hot tub! I can't wait to enjoy a warm dip with snow all around me.

We have a little over a month's worth of stuff to get done to it, but then it should be rent-able. Stay tuned!

Slip-slidin' in Seven Devils

Ya gotta love Google Alerts. How else would I come across this?

"Fresh snowflakes frosted my face as I scanned what appeared to be a slope of sugar," writes Joe Tennis of Tri-Cities.com.

This was midday at Hawksnest, the largest tubing operation in North Carolina’s High Country.

Ice added icing to my doughnut-shaped inner tube while, bravely, I shoved off the slope, suddenly sliding down as fast as a freight train.

SWISH!

I rushed with the wind.

And, at once, I swore I could tame the terrain.

Like a broom, I swiftly swept that slippery slope, stretching as wide as three bowling lanes and as long as a couple of football fields.

Oh, how I could tube!

Click on the link for more.

Bad weather = good skiing

Well, here in Raleigh, we've been worn down by the amount of snow, chilling weather and ice we've had. (It's rather abnormal.)

There is, of course, a positive to the weather. From the Johnson City (Tenn.) Press:

If terms like mogul, schuss and slalom are creeping into your vocabulary, you’re probably aware that it’s ski season here in the Appalachians.

Most of the ski resorts opened in early December, thanks to a good natural snowfall to establish a base and freezing temperatures to allow the snow making machines to roar into action.

It was the invention of snow making equipment and the willingness of resort operators to invest millions in snow making equipment that made skiing an Appalachian pasttime.

Skiers from Johnson City usually gravitate to Sugar Mountain in Banner Elk or Ski Beech in Beech Mountain, N.C., as the closest resorts. Ober Gatlinburg is farther, but most of the drive is on interstate highways.

Other North Carolina resorts include Appalachia Ski Mountain, starting its 49th season in Blowing Rock, and Hawksnest Ski Resort at Seven Devils, N.C.

Marketing Director Kim Jochl at Sugar Mountain said she wasn’t able to go skiing before work Wednesday because there was too much paperwork at the office. Too bad, because she reports that all 20 slopes and seven lifts are operating, plus the magic carpet ride in the tubing area. Sugar Mountain has a base of 38-80 inches with manmade powder on top. “Conditions are fantastic,” Jochl said.

Taking a(nother) plunge

Well, we are in the process of taking another real estate plunge, this one about, oh, 7 hours away from our first one in Carolina Beach and Our Beach Place.

I don't want to jinx it, but we're under contract on a wonderful home with breathtaking views in Seven Devils, in the Boone, Banner Elk and Blowing Rock area. We are very excited, and we will bring you updates on the (somewhat minor) renovations that the home will need.

Stay tuned!