Always able to find new things to do

We were able to spend almost a full week recently at Our Mountain Place (aka, "Honey Bear House"). It was such a wonderful time to get away. Sure, we did some of our usual things: Otter Falls in Seven Devils ... Grandfather Vineyard (TWICE!) ... Blowing Rock shopping ... Blue Deer Cookies ... Come Back Shack ... Bistro Roca for dinner. And so on and so on. But we also managed to actually try some new things, believe it or not!

On the way up we stopped in West Jefferson for the afternoon. It was nice strolling around that beautiful town ... and checking out the Ashe County Cheese factory! We got the Buffalo cheese, which was INCREDIBLE!

Next day we hit up the Alpine Coaster at Sugar Mountain. If you haven't done this yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. So much fun. Check it out! It's essentially a 1-person coaster (or 2, if you have a little one with you, like I did) that goes through the trees and hills. You get to control the speed ... but going faster is THE BEST!

 

 

And, finally, one thing we counted as a "first" (but had done a LONG time ago when the kids were really small) was a visit to Elk River Falls. It's truly a beautiful (and dangerous) waterfall that offers some great swimming and dipping opportunities.

 

From peak season to a foot of snow

First of all, thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by Superstorm Sandy. The latest sounds like she has dumped quite a bit of snow in the High Country. I can only imagine what it looks like up around Our Mountain Place. I'm sure it's gorgeous -- but I'm sure it's also treacherous. Be safe, everyone.

It's hard to imagine that this was our view up there just over a week ago (via Instagram).

We had a FANTASTIC time in the High Country, made all the better by spectacular weather. (The calm before the storm, perhaps?)  Oh, screw it; here are some more great autumn photos -- all taken from our place.

We packed a lot of cool things in a couple of days. The kids loved gem mining (once again) at Foscoe Gem Mining Co. The adults had a GREAT time at the Grandfather Winery. (The kids also had fun throwing rocks into the Watauga River -- coming *this close* to hitting the poor dog that apparently lives at the vineyard.) And we had a nice time in Blowing Rock, strolling around the bass lake at Moses Cone Park, enjoying the park behind the Mast General Store annex, and even a tasty (if slow-going) meal at Mr. Original's Gyros.

In short, I'm ready to get back up there. It is, after all, ski season (already)!

Tweetsie opens on April 13

North Carolina's oldest theme park will open its season on April 13. Go to Tweetsie's website for more info.

Other High Country events of note include the Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival in Blowing Rock (April 1-15) -- featuring New Jersey Housewife Teresa Guidice! -- and the Blowing Rock Trout Derby on April 7.

Snow is good

... well, most of the time it is. I'll admit: too much of it, and it can sometimes be a little "fun" getting up to Our Mountain Place. But -- for the sake of the greater good -- the white stuff is GREAT for the High Country. Especially this time of year.

"The snowfall that started Thursday night and continued into Friday, along with lower temperatures, were especially welcome during a season that's been warmer than the past few winters," writes the Winston-Salem Journal.

"It's been a gift," said Kim Jochl, spokeswoman at Sugar Mountain Resort. "Here's 6 inches, 8 inches of snow, four days of temperatures in the teens and it's fantastic."

Skies are expected to be mostly sunny through the holiday in the Northwest North Carolina mountains, but temperatures aren't expected to climb out of the 20s today with a chance of snow flurries, according to the National Weather Service.

Snow was still falling Friday afternoon at the Beech Mountain Resort, formerly known as Ski Beech, and about 6 inches of new snow had accumulated.

Much of the mountain areas, including those at lower elevations than the ski slopes, had lighter snow accumulations, with about an inch or so.

Just late last week, ski slope operators were talking about the above-normal temperatures.

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort in Madison County didn't open until Dec. 29. It had opened on Dec. 8 last year.

"We're in an industry that is driven by the weather, and we're at its mercy," said Kathy Bogdanescu, spokeswoman for Wolf Ridge. "Last year we were lucky." ...

Brad Moretz, at Appalachian Ski Mountain near Blowing Rock, said there were enough cold days to create a good base of snow. ...

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!

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!

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?

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.

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.