Broyhill Center

A view of the mountains

The back deck of the Civic Center

This month the Active Adult group at church went to the Broyhill Civic Center for lunch, which is located on the Appalachian State University Campus and has a terrific view of the mountains. Every year the Center hosts the Twelve Days of Christmas event, which includes a buffet lunch and musical entertainment.  On Wednesday there were only a few tables full of diners.  We made up the largest group with 13.

The food was tasty, although I stayed away from the fried egg rolls and chicken croquettes.  I had a large plate of salad, some salmon, broccoli and corn.  It was hard to choose a desert because the cakes, peach cobbler and various mousses looked delicious.  I opted for the Red Velvet cake and a spoonful of cobbler and whipped cream.  Our entertainment for the day was a wonderful guitar player.  Seated near the large fireplace with the wind howling outside was the perfect way to spend the afternoon.

Our entertainment

Museum of Ashe County

The Museum of Ashe County has recently been relocated to the Old Court House in town.  Built in 1904, the court house is being restored.  I read in the newspaper the museum had erected a Christmas tree decorated in the style of the early 1900's.

On our way to the grocery store I asked hubby to stop by so I could see the tree.  As soon as we made our way into the building a very perky lady met us at the front door.  She did not leave our side for the next 40 minutes.  She showed us around several rooms filled with artifacts, furniture, clothing, odd-and-ends and what-nots that had been used by families in Ashe County 100 years ago.

What we enjoyed the most was the room housing a giant railroad scene.  Using old photos,volunteers are recreating scenes of several towns at different times in history.  While it is still a work in progress, what has been completed is very detailed and revealing.

 The Christmas tree was decorated with popcorn, paper chains, ribbon, pinwheels and candles.  Under the tree were old toys and an iron train set.

After purchasing a photo book of Ashe County we high-tailed it out of there.  I don't think hubby will fall for the "I just want to take a quick peek" line again.

Picture with Santa

When we woke up last Saturday there was about three inches of snow on the ground.  Lucy, the dog, had never seen snow.  She stood on the front porch and looked around.  Her fur stood up and she didn't know what to do.  After a few minutes she ventured out to the driveway, where she piddled, and ran back inside.

There were all sorts of events planned downtown.  The holiday market, open house at the Art Council, visits with Santa, and animal pictures with Santa to benefit the Humane Society.  I had promised Cathy, our yoga instructor, that I would bring Lucy in for her picture.  Santa was going to be at the yoga studio. It had been snowing all morning but the roads looked clear.

Lucy and I piled into the car and carefully made our way out of the neighborhood, which hadn't been plowed for a few hours.  Out on the main road I noticed there weren't many cars around, but we kept going.  

Lucy really wasn't too happy visiting with Santa.  She wedged herself under his chair and wouldn't move.

Cathy offered to dog sit with her while I ran across the street to the Holiday Market.  Almost everyone had already gone home.  I found a beautiful Christmas wreath for the front door and a piece to put on my fireplace mantel.

We got about six inches of snow last weekend and we weren't able to leave the house until Tuesday.

The Kruger brothers

The Kruger Brothers, Jens and Uwe, were born in Switzerland.  They now live in Wilkesboro, which is located the next county over from Ashe.  They have played all over the world and are famous for their banjo and guitar playing.  They write their own music, which is a combination of blue grass, gospel and country.

We got to see them last night at the local Civic Center.  It was their premier performance of their new musical work, An Appalachian Concerto.  They got together with The Green Mountain Chamber Players, who are affiliated with University of North Carolina.

I made a short video of their concert but I can not get it to upload, so I went on youtube and found this:

Hope you enjoy it.

Shatley Springs Family Style Country dining

This month the Active Adult group at church went to the Shatley Springs Family Style Country Restaurant for lunch. Since we have heard such rave reviews of this old landmark, we decided to go. When we pulled into the church parking lot, and hubby saw the 10 very old people who were going, he backed out. So I went without him.


Shatley Springs is about 15 minutes away and it is a campsite with cabins clustered around a spring that was once rumored to heal people. Starting in 1890 people from near and far began to converge on the site seeking relief from varying skin diseases, stomach ailments, rheumatism and nervous disorders. The cabins built in the 1920's are still used today.


The restaurant has won "The Breakfast of Champions" award by Our State Magazine. I don't know about the breakfast, but lunch was tasty. Without a salad or soup on the menu, I chose roast beef, gravy, sweet potatoes and green beans. I didn't want fried chicken, chicken pot pie or fried country ham. You can also get your meal family style: fried chicken and fried ham along with 6 veggies, drink and dessert.

Cabins

The famous spring

More cabins

Another beautiful frosty morning

My neighbor's yard

When I went outside at 7:30 this morning I saw the sun rising over the misty mountains and I had to share it with you.  It was 27 degrees with a layer of frost.

My front yard

View from my back porch

View from my back porch

From my front yard
that's me in the corner

The deer's revenge

Last night we decided to go grocery shopping.   On the way, the driver in front of us was struck by a deer. The deer ran into her and was flung to the other side of the road.  We stopped to be sure the driver was okay.  The lady driving was about 35 years old and didn't seem fazed that her car was all dented and there was a half-dead buck 20 feet away.

A park ranger, on his way home from work, stopped to help.  And a man in a large white truck also stopped, but he seemed more interested in the deer than the accident.  Hubby thinks he was on the ridge spotting the deer, which caused it to run into the road in the first place.  After a few minutes we left the driver with the park ranger while they awaited the police.

You may be thinking, "Where does the revenge part come in"?  Well, the driver of the car had just come from her boyfriends company-a deer processing plant.  They cut up and package the animals that hunters bring in.

Christmas Boutique

I realize that it is only November 6th, but it tis the season for Holiday Crafts.  Down at the Lansing Fire Department was the "Bee"utiful Christmas Boutique with handcrafted items, gifts and home decor.  There are only about 200 people living in Lansing, so I wasn't expecting too much.  Boy, was I surprised.

After a 20 minute ride on on twirly, whirly road I made it there and parked next to the fire station in front of this building:

I parked here

I looked at the old building in front of me and this is what I saw in the window:

What is that in the window????

I don't know what that animal was doing in the window, I only hope it was stuffed.

Inside the fire station was a room prettied up for Christmas.

I went home with one of these cuties

There were trees, ornaments, cards, cookies, candles in tea cups, snowmen and so much more.

Here are some pics of the main street in Lansing:

The town is all on the same side of the street

Then I headed to Beaver Creek to the Christmas Open House at Petal Pusher.  This was my first time in the Beaver Creek area, which isn't far from the town of West Jefferson.  The Petal Pusher turned out to be a florist and gift shop.  The windows were so festive

This was one pretty shop.  All of the items were higher end Christmas decorations in purples and pinks.  I also saw a giant owl on top of a tree that had brown feathers sticking out of it.   I went away with a cup of hot apple cider.  They also offered sandwiches and cookies.

From one end of the county to the other everyone is getting into the holiday spirit!

Chili fundraiser

There are only 20,000 people that live in Ashe County and 16 percent live below the poverty level.  People here are hard working and  many live on farms.  Each year there is a chili lunch fundraiser with the money going to help people with their heating bills.

Thursday afternoon I made hubby get up and go to lunch with me.  We got there around noon and the parking lot was already full.  Inside there were two lines, one for take-out and one for eating in.  For $5.00 we got a bowl of chili with fix-ins, a drink and homemade desert.  If you wanted, you could have your lunch delivered to your door.  I overheard one of the delivery men say that they had orders for 400 deliveries.

By the time we were ready to leave there were no seats left and people were still coming in.  That's what I like about Ashe County, people looking after one another.

P.S.  They announced at church today that they raised almost $3000.00.  That's 600 meals served!

Halloween Masquerade Ball

Last night we went to a masquerade ball and dinner at the club house.  It was a charity event for the Children's Trust Endowment Fund, which helps prevent child abuse.  The costumes were fantastic. I can remember Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, Cleopatra, a Christmas Tree, Draculas, cowboys, a flapper, the butler from Rocky Horror Picture Show and several girls from the 50's.

The Red Queen

The food was okay: pork roast, shrimp bar, mashed potatoes, green beans, roasted veggie orzo and mousse for dessert.  It was very similar to the dinners we have on Tuesday nights at the club house.  Very high in sodium and fat, but tasty.

There was a live band and the drinks were flowing.

Me as the Red Queen

Hubby as man riding a
big bird

I am wearing the dress I bought at the antique store in Daytona Beach a few weeks ago.  It is very shiny and itchy.  I can not believe someone had actually worn it out of the house.  

I thought it made a great dress for the queen, until I saw someone dressed up in this fancy Red Queen outfit.

I am already thinking of what to wear next year.

Smoky morning

When we lived in South Florida the weather was always the same.  Spring, summer and fall it was hot with a chance of rain.  In the winter it was not so hot with a slight chance of rain.

But here, the weather changes by the hour.  Here are some pics taken from my back porch this morning at 7:45.

Meet Your Neighbor Party

It was a beautiful day for a party, sunny, breezy and warm.  Nine guests enjoyed our backyard patio decorated with orange lights and pumpkins.  The ladies carved pumpkins while the men hovered over the grill.  We ate hamburgers,hot dogs, baked beans, corn salad, lettuce salad and potato salad.  Only a few people were brave enough to try a Snappy.  But those that did, raved about them.  After the pumpkin mousse and oatmeal cookies, no one had room for the toasted marshmallows.

For the best baked beans ever:

8 cans white beans rinsed and drained
2 cups catsup
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup diced bacon
3/4 cup chopped onions

Mix and bake 4 hours at 325.  Uncover the last 45 minutes.  Recipe can be doubled or halved.

Getting ready for the "meet your neighbor's" party

A few weeks ago I decided to have a little get-together with our neighbors so we can get to know each other better.  I chose the date of October 24th at 4PM and ran around handing out invitations.

About 10 years ago I did the same thing in our neighborhood in South Florida.  I went house-to-house and if someone didn't answer the door, I taped the invitation to it.  When I got home hubby said he had gotten a phone call from the man down the street.  It seems that when I knocked on his door it caused his dog to jump on it and scratch it.  Hence, he was going to sue us.  He didn't, and he never came to the party either.

Hubby and son 

Back to tomorrow.  I think it is important to have something to do at get-togethers so people don't get bored.  We are going to carve pumpkins and roast hot dogs and marshmallows.  I even went on-line and ordered special hot dogs from Syracuse canned Snappys, or Coonies.  To make sure the hot dogs were going to be tasty we had a trial run.

Looking good

Hubby and I finished shopping this morning and he put together the sangria so the flavors of the wine and fruit have time to blend.  In the morning I will make pumpkin mousse and baked beans, and yes, I have already made them once to make sure they will be edible.

The weather should be perfect.  This morning we had our first frost of the year and it was 32 degrees when I woke up.  It will be cold in the morning, but will warm up to 70 degrees.  As long as none of our guests threaten to sue us, all should go well.

Frosty lawn

Church Fashion Show

In Sunday's church bulletin was an announcement that the Active Adults were having a fashion show and lunch.  When I saw the lunch was being catered by Sweet Aromas, a terrific little cafe and bakery, I signed up to attend.

The designer herself,
straight from Paris

Come to find out it was the ladies themselves that were putting on the show, and what a show it was!

Judy in a seersucker dress
Those are lollipops 

Wilma in her Evening Dress

Amelia in a checked dress

Mae has on her outdoor play outfit

Peggy in a cotton ball dress

Mae in a Slip-over sweater dress
What is she wearing on her head?

Oh my, she has a pair of panties on her head

Jennifer is ready for a tea party

JoAnn has on an elegant
Dinner Dress that you can eat off of
Is that a plunger around her neck?

Needless to say, I had a wonderful time.  The ladies were good sports and really enjoyed themselves.  They meet once a month and travel to different hot spots around the area.

The chicken salad sandwich was made with apples and just the right amount of mayo.  It was so large I only ate half of it.  Hubby ate the rest when I got home.