Archive for the ‘Unique farm animals’ Category
Well I know I should be writing about all the many Christmas events going on and all around Asheville NC but my goodness, it’s snowing! Christmas, Snow, all the mountains all around me, in front of a wood burning fireplace in my Asheville pet friendly vacation cabin with my pup laying at my feet and a big mug of hot chocolate in my hand, I am in heaven.
Lots of snow activities available in the area if you want to brave the cold to be in the snow. First you can snowboard down the hill right here at the cabin. Let’s not forget about the snowmen we can build. But a trip to Beech Mountain Resort, or Cataloochee Ski Area, or Sugar Mountain Resort will put you in some serious snow. Beech Mountain Resort which opened just last Saturday opened with 22 inches of natural snow.
It’s quite an impressive sight to see, every street and every shop in a small town like Dillsboro lit all along the streets and rock walls lining properties. Dillsboro puts on its 27th annual Luminary Festival show this Friday – the 3rd of December. If you miss that night, it will be once again on Dec 10 and 11.
From your Asheville pet friendly cabin, you can load up the pets and the kids and take a little ride out to Dillsboro. Simply take Newfound Road to 40 and get on 40 towards Waynesville. Off at exit 27, then move onto 74. It will take you to exit 441 to Franklin and Dillsboro is right at that exit.
It is a city ordinance that dogs are allowed to accompany their humans while eating in an outdoor eating area anywhere in the city of Asheville. How cool is that! Asheville is so very dog friendly!!
BUT So often we rent places that are inferior to where we’d like to stay because we want to bring our 4-legged member of our family. For some reason, lots of places think that they don’t have to work hard at the quality of the place you stay at because you have a dog – or a cat. You would compromise that part of your trip because of that. Cabin Cove Farm is a great Asheville dog friendly cabin that will let you bring your 4 legged member of the family AND you have a quality place to stay. Both are just as important to the proprietors of this place. Be prepared to feel as well cared for as your pup.
One of our favorite things to do this time of year is to drive to Max Patch and walk to the summit and just breathe. Ahhh, what a glorious experience. From your Asheville rental cabin, you would drive to Trust taking Leicester Hwy towards Hot Springs. When Leicester Hwy (63) ends turn right, drive a few miles and watch for the Max Patch signs. Turn left at the sign and follow the long windy road up through forest land. When you get to the top, park your car in the area on the right. The put the dogs on a leash and walk the extra mile “up” to the top. You will be ecstatic!
By the way, after your visit to Max Patch and your return back to Trust, stop at the Trust General Store and Cafe and have a cup of coffee and pie. You will love the place. All local fresh foods. yum!
If you’d like to take a bit of an adventure from your Asheville rental cabin, you can hike the Bartram Trail at Cheoah Bald. It’s in the Nantahala National Forest west of Asheville. From your Asheville cabin, take I-40 west to Exit 27. Continue west on US 19/74 to Bryson City. Continue about 20 miles west, then 7 miles west of the Nantahala Outdoor Center on US 19 to Winding Stairs Trailhead. Turn left at FR 422 to the gravel parking area. The drive to get there is incredibly scenic. Then the climb to the Bald at 5,062 has a fabulous view.
The hike is steep and strenuous though it is categorized as moderate to strenuous. Oh but it’s worth it. The sensation of how you feel when you experience the view is well worth it.
Oh boy, it’s Fall for sure. The season changed from Summer to Fall like someone flipped a switch. We went from way hot to suddenly cold. Huh? We’re not ready on the farm, not by a longshot. The goats haven’t been sheared and I’m afraid it’s going to be too cold now to shear them for the winter. ugh! Here I am in a sweater. I walked outside today with long sleeve shirt and a sweater on top. I feel like I’m in season shock.
There is only one thing to do when this happens: from your Asheville cabin rental, saddle up the dogs and go for a hike. This has to be the best weather for a hike. Forget about getting hot and sweaty. You can walk, climb, jump, and thoroughly enjoy the fresh air and glorious smell of clean crisp air without shedding a drop of perspiration. Mount Pisgah Trail Hike is a good fall hike. Take the Blue Ridge Parkway south from Asheville to Milepost 407. The parking lot for the trailhead is on the left. It’s a moderate to strenous hike culminating at a 5,721 foot summit. Now that’s a place to see the leaves change.
The colors of fall are just-a-beginning. If you’ve been lucky enough to book a room at an Asheville cabin, you are in for a treat. This is the time of the year the trees speak loudly to all who are present. And Asheville has been declared the no.1 place to peep at them announced by TripAdvisor.com on Expedia.com. We are thrilled. We’ve always known they were spectacular. Folks who know to visit this time of year know the leaf peeping is spectacular. Now the world knows.
What is great about leaf peeping in the mountains is that the season lasts a long time. The reason for that is the higher elevations start to change colors first, of course, and then as the fall moves forward, the elevations lower as the leaves change. It’s as if you are watching a giant wave sweep over the entire mountains of North Carolina. Standing in the center while all that is going on is just tooooo cool.
It’s time to share with you one of the best restaurants in Asheville, according to me anyway, and a lot of other locals as well. Green Tea is the best Japanese restaurant I have ever eaten at. It doesn’t matter if you have lunch or dinner, both are spectacular. I love love love the sweet potato roll, age (ah-gay) tofu, and the steamed brocolli. There is also fresh raw fish sushi, tempura veggies or chicken, oh, and loads of other things. And if you don’t see it the way you like it, they will be happy to make it the way you want it.
There are so many wonderful places to eat in Asheville, when you come for your vacation, plan to eat away from your Asheville rental cabin and eat out at least once. And if it’s only once, I promise you if this is your choice, you will not regret it.
You’ll be happy to know the fair is still going on. You haven’t missed it! It lasts 10 days. The last day will be on September 19th. Plan an Asheville vacation this weekend and stay at a great Asheville vacation cabin so that you can spend the weekend at the fair. It’s impossible to see and participate in it all in just one day. The website for the daily schedules is on www.mountainfair.org.
Just read about this food dish at one of the vendors booths - I missed it this year. Next year I plan on going there first. Dinner can be the deep fried veggies. But early lunch will be a bread bowl filled with either potato soup or spaghetti, all freshly made from a family recipe. My mouth waters just thinking about it.
