A TALE OF TWO HAROLDS

The ducks approve of our walking labyrinth

So, happily, it looks like our Asian Mandarin ducks have decided to make our Black Mountain area Bed & Breakfast one of their long-term residences. We're not sure where they came from, but the legend is already being told that the male escaped last year from the person who was keeping him as an exotic pet since Asian Mandarins clearly aren't native to North Carolina, and the following year he went back to rescue his lady friend (because this is the first year we've seen her).

As is the case with all of our more long term residential wildlife, we have named the ducks. Since they're such a cute couple, we've named them Harold and Nelva, after another cute couple and two of our favorite people, Dave's grandpa and his grandpa's wife:


Harold and Nelva (sitting) at Harold's 90th birthday in 2004

After talking to our guests who checked in today [Happy 1st Anniversary, Steve and Teresa!]and telling them about Harold and Nelva (the ducks), we opened our mail to find a newspaper clipping from Dave's hometown paper, the Cincinnati Enquirer, sent to us by Dave's mom. The article, dated May 24, 2009, was about the first night game ever played in Major League Baseball. That game took place on May 24, 1935.

This was such an important game that it involved marching bands and a color guard and a telegraph message tapped by President Roosevelt himself to instruct the Cincinnati stadium, Crosley Field, to turn on its 632 lights at 8:30pm for the first night game ever played by major league ballplayers.

Dave's mom explained that in researching for the article, sports writer John Eradi had asked for stories from anyone who had attended the game, and Dave's grandpa sent him an e-mail. We were very proud to get to read about Harold Brown, now 94 years young, sharing his memory of driving his 1930 Ford Model A from his family farm in Wilmington, Ohio, to Cincinnati to see the game when he was 21 years old.

MAY GEOCACHING AND RAINY RAINBOW ROAD

Bugsy on Rainbow Road

Today we had a few spare hours to dodge raindrops on a hike with Csaba and Bugsy, the innpugs, and to do some geocaching on the way home. We originally considered taking the pugs to the dog park in Black Mountain but decided instead to go to the beautiful town of Montreat just north of Black Mountain, which has over 15 hiking trails of all different levels of difficulty.

We chose the Rainbow Road trail just off Montreat's Lookout Mountain trail parking area. The entire length of Rainbow Road is almost two miles of easy terrain along an old road bed and we probably made it about a third of a mile before the thunder really started rolling along the mountains around us. Interestingly, thunder doesn't bother the innpugs, but they don't like getting their feet wet, so we thought it best to head back before getting caught in a rainstorm.


Umbrella please

What a beautiful hike, that Rainbow Road! We're adding the trail to our list of hikes for summer (see our 10 spring hikes in the North Carolina mountains) because it is nice and shady and green all around.



We almost want to call it Rhododendron Road because of the vast thickets of rhododendron that surround the path; in some places you feel like you're going through a tall rhododendron tunnel. It's fantastic.

On the way back home, we stopped by the hardware store to pick up some special screws (Dave is installing teak bathmats in three of our rooms...watch for a blog post soon on that!). Then we were able to do some geocaching at a great overlook spot that's on the way back to the Inn. We blogged a Fall Foliage report using a photo we took in the fall of that very place. Here it is in late May:



The area is called Royal Gorge and was the site of a Civil War skirmish and is now the site of a clever geocache called Froot Loops. Brigette found it after a few minutes and we were on our way with innpugs in tow, ready to call it a day.

ROAD CLOSURE NEAR BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

Each Wednesday, between now and the end of June, Highway 226 and Highway 226-A North heading from the Inn on Mill Creek to the towns of Spruce Pine and Little Switzerland will be closed.

Highway 226 is a commonly-used route to the incredibly beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway just northeast of the Inn on Mill Creek, but no worries -- if you're traveling our way on Wednesdays and want to get to the Blue Ridge Parkway, we recommend taking scenic Highway 80 just east of Old Fort, which will put you between Mt. Mitchell State Park and Little Switzerland. We actually recommend this route for any day to go north on the Parkway to see the quaint small towns, the Orchard at Altapass, Linville Falls and Grandfather Mountain. Plus, you can stop in to the charming town of Old Fort and have a bite to eat at the Catawba Vale Cafe or one of the other lunch spots, see some fabulous art at the The Appalachian Artisan Gallery, and learn all about railroad history at the historic Old Fort depot and railroad museum:

HAPPY HONEYMOON

As mentioned in a previous post, this time of year is absolutely perfect for celebrating anniversaries and weddings in the flower-full Black Mountains of Western North Carolina. [Just yesterday, we went for a hike along Bernard Ridge above the Inn and were overwhelmed by thousands of blooming mountain laurel all around us. The wildflowers here are amazing!]


Newlyweds! Dave and Amanda

Who's the happy couple, you ask? They're two of our returning guests, Dave and Amanda, who were married last Saturday and celebrated their honeymoon this past week at the Inn on Mill Creek. That photo makes us smile. Congrats to them, and also to our first-time guests Martha and Norman, who were just married today!



If you have a wedding or anniversary coming up, give us a call and let us know how we can help with planning your trip to stay with us here in the Black Mountain/Asheville area. We can arrange for special touches, such as flowers delivered to your room, chocolate truffles from the amazing Chocolate Gems in Black Mountain, chocolate covered strawberries, couples massages and dinner reservations.

NORTH CAROLINA BIRDING TRAIL MOUNTAIN REGION OPENS JUNE 25

The Goldfinches eat breakfast at the same time as our guests
[photo taken through our office door screen]


This guy does not like to share his breakfast

As we type this, the Whip-poor-wills have begun singing on the ridge that borders our east side. The Whip-poor-wills sing in the evening as they make their way from their home on the forest floor of that ridge, across our solarium patio to our orchard, where they like to spend the late evening hours.

As a proud site on the North Carolina Birding Trail, we're excited to share that the Mountains Region will have its Grand Opening on June 25. The guide for the region's 105 sites (of which four sites are in our county and seven are in neighboring Buncombe County that includes Asheville), will also be unveiled at that time and we can't wait to see the guide. The NC Birding Trail has done such an excellent job with the Coastal and Piedmont region guides, and we have copies of those at the Inn for anyone who wants to check birding sites across our state.

Read an introduction to the Mountain Region (PDF)
See a list of the 105 Mountain Region sites (PDF)
Our site description, which appears in the region guide (PDF)

We welcome the birding community to come out to the Inn to enjoy the many species of birds who live in our neck of the woods: Pisgah National Forest. Since we are a private property, we do request that you call us (828.668.1115) or send an e-mail to make an appointment for birding activities at and around the Inn. We look forward to sharing our beautiful birding spot with you!

NC ARBORETUM HAS A NEW WEBSITE

The last of our irises put on a show

As Brigette finishes up trimming back the spent iris blooms at the Inn (make note in garden journal that irises are pretty much done blooming by Memorial Day...), gardening is getting into full swing in the mountains. What better place to see great gardens and get some garden inspiration than the 434-acre North Carolina Arboretum, which unveiled its new website recently.

We toured around the new site a little and were very impressed! Under the Plan A Visit section, you can find all kinds of information about the 65 acres of gardens, 10 miles of hiking/walking/biking trails, the Bonzai Exhibit Garden and a handy listing of events. There's a fantastic section on the Arboretum's economic development activities, and the exhibit section features the greenhouses and traveling exhibits that make the Arboretum a place for education and connecting to nature.

See what's new at the Arboretum by visiting www.ncarboretum.org.

CONGRATS! AND BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY OPENS AT CRAGGY GARDENS

[Since we didn't post on Thursday, today is double-header Saturday]

One of the nice things about running a Bed & Breakfast is getting the opportunity to meet lots of new people from near and far. Among our fantastic guests this past week were James and Angela, who live right here in our "neighborhood" of Western North Carolina.

We met James and Angela last year, when they were planning their wedding. Their happy day arrived a week ago today, when they exchanged their vows at Lake Tomahawk in Black Mountain. We then had the honor of hosting them at the Inn for their honeymoon celebration.


Newlyweds! James and Angela

While James and Angela were staying with us, we also had the honor of meeting and hosting Don and Ginger, another local couple who celebrated their first anniversary at the Inn last weekend. Congrats to them and to all our guests who celebrate anniversaries here at the Inn on Mill Creek.

May is a wonderful time of year to get married or to celebrate a special occasion in the mountains. This month is the peak month for wildflowers here and along the Blue Ridge Parkway -- mountain laurel, trillium and azaleas are blooming now, with early blooming rhododendron coming in late May/early June. Plus, in related news: the Blue Ridge Parkway at Craggy Gardens is now open with alternative one lane traffic through that area until approximately mid-June, when two-lane traffic is restored (just in time for the peak bloom time for all that spectacular rhododendron)!

KIVA UPDATE

Marcos, small business entrepreneur

As part of the Inn on Mill Creek's 10th birthday celebration, The Inn Turns 10!, we're doing all kinds of things with the number 10, including participating in microloans to 10 small business owners in developing countries through Kiva.

We, along with like-minded folks in states like New York, Connecticut, Ohio, Illinois and Michigan and countries like Germany, Norway, Australia and Japan, separately put our money into one microloan to Marcos in Honduras. Marcos is 45 years old and has been making furniture for 12 years. He is a positive force in his local community, employing six other residents in his town. The microloan to Marcos will help him to buy materials for his work so that he can continue building his dream of having a store where he can sell his furniture.

You can learn more about the other small business owners that we've loaned to on our Inn Turns 10 page.

TWO UPCOMING LOCAL FESTIVALS

Two events this weekend -- the North Carolina Gold Festival and the Honey Bee Arts and Crafts Festival -- will celebrate the local traditions that make our area of Western North Carolina unique:



Did you know that North Carolina was the first state to have a gold rush? Oh yes, that's right. Gold was found here in 1799. In fact, between 1804 and 1828, North Carolina remained the only producer of domestic gold in the country, and the state remained the highest producer (even after gold was discovered in Georgia) until 1848, when gold was discovered in California.

The North Carolina Gold Festival is an annual event celebrating our area's golden history and features exhibits, gold mining techniques and demonstrations. Visitors can take part in treasure and scavenger hunts, geocaching and gold panning. Additionally, numerous vendors will showcase their arts and crafts at the Festival. Entertainment on Friday includes “Gold Tales” and a gospel concert at 6:00 p.m. with Purpose, The Blairs and Glory Land Way Quartet and local bands. Saturday musical acts include The Can’t Hardly Play Boys, and the return of Nashville recording artist Juleigh Ed.

The NC Gold Festival takes place May 15-16 at Tom Johnson’s Rally Park in Marion. For more information, visit www.ncgold.org or call 800-959-9033.



The honey bee makes it possible for North Carolinians to enjoy over $200 million in produce annually. The McDowell Arts Council Association (MACA) will host the 1st Annual Honey Bee Arts and Crafts Festival, a free event taking place on the McDowell County Courthouse lawn on May 16, from 10am to 4pm.

MACA has partnered with the McDowell County Beekeepers' Association to celebrate the state's official insect and the great food and art created with honey and bees wax! Demonstrations and bee-related products will be offered for sale. Arts and craft vendors include potters, photographers, woodworkers, handmade soaps, jewelry makers and more. Bring the children to the Kids Korner where they'll be able to create their own masterpieces.

The Chris Blair Band, Freddy Bradburn and Ruth Wakefield will provide musical entertainment throughout the day and there will also be a Little Honey Bee Talent Contest. Food includes Tagi BBQ, funnel cakes, ice cream and more, plus you can enjoy lunch at Bruce's Fabulous Foods or Carolina Chocolatiers on Main Street.

For more details on the Honey Bee Arts and Crafts Festival, please call the McDowell Arts Council Association at 828-652-8610.

CHOCOLATE GEMS IN BLACK MOUNTAIN NOW HAS GELATO

Our favorite chocolatiers in Black Mountain, Chocolate Gems, have really outdone themselves this time. Not only do these artisans make chocolate bark, chocolate boxes (very cool looking and tasty!), chocolate sculptures, chocolate bars and decadent truffles in flavors like coffee caramel, ancho chipotle, chocolate margarita, peanut butter, lavender -- oh, the list goes on -- but now they make melt-in-your-mouth gelato.

Gelato is the Italian version of ice cream, with half the fat and more flavor. It's the perfect treat as we head into warm weather months and you can try a free sample at Chocolate Gems, but if you like strawberry flavored gelato, you might have to hurry before Brigette eats it all.

You can find Chocolate Gems on East State Street in the heart of downtown Black Mountain, right next to the Merry Wine Market, another of our favorite shops.

CELTIC & BLUES TUESDAYS AT WHITE HORSE BLACK MOUNTAIN

Black Mountain has an outstanding music venue, White Horse Black Mountain, which features live performances by a variety of area musicians. If you love music, you'll love White Horse Black Mountain.

Not only does White Horse Black Mountain offer great live perfomances on the weekends, but they've now got a weekly series of music called Celtic & Blues Tuesdays, where you can experience the sounds of those two entertaining musical genres all in one evening. Plus, catered food is available for purchase during the evening. Here's the lineup in May:

May 12: Irish session with David Keller (6:30pm) then local blues artists (8:45pm)

May 19: Irish session with David Keller (6:30pm) then Peggy Ratusz & Big Road (8:45pm)

May 26: Irish session with David Keller (6:30pm) then local blues artists (8:45pm)

Celtic & Blues Tuesdays continues on into June. You can see White Horse Black Mountain's entire schedule for May and June at www.whitehorseblackmountain.com.

A SPRING DAY AT BILTMORE ESTATE

Reflection of the mountains on the balcony near the Tapestry Room

This week, Brigette and her mom visited Biltmore Estate in Asheville, about 20 minutes from the Inn on Mill Creek. Having been to Biltmore too many times to count over the past several years, they now make it a mission when they go to try to see specific parts of the Estate and/or to experience things they haven't seen or tried. This is actually pretty easy because Biltmore is always adding new experiences.



This time, the mission was to see the Azalea Garden at its peak (something they haven't been able to see before due to timing), to tour the newly renovated suite of four bedrooms above the Library and also to check out River Bend Farm, a celebration of the Estate's farming legacy.



Even though the skies looked ominous when on arrival to Biltmore, there were no worries because a large amount of both indoor and outdoor space makes it easy to plan around raindrops. The rain held off long enough to allow for a long walk through the gorgeous 15-acre Azalea Garden. The colors were absolutely stunning!





After the Azalea Garden, it was on to one of Brigette's favorite spots at Biltmore, the Conservatory, with its floor-to-ceiling palms and beautiful arrangements of plants and flowers.







After walking past the Walled Garden and up through the Wisteria-lined trellis toward the house, it was time for lunch at the Stable Cafe, the former horse stable adjacent to Biltmore House.



A light rain started right after our lunch, perfect timing for our next stop -- the house itself. We highly recommend the audio tour for anyone who is a first-time visitor to Biltmore or who hasn't been there lately. It's as if you have your own personal tour guide as you make your way through the 175,000 square-foot home. The newly renovated rooms really show off Biltmore's attention to detail when it comes to restoration. All we can say is, wow, amazing stuff.

The River Bend Farm was the next stop of the day. By then it was sunny and beautiful. A butter making demonstration was going on and the blacksmith and woodworker were both demonstrating their work as well. There were also numerous displays of equipment used by Biltmore's farming staff with accompanying photos of the workers.




Spectators along the road from the House to River Bend Farm

A video presentation at River Bend Farm that showed what life was like for farming families at Biltmore was entertaining, especially the interviews of the now-elderly children of the farming staff.

Rounding out the visit to Biltmore was a quick stop by the Winery to pick up some of Biltmore's Sangiovese wine as well as a bottle of the special Festival of Flowers wine, and finally it was off to the Gardener's Place, a shop on the Lower Level of the Conservatory. Every time Brigette goes to Biltmore, she brings back a plant from the Gardener's Place. The Japanese Maples were tempting, but a Chocolate Cosmos was the pick this time.

What a fun day! We're already looking forward to our next trip. If you have the chance to visit Biltmore Estate, you will not be disappointed. Don't forget, the Festival of Flowers is going on now through May 17. Additionally, tickets for the Summer Evening Concert series at are now available through Biltmore.

And remember, as a guest of the Inn on Mill Creek, you can purchase discounted tickets here at the Inn that are also good for two consecutive days -- perfect for taking your time to explore the 8,000 acres of Biltmore Estate. More information about that is available on our Bed & Breakfast Packages page.

A LUCKY DAY

How many four-leaf clovers can you find in this picture?

Two lovely guests of ours, Jean and LaRue, found some four- and five-leaf clovers at the Inn when they were visiting last weekend. That sent Dave on a mission to see how many of those clovers he could find. While Brigette rarely sees four-leaf clovers after poring over the ground for an hour, Dave is the type of person who looks at the ground and in 5 seconds, says, matter-of-factly, "There's a four-leaf clover," so it didn't take him long to find not one, not two, but 11 four-leaf clovers and 2 five-leaf clovers on a patch of grass that was about two square feet.

Some of Dave's search results for "11 4-leaf clovers in 2 square feet"

We often say how lucky we are, getting to live in such a pretty and peaceful place and being able to share it with others. We love being able to share our lucky clovers as well. If you're coming to stay with us for a relaxing few days to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, you might consider clover hunting on your itinerary list. Other activities to enjoy include sitting on the deck feeding the two Asian Mandarin ducks who have taken up residence at the Inn, listening to Buford the Bullfrog (yes, he's back for the season and his smooth bass voice is more entertaining than ever), watching the many bird species that live around the Inn inside Pisgah National Forest and listening to the Whip-poor-wills in the evening (they sound beautiful!), making an appointment for a massage with one of our talented massage therapists (advance notice, please) or just taking that really long nap that you've been waiting weeks to get.

Have a relaxing weekend, everyone.