2017-11-03 - Friday - Coyotes

I almost missed this one since it was misfiled in the wrong date.

Friday night when we got to the Mountain Brook Cottages in Sylva we were sitting quietly reading and suddenly the coyotes went crazy somewhere out on the mountain. I ran out on the front porch and only caught the end of the ruckus when they were moving away from us. It was much louder in the beginning of the episode.

Turn your sound up.

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2017-11-04 - Saturday - Cabins, pottery, and mansions

Friday night we went to the Asheville Ceramics Gallery. One of the reasons we went was to meet Martha Grover and see her work in person. She was in town for the opening because she was going to be teaching the following week at Penland. 

The artists that make up the co-op are all very talented and it was fun to see everyone's style. We hung out with Joey Sheehan for a while and then it was off to Sylva.

In Sylva, we stayed in the Mountain Brook Cottages, as we have several other times.

Then it was off to Dillsboro for the WNC Pottery Festival. We parked in a business parking lot and waited for the shuttle.

Waiting for the shuttle...

 The show was great. There were 40 potters there with a wide range of work.

Ed and Kate Coleman.

Ron Philbeck demoing.

Ron Philbeck.

Joey Sheehan.

We went to the Haywood Smokehouse for lunch.

Matt Hellgeth demoing.

Later, we had dinner reservations at the Stable Cafe at the Biltmore House. After dinner we went on the candlelight holiday tour of the mansion.

The Stable Cafe.

The largest single-family dwelling in the U.S.

Decorations on the front lawn.

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September 21 - Saturday - WCU Parents Weekend

Last weekend was parents weekend at Stephanie's school, Western Carolina University.  WCU is out in the woods so as you can imagine, hotel rooms are scarce.  We rented a small cottage at Mountain Brook Cottages.  The cottages were built in the 1930s and they were small and cozy.  There were no telephones, no televisions, no cell phone service and the internet wasn't working during our stay.  Very peaceful with a gurgling stream close by.  A wonderful place to relax.

In the afternoon we took a trip to Waynesville to do some sightseeing an shopping.  It was drizzly, but not too bad.  We visited some great little shops and a Mast General Store before heading back to the cottage and the college.

It was a nice visit with Stephanie.  It's nice that we all enjoy spending time together.  We miss her and it's great to see she is doing so well.

Karen

Stephanie

Kitchen

Stove

Cottage

Bear

Waynesville

Mast... well... you know.

Old fashioned chocolate - Karen
Rainbow - Stephanie
Pumpkin spice - me
at Pheasant Hill Cafe and Gallery

I waited while the women went to the shoe store.

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