We love the Smoky Mountains. Wish you were here!

Archive for October, 2010

Ghosts, Goblins, Fairies, Monsters …And One Ugly Baby!

Last Friday afternoon, Bryson City was invaded by hordes of costumed creatures, when the town turned Everett Street over to the annual Trick-or-Treat Day. Merchants and civic groups handed out treats to the largest parade of ‘trick-or-treaters’ in the history of the event. If candy wasn’t enough, The Grove Church added free hotdogs and popcorn.

Above, even the scariest of creatures were taken aback by the ugly baby in the bassinet …who in real life is the lovely Caitlyn Carter — one of the winners of the best costume contest.

Left, the mischievous Robin Hood (Robert Waldroup) sneaks up on the demure Maid Marion (Brandi Sutton).

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Autumn Color — Take Some Home With You

Every October, people come to the Smoky Mountains to view the brilliant colors of autumn. And many of them take a little of that color back home with them — in the form of a bright, golden pumpkin from a local farm. Above, Allene Jenkins of Bryson City checks out the fall display of pumpkins and squash for sale at Darnell Farms, a family run business just east of Bryson City on Highway 19 at the Tuckaseigee River bridge.

Besides fall favorites — pumpkins, potatoes and apples — the farm has delicious strawberries every May and fresh produce throughout the summer. You’ll also find locally made jams, preserves, honey, salsas and boiled peanuts. There’s a river walk along side the Tuckaseigee and in the Fall hayrides for the kids. You might even catch some musicians jamming on the weekends. Darnell Farms is open every day. Call 828-488-2376.

When you return home with your pumpkins, try this recipe from the Hemlock Inn, a Bryson City Country Inn —

Myrtle’s Pumpkin Bread
2-1/2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 cups cooked pumpkin
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients together. Grease and flour two one-pound coffee cans. Pour batter into cans and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for one hour. Turn off oven and leave in oven for 15 minutes. Turn out of coffee cans on cloth when cool. Serves 16.

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The Nantahala Is Usually Quiet In The Fall, But Just Wait Until 2013

Except for a few kayakers, the Nantahala river is relatively quiet in the Fall. But an event planned for mid-September 2013 will be unlike anything the river has ever experienced. That’s when the Nantahala Gorge hosts the World Freestyle Kayaking Championships.

Nantahala Gorge 2013 The event will attract up to 500 paddlers from forty to fifty countries and thousands of spectators to the Bryson City area. The Gorge was selected by the International Canoe Federation, the sanctioning body for all world championship and Olympic canoe and kayak events.

The Nantahala will also host a Junior World Cup Freestyle event in 2012 as a test event for the World Championships in 2013. To compliment the 2012 World Cup on the Nantahala, two other World Cup Freestyle events will occur in the Southeastern United States during 2012. The Nantahala Gorge has been home to several national slalom championships over the years, but this high-profile event solidifies the area’s status as a paddling destination.

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Cold Springs – A Popular Gathering Place For Centuries

Christina Smith and son Aiden fill a container with pure mountain spring water from the historic Cold Springs — just as Bryson City area residents have been doing for many generations.

It was because of the spring’s popularity that early residents established the Cold Springs Baptist Church there in 1851, when the area was still part of Macon County. When the new Swain County was carved out of Macon and Jackson counties in 1871, the Cold Springs meeting house served as the new county’s first courthouse and later doubled as a schoolhouse. The original 19th century wood frame church was later replaced by the brick structure above.

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It’s Not Like Shooting Fish In A Barrel, But The Odds Are Improved

Each Fall, in order to provide a catch-basin for heavy Spring rains, the Tennessee Valley Authority begins its annual 56-foot winter drawdown of Fontana Lake. And while some may find exposed rocky shoreline less attractive, fishermen view it differently — with less water in the lake, there’s a greater concentration of fish. Do the math.

Photo by J.R. vanLienden

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