Last minute Specials on Asheville Cabins

Stay 3 nights get the 4th FREE!
on last minute reservations secured and departed between July 15-31

Carolina Mornings

Mountain Sunshine	Red Wolf	Black Bear

Buck Horn	Hidden Pond	Among The Clouds

Pumpkin Patch	Biltmore Villa Hideaway	Eagles Landing

Flying Fish	Pond Cove	Sunrise

Call 855.398.0712 to book or search our rental options.

Tell me a Story - at the 13th Annual Toe RIver Story Telling Festival

Storytelling is an integral part of North Carolina culture and heritage. There were times when the tradition of elders telling stories was the only way to preserve the memories of the native mountain peoples as well as the immigrants who followed. Storytelling was both history and art because a combination of the two was necessary to fully express the events experienced in the drama of real life.

Today, Storytelling is NOT a lost art - at least not in the mountains of North Carolina. Could there be a better place than in the world's oldest mountains to enjoy the tales of life and love and heritage?

For 13 years storyteller and listeners have been congregating in the Riverside Park in Downtown Spruce Pine, NC. This July 16th will be like years past. On the banks of the beautiful Toe River across from the railroad lines that make their way through downtown Spruce Pine visitors and tellers will come together and enjoy the warm southern mountain July air and share the stories of yesterday and today.

The tellers for the Toe River Storytelling Festival will bring to life centuries of mountain lore, enriching the listeners’ understanding of the unique history and heritage of this region. The event takes place from 9 Am to 4 PM at Riverside in downtown Spruce Pine NC.

Update from I Love Mountains.org - Contact Congress information

Submitted by  Matt Wasson,  iLoveMountains.org

Time and time again in the 112th Congress, we have seen attacks on federal regulations of mountaintop removal coal mining through our clean water laws. This week, the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act (HR 2018) will come to a vote in the US House of Representatives. Tell your congressperson that HR 2018 is an attack on Appalachia, the environment, and human health: http://ilovemountains.org/war-on-water

This bill would essentially roll back 40 years of protection established by the Clean Water Act, including provisions that grant the EPA the authority to regulate mountaintop removal coal mining. It would turn all of that power over to state agencies that are beholden to the powerful coal industry. We cannot stand by and let this attack on your clean water go unnoticed. Contact your member of Congress today:
http://ilovemountains.org/war-on-water

While we realize we face an up hill battle in the House, we need to let it be known that we will not stand aside and allow continued destruction of the communities, land and water of Appalachia. This is a fight we can absolutely win, and we expect this bill to be defeated in the Senate. But in order to do so, we need to demonstrate our opposition to this bill in the House.

Please take action today and ask your friends and family to do the same.
For the mountains,
Matt Wasson
iLoveMountains.org

Asheville's Carrier Park potential Coca-Cola Grant recipient

Through its Live Positively initiative, Coca-Cola will award grants totaling $175,000 to the three U.S. parks. The public can vote for their favorite park at www.livepositively.com/#/americasparks/vote, and while only one park will receive the title of "America's Favorite Park," grants will be given to the three parks that receive the most votes by September 6, 2011. These grants of $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000 can be used to restore, rebuild or enhance places within the park to play or be active.

RiverLink, the local non-profit working to revitalize the French Broad River and environs as a place for everyone to live, work and play, has nominated Asheville's Carrier Park.   "Just think of the amenities that could be added to Carrier with $100,000 or even $25,000," said RiverLink's Dave Russell. "We could build more trails, another fishing platform, a canoe launch ... we'd let the public weigh in on how to spend the grant and follow their lead. So please vote often, as you can vote as many time as you like."

According to Karen Cragnolin, executive director of RiverLink, "We are so proud of Carrier Park,. In 1999 when RiverLink bought the old speedway and eventually turned it into carrier park we had no idea, although we were very hopeful, that it would become the number one park destination in the city wide system. Carrier Park really does offer something for everyone - so we hope that everyone will vote often!."

To vote, visit www.livepositively.com/#/americasparks/vote, and put the word "Carrier" in the window beside the words "Search for a park." When the little orange balloon comes up, click on it and vote.