Not Just Any Amusement Hall
byThere were days, many days in fact, when T.C. DiBella would ride his bike around the small town of Coats, NC, and scrounge for…
Diversions
Beyond the Mackintosh Rose
bySome book clubs involve more wine consumption than literary analysis. And then there’s the Arts and Crafts Book Club, an offshoot of the augustly…
Choosing the Right Ornament
byMost residents and visitors can identify the decorative window dormers and multiple roofs of Biltmore House, its chateau lines curtseying against the Blue Ridge…
The Secret’s in the Soil
byWinter is a meditative time for Black Mountain’s Diana S. McCall. Manager of the town’s one-acre Dr. John Wilson Community Garden, McCall reserves the…
Scientific Magic
byAccording to Ashley Sierra, an herbal botanist in Asheville, using plants as medicine is a practice dating back to the time of ancient Romans…
“Hot for News”
byAlan Williams came close to appearing on Antiques Roadshow once. His packet of 1770s war letters postmarked “Fort Ticonderoga” had piqued the interest of…
Built to Past
byFor the Rural Heritage Museum’s newest exhibit, Shelter on the Mountain: Barns and the Building Traditions of the Southern Highlands, director Les Reker and…
Hobby Set in Stone
byScott Owen of Asheville traces his passion for collecting rocks and minerals to his childhood. “I grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where there was…
The Power of Plants
bySpring gardening is a haven for the senses. The blush of early roses, the soft fuzz of fresh sage, and the sight of chamomile…
Out of This World
by“To me, this is true buried treasure right here in our state,” says John Sinclair of his thousand-piece rock collection, which began with North…