Category: bed and breakfast

Picnic baskets, they way they oughta be

Ok, I’d like to think I’m fairly intelligent, but have to admit that it took me fifteen years (that’s right, years) to finally figure out that when folks leave here with a picnic basket, it should be a memento of their time in the mountains, not a Made in China purchase. Good heavens. Years.

Yesterday, Larry and I spent a wonderful afternoon with Judy (my bride c. 2012) at the Church Street Craft Fair in Waynesville. Only it’s not on Church Street any more, it’s on Main Street. I think that’s a topic for another day. Anyway. Did I mention that I’m easily distracted these days? Ok. Where was I? Oh yes. Years.

I stepped into a booth and was just transported. Not that kind of booth. I mean, I didn’t go into a time warp or start talking into my shoe or suddenly find myself dressed in a cape and a shirt with a big red S on the chest. Not that kind of transported. I mean a vendor booth at the market – this one filled with the prettiest baskets I’ve seen! Each basket was wonderfully detailed and carefully crafted. Naturally I asked about who made them and the very nice lady in the booth told me that indeed, she had. When I said that they were just exquisite, she actually blushed. Clearly she was pleased, but by way of demonstrating my sincerity, I promptly bought all she had in the size I needed. And I couldn’t be happier about that!

Walking through the remainder of the fair (and what a fair! bluegrass and bagpipes! not at the same time – I don’t know if I’d enjoy that – but the entertainment was great) folks were stopping me right and left to admire my pretty baskets, laced up my arms and held every which way.

So. No more made-in-china baskets. Now, when you get a picnic lunch here, you’ll have a hand-crafted basket, lovingly created by a local artisan. And Miss Laura Ann has burned her initials on the bottom corner of each one: her signature. All the baskets are different, with painted flowers, or braided rope, but all the ones I got have the curled wood at the top, which the artist told me is called a tulip edge. I got completely distracted by that, and we had a nice long conversation about tulips vs lilies vs iris. I probably thought of ‘iris’ because she had a whole row of them worked into one basket in a beautiful blue. Not quite a violet blue, but more like a periwinkle. Like an iris would be. The little Siberian iris, not the bearded ones – those come in oh so many beautiful colors, not just periwinkle blue. I couldn’t get that one because it wasn’t nearly big enough, but oh I did love the Siberian Iris blue colored tulip edge! See there? Distracted.

These are a generous 15×12 and 9 inches tall (plus the handle) and nice and sturdy, so they can hold a healthy-sized picnic lunch, complete with a pie. I do love finding a whole entire pie in the bottom of a picnic basket, don’t you? I mean, that could be distracting for anybody, not just me…

And you can take home your hand-crafted Appalachian artwork basket to enjoy for years. That’s right. Years.

.

October 13, 2013
Trout Fishing – complete with rod & reel and mini-tackle box with lures $5

This is just a marvelous program – North Carolina Wildlife Resources has a Mountain Heritage Trout Waters program that makes it a piece o’ cake for you to fish for trout while you’re staying with us! Three miles of hatchery-supported trout stream in Maggie Valley have been designated for fishing within this program, and $5 gets you a three-day license.

No rod & reel? No problem! They have loaners. And every registrant receives a first-time gift of a mini-tackle box with assorted lures.

All the information is right here, and you can even buy your license online.
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Fishing/LearnResources/Programs/MountainHeritageTroutWatersProgram.aspx

If you’d rather wait ’til you arrive, the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce is just down the road, and you can get ’em there, too.

.

October 9, 2013
Casa Blanca – queen of the lilies

The first of the Casa Blancas has bloomed – I always hold my breath, waiting for these regal beauties. There’s nothing quite like the pure white blooms, so much larger than any other flower I’ve grown. And the scent is divine!

I took the photo below this morning, unretouched, and the white of the lily set the blue sky so deep it’s surreal.

And this – well. This is another angle that just rocked my little world….

I’m trying to figure out this whole word-press blog, thing, so bear with me… but I’mpretty sure that you can click the images for a larger version. We’ll see…

And while this one may have been overshadowed by the arrival of the Casa Blanca, it’s still every bit as welcome. Say hello to the Gold Band Lily.

Still more to come…

.

July 29, 2013
Guest Blogger? How about Guest Poet…

This poem was in the room journal, left by our guests this weekend. Made me all misty! But I ask you, how wonderful is this?

Sh.. I have a secret
That I just have to tell
I met a fairy godmother
Into the rabbit hole I fell.

She welcomed me with open arms,
And a beautifully mischievous grin.
Then with a wave of her wand,
Showed me where dreams begin.

It was a pretty little cottage,
Nestled daintily in the trees,
Quietly offering sanctuary;
A haven for a soul in need.

From the first moment I entered
And stepped through the front door,
The feeling of home and comfort
Seeped from every pore.

The cheery crackle of the fireplace,
And the soothing rush of the stream,
Invited the body to rest and relax,
And encouraged the soul to dream.

And oh my! The fairy godmother knows all!
And her wedding fairy sees too!
Dreams never spoken
Somehow come true.

Waving away worries with a magical wand
In her magic I should trust,
And believe in a world filled
With love and magical fairy dust.

What more can a bride ask for
Than for a fairy godmother and her crew
To treat her like a princess
And make her dreams come true?

Of course this would be true,
How could it be any other way?
When a fairy godmother waves her wand
Poof! A beautifully perfect stay.

…

April 1, 2013
Appalachian Mountains? Smokies? Blue Ridge?

We are, according to the USGS (United States Geological Survey, the official mapping service of the federal government) in both the Appalachian mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are part of the Appalachians.

The Great Smoky Mountains is a national park. While we are not physically in the park, we are colloquially in the Smoky Mountains. (USGS actually refers to our area as the Appalachian Blue Ridge.) For instance, Dolly Parton is ‘from the Smoky Mountains’ and sings ‘Smoky Mountain music’ and has an album called ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas’. None of these refer to the national park, but rather this particular region of the Appalachian Blue Ridge, which is in immediate proximity to the borders of that which Roosevelt declared a national park.

We are, legitimately, in: the Smoky Mountains, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Appalachian Mountains, simultaneously.

This also gives credence to why the Appalachian Trail passes by us, from Georgia on its way north, and also the Blue Ridge Parkway’s immediate presence.

So, Great Smoky Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian Mountains… it all comes together for you here at Timberwolf Creek.

Glad I could help sort that out for you. 😉

.

October 11, 2012

Quarterversary – the 3 Month Anniversary Gift List

I love my brides. You all know that I do. Grooms are pretty ok, too.

And they’re always saying, once the wedding ceremony’s done and they’re heading back home, “We’re definitely coming back for our anniversary!” I’ve taken to responding, “You don’t have to wait a year. You can come back on your 3-month anniversary.”

Today, Mary (who keeps my own house neat and tidy, and calls herself my Mary Maid), suggested folks celebrate their quarterly anniversary. Brilliant! And it even has a word: it’s a Quarterversary.

So, y’all know my life is filled with tongue-in-cheek humor and zany stuff. There are lists of “appropriate” and “traditional” wedding gifts for wedding anniversaries. But none exist for the quarterversary! I felt duty-bound to create such a list, as I am, after all, the Wedding Fairygodmother.

Without further ado, then, I present to you, the Quarterversary Gift List (Traditional)

Year	Anniversary Gift	Quarter	Quarterversary Gift
		1st	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
		2nd	Ditto
		3rd	2nd Honeymoon (at Timberwolf Creek)
1st	Paper	4th	Paper… gift certificate for Timberwolf Creek – surprise!
		5th	Girlfriend Getaway to Timberwolf Creek
		6th	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
		7th	Guys Golf & Fishing Getaway at Timberwolf Creek
2nd	Cotton	8th	Cotton… Timberwolf Creek bathrobes
		9th	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
		10th	Lords a leapin’ (sorry, couldn’t resist)
		11th	11 ounce handcrafted Timberwolf Creek mugs
3rd	Leather	12th	Leather… new suitcase – to take, guess where!
		13th	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
		14th	Special Dinner Out -to plan your next Maggie Valley getaway
		15th	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
4th	Linen, silk	16th	Linen or silk… pajamas… for your trip… to Timberwolf Creek
		17th	Do something extra special for the babysitter/dogsitter…
		18th	Weekend Getaway (at Timberwolf Creek)
		19th	Time to sit down and plan the Big Trip – to renew your vows!
5th	Wood	20th	Wood… picture frame… for your 5th Anniverary portrait
			taken, naturally, at Timberwolf Creek -where else?

July 30, 2012

Horses in the pasture come to greet me

The air is fresh and cool after a good rain. The only sound is coming from the creek. It’s hard to describe how serene it is. You have to just see it for yourself. —Larry

July 13, 2012
Buttermilk Pancakes – light as air and lots tastier

Buttermilk Pancakes – light as air and lots tastier

The whole entire secret to making good pancakes -really excellent pancakes- is eggs. You can use a recipe, you can use a mix. But if you use a mix, you have to ignore the part where it doesn’t call for eggs. Separate a couple of eggs, and beat the egg whites – you want them pretty stiff, like a meringue. I sprinkle in a bit of sugar toward the end because I’m impatient and it makes them peak faster. (‘Peak’ as in, when you lift the beater out of the egg whites, it leaves a nice peak.) Now, set these aside and mix up your regular pancake batter, and fold in that meringue. I’ve used lots of recipes, but none of them make better tasting pancakes than Krusteaz buttermilk pancake mix. Now, I do add Mexican vanilla and the eggs to that mix. If you’re a purist who wants a recipe, here’s mine: 2 eggs, 3 C flour, 2 T baking powder, 1 t baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 2 T sugar, 1 T brown sugar, 2 C buttermilk, 1 T Mexican vanilla, plus whole milk as necessary. Whip egg whites, adding 1 T sugar to help them hold their peaks. Set aside. Mix everything else, including egg yolks. Add milk in small amounts until you have the consistency of very heavy paint. And then fold in the egg whites. They don’t need to be blended in completely. Cook on a preheated 350 griddle.

The reason for the first tablespoon of sugar is to make the meringue. The second is to sweeten the batter. The brown sugar adds depth. The meringue makes the pancakes say, “Poof!” when they hit the griddle, and puffs them up light as air, while the sugars combine to make them brown so prettily.

The reason for the Mexican vanilla is two-fold. First, it’s really good vanilla. The second is that, when I’m out of vanilla, Larry has to take me back to Mexico. If you are tempted, now, to tell Larry where I can find Mexican vanilla closer to home, I’m going to have to do something about you. So… don’t… Ok?

If you just really don’t like to cook, that’s ok. I’ve got this one. Come on down, and I’ll make you up a mess o’ pancakes.

…

June 23, 2012
Daffodils, Lilacs and Hostas – Oh My!

It must be April! The daffodils have already been blooming like mad in an early spring frenzy. The one pictured here is a late-comer (if you can imagine a daffodil being late on the first of April. But isn’t he a beauty, all white and dapper with his pale yellow collar…

His name is actually Loth Lorien, which is ‘the fairest forest of the realm’ in JRR Tolkein’s Lord of the Rings, and is not only home to the Elves, but a place where time stands still… and that’s pretty much what happened to me when I spotted these this morning – I just froze and stared at them for I don’t know how long.

Ah, Spring time…

And the Hostas are coming out nicely, down by the creek – looks like they’ll be enormous this year. Scott came and split the beauties growing at the Cottage and put them all around the property. This one is called American Sweetheart Hosta, and it is a particular favorite of mine. The American Sweethearts and Patriots (similar colors but in reverse, with creamy white margins around a deep green center) are heirloom plants, put here by Colonel ‘Pug’ Pugmire when he built the Creek House in the 60s. We’ve tended and split and shared many of this one’s offspring.

Even the lilacs are putting on an early show for us this year. I did take pictures of the ones already blooming (after pressing my face deep into the middle of them and inhaling their intoxicating fragrance. Not like I couldn’t smell them from further away, but I could, so I did. What luxury! Bliss! -wait a second, what was I saying?) Oh yes. I did take pictures of the full blooms, but this one with the buds just seemed to show the promise of spring better than any of the others, so presented here, for your pleasure… Lilacs in bud:

The lilac is actually another of Pug’s legacies. The one he planted is way down the creek bank, and stays in full shade. It continued to grow, of course, but didn’t reach the sun until I’d been here a full dozen years – I was stunned to come out one morning to the heady scent of lilac and wondered, ‘What in the world?’ Looking far up into the tip-top (about ten feet!) there was a single bloom, and the breeze sent the fragrance sailing. It was downright magical. But everything here is, you know. No big surprise there. It started putting out little shoots that year, and I transplanted two to the roadside beds, where they’d have the afternoon sun. This is only the second year for lilacs out there, and this photo is one of dozens of blooms on that bush! I’m pretty happy about that.

Now, anybody who knows me knows that I am mad for Lilies. Day lilies. Oriental lilies. Asiatic lilies. Tiger lilies. Turk’s Cap and Trumpet lilies and Easter lilies. I love the lilies. All this wonderful stuff in spring is, for me, just the forerunner of summer when the lilies arrive. The day lilies are far earlier, of course, and I have different varieties that bloom from late spring right through the end of summer, but the others – the true lilies – don’t start until late June and continue through August. I was astonished to find that I they are up and out of the ground and growing like crazy!

Stargazer and Casablanca Lilies, already growing in April!

It was a spectacular spring day,
as I wandered with the camera trying to capture bits and pieces to remember…
Here’s the creek – my little bit of paradise.
You can see that even the Rhodies are planning to make a grand entrance,
since they are already budding.
So glad to be able to share this place with all our wonderful guests.

Springtime at Timberwolf Creek

Wishing you all a wonderful spring, and hope to see you here soonly!

~

April 3, 2012
s’More Apples

Ok, so I bought the teeny tiny itty-bitty micro mini squishy marshmallows to make scones. Because I was buying raspberry chocolate chips for scones, and lemon drops for scones, and cinnamon bits for scones, and I already had milk chocolate chips and graham crackers at home… so when I spotted the teeny tiny itty-bitty micro mini squishy marshmallows, I thought, “Aha! S’more scones!”

But this morning wasn’t about scones. We were having Cherry Chapelure (my version of oven French toast) with a pecan praline topping, and I had these lovely apples for the fruit course. I really (really) didn’t want to make baked stuffed apples. And the t.t.i-b.m.m.sq. marshmallows were just sitting there… trying to look all innocent… temptation in the making… irresistible…

So, I peeled, cored and sliced the apples. This next step will revolutionize your morning, if you haven’t figured it out already: put the apple slices in a bowl with a healthy splash of orange juice (toss ’em around in it). The OJ will keep them from browning. Now cover and steam them in the microwave until they are just tender. They get a head start on cooking, and it helps them keep their shape.

I sprayed ramekins and layered the apple slices with a sprinkling of t.t.i-b.m.m.sq. marshmallows. Not too many. Just enough to make the apples say ahhh. Then I put graham crackers and vanilla wafers into a big baggie, sealed it shut, and rolled them just like a pastry with my rolling pin, until I had nice coarse crumbs. Added just a hint of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves to the baggie, shook it up, and topped my apples. Then I melted way too much butter and drizzled it over the top. Off it went into the oven to bake with the Chapelure and sausage patties, and voila – breakfast.

This was all packed into the breakfast basket along with cinnamon-vanilla syrup, maple syrup, orange juice, and everything they needed to make a picnic breakfast happen, covered in pretty linens, flowers tied to the basket, and delivered to the cottage door.

And voila. S’more Apples. A new addition to my breakfast repertoire, for sure!

March 26, 2012