ASH GROVE Cabins and Camping in Brevard, NC

Fall Beauty

2009-10-28T10:38:00.003-04:00

The colors have been fantastic this year! October has been a bit rainy, which has knocked some of the leaves off the trees, but even so, Nature is still putting on a great show. And, heck, even the Brevard Wal-Mart looks good with the painted mountainside as a backdrop.

Mushroom Mania

2009-09-03T14:48:00.004-04:00

Late summer arrives and so do the mushrooms. The last 3 years have been so dry that there haven't been many, but this year...WOW...
I have identified 63 different varieties here on our property, some are deadly poison and some are choice edibles. Some are as small as the head of a pin with thread for a stalk, and others are larger than my head!

One of the strangest looking is the BLACK TRUMPET, it looks nothing like any other mushroom, there is no "cap" on it, it is shaped like the bell of a trumpet, an open vase from top to bottom. Three years ago I went out and picked a basket full and fixed them with a cream sauce and peas. MMMM so good! I didn't see any for the last two years and I had decided that I had over picked them and hadn't left enough for them to regrow the next year, boy was I wrong. It had to have been the drought and not my over picking because this year they are all over the place, I have tempura fried them, made homemade BLACK TRUMPET soup, and still have many many more to be able to try another recipe with them without over picking!

Zack and Judson, the kids of one of our "regular campers" did a mushroom walk with me earlier this year and we discovered a new one I hadn't seen before, I showed the boys how to check the spore print and color to determine what kind of mushroom it was and we discovered that it was an unappetizing looking edible mushroom. The SHAGGY STALKED BOLETE. I told the boys to go and pick three of them and we would saute them that evening and see what they tasted like. I took the skillet with some butter in it down to their campsite after our last camper checked in that night, I sliced the three mushrooms and stems and sauted them in the skillet over the campfire. The boys couldn't wait to see what they tasted like and as soon as they were cooked Zack tried the first piece, it was a slice of the cap, an he immediately exclamed that they tasted like cheese! He was right! Swiss Cheese! Judson then got a piece of the stem and said he thought it tasted like lemons! He was right too. None of us expected to have two totally different flavors come from the same 'shroom but we all agreed that they did really taste like cheese and lemons.

We had a TWO COLOR BOLETE come up and grow and grow and grow, I took a picture of it with my hand fully open and not able to cover the cap, three days later Steven took a picture of my face beside it....well you can see how big it got. It is one of the choice edibles but there are a couple of other 'shrooms that look similar to it that are not edible and Steven didn't want me to try this one in case it was not what I think it is. He just doesn't have the sense of adventure with wild food!

Well that's it from Mark the amateur mushroom mycologist.

The Campfire Gourmet

2009-08-10T15:33:00.002-04:00

One of our regular guests, Steve, emailed us this picture of the great dinner that he cooked at his campsite (one of our Stellar tent sites) on Saturday night. If we had known his cooking was this good, we would have managed to drop in on him around dinnertime!

Now It's the Middle of July!

2009-07-21T18:38:00.004-04:00

This has been our busiest year yet (working on our 7th year in business!) With over 45% of our guests coming back again and again, it has been great getting to visit with old friends and making new ones.
For the most part, the weather has been perfect for the past couple of weeks--daytime temps in the upper 70s with a nice breeze, and nighttime lows around 60--aaahhhh! life in the mountains.
I went on a great little afternoon getaway a week or so ago. I took a short hike on a little-used trail in Pisgah Forest to a waterfall that is off the trail. I sat by the waterfall with a book--it was so refreshing. I had a little picnic on a huge boulder at the edge of the river. The only thing missing was a nap (and maybe a bottle of wine!). The sun was reflecting off the water and rocks, so I wasn't able to get a good photo the falls--maybe next time.
Our last check-in of the day just arrived.......

What Happened to Spring!?!?!?

2009-06-29T17:48:00.003-04:00

Usually we ease into our busy season starting in late spring and peaking in July. We slammed into the busy season in April and haven't let up since, hence the lack of blog posts the past few weeks.
I hardly had time to enjoy spring and summer is here already. My weekly hikes have become monthly hikes. My June hike was last week and I did some trails in Pisgah Forest in the Turkey Pen Gap area. One trail, Riverside, had 8? 10? 12? river crossings of knee height or so. That kept me cool on a warm, muggy day. A nice picnic by the stream....if only I'd had time for a nap.

One of our campers wrote a wonderful review of Ash Grove, with some great photos. Here is the link http://www.squidoo.com/ash-grove-resort

Gotta run!

A Glide Through Nature

2009-05-09T10:11:00.003-04:00

The NC Arboretum, located just over 1/2 hour from Ash Grove, has a new program this spring, "A Glide Through Nature," Segway tours of the Arboretum's 65 acre cultivated gardens and 10 miles of trails on the 434 acre property. The 3 hour guided tour includes woodland trails, seasonal flora highlights and a history of the Bent Creek Watershed in Pisgah Forest. Instruction on the operation of the environmentally friendly--and fun--Segway precedes the tour. The Segways have all-terrain tires to navigate the non-paved trails.
Photo of the native Flame Azalea

Spring's Still Coming

2009-04-11T11:44:00.002-04:00

The Spring weather has been typical Spring weather--a few lovely, warm sunny days that you hope will last forever, followed by a few cold, windy, gloomy, rainy days that you are afraid will last forever. Today is one of the good ones, yesterday we had 2" of rain (which we still really need, so I'm not complaining--but our campers probably wouldn't agree!).
Here at 3000' the sarvis trees are in bloom; the leaves are out on the blackberry bushes; the buds on the trees are just beginning to open; and the foliage for irises & day lilies is shooting up. In Brevard (2200'), it is very green and filled with flowers.

Mountain Cabin Special

2009-03-22T09:42:00.003-04:00

We have a special on our cabins for this week only: Stay a minimum of 2 consecutive nights between 22 Mar and 29 Mar and take $20/night off any cabin! See our website www.ash-grove.com for details and more information about Ash Grove.

Signs of Spring

2009-03-09T11:17:00.003-04:00

It's hard to believe that I took this picture today, just 1 week after the snow pic in the previous post! The snow is long gone and today is the 3rd day of temps in the 70s. I know that it is just a tease--we will have more cold weather, possibly even another little snow--but everyone is enjoying it while it lasts. I have the office windows open and am being serenaded by some songbirds, a gentle breeze and an occasional caw from a crow. But, its back to work for me....

Let It Show!

2009-03-02T11:04:00.005-05:00

Yesterday/last night, we had our first real snowstorm in 4 years or so. It is absolutely gorgeous! There is about 6" on the ground and on the branches and evergreens near the ground, but all of it blew out of the tops of the trees (40mph winds!). It is a nice fluffy, powdery snow, not the hard icy kind that we sometimes get. Several vehicles have gone by this morning, so the roads are at least somewhat passable, but we haven't been out to see for our selves (and probably won't--there is no reason to go out on the road). My snow saucer is calling my name, so I'm cutting this post short. See more pix at our Flickr album.

What's New at Our Cabins, Camping and Brevard, NC

2009-02-20T12:24:00.002-05:00

In time for the (original) deadline for the digital TV changeover, we added satellite TV to our cabins. There is now a great variety of good quality television and XM radio available in the cabins. For our campsites, we are enlarging the tent pads on several of the sites to be able to accommodate the bigger tents that many of our guests want to bring. Also, new for this year is our "Rent-a-Tent" program. We will rent you a tent and have it set-up when you arrive, then take it down for you when you leave. We also have some other camping items available for rent (campstove, etc). You will have to bring your own bedding (sleeping bags, air mattress, cots, or whatever you want to sleep on). This service will start in mid-April.
A new restaurant, Marco Trattoria, just opened in downtown Brevard. We went there last night for Mark's birthday. It was excellent! I had an individual wood-fired pizza (the Bianco--ricotta cheese, fresh basil, garlic and red grapes). Mark had the special of polenta encrusted scallops over parmesan potatoes & leeks with Chianti sauce.

Winter Camping

2009-01-31T10:12:00.005-05:00

In spite of the cold temperatures, (upper 20s at night, mid 40s daytime), we have several campers here this weekend--both tent and RV camping. Some regular campers, Mark and Michael, came a couple of weekends ago when the temp got down to 14 degrees on Friday night. When they made the reservation, they said that they new it was going to be cold. But, knowing the cold and tolerating it are 2 different things. On Saturday morning they stopped by the office and asked if we had a cabin available (we did), so they spent their 2nd night toasty by the gas log fireplace in the cabin.
This weekend, one of our tent campers, Tonya, is here for her 3rd visit since October. The Oct. trip was the first time that she had ever camped, and she loved it. She made the reservations for the 2nd visit while still here on their first. This is her birthday weekend--she said that there is nowhere that she would rather spend her birthday than at Ash Grove. We have had many cabin and camping guests that have returned to Ash Grove again and again for the special occasions of their lives. It makes us feel good that we are a part of their celebrations.

BRRRRRR!

2009-01-16T15:34:00.005-05:00

As is happening with much of the US, the coldest weather in years is upon us. Last night it got down to 7 degrees and today's high was only 28. It is supposed to get down to 4 tonight. Thank goodness for fleece and handwarmers! We haven't really had any snow this season--just a few flurries, enough to lightly cover the ground, but not the roads. We average 3 snowfalls per year here in Brevard, each with 4-6". The state of NC is really good about clearing the mountain roads after a snowfall. When snow is predicted, they park plows and sand trucks at the tops of the mountains and start clearing the roads before the snow has even finished. Most of the roads are cleared within 4 or 5 hours after a snow. The one exception was 4 (I think) years ago, when we had 6" of snow and Charlotte, North Carolina's largest city had 17". Every snowplow in the state headed there first, so it was about a day and a half before we had clear roads. Much of the time, it snows after we have had some warm temps, so it doesn't even stick to the roads, just on the mountainsides and valleys--absolutely gorgeous, but no problems getting around, then gone in a few days--my kind of snow!

(This is Hickory Hideaway, our 2 bedroom cabin during Martin Luther King weekend of 2008, in about 6" of snow)

The Santa Collection Update (see Dec post)

2009-01-16T15:26:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Brenda and Sylvia who read our post about having difficulty finding the Anorexic Santas--they sent us 4 of the duplicates from their collection! And I found a couple at Brevard's new Goodwill Store before xmas, so the collection does continue to grow.

Winter Cabin Special at Ash Grove

2008-12-18T16:02:00.011-05:00

This is our new ad for our winter cabin special:

Ash Grove
2009 Winter Cabin Special
$50 & MORE Gift Certificate(s) OR
Cash Discount up to $100

Get amazing savings at your favorite vacation spot! By staying with us in any cabin, for 2 or 3 nights in the months of Jan or Feb, 2009, you receive a $50 gift certificate that you can use on a future stay, or give as a gift to friends or relatives. If you stay 4 - 6 nights, you receive an additional $50 gift certificate. And, if you stay 7 nights or more, you get 3 gift certificates, for a grand total of $150 in savings! That's more than a night FREE in any of our cabins, but you can also use them for camping. OR take $30 off the price of a 2 or 3 night stay, $60 off 4-6 nights and $100 off a stay of 7 nights or more.Don't miss out on this amazing deal--call and book your cabin for a winter wonderland vacation at Ash Grove. Call Ash Grove at 828-885-7216 or visit our website www.ash-grove.com

Special applies to new reservations only.

Not valid with other specials or discounts.

The fine print for gift certificate use:
Reservations required & subject to availability. Valid for cabins or camping.
Not valid on :Memorial & Labor Day weekends, or stays including the days of
July 4th, Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Years Eve.
Not redeemable for cash. No change given.
No expiration date, but if not used by 12/31/2010, certificate must be renewed

Brevard, NC Christmas Parade

2008-12-07T17:55:00.014-05:00

Brevard held its 2008 Christmas Parade on Sat, 7 Dec. Mark and I were 2 of the judges (thanks Kim, for being the 3rd). This was the best parade in Brevard that we have seen since we attended our first one in 2002--that year, there were fire trucks, Girl &Boy Scout troops and not much else. Some of this year's floats could easily hold their own in a big-city parade. We had 5 trophies to give out, but there were several additional deserving entries. A non-winner that we really liked was the Strykes Again Family Fun Center entry. It was a tinsel-covered old limousine, that the Strykes Again owners said should get the "Tackiest Float" award (unfortunately, that wasn't a category). After the parade, was Twilight Tour, where the downtown merchants hold open house, with refreshments, entertainment, etc. Over 1000 luminarias lit the sidewalks and our courthouse provided a backdrop for the festivities.

The Reluctant Santa (Collection, that is)

2008-12-07T17:21:00.010-05:00

I started putting up our holiday decorations at Ash Grove today. My favorite decoration is our collection of tall, skinny Santas (we call them our Anorexic Santas). We didn't start out to have a collection, it just sort of happened. Mark has always liked the Green Man/Tree Spirit/Woodspirit type of carvings, and one year I found a holiday-themed one for a stocking stuffer. Then, somehow, the next year we both had one in our stockings. Now, we have 45 of them, or so (depending if you count the ones that are permanently attached together as 1 or multiple Santas, and technically, a couple of them aren't Santas, but let's not get nitpicky). Personally, I think that they multiply in secret during the Summer while they are in their storage box. We have slowed down in acquiring them--in the past few years they have been hard to find. There are plenty of tall, skinny snowmen to be found, but we don't have a snowman collection, nor do we want to start one. Maybe the Santas will come back into fashion, since the Idea Police think that fat Santas are not good role models for kids.

Small Town Holidays

2008-11-24T11:36:00.008-05:00

Brevard is gearing up for the holidays. It is a charming small town with lots of activities. Come up and stay with us at Ash Grove, then rekindle your childhood memories or make new traditions with:

On Dec. 6th, the downtown streets of Brevard will be transformed into a magical world of holiday cheer during the Heart of Brevard's 21st Annual Twilight Tour.

The sidewalks will glow in the light of 1000 luminaries, and school children & the community choir & musicians will gather at the courthouse gazebo to fill the evening air with holiday song. You'll be able to roast your own marshmallows for making s' mores and decorate sugar cookies. For adults, the Merchant Open House offers a unique and wonderful holiday shopping opportunity. The retail stores will offer special discounts, refreshments and entertainment. And the Mistletoe Market is the perfect place to find a Transylvania Christmas tree, wreath or garland.

On 4-7 Dec, the Silvermont Mansion will house 35 extravagant decorated Christmas trees. Admission is $3, benefitting local charities.

Tour some of Brevard's most beautiful homes on 13 Dec at the annual Holiday Tour of Homes. Admission is $30, benefiting local charities.

Bluegrass Holiday at the Porter Center with Steep Canyon Rangers is on 19 Dec. 828-243-3496

Brevard Little Theatre presents "The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge" on 12-14 & 19-21 December. www.brevardlittletheatre.com

Holiday favorites by Vivaldi, Bach, Verdi, etc will be presented by the Carolina Concert Choir and Orchestra at the Porter Center on 20 Dec. www.carolinaconcertchoir.org

Throughout the holiday season, there are several choose-and-cut tree farms in the area where you can get a fresh tree. Also all during the holidays, the local arts center, arts guild, arts cooperative and our local potters and other craftsmen are hosting sales of great gift items.

More musical events are scheduled for the nearby cities of Hendersonville and Asheville, and other cultural events are happening during the week and on the weekends through Christmas in our area.

Slower Times

2008-11-17T09:47:00.005-05:00

Now that October is gone, business is slowing down a bit at Ash Grove. That gives us a chance to get maintenance and repairs done that we can't do during the busy season. Of course, leaf removal is our number one priority right now. Probably 95% of the leaves have fallen from the trees, so we are getting them off the roads, walkways, roofs, grass and gardens. I wonder how many tons of leaves fall on our 14 acres.....
Every season is different and beautiful, so it is still a wonderful time to come to the mountains. With many of the tourists and seasonal residents gone, there are fewer people on the roads and the hiking & mountainbiking trails and at the waterfalls. And with the leaves gone, the views are even more far-ranging and you can see many wateralls that are hidden by vegetation in the summer.
The weather is generally mild (average daytime temperatures are in the 50s and 60s in Nov and Dec). There is a slight chance for a light dusting of snow this time of year--enough to be pretty, but not enough to cause problems on the roads. After winter really arrives, we can expect average daytime temps for Jan and Feb to be in the upper 40s to lower 50s. On average we get 2 to 3 snowfalls per year, of 2-6 inches each.---breathtakingly beautiful, but still easy to get around on the roads.
With choose-and-cut Christmas tree farms, Brevard's small town holiday celebrations, a charming downtown for shopping, mild weather and beautiful views, this is a great time to come and visit!

Halloween and More Fall Color

2008-10-31T19:00:00.007-04:00

We had the 2nd annual Ash Ghoul, the Haunted Campground on Saturday, 25 Oct. One of our nature trails became a haunted trail. We had cabin and campsite decorating contests and a costume contest. Hot cider, cookies, treats, marshmallows, ghost stories and more were dished up by our bonfire. We all had a great time.

There is still plenty of fall color in the area. We are almost at peak here at Ash Grove, and as you drive the 15 minutes to Caesar's Head State Park, just over the NC-SC state line, you can see that there is problably another week and a half or 2 weeks of Autumn glory. Come and see it!

Kiva--Loans That Change Lives

2008-10-10T18:21:00.004-04:00

Kiva is a program in which you can loan as little as $25 to entrepreneurs in an underdeveloped country, to help them start or expand their small businesses. You can help them lift themselves, their families, even their entire villages out of poverty.
AmEx cardmembers voted for Kiva, and helped them get $300K, but more needs to be done.
Go to http://www.kiva.com/ and do your part to make our world a better place.

Fall Hike to Mt Pisgah

2008-10-09T16:28:00.007-04:00

On Tuesday, I hiked to the top of Mt. Pisgah (elev. 5170'), on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trail is about 1.5 miles in each direction, with a climb of over 700'. The trail is very rocky, but in good repair. There is an observation deck at the tip. The colors at that elevation were still not at peak, so I would say that we will have another 3 to 4 weeks of great color in our area. Here are a couple of pix that I took, with more on our Flickr site

ht tp://www.flickr.com /photos/ash_grove_brevard/

Gasoline Situation--Updated 9 Oct

2008-10-01T15:06:00.004-04:00

Update 10/9/08: All the stations still don't have gas all the time, but more than half do at any given time, and there don't seem to be any lines any more.
Local officials say that it may be another week before everything is back to normal, but there is no reason to stay away because of the gas situation.

Beginnings of Fall, Part 2

2008-09-28T10:11:00.004-04:00

I took this photo on 28 Sep 08, from the front porch of our office. A few trees are getting some color. The official "Fall Color Guy" for the state of NC has predicted a very spectacular leaf season, due to the drought. There is a silver lining to every dark cloud. See the fall color report at http://www.visitnc.com/fallcolor/fallcolor_report.asp

Beginnings of Fall

2008-09-14T16:35:00.004-04:00

While the weather is still summer-like (daytime temps in the upper 70s), there is beginning to be a feeling of fall in the air. The katydids are singing a little softer at night, geese are beginning to fly overhead, the tree foliage is becoming a darker green and squirrels are frantically buttressing their nests and carrying acorns.

This is a perfect time to visit the mountains (actually, any time is the perfect time to visit the mountains). Most people have ended their summer vacations, so there is less traffic on the roads, the hiking trails hold more solitude, the waterfalls are uncrowded and the birds, celebrating the cooler weather, fill the air with song.

When the leaves change colors (usually beginning mid-October) the beauty of the mountainsides is unparallelled. There will be more people here then. It is often joked that there is no one left in the state of Florida during October--they are all here looking at leaves.