autumn activity in the mountains

Hi everyone!

 We have been busy this week.
Our lot was "view cleared", resulting in a much wider view of Whiteside Mountain. This is the view from the little grill deck off to the side of the porch.



The view from the porch is much better but with screens and blinds in place, it is difficult to photograph.



The vinyl blinds are still down from the storms last week, they will stayed closed for the winter. We are loving using the porch on these Indian summer days. Calling for cooler temps later this week.



The sunrise view is pretty in the morning. I found this plant in the yard, no idea what it is. Anyone know?

We added a dozen native Rhododendron Maximus shrubs to the fenced "wildflower" bed (actually very few flowers, only a few asters) in the driveway to accompany one lonely mature Rhodo. 

Also a dozen Woodland or Swamp sunflowers( Helianthus Divaricatus) inside the fence.

The outer edge of the bed has a new rock border and soil. 

We planted perennial blue salvia, anemones and irises so far. Will have to add more as the seasons progress next year.

Some fall color at the entry corner of the bed.

The cutest little acorns are all over the front yard. I have collected some for the house.

Fun to see the gourds and heirloom pumpkins available each autumn. A little orange beanie!

Some beauties at a local farmer's market. The snake gourd has such a beautiful pattern.

 We have been visiting the waterfalls which is a must do fall activity in the mountains.
Silver Run Falls  has a dramatic shelf that the falls spill over into a perfect pool for swimming,

with a glittery bottom flecked with silver that can be seen through the clear water.

Nearby Silver Run Falls is this lovely view of Lake Jocassee in South Carolina. 

Porch days are going to be gone soon, we will enjoy them while we can. We would love a fireplace on the porch to extend the season, that is on the project to-do list.

Thanks for visiting!

Cindy

around town

Hi everyone! 

Daisies at the Bank of America, Highlands

We are finally feeling somewhat settled in our mountain cottage. 

I  have unpacked most of the second load the movers brought last week. There are still plenty of boxes for me in the basement that I will go through this summer but we are now able to live normally. 

Ferns, lilies, rhododendron, coreopsis and spiderwort in our wooded backyard, no grass cutting!

Gooseneck loosestrife in our front yard.

I am finally getting out and exploring the beautiful towns of Highlands and Cashiers. 

It is fun to do errands on curvy scenic roads and visit all the boutiques and quant shops. No big box stores here! 

Flowers and ferns are everywhere. Crisp mountain air makes colors bright and foliage vibrant. 

Scaveola and ferns outside Vivace in Highlands

There are several garden stores and a few florists I will blog more about later but here are some random sighting from the last few days. I am kicking myself for not getting more shots of a favorite fern, the Australian Tree Fern. Many shops have at least one potted at their entrance. Some big, some small. 

This one

is placed outside of Rusticks, a wonderful shop I discovered a few days ago. I found a set of faux bamboo side tables for our guest room there. It sits on pretty Cashiers Lake in a great rustic lake house.

view from Rusticks porch

view of Rusticks in the distance across Cashiers Lake

Also in Cashiers is Fiddlehead Designs, a lovely florist and event planning co. I forgot to photograph the beautiful begonias and ferns on their front porch. I want to go back and purchase a few for our porch.

An orchid planter at Fiddlehead waiting to be delivered.

Summer Place Antiques has beautiful red hanging begonias  and late blooming hydrangea adorning their entrance...

They also have a pretty log railing with phlox next to the parking area. I will have to post about railings later because there are so many beautiful natural railings made by local craftsmen.

That's all for now. Oh one more thing, this is a view on the way home from Cashiers. 

We live almost halfway between Cashiers and Highlands, about 5 miles from each. This is the view from the road that most likely causes accidents every so often! It is fun to see it change with the weather. Our new favorite activity is mountain watching. Still have not seen a black bear but everyone else around here has!

Thanks for visiting !

Cindy