Wandering – Hartwell and Beyond

Category: Wandering

The Beacon Bed and Breakfast – A tale of donkey songs

It all started with a couple of donkeys, or rather the sound of braying donkeys. In the twilight, sitting on their deck, neighbors Catherine Graham, Sharon Magee, Ellen East and her husband, David, would often joke about their evening symphony. In 2011, Graham and Magee moved to Hartwell to a quiet cove in Hartwell on the lake. David and Ellen found their way to the same cove when deciding to move back to Georgia. Ellen, an executive with Time Warner, was anticipating the next chapter of her life. Little did they know that those braying donkeys were telling these neighbors that the next chapter lay across the cove. Graham became more and more curious and she and Magee set out to find the musical animals. They began taking rides along the roads across the cove until they found the Nesmith farm. The home of the braying donkeys. The farm was…

The Flowering Bridge, Lake Lure NC

When the Rocky Broad River Bridge closed to traffic in 2011, the community was faced with a decision, tear the historic bridge out, or find another way to preserve the bridge. The community chose to find another use. They decided on a 155 foot garden: I think that qualifies for some major upcycling! I see so many abandoned bridges across my travels. I wish that more communities would see the potential and make them bridges to community. These gardens are truly wonderful. Different gardens were done by different groups and still somehow the garden is a cohesive botanical wonder. There is a children’s fairy garden, there are herbs, there are botanical sculptures and so much more. As we wandered through, we both found plants we loved, some, like Cuphea llavea 'Georgia Scarlet' or bat-faced flower, were a cherished rediscovery. The bridge spans the French Broad river at a particularly serene spot.…

Chimney Rock/Lake Lure NC

Sometimes you just have to get away, right? Whether it is from a significant other, work, kids or just everything, calling a time out is just what the Doctor ordered. Last Fall, I took a time out with a friend who was also in need. We wanted someplace not too far away, so we could make the most of the few days, but far enough away to feel like an escape. We wanted some good options for meals, a comfortable place to lay our heads and some interesting things to do. Lake Lure, North Carolina checked all the boxes. We took off and drove a beautiful drive of only about 2 hours [caption id="attachment_294" align="alignleft" width="225"] On a "beach" at Lake Lure, with restaurants in walking distance[/caption] away from Hartwell piddling along. I had made reservations at the Esmerelda Inn which was perfect for us. The Inn sits right off…