I can’t help myself! This has been one of the most spectacular autumns in recent years & we keep finding pictures to share of the beauty at GORGES at Lake Toxaway! This leaf personifies all the colors we are enjoying on our walks are GORGES at Lake Toxaway! It shows the brilliant scarlet & golds & yellows while right next to it is one that is 1/3 scarlet & 2/3 gold – almost as if the larger leaf has “bled” onto the smaller one. There are also portents of things to come as there are leaves that are brown & even some that are grey… GORGES at Lake Toxaway in the fall, beauty every where we look!
This is one of my favorite sights – at any time of the year – here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway – the huge trees – together or singly. Today we view one of the Elders – I think it is a black walnut tree – swathed in a covering of snow! The picture cannot convey the majesty of this wonderful old tree so you will have to come & see it for yourself. But until you visit, take my word for it – this is truly a wonderous sight! A snow covered Elder at GORGES at Lake Toxaway! Put this on your bucket list!!
OK, those of you who know me, know that I love to learn & I can tell you that the property of GORGES at Lake Toxaway has taught me quite a bit! However, I do not know, nor can I find a site that tells me what these flowers(?) are! They are fuzzy & brown, rather like sandspurs but much bigger. Also, rather than “stickers” (technical term), they are fuzzy. Sure hope someone out there can help me find out what these flowers (?) are! All we know right now is that they are residents of GORGES at Lake Toxaway & they are intriguing !
We couldn’t help but grin when we thought of the title for this picture taken at Bearwallow, in the conservation easement at GORGES at Lake Toxaway. The vivid colors of the leaves against the shimmering water were breathtaking! Of course we must admit to being slightly prejudiced but then we do have the advantage of living on this special property: GORGES at Lake Toxaway
GORGES at Lake Toxaway has an antique mower once pulled by horses around the fields. Today, that old mower stands as a testament to the ones that came before us, the Fisher pioneers who came to this place when it was wilderness & made it their home & to whom, we here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway are forever grateful! However, even though it was probably a well kept piece of machinery in its day, even it couldn’t mow in the snow!
Due to the low temperatures, the snow is staying quite nicely here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway as it is everywhere in the region! It is so wonderful to look out the window & see the snow covering everything in sight! It gives a new dimension to everything from trees to beehives to bushes to mountain ridges! Still more wonderful views at the GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
Throughout this year, one of the most unusual sights at GORGES at Lake Toxaway has been this grouping of various trees around this beautiful dead tree. One of the guys wanted to cut it down but we said no, it is home to various “critters” & the woodpeckers love it. Now we are certainly glad we stopped him. Viewing this silvery wood next to the vivid sky & the brilliant fall colors gave us yet another thing to love about living at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
As we have said many times before, the gorgeous scenery at GORGES at Lake Toxaway changes each & every day! Today was no exception. As we hiked around the perimeter trail at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, it was as if we were walking thru the clouds. Some of the long range mountain ridges were completely covered with the clouds but as we watched, the clouds parted & more vistas were revealed. GORGES at Lake Toxaway is as close to heaven as it can possibly be & we are blessed to be here!
Snow in western NC is a beautiful sight but it is particularly gorgeous at GORGES at Lake Toxaway & early snows are always particularly wonderful! Snow had been forecasted & we did receive it but it went away very quickly & wasn’t but a covering on the ground. However, on Saturday night, even though just a covering was forecasted, GORGES at Lake Toxaway received over 4 inches! I have attached pictures of the snow earlier this year as the low temperatures & a cold have kept me indoors but they are very close to the same! As we said previously, snow in WNC is beautiful but at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, it is gorgeous!
GORGES at Lake Toxaway is a very historic place what with it being the old home place of John Fisher and the Native American connections. As we gazed at this bush with its bright red leaves – made even more brilliant against the blue of the sky, we thought of red coats. Perhaps not the red coats remembered in the phrase above but still very evocative! Those of us who are fortunate enough to reside at GORGES at Lake Toxaway are very happy with the arrival of these “red coats”!
At GORGES at Lake Toxaway, fall is a word that is almost overworked! We have the gorgeous BearWallow Falls which changes daily, but it is most beautiful in the fall (see!). Plus the water is falling….as are the leaves…. This picture does its best to combine all the falls – the falls themselves, the water, the leaves, the season, etc. etc. etc. Can you tell we here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway have fallen for this gorgeous area (sorry, I just couldn’t resist)!
How wonderful to be able to walk around GORGES at Lake Toxaway in any sort of weather! The Avenue of the Elders leads to Toxaway Vista Circle which leads to the Conservation Easement Trails, all of which are easily accessible in almost any weather. On this day, which was cloudy & eventually did rain on us, we were surrounded by the clouds on several occasions which is a wonderfully mystical-like experience – just another fantastic perk of living at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
Seeing this brilliant red leaf on the ground, as we walked around GORGES at Lake Toxaway, I snapped a picture. Looking at the picture now, a few days later, we see so much more than before. Look at the cycles in this picture. The mountains are represented by the gravel & the sand – cycling down from huge to tiny. The other leaves have had their moment to shine & are now brown & withered. But this red leaf is shining. Yes, it does have some decay but the rest of it shines & will continue to do so, until it, like the other leaves & the sand & gravel continue the natural cycle. We, here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway are glad to be a part of this wonderful cycle.
We have already written that this has been a very unusually warm fall. This was proven by the attached photo of daisies blooming on the Conservation Easement Trail at GORGES at Lake Toxaway. Daisies have always seemed to us to be such friendly flowers. Daisies are composite flowers. This means that rather than one flower, the central disk is composed of many tiny small flowers each with their own pistil and stamen. look at this flower through a magnifying glass as we did. You may be surprise, as we were, to see what looks like hundreds of flowers compacted together on the head. We are very happy that our bees spend a good deal of time with these flowers, enjoying the delicious nectar. The rays of a composite (what we call the petals) are the second type of flower. This way a visiting bee can cross-pollinate literally thousands of flowers by visiting one many-headed plant. Its evolutionary advantage is one of a great genetic diversity, and another reason there are as many as 292 genera, accounting for thousands of different species. At GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we are proud to welcome these beautiful residents & would like to thank them for their friendly beauty and their delicious nectar!
As the leaves fall from the trees, it opens up even more expanded views. At GORGES at Lake Toxaway, the sun, mixed with the vivid fall colors, streaming in thru the trees, created quite a counterpoint which we wouldn’t have been able to see just a few short weeks ago. Nature continues to amaze us here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
Happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
If you’ve read my previous blogs, you know that Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks for our tremendous abundance of blessings. Happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving. H.U. Westermayer
As you realize by now, Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks for our tremendous abundance of blessings. Happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude. Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy. ~Fred De Witt Van Amburgh
As I said, Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite days of the year because it reminds us, especially during this special day, to give thanks for our tremendous abundance of blessings. Happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness. ~William Shakespeare
As I said, Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite days of the year because it reminds us, all day long, to give thanks for our tremendous abundance of blessings we enjoy in our lives. Hope you have a particularly happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward
Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite days of the year because it reminds us, all day long, to give thanks for our tremendous abundance of blessings we enjoy in our lives. All Day Long! How wonderful! Happy Thanksgiving from GORGES at Lake Toxaway! A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues. ~Cicero
Walking by these flowers, growing in the Conservation Easement at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, our attention was taken by how wildly they had opened, so much so that they looked as if they had exploded! These are White Milkweed seed pods. Growing in open areas, this tall summer milkweed attracts numerous butterflies, of which there were a plethora this year, thanks in part to this beautiful plant. Here's an interesting tidbit: The floss from the seedpods was collected for life jackets during World War II! We never know what we are going to encounter on our walks around GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
At GORGES at Lake Toxaway, as in other parts of WNC, the later in the fall, the more varieties of browns, golds & rusts show up in the colors of the mountainsides. We always exclaim over the numerous colors of brown: milk chocolate, amber, burnt sienna, Brunneous (dark brown), Burnet (dark brown), Castory, Mink, Coffee, Khaki, Sable, Sepia, Sienna, Tan & Taupe. Then there are the strange variants on the brown colors: Filemot (dead leaf color); Fuscous (tawny, dingy); Hazel (greenish brown); Infuscate (clouded or tinged with brown); Lurid (yellow brown); Melichrous (honey colored) & Puce (brownish purple). But the real stars of the late fall are the rusts: cinnamon . badious (chestnut colored); Castaneous (chestnut colored), aeneous (a bronze color), Mahogany, Rust, Spadiceous (chestnut colored), Terracotta, Chestnut (reddish brown), Copper, Ferruginous (rust), Sorrel, Titian, Umber, Rufous, Russet , Rubiginous, Rubious, Bay, & Maroon (brownish crimson). The picture was taken at GORGES at Lake Toxaway to show the beauty of the colors of late fall.
These trees were standing against the deep blue of the sky this morning on our walk around GORGES at Lake Toxaway. It seemed to us that they were standing like soldiers or sentinels, showing off their colors – their bright “military uniform” while one of them was clad in grey, retired, so to speak. The colors were so bold and colorful, coupled with the grey trunk, and reminded us of our soldiers. We, here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, know we can never repay their sacrifices but want to give a great big “Thanks” to our military (retired & active) for their unrelenting support for our freedoms.
The other day while walking on the eastern side of the GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we came upon these tracks & have been intrigued by them ever since. It appeared to be a rather small animal as the tracks themselves were about the size of a quarter. But the straight line right down the middle of the tracks was the most intriguing part. Obivously something was dragging – probably its tail – which could have meant it had a very interesting evening or had stayed up all night & was now very ready for bed! We would love to find out what left this track, as we have never seen any others like it before so if you know, please contact us at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
Earlier we wrote about the plethora of ferns at GORGES at Lake Toxaway & how they show their beauty from early spring until winter. But we had never noticed the many colors they turn in the fall. A few days ago, we showed how they turned gold & brown but on this walk, we found this group who had turned a pale cream color which showed up very beautifully against the colored leaves & the grey of the rock. We know we’ve said it before but it bears repeating: “GORGES at Lake Toxaway is particularly gorgeous in the Fall!”
We, here at GORGES at Lake Toxaway are very glad we are on a particularly supportive basis with Mother Nature as she can create some absolutely gorgeous arrangements, particularly in the fall! This grouping was on the far western side of GORGES at Lake Toxaway & consisted of the scarlet of the huckleberry ground cover, the burgundies of the ash & further back, the yellows of the tulip poplars with the golden brown of some dried seed pods for added spice.
An old timer once told us that trees that are bent in unusual ways were known as “message trees” because the native Americans used them to send messages, especially as directions to special places. The other day, we saw these two special message trees in the conservation easement at GORGES at Lake Toxaway. Were they positioned together to send messages about a very special place or does it mean something special because they are “twins”? 2 identical trees bent in unusual shape seems odd but beautifully so & that is what we have come to expect at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
From the top of BEARWALLOW FALLS, located in the conservation easement at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, this is the vibrant fall show! The scarlet reds are the dogwoods, the scarlet oaks & the maples; the rusts are the pin oaks & the chestnut oaks; the yellows are the mountain ash, the pignut hickories, the sycamores & the tulip poplars. Vivid colors as far as the eye can see – that’s the usual sight during the fall at GORGES at Lake Toxaway (& yes, we do know we are blessed)!
On our walk around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway today, we were struck again by the brilliance of the fall colors, the blue of the sky, and the light itself. When we were walking towards Bearwallow Falls, we spotted this brilliant red tree which called for us to take its picture & we gladly obliged. GORGES at Lake Toxaway is blessed with beauty, especially at this time of the year!
On our walk around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway today, we were struck again by the brilliance of the fall colors, the blue of the sky, and the light itself. When we were walking towards Bearwallow Falls, we spotted this brilliant red tree which called for us to take its picture& we gladly obliged. GORGES at Lake Toxaway is blessed with beauty, especially at this time of the year!
We have seen many an interesting sight on our walks around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway but one afternoon, as we were ooohhhing and aaahhhing at all the colors, we happened to see the leaves in the picture & could hardly believe our eyes – the leaves were brilliantly colored green & burgundy but they also had polka-dots! It has to be one of the most interesting sights in a series of beautiful ones but this is exactly what we have come to expect from the gorgeous GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
GORGES at Lake Toxaway hosts many a beautiful visitor but few are both beautiful & mysterious! One such visitor showed up on our walk the other day. Her colors ranged from forest green to vivid scarlet as she climbed up the side of the tree. She wasn’t much for talking but she sure communicated eloquently with her vivid colors! Come for a walk with us one morning around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway & we’ll introduce to this lovely lady!
We have been enjoying the brilliant colors of autumn against the vivid blue of the sky & today on our walk around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we saw 2 trees that exemplified the colors of autumn against the brilliant blue of the sky. One is a huge, old oak tree, brilliantly scarlet high above us & just below the oak, is a serviceberry which is bright yellow. We couldn’t decide, so will leave it up to you, are the trees competing with …or complimenting each other? No matter what you decide, the sight of these colorful trees at the GORGES at Lake Toxaway will stay in our memories for some time to come!
Today, Tony & I hiked in the conservation easement. We were surrounded by every shape of leaves & every color in the rainbow – from reds, burgundies (some with purple hues), peaches, golds, rusts & browns! Except blue, of course, but that color showed up, very vibrantly in the sky. We hiked over, around & thru huge, grey & brown logs, some covered with bright green moss. There were also these humongous (technical term) boulders that looked like sleeping elephants –(if elephants were ever in these parts & if they had moss growing on them). Once again, Fall is a Spectacular time at GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
The foliage at GORGES at Lake Toxaway is in its peak right now where the foliage at Bearwallow Falls, especially,seems to be flaunting itself! The colors are vibrant, literally pulling our eyes from one spectacular tree to the next one, from one brilliant bush to another vibrant ground cover. You might think they compete with one another but they really work in concert with one another, creating a symphony of colors, hues & textures. GORGES at Lake Toxaway is truly Blessed!
Follow the yellow leaf road! That command is easy to do at the GORGES at Lake Toxaway! This is a picture of Trillium Lane which is located on the far west side of the GORGES at Lake Toxaway property in the Conservation Easement. As we walked up from Bearwallow Creek, we saw the path was covered in yellow & brown leaves & reminded us of the Wizard of Oz! Follow the yellow leaf road right to GORGES at Lake Toxaway!
Imagine walking thru vibrant colors that catch your eye so much so that your head is swiveling on your neck, almost constantly! Imagine it sounds as if you were watching fireworks as “ooohhhhh” and “aaaahhhh” are the only sounds you make. Imagine you have to take pictures because you just can’t adequately describe what you are seeing. If you can’t imagine things like that, then you definitely need to come for a walk with us around the gorgeous GORGES at Lake Toxaway! These red leaves were on a bush that was about 4 feet tall & just as red as can be! Glorious sights that we don’t have to imagine because we are enjoying the beauty at the GORGES at Lake Toxaway. Come join us!
We have been enjoying the brilliant colors of autumn against the vivid blue of the sky but today on our walk around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we saw a different juxtaposition of the colors of autumn against the greys of tree bark. It is a huge old oak tree & high above us, the leaves will give us colors bur right now, against the grey of the bark, yellow leaves are shining in the afternoon sun, giving us yet another view of autumn’s colors. At the GORGES at Lake Toxaway, Nature provides us with all kinds of colors, shapes and textures!
On our walks around GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we are always on the lookout for the rare & endangered species so we can protect them but also so we can enjoy them! Usually when we find 1 or 2 specimens of a plant or flower, we get a little excited because we think it is one of these rare & endangered species. So it was when we spotted the attached flower. It was along Trillium Lane on the western side of GORGES at Lake Toxaway & was the only specimen we could find, even though we looked with great intensity. Each time we walked by, after first ascertaining it was doing well, we searched the area, looking for family members & not locating any other specimens. We started to get excited so when our resident botanist came by for a visit, we drug him out there, with high anticipation & pointed to our single specimen with pride! Only to see his face fall as he identified it without too much trouble: Wild Lupine; Old Maid's Bonnets; Wild Pea; Sun Dial from the PULSE FAMILY - Flowers—usually vivid blue, very rarely pink or white (so GORGES at Lake Toxaway’s specimen is rarer than usual), butterfly-shaped Preferred Habitat--Dry, sandy places, banks, & hillsides. Farmers once thought that this plant preyed upon the fertility of their soil, as we see in the derivation of its name, from lupus, a wolf; whereas the lupine contents itself with sterile waste land no one should grudge it--steep, gravelly banks, railroad tracks, exposed sunny hills, where even it must often burn out under fierce sunshine except its root penetrate to surprising depths. The lupine is another of those interesting plants which go to sleep at night. Some members of the genus erect one half of the leaf & droop the other half until it becomes a vertical instead of the horizontal star it is by day. "That the sleep movements of leaves are in some manner of high importance to the plants which exhibit them," says Darwin, "few will dispute who have observed how complex they sometimes are."
We enjoy the ferns around the GORGES at Lake Toxaway almost year round. They are among the 1st plants to come up in the spring when, to our delight, they unfurl into the beautiful lacy ferns. In summer they are bright green but during the autumn, they really began to strut their stuff! In the attached picture which was taken on the path along Bearwallow Creek in the Conservation Easement area, you can see for yourself, they turn from brilliant greens to golds & browns, becoming even more colorful right before they go underground for the winter. At the GORGES at Lake Toxaway, it seems everyone is getting into their autumn colors!
We must admit that at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, beautiful sights have almost – almost – become common place. However, during our walk around GORGES at Lake Toxaway the other day, we were mesmerized by the sight of a bush completely covered with bright yellow flowers – which usually would have been enough to stop us in our tracks & cause us to reach for our cameras. This particular morning we were greeted with an even more engaging sight! The beautiful yellow flowering bush was filled with Monarch Butterflies! We took the attached picture – one of many – however, we scared away several of the butterflies when we moved close enough to take the picture so when you view the picture, imagine ½ again as many butterflies! It was one of the prettiest sights we have ever seen at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, making a memory we shall hold for quite some time & we assure you, this type of beauty will never become common place!
Known as the "Lily of the Valley" tree, Sourwoods, Oxydendrum arboreum, were still blooming in mid-August at GORGES at Lake Toxaway. When we wondered out loud whether blossoms of this prolific understory tree might be as attractive to Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as they are to Honey Bees, a friend staked out a flower cluster & reported a few hummingbirds did come to visit. He was fairly confident the hummers were taking nectar from the Sourwood & not just gleaning tiny insects. The highest concentration of sourwood trees are found in western NC, with some in Virginia & Georgia. This year has been a banner year for these trees & thus our bees are especially happy as bees flock to sourwood blossoms, making available one of the riches honeys ever because it is spicy yet sweet, a bit floral, with a rich, buttery taste. Sourwoods grow 40 to 50 feet high, with a trunk from 10 to 15 inches in diameter. The leaves are oblong-lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, petiolate, deciduous, from 5 to 6 inches long, from 1 to 2 inches broad, villous when young, at length smooth, with a distinctly acid taste, & early in autumn they turn bright scarlet. Sourwood leaves are tonic, refrigerant, & strongly diuretic. Fever patients will find a decoction of the leaves a pleasant, cooling, & diuretic drink. A tincture of the leaves & twigs in whiskey is said to have been a popular remedy for the kidney & bladder ailments for the early settlers in the area around GORGES at Lake Toxaway.
Throughout GORGES at Lake Toxaway, we are enjoying Daucus carota or Queen Anne’s Lace – also called Wild Carrot, Bird's Nest, & Bishop's Lace – which is a flowering plant native to the northeast United States & is actually a domesticated carrot. Queen Anne’s Lace is a biennial plant – meaning it grows roots & leaves the first year & then flowers during the second year – usually growing up to 3 or 4 feet tall. It normally flowers from June to August. The flowers – or umbels – are a creamy, pale pink just before they open & then turn to a brilliant white when in full bloom. A full flower head can measure from 4 to 7 cm wide. When the flowers begin turning to seed, they contract & become concave, like a bird’s nest. These are the reasons Queen Anne’s Lace is one of our favorite wildflowers at GORGES at Lake Toxaway, because from spring thru early fall, they provide us with different kinds of beauty. When looking for Queen Anne’s Lace for medicinal reason, one must be absolutely certain of what the plant looks like because it is very similar in appearance to the deadly Water Hemlock. Queen Anne’s Lace is a mix of bi-pinnate & tri-pinnate (lobes) leaves with fine hairs on the stems & leaves & there is normally a single dark red or purple flower in the very center, almost like a bull’s eye. Of course, the root will smell like a carrot. We were interested to read that the roots of Queen Anne’s Lace can be cooked & eaten just like carrots, with the first year roots being the most tender & flavorful & will find a plant that is growing at GORGES at Lake Toxaway so we can taste the roots. We’ll let you know what we find, maybe. Uses of Queen Anne’s Lace: As mentioned above, the roots are an excellent substitute for carrots, hence one of its nicknames, wild carrot. The roots are abundant in vitamins B & C, pectin, glutamine, flavonoids & cartotin (a form of vitamin A). A tea made from the roots can also be brewed to use as a diuretic for the prevention & elimination of kidney stones. The seeds have also been used as a remedy for hangovers & to help gastrointestinal problems. (NOTE: Do not use any herbal or alternative medicines without consulting a physician.)
BEAUTIFUL SEED PODS FROM A BEAUTIFUL TREE, WITH BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS – months of beauty from one species. North Carolina is fortunate to have a great diversity of woody plant species in its extensive forests, with approximately 645 species of trees, shrubs, & woody vines (487 native & 158 introduced). GORGES at Lake Toxaway is working on a full list of species at Gorges. A partial list is available at the Sales Office. Fraser Magnolia is a common deciduous medium-sized to large tree native to the southern Appalachians and to GORGES at Lake Toxaway. The large, simple, tropical-looking leaves have auriculate (earlobe-shaped) bases. Large creamy-white flowers appear from late April to early May, depending on elevation. Fraser Magnolia is similar to the more widespread Umbrella-Tree (M. tripetala), which never gets very large & lacks the earlobes. Alternate common names include Mountain Magnolia, Earleaf Magnolia, & Earleaf Umbrella-tree According to geologists, magnolia trees have been on earth for 80 to 100 million years (that’s longer than Tony has been alive!). The ancestors of the magnolias were growing in the time of the dinosaurs. The magnolia is a very primitive type of flower because all the floral parts are spirally arranged. "In the center of the magnolia blossom, numerous pistils spiral about a cone shaped receptacle, & below them a great many stamens are similarly arranged." The pistils mature into a tight cluster of fruits & each individual fruit splits along one side. This releases 1 to 2 fleshy, scarlett-coated seeds which dangle on slender threads." This morphology is what leads geologists & botanists to the conclusion that magnolias are an ancient tree. Two trees that are so botanically different have surprising similarities. Besides being found in limited areas only in the southern Appalachians, both the Fraser magnolia and the Fraser fir have a connection with British nurseryman John Fraser, and were discovered within a few years of each other. Each of these discoveries in some way involved two other famous botanists. The story of the Frasers illustrates the botanical richness of the southern mountains, and the region’s international reputation for plant uniqueness and diversity
Virgin’s Bower is a showy native vine, most common in the GORGES at Lake Toxaway and other areas of the mountains of North Carolina. Virgin's-bower ( Clematis virginiana) is a perennial, climbing plant, with a stem from 8 to 15 feet or more in length, supporting itself on shrubs, fences and brushwood, by means of its long petioles. The leaves are three-parted, but can easily be distinguished from Poison-Ivy because they're opposite instead of alternate. This example was photographed on Trillium Trail on the western side of GORGES at Lake Toxaway. Virgin’s Bower is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds, and, of course, humans.
The Gorges at Lake Toxaway is home to many beautiful residents but some of our favorites are the Flutterbys! Doesn’t that name fit them better? I think somehow a “typo” happened to change their name but Flutterby much more descriptive! We think this is a picture of a Spicebush Swallowtail. Adults can be identified by their spoon-shaped tails & by their bright green (male) or iridescent blue (female) hind-wings. Ivory spots may be visible on the forewings, & orange spots may appear on the hindwings. Wingspan may be 3 to 4 inches. The Spicebush Swallowtail is found only in the Eastern US & extreme southern Ontario, with occasional strays in the American Midwest & even Cuba. This primarily black swallowtail is normally found in deciduous woods or woody swamps, where they can be found flying low & fast through shaded areas, however ours was found on the butterfly bushes at the entrance to the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. The caterpillars live in folded leaf shelters & eat the leaves of the sassafras or spicebush. Adults consume a variety of nectars, including those from azalea, Japanese honeysuckle, milkweed, & thistle flowers. Once again, we welcome this resident of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway & all his beautiful family members!
The butterflies have been quite abundant lately around the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, enjoying the plethora of blooms of the summer flowers. This is a picture of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail that was enjoying a beautiful blue patch of ground on the northern side of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. Eastern Tiger Swallowtails are common across the state; one of the most often seen butterflies in NC, and a dozen or more swallowtails can often be seen in a single day. Their flight period lasts from early March to early October (and exceptionally to November). They may have at least two broods, and possibly three; the broods overlap, with no gaps. They enjoy a very widespread habitat. Typically along edges of deciduous or mixed woods, old fields, and meadows, and often found along openings in woods, wide trails, etc like those around the Protected Nature Preserve at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. They love many tree and shrub species, but particularly love the tulip trees. The species prefers tall herbs such as Joe-pye-weeds, ironweeds, and milkweeds. One interesting characteristic we have observed at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is that they enjoy “puddle parties” as we have seen several instances where a group of them were all enjoying the same puddle!
Our good friend, Nancy Thomas, while out hiking in the Bearwallow Watershed area of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, notified us these flowers were once again in bloom. They are tiny flowers—Brilliant Blue, 1 in. broad or less, irregular, grouped at end of stem, & upheld by long leaf-like bracts with calyx of 3 unequal sepals; 3 petals, 1 inconspicuous, 2 showy & rounded. The leaves are lance-shaped, 3 to 5 in. long, sheathing the stem at base; upper leaves in a spathe-like bract folding like a hood about the flowers. Its Preferred Habitat is moist, shady ground, which perfectly describes the area near the large falls at Bearwallow Falls in the Private Nature Preserve area of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. Its Flowering Season is June-September, however this population at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway have just appeared. It is true to is name as soon after noon, the day-flower's petals roll up, never to open again. How the flower received its name: Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, & zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature. He is known as the father of modern taxonomy, & is also considered one of the fathers of modern ecology. Linnaeus, who dearly loved his little jokes, confessed to have named the day-flowers after three brothers whose last name was Commelyn & who were Dutch botanists. Linnaeus named the flower after the brothers because two of them, just like the two showy blue petals of the blossom--published their works; the third brother, lacking application & ambition, amounted to nothing, like the inconspicuous whitish third petal! Happily Kaspar Commelyn (the unpublished brother) died in 1731, before the joke was perpetrated in Linnaeus’ book "Species Plantarum."
As we take our morning constitutional around the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we are truly happy to enjoy the natural beauty that surrounds us, pointing out the flowers & the butterflies, the plethora of mushrooms & the beautiful birds. This morning, one of the slowest residents made itself known & we were enriched by its presence. We were walking in the Bearwallow Watershed which is in the Protected Nature Preserve at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway when we spied this adorable snail. It was almost picture perfect as it toiled up & over the rocks & gravel. Since we love to learn about our fellow residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, here are some interesting facts we discovered about snails: A snail is most active at night & on cloudy days as it does not like the sunshine very much. During very cold weather or winter, it hibernates in the ground. Snails can live up to 5 to 10 years & some have been known to live up to 15 years. The snail's eyes are on the tip of the tentacles or at the base of the tentacles for marine species. The snail has two pairs of tentacles on its head which are very important to the snail. One pair is longer than the other pair. The eyes are on the longer pair. The shorter pair is used for smelling & feeling its way around. A snail has something called a radula in its mouth for grinding up its food which is like a rough tongue, something like a file with rows of tiny teeth which it uses to scrape off leaves & flowers to eat. The snail moves by creeping on a flat "foot" underneath the body. The band of muscles in the foot contract & expand & this create a kind of rippling movement that pushes the snail forward. The "foot" has a special gland that produces a slimy mucus to make a slippery track. You can often see these silvery tracks in the garden. The slime comes out from the front & hardens when it comes into contact with air. The snail is able to move on very sharp pointed needles, knife, razors & vines without being injured because the mucus-like secretion helps to protect its body. We welcome Mr. Snail & all his family members to the Gorges at Lake Toxaway & thank them for sharing this lovely area with us!
A group of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway owners braved the dark – and it was really, really dark - on Thursday night to view the annual & spectacular Perseid meteor showers. Because the Gorges at Lake Toxaway has no “light pollution” (technical term) & because the moon was waning, the night was perfect for viewing this spectacular show! We parked our vehicle on the top of the ridge between Home sites 9 & 17 with our hood pointed south/southwest. We lowered the top & laid our seats back. In perfect relaxation, we viewed shooting stars of every size & speed – from little zippy ones (blip) to ones with looong tails that streaked across the sky! It sounded like a fireworks display – Ooooohhhh …..Aaaaahhhhhhhh……Oooooooohhhhhh……Aaaaaaahhhhhh. We saw about 1 meteor every 2 minutes but this was right after midnight & in previous years, the # of meteors increased exponentially the longer after midnight. The meteors which are debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle were expected to be at their peak past midnight August 12, 2010 & until the predawn hours of August 13, 2010. Even though the peak is already finished, you can still see some shooting stars since they will be visible in the sky up to August 24, 2010. Meanwhile for those who don’t want to spend the night just waiting, NASA set up a live video feed of the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 12th using a camera mounted at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Check out their website: http://www.nasa.gov/connect/chat/perseids_2010.html There is another meteor shower in November so make your plans to join us for those showers &/or to join us next year for our annual Perseids Meteor Shower Party at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway!
Another summer blooming wildflower that is in full bloom at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is the Joy Pye Weed which is a North American native perennial herb found in moist woods & meadows from southern Canada to Florida & west to Texas. All over the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are these gorgeous plants, growing to a height of about 12 ft. with sturdy, hollow, purple stems covered with whorls of 4 to 8 dark green, lance shaped, & serrated leaves, up to 1 foot long. Atop each stem is a rose pink to whitish domed cluster of flowers, about 1 foot in diameter, blooming in August & September. It is said the entire plant is used as alternative medicine with the roots being the strongest part. Uses are said to include: crushed leaves have an apple scent & are dried then burned to repel flies; Infuse dried root & flowers as a diuretic tea to relieve kidney & urinary problems; a tea is used to induce sweating & break a high fever; & also useful for rheumatism, gravel (gallstones), & dropsy (fluid retention). The plant is named after an American Indian Healer/Herbalist named Joe Pye, who was said to have cured typhus with it. The residents of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway enjoy it for it stately beauty & because it is highly attractive to butterflies. It is not unusual to see clouds of butterflies covering the blooms of this plant & that is a gorgeous sight!
Do you remember the song: “Little Brown Jug”? Well, in the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we have a plant named “Little Brown Jug” & we wonder how the 2 are related. It seems the flower on this plant resembles a little brown jug but we are pretty sure it is not the jug the song sings about. Nonetheless, the Little Brown Jugs or Wild Ginger are in bloom & they are really something to see. This picture was taken in the Bearwallow Watershed area of the Protected Nature Preserve at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway in July. Since it spreads via the roots, if you see it when it is not in flower you can test its identity by probing just below the ground with a finger & scratching the root. A ginger like smellwill be proof of its identity. Native Americans used the root to flavor foods much as real ginger is used, however, this plant is not related to the ginger we find in the produce department of our local grocery. In addition it was thought to protect those who ate spoiled meat or food that might be poisoned. The accounts of it being used to prevent sickness from eating questionable meat are so numerous as to give the use some credence. It was also used for many other medical purposes including the treatment of digestive disorders, especially gas, & in a poultice on sores. The dried powered leaves were used to promote sneezing. It is mentioned in Medicinal & other uses of North American Plants as its being used to promote sweating, reduce fever & for coughs & sore throats. Many of these uses may be valid as the plant has been shown to have certain antimicrobial properties. We are enjoying the wide range of this plant & its unusual blooms at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway!
As we walked thru the Gorges at Lake Toxaway on Sunday morning, there was mist rising from the ground which helped to capture the sun’s rays coming thru the trees, a sight that made us gasp. This picture was taken along Bearwallow Creek in the Protected Nature Preserve at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
OK, here we go again! While on a recent walk around the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, once again we found bear tracks, make by a fairly large bear. We are cautious on our walks but have been told by the rangers, that the bears are more leery of us than we are of them & trust us, we are VERY leery of coming anywhere close to them! We do observe a few safety rules though:. • We let someone know where we are going & when we plan to return. • We usually hike in a group. • We make our presence known (by either talking, calling or jingling keys, whistle, etc.). • We hike during daylight hours & stay on the trail. • We watch for bear signs: scat, claw marks, diggings, logs or stumps torn apart, etc. & leave the area if & when we find them. • We avoid taking pets, as they may attract bears. We, the other residents of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, want to co-exist peacefully with our other neighbors but must say we are glad all we have seen are the bear’s tracks!
OK, this has been the season for spectacular & extremely prolific mushrooms & fungi at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway as it seems the afternoon thunderstorms have made them sprout like never before & in species we have never seen before! The colors are brighter & they just keep showing up all over the property. We were walking on the Gorges at Lake Toxaway in the late afternoon when this little guy showed up & demanded we take his picture! As he was as cute as can be, we were happy to oblige!
Join us at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway for our annual Perseids Meteor Shower Party! It is one spectacular party & we’d love for you to join us! Date: August 12, 2010 Time: 11:45 PM Place: meet at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway Sales Office Equipment: may need jackets as it does cool down & the place we plan on viewing the meteors from can be rather windy. You do NOT need telescopes or binoculars but you may bring them if you wish. In previous years, when the weather permits (& this year promises to be an exceptional year for viewing as it is forecasted to be a clear night), we saw countless numbers of shooting stars! If you want a truly fascinating experience, join us at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway for a stellar evening!
At the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we are enjoying the blooming of the summer flowers. One of the most prolific & seemingly longest blooming are the Black Eyed Susans. The black-eyed Susan, which was discovered by a Swede by the name of Olof Rudibeck, seems like such a simple plant. As one of the more common flowering natives in our region, with many large populations in the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, it lights up roadsides, pastures & meadows from midsummer until fall with daisy-like blooms consisting of bright yellow petals surrounding dark centers. But looks can be deceiving. The species most often called "black-eyed Susan" is Rudbeckia hirta, which is an annual. But two other species in our region that are very similar in appearance are perennials & they bloom later. While the annual black-eyed Susan blossoms in June & July, Rudbeckia triloba begins flowering in mid-August & Rudbeckia fulgida shows off from July until October. So the reason the black-eyed Susan seems to bloom so long in the wild is because it is not the same plant but 3 separate plant types. It doesn’t matter to the residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we’re enjoying all of them!
One of the most common fungi to be found in the woods of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is the Turkey Tail fungus. The common name comes from the banding pattern on the fruiting boy that resembles (in miniature, of course) the tail of a strutting turkey. The colors of the bands can be quite variable, depending on the genetics of the organism & its environment. Most of the bands are dark to light brown in color, alternating with light colored bands of white to tan, with still more bands of blue, orange, maroon, & other colors. The species has a widespread distribution, having been found in nearly every state in the U.S. & in most other countries. Turkey Tail Fungus is a polypore of which there are about 100 genera in this family & all of which have pores of some sort on their underside. These pores serve to increase the surface area for bearing the spores. Polypores can be easily distinguished by their typically hard exterior, their usual "non-mushroom" shape, & growth on wood as wood decomposers. Of course there are exceptions. Much like some people, those darn fungi never seem to follow the rules. The polypores are important in natural ecosystems as decomposers of wood, recycling the nutrients & minerals in the wood & releasing them over a long period of time--- sometimes several hundred years from a single large down tree--- where they can be used by other forest organisms. We have seen plenty of examples of this “behavior” in the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, especially in the Conservation Easement. In addition to their scientific & ecological interest, the Turkey Tail Fungi are highly regarded by mycophagists & many polypore species can be used as natural dyes for wool. In addition, some of these fungi are highly valued by biotechnologists because of their wood-degrading abilities. This is one of the fungi that is being investigated for possible use in biopulping as, was mentioned earlier, these species cause a white rot of wood which means the fungus decays the lignin & leaves the cellulose behind. The other residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are glad to find that the Turkey Tail Fungus is a valued member of the fungi family due to its “decomposive” ability but to us, it is valued for its intrinsic beauty!
We had seen some of these elusive creatures a few years ago, here at the Gorgesat Lake Toxaway but they disappeared & although we searched for them, again & again, they had not reappeared…until this year! Although resembling a fungi in looks & texture, this is actually a member of the same family as Rhododendron (which we find very interesting because of the huge difference in size, shape & proliferation) & is found in deciduous woodlands. There is a great story about Indian Pipes told by Mary Chiltosky in the book, Cherokee Plants... "Before selfishness came into the world - that was a long time ago - the Cherokee people were happy sharing the hunting & fishing places with their neighbors. All this changed when Selfishness came into the world & man began to quarrel. The Cherokee themselves quarreled with tribes on the east. Finally the chiefs of several tribes met in council to try to settle the dispute. They smoked the pipe but continued to quarrel for seven days & seven nights. This displeased the Great Spirit because people are not supposed to smoke the pipe until they make peace. As he looked upon the old men with bowed heads, the Great Spirit decided to do something to remind people to smoke the pipe only at the time they make peace." "The Great Spirit turned the old men into greyish flowers we now call "Indian Pipes" & the Great Spirit made them grow where friends & relatives have quarreled. The Great Spirit made the smoke hang over these mountains until all the people all over the world learn to live together in peace." Indian Pipe root has been traditionally used as a sedative & for various nervous conditions. It was also used externally for inflamed eyes & for bunions & warts. Water extracts are bactericidal. WARNING - Safety is undetermined & it is possibly toxic as it contains several glycosides. Just as the Indian Pipes remind us, the other residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are diligently working on learning to live together in peace!
We know rain is a common occurrence, especially in the wonderful part of the world in which the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is located & we all may grouse from time to time about the detriments rain can place on our lives, however, with the rain comes all kinds of beauty! We were on our usual walk along the Bearwallow Watershed which is located in the Conservation Easement area of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway when this gorgeous poplar leaf shimmered in the weak sunlight. It is another reminder that with the challenging aspects can come beauty, especially here in the gorgeous natural setting of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway.
One of our favorite summer flowers blooming at this time at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is the Hydrangea arborescens which is a hydrangea species native to the southeastern United States & is a bold-textured, deciduous shrub which produces small, fertile flowers. The hydrangeas at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are blooming in a very showy display in a large area along the western side of the property. This bush is commonly called wild or smooth hydrangea & each will achieve a height of 3 to 4 ft & a spread of 3 to 5 ft. The flowers, which are displayed atop vigorous canes in mid-summer, start green, turn white, then brown & persist on the plant for some time so when you visit the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, make sure you drive along the western loop road & see the lovely gift Mother Nature is sharing with us.
Much to our delight, once again, the Yellow Fringed Orchids have made their appearance at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway! These rather shy but definitely showy flowers, known by other names such as Bobwhite’s Moccasin & Owl’s Head are located on the eastern side of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, near home sites 18, 19 & 20. We find it fascinating that the Cherokees used the yellow-fringed orchid for medicinal & other purposes. The roots were used to make infusions to treat diarrhea. Also: a cold infusion of the root was taken to relieve headaches; & a piece of the root was used on fishhooks to “make the fish bite better.” It is known as “rattlesnake’s master”, being used both internally & externally to treat snakebite. Status: This rare plant is listed as threatened in NC so the residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are very pleased to welcome this resident, once again! Description: Orchid Family (well, duh!): This plant is a native, perennial herb with upright stems which grow 25” to 30” tall, with showy spikes of loosely clustered flowers which grow in racemes, opening from bottom to top (that seems unusual) & can be bright yellow through apricot to deep orange (the Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s are very orange). Blooming time is variable, but usually from late June to late September. Habitat: The plants are native to sphagnum & sedge bogs, swamps, marshes, wet sandy barrens, thickets on borders of streams & ponds, moist woods, wet meadows, prairies,& in deep humus of upland forests in the Eastern U. S. Once again, the other residents of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are pleased to welcome this beautiful, yet shy, resident.
Most of us rush through life, trying to fit in as many things in day as we can. I have to say that even on our walks thru the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, most of the time we are rushing, not only to fit as many things into our day as we can but also because we are exercising as opposed to strolling for pleasure. However, Mother Nature, especially in naturally beautiful places like the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, still manages to catch our eye as we whiz by as she did this morning when she showed us this tiny but brilliant mushroom which was so commanding, it made us stop & take another look. It was the size of a green pea but was so brilliant among the browns & grays that it caught our eye & made us stop & admire it, proving once again that size really doesn’t matter. The Gorges at Lake Toxaway has numerous natural beauties from stunning vista views to cascading waterfalls. Isn’t it great that some, even the smallest, will cause us to stop in our rush through the day & admire them?
Guess what we saw on our walk in the Gorges at Lake Toxaway this morning! Not one, not two, but Four Bluebirds! Bluebirds are beautiful brilliant blue (their name is very appropriate) birds that eat small fruits & hunt insects, spiders, & other creatures. The birds perch, watch, & then swoop to the ground to pounce on their prey. Jill said she had seen several pairs this year at her feeders but thus far, at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, I had not seen any bluebirds. Pairs of bluebirds mate in spring & summer, when they construct small, bowl-shaped nests. Females lay four or five eggs & incubate them for about two weeks. The young remain in the nest, cared for by both parents, for an additional 15 to 20 days. Bluebirds often have two broods in a season. I have never seen more than one or two bluebirds at a time & felt extremely lucky to see those because although bluebirds are considered fairly common, their numbers have declined substantially in recent years. Today it was as if there was a Bluebird family reunion at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway & we were the very lucky invited guests!
Here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, the Sourwood trees are in bloom! Why does that make us so happy? Not only because it is such a lacey, pretty bloom but because it is one of the most prolific “honey flows” of the year which are times when the bees have plenty of chances to gather lots of pollen with which to produce honey. The Sourwood blossom's nectar produces a very light, sweet honey – which makes our bees ...& us... very happy! The Sourwood is small tree which loves acidic soil which is abundant in certain areas of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. It gives us beauty all year with the soft green leaves of spring, the lacey blooms in early July & its autumnal coloring of a brilliant scarlet. As stated above, it is renowned for nectar, & for the honey which is produced from it. Juice from its blooms is used to make another delicacy: sourwood jelly. Historical note: the shoots were used by the Cherokee & the Catawba to make arrowshafts. So join us, the bees & the residents at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway & enjoy the gorgeous natural beauty & the delicious Sourwood honey!
Again, on our daily walk around the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we found yet another uniquely beautiful sight. These two tiny mushrooms were growing along the edge of one of the hiking trails. Again, I used my whistle to show their sizes. The one in the middle of the picture was about the size of a half dollar while the one in the upper right corner was the size of a blueberry yet both of them were the most vivid scarlet I have ever seen, made even more so by the greyness of the leaves in the background! Vivid beauty in a tiny size – another natural wonder at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway!
“You can find the footprints of God wherever there is beauty, virtue, humility, justice, truth , love & peace.” Sri Sathva Sai Baba While walking in the early morning at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we came upon some fresh bear tracks. We were concerned but not frightened as we had made enough noise to alert the bear we were in the area & our experiences are the wild animals leave as soon as they hear us coming. But it was a great reminder that one of the prime focuses here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is our belief that we share this sacred place with the other, natural residents & because the Gorges has strong Native American connections, it moved us to investigate Native American meanings of bear signs. One such connection to Bear signs comes from a Shoshone sage who, set about bridging worlds while in a trance walking, during which he was gifted with the sight of a clan of bears who were performing what seemed to be a ritual dance. These were not spirit bears, but real bears, on their hind legs, dancing in the golden rays of the sun. The Shoshone sage understood this to be a dance of gratitude as well as a prayer for the healing & protection of their young. From that point further the Shoshone have instigated their own Sun Dance where the bear is a central figure of the ritual symbolizing protection, strength & continuation of the progeny of the tribe. As a Sioux symbol, the bear also has healing symbolism. Sioux legend indicates mother bear was weary from carrying her heavy babies in her belly. She was having trouble walking & feared she could not make the journey to the great foraging fields to feed during her final days of pregnancy. She rested against redwood sorrel plant & the plant spoke to her, telling her that if she ate of its leaves her body would be able to sustain her load. Mother bear did as the sorrel advised to discover the treatment worked. She knew her Sioux sisters would have the same troubles when they were heavy with their own babies, so she shared the medicinal advice with the Sioux medicine woman. NOTES: • Although bears are thought to be ferocious carnivores, they are actually quite playful & also eat less meat than some smaller animals --supplementing their diets with plants & fruit. Bears are astonishingly swift for their size, running 35-40 mph in short distances. • The most common bear is the black bear & this is the type bear that has been seen at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. This name can be misleading since some black bears are various shades of brown. • Bear teaches us to respect our natural hibernation cycles. Just as Bear rests during winter & reawakens during spring, we need spaces of rest & rejuvenation. Bear calls us to awaken the potential within ourselves & the power of our unconscious mind. Although the bear is a profound Native American symbol of majesty, freedom & power, it is far more than these meanings as the spiritual connections made with the bear makes it a brother to the First People. Above all, bear meaning holds incredible influence & magnitude to the North American tribes & also to the owners at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway.
At the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, there are many ways to view heaven, from the stunning sunrises to the brilliant night skies, filled with the uncountable numbers of stars; from the view of a tiny, brilliant mushroom to the expansive 100 mile mountain vista views; from the quiet meandering of a tiny stream to the roar of a thunderstorm enhanced waterfall. But one of our favorites, here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, as elsewhere in the Lake Toxaway area & beyond, is one of the most stunning & perhaps most celebrated lily varieties: the Stargazer Lily, known for its striking blooms & heavenly scent, its bright flowers giving it an appearance of being delicate, bold, & fragrant all at once. Lilies have been associated with purity for thousands of years. Pictures of lilies adorned the walls of unearthed ruins of a home on Crete that is dated at 1580 B.C. . Lilies were important throughout Greek & Roman mythology as ancient Greeks believed that white lilies grew from the milk of Hera, the queen of Greek deities. The word "lily" is derived from the Greek word "leiron", which is believed to refer to the white lilies that were later called Madonna lilies, symbols of chastity, purity & virtue. The Stargazer Lily is a recent hybrid that was first developed in 1978 by Leslie Woodruff, a plant breeder who was completely devoted to his lily projects. This hybrid was a cross between an Asiatic lily & an Oriental lily. Woodruff did not keep detailed records of his plant crosses, so the exact parentage of stargazers is not known, but stargazers brought together the bright colors & strong growth habits of the Oriental lily with the fragrance & beautifully shaped flowers of the Asiatic lily. The flower buds opened towards the sky, so Woodruff named this hybrid "Stargazer." We, here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway are very happy with the beautiful results of his wonderful efforts. Interesting facts: An Oriental meaning of the Stargazer Lily is "I see Heaven in your eyes”.
In western NC, including the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, most woodland wildflowers are spring bloomers, completing their life cycle before the forest is fully foliated. But one wildflower, known by a long list of common names - black cohosh, black snakeroot, bugbane or fairy candles - blooms when the shade is at its peak. Black cohosh not only grows well in the woods or in the garden, but it has an interesting story to tell. In the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, there are several colonies of Black Cohosh. Plants like black cohosh with lots of common names usually have a long history with humankind. Black cohosh derives its name from an Algonquin name for the plant. Native Americans used the roots in a number of medicinal remedies ranging from snakebite to female ailments. Squawroot was a name sometimes applied to the plant, indicating its use for treating female distress during menstruation and menopause. In the early 1900’s since the “cure” for severe menstrual distress was removal of the ovaries, sometimes resulting in death, Lydia Pinkham who suddenly found herself obliged to support her family after her husband lost his fortune in the economic crash of 1873, was encouraged by the above practice to sell her own herbal homebrew “Lydia Pinkham's Vegetable Compound”. In 1876 she began selling it door to door for $1 a bottle. By the time of her death, she was selling $300,000 per year, making her one of the most successful businesswomen of her time. Her vegetable compound was a mixture of five herbs, with one of the main ingredients being black cohosh, all dissolved in 18 percent alcohol. If the herbs didn't cure you, the alcohol content certainly made you forget your aches and pains. Modern studies now suggest that the drug interacts with serotonin receptors in the brain that regulate body temperature. Black cohosh was a prime ingredient in the beginnings of natural medicine. How many other interesting & supportive native herbs are growing in the beautiful, protected, natural environment of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway? Why not come & see? Watch this column or visit our sales office for a schedule. Our weed walks start soon!
It is just one of the lovely perks we derive from living at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway that high caliber & delicious restaurants are in such close proximity! A group of owners & guests from the Gorges at Lake Toxaway thoroughly enjoyed delicious meals on Saturday night as we dined with Pam at her newest venue, Catatoga Club! Pam always offers delicious meals & these were no exception! Pam limits her menu selection but that just adds to the confidence in the selections. As usual, we dined on succulent steaks & fresh mountain trout, all seasoned & cooked to perfection! Some of us followed Pam’s advice & enjoyed the wild rice while others tried the twice baked potatoes which they raved over. We had an argument over which was better – the vegetable medley (snap peas, mushrooms & onions) or the creamed spinach. In my opinion, the dishes were extremely close but the spinach won by a leaf! Our group from the Gorges at Lake Toxaway agreed it was a delicious & enjoyable evening – something we have come to rely on from Pam!
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Because of the fantastic, long range, mountain views clear to the curvature of the earth that are offered at Gorges at Lake Toxaway, the stars shine like nowhere else & the meteor showers are equal to none! So join us, on the back ridge at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway as we are entranced by the night skies on the following dates: July 28 & 29: Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower - can produce about 20 meteors per hour, in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing to the east after midnight. August 12 & 13: Perseids Meteor Shower – one of the best, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. This year's shower should peak on the night of August 12 and the morning of the 13th. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. The thin, crescent moon will be out of the way early, setting the stage for a potentially spectacular show. For best viewing, look to the northeast after midnight. When you come to the Gorges at Lake Toxaway for the meteor showers, remmber to wear long sleeves & bring your blankies as it can be chilly!
Today on our walk around the beautiful natural beauty which Gorges at Lake Toxaway is renown for, we saw & did some interesting things. As we walked, rather briskly, uphill & down, I became a little overheated & thus the water at Bearwallow Falls & Rhododendron Falls looked very inviting, so much so that I finally succumbed at Gristmill Falls where I took off my shoes & waded in the water. The water was freezing cold, the water in the WNC area, particularly at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, always is but because I was so hot,I thought I could withstand it & in fact, once I was in, I wanted more so I sat down in the water! OMIGOODNESS!!!!! It was so shockingly cold that I couldn’t get my breath! The freezing temperature literally stole my breath away! Finally I stood up & carefully (remember those rocks are super slippery) made my way back to the shore where my sister was laughing hysterically! The wet shorts did feel good & kept me cool as we walked along though. On the far western side of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is Trillium Field which we share with Gorges State Park. Along the roadside across from Trillium Field, we found the tiniest little mushroom – a wonder of reddish gold! I took the picture & included my whistle (every prepared hiker has a whistle) to show how tiny this glorious little mushroom was!
One thing we have noticed this year as we take our walks around Gorges at Lake Toxaway is the many leaves that are colored, year round. We look forward with anticipation for autumn at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway when a wide variety of colors with the mountains appearing to burst into flame with all the reds, golds & burgundies. But lately, we’ve noticed that other leaves turn color at various times of the year, besides the autumn. The attached picture shows 3 leaves that were blown down during one of our afternoon thundershowers – they are as red as red can be and it is June! The natural beauty of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway continues to surprise and delight us!
The entire western NC area but particularly from the Jackson County line thru the Lake Toxaway area is enjoying a beautiful Spring with a wide variety of plants, shrubs & trees blooming! Here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, the Mountain Laurel has had a banner season! There are huge banks of this shrub in full bloom, especially in the conservation easement, looking like clouds of butterflies! Imagine our delight when we saw the attached image! The Gorges at Lake Toxaway does indeed have some beautiful “residents”!
As those of us who are fortunate to live in the Gorges of Lake Toxaway know, NC is a bird lover’s paradise. Located along the Atlantic flyway, NC provides food & shelter for more than 440 bird species annually & thus is a major destination for birders & nature lovers. On our walks thru the conservation easement at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we have personally seen such birds as the Eastern Blue Bird; Wild Turkeys; Red Tailed Hawks; Barred Owls: Peregrine Falcons; Common Ravens; Wood Thrushes; Acadian Flycatchers: Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Blue-headed Vireos; Black-throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Cerulean, Black-and-white, Worm-eating, Swainson’s, and Hooded Warblers,; American Redstarts; Scarlet Tanagers; Golden-crowned and Ruby-crowned Kinglets; White-throated Sparrows; Black and Turkey Vultures; White-breasted Nuthatches; Song Sparrows: Dark-eyed Juncos; Red -bellied, Downy, Hairy, and Pileated Woodpeckers; and even Indigo Buntings. An imaginative birding trail guide is now available for the Gorges at Lake Toxaway and surrounding areas. It is a spiral bound NC Birding Trail guide to the birds in the mountains which features maps, color photos, detailed site descriptions, driving directions, focal species and habitat listings. To purchase the guide for a mere $10.00, go to NC Birding Trail’s official website www.ncbirdingtrail.org. or call (866) 945-3746. There are also great maps & detailed bird site information at the website. It is a perfect companion for our walks & hikes around the beautiful area of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway and assists us in identifying the other residents of our gorgeous Gorges area!
Because Sassafras Mountain which is shown in the picture is in our long range mountain vista views, the property owners at the Gorges are very happy with the news that Champion Cattle and Tree Farms signed an agreement to sell 8,000 forested acres in Transylvania County to the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and The Conservation Fund for $33 million. The groups are working to put the land into public ownership and open it for hunting, fishing, hiking and other recreation. The tract, which is in the long range vista views from the Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s home sites along the southern ridge is now known as the East Fork Headwaters tract, and also encompasses most of the headwaters and main stem of the East Fork of the French Broad River. Along with more than 50 miles of trout streams, it contains more than two dozen waterfalls, extensive timber resources, rare bogs and endangered species. The tract runs along the North Carolina – South Carolina state line for more than eight miles, bordering a corridor of publically-protected land in Upstate S.C. and containing nine miles of the 107-mile Foothills Trail. The land, which also includes part of the top of South Carolina’s highest peak, Sassafras Mountain, is four times the size of Mount Mitchell State Park and four-fifths the size of nearby DuPont State Forest. The owners of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway salute these people for being so generous.
The owners at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, especially the Fishers, have a deep respect for the history of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s property and have collected a great deal of historical artifacts & information about the Gorges at alke Toxaway and the surrounding area. One local legend states the Native Americans had special trees which they used as sign posts or guide posts, conveying messages to “those in the know”. These distinctive trees were called “knee trees” because their branches formed right angles to the tree’s trunk. On our walk thru the conservation easement at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we saw this unique tree and wondered what message this particular tree conveyed.
We were walking, quite briskly, as we are wont to do in the morning. After all, we do this for exercise but have to admit that we are often forced to stop by the gorgeous natural beauty that surrounds us, as was the case this morning. Feet & arms pumping, wheezing somewhat, we charged up the path, only to come to a quick halt with one foot raised… over Mr. Turtull, one of the Gorges’ slowest but sweetest residents! He was quite friendly, for him, as he does tend to be quite shy and seemed very proud of his “home” with its bright trim which we agreed was very attractive (we are SO glad the architectural committee granted him a variance for this particular mobile home – with the firm stipulation that the variance covers Mr. Turtull & his family, only). Welcome to Mr. Turtull and his family!
Babies Rescued at Gorges at Lake Toxaway! While out for our morning constitutional thru the fantastic trails of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we spotted some trash near one of the perc test pits so we left the trail &struggled thru the bushes to pick it up. As we came near the pit, we were startled to see a tiny baby rabbit in the bottom of the 4 1/2’ deep hole. The bunny was so very still we weren’t too sure if it was alive but we hoped it was. Sky Queen (for her birthday, she flew an airplane, thus the moniker) climbed down into the pit & quickly grabbed the tiny bunny which then proved it was very much alive! As quickly as she could, she placed the bunny on the ground & it scampered away! It was up to me to get Sky Queen out of the pit & after weighing the pros & cons, I extended my hand & pulled her out. We then continued our walk which was full of spring beauty. However, our rescue efforts were not complete. On the western side of the conservation easement at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, there is a huge bed of trilliums which are just beginning to bloom. I was busy taking pictures for all of us to enjoy when Sky Queen let out a yelp which brought me running. In the roadbed was a tiny, copper colored lizard. It was about 1 ½ inches long & had black & yellow dots on its back. It was precious! But it was in the roadway so, using a leaf, we shooed (technical term) it into the bushes for safety. We like to think if Smokey the Bear or Ranger Rick had been on our Gorges at Lake Toxaway morning constitutional with us, they would have been mighty proud of our rescue efforts!
A group of Lake Toxaway residents visited the Forge Valley Event Center, located just outside of Brevard, within minutes from Gorges at Lake Toxaway, with some friends recently and had a BALL! For an extremely enjoyable – FAMILY FRIENDLY – evening of great entertainment, visit: Forge Valley Event Center Concert Dates: May 1- Hazel Creek & The Southern Appalachian Cloggers May 7-Gold City ($25) Purchase tickets in advance. Call 674-6741 or 674-6759 for more information. Admission is $8 per person-children under 12 are free. No Alcoholic Beverages allowed. Tell them The Fisher's from Gorges at Lake Toxaway sent you.
Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s Trees are Buzzing! The other day, we went for our usual morning walk thru the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. What a delightful way to start a day! The bushes and trees are full of blossoms and I used my trusty Blackberry to take loads of pictures – check out our site on Flickr & Facebook – but please bear with me as I’m a neophyte. When we approached the tree in the picture, I took a few shots of the brilliant purple blossoms against the Carolina blue sky – the color of the sky especially prevalent in the Lake Toxaway area - but my main thought was to get a close up of the individual flowers. As we were taking the photos, we noticed a few bees but as we grew closer & closer, we saw more & more bees . When we finally were close enough to take the picture of the individual flowers, which smelled so sweetly, we could also “hear” the tree – it was filled with bees & sounded as if the tree itself was buzzing! It was a wonderful example of the beauty of nature – filling all our senses and what makes the Gorges at Lake Toxaway a nature lover's paradise!
Another entertaining possibility for the Gorges at Lake Toxaway residents: On Saturday, May 1, 2010, from 4:00-8:00, the Silvermont Opportunity Center will celebrate two years of operation with a fundraiser called “Fiddlin’ Around Silvermont”. This year there will be Blue Grass, BBQ, & Clogging – held outside. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket to utilize while listening to the music & watching the cloggers. BBQ plates will be sold to adults for $10.00 or children under age 10 for $5.00. There will be a raffle held, also. Music will be provided by “Wanda Lu & Friends” and “Lynn Goldsmith & Rocky Flats”. Clogging will be performed by the “Forge Mountain Cloggers” from Mills River. This is also an opportunity for those persons who would like to share their memories of the Joseph Silversteen family, to record a short session, (10-15 minutes), or they may bring a short, written memory to share. SOC hopes to have these memories placed in a booklet for distribution at their fundraiser next year during Brevard’s 150th anniversary. All proceeds from the fundraiser go to support the Silvermont Opportunity Center. Tickets are available at Silvermont, the WCCA Office, and at Parks & Recreation. We encourage you to get your tickets early to help SCO with planning. Questions? Call 884-3166. This is a wonderful opportunity to experience the mountain music & dance the original settlers of the Lake Toxaway area enjoyed. We thank those dedicated people who continue to support these valuable traditions which makes Gorges at Lake Toxaway so special.
We are proud to announce the latest arrival of “families” at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway. We have received our shipment of bees and they are simply delightful! They settled in their new hive and love the Gorges at Lake Toxaway and surrounding area. These are Russian Honey Bees (cute little Cossack hats!) which are extremely industrious and very focused. We are going to be so happy with the results of their industry & focus: the Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s and surrounding areas’ plants, shrubs and trees will benefit greatly from their endeavors and we can’t wait to taste the honey - made from this gorgeous place! Gorgeous Gorges at Lake Toxaway Honey!
As it was a sunny, beautiful spring day yesterday, Tony & I took a ride in our convertible around the Gorges at Lake Toxaway’s Views Road. With the car’s top down, the views were extraordinary, the new leaves of the oak trees lending the mountainsides a copper tinge with added spots of color from the blooming plum and sourwood trees. Just as we crested the hill by Dennis Watts' lot #17, a humongus (technical term) pileated woodpecker flew right over the car, so close that it looked like we could have tickled his tummy! Now spectacular views are commonplace here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway but this one was premier! The Native Americans believed the woodpecker is connected to the heartbeat of the earth itself, while the Romans had this legend: the powerful enchantress Circe fell in love with the woodland god Picus. When he rejected her love, she turned him into a woodpecker. In Babylonia the woodpecker was considered the ax of Istar & was associated with fertility while the Greeks considered it sacred to the god of thunder, Zeus. No matter what belief or legend one associates with the pileated woodpecker, here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we consider it beautiful and magical and are very grateful to share space with them.
"After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains." Walt Whitman In our opinion, Mr. Whitman was a very talented writer & we, here at The Gorges at Lake Toxaway, are glad that such glorious Nature remains for us! The nature at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway is bursting with the sights & sounds of Spring! The birds are calling & singing…& yes, scolding as they arrive in mass numbers. There are more paw prints & foot prints than before, running along beside us when we take our morning walks, then suddenly disappearing into the bushes, only to reappear, cutting across our path, only the creature itself knowing its ultimate destination. The flowering trees have started bursting forth, also, & it really seems that they “burst” because one day they will be the grey/brown of winter & the next, their limbs are filled with blossoms - bright purple, or white or brilliant yellow! What delights! We at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, know we are blessed to be the stewards of this sacred place. We are thoughtful of our fellow “travelers” as their protection is a high priority for us which is the reason we took steps to implement the conservation easement to protect as much of this property as we can & yet still enjoy its beauty & serenity. We wish you as beautiful & serene a spring as we are enjoying!
HONEY, PLEASE DON’T GO! “Golden Bees were making white combs And sweet honey From my old failures.” Antonio Machado Here at Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we are very excited to announce the imminent arrival of our first hive of honey bees! Their house is here – we are just awaiting the Queen and her hive! Of course, Jeanette has decorated their hive to welcome them. She has passed her tests & become a master beekeeper & with the generous help of the Transylvania Beekeeper’s club plus such bighearted friends as Debra Roberts, Joan & Carl Chesick & others, we will strive to make our hive(s) & thus our beautiful Gorges at Lake Toxaway as happy & fruitful as an area as it can be. Why honey bees? Because they are an invaluable asset to our planet, positively impacting almost all growing things. Yet, the honeybees need our help ... they are in crisis, not only here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway but worldwide. Due to this crisis, more people than ever, farmers, scientists & beekeepers and anybody who likes to eat, are paying closer attention to these precious & invaluable creatures & we are very happy to join in this effort. We’ll keep you advised as to our progress. In the meantime, join with us in welcoming the new family to the Gorges at Lake Toxaway! Here are some sites to visit for more info: Haagen-Dazs – helpthehoneybee.com info@thehoneybeeproject.com
The first signs of spring are popping out here at The Gorges at Lake Toxaway! I saw my first field full of robins & all the trees and bushes are putting forth tiny, new leaves, but better yet, I saw my first daffodils! Scattered throughout the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, those bright yellow flowers, planted by one of our Fisher ancestors, continue to delight and amaze us, year after year. Think of a woman (& I’m guessing here – it could have well been a man) who worked from sunup until sundown and later, meeting the needs of her family – fixing the meals from ingredients that first they had to plant, nurture, harvest & preserve, or raised in the coops & pens they built from trees they cut down and sawed into boards; they then had to feed those same birds and animals the grain they grew, nurtured & harvested in the fields surrounding the house; or the meals were prepared from food they hunted in the woods. All of these actions used items they traded for (such as the nails for those pen & coops, the plows for the fields, the bullets for the guns & the guns themselves). Another chore was washing the family’s clothes & linens (which she probably sewed) in a big cast iron pot, over a fire using wood that had to be chopped & brought to the washing site, using water she brought from the creek, using soap she made; or cleaning her house – again using water carried from the creek, & brooms that were handmade, & that same handmade soap. Think of this woman (or man) who was busy from before sunup to after sundown, caring for her family & yet, somehow, she took the time to plant those daffodils. Now, generations later, here at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway, those same daffodils bring a smile to our hearts & herald the glorious season of spring! We hope they performed the same lovely service for her that they do for us. Thank you, Ma’am! We appreciate your kindness.
Gorgeous Gorges State Park The Gorges at Lake Toxaway property owners are extremely blessed to be surrounded by Gorges State Park. Plunging waterfalls, rugged river gorges, sheer rock walls & one of the greatest concentrations of rare & unique species of flora and fauna in the eastern United States are found within Gorges State Park, some of which is located in Lake Toxaway, NC. An elevation that rises 2,000 feet in only four miles, combined with rainfall in excess of 80 inches per year, creates a temperate rain forest & supports a wide variety of springs, streams, cascades and a collection of waterfalls, making it one of the most scenic places in the Lake Toxaway area. On April 29, 1999, thanks to a unique partnership of industry, the environmental community & the state of North Carolina, 10,000 acres of the Jocassee Gorges, including some of the Lake Toxaway area, in Transylvania County were placed in public ownership to be preserved for future generations of North Carolinians which thrills the Lake Toxaway residents, especially those of The Gorges at Lake Toxaway because it surrounds the development. The property was purchased by the state from Duke Energy Corporation, & the transaction created a 2,900-acre game lands managed by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. Currently, Gorges encompasses nearly 7,500 acres & is the only state park west of Asheville. Because Gorges State Park is relatively new, the park is still in its planning & development phase. Currently, the park staff is working with local citizens, the park's advisory committee & design & engineering contractors to develop permanent facilities, some of which have been completed as of this date. The public is invited to visit the gorgeous overlooks, hiking areas and picnic areas. Address: NC 281 South, P.O. Box 100, Sapphire, NC 28774-0100 Office Phone: (828) 966-9099 Email: gorges@ncdenr.gov Gorgeous Gorges State Park
March-April MARCH TC Arts displays local artists - February 12 – March 12 Gallery Exhibit: Body & Soul Sponsored by Center for Perfect Balance The picture attached to this blog is by a local artist, Dr. Betsy Vingle and is entitled: "Dancing Out of Focus" The TC Arts Council and the Center for Perfect Balance host an exhibit entitled Body & Soul. The exhibit will be at theTC Arts Council Gallery located at 349 S. Caldwell Street in Brevard. The gallery is open Monday – Friday from 10 am – 4 pm. The public is invited to enjoy this art exhibit from February 12 – March 12. TC Arts Council’s Arts-In-Schools Program Artist In Residence at Brevard High School for the Spring Musical – Jane Davidowski doing chorerograpy. March 16 TC Arts Council's Arts-In-Schools Program Professional Theatre group Bright Star Children's Theatre will perform Fredrick Douglass for all county 9th & 10th graders. Performances include: 9:30 am at BHS and 1:40 pm at RHS March 19 - 29 WNC Quilters Guild – Area 5 on Display at TC Arts Sponsored by: Main Stream Marketing - Joan VanOrman Enjoy mountain quilts made by members of the WNC Quilters Guild – Area 5 that are on display at the Transylvania Community Arts Council from March 19 - 29. The public is invited to an artist reception on Friday, March 19 from 4-7 pm. This reception is sponsored by Main Stream Marketing. On Saturday, March 20, TC Arts will open the exhibit from 10 am - 4 pm in honor of the Banff Film Festival. The TC Arts Council is located at 349 S.Caldwell St in Brevard. Normal gallery hours are Monday - Friday from 10 am - 4 pm. For more information call 828-884-2787 or go to www.artsofbrevard.org. APRIL, 2010 April 5 - 9 TC Arts Council's Arts-In-Schools Program Artist In Residence at Rosman Elementary School – Artist Sigrid Hice working with 2nd graders. Thank you to Mary Sauerteig for sponsoring this program! April 5 - 23 Gallery Exhibit: Transylvania County Student Art Show Sponsored by Headwaters Outfitters TC Arts Council hosts this annual exhibit of artwork by local Transylvania County Students in grades K- 12. The exhibits will run from April 5 – 23 with an artist-student reception on Thursday, April 8 from 4:30 – 5:30 pm. The gallery is open Monday – Friday from 10 am – 4 pm. There will be another reception during Brevard’s 4th Friday Gallery Walk on April 23 from 5-9 pm. April 12 - 16 TC Arts Council's Arts-In-Schools Program Artist In Residence at Rosman Middle School – Artist Mary Anne Maier working with students for World Celebration Week April 23 Brevard’s 4th Friday Gallery Walk Enjoy an evening stroll in downtown Brevard as you enjoy visiting the art galleries, art stores, retail stores and restaurants that are staying open late from 5-9 pm. Be sure to look for the 16 sculptures and five murals located in downtown as well. Galleries participating include: TC Arts Council, Number 7 Arts and Crafts Cooperative, Red Wolf Gallery, Bluewood Gallery, Drew Deane Gallery, Gallery on Main, Hollingsworth Gallery, Hunters & Gatherers, Gravy, Local Color and Continental Divide. Be sure to stop by and have dinner in one of our downtown restaurants. A brochure for the gallery walks can be found at any of the participating galleries or at the Chamber of Commerce. April 30 - May 21 Gallery Exhibit: New Works By: Christine Kosiba, Karen Swing & George Peterson Sponsored by: Michel & Bill Robertson TC Arts is happy to invite Christine Kosiba and Karen Swing back to Brevard. They have invited local woodworker George Peterson to exhibit with them. Stop by and see them at an artist reception on April 30 from 5 - 8 pm. Christine & Karen were both members of Number 7 Arts for many years. Christine is the artist who created the ravens, fox, turkey and chipmunk sculptures in downtown Brevard. Karen worked at the TC Arts Council as the Gallery Director for several years before moving to Florida. TC Arts is located at 349 S. Caldwell Street in Brevard.
Here at The Gorges at Lake Toxaway, we have always said that we have the best of all worlds, especially in regards to the weather. We have 4 seasons but none of them are extreme. Our springs are warm & soft; our summers are hot if our temperatures hit the 80’s and we still wear a jacket most evenings; and our autumns are spectacular with vivid colors and the 1st snaps of cooler weather, spiced with the warmth of Indian Summer. We do enjoy cold weather during our winters and we have snow but our snowfalls are usually less than 3” and 3 – 4 days in duration. Usually! This has been an unusual winter though, not only here in the Lake Toxaway area but the entire country. Following this weather trend, The Gorges at Lake Toxaway has had more than its “normal” amount of frozen precipitation, some pretty, some aggravating but for the most part, enjoyable (we’d like to send a thank you to the Transylvania County road crews & the Haywood EMC crews for their exemplary work in keeping the roads clear and the electricity running during these challenging times). However, at The Gorges at Lake Toxaway, this last snow was a perfect Valentine’s gift, albeit one day late. First, we received 5” of snow when areas to the north of us just received a dusting. Second, it was one of the fluffy snows, the ones that hang on every leaf, needle, and branch as if to outline the flowing beauty of each bush & tree. But best of all, as if to highlight the breathtaking beauty that surrounds us, the sun came out and the sky was that bright Carolina Blue which was an awesome backdrop for the gorgeous natural beauty. Think of it – those long range mountain views, as far as the eye can see, with each & every tree & bush outlined with snow, against a bright blue backdrop! Our usual walk took 3 times as long because we would stand, awestruck, by the sights! It was truly a God given Valentine!
Hidden Treasures Found at the Gorges There are hidden treasures of many diverse types at the Gorges, ranging from breathtaking views, to semi precious stones, to endangered species of both flora & fauna, and more. Some of the most fascinating hidden treasures are the Native American artifacts found at the Gorges, some of them literally in plain sight! The entire Lake Toxaway area, and in particular, the Gorges was inhabited by the Cherokee. We know this because located on the Gorges property is a large tree known as “Grandmother Tree” that local legends claim was a meeting place for spring gatherings of the Cherokee which may account for the number of Native American artifacts found on the property. At the time of their first contact with Europeans, in the mid-16th century, the Cherokee lived in the isolated hills and valleys of the highest portions of the Southern Appalachians. Related linguistically to the Iroquois to the north, some scholars believe that successive groups of Cherokee were driven southwards in pre-Columbian times until they settled in the Southern Appalachians. Abundant in natural resources, this area provided over 800 species of plants used for food, medicines, and crafts. A wide variety of trees in the dense forests was available for fuel, weaving fibers, twine, medicinal barks and the framework and covering of dwellings, while plentiful animals provided food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. According to historical accounts, the Cherokee in the Lake Toxaway area were a thriving community as shown by the numerous artifacts found. In the Gorges area, the best time to search for the Native American artifacts is after a hard rain which washes away soil and exposes the artifacts. As with any skill, the more practice the better. Jeanette can remember when she couldn’t find any arrowhead but now she has quite a collection she has found. If you’re interested, Tony & Jeanette may even share some of their favorite Gorges’ arrowhead hunting sites with you! The artifacts found on the Gorges property range from pieces of arrowheads to complete specimens and also include Native American pipes, axes and pieces of pottery. The pictures included are pictures of arrowheads found on this property – the nicest one, very recently. It is amazing that the artifacts are thousands of years old and yet some are still in pristine condition. We urge interested parties to visit the Museum of the Cherokee Indian- a short drive from Lake Toxaway in Cherokee for some of the best examples of Cherokee tools & implements together with some fascinating history. The Cherokee village also offers fascinating classes including one on how to make your own arrowhead. Visit cherokee-nc.com for more information. In the meantime, take a guided tour of the property & find your own hidden treasures!
The Gorges at Lake Toxaway is blessed to have several several populations of this rare and endangered plant. Anthony or Jeanette Fisher will gladly give you a guided tour so you can view these shy precious plants for yourself. The intriguing story of Asa Gray, Charles Short & C.S. Sargent, based on Andre Michaux’s discoveries, searching for the botanical equivalent of the Holy Grail. In 1838, Asa Gray, was hired as a professor of Botany at the newly planned University of Michigan, however, the buildings were not ready so he was sent to examine the original sources of American Flora as they existed in the principal European herbaria. In Paris Mr. Gray was given access to Andre Michaux’s (1746-1802) journals which detailed Michaux’s trips to America to obtain species of flora indigenous to America. Mr. Gray read of Michaux’s hardships in obtaining the specimens & viewed the specimens themselves – most now dried & crumbly. Gray became very excited as he discovered what he thought was an unknown (to American botanists) specimen. Gray corresponded with fellow botanist Charles Short who he admired greatly - so much so that Gray named the newly rediscovered specimen after Short. Gray began searching himself for the plants but had misread Michaux’s copious notes and was looking in the wrong places - at higher elevations around Mt. Mitchell rather than in the Lake Toxaway area. In May 1877, 17 year old George Hyams found some specimens of Shortia. Because communication was not as easy as it is today, Gray was notified of the find 2 years later & visited the site in 1879 – where he & his entourage, including his wife and mother-in-law, found a population size of about 10’ by 30’ with 50 – 100 plants. Another famous botanist, Dr. Sargent was not satisfied with those meager results. In 1886, he visited North Carolina. At Sapphire (some of which is now known as the Lake Toxaway area), Transylvania County, Dr. Sargent & his guides (who lived in Cashiers) are believed to have located the original habitat of Shortia which Michaux found in his December 1788 expedition. SHORTIA GALACIFOLIA (Know as Oconee Bells) is a stem less perennial herb that forms a ground cover of round, waxy green leaves that persist on the plant all year, turning a reddish-bronze color in winter. Nodding, bell-shaped, white or pink flowers bloom for about a week in early spring. Oconee bells inhabit shady woods & stream banks with rich, humus-enriched soils. The species is most abundant on deep ravine slopes where cool, humid conditions prevail & are often found in rhododendron thickets within mixed hardwoods. Shortia also inhabits moist slopes, creek banks, & rock outcrops in humid escarpment gorges having high precipitation levels, generally growing in deep shade under rhododendron at elevations ranging from 1100 – 1800 feet. Range: Oconee bells are endemic to a small part of the southern Appalachian Mountains. S. galacifolia var. galacifolia is found in very limited areas especially in the Lake Toxaway & Sapphire areas of Transylvania & Jackson counties, North Carolina.
WATERFALLS LINK WITH LOVE Residents in the Lake Toxaway area will enjoy these outings at the Gorges State Park: Gorges State Park - Lake Toxaway Sat, February 13, 2010 Waterfalls Link with Love The program begins at Upper Bearwallow Falls trailhead, located in the southwestern portion of the Lake Toxaway area located at the picnic area #2 accessible from the park entrance road off NC 281S in Sapphire, NC. The walk is 1 mile in length with a stopover at the Upper Bearwallow Falls observation platform where hikers will have an opportunity to reflect on the human attraction to waterfalls. The walk and talk will be ranger led and approximately one hour in length. Bring suitable clothing and footwear for cold and wet conditions. Program times 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM. Call the park office at (828)966-9099 for more information. Gorges State Park - Lake Toxaway Sun, February 14, 2010 Waterfalls Link with Love The program begins at Upper Bearwallow Falls trailhead, located in the southwestern portion of the Lake Toxaway area, at the picnic area #2 accessible from the park entrance road off NC 281S in Sapphire, NC. The walk is 1 mile in length with a stopover at the Upper Bearwallow Falls observation platform where hikers will have an opportunity to reflect on the human attraction to waterfalls. The walk and talk will be ranger led and approximately one hour in length. Bring suitable clothing and footwear for cold and wet conditions. Program time at 2:00 PM. Call the park office at (828)966-9099 for more information.
GROUNDHOGS, PAINTBRUSHES AND FROGS 02.FEB.10 Healthy Harvest Celebrates Groundhog Day Just a short drive from Lake Toxaway: Noon, Healthy Harvest Natural Foods Brevard. Info. 885-2599. 09.FEB.10 Land of Waterfalls Art Gallery - Come Paint With Artists 10:30a.m., Cedar Mountain, a community close to Lake Toxaway. Info. Gallery-883-3830 or Rose Haynes at 884-9606. 12.FEB.10 Jacolyn Campbell To Demonstrate Lapidary Art Land of Waterfalls Art Gallery, Feb. 12-13, 10:30a.m., Cedar Mountain. Info. Gallery-883-3830 12.FEB.10 Valentine's Mini - Gallery Walk Celebrate this Valentines Weekend by strolling downtown Brevard and enjoying the art galleries who will be open late from 5-7 pm on Friday, February 12. For more information call TC Arts Council at 884-2787. 12.FEB.10 Exhibit-Body & Soul-TC Arts Council: Feb. 12-March 12 Gallery Exhibit: “Body & Soul,” Feb. 12-March 12, 10a.m.-4p.m., Transylvania Community Arts Council, 349 S. Caldwell Street, Brevard. An artist reception will be held on Feb. 19, 4-7p.m. Info. 884-2787 13.FEB.10 Sweetheart/Brevard’s Dancing with the Stars Sweetheart Dance from 8-11pm; Admission is $10 per person at the door. Info. 884-3278 www.brevardnc.org 13.FEB.10 Frog Awareness Program-“Frog Love In The Pink Beds” Another short drive from Lake Toxaway & well worth it! 11a.m. until 2p.m., Forest Discovery Center, Pisgah National Forest, US 276, $5 per adult.. (828) 877-3130 or visit www.cradleofforestry.com. 20.FEB.10 Exhibit-Land of Waterfalls Art Gallery Presents Brenda Maund 10:30a.m., Cedar Mountain. Info. Reception held from 2-4p.m. to kick off month long exhibit. Gallery-883-3830. 20.FEB.10 Reginald Williams - A Program on the History of String Instruments 2-5p.m., Transylvania County Library’s Rogow Room. Free Info. 884-4221 21.FEB.10 Violin Fest Brevard Philharmonic presents Guest Artist: Angelia Cho, violin; music of Dvorak, Beethoven, Mendelssohn. 3pm. The Porter Center. www.BrevardPhilharmonic.org.828-884-4221 25.FEB.10 "Eurydice" at The Paul Porter Center - Feb. 25-27, a postmodern version of the Orpheus myth by celebrated, contemporary American playwright, Sarah Ruhl, will be staged. The Morrison Playhouse in The Porter Center, on the Brevard College campus. 828-884-8330, gordonkc@brevard.edu 19.MAR.10 Exhibit-WNC Quilters Guild-Area 5 on Display at TC Arts: March 19-29 Stop by TC Arts Council and enjoy quilts made by members of the WNC Quilters Guild - Area 5. There will be an artist reception on March 19 from 4-7 pm. For more info. call Tc Arts at 884-2787
While one of the Gorges at Lake Toxaway staff was manicuring the conservation easement land near Bearwallow Creek, he discovered a natural pocket in the roots of a tree. Inside the pocket was a sealed container with a love letter referring to the Persian Gulf conflict in 1991. This love letter is written by a soldier about his sweetheart asking God for protection and blessing on their loving relationship. The handwritten love letter reflected on fond memories they had shared together. We think they were exploring the Gorges at Lake Toxaway and placed it in a sacred place to recover at later date. It is our hope to discover the author and return this private memoire including the treasure that was found with it. If you know who this might be, please contact us at the Gorges at Lake Toxaway at 828.966.4800. Signed Cupid, Gorges at Lake Toxaway
