New Art Work Adorns Heavenly Hideaway

Pyrographic Art is the fancy word for wood burning with an etching pen and filling in with beautiful colors. Here is the new headboard on the king-size bed in Heavenly Hideaway cabin, a couple's secluded get-away on Cloud 9 property. Lisa, a spirit-filled, talented artist was commissioned to do this for me. I think she captured the blissful feeling of staying here at the Hideaway...you're floating on love-filled air in the clouds listening to etheric music. She is a local artist in Black Mountain with Earthfin Studios. She has muses from other realms, for sure!

The Antics of Duke, our Neighbor's Dog

When I say neighbors, I mean the neighbors a 1/2 mile away on the other mountain down the road, because Cloud 9, for a vacation rental is a very private spot. But the other day, an alert renter couple who were hiking to Buzzard's Roost, noticed this cute beagle joined them. Waiting to meet another hiker they just kept walking and the dog excitedly followed them, sniffing rabbit trails along the way, but always running to catch up. After reaching the top (2,470 ft.) and coming down again, no other hiker showed up, so reaching down to check the dog tag, "Duke" belonged to an address down the road. The hiker called it on his cell phone, and Fred and Brenda were so relieved to find out someone had found their new dog, Duke, that had escaped that morning. They met the hikers and Duke at the bottom of the Cloud 9 trail and were happily reunited, thanks to good people!

Winter Hiking in the Blue Ridge NC Mountains

Hiking is really great in the mountains in the cool 40-50 degree air. That’s my favorite temperature to hike in because you can start out wearing 2 tee shirts and a sweat shirt and end up with just one on with the others wrapped around your waist. There are lots of great places to hike off the parkway trails (but sometimes they close the road because of ice so check first.) The best place of ALL to hike is right up to Cloud 9’s own, Buzzard’s Roost. It’s pet friendly and you won’t need a leash. There’s a mailbox with a journal at the top, just so you can write that you made it! The hike starts at the garden in the valley of Cloud 9 Farm and is about a mile of gradual incline tractor road. Here’s a quote from one of the entries I found in the journal, “Hill, my foot, this is a friggin’ mountain.” Obviously she needed that hike!

Winter Turkey Tracks

Wildlife is abundant here on Cloud 9 Farm even in the winter. The wild turkeys are starting to gather in preparation for mating season in late February and March which is a spectacle to see. The fanning of the tom turkey's tail, his head change color from pink to bright red to purple...oh, so handsome. That would be a great time to vacation here. Bring your camera. You can get unbelievably close. Especially since it's the misplaced chicken scratch that they love to eat right around my chicken coop. Whoops, did I say "misplaced?" ...on purpose misplaced that is. I love observing them.

Biltmore Estate in the Winter

You can almost have the whole Biltmore Estate to yourself. The prices are the best now through March and you know, the house tours can be shoulder to shoulder on summer weekends. If you can’t come now, come in warmer weather during week days for the best summer prices.

Fire Pit Fun

Here's the view at suset on a winter's eve enjoying the fire pit at Cloud 9 Relaxation Home. We provide the wood, starter mix and log seats. You provide the kindling from the nearby woods (make it a family project), the marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers. Smores anyone?

BREECH! Chicken Run Occurs

Nawwww,

Only in the movies...My chickens know where I feed them and where it is safe from the hawk (I only let them out of their large run coop after I know the chicken hawk has made his rounds.) With the wind the other night, a leaning tree fell on the chicken coop. But, here come first-to-wake-up vacationers at Cloud 9, knocking on my door to lend a helping hand. We cut the tree off the coop in firewood-size pieces and they put down their morning coffee cups to help stack it around the fire pit. Our motto is "We work, you relax" but, hey, if it's fun, join in! Next, I'll show you the fire pit pictures.