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.

Like Antique-ing?

I love browsing for antiques and

Biltmore Village is the place to go for that and more. They have it decorated for Christmas so it looks like an old English Village. It was the craftsman's village for living while working on the Biltmore Estate in the 1890s. The best place to eat is The Corner Kitchen because they have local foods cooked in such gourmet ways. I recommend the breakfast “Boston Way Bagel and Lox” for lunch the “Biltmore Village Reuben House cooked Corned beef on griddle toasted Rye with melted Swiss and our own yummy Sauerkraut” and for supper, “Black Pepper Molasses Pork Chop with Gingered Sweet Potatoes and Fried Green Tomatoes”
Antique hunting in those barns where they have consignment antiques in little room-like settings is where I found my cute little horsey toy decoration on the fireplace, as well as wooden filing cabinets that I had made into bedside tables in Heavenly Hideaway. I found the greatest cast iron heart pan there for $25 that I have in the Hideaway. Hearts are my theme there!

Anne Tansy of Twig work made this beautiful table that sits inside the living room at Heavenly Hideaway Cabin. I like to purchase local art because the western North Carolina Mountains draw a magnitude of talented arts so why go else where. In fact there are craft tours you can take to see the artists in their own studios sponsored by Hand Made in America. Come to Cloud 9 and see all the other regional artwork I have collected.

Pepper, the cow, has a calf

I rarely get to see my own cows having their calf because usually it occurs so early in the morning or night. But Pepper, my favorite cow, because she is such a good mother to her calves and has plenty of milk, gave me the first oppotunity at 4 in the after noon. These pics were taken with a zoom so they are a little fuzzy but I didn't want to disturb this private moment. Look for the white valentine on its little black head. All the other cows came curiously over to investigate. I usually name a calf for whatever renter is staying at Cloud 9 Relaxation Home, but this was too obvious...Valentine is his name.