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Taste the New Delights

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Chasing Sunsets and Waterfalls

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There are so many great articles in the pages of The Laurel Magazine, sometimes you want to read them again. You won’t miss a thing. Use these helpful search parameters and find just what you’re looking for about Highlands, NC and Cashiers, NC.

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Sentinel Species

When you hear the term “livestock,’’ the last thing you would think of is honey bees, but according to the USDA bees are considered managed livestock.  Which makes sense, if you think about it. Beekeeping is a trade with a long, rich history, especially in Appalachia.  Honey bees were introduced in America probably around the 1600’s. Scots and Irish settlers …

When Builder Partners with Nature

Some people view life here in this corner of Western North Carolina as an escape from the pressures of 21st century life.  Paradoxically, their vision of this getaway is colored by two wildly divergent lenses. For those seeking solitude and solace, the mountains are a welcome respite from the cares of the world. The magnificent vistas, with their horizon-spanning ranges …

Have Yoga Mat, Will Travel

In the winter of 2016, I hosted a Women’s Wellness Weekend at my studio and invited several other teachers to help facilitate various classes over the course of the weekend.   One of those teachers was long-time friend Ashby Underwood-Garner, the owner of Yoga Highlands.  We quickly realized how much we enjoyed working together and thought of the value we …


The Skinny on Skin Care

Imagine, it’s your average morning.  You shower, brush your teeth, shave, put on your makeup, off you go! We all do it, and most of us do not realize the damage we could be doing to our bodies. The average woman uses 12 products on her body daily, which can translate to over 168 chemicals being put onto, and into …

Active Participant in your Own Care

We’re all faced with choices and decisions every day regarding many aspects of our lives: what to eat, where to travel, what clothes to wear, etc.   When it comes to good health, the decision-making can be constant! We have choices at our fingertips and the discernment process needs to be taken seriously.   Good health is our choice, for …

Let’s Talk & Save Lives

When my son was nine his dad let him watch “Alien.” He came home withdrawn and frightened. It took several hours to get him to tell me the whole story. He’d also fallen in the tub and bruised his back. When he saw the bruise, he was convinced he had an alien inside him for about three days before he …


Founders Day & Local Heritage

Third and fourth-graders from Blue Ridge School, Summit School and homeschoolers will be learning about their local heritage and enjoying activities under blue September skies when the Cashiers Historical Society stages Founders Day on Thursday, September 26, on the grounds of the Zachary-Tolbert House.  The day is jammed with events designed to educate the children about life in the Cashiers Valley …

The Fate of the Fairfield

In the 1890s, a group of Pennsylvania investors established the Toxaway Company and bought thousands of acres of mountain land in Jackson and Transylvania Counties. Their initial plan was to cut and extract lumber so a railroad line was built from Hendersonville to Toxaway. When the group saw the stunning beauty of land a new plan was formed, resulting in …

Bob Padgett Tulip Tree

Highlands is known for its magnificent forests. The Highlands Biological Station plays a huge role in supporting them.   There are two organizations that contributed greatly to HBS’s foundation: one, the Highlands Scientific Society (1886) founded by Thomas Harbison; and two, the Southern Blue Ridge Horticultural Society (1891-95).    It is the latter that researched the variety of tree that …


England’s Great Golf Courses

With the Open Championship returning to Royal St. George’s in 2020, England and its great courses are in the spotlight.  Many people overlook England as a golf destination with such great options nearby in Scotland and Ireland.  But as you can see in the testimonial below, England is an incredible golf destination worth considering for your next golf trip.  Tom’s …

A Window Into Appalachia’s Heart

One of Highlands’ best trail systems runs through the Highlands Botanical Garden, which was established in 1962 as a refuge and demonstration garden for the diverse flora of the Southern Appalachians and its unique communities.   Today, the garden is a popular destination for visitors of all ages, with blooming Water Lilies, purple Pitcher Plants, and rare Oconee Bells scattered …

A Jewel of a Bird

The male Indigo Bunting, pictured above, is a radiant hue that is well-described as sapphire blue. They are stunning sights in the summer forest  The Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) breeding range covers the eastern half of the continental U.S. from which they migrate due south to winter in Florida and Central America. They fly at night when migrating, using the …