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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.
Whittling Away
When I was growing up, I remember seeing a little wooden figurine of a pig in my Nana’s living room. I was told to be careful with it because it was lightweight and the legs were fragile. My father made it. He whittled it out of a piece of balsa wood. His father, my grandpa, taught him how to whittle, …
The Dillard Legacy
After the split of North Carolina and Tennessee, the Dillard family found themselves on the Tennessee side of the state line. With their true loyalties to the state of North Carolina, some of the family members decided to move to the remaining portion of North Carolina. Thomas Dillard III and his wife, Dorcas Polly Love Dillard, chose the Morgan area …
North Carolina’s Jumping Off Place
At the end of the Civil War, there were no roads to Highlands. There were few settlers on the Plateau, and the area was devoted largely to Native American hunting grounds. The land had not been fully explored or publicly mapped. But behind the scenes, the Union hired a cartographer to prepare a war map of the region to keep …
Damselfly Dancer
Damselfly Dancer (Genus Argia or Enallagma) The slender Blue-fronted Dancer is a Damselfly that flits, flutters, and bounces as it flies, making it a natural choreographer. Dancers’ flight patterns are not straight-lined. This Pond Damsel appears to dance and bounce along its way. Damselflies are smaller than Dragonflies, but they can be just as colorful.
The Dance That Anglers Know
Springtime…it’s a magical time of the year in the Carolina Mountains. Wildflowers, trees budding out, and songbirds singing are all like magnets to enjoying the great outdoors. What often goes unnoticed is what’s happening in our local trout streams this time of year. As water temperatures warm ever so slightly, the trout, and the aquatic insects they feed on, …
The Forest’s Trillium Surprise
Trillium is an early bloomer from the Lily Family (Liliaceae) that springs forth from the forest floor and loves to live in the shade. The timing works well in wooded areas because it has enough sun to grow before the trees form their dense canopy. Keep an eye out for these beauties as you tromp through the woods and try …
Wilson’s Snipe
This bird is sufficiently rarely sighted for a “snipe hunt” to be synonymous with a boondoggle joke played upon the uninitiated and naïve. There are millions of Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) in North America, but they are usually so well-camouflaged and secretive that they often go unseen. It’s remarkable, then, that one was sighted recently on the Highlands Plateau during …
Going Wild with Nature
This summer, the Highlands Biological Station will offer a variety of workshops sure to pique the interest of every Highlands resident and visitor! These fun and educational courses are geared toward the community with options for all. Workshop topics this summer include nature photography, wildflowers, natural science illustration, birding, tree identification, and more. The length of each workshop varies …
Heaven’s Backyard on the Bartram
Today – unseasonably warm and sunny when it was forecast to be cloudy and cold – my sweetheart and I were heading up to Rabun Bald, a first for both of us. It’s one of the more popular hiking spots in the region, but I didn’t think it would be too crowded this early in the season. Was I ever …
Southeastern Design Powerhouse
When you enter Dutchman’s Casual Living Store, located on Main Street in the heart of Highlands, it’s something of a calculated fall down the Rabbit’s Hole. Every inch of this rambling two-story gallery is loaded with custom furniture vignettes, fabric swatches and upholstery samples in a full spectrum of colors and textures, kitchen accessories, handmade soaps, beautifully scented candles, gift …
Shopping on the East Side
Mountain Fresh Grocery and Wine Market owner Steve Snead-Smith is very excited about the changes that they have planned for the one-of-a-kind store and restaurant. Rest assured, the updates will only enhance your experience at Mountain Fresh. “We’ve opened up the floor plan, so it doesn’t feel as crowded when you walk in,” says Steve, “We’re also adding a few …
A Classic Southern Spread
If you’re looking for luxury and tranquility in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s hard to beat Half-Mile Farm by Old Edwards in Highlands. Just outside of downtown Highlands, this luxury country inn offers the best of both worlds with its rustic charm, natural landscapes and indulgent guest rooms and experiences, one of which is the Chefs in the House dinner …
