Today’s Find … All-American Fun!
6/27/08
What do watermelons, hotdogs, fireworks & SweetGrass have in common?? They’re all in Blowing Rock on the 4th of July!
If you’re looking for a good ole’ fashioned time this summer, the Blowing Rock 4th of July Festival is two days packed with plenty of family fun. Park games, horseshoe tournaments and a patriotic sing-along make a big bang on Independence Day. Topping it all off is a parade down Main Street and an evening fireworks display.
To get more information on the weekend, visit the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce website at www.blowingrock.com. And if you’re in town for the 4th, give us a call at the sales center and stop by to see our new homes!
Today’s Find … The Beginning of the Lake House
6/24/08
We posted pictures last week of SweetGrass Lake – if you missed them, scroll down and take a peek!
Now that it’s looking so beautiful on site, we’re even more excited about the construction of the Lake House. It’s going to be the social center of the community and a place where families and friends can gather together for fun days on the lake. We expect to complete the Lake House by next summer and we’ll keep you updated as construction progresses.
To learn more about all of the features of the Lake House and activities on SweetGrass Lake, visit the Lake House page of our website.
Today’s Find … Sounds of the Blue Ridge
6/19/08
Last time you were in Blowing Rock did you find a radio station that you really enjoyed? Now you can listen to the sounds of the Blue Ridge wherever you are thanks to streaming audio of seven local radio stations.
Start your day with High Country news or catch the Appalachian State University Mountaineers in action on the ASU network. For a sing-along, check out the local soft rock, country, gospel or even classic rock stations.
You’re only a click away from Blue Ridge radio. Enjoy!
Today’s Find… Sticky Fingers
6/17/08
Have a sweet tooth? We admit it … so do we. So we can’t resist Stickboy Bread Company.
Carson and Mindy Coatney opened Stickboy after visiting a bakery in Virginia and thinking Boone, NC could use some of its own fresh-baked goodies. The husband and wife team opened the bakery in 2001 and have been making fans ever since with their hand-shaped breads, pastries and cakes. Yum!
But it’s Stickboy’s Sticky Buns that put them on the map (and almost out of business). The story goes that while perfecting the recipe in their home kitchen late one night, Carson and Mindy fell asleep while a batch was in the oven. They woke to a house full of smoke and the smell of burnt sugar! Lucky for everyone, the next batch turned out much better…
Visit Stickboy’s website at www.stickboybread.com to learn more, join the mailing list and keep up with all the happenings at the bakery.
Today’s Find … SweetGrass Lake
6/12/2008
Just a few months ago we were taking visitors to see SweetGrass and asking them to picture a beautiful lake right where they were standing – instead of the dry dirt bowl under their feet.
When we first purchased SweetGrass, we knew the most important thing to do was to restore the lake, which had dried up years ago when the dam was inexplicably removed. Our team worked almost two full years to permit and reconstruct the dam … but boy was it worth it!
Once it was complete, the waters rose quickly and fish and wildlife returned home. We all agree that the pictures just don’t do it justice.
Even so, we wanted to share these recent photos of SweetGrass Lake. Imagine spending an afternoon fishing, swimming or floating the day away under the watchful eye of Grandfather Mountain.
Paradise!
Today’s Find… A Taste of Blowing Rock
6/10/08
On our last trip to SweetGrass, someone gave us a cookbook that’s considered a favorite of Blowing Rock locals. “Second Helpings from the Village Table” was created by a women’s group from Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church. From time to time, we’ll be sharing some of our favorite recipes from this book … starting today with breakfast!
Aunt Ruth’s Orange Muffins
2 egg yolks ½ tsp. vanilla
1 c. brown sugar 1 Tbsp. grated orange rind
½ c. plain flour 1 c. finely chopped nuts
¼ tsp. salt 1 c. finely chopped dates
½ tsp. baking powder 2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
Mix in order, folding in last 4 ingredients by hand. Batter will be stiff. Fill small size muffin tins ½ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 to 14 minutes.
One recipe gave us a giggle: Tara Maye’s “ode” to her grandmother.
Mama Webster’s Famous Toast
Burn toast, then scrape off burnt portion and pat with butter and jelly or honey. Mamaw always said, “Burnt toast is good for you.”
If you’d like to purchase “Second Helping from the Village Table” or other cookbooks, visit the Rumple Memorial Presbyterian Church website.
Today’s Find … A Sweet Escape June 20-22nd
June 4, 2008
We think summertime is the perfect season to visit SweetGrass and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. So, we’d like to invite you to join us for a special Discovery Weekend June 20th-22nd.
You’ll learn how to fly fish from an Orvis master fisherman … enjoy a summer picnic by the creek … feast on local cuisine from an award winning chef … and gather around the fire to hear stories from an eighth-generation Appalachian storyteller.
Of course, we’ll take you on a tour of the property to show off all of our progress – including our new homes under construction and our newly opened sales center. You won’t believe the views of Grandfather Mountain from SweetGrass lake!
If you’re interested in joining us, call our sales agent Carmen Best at 1-877-295-0276 for more information about the weekend.
Unexpected Finds – Everyday
May 28, 2008
It’s impossible to share all the things we love about SweetGrass, the town of Blowing Rock and Western North Carolina with just a few words or images.
In fact, to truly understand and experience what’s so special about this mountain lake community, you have to visit and explore for yourself. Well, we hope that Today’s Find will be a virtual tour that you’ll want to take over and over again.
We’ll be updating this page each week with news, pictures of SweetGrass, local profiles, recipes and more. Stop by from time to time and you’ll see how life at SweetGrass comes together to offer unexpected finds, every day.
