Burnsville’s abuzz
By Amber Deen
Some
call our quaint little town Norman Rockwellian. Some call it Mayberryesque. To the natives and transplants who call it
home, those comparisons are spot-on.
What we do not call it, though, is sleepy as in “a sleepy little town.” It may be laid-back, which is part of its
charm and one reason so many move here from the hustle and bustle of a
metropolis, but it is definitely not sleepy.
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My freezer door is covered
with reminders of
upcoming events including the
Carolina Mountains
Literary Festival Sep. 6-8,
the Humane Society’s
annual flea market fundraiser
Sep. 21-23, Glass in
the Mountains Sep. 20-23, and
Old Timey Days
Fall Festival Sep. 29.
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An
occasional visitor to The Cove and Burnsville, who is not aware of the many
activities and events on any summer weekend, might think they would be limited
in their choices of things to do.
Notices of the many events coming up, many on the same day, cover the
freezer door of my refrigerator.
Between
public art exhibit opening receptions, summer stock shows at Parkway Playhouse,
concerts at the Town Center, festivals and fairs on and around the Town Square,
running and bicycle races, car rallies and shows, church fundraising suppers,
events at the library, and the restored antique movie theatre that plays first
run films, gives you free drink refills, and charges $5 a ticket, there’s
plenty to do. It’s often so hard to choose,
we end up attending or participating in three or more events in a single
evening and another couple the next day.
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On your mark, get set,
go! The start of one of
many bicycle races. The area’s up & down curvy
mountain roads, especially
the nearby Blue Ridge
Parkway, are favorites for
bicyclists, motorcyclists,
and car rally enthusiasts.
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Many
who moved to the area – and most of those will tell you the only way they’re
ever leaving is feet first – want to “give back” to the community. They join the army of volunteers that make
all the events happen. You’ll find them
at the art council’s gift shop and gallery, the library, the animal shelter, Habitat
for Humanity, Hospice, the Chamber of Commerce, the community theater, the
fundraising events, and at home making things to sell for their favorite
charity.
Then there are regular gatherings of knitters, quilters, book clubbers, civic groups, writers, painters, theater groups, political events, and special interests of every kind.
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This powerful telescope is
being set up for the
night’s public star-gazing. The Burnsville
area has the darkest night
skies in the southeast.
People come from all over to
share telescopes
such as this and view the
night sky.
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And
that’s just in our town. Other events
and activities are nearby in Spruce Pine, Boone and Blowing Rock to the east and
Mars Hill, Weaverville and Asheville to the west. It
turns out that our little Mayberry hustles and bustles in a fun way that
satisfies the soul rather than drains it.
Just ask Miss Dorothy, a relatively new resident of The Cove at Celo. “With all the things there are to do here, there’s no excuse to sit at home unless you choose to. And I often choose to.”
Originally from a small town in Texas, Dorothy
moved here from California with the intention of taking life easy, of limiting
her activities. And most of the time she
does. “My cabin in the woods at the Cove
is perfect for that. It’s so beautiful
and peaceful. I read a lot, I love to
cook, and I just take life easy.”
However,
for several weeks now, Dorothy has been spending two or three days a week
helping collect and sort donated items in preparation for the Humane Society’s
annual flea market, the biggest and most popular recycling of goods in one
place imaginable. And during the 3-day “flea”
in September (the 21st-23rd) you’ll find Dorothy
packaging purchases in the holiday goods section.
Besides
helping with the flea market, this retired widow said she loves to go to town for
supper and to listen to music at Mary Jane’s Café or In the Garden restaurant
on a Friday or Saturday night. Or listen
to a band at the Town Center. “There are
so many to choose from,” she said, “but I pick carefully and I haven’t seen
anything that I haven’t enjoyed. “The
talent in this area - the music, the art, the plays – is just amazing.”
For
anyone wanting the best of both worlds - exquisite natural beauty and solitude
to nourish your soul, as well as an abundance of opportunities to make and
connect with friends, immerse yourself in activities that you love, and be
involved in this utterly charming mountain community – The Cove at Celo is the
perfect place to be. The
ideal location between Boone and Asheville means you can take advantage of all
the activities in between. For a listing
of those events, go to yanceychamber.com
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| THE FOXWOOD |
And by the way, a newly completed cabin like Dorothy’s, the last of only three, is now available for purchase. Take a look at it on our website www.thecoveatcelomountain.com, click on Real Estate, then on Available Homes, and finally on The Foxwood. Of course you can always phone 866-378-4769 for more information.
To
quote Dorothy, “Happiness is where you make it, and in my cabin in The Cove, I
am a happy camper!”
