Come on out to Hot Springs this weekend for the 12th annual French Broad River Festival. Three days of absolute magic. The line up is going to make for a great festival. Reverend Horton Heat, Acoustic Syndicate, Larry Keel and the Natural Bridge, Snake Oil Medicine Show, Josh Phillips and the Folk Festival and Jen and the Juice are just a few of the musicians performing. And with this weather, is there any place better to be than in Hot Springs.

You will also be able to shop for some really good outdoor gear at the Silent Auction or with the vendors. There will also be a raffle so bring some cash for the Live Auction too.  And if you are up for it, join one of the races. The “Paddle with the Pros,” the 12th Annual French Broad River Raft Race or the 5th Annual FBRF Mountain Bike Race. If you are not up for the race, you can enjoy the excitement as a spectator.

The festival crew is requesting everyone carpool to cut down on waste as well as save as much room for camping.  There will be a $10 charge for all vehicles that you will get back if you park at the farther lot once you unload your car. The weekend is sure to be a great time, I hope to see you there.

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Dining Out for Life in Asheville NC is a fabulous fundraiser.  Take a moment to plan your meals out and you’ll see this is an “easy way to make a meaningful contribution without spending more than you normally would each meal. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner at participating restaurants today, April 30th and help in the fight against HIV and AIDS.”

Dining Out For Life:

Dining Out For Life® is an annual fund raising event involving the generous participation of volunteers, corporate sponsors and restaurants. In exchange for their financial support, restaurants are listed in a city wide marketing campaign in an effort to increase customer traffic.

More than 3,500 restaurants donate a portion of their proceeds from this one special night of dining to the licensed agency in their city. Nearly $4 million dollars a year is raised to support the missions of agencies throughout North America. With the exception of the annual licensing fee of $600, all money raised in these cities stays there.

Please help us continue our Education and Prevention services throughout WNC and insure that no one faces HIV alone by dining out for breakfast, lunch or dinner at over 85 fine restaurants. It is the most satisfying meal you will ever eat!

Check their site for a full List of Participating Asheville Restaurants

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Great news for the Blue Ridge Parkway, and all of us who enjoy scenic cruises around Asheville and throughout WNC. This 13.3 million dollar stimulus is part of the larger American Recovery & Investment Act of 2009, these funds are slated to help with repairs and needed maintenance. 

Explore Asheville has more details:

The Blue Ridge Parkway, portions of which run through Asheville, was awarded $13.3 million in federal stimulus money. The Blue Ridge Parkway will use the funds for repairs including reconstructing historic stone guard walls, removing vegetation and hazardous trees and repairing trails.

The money is part of the $750 million allocated to more than 750 projects at national parks across the United States as part of the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009.

Ken Salazar, secretary of the interior, said in a statement that the investment in the national park system would create "a new legacy of stewardship for our national park system while helping our economy stand up again."

Although our economy sure seems to be shrinking, these funds are certainly going to help the Blue Ridge Parkway continue being a beautifully maintained stretch of gorgeous roadway for the adventurous. Its another happy day for WNC, get out there and enjoy it… Head north… I’ll see you at 417.

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Although it’s tough times economically, the Asheville Airport is expanding, thanks to 7.5 Million dollars in stimulus funding. Just a few weeks ago it was announced they will be operating new routes to both Orlando Florida and NY city. This is great news to many traveling professionals who often found themselves connecting in Charlotte or Atlanta.

The details of the stimulus package are listed below:

The Asheville Regional Airport Authority is proud to announce that it has received $7.5 million in economic recovery funds under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
        
The funding was distributed by the Federal Aviation Administration under the direction of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. Allocated funds will be used to improve the terminal at Asheville Regional Airport.

“We are very pleased to be receiving these funds for renovations to our A-Gates and the security checkpoint,” says David N. Edwards, Jr., AAE, Airport Director. “This project will stimulate the local economy by creating jobs in Western North Carolina, in addition to making positive changes for our passengers.”
 
The project is slated for bid in May, awarding of contract in June, with construction beginning in July. Renovations are expected to be completed by Spring 2011.

Again this is exciting news in slow economic times, and I look forward to being able to take advantage of these new routes and improvements over the next few years of vacation travel. By the way, if you are looking for a local travel agency; Wilcox World Travel & Tours has you covered!

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The Asheville Arts Center is a school based on unlimited opportunities for students to explore their interests in music, dance and drama. They offer a variety of classes, including everything from Ballet, Jazz, and Hip Hop Dance Lessons to Children’s and Adult’s Theater collaborations. They even offer a creative arts preschool for the younger generations.

I personally recommend their Kindermusik program.

“Kindermusik® is a music and movement program for newborns up to age 7. Kindermusik® is a great opportunity to be a part of a child centered and age appropriate program that creates musical children by letting them explore all the possibilities that surround them.”

The Asheville Arts Center also brings you high-quality instructions on a variety of instruments that are student centered with a focus on individual learning styles. You will have access to group instructions, recitals and a great performance space! Lessons in Bass, Guitar, Violin, Piano and other instruments are available.

Check out their "Parent's Night Out" program every 2nd and 4th Friday night. Now this is Very Cool for the whole family!

With two locations, the Asheville Arts Center is conveniently located. One location is at 308 Merrimon avenue just a few blocks down the street from Claxton Elementary School and directly across the street from Musicians Workshop. The second location is in South Asheville just off Hendersonville Road behind Quiznos.

Come check them out, here is a list of their Upcoming Events for May 2009:

The Wizard of Oz Performance  at  Montford Park  
Friday, May 1 @ 6pm
Saturday, May 2 @ 2pm & 6pm
Sunday, May 3 @ 2:00pm 

Jr. Company Showcase-- Great Hall, AAC
Tuesday, May 12 @ 6:00pm   

Academy Showcase    -- Great Hall, AAC
Thursday, May 14 @ 6:30pm   

Dance Recital-- Diana Wortham Theatre
Saturday, May 16 @ 10:00am & 11:30am
           
Music Recitals-- Great Hall, AAC
Sunday, May 17 @ 1:00-3:00pm   

Irish Dance Concer --  Diana Wortham Theatre
Wednesday, May 20 @ 7:00pm   

Academy Dinner--  Great Hall, AAC
Thursday, May 21   

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Chicken Coops in the city? But of course, where else would we be able to find delicious fresh local eggs in such abundance.

On first thought you may not envision Urban Chickens, however in Asheville it’s becoming a popular hobby. Especially with the help of Asheville City Chickens, and their proposed changes to Asheville’s Animal Control Ordinance, these fresh local eggs may be right next door or in your own backyard before you know it. 

Asheville City Chickens is a diverse group of Asheville residents dedicated to awareness, advocacy, and education concerning urban chickens in Asheville. We believe that responsible urban chicken ownership can be part of sustainable urban agriculture and can lend Asheville residents more control over their food sources.

On April 28th the Asheville City Council meeting will discuss the Animal Control Ordinance. With any luck it will soon be easier for people to keep backyard chickens. Asheville City Chickens helps teach Asheville residents responsible practices for raising these animals in an urban setting, complete with an emphasis on positive neighbor and community relations.

Check out these photos of a wonderful Urban Chicken residence in Oakley.

Take a moment to view the proposed changes to the Animal Control Ordinance, and sign the petition.

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Just as I was looking at our tomato starts in the kitchen this morning, I realized I had very little seeds in the herb department. I really want to plant a medicine herb garden and culinary herb garden. Then I realized it’s almost time for the Asheville Herb Festival. What a great way to celebrate spring and her wonders.

“Our 20th annual festival will take place May 1-3, 2009 at the WNC Farmers Market in Asheville, offering by far the best selection of herb plants in the southeast.

The WNC Chapter of the NC Herb Association represents the incredibly wide variety of herbalists and herb businesses in North Carolina: herb growers and vendors, natural gardening and landscaping specialists, and makers of herbal ointments, balms, soaps, teas, medicines, and other products. We hope you’ll join us and more than 25,000 other herb lovers when we celebrate the 20th annual Asheville Herb Festival May 1, 2, & 3, 2009, at the WNC Farmers Market.

This year, herb lovers from across the Southeast took advantage of some of the best herbs, plants, products, literature, and herb talk in the southeast. Many visitors were excited to learn that many of the most popular herbs, having developed around the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, are drought-tolerant.”

Come on out and share in the green plants. Get your garden hooked up with all the best from this year’s herb festival. We’ll see you there.

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Come one come all; have some healthy, family fun at Martin Luther King Park today, Saturday April 18th

Join us for the Second Annual AED: Asheville’s Earth Day Celebration! Just Announced: the fabulous musical line up; Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Laura Reed & Deep Pocket, Zach Deputy, Jen and the Juice! It’s going to be a great day!

Asheville Earth Day: 

This FREE, all day event is focused on providing a fun, entertaining setting to educate and promote conscious awareness and green living for the families and individuals of the Asheville community. The mission of Asheville Earth Day is to provide a FREE activity for people of all ages and backgrounds of the Asheville community, gathering to educate and celebrate that every person can make a difference for environmental change. And together we can make a difference globally. Asheville has long been known for its music and beautiful scenery…BUT more importantly, for its eclectic, environmentally conscious, health oriented citizens and community.

Earth Day Event Overview:
Fun full day celebration, of environmentally conscious individuals and families gathering together in support of healthy living and community collaboration of effective “green practices. The Eco-Village will highlight Asheville’s numerous Earth Friendly businesses and local non-profit organizations. A Kids-Village will be encouraging environmental awareness for children and young adults, including fun activities and games that focus on “Living Green”

 "AED is fun for children and their parents at the 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration!! While wonderful music fills our ears and moves our feet let's play and celebrate our planet. Activities include face painting, clay sculpture, field day games, and arts and crafts out of recycled materials. The showcase "re-creation" will be a big sized bug to help us catch the bug of less human impact on the Earth and will be in a skit the children create with adult help. So bring recyclables from your home. For instance if you have alot of tupperware lids with no container bring those? Got alot of empty egg cartons? You get the drift. Come out and ENJOY!"   --- Kids Area Management

You will not want to miss this fun family event, starting at 10:00am today, Saturday April 18th at Martin Luther King Park. Also check out Asheville’s Earth Day after party at Stella Blue. I look forward to see lots of you there this year!
 

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Asheville is host to many exciting outdoor activities. One such activity your friends and family are sure to enjoy is Disk Golf.

Disc golf got started in the 1970s, combining the basic elements of ball golf and Frisbee. The game is played on a nine- or 18-hole course by throwing a weighted disc, slightly smaller than a Frisbee, over fairways with the object of sinking it into special metal baskets in the fewest number of throws. Courses are usually in forested areas and use the trees, hills and other natural terrain to make the game more challenging.

Disc golf is played much like traditional golf. Instead of a ball and clubs, however, players use a flying disc, or Frisbee. The sport shares with "ball golf" the object of completing each hole in the fewest number of strokes (or, in the case of disc golf, fewest number of throws).

A golf disc is thrown from a tee area to a target which is the "hole." The hole can be one of a number of disc golf targets; the most common is called a Pole Hole, an elevated metal basket. As a player progresses down the fairway, he or she must make each consecutive shot from the spot where the previous throw has landed.

The trees, shrubs and terrain changes in and around the fairways provide challenging obstacles for the golfer. Finally, the "putt" lands in the basket and the hole is completed. Disc golf shares the same joys and frustrations of traditional golf, whether it's sinking a long putt or hitting a tree halfway down the fairway. There are few differences, though. Disc golf rarely requires a greens fee, you probably won't need to rent a cart, and you never get stuck with a bad "tee time." It is designed to be enjoyed by people of all ages, male and female, regardless of economic status.

The sport is also one that is played year-round, in rain or shine, snow or ice. When it comes to Disk Golf; the more natural hazards to contend with, the better. With at least 6 courses nearby, you can conveniently enjoy one of these wonderful locations:

For full details and directions see WNC Disk Golf

Richmond Hill Disc Golf Course, Asheville, NC is a heavily wooded course with elevation changes in abundance. A full 18 holes are available for play. Installed in 2001, this course was designed with the serious player in mind. The primary tee box placement is set for the advanced/professional player, although many holes contain alternate/amateur tee box placements.

Mars Hill College Disc Golf Course
-An 18-hole course in and around the Mars Hill College Campus. Check kiosk for details.

Black Mountain Recreation Park Disc Golf Course, Black Mountain, NC is a 9-hole course that caters to the recreational player. This course contains a mix of wooded and open shots. A river comes into play for many holes. Black Mountain technically challenges even the advanced player with tight skill shots.


Crookston Disc Golf Course, Fletcher, NC is a professional caliber 9-hole course installed in 2001. The course is located at the Fletcher Community Park and contains many open shots as it meanders around a pond. There are professional as well as amateur tee boxes at every hole. Out-of-bounds comes into play throughout the course.

Western Carolina University Disc Golf Course
9 holes - Disc Catcher

Vance Street Disc Golf Course (Waynesville)
18 holes with 2 pin locations for each hole and a mixed bag of tee surfaces including grass, asphalt and concrete. The long pin total distance is 6692 and the short pin is 5010. The course is an open course with a few choice tree shots to give all who play it a good challenge!! Lots of O.B. to make it interesting including streams and creeks for plastic swimming!! The course offers some great views of the Southern Appalachians!!

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Spring is here, Perseophone is home and Demeter is basking in love and gifts of blossoms and warm breezy days. If you are looking for a new place to take the kids, Kelby Carr gives her list of reasons why the arboretum is a great place to take the kids.

From Kelby Carr's Full Article: NC Arboretum with Kids

 “It’s cheap. It costs $6 for the whole family (as long as they fit in one vehicle, since the only charge is for parking). Better yet, it’s free on Tuesdays.

It’s a semi-contained area to let the kids run free. There are a few places, like the bonsai garden, where it’s a series of walkways and bridges with railings, so for those of you with multiple kids like us, you don’t have to worry as much about each kid sprinting a different direction. In fact, the Arboretum was the first outing where we took the kids and let the twins go stroller-free when they started walking.

They have kid-friendly hiking trails as short as a half-mile tound-trip.

It’s one of the few attractions I’ve seen that actually caters to toddlers and preschoolers. They have a Wee Naturalist program for kids age 2-4 to encourage parents and kids to explore.

They always have a cool, hands-on or personal experience type of exhibit that kids love. Currently, it’s an exhibit on bats. One of the coolest was a greenhouse filled with real live butterflies that the kids could walk into and experience.”

Here's a link to the NC Arboretum's 2009 Youth Camp Schedule.

Well I’m convinced. We will definitely  have to check this out soon. Look no further for your next family outing; The NC Arboretum has it all, not to mention the fabulous lineup of Spring and Summer Camps right around the corner.

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Wow, check out this great directory of local parks and green ways around Asheville. You’ll find many local hotspots.  From Vance Birthplace, NC Arboretum, Buncombe County’s 44 Acre Sports Park & the Folk Art Center to many Local Pools, Golf Courses, and the Western NC Nature center. Have some time to enjoy outdoors? Try exploring North Asheville’s  Beaver Lake, tour the famous Biltmore Estate, take a cruise on the Blue Ridge Parkway, Thrash Skate Parks, Enjoy Local Hiking trails and much more.

Discover amazing family fun outdoor opportunities around Asheville with this handy online resource:  Year of the Park (via Google Maps)

This is a fabulous online resource that everyone should bookmark.

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At the beginning of this experiment, I have to admit I had my doubts! Thinking: "there is no way this is going to work..." however it did work, and probably will work even better on my second attempt.

On this first batch, I did not use vinegar, or the second layer of white cloth; Both of which would probably make for better pattern transfer and brighter colors. Nonetheless it was fun, here are a few quick photos showing how the trial run turned out:

 

 Tutorial by OurBestBites.com

Materials and Tools:

• Raw Eggs
• Glass or enamel pot (pretty much anything non-aluminum will work)
• Silk Ties, Blouses, or Boxer Shorts
  (cut into pieces large enough to cover eggs)
• An old white sheet or pillowcase
  (also cut into pieces to cover silk-wrapped eggs)
• Twist Ties or String to secure cloth
  (I just tied the cloth around my eggs)
• 4 Table Spoons of white vinegar
  (optional - but will give better colors)
• Warm Water
• Vegetable Oil (optional)
• Paper Towels or Colander to dry eggs
• Tongs or Spoon to handle Hot Eggs
  

1.) Remove seaming from ties & any lining inside. All you want is a piece of silk. Cut into a square (or any shape piece that will fully cover raw egg.

2.) Wrap an egg with a piece of silk, making sure printed side of the material is facing egg. Silk can still be used if it doesn't fit perfectly around egg. Just try to make as much smooth contact with the fabric as possible. The pattern will transfer much better if it is right up against the egg. Any part that is folded or wrinkled will leave kind of a tie-dyed pattern (which is still cool - see my photos). Secure the cloth with a  twist tie or string. (if you do not mind tie dye effect just tie cloth around the egg)

3.) Place the silk-wrapped egg in a piece of white sheet, pillowcase, or old tablecloth and secure tightly with another twist tie or string. (I skipped this step)

4.) Place the eggs in the pot. Fill pot with water to cover eggs completely. Then, add the 1/4 cup of vinegar. (I forgot vinegar)

5.) Bring water to a boil, turn down heat, simmer for 20-25 minutes.

6.) Remove eggs from water with tongs/spoon and let cool on paper towels or in colander.

7.) Once eggs are cool enough to handle, remove the fabric.

8.) Freak Out - Because they look so AMAZING! 

9.) Add a bit of luster by dabbing vegetable oil on paper towel and rubbing eggs. 

Have fun and post some pictures of your Easter Eggstravaganza!

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Luckily for those of us in Asheville there are ample opportunities for the kids to join in some Easter Egg Fun! From community park egg hunts to Train Rides with Snoopy you can have a blast this weekend, joining the fun of Traditional Easter Egg hunts.

One year our family visited the Biltmore Estate for our Easter egg extravaganza, and I have to admit it was pretty fun. Although the organized egg hunt proved to be only somewhat entertaining, we had a blast hiding and rediscovering our own eggs hidden strategically throughout the beautiful tulip gardens that are blooming this time of year!

Asheville Citizen Times: Guide to WNC Easter egg hunts:

April 11, 2009
Community Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m.-noon, St. Paul's Church, 32 Rosscraggon Road, Building B, Skyland. Inflatables, activities, refreshments, more. Third grade and younger. Call 277-7730.

Fletcher Easter egg hunt and parade of hats. 12:15 p.m., Fletcher Community Park. Visit www.fletcherparks.org. The fields will be covered with over 8,000 eggs full of prizes and candy for everyone participating, and the Easter Bunny will be there to officially start the Easter Egg Hunt!

Grovewood Gallery and Café Easter egg hunt, 11 a.m., 111 Grovewood Road. Ages 2-9. $10; RSVP by April 6. Activities, Easter Bunny. Call 253-7651 or visit www.grovewood.com.

Lake Junaluska Easter egg hunt, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Stuart Auditorium/Harrell Center, Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center. Many more Easter events scheduled for April 11-12.

Malvern Hills Park Easter egg hunt, 1-3 p.m., ages 2-10, hosted by Malvern Hills Presbyterian Church. Call 258-8624

Dillsboro's Easter Hat Parade, 2 p.m., Dillsboro. Participants and pets of all ages. Prizes, Easter Bunny, more. Hat-making in advance at Dogwood Crafters. Call 800-962-1911

April 11-12, 2009
Train ride with Snoopy, the Easter Beagle, 10:30 a.m., the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, departing Bryson City. Children 2-12, $29; adults, $49. Refreshments, egg hunt, photos with Snoopy. Call 800-872-4681 or visit .

April 12, 2009
Biltmore Easter egg hunts, 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Biltmore Estate admission required for age 6 and older.

Chimney Rock Park sunrise service. Gates open 5-6 a.m.; service at 6:30 a.m. Arrive early, dress warm and bring a flashlight.

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No matter what else you have going on, take some time this week to dye a few Easter Eggs.

Thanks to the numerous farmers nearby and the Asheville City Chicken movement, it should be easy to find some inexpensive fresh local eggs.

Keeping with the healthy theme this Easter, here are some great organic Easter Egg coloring recipes:


Crush ingredients and Boil in water for ~5 minutes:
(the longer eggs remain in dye the brighter the colors will be)

Orange: Paprika
Dark Orange: Chili Powder
Yellow: Orange/Lemon Peels, Shredded Carrots, Onion Skins, Cumin, Curry Powder, Turmeric
Blue: Blue Berries, Blackberries, Grape Juice
Green: Try spinach, Kale
Red: Organic Rose Hips Tea or Pomegranate Juice
Brown: Organic Coffee grounds or Used Tea Bags
Pink: Fresh Organic Beets or Cranberries
Lavender: grape juice + lemon juice + red onion skins

For the regular food coloring method, try these Easter Recipes for more exotic coloring. Following each color listed below, add the number of drops of each food coloring to about 2 - 4 ounces of vinegar for dipping:

Lime - 24 yellow, 4 green
Purple - 15 blue, 5 red
Cantaloupe - 24 yellow, 2 red
Jade - 17 green, 3 blue
Plum - 10 red, 4 blue
Spearmint - 12 green, 6 yellow, 2 blue
Raspberry - 14 red, 6 blue
Maize - 24 yellow, 1 red
Watermelon - 25 red, 2 blue
Teal - 15 green, 5 blue
Grape - 17 blue, 3 red
Fuchsia - 18 red, 2 blue
Orange Sunset - 17 yellow, 3 red
Jungle Green - 14 green, 6 yellow  

Have fun and snap a few photos of your Easter Egg Masterpiece!
I'd love to see how they turn out.

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