Vacation Days 1-3, Vilas/Boone, North Carolina

*If you are interested in renting this cabin, it's called The Starry Nights Lodge - contact Kathryn via VRBO, Property #444251  

Here's a little virtual tour video of our cabin stay that I took the moment we first arrived ... it was perfect for us! :)

(Btw, the reason I say "Do you realize I'm recording, right now? LOL" is because Mark said something naughty, that in the end, I don't think the sound picked up anyway - hehehe ;)

Still shots of the cabin ...

The following pictures were taken from, near, or around our cabin, at different times of the day or night.  Count the Frazier first, if you can - ladies and gentlemen of the Midwest and southeast - the North Carolina mountains are where most of your Christmas trees come from   ...

These mountains are actually the lowest elevation of any stop on our journey, but still with stunning views ... 

A little video of the view from our daytime hot-tub dip yesterday : )

Our nature neighbors ...

That is a real deer, btw, hanging out with a real cat :)

Watchful mama cow and her baby calf ... 

Miniature donkey/burro ...

Mr. and Mrs. Groundhog ...

A baby bunny ... 

And, of course, the local wildlife also includes Miss Brookie, who is the calmest I've ever seen here, she absolutely loves it here, and spends most of her time on the balcony ...

There were literally hundreds of Carolina Wrens (one landed right at Brookie's feet), singing their pretty little songs, but never stayed long enough for me to get a picture :(

Here's what they look like/their song  ... 

We also saw a piliated woodpecker (giant, red-headed woodpecker )on the way in, but I didn't have my camera out - this is NOT my pic - just so you can see what they look like.  I've only ever seen one other in my lifetime :)

 

Hiking - Laurel Falls/Cove Creek/Watuaga River, Cherokee National Forest ...

As it turned out, though this area stays about 74 degrees, there was a cold spell (down to 49), so no water activities but the hot tub (and why you see me in like the same 2 long-sleeved shirts in every picture, they were the only long-sleeved shirts I brought lol. 

It was 93 degrees in Kentucky  and Tennessee, and I didn't think I need many long sleeves - whups!  I was wrong. 

Otherwise, here's the little college town of Boone, which is about 10 minutes from our cabin.  It's home to ASU (Appalachian State University), which is right in the center, and has a dozen or so excellent restaurants which only serve locally grown meat, fruits and vegetables.   

This is the oldest part of town ...

With ASU (Appalachian State University) right smack-dab in the middle of it ... 

... but stretching southeast towards Blowing Rock is the more modern/suburban area of town, with hotels and shopping centers and restaurant chains  - all in a small valley between mountains. 

I didn't take any pictures of that side of town, because you can see that kind of suburb stuff anywhere, but just one - because can I just say it's super weird to see an Old Navy, a Chili's and a Burger King with mountains behind them? lol

We grilled most of our food, but did eat takeout a couple of times - The Lost Province likely has the best pub food I've ever had, and The Red Onion was a little lodge-like casual place, also good - all with locally grown meat, veggies, and fruit :)

Coming up tomorrow - Blowing Rock. I think. Because we went there today and had such disappointing/heartbreaking experiences, though this was my number once place to see (and consideration area for retirement), that I hesitate to even post it, but I will - along with the stories of what happened to us while there.  It is higher elevation and a prettier little town, but the people ... well, there's a story there - tomorrow :)


But on a brighter note, we're on the road again tomorrow and thoroughly and completely enjoyed our stay here at the cabin in Vilas and Boone. :)

Thank you, Kathryn!!!