Summertime and the living is oh so easy!

Life is good in the mountains! There is nothing like beating the heat by sitting in a waterfall or swimming in the lake. Cashiers offers so much for everyone!

Our summer weather is perfect. Today's high was about 80 degrees with lows in the 60's. When it's high 90's to 100+ degrees in Atlanta and Charlotte, consider taking a weekend trip to Cashiers. Once you start to climb up the mountain to Highlands or Cashiers, you can just roll down your windows and feel the temperature drop.

Lake Glenville is a reservoir located just 8 miles from Cashiers, North Carolina. It was formed by the damming of the west fork of the Tuckasegee River in 1941. Between 1951 and 2002. It was officially known as "Thorpe Reservoir" after J. E. S. Thorpe, Nantahala Power's first president. The lake bottom plunges as steeply as the mountains meeting the shore. The depth, just a short distance from the waters edge may register 80 feet or more.  The lake also has 26 miles of shoreline and the highest elevation of any lake east of the Mississippi, situated on the Eastern Continental Divide.

Lake Glenville is fed by 5 waterfalls and feeds bass, walleye, trout and many other species of fish. Wildlife abounds this lake and if you get lucky you may just see a bear swim across.

During World War II, ALCOA (Aluminum Company of America) needed more electricity to make aluminum for the war effort. In June 1940, Nantahala Power and Light, then owned by ALCOA, began constructing a dam on the west fork of the Tuckasegee River at Onion Falls. Lake Glenville was completed in late 1941, filling a new lake called Thorpe Reservoir. It encompassed the entire valley north of Cashiers, flooding the town of Hamburg including schools, homes, businesses, and farmlands to a depth of 300 feet.

Today, families show up every year to enjoy this spectacular lake. Many leave home when the kids get out of school and don't return back to the heat until the summer and fall have passed.  Generations after generations have called this area home.

Feel free to give me a call if you would like to visit the area and find out for yourselves why I call this magnificent lake " On Golden Pond" . There are many homes for sale and for rent on beautiful Lake Glenville and I would be glad to guide you in the right direction.

July in Cashiers

Wow! What a whirlwind of a month here in the Cashiers Valley Plateau. It is not even the middle of the month and so many things are going on. Last weekend over the Independence Celebrations, the Third Annual Cashiers Mountain Music Festival was a smashing success.

Acts such as Sweet Carolina, Rafe Hollister, Dehlia Low, Balsam Range, Sweet Tater, Hurricane Creek, Rye Hollar Boys, Doc Watson and David Holt rocked the stage, and there were many more! Proceeds from the ticket sales went to The Cashiers Preservation Foundation which distributes funds to schools and otherworthy non-profit organization.

The weather was wonderful as usual during this time of the month with highs in the low 80's and lows in the 60's. What a wonderful way to Beat the Heat!

Lake Glenville had it's own fireworks on July 2nd along with Highlands area Fireworks which were on The 4th of July!

There is so much more to come this month here in the Cashiers area. Mountain Wildlife Days will be in Sapphire Valley Resort the weekend of July 15 and 16, sponsored by Wild South partnered with Sapphire Valley Resort and Cashiers Travel and Tourism.

There will be presentations about the Cherokee Indians and The Black Bears, which will focus on human-black bear interactions, which ties in with the “bear smart” initiative sponsored by the Jackson-Macon Conservation Alliance .

Long-time and much-loved Mountain Wildlife Days presenter, Rob Gudger and his show-stopping wolves, will be presenting a brand new program this year. The new program is designed to promote a better understanding of wolves and their place in the natural environment. The Eagle Lady, Doris Mager, will be present with her collection of feathered friends including owls, falcons and a crested caracara.

 Guided hikes in Panthertown Valley and on Whitesides Mountain will be offered as well as a musical celebration by “Creation Singers” with messages from pastors Steve Kerhoulas of Christ Church of the Valley and Randy Harry of Cashier United Methodist Church. The featured message will be " Seeing God in Everything".

Of course don't forget the free Friday Night Concerts at the Village Commons along with " Slicks" famous summertime auctions, also on Friday evenings.

Concerts come alive on Saturday nights at The Gamekeepers Tavern in Sapphire NC.

So the summer has just started and is busting with things to do. If you need any information of places to stay you can always contact me. Hope to see you soon!

 http://www.cashiersnorthcarolina.com/cmmf/gallery.htm

Cashiers Mountain Music Festival

The Cashiers Mountain Music Festival is once again reving up for the 2nd and 3rd of July. It has quickly become one of the Premier Music Festivals of the southeast. It is a family and community oriented event put on by the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce for the benefit of the Cashiers Preservation Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to music education for local area youth. Proceeds from the festival will flow directly to the foundation which focuses on music education for our local area youth.

The festival will feature some great artist including The Steep Canyon Rangers who have Steve Martin ( A wild and crazy guy ) playing the banjo with them sometimes now.  We can hope he will be playing with them for the festival. Also, featured artist will be Lizzy Long and Little Ray Lewis who had Earl Scruggs with them as a suprise guest at last years Festival.

Many other featured artist will also be performing including The High Windy Band, The Rye Hollar Boys, The Wild Hog Band, Katelyn Marks and Jackson County's own Hurricane Creek.

Also being featured is Sweet Carolina who is only 12, but has already realeased two CD's and has played with Pat Benetar and Cheryl Crow.

There will also be a fabulous Firework Display, great food, a car show and vendor's area.

You should book early if you plan to stay in Cashiers as it is the busiest time of the year. We have rentals available on Beautiful Lake Glenville here at Mountain Lake Properties our rental division of Hattler Properties.

Feel free to contact me at 404-918-1611 and I will be glad to guide you in the right direction for rentals.
 Here is the website for the Music Festival.

http://www.cashiersnorthcarolina.com/cmmf/index.htm

Yesterday I was lucky enough to volunteer for the Highlands/Cashiers Homebuilders Semi-Annual Golf Tournament. It took place at the beautiful Golf and Lake Country Club, Trillium, located in Cashiers NC.

Trillium is a private community nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, offers a stunning blend of mountain, lake and golf course living. Trillium offers so much to the homeowner including homes located on 1,435-acre Lake Glenville — the largest and highest lake with altitudes of 3,500 feet. A championship mountain golf course stretches upwards of 4,000 feet, combining dramatic scenery and a challenging round of golf. And, the Blue Ridge mountains soar above it all, providing a stunning backdrop to living at Trillium.

Trillium is located just a few miles from downtown Cashiers and offers lake and golf homes and homesites including townhomes. Prices for townhomes start around $450,000 and Homes are usually in the 1-4 Million Dollar Range. The private golf is one of the  most reasonable in the area with a $50,000. membership fee.
The community offers a lake club with pier and boat docks available. Every year they do a fabulous 4th of July event with a beautiful fireworks display over Lake Glenville. They also are host to weddings.

There were many prizes for the Golf Tournament including Trips to Trump Towers in Atlantic City and a $10,000 price for a hole in one.

The scenery was spectacular and the weather was picture perfect. Everyone had a great time. After the tournament there a barbecue dinner and awards banquet. Special thanks should be given to the Trillium staff, Charlotte Moore of Hattler Properties and Suzanne Moore president of the Highland/Cashiers Homebuilders asso and local builder.

When you visit Cashiers be sure to let me tour you through the Trillium Community. About 65% of the homeowners are from Atlanta, Charlotte and Naples Florida.

3867 U.S. Hwy 64 West, Cashiers NC 28717, Cashiers, NC 28717 - presented by Carol Russell ABR, CRC

What a beautiful morning to wake up overlooking the mountain ridges!! This home located conviently between Cashiers and Highlands NC is the perfect retreat to get away from the busy city life!! The home is adjacent to a National Forest and overlooks Whiteside Mountain and Devil's Courthouse. It has been said that you can see four states from the deck. What a great place to enjoy the Hot Tub. Please stop by and visit this new listing the next time you take a drive to Highlands and Cashiers. You may just want to stay awhile! Enjoy!! Feel free to give me a call for a showing !! 404-918-1611

3867 U.S. Hwy 64 West, Cashiers NC 28717, Cashiers, NC 28717 - presented by Carol Russell ABR, CRC

The Overlook Cashiers NC

I have a gorgeous new listing at The Overlook in Cashiers NC. This property is conviently located off of Hwy 64 between Highlands and Cashiers NC.  The views of Whiteside Mountain and Devil's Courthouse are unsurpassed, and you do not have to drive straight up a  mountain to reach it.
Property features include 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths, a very open floorplan with views of the mountains from each room. The home was built by John Lupoli, one of the top custom home builders in the area. The  flowing design features a Luxury Cottage Flair complete with hardwood floors, vaulted wood ceilings with custom beams, custom art finishes, furniture style cabinetry, stone flooring , two stone fireplaces and walls of windows overlooking the mountain vista's. There are two magnificant decks and rock style patio' s featuring two man made waterfalls, stone table and seating, a plethora of plantings, and a hottub. Lot 7 at The Overlook has been furnished with high end antiques by Pineapple House Atlanta Ga. All furnishing are available outside of the closing. A tour will be up soon so check back soon. I can be reached to show this property at 404-918-1611.
http://hcmls.com/hlc/maildoc/ruc2227-Apr-23-2010-8_35_28pm.html

Returning to Cashiers

I am about to make my way back to the Cashiers Valley area . I must say that I can't wait! This is the first year I will be setting down some roots and I am looking forward to becoming a part of this amazing small town community. Quite a bit dfferent from the big city of Atlanta.

My business is dedicated to helping others find their way home to these gorgeous mountain communities, so look for more blogs to come. I plan to visit all the communites in the area and photograph the amazing scenery, and give you my upclose recommendations as to the highlights of each area.

I will be featuring individual homes for sale, mountain community neighborhoods, and activities in the area. I think this may turn into a great little hobby.