One of the places on the tour is the Tusquittee Tavern, a friendly place where people gather to have a drink and visit with their friends and neighbors. Unlike a big city with pubs and bars all over town, our county was dry until a couple of years ago. Few places serve alcoholic beverages.
For the tour, the tavern, located away from town on a scenic route, will be decorated for Christmas and will offer apple-pie cider as well as music and some history. The couple who own the tavern made me feel welcome when I dropped in one day to see the place I'd heard about. On the front porch, a group of adults sat in comfortable chairs sipping cold drinks. I promised myself I'd drop by there again, but it is out of the way from my house.
For the tour, the tavern, located away from town on a scenic route, will be decorated for Christmas and will offer apple-pie cider as well as music and some history. The couple who own the tavern made me feel welcome when I dropped in one day to see the place I'd heard about. On the front porch, a group of adults sat in comfortable chairs sipping cold drinks. I promised myself I'd drop by there again, but it is out of the way from my house.
I plan to have lunch with my friend, Joan, and we will spend the afternoon driving through our scenic landscape here in the Appalachian mountains.
Anyone who lives near Hayesville, NC can come into town and purchase tickets for the tour at almost any business around the town square. The Chamber of Commerce, Moss Library, Tiger's Department store and many other places will have tickets. The cost is small, $15 and the proceeds go to the Arts Council for the many activities offered to our community.
One of the most popular events held by the volunteers at the Historical and Arts Council is the huge Festival on the Square in downtown Hayesville each July. I try to never miss it. Hundreds of vendors come with art of all kinds and thousands come to shop with them.
CCHAC also sponsors an Arts competition for the high school students each year and a poetry contest for adults and students. I won the adult contest soon after I moved here. Later, I was proud to be a judge of the poetry contest.
Above see the brochure with the places you'll see on the tour. The first one, the Ward home, has six bedrooms, six and one half bathrooms, with many interesting and unique rooms including one for meditation. This is a mountain-style lake front home with a 12 foot Christmas tree.
Another house on the tour, the Nichols home, sits on a mountain top and has a magnificent view of Lake Chatuge and Brasstown Bald, in Georgia.
I am delighted that the people who own these houses will go to all the trouble to make them inviting and welcoming to strangers, folks like me, who come to admire their tastes, maybe steal a few ideas to use in our own homes this holiday season, and help us get into the Christmas spirit.
I hope all of our local readers will come out and enjoy the Hayesville HolidayTour of Homes this weekend. Don't let a little rain stop you. It won't stop me.
