This past Fall my husband and I were determined to get back up to NC and see the leaves. I found a lovely Airbnb cabin near West Jefferson, NC, about an hour north of most of our relatives, and we packed up our two teenage boys and expected an adventure. Both boys are getting older, working on school and jobs, so we knew this may be the last time our schedules work out to take this much time off together for awhile. I wanted a location that would keep us outdoors and unplugged and this dreamy spot gave us more than we could ask for in nature.
We arrived during the night, and discovered that the destination is 8.5 miles UP a mountain, swerving and winding up the hill. It was daunting at night but we found the location which is one of five cabins on the 252 acre property. The next morning as we drove down the mtn to get some groceries, we realized the beauty we had passed, from amazing barns, highland cattle grazing in the creek, fields of wild turkeys and gardens full of flowers, all on the drove up the hill!
Little Horse Creek runs through the property. and my husband caught some beautiful trout there. The property was gorgeous and contained things like over eight miles of 4 different rails to follow. Apple trees along the creek, a stocked trout pond at the top of the mountain, and welcoming owners who are available anytime if needed. My husband usually requires about 4-5 days before he can actually unwind and relax from work, so we could have easily added another week up there. This property, being so high up, is much colder than our family experiences down in Winston-Salem and Mt. Airy and closes up early (by mid Oct) for the winter. We LOVED our stay there and plan on going back as soon as it opens up again.
So far I have painted three acrylic paintings from the trip. The barn above, the view of the mountain top, which contains the owners' home and the trout pond below it. They have an illustrious background living internationally, and their home looks very European. As I took the photo of the house, I was standing in the sunflower field, which is where we would usually find Harriet and Lucy. They are two rescue horses that have lived on the land for over a decade. They roam free, love to be fed apples, and are as friendly as puppies.
I painted Lucy the appaloosa, because she is one of the few original species, and I was in love with her spots. Harriet is in the background of the painting.
These three images will be available on my website under Farmhouse Original Art, and I hope will go to a home that loves this area as much as we do!
Some more photos:
Lucy and Harriet in the sunflower meadow.
Highland cows in Little Horse Creek
This past year, with the unsurety of the Pandemic and isolation, I felt a calling back to those butterflies that had given me so much quiet joy in the past.
Usually when I paint birds or butterflies, they sell quickly, but I have been gathering a collection of smaller works, affordable for anyone who wishes to collect some beauty for their home. They will be included in an upcoming exhibit called S O L A C E. at the Jewish Community Alliance Center in Jacksonville, FL.
