Hi friends!

This is the first time I’ve ever sent out an email alert that wasn’t a planned calendar newsletter, so you know that means it’s really special news.

We now offer direct booking!!

Recently Airbnb has made some changes to the way their service fee is structured. I won’t bore you with the details but it has lead to a significant fee increase on our side, and really it was just the push I needed to finally get around to offering a direct booking option. This option is through our own site (hosted by Hospitable) and is 20% less than booking through airbnb - great news for y’all!

Another change we’ll be making is that the direct booking calendar will be available first whenever we open up dates, with airbnb opening up a couple of weeks later.

For the launch, we’re offering an additional 10% off with the code “ADIOSAIRBNB” which is active now through September 1st. You’ll want that code for the next bit of news..

We have a really rare October opening!

We just had a cancellation for October 12th-16th!

That is our only availability for the entire fall season. September, the rest of October, and all of November are fully booked.

We’ve made it a two night minimum with check-in available on either the 12th or the 14th, or make it a long stay to watch the leaves change colors! The middle of the month is usually when we start getting some beautiful leaf color and every morning it seems like there’s more and more. It’s really magical.

We also have some very limited availability for December and early January, too:

December: 2nd - 4th, 7th - 11th, 21st - 23rd

January: 10th - 15th

book directly with us!

That’s all for now! Our next calendar opening is on October 1st and we’ll be opening up February and March then. Usually we open up January as well but next year we’re actually keeping the rest of the month for us as a little break for maintenance and deep cleaning. So what’s available for January now is all that we’ll have!

Hope you guys had a great summer and are starting to get into the ‘Ber months spirit - what better way to kick that off than planning a little fall getaway!

Shealy & Eddie

And if you’re hoping to snag a summer weekend - July 18th-22nd just opened up as well!

book now!

With the important part out of the way, let’s talk about what’s going on around town, the projected leaf color dates, and looking beyond fall to the holiday season!

🍁Leaf Color:

This is a question that everyone always asks! In the five years of owning the land, we’ve seen peak leaf color happen anywhere from October 20th to November 5th. Last year was especially different - it seemed to start around the 25th and lasted all the way through to early November. There are a lot of factors that determine the intensity of the color, timing, and duration. The most important things are when the first frost happens (this speeds it up, warm weather slows it down) and whether we get any wind storms. Usually we start getting pops of color in mid/late September and there’s almost guaranteed to be at least some color from early October on. One perk to early October is that it’s really lovely at the a-frame, and you can take a scenic drive on Blue Ridge Parkway to the upper elevations, which will be hitting their peak at that time. My favorite is to go all the way up to Black Balsam Knob for a hike. That area and Graveyard Fields are usually the first places to hit peak. The views are breathtaking! If you decide to hike either of those, or Sam’s Knob, I definitely recommend going very early in the morning as those are popular spots with limited parking.

Here is App State’s color guide. They’ll adjust their projections later in the summer as the weather starts to cool.

🎃 Festivals:

Fall is such a fun season for the greater Asheville area! Here’s a few to highlight:

Asheville Oktoberfest

When: October 3, 2026, 1–6 p.m.
Where: Pack Square Park, Asheville
A downtown Oktoberfest celebration with regional beverage producers, live entertainment, traditional games, and food vendors inspired by Oktoberfest flavors.

Lovely Asheville Annual Fall Festival / LAAFF

When: October 10–11, 2026
Where: 80 Court Plaza / downtown Asheville
A two-day fall festival in downtown Asheville celebrating community, culture, creativity, art, music, food, and Asheville’s colorful fall season.

Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands — Fall Edition

When: October 15–18, 2026
Where: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
A second 2026 edition of the Southern Highland Craft Guild’s major juried craft fair, again centered on regional fine craft and traditional/contemporary Appalachian makers.

Halloween in downtown Old Fort

When: October 31, 2026
Where: Downtown Old Fort
This one hasn’t been officially announced yet, but typically every year, a lot of the downtown businesses open up late for trick or treating and all kinds of community fun. If you live near by or are planning to visit the area, I highly recommend it! It’s like revisiting the Halloween of my childhood, it’s super fun and nostalgic.

Christmas at Biltmore

When: November 3, 2026–January 10, 2027
Where: Biltmore Estate, Asheville
A major holiday-season event with decorated rooms, wreaths, garland, ornaments, Antler Hill Village, daytime visits, and Candlelight Christmas Evenings. If you haven’t visited Biltmore yet - or even if you have!! - this is the best time of year to go, imo.

Asheville Holiday Parade

When: November 21, 2026, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Where: Downtown Asheville
A downtown holiday parade kicking off the festive season in Asheville. This is more of a community celebration than a full festival, but it is a major seasonal event for downtown.

The Big Crafty — Holiday Edition

When: December 5–6, 2026
Where: Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville
The Big Crafty is the premiere artists market for Asheville and a wonderful way to shop local for your holiday gifts!

🍎 Apple Picking:

Hendersonville is nearby and famous for its apple orchards. The exact dates aren’t available yet as it depends on when the apples start to ripen up, but last year you could visit most of them through October. My personal favorite is Jeter Mountain Farms - it’s like something out of a Hallmark movie! Super cute, scenic, and you can get cider, apple cider donuts, u-pick apples and blueberries, as well as go on a tractor ride around the farm. Justus Orchards, Grandads, and Piney Mountain are all in the same area. If you want one off Blue Ridge Parkway, The Historic Orchard at Altapass is a great day trip and right off BRP in Spruce Pine.

⛰️ Mountain Views:

Once the leaves start to fall in November, that’s when our views peek back out. The cabin is actually surrounded by mountains and the views of them are truly beautiful and special! They’re only visible during fall and winter. They wrap around the front and the back, so you can enjoy them from the balcony or the back deck or even from the hammock.

Seasonal Decor:

If you’ve been here for a minute then you know that I love decorating the a-frame for the different seasons - and fall is my favorite. While it’s still too early to start decorating (dang it) there are some early fall finds out already and some of these are very similar to what I have for the cabin! I’m also brainstorming with some local artist friends to have custom a-frame art available with a specifically fall flair.

Shop our Fall Finds on LTK

Next Available Dates:

If you don’t want to wait until later this year to visit the a-frame, we have a handful of summer dates left available!

July 18-22: Just cancelled last night so this is a fresh chance for some prime summer vibes. Maybe the lightning bugs will even still be hanging around!

July 26-28: these are also discounted by 20%!

August 1-6 (includes our only open Saturday), 11-13, & 19-21

Did you know..?

You can turn your stay into a mini wellness vacation! Namaste In Nature is a local business that specializes in leading yoga hikes at nearby Catawba Falls with both public and private tour options. You can also contact them about private experiences at the cabin, including massages and sound healing.

If fishing is more your speed, we also have Connecting the Dots right here in Old Fort. You can hire them for a private experience to explore the creeks or lakes that surround the area - legendary for their fly fishing spots.

And if you want to explore the Blue Ridge Parkway without the hassle of missing out on the views because you’re the driver, check out Asheville Jeep Tours!

That’s all from our corner of the woods this time! If you’re like us and slowly melting in this heat wave, maybe some fall time daydreaming and planning will help us get to the cooler days faster. I may have already bought a new sweater for the season… extremely delusional behavior, I know! The ‘Ber months will be here soon though!

Thanks for being part of our community, whether you’re planning a future trip or one of our guests who loves coming back again and again. We’ve been so honored to hit 178 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 reviews and are superhosts, as well as in the top 1% of all homes on airbnb.

Until next time!

🧡🧡🧡

Shealy & Eddie

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Hey friends!

With spring in full swing, it’s not hard to start imagining what those summer plans might be. If you’re considering a trip up to our mountains, here’s a not-exhaustive list of some of the major events going on around Asheville and surrounding areas. Generally during the summer and early fall you’ll find tons to do every weekend - lots of live music pop ups around town, at vineyards, breweries, and restaurants, and lots of local markets:

Events

• Downtown After 5: The annual free music event in Asheville that takes place every 3rd Friday during April-August. It takes place in Pack Square Park and hosts musicians and vendors with food and drinks available.

• Luminere at Biltmore: This is the newest event at the Biltmore Estate and is maybe one of their grandest yet. It’s a large outdoor light show that is projected on to the house. Shows are running now through mid-October, more information here.

• July 4th events: Fireworks and live music events will be held all around the area!

• The Big Crafty: July 11 & 12 - One of the biggest craft art festivals of the whole year and takes place at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville. A great source for local arts and crafts.

• Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands: July 16-19 - Also located at Harrah’s in Asheville, this craft market features traditional Appalachian work and live displays.

• Sourwood Festival: August 8 & 9 - A huge local festival that takes over downtown Black Mountain. This festival celebrates the start of sourwood honey season, which you’ll find plenty of vendors selling, but there’s also so much more to discover. There’s live music, locally made products and art, and it all takes place within an easy walking distance. Check out more here!

• WNC Bigfoot Festival: August 29th - Meet McDowell County’s most famous resident! A cute, quirky local festival that is held in nearby Marion and one of the largest Bigfoot festivals in the south. More information available here.

• NC Apple Festival: September 4-7 - The Apple Festival always feels like the unofficial fall kickoff to me. This is a huge festival and parade that takes place every year during Labor Day Weekend in Hendersonville. Find out more here.

• Oktoberfest: September 12-13, 19-20 - These two weekends in Black Mountain are so much fun! You’ll find all kinds of German inspired food and drinks at local businesses throughout the downtown Black Mountain area.

• Black Mountain Blues: September 25-27 - Live music throughout Black Mountain! We accidentally ended up in the midst of this festival last year and it was a blast! This is one you should definitely make plans for if you’re a live music fan.

Summer is such a lush time out at the cabin. It is so green! With all the trees filled in and surrounding the a-frame, it feels like being in your own little world. And we’ve added even more wildflower seeds this year so all around the fire pit and the hammock should be a colorful meadow of native wildflowers. One big benefit to our natural landscaping efforts has been an abundance of lightning bugs. Last year we had so many! Way more than the year before. I’m hoping this year will be the same.

Old Fort Local Guide:

Although Old Fort is very much a small town, it has SO much to do! Here’s a breakdown of our favorites:

- Catawba Falls

It’s a great time of year to hit the nearby Catawba Falls trail and go for a swim. This is one of the most popular trails in all of WNC and Pisgah National Forest. The trailhead is only about a 15 minute drive from the a-frame. That means you can sleep in and still beat the crowds to the parking lot! If you’re planning on hiking there during your stay, I recommend getting there before 11 on weekends. But since it’s so close, even if you show up to a full parking lot, you can just go back after the crowds leave around 3-4 in the afternoon (we’ve had to do this several times!). The trail is a little over 2 miles and follows along the Catawba River for most of it. There’s two main spots - the lower falls and the upper falls. The hike to the lower falls is about 1 mile and then you can climb the 580 stairs (the equivalent of a 30 story building!) to the upper falls.

Or don’t 😂

If you do want to make the climb - it’s worth it. There’s great views along the stairs and the pool at the upper falls is one of my favorite swimming spots. From the upper falls you can take the Ridge Trail back down and not have to deal with the stairs again. It’s mostly shaded and winds back to the parking lot. The Ridge Trail is also a good option if you want to avoid climbing up the stairs, you can take it up to the upper falls and then take the stairs down to the lower falls and the River Trail.

If you don’t want to make the climb - and I don’t blame you! - there are plenty of swimming spots along the trail. The lower falls is shallow but usually has enough water where you can get in waist deep. There’s also several deeper pools before you get to the lower falls. Let me know when you’re booking that you’d like directions to Eddie and I’s favorite swimming hole and I’ll let you in on the secret!

The upper falls for Catawba Falls

- In Town

After hiking, we usually go straight into town for snacks and drinks. Old Fort has really grown in the last year, which after the damage from Hurricane Helene feels like a real blessing. Here’s what we have available in town now, all of which are only a few minutes from Catawba Falls trailhead and 15 minutes from the a-frame!

• The Thirsty Peanuts: If you’re a boiled peanut fan, this is a must stop. Their peanut shack is located on Catawba River Rd on the way to the trailhead - you’ll see their red roof and signs on the righthand side of the road a little ways after turning on to Catawba River Rd from the interstate. Their peanut shack is usually open on the weekends from May-October, check their Instagram for specific hours and availability.

• Foothills Watershed: From the same folks that own Foothills Grange, Butcher Shop, and Come Hell or High Water in Black Mountain, this is a combination of a bike park, brewery, and barbecue restaurant. It’s a great post-hike stop for beers and food by the Catawba River, where you can wade in the water or go for a swim in their pond. If you’re into mountain biking, they have trails and a track!

• Whaley Farm Brewing: Whaley Farm Brewing is known for their European style ales and Appalachian farm beers. They also have a farm stand inside the taproom and host food trucks during the weekends. Right beside the Mill Creek with a huge green area, this is a super charming little spot to grab a beer and sit by the creek.

• Arrowhead Art Gallery: Full of locally crafted art! You may recognize some pieces here as I bought a few things from there for the a-frame, specifically: ceramic bowls and trays from Mackey Creek Mud (Jessie also hosts open studio sales nearby, check her instagram for more info!), our resin floral snail from Crafted Intent, and our stained glass plant that sits on the floating shelves.

• Hillman Beer: On the other side of the creek from Whaley, Hillman is known for their incredibly delicious food and beers. My personal favorite is their garlic parmesan wings and a Mommabeer Brown Ale. You can also pick up cans to go.

• Nanu Gallery: Another local art gallery and located right next to Hillman. Some beautiful ceramic pieces can be found here!

• Modern Alchemist: They have a wonderful selection of cocktails, beer, THC-mocktails, and also tacos! Their queso dip is phenomenal.

• Euda Wine: Euda is a must visit for us every time we’re in town. Michael and Abi, the owners, are the nicest people and they make some killer NC wines. They also have more than just wine - they have beer, cider, and canned NA drinks. We usually grab a bottle of their Sparkling Field Blend or their Telos Red Blend. Any of their wines are perfect for enjoying next to the fire pit at the cabin!

• Seeker Coffee: Absolutely cannot miss their homemade syrups and perfectly poured espresso drinks. They also occasionally host live music on weekend evenings! Check their instagram for the schedule.

• BSide Old Fort: They have a little bit of everything and are a great local market. You can pick up house made breads, local snacks, books, and beverages.

• Old Fort Yoga: They offer daily classes for all different levels. Check their website for the schedule!

• The Common Pine: The perfect spot for local gifts! Pick up a book, find a vintage treasure, take home a plant, or stock up on stickers. It’s a super cute boutique with a little bit of a lot.

• Gogo’s Cinnamon Buns: Recently named one of the best cinnamon buns in the country - rightfully so! You can go in person to enjoy them or take a mixed box back to the cabin with you. The perfect cabin breakfast!

• Destination McDowell: Our local tourism resource is a great place to stop and check out even more information on trails and things to do in other McDowell County towns.

• Painters Greenhouse: If you’re a plant person like I am, this is a must stop. Painters is just around the corner from the a-frame and has a huge selection of indoor and outdoor plants. Almost all of our plants at the a-frame came from there! Even if you can’t take one home, it’s so lovely to walk through their greenhouse.

Upcoming Availability

If you’re not wanting to wait until later in the summer to make your cabin getaway plans, here is what we have left open for this spring and early summer:

April: 12-17 (discounted 20% off!), 26-29

May: 4-6, 12-14, 31-2

and if you’re wanting a weekend, you’re in luck! We just had two reopen for June

June: 6-9 (our next available weekend), 24-29, 29-1

That’s it from our little corner of the woods! Can’t believe I’m already getting to think about the next newsletter.. our fall one 😍 y’all know it’s my favorite!

xo

Shealy & Eddie

Spring break, Memorial Day weekend, early summer and more, now open on Airbnb:

book now!

Happy New Year!

An overall theme I’ve noticed about 2026 is how many people are making it their goal or their resolution or their overall determination to spend it less online. Less screen time, less mindless doom scrolling, less online life and more real life, more real things.. I can’t think of anything more fitting than making getaway plans to our little retreat in the woods part of that.

That’s the exact reason why we chose not to put a TV out at the a-frame. We had originally planned to and even have a spot where one could go in the future, but after months and months of enjoying our unplugged time there, it somehow felt wrong. During construction, when we didn’t have power or wifi, it always felt like an escape to be there. Cell phone signal was spotty to nonexistent and we could just unwind and leave our phones in the car for a while. It was nice to be unreachable.

As construction finished up and we got to actually start putting the cabin together, that feeling grew and grew. We went several weeks without wifi as we waited on our Starlink satellite and it was SO nice. You had to be purposeful if you wanted to be on your phone - you had to walk outside to get maybe one bar of signal. It made both of us spend more time reading and talking, way less time spent on our phones, and that, ultimately, is what inspired a lot of decisions about the furniture layout and design. It was all centered around connection with each other or just quiet time with yourself.

I’ll freely admit that I was a little disappointed to be reconnected to the world out there when we added wifi.

So it really resonates with me to see people talking about a more analog way of life, because that’s what we want the cabin to be. That’s why we have our cute little digital detox cabinet, where you can drop your phone in and grab a deck of cards or a puzzle or pick out a book. It’s a slower way of living and that, to me, is what cabin life should be. Even if it’s just for a long weekend.

Springtime in the mountains is really, really lovely. Everything is blooming and blossoming, all the green is popping back on to the trees, the trails are full of color. It’s also the time of year when farmer’s markets, concerts, and outdoor recreation is in full swing after the winter breaks.

One special thing we’ve been working on at the a-frame has been our native pollinator garden. Over the past few years, really since we stopped having heavy equipment coming and going during the build, we’ve added seeds for native wildflowers around the fire pit and hammock area. Last year they all really burst to life! We have the loveliest meadow now and with it, we’ve had a huge increase in fireflies. Our first summer we only had a couple but this past summer there were so many!

We threw out even more seeds this past fall and I can’t wait to see all of them bloom in the coming months.

If you’re trying to time your trip, here are some general tips about what to expect for each month:

April - Trees starting to green up but still the loveliest wrap around mountain view, especially from the hot tub (the first photo is from early April!). Warmer days but cool evenings. Some flowers starting to pop up. I usually put out potted plants during this time too.

May - We have tons and tons of mountain laurel on the property and this is when they start to bloom. Beautiful pink and white clusters of flowers literally surround the cabin for the first few weeks of the month.

June - Flowers are fully in bloom in the meadow surrounding the hammock and fire pit. Fireflies pop out at dusk and can be seen all around the cabin and the surrounding areas. It’s warm enough to pack your swimsuit and go for a dip at nearby Catawba Falls!

We’re always doing something to improve the experience of being at the cabin, and this year we’ve really stepped up the fireside options. From adding the fire pit patio out front this past February, the fireplace inside this September, and now.. one more!

Our standing heater took a beating during a wind storm recently and we knew it was time to upgrade to something more user friendly. So we bought a stainless steel propane heated fire table!

I can’t wait to take it out there! Happy hour on the back deck is going to be so much better AND warmer. It’ll be available for some of the upcoming mid-January bookings (psst: we still have January 12-14 open!).

Other upcoming availability:

January: 12-14

February: Fully booked

March: 1-7, 13-15 (our next available weekend), 16-18, 22-26, 30-1

That’s all for Field Notes this time!

Thank you so much for joining us here in our little corner of the woods - whether that’s digitally or because you’re going to be staying at our a-frame cabin sometime soon. We are always grateful for the guests who come from all over to enjoy our favorite place to be!

We’ve been lucky to get over 150 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews, be in the top 1% of homes on Airbnb, receive Super Host status and Guest Favorite in the two years we’ve been on Airbnb. It is so much more than I ever could have expected and by being here, you’re part of that!

💛⛰️✨

Shealy & Eddie

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And if you’re wanting some holiday vibes, we just had December 5th-8th open up too! That’s our only available weekend left for 2025.

If you’re anything like me, this is your time of year.

Fall is just really getting into the swing of things, the leaves are changing, the holidays are right around the corner.. and then it’s cozy season!

I actually love winter and I love spending winter days at the cabin. It is so relaxing to sink into the hot tub on the back deck and enjoy a nice little beverage while looking up at a big sky full of stars or feeling surrounded by our seasonal mountain view.

Snow is famously difficult to predict in North Carolina but we did get a nice dusting of it last year and our friend Amy (@ridge.and.reverie) happened to be there to capture it!

I’m crossing all my fingers and toes it happens again for us this year.

One of the more unique things about winter stays is that you get to really take in our mountain views - they are so beautiful. We have views that fully surround the cabin and wrap from the back all the way out to the front! During the spring and summer they’re hidden behind leaves but this winter we’re hoping to work with a local friend who can mindfully trim a few limbs to give us more of a year round view.

Winter Activities & Key Dates

If you’re wondering about what kind of winter plans you can make, let’s break down some of the fun options near the cabin:

• Hatley Pointe Ski Resort: At a little over an hour away, Hatley Pointe makes an amazing day trip from the cabin. They recently completely renovated their entire property to include ski slopes, trails, and a great restaurant. They also have snow tubing!

• Catawba Falls: Only fifteen minutes from the cabin, this is still a great trail to do during the winter. Especially on a very cold day - the falls are even more beautiful when they’re frozen.

• Sauna House: We are big sauna fans over here (in fact, we are planning to put one out at the a-frame soon, hopefully before winter 2027!). Sauna House in Asheville is a wonderful way to escape the cold.

• Luminere at Biltmore: This one is more of a spring activity as it opens towards the end of our March availability but worth mentioning! Enjoy sunset and a dazzling light show at the famous Biltmore Estate.

• Snow Tubing: This article from our friends at NCTripping breaks down all the best snow tubing. The closest to the cabin will be Black Bear or Moonshine Mountain in Hendersonville.

And don’t forget, we’ve got some holiday weekends for this block too!

• January 16th-19th: Martin Luther King Jr Weekend

• February 13th-16th: Presidents Day Weekend (And Valentine’s!)

Winter Reads:

Pulled straight from the library at the cabin, here are two books we’d recommend tucking into while staying there (or anywhere!)

Shealy’s Pick: Spells for Forgetting by Adrienne Young

Emery Blackwood's life changed forever the night her best friend was found dead and the love of her life, August Salt, was accused of murdering her. Years later, she is doing what her teenage self swore she never would: living a quiet existence on the misty, remote shores of Saoirse Island and running the family's business, Blackwood's Tea Shoppe Herbal Tonics & Tea Leaf Readings. But when the island, rooted in folklore and magic, begins to show signs of strange happenings, Emery knows that something is coming. The morning she wakes to find that every single tree on Saoirse has turned color in a single night, August returns for the first time in fourteen years and unearths the past that the town has tried desperately to forget.

August knows he is not welcome on Saiorse, not after the night everything changed. As a fire raged on at the Salt family orchard, Lily Morgan was found dead in the dark woods, shaking the bedrock of their tight-knit community and branding August a murderer. When he returns to bury his mother's ashes, he must confront the people who turned their backs on him and face the one wound from his past that has never healed--Emery. But the town has more than one reason to want August gone, and the emergence of deep betrayals and hidden promises spanning generations threaten to reveal the truth behind Lily's mysterious death once and for all.

Eddie’s Pick: Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

Sorely wounded and fatally disillusioned in the fighting at Petersburg, a Confederate soldier named Inman decides to walk back to his home in the Blue Ridge mountains to Ada, the woman he loves. His trek across the disintegrating South brings him into intimate and sometimes lethal converse with slaves and marauders, bounty hunters and witches, both helpful and malign. At the same time, the intrepid Ada is trying to revive her father's derelict farm and learning to survive in a world where the old certainties have been swept away. As it interweaves their stories, Cold Mountain asserts itself as an authentic odyssey, hugely powerful, majestically lovely, and keenly moving.

Cabin Recipes

This is the type of meal you want to get snowed in with. It’s so, so, so creamy and hearty - perfect to warm you back up after hiking in the snow!

Cream of Mushroom Soup w/ Mushroom Hand Pies

Soup Ingredients:

1. One pound cremini mushrooms

2. 8oz dried morel mushrooms

3. One pound beech mushrooms

4. One half pound oyster mushrooms

5. 4 cups chicken broth

6. One shallot

7. 2 cups half/half

8. Fresh thyme

9. Fresh rosemary

10. Half cup of sherry

11. Duck fat

Soup Directions:

• In food processor, add cremini mushrooms and shallot and finely dice

• On a sheet pan, break beech mushrooms apart and spray with duck fat, season with salt/pepper and bake at 425 until crispy (30 mins or so)

• Slice oyster mushrooms into 1/4 inch disks, sauté in a pan with butter and salt (the oyster and beech mushrooms are toppings)

• Melt butter in a stock pot and add cremini and shallot mix, sauté until mushrooms are soft

• deglaze pot with sherry, cook for an additional minute

• add chicken stock, bring to a simmer, cook for 20 minutes

• add half and half and cook for another 20 minutes

• add fresh herbs, salt and pepper to taste, cook for another 5 minutes

• after ladling soup in a bowl, add beech and oyster mushrooms to the top. Put a dollop of crème fraische in the middle. Optional: little dashes of chili crunch for a hint of spice.

Mushroom hand pies: makes two large hand pies

Ingredients:

1. One sheet of puff pastry

2. Half pound cremini mushrooms (finely chopped)

3. One shallot (finely chopped)

4. Two cloves of garlic

5. Fresh thyme, rosemary, and tarragon (finely chopped)

6. Sherry

7. Two tablespoons of Dijon mustard

8. Salt and pepper to taste

9. One egg

Directions:

• let puff pastry thaw at least 30 minutes prior to baking

• Preheat oven to 425

• in a sauce pan heat butter then add shallots, cremini mushrooms, sauté for 5 minutes and then add garlic over medium heat

• once mushrooms are soft, deglaze the pan with half cup of sherry and add fresh herbs

• salt and pepper to taste

• once sherry has completely cooked off, remove from heat, add Dijon mustard and stir. Allow mixture to completely cool.

• using a large mushroom shaped cookie cutter, cut out 4 mushroom puff pastries.

• whisk an egg in a bowl to create an egg wash

• brush edges of two puff pastry cut outs with egg wash to serve as a glue for the top pieces

• add mushroom filling to center of puff pastry and add top pieces

• press edges with fork to seal

• place hand pies on parchment lined cookie sheet, brush top with egg wash, place in oven

bake for 25 minutes or until it’s golden brown

If you’re new here, you may not have seen that we recently knocked a big thing off our wish list.. our fireplace!

This was something we always wanted to have when we were building, but unfortunately it wasn’t in the budget at the time. I am so glad we went back and added one, especially for this time of year. Curling up beside it and watching the snow fall.. that’s like a dream to me. It’s made the cabin feel extra cozy but it’ll be even cozier during these chilly months.

A little about our cute new addition: it’s a gas fireplace made by Jøtul and it is so easy to use - just press the power button on the remote and it’s toasty in no time. The really nice thing about it is that you can also operate it if the power is out. It’s not incredibly common for us to lose power but in the off chance of an ice/snow storm, knowing that guests will be able to stay warm is such a relief.

We also have heaters available outdoors too! We have a wood burning fire pit out front and a propane powered standing heater on the back deck.

That’s all for Field Notes this time! I hope you’re all excited about going into the cozy ‘Ber months and beyond.. I just love fall and the holidays at the cabin, but winter is my second favorite without a doubt.

Thank you so much for joining us here in our little corner of the woods - whether that’s digitally or because you’re going to be staying at our a-frame cabin sometime soon. We are always so very grateful for the guests who come from all over to enjoy our space!

We’ve been lucky to get over 135 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews, be in the top 1% of homes on Airbnb, receive Super Host status and Guest Favorite in the two years we’ve been on Airbnb. It is so much more than I ever could have expected and by being here, you’re part of that!

🤎🤎🤎🤎

Shealy & Eddie

book on Airbnb

book on vrbo

Now that the important part is out of the way, check out this playlist full of autumn cozy vibes to enjoy while you book your dates and read through this newsletter:

And here are some important dates to take into consideration while making your plans:

🍁 Peak Leaf Season: Peak dates are highly dependent upon a lot of things, like how much rain we got (this summer has been very rainy, so that’s good!), when the first cold temperatures strike, and elevation. Peak colors are usually popping at the higher elevations by late September-early October - this includes popular Blue Ridge Parkway hikes like Graveyard Fields, Black Balsam Knob, and Sam’s Knob. We usually start getting color at the a-frame in early-mid October. Our peak dates are usually somewhere between October 20th-31st. It’s really anyone’s guess as to when it will be at its most colorful, but when those days hit, it lasts for about four days. The leaves will hang around until early-mid November, as long as we don’t get any gusty storms. Here’s a (very very) early forecast for this year, courtesy of App State:

🎄Holiday Decorations: We love decorating for the holidays! The timing is very dependent on our own schedule but typically we have decorations up by late November.

⛰️Mountain Views: Once the leaves start to fall in November, that’s when our views peek back out. The cabin is actually surrounded by mountains and the views of them are truly beautiful - and special! They’re only visible during fall and winter. They wrap around the front and the back, so you can enjoy them from the balcony or the back deck or even from the hammock.

🍻Local Events: Fall is an especially fun time around the mountains and there’s lots of different festivals and events to attend because of that! This is a list of some of what has been announced already.

• October 16-19: LEAF Festival in Black Mountain - Learn all about it here!

• October 16-19: Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in Asheville - A wide variety of locally made art for sale.

• August 28-October 26: Jeter Mountain Farm’s season is open for apple picking, ciders (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), live music, and more.

• November 6-10: Highland Brewing’s Cold Mountain Release in Asheville - If you’re a beer person and you haven’t had this hands down local favorite before, I highly recommend this festival. Cold Mountain is Highland’s winter warmer ale and they always release a bunch of different versions of it for this weekend event only. It’s a lot of fun!

• September 2-October 31: Fall at Biltmore Estate in Asheville

• November 1-January 4: Christmas at Biltmore Estate in Asheville - It’s hard to pick which is more beautiful, the fall colors or the decorations at Biltmore. You can’t go wrong either way!

• October-November: Apple Picking & Pumpkin Patches all around! Check here for a specific list of farms and u-pick patches.

• October: Boos & Brews Bar Crawl with Asheville Terrors - A combined haunted tour and pub crawl! Perfect for spooky season.

There’s still more to come - a lot of events, festivals, and markets will be announced as we get closer to the season. If you’re booking a stay and would like to be kept up to date on anything going on during that time, let me know and I’ll be sure to share information!

Fall Reads:

Pulled straight from the library at the cabin, here are two books we’d recommend tucking into while staying there (or anywhere!)

Shealy’s Pick: Circe by Madeline Miller

• In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe is a strange child -- not powerful, like her father, nor viciously alluring like her mother. Turning to the world of mortals for companionship, she discovers that she does possess power -- the power of witchcraft, which can transform rivals into monsters and menace the gods themselves. Circe is a modern retelling of a classic Greek myth, told from the perspective of Circe herself.

Eddie’s Pick: The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

• Are trees social beings? In The Hidden Life of Trees forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration that he has observed in his woodland.

Fall Crafting:

I think this is my favorite time of year for crafting. Not only can you make some cute seasonal decor for your home, but you can learn a new skill in time to make gifts for the holidays too! Here are two of my favorites to do during this cozy season:

Needle Felting Pumpkins - This may look complicated but I promise, it’s much, much easier than you’d expect! Felting is the art of taking roving (a raw type of fiber) and forming it into a shape using a needle. Basically you stab something into shape, doesn’t that sound like a great stress reliever?

A pumpkin is a great beginner shape because it’s basically just a round ball that you add some details to. Once you learn the basics, you can make all kinds of shapes. Another fun seasonal one I like to make are mushrooms! This is a great craft to learn if you want to make your own ornaments for your tree!

Here is a beginner friendly DIY video with links to supplies and a full explanation of how to make your very own needle felted pumpkin.

Embroidery - I don’t know that anything makes me happier than spending a rainy fall day with an embroidery pattern and several cups of tea. It’s such a great way to relax your mind and, most importantly, get your phone out of your hand!

I am in the final stages of getting ready to release my very first personally drawn embroidery patterns. The first two will feature the cabin and one will be very fall-centric. I’ll have them available as a digital download or to purchase as a kit! If this is a hobby you’re interested in picking up, here are some links to sign up to get a notification when the kits and patterns are available to purchase. Click the one you’re interested in and select “NOTIFY WHEN AVAILABLE”:

• Blue Ridge Mountains: Digital Pattern | Full Kit

• Autumn at the Cabin: Digital Pattern | Full Kit

We love cooking at the cabin, most especially during the fall and holiday time of year. It’s why we were adamant on having a real kitchen - full sized, laid out in a way that made sense, and with plenty of storage.

This is a recipe I cook again and again during the fall (and even into the winter)! It’s definitely a cabin favorite, too.

Creamy Pumpkin Pasta:

You’ll need:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use the can - make sure you don’t accidentally buy pumpkin pie puree!)

• 1/2 cup of half and half or whole milk

• Salt, pepper, pumpkin pie spice, garlic powder

• Half cup of chopped walnuts

• 2 cups of spinach

• Pasta of your choice (I like doing bucatini or campanelle)

• Olive oil

In a sauce pan, add the pumpkin puree on low heat and start to warm. Slowly stir in the half cup of cream. You can add more or less depending on how heavy you want the sauce to be. Next, add a pinch of salt, pepper, garlic powder and pumpkin pie spice. I never measure these things out so I suggest adding some of all of them, stirring, tasting, and adding more until it tastes how you like it. Let the sauce thoroughly warm up and then turn it off.

In a pot, add a splash of olive oil, salt, and enough water to boil the pasta. Bring the water to a boil and cook your pasta until al dente.

In a saute pan, add olive oil and heat it on medium. (optional step: if you like a lot of garlic, like me!, you can add some chopped garlic in this step as well.) Add your spinach and sauté until wilted. Add chopped walnuts and stir until they’re slightly brown and crispy.

Toss your fresh pasta in the sauce, add to a bowl, and top with the spinach and toasted walnut. It creates a pasta dish that is creamy and warm and the pumpkin pie spices are a surprising complement to the garlic!

This is such a tasty and interesting seasonal dish. You can also add roasted butternut squash, grilled chicken, or substitute spaghetti squash for the pasta to make it even more autumnal!

Cabin Projects:

This spring and summer we’ve been really busy tending to the landscape, finally. We never really had a strong vision (or budget 🫠) for our landscape needs. This year alone we’ve added the large flagstones for the fire pit, creeping thyme all around it to give it some nice greenery, several flowering plants for next spring, and we’re going to add bulbs to come up next spring too. We’ve also had our wildflowers really come to life this year! We’ve added more and more seeds every spring since before construction finished and our little meadow by the hammock has really taken off. We’re going to cut in some paths and add stones out to the hammock next.

And we’re also still on track to add a fireplace this September - which will make for an even cozier, magical stay during these cooler months!

Seasonal Decor:

I *loooove* decorating for this time of year. It’s so much fun to get the cabin dressed up for fall and winter! While it’s a little early for too much to be out, I’ve already found some great items that are either similar to what I have or am going to get. The Anthropologie pumpkin coffee cups almost always sell out so now is a great time to grab a couple and put them away for when the season kicks off.

Fall Decor Finds

Next Available Dates:

While my heart and soul are ready for fall, we still have some great dates available for summer:

• August: 4-6, 12-15, 18-22

• September: 1-3, 22-25

One Last Note..

You know what would make that stay you just booked even more perfect?

Adding a picnic on to it!

We are a partnered location for Parkway Picnics which means you can have a super fun, very pretty, extremely instagramable picnic experience right at our cabin! Contact them for more info and to find out if your dates are open on their calendar. A picnic at the cabin is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion. Or, for me personally, I think every day should be a special occasion, so you could do one just for the fun of it.

That’s all for Field Notes this time! Thank you so much for joining us here in our little corner of the woods - whether that’s digitally or because you’re going to be staying at our a-frame cabin sometime soon. We are always so very grateful for the guests who come from all over to enjoy our space. We’ve been lucky to get over 119 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ reviews, be in the top 1% of homes on Airbnb, receive Super Host status and Guest Favorite in the two years we’ve been on Airbnb. It is so much more than I ever could have expected and by being here, you’re part of that!

🧡🧡🧡🧡

Shealy & Eddie

First, the big news: our July-September calendar is officially open on both Airbnb and VRBO 🎉🥳

book on Airbnb

book on VRBO

We are so excited for this time of year. There’s always lots going on around our neck of the woods but most especially during the summer. Concerts, festivals, events, markets, so much more.

Here’s a not-exhaustive list of just some of what’s going on:

• Every Third Friday in July, August, and September, Asheville hosts ‘Downtown After 5’. These are free concerts with a range of musical talent. You can also find local food and drinks for sale. It’s like a block party for the whole town!

• July 4: Independence Day Celebration in Marion. There will be fireworks and a parade along with live music.

• July 6, 20, August 3, 17, 31: South Slope Sunday Market at The Whale. An artists market in the heart of the South Slope district of Asheville.

• July 5, 12, 19, 26: Shindig on the Green at Pack Square in Asheville. A free celebration of bluegrass music and dance.

• July 12-13: The Big Crafty in Asheville, inside the Harrah’s Cherokee Center. This is a great local market with hundreds of artists and vendors. I love shopping this event, there’s tons of unique items available.

• July 24-26: Widespread Panic concert in Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville.

• August 1, 8, 22, 29, September 5: Grandfather Mountain By Night. Enjoy a guided experience that will include a hike after sunset to discuss and look for the creatures that are more active after the sun goes down. The group will explore a unique forest ecosystem from top to bottom in search of salamanders, owls, flying squirrels, fireflies and any other creatures they might come across.

• August 9-10: Sourwood Festival in Black Mountain. Celebrate the region's prized Sourwood honey with local musicians, honey tastings, and a food festival. A family-friendly event that attracts both locals and visitors. There’s lots to experience with this one.

• August 9: Old Fort Fifty - a 30.4 mile endurance event for cyclists and runners! This will take runners and bikers all over Old Fort’s famous outdoor areas, starting with Camp Grier and the Gateway trails and going all the way to Kitsuma.

• August 9, 16, 23: Shindig on the Green, round two!

• August 23: WNC Bigfoot Festival in downtown Marion. Come find out more about McDowell County’s most famous inhabitants!

• August 29-September 1: NC Apple Festival in Hendersonville. A celebration of all things apple harvest with food, music, and arts and crafts. This is the perfect way to kick off fall!

• September 2: Celebrate the changing of the season with Fall at Biltmore.

• September 16: Vance Joy concert in Asheville

• September 24: Mt Joy concert at Harrah’s Cherokee Center in Asheville.

• September 27: Asheville Oktoberfest at Urban Orchard Cider Co. A traditional celebration of all things German! There’ll be beer, food, beer, live music, beer, and, oh, beer. Bring your Dirndl and Lederhosen!

• September 27: Rilo Kiley concert in Asheville

Doesn’t all of that sound fun?

Our Idea of the Perfect Stay:

We are frequently out at the cabin so I feel like we’ve kind of mastered how to have the perfect experience there.

Our first stop when we get into town is always Beradu Specialty Market for some groceries. If we get a late start heading over and don’t want to spend too much time cooking, we’ll gather up some snacks for a big charcuterie spread - favorites in that category from Beradu are: Ali Rae’s pimento cheese, Georgia sourdough crackers, Fishwife smoked salmon with Sichuan chilis, duck prosciutto, and then a couple of things of cheese and olives. We also really like hitting up their butcher counter to get fresh meats like their Wagyu hot dogs or steaks. Ingles is right around the corner so we can grab anything else we might need.

From there we really love to soak up some sun at Lookout Brewing in Black Mountain (their amber ale is deeeelish) or heading on out to Old Fort and stopping in to see our faves at Euda Wine. I usually grab a bottle from here to take to the cabin with us - notable favorites right now is their Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect to chill in the fridge while we’re unpacking.

When we’re all settled in, we either spend the night unwinding on the back deck or out front by the fire pit. I love the relaxation that comes with pulling into the driveway and being able to unplug out there. Mornings are especially my favorite. They’re so quiet and peaceful. Making a cup of coffee and sitting out front is a wonderful way to decompress from life. I usually take a book out there with me, too, and it’s hard to leave that! Whatever your plans might be, I highly recommend carving out some quiet time to sit and enjoy the daybed on the back deck or the hammock chair out front or the adriondacks at the fire pit. It’s pretty awesome to catch a little nap in the hammock under the trees.

But we also like to explore, especially during these hotter months when it’s fun to hit the trails and find higher, cooler elevations or a swimming hole.

My personal favorite to beat the heat is hiking Catawba Falls - you have three options for swimming here. You can hike to the lower falls, which has a shallow pool just deep enough to get in waist deep. Or you can then tackle the 500+ steps up to the upper falls, which is totally worth it and has a beautiful and deeper pool for swimming. Finally, you can also duck into one of the swimming holes along Catawba River on the lower trail. Catawba Falls is a really beautiful hike and only 15 minutes away from the cabin!

If you’re looking for an easy picnic spot at a higher elevation with cool breezes, it’s hard to beat Wiseman’s View in Linville Wilderness. It’s about an hour drive north of us but worth it. The views of the gorge that cuts through Linville are breathtaking, and there’s a nice grassy, shaded area where you can enjoy the view and some snacks. Another picnic option for those unafraid of a drive is Max Patch. It’s an hour and a half away but there’s a lot that makes it worth a day trip - after hiking up to Max Patch for the incredible views, you can stop in the lovely little town of Hot Springs or you can go through Pisgah National Forest where there are numerous swimming spots along Cold Springs Creek Road.

Old Fort has a lot to experience for such a little town! I already mentioned Euda Wine but there is also Hillman Beer, right on the Mill Creek, and I think they might have the best wings known to man. Seeker Coffee is right across the way and their homemade Chai is my favorite afternoon pick me up. If you’re looking for some local art to take back home with you, you should definitely stop into Arrowhead Art Gallery. A lot of our little unique finds came from there, to include the stained glass plant on the kitchen shelf and the flower filled snail in the living room window. And you can’t go wrong popping into The Common Pine for some shopping, too - if you see some macramé plant hangers there, I made them!

You can easily walk to all of the places mentioned above, which makes for a fun way to spend the day. Old Fort was heavily damaged during the hurricane last September, so when you choose to visit our little town and shop locally, you’re helping small businesses in a tremendous way. If you’re wanting to do more walking, shopping, and snacking/drinking, I also recommend Black Mountain. It’s only twenty five minutes from the cabin and there’s tons to see and do in their small downtown area.

All this and I haven’t even mentioned Asheville! We love Asheville. I’m going to feature a day itinerary in Asheville in our fall newsletter - out July 1st!

Summer Reads:

Pulled straight from the library at the cabin, here are two books we’d recommend tucking into while staying there (or anywhere!)

Eddie’s Pick: Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel

• Station Eleven tells the spellbinding story of a nomadic group of actors roaming the scattered outposts of the Great Lakes region in a post-apocalyptic world, risking everything for art and humanity.

Shealy’s Pick: Escape Into Cottagecore by Ramona Jones

• Full of practical advice and inspiration, and covering topics from home décor and herbology to eating with the seasons and mindfulness, this beautiful book will invite you on a cottagecore odyssey, bringing the nostalgia, relaxation and beauty of countryside living to every part of your life.

A Special Season:

One thing about these summer months that will be unique this year is that it’ll be one year after Hurricane Helene did an unspeakable amount of damage to Western North Carolina. By July, August, and September, many of the businesses that were destroyed hope to be reopened. That includes some of our favorites, like Old Fort’s own Whaley Farm Brewery, Zillicoah Beer along the French Broad River, and parts of the River Arts District. By visiting during this time, you’ll be part of the post-storm rebuild and recovery. Every time we’ve stayed at the cabin since late September last year, we have witnessed the overwhelming clean up efforts. Some areas are even already back to looking how they were before. Summer in the mountains is always a beautiful time of year but this summer promises to be an even more beautiful one as Asheville, and the surrounding areas, rise back up.

Around the Cabin:

We finished building nearly two years ago but we are very far from the finished vision, so that means we’re always getting up to something out there. To complement our natural mountain laurels and rhododendrons, which will all bloom out so beautifully during these summer months, we recently got into some landscaping. We’ve installed a new (and if you’re a previous guest, you’ll appreciate this: mostly level!) fire pit area with large flat stones, a walkway from the cabin, juniper, creeping thyme, and Yuki snowflake bushes around it. Getting some of the landscaping going is something we’ve really wanted to do for a long time so it feels great to get started.

Our next project is one that I’m maybe the most excited about… 🔥

We’re installing a fireplace in the living room! This was part of our original plans when we were under construction, but ended up being a budgetary cut. We’re finally getting around to adding one, tentatively in late August. It will be a Jøtul GF160, a freestanding propane stove that will go in our living room window. It’ll be absolutely perfect for the early fall vibes of September and I’m already dreaming of our fall and winter months beside it. Cozying up to that with a book is like all my dreams come true.

Next Available Dates:

While our July-September dates are now open and available, we still have a little bit of availability left in May and June worth mentioning.

Currently Available -

• May 28-30

• June 1-6

• June 10-12

• June 15-19

• June 25-30 (includes our first available weekend!)

book now!

One Last Note..

Did you know you can do fun little add ons to your stay?

We are a partnered location for Parkway Picnics which means you can have a super fun, very pretty, extremely instagramable picnic experience right at our cabin! Contact them for more info and to find out if your dates are open on their calendar. A picnic at the cabin is the perfect way to celebrate a special occasion. Or, for me personally, I think every day should be a special occasion, so you could do one just for the fun of it.

We also frequently have guests who hire photographers to capture their time at the cabin, whether as part of an anniversary or birthday celebration. We hired Kirsten Alexandria last fall to take photos of us and love how they turned out!

That’s it from us this time! Thank you so much for joining us here in our little corner of the woods - whether that’s digitally or because you’re going to be staying at our happy little retreat. We never could have imagined how much it would mean to us to host so many people from all over, and the response that has come with that. We have over one hundred five star reviews!!

Already looking forward to our fall Field Notes - my FAVORITE season! 🍂

Out July 1st alongside our October-December calendar!!

xo