Weekday Special!

Note: We have available dates right this minute, as we speak!

I really just wanted an excuse to use
Layla's picture on the cottage website!



For those of you who are on a budget but have a taste for fancy evening gloves and mink hats (like our girl Layla who really wanted to eat that mink hat), the Cottage on the New is the place to go!

If you book four consecutive weeknights, you get a fifth weeknight free!

The cottage is awesome, with the river running right through the front yard. Check out the photos below.

You're going to love the cottage!

Deborah

Happy Guests, Happy Us!

There are no moose at the cottage other than these Welcome Meese...

They don't live in North Carolina so we can't spell them. Just kidding.

I got to the cottage to work on it just before the last guests left, and was greeted with huge smiles. "This is the best vacation cottage that people with kids and dogs could ever have. It was perfect! Everything we needed was here with the river and the yard, the grill, the kitchen and laundry; we hardly left the cottage. We will definitely come back again!"

They offered to be a reference for us, if any potential guests desire to speak in person to a satisfied former guest. What encouragement for us!


This part of the New River is just a few miles from it's beginnings, so the water is deep enough for canoeing and inner tubing, but usually slow running (except, like all bodies of water, sometimes after rain storms), and thus is a fabulous place for children to play. Of course, that is always with adult supervision, but I'm sure I don't need to tell you that.


I want to share some photos of the local folks, farms, flora and fauna taken as I have driven about in recent weeks on various back roads in the area:

A "landmark" for me when driving along Castleford Road on the way to the cottage from Boone and 194, this old building is surrounded by junked automobiles. Interesting landscaping, I must say. Fortunately, most North Carolinians don't chose to landscape our businesses with antique and vintage motorcars. I do plan to stop and photograph the junked vehicles some day when the light is just right. Makes for good art.

To the left of the above building is one road that stops at Castleford Road. Directly across the street from this building is another road. Castleford road is in the middle. Forge ahead!

Further down the road, this tiny mountain cabin is also on the right side Castleford Road on the way to the cottage from Boone. It is just past a "fork" in the road. Stay to the left. You will drive right in front of this tiny homestead, and will be able to see it peeking out behind a row of trees.

This little cottage is one of my mountain favorites, and I have photographed it at least a dozen times. I believe it is being well cared for by the decendants of the folks who used to live here.

I discovered this one-armed bear rooting around in the oak desk when I arrived at the cottage one day. The little girl next door helped me in surgery and we successfully replaced the missing arm with a stick of Rhododendron wood. He feels much better now, and we have given him a permanent place in the cottage. Now if we can just get the other arm to stay put...

Later that same day as I drove home on a back road, I passed by one deer grazing along the side of the road. He scampered off before I could snap his photo. Alas, I did spot this beauty standing still as a statue. She didn't mind my camera one bit. Serendipity!

Last but not least, this farm is just up the road from the cottage.

It was a beautiful, hot summer day in July, perfect for bailing hay along the riverside with your pretty little red tractor.

Until next time, my friend, keep cool, keep busy, and be happy. Come see us at the Cottage on the New!

Deber (Deborah Klein)

A Great Weekend

Tubes, canoes, kayaks, swimming and rafts!

River view of the Cottage

Bill and I spent the weekend at the cottage again, moving the last few things in and making it more comfortable than ever. Thank goodness for our daughter, Sydney, who was able to come and help Bill carry in the stuff. When Bill and Sydney were done with the work, she called and invited her roommate and another friend for dinner. They brought swim suits and some inner tubes, and drifted down the river for a little while we ran to the store for a little extra food. It was a great day.

The living room, with the carpet to make it more comfortable

Today we worked on painting a few pieces of furniture, hanging some shelves and pictures, and tidying up the place. I'm so excited to see how beautifully it is all coming together.  My favorite things are the new towel racks which Bill made from Rhododendron branches gathered off the mountainside behind the house. They are perfect. I will get a photo of them later in the week.

Three of the four deer we observed last night at dusk

During dinner last night, one of Sydney's friends noticed four deer grazing in the neighbor's pasture across the road from us. The wandered about peacefully for 30 minutes or so, before disappearing into the tree farm

that bordered the edge of the field. 

The early morning view from the front porch

All day long, as is the usual this time of year, canoers and tubers were bobbing down the river. The neighbors and their guests swam down by the bridge.

It was a gorgeous, fun weekend.