Many of Foothills Faces readers know that just a couple of months into starting Foothills Faces, the Tryon Daily Bulletin invited me to write for their magazine, Life in Our Foothills. Kevin Powell, General Manager, has given me the green light to re-post some of my magazine stories. This story originally appeared in the March 2019 issue of the magazine.
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By all counts, Mitch Stott has had a good life. He thanks a lot of people for that including his parents, his wife, and his “Father,” Jesus. He’s also blessed to have two children (now grown) and a grandbaby. It’s a good life with lots of future still ahead. And by all counts, Mitch has already done a lot of amazing things. I mean truly AMAZING!
Mitch is still involved in drag racing but in a variety of different capacities. He’s out of the seat but serves as a consultant from time to time, has worked in design and fabrication, and currently provides color commentary for race videos for a wildly successful series of drag races in a “retro” drag racing league started by his brother Quain. (That’s a future story.)
Mitch is expanding what he does. His latest venture is a new company called Aviatix, which builds the entire remote control plane. (The name combines the words aviationwith fanatics, a perfect description of Mitch and his love of flying.) But in addition to his businesses, he sees spending more time with his granddaughter, Noravae, as a priority. Mitch Stott says he’s a blessed man, but it’s easy to see that he works hard to make things successful. Mitch has some advice for parents these days. “Involve your children in things that require them to think, to read, and to learn. With all of the toys today that are play-ready right out of the box, they might be occupied with it but that doesn’t mean they’re learning anything. Let your kids build models where they have to read and follow instructions. It will give them, like it gave me, the knowledge about how things work. It can make a difference.” Check out Down and Locked at: www.DownAndLocked.com Click on each photo for an enlarged version. Captions accompany several of the photos.
It's not often you see a kitten learning to walk on a leash, but it was my lucky day. Here's "Mooji," a pretty young kitten out learning the technique with his owner. They were out by the Veteran's Memorial in downtown Columbus.
Several months ago I featured Stan Yoder and his Openroad Coffee Roastery in Columbus. Well, this morning my day started there when I met a friend for coffee and I was finally able to get a photo of the first person in "the system" who makes all of the coffee magic happen. This is Andy Yoder, Master Coffee Roaster at Openroad. Andy roasts all those special beans that help get your day or week going. He’s the perfected the technique of knowing just when everything is right. And he just happens to be the dad of Stan, the owner.
The oldest animal here is a standard donkey named Phinneas who is 46 years old. He gets some special care but they all do. I saw one stall set up with a bed (a real mattress), toys, and a mirror for its equine inhabitant. I met Nick, a 36 year-old donkey with three teeth who had escaped from the Oklahoma City Dog Pound – which is a whole other story. The entire sanctuary is crammed with stories. Each animal could be a book in itself. It’s a remarkable organization. Mary and her amazing staff know how each animal reacts with others and what makes them the most comfortable. And it takes an entire village to run this village. The Sanctuary at Red Bell Run has 25 staff members. Some of those are maintenance, some are primarily in the office, and most are out with the animals taking care of their needs. The animal to equine staff ratio is an impressive 8 to 1. During my visit I saw numerous animals being groomed, walked, talked to, petted. You can see the love in the eyes of each of the staff members and that love was being returned by the equines. Mary’s work starts most days by 5 AM every day of the week all year long. And even when bedtime finally comes, she knows there’s a good chance she might have to go out and check on one of her animals at anytime of the night.
Mary has always had a heart for animals of all kinds. In addition to all the equines, there are also dogs here and there including Phoebe, an 18-year-old Irish wolfhound rescue who serves as assistant farm manager. Phoebe was happy just to sleep on a sofa while Mary did the talking. Mary says her passion for people and animals emanated from her family. She grew up in a home where taking care of others was the most important lesson one could learn. Her dad, Wally Adams, started a foundation that gave to those kinds of causes. Much of the operating income from The Sanctuary at Red Bell Run comes from a division of this foundation but eventually the Sanctuary hopes to make opportunities for “sponsoring” an animal available as well as working toward receiving grants and other gifts. The Ark Watch Foundation of Los Altos, CA provides financial support for the animals it has placed in Mary’s care. Eventually she hopes there will be a formal volunteer program. The Sanctuary is already sponsoring various workshops and in the future plans to start a program in equine agility (kind of like dog agility) and offer “read-to-me” opportunities for local kids to come out to read to an equine that is all ears. Many of these animals are on special diets, special medications, special physical therapy… they get what they need to make them as comfortable as possible. Even the layout of the barns and pastures is with their safety and comfort in mind. The sanctuary uses a “paddock paradise system” which enables equines to move and follow their instincts to travel while having the security of a barn, plenty of water, and food. I loved checking out Longears Manor, which is the group home for several of the donkeys. Every barn has its own special name. Mary finished our visit by emphasizing, “We are here for the community and here for the animals. If someone has an equine issue or a problem, we’re here and happy to help. We’re not vets and don’t give veterinary advice but we can steer you in the right direction. We’re all in this together. There is a waiting list for placement at Red Bell Run, and they can only accept equines through other equine welfare organizations or law enforcement agencies. The Sanctuary at Red Bell Run is a remarkable place and they’re making a difference. More to know Visitors are welcome and chances are Mary will give you the tour. You need to set up a visit in advance by contacting Sanctuary Manager, Amy Powell at 828/ 863-2017. More info about Mary Adams and the Sanctuary can be found on the website at: www.redbellrun.org. Click on each photo for an enlarged view and caption. Fast Focus…
Apparently today is National Puppy Day, so what a perfect day to pay some homage to all of those senior dogs out there in need of care and a home. Mr. Minute (a 13-year-old senior) is canine spokesman for the organization and he was doing a good job of it in front of Landrum’s Bi-Lo this morning. Mr. Minute says, “Puppies are cute but so are seniors!” Forever Dream Senior Dog Sanctuary has been on the Foothills Faces radar for several months waiting for a good opportunity to do a story. So stay tuned to find out more about this non-profit that takes care of dogs that really need someone with heart to help them out. Look for my story in a few weeks. In the meantime you can find them on Facebook or on the web at: www.foreverdreamseniordogsanctuary.org.
Martha and Freida Graber have enjoyed the support they’ve received from the community and report that it has been a wonderful and successful year. Business has been good enough that they’ve had to bring in extra help from time to time. They cooked up over 100 pies just for Thanksgiving and this is on top of all the other wonderful food available Wednesday through Saturday on Highway 9 in the Green Creek community. Now that they’re more settled in they have at least a little time to think about the future. The ladies are taking advantage of the special seasons and holidays by cooking up some themed items such as Irish soda bread and special decorated cookies for St. Patrick’s Day. They can’t wait for strawberry season to start so that they can cook up some of their famous strawberry pies made with local berries. Martha & Freida have some other ideas up their sleeves. They plan to do more with wedding cakes and even start a delivery service geared toward local assisted living and retirement communities. Martha & Freida love the support from the community and you’ll more than love your stop inside this friendly neighborhood establishment. So thanks to Martha & Freida for giving me the privilege of interviewing them for my very first story, and thanks for all the tasty treats I’ve enjoyed this past year. And remember, get there early next Saturday to pick up a donut or two or an entire box.
Gay is a big believer in eating dessert first. Translation, “Do the reward first and then go back and do the other.” Too many people work, work, and work only to find themselves out of time when it’s time to have fun. Gay goes on to make the point to make time now for things that are important. Zen Chick is Gay’s slow-down “business.” She maintains a website with regular blog posts filled with advice. She also holds local workshops and has people local and around the world connected to her via the web. She enjoys helping people find ways to put more enjoyment in their lives by living a simpler lifestyle. The tagline on Gay’s website (www.ZenChick.com) is: Slow Down, Simplify, Love Your Life.” She’s living proof that this works. Of course she says you can’t just shirk your duties, but you might need to reassess priorities so that you can enjoy your life. Gay says people need to learn to say, “no.” You can’t do everything all the time. During our interview I saw that she had a bit of blue color in her hair and even I knew it wasn’t from old age! “Life is short, do what you want to do,” she says and adding a bit of spice to her hair is just an example. Gay had this revelation one day while working in corporate America. She decided it was time to chunk that and do something new much to the amazement of her co-workers and bewilderment of her bosses. She enrolled in a program in chiropractic medicine but switched direction and decided to train as a massage therapist. This, she thought, could be her new pathway. A few months later she entered a massage therapy program, graduated, even served on an advisory board to help develop a licensure program for South Carolina. And now 26 years later she’s still running her own successful center in Spartanburg called “The Healing Touch.” Gay spends four days a week there and the other days she can be found on her farm and helping others learn that it’s okay to make a change even late in life. Gay Barefield speaks from the heart. “Every day is a process in learning. Some days are scattered and complicated. But I have come a long way from being OCD in my 20s, very driven and changing careers in my 30s, still driven in my 40s, but settling into my new career. And now in my 60s, settling into my life – simplifying more and more!” We can all learn from Gay. It’s time to slow down, simplify, and love your life.
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Okay, that’s probably not a politically-correct term because I’ve heard that some chickens will attack would-be photographers/writers. When I started “Foothills Faces,” part of the experience was to take me out of my comfort zone and let me spend some of my “retirement” time interviewing folks I didn’t know. And actually, the original intent was to have a Carolina foothills version of the wildly popular series – “Humans of New York.” That guy, Brandon Stanton, started out walking around New York City and snapping photos of total strangers and then had the nerve to go up and ask them to share some of their pithiest thoughts on their life. He’s good at it and now travels the world. So I was thinking I could do the same thing here in Polk, Rutherford, Cleveland, Spartanburg Counties and snap a few candid photos of some interesting-looking characters and then walk up to them and get their life story in four sentences. I had my chance this past week and blew it! I did see this interesting-looking character sitting outside at a table at my local Ingle’s (Landrum) drinking a cup of coffee, smoking a cigarette, and working the crossword puzzle. I see him there on a regular basis and it was pretty cold on this day and he was still out there. So, I got up my nerve to ask him. I figured I would break the ice by saying, “You working on the puzzle?” He replied, “Trying to,” and I knew I had my opportunity. So I asked would he mind posing for a photo for my blog? He looked at me and said, “Better not.” I pushed my luck knowing I could probably outrun him…though not by much. So I pushed a little harder…”Are you sure?” He peered back over his newspaper and gave me the look…the one that meant…time to go! I went.
But I wasn’t done. There just 50 feet away was sitting a guy in his pick-up truck. The back was filled and overflowing with bags of stuff. I haven’t a clue what. The cab was packed with more stuff leaving only barely enough room for the driver to sit. He definitely looked like an interesting character. I thought, “Wow, this guy is living out of this truck. Surely, he has a story to tell.” However, I didn’t even have the nerve to ask him. And so I ended my potential goldmine of stories empty handed. There’s always another day! ---------- Want to donate to my "get more nerves" fund? Click here to donate a buck or two. The folks on American Pickers could learn some things from Lyddie Shaneberger. Lyddie (a nickname for Lydia) has been picking since she was one year old. Okay, maybe not quite that far back but that’s when she attended her first auction. Who knew this would be the beginning of a career direction and the creation of Lyddie’s business LS Mercantile + Salvage Co. Now 25 years later, Lyddie can thank her parents for starting her out in the world of picking. They took her to that first auction and she hasn’t looked back since. She says picking is in her blood or perhaps it was her parents raising her with an appreciation of history and storytelling. Lyddie especially appreciates the storytelling part. She loves to ask questions and discover answers to the “treasures” she’s collecting. Where’d it come from? What is it? How old is this? Who are the people who once owned this? As Lyddie spent years learning about the business, it wasn’t until she was a teenager when she started to understand the monetary value of the items. And she understood the potential to “recycle” them or repurpose them and hopefully match up a buyer to her discoveries. At age 16 Lyddie was already setting up shop; selling online with her own Etsy store. Just the year before her family’s life changed forever. Her father had an accident, a 30-foot fall from a hunting tree stand. He was left unable to walk. Lyddie looked for ways to help with family finances and that’s when she realized that her love of picking might not only help the family situation but could be her life’s calling. It has not always been an easy road. “You won’t make it” is a phrase Lyddie says she and many other would-be small business owners have heard. For some, it’s enough to discourage them from trying. But for Lyddie…it was a challenge she would face head on. With encouragement from her parents, her boyfriend Dave, and her circle of friends - Lyddie has worked to take “pickin’ vintage” to the level of a serious small business endeavor.
Lyddie usually travels the Southern states but she’s planning a foray to the Northeast this coming fall. She’s forever on the lookout for the next big find. She says she doesn’t care to follow “trend” as some people in the business suggest. Instead she prefers to follow her heart. She picks what she loves and knows that someone else will love it too. There have been times when Lyddie has only had a $20 bill in her pocket and got lucky and found items that were worth hundreds. It happens. It takes street smarts. Lyddie Shaneberger has them. Lyddie’s goal is to have her own storefront somewhere. It would also involve curating collections for people’s homes, having a space for artisans and makers, and possibly a market for each season for others like her to come together and create an experience that would be so good she could make Country Livingmagazine one day. She also hopes to graduate spring 2020 and even possibly start a MBA program while her boyfriend finishes his Ph.D. at Clemson. Lyddie Shaneberger has some advice for would-be small business owners. “Do it. Do it with all of your heart and your patience. Be passionate about what you do and you’ll never wake up not wanting to go to work on a Monday. Work hard, be strong, and don’t let others get under your skin. You control your own life. So create who you want to be.”
Lyddie’s story should be an inspiration to us all. More to know You can find Lyddie’s unique collection of pickins’ at her space at “Workshop Vintage Market” at 108 North Lafayette Street in downtown Shelby and is open Monday, Tuesday, Saturday from 10 until 2 and Thursday & Friday 10 - 5:30. Do a search on Etsy using LS Mercantile + Salvage Co. to find her space in the cloud. Lyddie is also on Facebook and Instagram and you can reach her by email at lgshaneberger1@catamount.wcu.edu. Lyddie was born and raised in Forest City and is appreciative of the sense of hard work instilled in her by her parents. So what does a photo of some beer taps have to do with Foothills Faces. Well, just a reminder that the tagline is “People & Places of the Carolina Foothills.”
I stopped in “The Rural Seed Restaurant” in Columbus yesterday to bring something tasty home to eat. In the meantime, I asked about their beers since I knew they were now serving them. I was very pleasantly surprised to be ushered into the old space occupied by the former microbrewery, Winding Creek. And I was more than pleasantly surprised to find a nice selection of beers on tap. I cozied up to the bar, made my selection, and enjoyed sipping (or gulping) while my dinner-to-go was prepared. I should mention that the food met my expectations. So I’ve found another place to settle down in and soak up some suds and atmosphere. Foothills Faces isn’t a restaurant review site. It’s meant to introduce you to some of the faces and places in our area. So consider yourself introduced! This is the first of a new series of short comments called "Fast Focus" where each person can choose from a list of topics or talk about something else that might be on their mind.
Rekindling the Past
Dad’s Collectibles has been around 20 years with most of those years being owned by Dean McWilliams in Hendersonville. When Dean was ready to slow down he handpicked Mark to be his successor. Mark moved the business to Saluda in October 2017. Nancy Pew is his partner who has helped make the store possible with financial support, business experience, and marketing skills. Mark doesn’t just deal with models. He’s also into the big boy toys. He drives a ‘67 Ford LTD. You can’t miss it since he drives it to work when he doesn’t walk. You’ll see Holman-Moody decals proudly embellishing this perfectly restored car. Mark has worked with Holman-Moody for 20 years and now even sells their apparel in Dad’s Collectibles. Mark still has a body shop in Hendersonville where he orchestrates the work on restoring other unique vehicles. He’s excited about a 1966 North Carolina Highway Patrol Custom 500 that will be shared with the North Carolina Transportation Museum and will be featured at trade shows. And if you enjoy a brew or two in the gardens area at Sierra Nevada in Mills River and notice that little beer truck out back…that’s his restoration as well!
Mark has lots of projects ahead of him including seeing an excursion train run from Saluda to Zirconia. He has more cars to restore and more stories to tell. Throw your kids in your car, drive back in time, and visit Mark Ray and Dad’s Collectibles before they glue their eyes back to the screen on their phone. It’s worth your time. More to Know Dad’s Collectibles is located at 32 W. Main Street in Saluda and is inside the Historic Saluda Depot. Store hours are 10:30 – 5, Tuesday through Saturday and by appointment. Mark’s website is www.DadsCats.com and you can email him at mraycobra@gmail.com. Shop phone is 828/ 769-9016. Click each photo to see an enlarged version in the gallery. Bill & Sandra Montgomery's The Christmas House Chances are if you’ve ever driven I-26 toward Exit 5 (Campobello) during this time of year you’ve noticed a cheery glow up the hill on the right. It’s impossible to miss. And for thousands of people each year, they take that exit and within minutes jumpstart their Christmas spirit. You can’t help but be moved by this incredible display of holiday lights and scenes at Bill & Sandra Montgomery’s “The Christmas House.” Bill & Sandra look forward to the Christmas season just about as much as kids – and maybe more. It’s in Sandra’s DNA for sure and somehow or other that has taken hold in Bill.
Bill and Sandra do this for the enjoyment of others and to help remind everyone that we’re celebrating the birthday of Jesus. Sandra says, “That’s what Christmas is all about. We want to keep traditions going and to keep family close. We want something families can do to help keep them connected to each other.” The Christmas House opens every year on Thanksgiving night and closes on New Year’s Eve. Hours are 5:30 until 10, though if you’re in line at 10…Bill keeps it open. There is no charge. Visitors can leave a donation and often Bill and Sandra will find coins left by a child in a plastic bag in the donation box or a hand-scribbled note or card. They love to read how much the children, and the adults, love this place. If you weren’t in the holiday mood before driving in, you will be by the time you leave. And as many people do, they get back in line and go through again…and again. And you can be sure they’re already planning to be back next year. Looking into the future, Sandra wistfully mentions that she has a daughter and a granddaughter that are showing a sincere interest in keeping The Christmas House going for another 45 years and beyond. Bill has a tagline he uses on his occasional videos he posts, and that is “Come out and see the lights and hear the sounds of Christmas at The Christmas House.” I can assure you, the invitation is genuine. We’re the lucky ones. More to Know The Christmas House is located at 360 Foster Road, Inman. Your GPS will bring you right there but if that starts to fizzle, you can’t miss it. The Montgomery’s do ask that all visitors remain in their car because of plenty of trip hazards. You can ride through as many times as you wish and look for your favorite scenes from last year and new ones that are added each year. Photo Gallery. Click each photo to see an enlarged version. Better yet, drive over to 360 Foster Road in Inman between now and December 31.
Fast-forward several decades and LJ and his boys were visiting the South Carolina State Fair in Columbia. LJ steered his sons to the barn with the birds and they loved seeing all the different types and colors and sizes. But when the boys learned that birds could be raced their eyes lit up and LJ knew they were hooked. That led to LJ starting his first loft and the entire family enjoyed raising and racing the birds. LJ and his family continued to race birds for several years but as the boys started to outgrow their interest, LJ’s excitement never waned.
The dove releases can symbolize all kinds of things depending on the event. It’s not always easy as some occasions are very sad and others joyous. But watching a release has an impact on everyone who witnesses it. His Homeward Angels reach into your soul. The dove release can help bring closure on one day and it can mark the beginning of something new on another. LJ says, “It’s not about the birds but about the symbolism and the birds are the conveyance of that special meaning.” Everyone who sees or participates in one of LJ’s white dove releases comes away a changed person. It’s a great feeling. More to know LJ Meyers provides professional white dove releases for private and public events and ceremonies. Fees depend on travel distance, number of birds requested, and any special services LJ might need to provide. He is, by the way, an ordained minister. LJ does a lot of releases as a community service at no charge. Photos are from a recent 9/11 ceremony and a Veterans Day release. You can contact LJ at 864/ 457-4676 (home), 864/ 357-5581 (cell), by email at ljwhitedoves@gmail.com. His website is: HomewardAngelsWhiteDoves.com. LJ is a member of the National White Dove Release Society. A sample of a release. This is from an impromptu Veterans Day release L J provided in Landrum. You can also see the video by clicking this link. This might help if the video below is slow to load. L J recruited a few kids to help him with an unannounced dove release on Veterans Day at the Veterans Memorial in Brookwood Park in Landrum, SC. Click on each photo below to see an enlarged version and captions.
I asked Tyrone if he remembers any coffee-business stories since he’s gotten started. He says of course just meeting new customers and having them return is good enough for him, but he did remember a time when one customer ordered a drink and only had a $100 bill to pay for it. Tyrone didn’t have enough change so the customer said he’d go get change and come on back and pay up. He never did, but then one day Tyrone found a $100 bill in his tip jar. He didn’t know which customer gave it to him…but it was a sign of good things to come. Tyrone Perry is driving the coffee business in more ways than one. Next time you see the red Java Up trailer parked along side the road…make a stop, order a drink, and know you’re doing your part to “shop small.” You’ll make a new friend at the same time. More to know Tyrone will be happy to bring his Java Up trailer to your location for just about any kind of special event, and he’s always thinking ahead to future locations. Give him a call at 864/ 814-8067 if you’re interested or if you just want to know where he’ll be tomorrow. His email is JavaUpCafe@gmail.com and you can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Paul is his own boss but this doesn’t mean he can just do what he wants! Since his hours are posted he’s got to be there. His customers expect it and aren’t always forgiving if Paul says he opens at 7 and doesn’t make it in until 7:05. Paul says unless he’s contagious he’ll be there even when he’s not feeling so great. Most of us would call in a sick day, but for the self-employed missing a day means you don’t pay the bills. Paul talked about a time he broke his hand and had to plead with the doctor to leave two fingers free so he could at least hold a comb. Luckily for Paul (and probably his customers) it was his left hand and Paul holds the clippers in his right.
Paul enjoys his work and his customers. He has some memories of things that have happened in his shop including the time a would-be groom runs in looking for two “witnesses” so that he could get married over at the Polk County Courthouse, just around the corner. Two customers quickly volunteered and as far as we know the couple is still married. Paul has a few standing gags like occasionally spraying water over the small play area where little kids are waiting for their haircuts only to have it fall down from the sky. They look upward and Paul makes a little joke saying it must be from the leaking toilet upstairs. Well, they get grossed out and then Paul has to explain that there is no upstairs.
More to know
Paul’s Barbershop is located at 40 East Mills Street in Columbus. 828/ 817-4598, but don’t call for appointments. It’s a wait your turn shop…but it’s never a long wait! It takes a bit of luck to find the Country Peddler Antiques & General Store in downtown Campobello. It’s a couple of blocks off of the main drag and that makes it in the country by Campobello standards. The morning I visited a customer walked in for her second visit in two days. Heather, the customer from Greer, had just discovered the store the day before because of a bridge detour which took her right past the Country Peddler. She liked what she saw so much she made a second trip to pick up some items she had eyed on day one and picked up that and some other finds she hadn’t planned on day two. That’s what makes a shop like this so much fun—you’ll never know what you’re going to find.
Jeaneen isn’t quite ready to embrace social media so a Facebook page is just not in the current marketing plan. So if you want to “like” this place, you’re going to need to go check it out in person. Slow down and enjoy your stay. UPDATE: Jeanneen reports she DOES have a Facebook page and is learning to use it. So search for Country Peddler Antiques & General Store and look for a photo of Pappy. Then, click that "like" button. “Do what you love” is Jeaneen’s advice to anyone looking to start any kind of endeavor. It’s obvious she loves what she’s doing. More to Know
Click each photo to see an enlarged version.
Cherie has had an amazing set of career experiences starting with being one of the youngest students enrolled in Moorpark College’s world-renowned animal training program commonly known as “America’s Teaching Zoo.” She’s spent years at Marine World in California, served as Dogtown Manager at Best Friends Animal Society Sanctuary in Utah, taught SCUBA diving classes in a variety of places where she interacted with marine life, ran her own wildlife education program in Washington, worked on a cruise ship, and ended up a few years ago as a caretaker for several animals on a 200-acre estate in Waynesville. That experience led her to Polk County where she and Ron have lived for the past couple of years. Ron is “retired,” but Cherie has happily found herself in demand helping animal parents in the region learn how to make the relationship pleasurable for pets and their parents. She gets referrals from area vets, rescue programs, the local Humane Society shelter, and from her clients. Business is booming. Cherie has advice for people looking for that perfect pet and it begins with doing your research. Just because you want a Jack Russell doesn’t mean it’s the right dog for you. Prospective pet owners should match their own lifestyle with the personality and lifestyle of the animal. Some are noisy, some are messy, and all take a lot of care. If you’re choosing a trainer, ask for references and watch a training session to see how the trainer and the animal interact. You can tell a lot by the demeanor of the pet during these sessions. They shouldn’t cower in fear, and that’s not the approach Cherie takes. She showers love and kindness on the animals and might use a bit of cheese (or other tasty treats) to use as rewards and the animals learn better that way than by fear and intimidation. Again, do your research. Cherie has had her brushes with fame in the past. She’s trained a l,500 pound Hampshire hog to roll out a red carpet and bow on Hal Linden’s late 70’s TV show Animals, Animals, Animals. And once she taught a chicken to dance and play the piano for actor John Travolta’s birthday party. But while Cherie will help you teach your pet some tricks if that’s what you want, she’s more about helping you and your pet both enjoy being with each other. That’s what’s most important to her. More to Know
Cherie has a busy schedule but does have room from time to time for new clients. In addition to her training work, she does occasional pet and farm sitting, provides help with medications and bandages, etc. Contact Cherie at allpetstraining@gmail.com and check out her website at: https://allpetstraining.com.
More to Know Openroad is located on Highway 108 between Tryon and Columbus. Open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 AM until 7 PM. The bakers get in around 3 AM and I know from experience that some of their favorite items might be sold out before noon. They have a drive-through, but hey…it’s worth the extra time to get out of your car and enjoy your coffee and treats inside the cozy shop or outside on the porch. And if the lot looks full, don’t worry – there’s additional parking in back and more on the side. More on the web at: http://www.openroadcoffeeroastery.com. Phone: 828/ 894-2021. Click on photos to enlarge and read caption.
They soon bought a bigger sailboat and decided to spend the Thanksgiving holidays on it in Florida. It was then they started to see that people could actually “live” on their boats. They started talking with year-round “boatsteaders,” researched the lifestyle of being on the water year-round, and discovered that there’s an entire “cult” of people who do this. In 2006 Sami and Barry took the bait and made a big lifestyle change that started a whole chain of events to fall into place. They sold their Landrum farm, rehomed the horses, Sami retired from her job, they bought an even bigger boat, and made the decision to become one with the sea. Okay two with the sea. They were soon living a new life on the water. Barry, a college professor, was able to continue teaching as long as they had an Internet signal…and they learned to seek those out.
Even with the services of an equine vet donating his time and using his own money to help the effort, they were unable to capture the mare at the right time to collect the eggs. ViaGen, a company specializing in cloning special animals was providing the special collection kit needed to store whatever they could obtain and the kits had to be refreshed constantly in order to have the proper storage solution. It finally came down to getting the vet on scene as Nunki was living her last hours. The vet and ViaGen were working together on what to do next and in this case that involved getting a clipping of Nunki’s ear once she died. This had to be placed in the solution and then there was only so much time left to get the tissue back across the preserve, to a boat, to a jet, and to the lab in the U.S. On top of that, there’s this thing called Bahamian government red tape. With just minutes to spare, the government gave its okay to leave the island with the preserved specimen and the USDA gave its approval to have it enter the US, and the final chance to preserve this breed was on the plane to the ViaGen lab where it would be kept in the proper environmental conditions.
The possibilities are real. It could happen. What is mostly standing in the way now is money. There is a non-profit organization set up for donations and every bit helps. Of course, a few large donors could make this happen now. Mimi is still down on the Abaco Islands maintaining the preserve in hopes of bringing a brand-new Abaco Island Horse home for good. And then another and another until a small herd can preserve the species. She has given a quarter-century of her life and her money to this cause. She needs help to change this from a possibility to a reality. Sami is committed to helping in anyway she can. Just imagine how equine history could be changed. Sami Bolton wants to be a part and you can too! It can happen. It needs to happen. It has to happen. More to Know:
Sami and Barry moved back home (here in the foothills) about a year ago. Sami is very active locally. She’s on the board of the Foothills Humane Society and volunteers with TROT (Therapeutic Riding of Tryon). Sami invites you to contact her at gracimedia@aol.com for more information on saving the Abaco Island Horse and how you can help. You might be able to convince her to tell you everything I’ve had to leave out. You can also check out www.ArkWild.org for additional information on the Abaco Island Horse.
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Mark Levin
Is starting out retirement with this new endeavor - to bring you short snippets of life through photography, videography, and audio recordings of some of the wonderful people and places of the Carolina Foothills.. Archives
October 2020
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