Black Mountain, NC captured by heart ! I never thought I would be classified as a mountain girl. After all, my general idea of camping was a hotel without room service and my happy place was at the beach listening to the ocean waves or memories of being on the pier with my Daddy fishing. I was a city girl, I enjoyed going to the park and taking walks in nature but never really spent a lot of time in the mountains except for visiting family here and there.
I would say it all started over a decade ago, during a time in my life when things were changing fast; the death of a parent, starting a new job, and becoming newly single. I had never really traveled much on my own, but I set out for Asheville, a weekend trip. Relax, rejuvenate, calm the spirit, and have a little fun was on my agenda.
I was quickly drawn to the peace, being surrounded by the mountains had a powerful effect on my spirit, and I could feel something deeper happening. Like the roar of the ocean, the mountains became a place of reprieve from the daily world, its beauty and majestic nature, a healing place, a place that only God could have created. Awakening every day to a different unbelievable work of art, the colors of the sky, the shadows, and new hues created by clouds. Simply breathtaking.
I started visiting the mountains more and more and visiting all the small local towns around Asheville. Exploring my way thru each one with its own unique spirit, trying the local restaurants, and breweries, and exploring nature along the way. Small towns have always had a draw that pulls me in, it’s like a warm cup of coffee or your favorite blanket, cozy, friendly, and very different than the city. I had always imagined retiring to a small town, I just wasn’t sure where. In my mind, I dubbed it “small town USA”. Always looking at real estate for sale in every town I visited and asked myself could I live here?
Then I made my way around to Black Mountain for the 2nd time. I had stayed in the area once before, just outside of Ridgecrest, making my way into town for dinner a couple of times, but that was about it. This time felt different. After all the towns I had visited this was special, it spoke to me in my heart. It welcomed me with a sense of peace and a longing to come back once I left.
After a few years of visiting when I could, I thought this is where I need to be. How do I make this happen? There was never a time that I left the mountains without feeling recharged, happy, and at peace. I set a goal to find a place to buy, to build, I wasn’t sure where or how, but I knew in my heart I needed it. It took a leap of faith and a few years of saving and searching and then building, but I finally got here.
I have often been asked, “Why Black Mountain?” I could say it’s the welcoming people, the beautiful scenery, or the amazing things to do; but in reality, it’s almost unexplainable. Maybe it’s my grandmother’s roots, maybe it’s just truly a God thing. I just know He knew where I needed to be and helped me to get here.
I am not a writer, please excuse any mistakes, I am just a girl with a dream that came true. Thanks for letting me share my Carolina Mountain Life and the joy of Black Mountain with you, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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