My friend, Catherine, and I drove up to Asheville and took a hike on one of the many trails at the Arboretum. It is cold and snappy with a blustery wind in the clear blue sky. There is a dusting of snow here and there and on the tops of the distant mountains.
To get there from 26, take exit 33 and drive past the Biltmore Mall on your left, go past a big discount shoe store on your right, then 3 stop lights and turn right at the sign for the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Arboretum. The parking fee is $8.00 per vehicle. The trails are open 8 am to 9 pm in the summer and 8 am to 7 pm in the winter. On the grounds are the Baker Exhibit Center where there are moving dinosaurs and prehistoric critters, and a gift shop, in another building is the Education Center and there is also a Bonsai Garden (of course in the cold weather, the bonsai trees are taken inside). There is also a coffee shop called The Savory Thyme Cafe and the National Native Azalea Collection.
We took the Bent Creek Road. It is possible to see bears here, but not today as they should be hibernating.
When Eleanor and Ryan and the boys lived in Asheville, Ryan opened the kitchen door one night to put
chicken bones in the garbage container and found a large bear already there helping himself. One day in the spring, Eleanor took Mathew into the backyard and was joined by a mother bear and her cub.
I also remember Mathew trying to put on his muddy boots left in the garage to find a snake was inside.
After our hike, we went into town and found the Early Girl Restaurant had an hour and ten minute wait.
Chai Pani (Indian Street Food and T-shirts that proclaim "namastee, y'all") had a 40 minute wait, so we went to Carmel, the restaurant with a corner location in the Grove Arcade. Catherine had a catfish rubin sandwich and I had scrambled eggs, grits, bacon and toast with FROG JAM.
Recipe for frog jam:
one part figs
one part raspberries
one part orange with zest
one part shredded fresh ginger.
Delicious.
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