Just What The Doctor Ordered! Highlands In The Fall!

Have you ever been to Highlands, North Carolina?

Have you ever seen reflections like this? 

This was so breathtaking in person! 

I hope I've conveyed it with this amateur picture to show it's true beauty! 

We went twice that day, it was THAT beautiful!

( oh, and I forgot to tell you…we forgot the camera the first time!)

I feel like I should say in my best Southern drawl…"bless your hearts for even reading this!"

Let me just say that this post starts with a HUGE disclaimer! I love Highlands…I love the scenery pics we took…I love the food pics we took but I spared you from those! However, to get the full affect from being in a place like Highlands…the pictures I chose truly do represent why my parents, their friends and our family fell in love with it in the first place! This post is a bit self indulgent…but then again, what post isn't if it is truly to make you fall in love with what I fell in love with in the first place?

Sit back and enjoy if you can!

My parents and their friends bought their home on Apple Mountain several years ago…time is flying by so quickly I truly don't remember the year but I remember that I was there to help…we looked at a lot of homes and once they had chosen one the fun began! Decorating a home in the mountains is amazing! You get to pick out things that you TRULY love and wouldn't normally have in your everyday house. 

It's Mountain Style! 

The pictures I have taken on this trip of the inside of their house are all from sitting in this oh, so, comfortable chair to the left of the fireplace. With my camera phone….I wish I had gotten up to get my "good" camera but I was way too comfortable!

So, use your imagination and picture really good lighting! Because the view outside of their back deck is amazing! But it just doesn't accomplish that in these pics!

My favorite place to sit in the whole world…besides my front porch of our beach house is right here! 

Funny thing…we have had to sell our beach home and put it on the rental program…so, getting to enjoy this quiet retreat meant even more than I had thought it would!

Yes, there sits my best friend! ( not really! ) my laptop…it is the perfect place to sit and catch up on what each and every one of you are up to! 

And here…we start the real adventure! 

We used to drive up this mountain all of the time! It's been years! But look at how truly gorgeous it is! The view from the top was amazing…looking at this lake below! 

I don't even know what lake it is!

This property on Satulah Mountain in Highlands is simply breathtakingly beautiful! We used to brave everything to drive up and snap pictures. 

This time…I felt old and not as brave and very protective of their privacy. 

Then, I also realized that the beautiful home has been torn down. Why?  I would love to know! The property is stunning…the stone walls are exquisite and the barn is just divine! 

If only you could've seen the home!

Then, on Saturday we set out for the Blue Ridge Parkway! Oh, what an adventure I thought it would be! And it was! Especially the getting lost part! But we won't go there! Just enjoy the pictures of the leaves and hurry through it! I know it's too much scenery! 

I did love the sun rays shining through on these pics!

And I really loved seeing this American flag flying proudly at the very top of the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Believe it or not…after the Blue Ridge…we ate a huge lunch at about 2:30 so we felt like we needed to hike! And hike we did! We hiked Whiteside Mountain until I couldn't hike anymore….then, we cooked  out the best steaks you've EVER had in your life from Dusty's in Highlands…there is nothing like Dusty's meat…and he has so much more! He told us today as we stopped on our way out that he has been there for 63 years! That tells you ALOT right there!

Whiteside Mountain was beautiful!

I couldn't believe there were icesicles there!

 But there definitely were and I wanted you to see them!

On Sunday I knew exactly where we were going after a day spent in the car on Saturday! Not that I didn't enjoy it! I did!

But…I knew I wanted to go to Summer House! My favorite shop of all time! Highlands or not! They always do a fabulous room in the Cashiers Mountain Showhouse and now they have a permanent show house of sorts set up!

I took a few pics for you to see…it's not that it's the best thing in the whole world…it's that it is the most beautiful and practical thing…especially for a Mountain Home! I loved this curtain fabric and really want to use it in our upstairs!

The kitchen was wonderful!

 Especially the hidden microwave cabinet! 

( like I've said before, it's the little things that make me happiest! )

I fell in love with the artist they carry! 

Her barns and canoes are fabulous! So are her florals!

How great is this porch!?! We loved it! 

We actually loved the size of the house and everything about it!

And this fun bench! Only in the Mountains!

Of course, we had eaten yet ANOTHER huge lunch before going to the Summer House which meant ANOTHER hike! This time…it was Glen Falls! So fun and so pretty! 

But be prepared! You can't go in "cute" clothes! 

Thankfully, we were in Highlands at the peak leaf season in my opinion! 

Oh…and peak waterfall season as well!

For our last night there we decided to check out a few of the spots we've been wanting to see…and some my mom recommended!

The first one being the cemetery….yes, you heard me. I LOVE going to old cemetarys and my mom knows how much I love them and how much I love photographing each moment…I can't believe we hadn't already been here! 

LOVED the beautiful flag flying high in this monument/cemetary!

Our search was for "Dead Eye" Potts! A lot of things in Highlands are named for him..so the search began!

Isn't this place incredible?

"God is definitely in this place!"

There is not much out there that is prettier to me than an old tombstone…one that tells the story…there are a lot of stories in this cemetery. One day, I am going to just sit there and study them. Now THAT would be a wonderful day for me!

And finally, we found old "Dead Eye" himself!

Next, we set out to find the fabulous Inn At Half Mile Farm that Jim's parents always stay in! I can't believe we'd never seen it before! It was ALL that and THEN SOME! Just take a peek!

It was a dream setting!

The grounds are phenomenal!

I'm thinking….if we are having to sell our beach house..and if my parent's mountain house isn't available…this is the perfect get away!

The Inn At Half Mile Farm!

And I know for certain that one of the most perfect dinners anyone can experience in Highlands is at On The Verandah! Simply divine…and loved the romantic setting!

There are a lot of fabulous restaurants in Highlands and On The Verandah has definitely stood the test of time! My pumpkin ravioli last night might just me my new "Turkish Delight!"

If you ever get the chance to go to Highlands or Cashiers, North Carolina…run screaming and do it! They are both fabulous places and there is so much to do, see and eat! You will love it! I haven't even gotten to mention the fabulous Old Edwards Inn! It's one of our MOST favorite places! Just go! Just go experience something new! And enjoy this fall…it's going by way too quickly already!

Thank you to anyone who reads this! I have been way too busy…I should definitely stop and smell the roses and read each and every one of your fabulous blogs! I certainly do appreciate your friendship over the years and the time that it takes to peruse a silly girls musings in a blog like this!

Happy Tuesday!