Craft guilds: the folks along the Parkway really have this figured out pretty well.  Large shops are located at the busiest visitor centers for dozens of artisans to show their works.  They demonstrate crafts too.  Today we watched a fellow make ”shaker boxes”.  I have seen some beautiful creations in about every media, fabrics, flowers, woodwork, metal work, basketry, needlework, glass, pottery, even beeswax coated wildflower greeting cards.

Blowing Rock, NC…a picture perfect yuppy town with quaint bed and breakfast, cozy cafes and restaurants and dozens of shops to browse.

Fall color Fraser firs…darn wooly adelgid …that but is killing off all the beautiful deep green firs that used to cover these wonderful mountains and provide the perfect background for the flame colored oak and maple.