The weather is beautiful this weekend, and there's something for everyone to do in the mountains of Western North Carolina.

Red White and Boom in Maggie Valley

Stars and Stripes Celebration in Waynesville

Independence Day Festivities in and around Maggie Valley and Waynesville

See the Miniature Horses in Waynesville NC (I visited again yesterday, July 3)

Breaking Asheville News

Breaking Horse News

My horse website

The apples are growing around Maggie Valley and making me think of the fall Apple Harvest Festival. Haywood County has wonderful apple orchards famous not only for their apples, but also their ciders, apple cakes, jams, and a sundry of baked goods.

Here is a link to addresses and directions to various Haywood County apple orchards and others in the Blue Ridge region of beautiful Western North Carolina.

• Pictures from last year during Fall’s Apple Harvest Season.
• 21st Annual Apple Harvest Festival in Haywood County, October 17, 2009.
• Buy Haywood.

Breaking Asheville News

Breaking Horse News

My horse website

Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

Photos for this slideshow were taken in and around Lake Junaluska late the afternoon of June 30.

Independence Day Celebration 2009 - Schedule of Events

Directions to Lake Junaluska

• Slideshow of last year’s Fireworks at Lake Junaluska
• Lake Junaluska at dusk photos
• Seeing the Light on Lake Junaluska

Breaking Asheville News

Breaking Horse News

My horse website

Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

Brannon Forest Development in Jonathan Creek, Waynesville NC, has its own darling resident asses. Don't mess with Mama. She looks a little bit pregnant. Photo taken 06/28/09.

'Pasturizing' milk in Jonathan Creek, Waynesville NC, off of Grindstone. I hope that's not the milk truck in the background. Photo taken 06/28/09.

• Do-it-Yourself Marketing Ideas to Start Today.

• Is There Anything You Can't Do with Posterous [from Mashable]?

• Seven Ways to Develop a Unique Brand for Your Blog.

Breaking Asheville News

Breaking Horse News

My horse website

Crazy Bob's (I love his advertising) is right on the main drag to Maggie Valley, Dellwood Road, and he has an eclectic collection of 'Crazy Bob' stuff. He's right next door to the Greyhound Bus terminal which also sells good ice cream cones. Could be my dinner again tonight.

High Country, a rustic cabin decor up-scale furniture store is a short way down the road too, and I would imagine they will deliver just about anything you want from their showroom.

Oh, and if you like Cowboy furnishings, take a gander at this! Cowgirl Loafin' Sofa.

Visit my horse website!

Breaking Asheville News is my real-time, Twitter-fed website built with the guidance of, and grateful thanks to, Domus Consulting Group. Haywood County was my first choice, but the number of Haywood County Twitterers does not a website make… yet.

Asheville businesses are ‘on’ to Twitter … restaurants tweet their specials, stores tweet their sales, hikers tweet about hiking in the Smokies, etc., etc. - - and their information (i.e., marketing) appears for all to see AT NO COST to the businesses. Every day there are more Buncombe County and WNC businesses that are now tweeting to market their businesses. Please look at the Breaking Asheville News website and see what they are doing … and also note in the sidebars the multitude of cities nationwide who have Breaking News sites, with more added on a daily basis.

My favorite Breaking News site is my Breaking Horse News site - - therein my passion lies. More and more, every day, horse people are tweeting! Much of my time these days is devoted to building Horsealicious, my ‘horse’ website, and adding new Tweeters to the Breaking Horse News site. The point being … these websites can be applied to any business or idea. Think Community Service.

Just think how great it would be to have a Downtown Waynesville Breaking News site or page. Or how a Haywood County real estate brokerage could be on the cutting edge with real time Twitter-fed information about community, subdivisions, etc., etc. The information is here for the taking, and  I am here to help and answer questions, or you can go straight to Domus Consulting Group. Or, you can wait for print advertising to work for you.

******Click here to go to Pat Kitano's The Local Business Owner's Guide to Twitter.******

Breaking Asheville News

Breaking Horse News

My horse website

Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

Many people want to move to Maggie Valley or Waynesville and live on a beautiful creek, and I can't blame them, although I picture myself on a creek with a Cowboy and an Airstream. Wouldn't it be great to sit outside of your RV with your wireless card updating your blogs with your posts and pictures, knowing you can drive off to horse events and not have to pack? 

These photos were taken June 25th, late in the afternoon, not far from me. The creek is running right along an RV park where I'd love to have a creek-front spot.

***Visit my Breaking Asheville News site.

See my Photos of the Day.

See my Flickr Photos.

Click below to go to my Horse site.

Photo taken in Frog Level, NC right next door to Panacea.

©Susie Blackmon Photos

• Second Home Owners … great information in this Wall Street Journal article.
• Downtown Waynesville merchants hope to get a boost in customers after the Courthouse opens June 29 after 2-year rennovation.
• Don’t forget the Cold Mountain Heritage Tour June 27, 28 in Bethel. Bethel Heritage Tour 2009 site descriptions and pictures.
• “Buy Haywood”- Want to find Haywood County Farms? Here’s your MAP!

“A new brochure and map lists more than 30 locations to buy local produce, plants, trout, and more.  The featured sites include farm stands, tailgate markets, nurseries, and others.  The brochure also lists farm-related events, such as the Canton Mater Fest.”

• Mad Cow Company. (Has nothing to do with PMS).
• The Local Business Owner's Guide to Twitter from Media Transparent (or, why I have 2 Breaking News sites).
• I don't know if the market has croaked.

Visit my horse website!

Original post on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

• “Buy Haywood”- Want to find Haywood County Farms? Here’s your MAP!

“A new brochure and map lists more than 30 locations to buy local produce, plants, trout, and more.  The featured sites include farm stands, tailgate markets, nurseries, and others.  The brochure also lists farm-related events, such as the Canton Mater Fest.”

• Previous “Buy Haywood” post here.

Take a Tour This Weekend:

• Cold Mountain Heritage Tour this weekend (June 27, 28) in Bethel.
  

“This rural area is also fortunate to be the real home of “Inman” from Cold Mountain fame. The community, “Cold Mountain,” was essentially a fictionalized place that was named for a nearby mountain; actual events that happened in Inman’s life occurred in Bethel. Inman was born, lived, murdered, and buried in Bethel. Inman’s gravesite, the location of which has been quietly maintained since 1864 when he was killed, is featured on the tour.”

Visit my horse website!

Original posted on Bucking the Real Estate Trend.

The development of my horse website, Horsealicious, and my Breaking Horse News site are truly where my passion lies, and why I am concentrating on the equine aspect of my life and business. I will also be focusing more on equestrian properties as time goes by. Foundation first.

Yesterday I was very fortunate to find the gas money to go to the Rockin’ S Arena in Buckhead GA to audit one day of a Chris Cox three-day clinic. Chris is an amazing and talented horseman, and it was my pleasure to be able to watch him in real life. Here is a description of some of what he teaches at his three-day clinics:

“The 3-Day Clinics will cover the basic horsemanship techniques that Chris teaches in his Instructional Programs, but rather than simply .... read the rest here.”

Attending one of Chris’ 6-Day Horsemanship Clinics on his ranch in Mineral Wells TX would be to die for!

Clinic photos on Flickr.

Visit my horse website!