The Towes Garden--July 09

Elk Mountain Highlands

Elk Mountain Highlands: Only 5 miles from Asheville's City Limits, and and just below the Blue Ridge Parkway--mountaintop living just above the Beaverdam Valley of North Asheville. Carefully planned low impact development, that preserves nature by disturbing it as little as possible defines this community. Long range views and privacy in a unique mountain community that is so close to shopping and downtown activities. Coming soon...stay tuned.

Pisgah Highlands Communities

Pisgah Highlands Communities: Another environmentally inspired, low impact, low density residential habitat nestled against Pisgah National Forest just below the Blue Ridge Parkway---and only 8 1/2 miles from the Asheville City Limit. Hiking trails, creek frontage, and incredible ridgetop homesites with panoramic views of Pisgah National Forest. You can build your dream home, and have natures playground at your doorstep with over 180,000 acres of National Forest and designated Wilderness Areas next door. Properties range in price from $99,900 to $275,000. If you're looking for privacy and a recreational dream...look no further.
See more at www.stevetowe.com.

Elk Mountain Highlands

Well, I love creating beautiful environments. That will ultimately be my chosen legacy. Some people like golf, or tennis, or puzzles....I love creating environmentally sound, off the charts beautiful environments. Growing up as a third generation landscape professional...my only profession until age 38, it is evidently in my genes and firmly implanted in my vision of how to create unique and beautiful residential communities. At last count, I have been intimately involved in the design, marketing and sales of over a dozen Asheville communities---utilizing low impact, low density designs that preserve nature by disturbing it as little as possible.

Some misguided but well meaning folks don't understand that in mountain development it is destructive to have "One size fits all" development regulations. No two properties are identical in these mountains. One size fits all regulations are inherently destructive to the environment, because they refuse to recognize the uniqueness of individual terrains, and because they are too often crafted and legislated by people who don't understand anything about development and the dramatic impact terrain has on the ultimate outcome of land disturbing activity. Politicians make decisions far too often to please a vocal minority, and do not listen to the experts who understand how to do it right.

This must change, and one way to change it is to have a separate "Conservation Development Ordinance" that uses incentives and rewards to create positive, low impact, attractive communities. Mountain Council for Accountable Development-- a joint effort of The Asheville Homebuilders Association and The Asheville Board of REALTORS, is leading the way in this effort (see www.mountaindevelopment.org).

Fall is a glorious time in the mountains of North Carolina. Ever wonder why so many people are seemingly unhappy with their lives? When our days have no sense of wonder, no sense of excitement and awe toward the natural beauty of the tremendous wilderness areas we are so blessed with...it's easy to be unhappy. Get out, take a hike, smell the flowers, the moss, touch the leaves and jump in a crystal clear pool....let the weariness of the world go, and replace it with your child wonder. You'll find the answers you seek-- not in worry or stress or obsesssion, but in allowing yourself to feel, to appreciate the absolute beauty of this earth and all it's gifts. In a Simon and Garfunkel song from long ago...."I'd rather be a forest than a street, yes I would, if I could, I surely would". Guess what....you can.

Mountain biking on Elk Mtn. Scenic Hwy.

Above the city of Asheville North Carolina, Elk Mountain Scenic Highway departs into the hinterlands, and connects with the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Mountains to the Sea Trail. Avid bikers love to leave downtown Asheville and in no time be up on top of the Blue Ridge, feeling the peace of this space between heaven and earth.

Wright Creek Falls on Lake Jocassee

Lake Jocassee is the jewel of mountain lakes. Fed by the clear cold waters of the Whitewater, Thompson, Horsepasture, and Toxaway Rivers---in addition to dozens of other mountain streams with names like Bear Camp Creek, Mill Creek and Laurel Fork--this place thrills everyone with it's beauty and recreational splendor. Seventy six miles of shoreline is mostly all protected from development and is either S.C. wildlife management area, Jocassee Gorges State Park, or Nantahala National Forest. The water is clear...it is easy to snorkel along the shore and see over 30 feet under the water. Kayakers, canoes, swimmers, water-skiers, divers, and nature lovers love this place. With Canadian loons, seagulls, bear, coyote, deer, wild boar, bald eagles, beavers, and a wild assortment of reptiles....you experience wilderness like no other lake offers. Fisherman catch Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Spotted and Largemouth Bass, as well as Catfish. Located in upper S.C., just 40 miles as the crow flies from Asheville.

Land of Waterfalls

Wakeboarding on Lake Jocassee

For those who love the challenges of water sports, you won't be bored.

East Fork Balance

East Fork of the Pigeon River: One of the many crystal clear streams of WNC, flowing out of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area, this stream has a primitive trail leading along approximately 9 miles of it's course. Rainbow trout are happy here. A superb place to hike with your family and cool off on those hot summer days. You can always find a private swimming hole, if you don't mind really COLD water! Located off N.C. 276, just north of the Blue Ridge Parkway exit to Brevard.

Summer Mountain Fun

Lots of urban folks are moving here, and don't have a clue as to where to go with with their families or friends to have fun in the summertime. There is so much to do here outside, where mountains and rivers and streams and lakes and trails are so abundant. I'm a novice blogger, but I thought I'd try to post some photos to tickle your imagination. The Quality of Life is the #1 reason people across the nation continually rate the Asheville N.C. area as one of the top ten retirement/destination locations in America. Heres a few reasons why "they got it right".

Balance, what is it? When all the elements within your being are at rest upon this earth. When you're not falling and crashing. When you are poised and ready. When you are present and relaxed. When each part of your being supports the rest. When the mystery is visible and you enjoy it. When these stones from the East Fork are left to dry in warm summer sun, and you are a child again..playful and happy.

Cold Mountain from Mt. Pisgah

There is nothing more fascinating than light. Nothing on earth is less appreciated from my perspective. If you've ever had to wait out the night, huddled under a rock, shivering in the blackness of a mountain night, the coming of the sun is a heroic display of Gods provision for man. Stopping to appreciate something as simple as light--the colors it provides, the warmth--you can see the miracle of life itself could not exist without it. It is healing.

Pileated Woodpecker in Maple

Pileated Woodpecker

The Pileated Woodpecker is one of the North Carolina mountain secrets. It is a symbol of wildness, preferring deep woods but occasionally venturing forth to farms and settled valleys. Seen here in a Red Maple, the incredible penetration of their large beaks is evident. Their call is a loud, almost jungle like raucous cry, not a song one would expect of a bird. Mountain folks call them "rain crows", as they are just slightly smaller than a crow.

Once on my farm, several crows began attacking a pileated woodpecker, and in an effort to escape, it dove into my blueberry bushes, which I had covered with netting to protect the berries from marauding birds. The woodpecker became helplessly entangled, and my wife was afraid to try to help it, as it was struggling so fiercely. I came home soon thereafter, and managed to gently hold the woodpecker down so it couldn't bite or claw me, and very carefully cut away the netting that entangled it. It seemed to realize my intent, and became very calm. After freeing it, I lifted it up in my two hands, opened my hands, and watched it fly toward life and freedom. It set into a tree above me, and looked at me for awhile, then turned and flew away with a call that gave me chills. I still see this woodpecker here from time to time, and it seems to have no fear of me.

There are so many lessons in life to learn from the abundant life around us, so many mysteries to discover. Living here in these mountains for my entire life (minus expeditions and adventures) has taught me that the pool of mysteries is bottomless, and filled with metaphors that are spiritual in their core. The force and beauty of creation is all around us, waiting to be discovered and appreciated, if we only take the time to venture forth and observe. More to come.