In 1965 my parents, who were looking for retirement property in the Blue Ridge mountains, purchased this 200 acres of neglected valley farm land and mountain top that had been scorched by an underbrush fire. (The neighbor lady was burning leaves and it got away from her, she admitted.) As an adolescent, my father hoisted me up on his shoulders on the spot where Cloud 9 sits today and asked me if I could see a view. Honestly? All I saw were trees and more trees but it seemed that in the distance was… YES, there most certainly was a view.
|
|
|
|
My father knew there was, bought the land and at age 60 (retired from Eastern airlines) became the general contractor hiring locals to build this house…ahead of it’s time with quality materials (original living room pegged floor) and southern passive solar exposure.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
My parents spent a happy retirement of 30 years here and made this farm into a place of beauty with planted white pines, a swimming pond and U-Pick blueberries in the valley. |
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
My mother’s sewing room was the dining room where she happily made all the curtains and slipcovers for the house whisking away craft projects whenever company would come.
|
|
This was the second farm in Buncombe County to take part in the Farm Stewardship Program which is a tax incentive program for continuing family ownership of large parcels of land as woodland management areas, wildlife preserves and horticulture.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
I spent my teenage and young adult years here enjoying my parents’ many retired friends who shared stories of WWII and their world travels together. Many happy times were spent on the deck of Cloud 9 for a “happy hour” that continued longer than an hour.
|
|
|
|
 |
|
When I married, my parents and I built the home you see through the trees, called “Seventh Heaven” where I raised my family of one daughter. I never wanted to leave.
|
|
 |
|
|
| Now, I have gained my own vision for the property. I updated Cloud 9 (as my parents so fondly called it) which took me two years and opened it in 2004 to the public instead of moving in it myself. |
|
In 2007 I retired from 31 years of teaching elementary school and, anticipating that, opened another vacation rental, “Heavenly Hideaway”, a cabin for couples.
|
|
|
I spend some of my time in various hobbies such as beekeeping, beauty shop work (in my home) and traveling but most of my time is spent here…maintaining and preserving nature for people like you to experience. It is my pleasure.
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
