My Kindergarten Year with My Granny Back in the dark ages in my hometown of Tampa, Florida kindergarten was not required. When it came time for my mother to enroll me, since it was optional, the family decided instead to have me stay with my grandmother who had been severely injured in a painting accident at home.  Unfortunately for my wonderful Granny, medicine wasn’t what it is today and she was going to be bed ridden for many months.   Lying in bed with pins in her leg and a cast from her foot to the top of her leg, it was totally impossible for her to get out of that hospital bed.  Instead of grumbling, my Granny took the opportunity to teach me a lot that year.  I learned how to cook breakfast and lunch for the two of us and how to keep the house straighted up for when my “Gaga” ... 08/31/2011

    The annual Murphy NC Heritage Walk & Festival is celebrating it's 11th year....The festival will start at 10am in historical downtown Murphy NC. This years event will include....Artists and Crafters, Historic walking tours, Several live band performances throughout the day, Antique tractor show and hay wagon rides and much much more... This year's new feature will be a ghost tour sponsored by the Cherokee County Paranormal Society. For more details visit their website   Murphy NC is just minutes from trout streams, hiking trails, kayaking or white water rafting through the Nantahala Gorge and Ocoee. You can browse in one of many antique and craft shops or just enjoy the sunset on your own deck in peaceful solitude. You CAN have it all!!!!! Only 2 hours from Atlanta, Chattanooga and ... 08/31/2011

  ActiveRain MeetUp in the Mountains Calling all ActiveRain members from Blue Ridge, Georgia to Franklin, North Carolina!!    As you may have read on ActiveRain recently there are going to be get-togethers all over the country next week where ActiveRain members can finally meet!  Bill and I are hosting what we are calling “Mountain Rain”.  Won’t it be fun to finally meet the people in person that you have only seen on your computer screen! We have planned a lunch time meet up (hey we all have to eat) at Shoebooties Cafe in downtown Murphy starting at 12:30 pm on Tuesday, September 6th.   View Larger Map Bring plenty of business cards to share.  Bring a friend you’d like to introduce to ActiveRain.  Bring your success stories and any ideas you’d like to share. Of course, remember just fo... 08/31/2011

Are you selling or buying that lovely 3 Bedroom home in Murphy, NC that only has a 2 Bedroom Septic System?When the Mountain Living Team has your home listed we pull the deed, covenants & restrictions, HOA, Tax Card, etc and start up our marketing plan. But don’t forget one more permit to pull…the Septic Permit.And if it’s not our listing, we make sure to pull a copy of the Septic Permit and make sure that the home you’re interested in buying has the septic permit to match what you’re about to purchase. If you choose to purchase a home that is marketed as a 3 bedroom, but only has a permit for 2 bedrooms that is certainly your choice. However, just know that according to the NC Real Estate Commission, we can only market it as a 2 bedroom home with an extra office or craft room - not bed... 08/26/2011

Do you all remember those great summer vacation memories and the excitement of getting new school clothes and supplies? Can you believe Back to School is just around the corner?   Cherokee County Schools will start back on Thursday, August 25th. Seems like they start back earlier and earlier each year. Here is a link for more information on the Cherokee County Schools. Please drive with caution as we get back to school and back to driving in those school zones and cross walks. Let's keep all our young people safe! Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MurphyMountainLiving.com 08/24/2011

Sometimes it takes half your lifetime to find the right profession and place to live, work and play. I grew up in Homestead, Florida but my Grandparents had a summer home in the cool mountains in the small town of Burnsville, NC. This is where we spent all our summers and most of that time was spent down in the Cattail Creek that flowed right outside the home. Those summers continued as I became an adult and it was on a December vacation up to Burnsville that I first saw snow on Christmas Day.Fast forward to meeting the most patient, caring and funniest person I know, my husband Lee. We lived in North Miami Beach, FL where Lee worked in the film industry as a Grip for commercials and movies and I in downtown Miami as a graphic designer. Then we had our son, Brandon Lee, and every vacati... 08/15/2011

Just another lovely day in the Murphy, NC Mountains!  Creeks, Lakes, Pasture and Mountain Views instead of lots of traffic jams? If you’d like to live here in our small town atmosphere and enjoy mountain living visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team and we’ll get you started on finding your own “peace of the mountains”.  www.MurphyMountainLiving.com 08/12/2011

  Back to School At TRI-COUNTY Community College   Students wishing to attend the Fall Semester of Tri-County Community College have until 6:30 pm today, Thursday August 11th, to register.  After registering, all students must either verify their financial aid award or pay for classes by NOON on Friday August 12th or they will lose their seats and have to re-register during the Drop/Add period.  The Drop/Add Period is from August 15-19 and students will receive a 75% refund for any classes they drop during this period.   Tri-County Community College operates under an Open Door Admission Policy which means that anyone who wants to improve their education will have the opportunity.  Some programs have special admission requirements, so please review the program offerings on line or in the... 08/11/2011

Continuing the legacy that Lucy McKenzie started with the “Lucy Mac Sac” more bags were put together and handed out to patients at Murphy Medical Center in Murphy, NC and the Georgia Cancer Center in Blue Ridge, GA.    Along with her daughters, Carol Lee Barbour and Mary Lynn Durfee, Lucy created the “Lucy Mac Sac” in 2010 to give as gifts to the men and women who are starting or continuing chemotherapy treatments. The “Lucy Mac Sac” for the ladies is a cheerful fashionable handbag and for the men a masculine reusable grocery bag and are filled with special things to encourage and comfort.The Family of Lucy McKenzie continues to put together “Lucy Mac Sacs” in honor of their mother who passed away in September of 2010 and are still being lovingly given to patients in the NC and GA Cance... 07/24/2011

We’ve been working with a great young couple for their first home here in Murphy, NC. Of course we’ve seen a lot of homes and one they even made an offer on, but it had some issues in the inspections and mold. So we kept looking and saw some very nice home, but not quite the one with the perfect setting and home that they could add their own touches to and have a spot for her to turn pottery.   Well as they say, good things come to those that wait (and keep searching), the perfect home we did find. Located in Murphy and just down from the John C. Campbell Folk School is this gorgeous Victorian home. The craftsmanship and details are fabulous, huge tiled baths and marble sun room off the master taking in the views. There was even a cute outbuilding that matched the home - just perfect fo... 07/18/2011

Showing off in the Murphy, NC Mountains! Well we all want to show off how beautiful our mountains are here in Murphy, NC too. This Tom is really a sight to see strutting along the western NC mountains. Think anyone else will notice him?   Lakes, Creeks & Rivers, Wildlife, Wildflowers and Mountain Views instead of lots of traffic jams? If you’d like to live here in our small town atmosphere and enjoy the mountain living visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team and we’ll get you started on finding your own “peace of the mountains”.  www.MurphyMountainLiving.com 07/17/2011

Coldwell Banker High Country in Murphy, NC had a great turn out for our Caravan of Homes today! The weather was a little cloudy and we’d had rain earlier as eight agents headed out to preview some of our great properties here in Murphy, North Carolina. We saw some great homes – and many were such a surprise on the inside with wonderful upgrades and showed well. Beautiful landscaping, good locations and one on Owl Creek and another on the Hiwassee River. And we even made it through without any rain!                   Coldwell Banker High Country has Mountain Regional offices in Ellijay, Blue Ridge and Hiawassee, GA and of course our office here in Murphy, NC. If you’d like to have your property included in our next Caravan, please let us know and we’d love the opportunity to share with y... 07/12/2011

Renewable energy installations like this Solar Farm out Hwy 64 West in Murphy, NC are part of the newest movement toward clean solar energy powering homes and businesses around Cherokee County.   These Solar Farms are ground-mounted photovoltaic (PV) solar modules and the electricity produced from the solar farm is sold through Blue Ridge Mountain EMC to the Tennessee Valley Authority, as part of TVA’s Generation PartnersSM program.     They don’t just say “Keep NC Green and Clean” just because of our beautiful lush green valleys and mountains. The TVA has been using the natural resource of water to generate electricity since it was set up by the U.S. Congress in 1933. TVA supplies the electricity needs of about nine million people.   Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.... 07/11/2011

Today our Thankful Thursday is for one of the best machines we ever bought and the wonderful husband that makes me a decaf cappuccino with honey, organic milk and cinnamon every evening.   We’re also thankful to be living in the Murphy, North Carolina mountains and have family and friends close by.   Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MurphyMountainLiving.com   07/07/2011

Fires Creek in Hayesville, NC is a great place for some cool fun this summer! Just off Hwy 64 between Murphy and Hayesville, NC is a favorite spot of ours to visit with family and friends.     You can camp, hike the trails and ride horses here in Fires Creek, but we really like going to picnic and splash around in the river. Grab a picnic table under the shade of the trees and watch Fires Creek, which flows into the near by Hiwassee River flowing by. There are spots to jump off rocks, swim around and bring a tube if you want to float along. There are plenty of places for the little ones to get in or just to wade around and get your toes cold too. Plenty of cold water to cool you off this summer!             Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MountainLivingTeam.com 07/06/2011

Thank You For Your Service   To our favorite Sailor, our daughter Moriah stationed in Dahlgren, Virginia and to all the Service Men and Service Women in all branches of the Armed Services that protect our rights and freedoms everyday we want to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU!! While we are enjoying hot dogs and fireworks, whether stationed in the US or abroad, these men and women are away from their families today. To the families that have lost a love one we THANK YOU as well for that ultimate sacrifice. Happy 235th Birthday America!   Bill and Cyndi                       07/04/2011

Come join us as we celebrate the Fourth of July at Konehete Park in downtown Murphy, NC! Fun, food, fireworks and games for all ages so bring the family, friends and the whole neighborhood as we all celebrate. Good time fun - MONDAY, JULY 4, 2011 – ALL DAY!! Men’s Softball Tournament – 9am Horseshoes – 10am Kids’ Fishing Tournament – 10:45am Cake Walk – Starting 11:30am then every hour on the half hour Peanut Drop – 12:00pm Kid’s Games – Starting at 1pm Water Balloon, Hula Hoop, Sack Race and so much more! Do you think they’ll let the adults join in? Fireworks – at dark All Day Events:       Food, Crafts & Entertainment Bouncy Houses for the kids Obstacle Course And Tons of Fun!!! The Cherokee County Detachment 1011 of the U.S. Marine Corps League will also perform a ceremonial flag ret... 07/03/2011

Did you know that flowers are one of the best reasons to live in Murphy, NC?Well they are certainly one of the best reasons. There is nothing more relaxing or enjoyable than walking in the woods and finding all the different wildflowers or spending time in your own yard or garden planting flowers.   Here are three different flowers in honor the upcoming Hometown Celebration in downtown Murphy, NC  at Konehete Park this coming 4th of July. There are so many beautiful flowers in the western NC, north GA and east TN mountains. Would you love to be surrounded by these flowers, mountains, lakes and rivers too? Visiting or wanting to move to the mountains...visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MurphyMountainLiving.com   07/02/2011

So what are you doing Saturday morning? The Cedar Valley Farmers Market is located in downtown Murphy, NC on the square. You’ll find a vast selection of fruits, vegetables, local specialties, pottery, jewelry, photography, quilts, wood turning, pottery and all kinds of unique mountain crafts. Stop by the Cedar Valley Farmers Market Saturdays from 10am-2pm during the months of April-October.Check out the CVFM web site and this video of some of the vendors at the market...   06/29/2011

  Some days you’ll just find us hanging around some of the fields, roads, mountains and rivers around Murphy, NC and the surrounding areas. There are just so many great scenes and seasons to enjoy as you’re out-and-about our mountain communities and here are a few we wanted to share with you...                       Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team www.MurphyMountainLiving.com Serving all your real estate needs in the western NC, north GA and east TN mountains 06/26/2011