Autumn is, arguably, the most beloved season in our Blue Ridge Mountains. So many who create claim October as their favorite month, and indeed it is a feast for the senses with a frosty chill in the air, leaves crunching underfoot, the smell of wood smoke and the mountains painting themselves with a vibrant and inspiring palette.
With this issue, I reach my one-year anniversary as editor of The Laurel of Asheville and what a wonderful year of discovery it has been! Western North Carolina is home to so much that is inspiring and to so many willing to share their knowledge, creativity and passion.
Writing about Deborah Robertson in our new occasional feature, Artists Making News (p. 14), I learned all about cordwaining and the artistry that can go into something we may take for granted—like a pair of shoes. Our Cover Artist, Cathryn P. Cooper (p. 10) is inspired by the way the light falls along back roads, especially at this time of year, and Feature Artist David Ellsworth (p. 40), shares the hard work, exploration and devotion that make a genuine artist.
Our columns in this issue also celebrate all that’s wonderful about October, including Oktoberfest beers (p. 20), signs of the season (p. 31) grape harvesting (p. 58) and wild bats (p. 32). And just in time for Halloween, Boojum and Hootin’ Annie, legends who haunt the mountain I see everyday from my back porch, come calling. (p. 27)
Writer and gardener Elizabeth Lawrence said this: “Everyone must take time to sit and watch the leaves turn.” Sounds good to me.
