About Dillsboro's Dillsboro Shopping District

The historic Town of Dillsboro really is a “walkabout” district. Even though it is only about 3 blocks large, it still is home to more than 40 specialty shops and restaurants. Up on the hill lies the Riverwood Shops and The Well House restaurant. Among the shops in Riverwood is the beautiful Oaks Gallery and Riverwood Pottery.

Oaks Gallery hosts the works of scores of local artisans and is surrounded by a good number of flower gardens. Just outside of Oaks Gallery is a gazebo with a flowering vine of some sort growing on it. This was the first time I ever noticed the off season flower on it.

I don’t know exactly what it is but doesn’t it remind you of flowing Beethoven hair?

Dillsboro has been a beehive of activity lately. The merchants have begun the preparations for the Annual Easter Hat Parade to be held on Easter Saturday and there will be a party and reception for the new chancellor of Western Carolina University on March 26^th. The March 26^th reception will also be a launch party for the new Town of Dillsboro app. I’m not even going to pretend I understand everything about an app, but WCU students are doing the creating and somehow once someone accesses this app it eventually leads them to all of the businesses (including MoonDancer Realty) in Dillsboro. Should be interesting…historic Town of Dillsboro meets cutting edge technology.

Pre-spring is an interesting season in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Merchants in the Town of Dillsboro start opening their doors on a more regular basis and are beginning to receive their spring merchandise in. Dead weeds and flower beds are being cleaned out to plant new weeds and flowers.

What are weeds anyway? Sometimes they are simply flowers growing where you didn’t intend them to be! They can be as intriguing as the planned for gardens. When the Office Manager and I take our daily afternoon stroll it is always an adventure to see what’s bloomed overnight. Luckily the Office Manager is as interested in exploring the roadside as I am so I’m rarely rushed and have time to focus in on the tiniest of buds.

This little ladybug obliged me by posing on one of the posies so I could show some perspective for the size of the bloom.

I like to keep my eyes open on the side of the road…there’s usually a lot going on...especially in Dillsboro.

Do you watch a lot of crime television? CSI, Law & Order, The Closer, The Mentalist, NCIS? Have you ever wondered what your reaction would be if while you were out walking you came across a body?

The Office Manager and I were out strolling near the public boat launch in Dillsboro where Scotts Creek and the Tuckasegee River merge. We had just come out from under the bridge when I spied a pair of legs…no body…just legs. I’m here to tell you that coming across body parts where there usually aren’t any is a pretty bizarre feeling. Luckily it turns out that these legs belonged to a college student taking advantage of a sun warmed rock on a beautiful day to do a little reading.

Still…it was disturbing enough for me to sincerely hope I never, ever come across a real body while out walking.

A few days ago when it was still February…technically still in the throes of winter, I noticed floral decor on the dogwood tree that resides in the front area of the Treehouse Pottery storefront on Front Street in Dillsboro, NC. Normally speaking, there are no blooms on dogwoods in February, let alone blue blooms. This little arrangement actually dwells on the trunk of the tree, just another testament to the quirky weather we’re having this year.

When I was walking on the other side of Scott’s Creek in Dillsboro the other day appreciating the 60 plus degree weather, I was thinking…no way this is winter. It’s not really spring since the breeze is still slightly cool and it IS February. But…look at the flowers blooming in February. This is unheard of. Why can’t I create a new season? I guess I can…as far as I know there aren’t any season police to stop me.

I’m declaring that this is the season of “Sprinter”.