OCTOBER 2009
Oct. 1 - 6 / Quilt Exhibit
Blue Ridge Mountains art Assn. Community Quilt exhibit (706) 632-2144
Oct. 1 – Oct. 30 / Pickin’ in the Park
Downtown Ellijay/Horseshoe Bend park in McCaysville. Local Musician jam gathering. Bluegrass,
country, Gospel and rock-n-Roll 6pm – dark. Free Family Fun! All are Welcome! (706) 635-5961
wilmar225@yahoo.com
Oct. 1 - 10 / Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern
Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, TN. Fri & Sat nights opens after dark. Terror 206ft underground.
Oct. 2 – 11 / Art
By Yasmina Reza. Blue Ridge Community Theatre. Fri & Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm.
A play augmenting what is trulyart and what is more personal than theoretical. A truthful comedy that explores
modern friendships between men. (706) 632-9223 www.blueridgecommunitytheater.com
Oct. 3 & 4 / Fall Festival
John C. Campbell Folk School, Murphy NC. One of the largest and most popular events of its type in the region,
just a short drive from Blue Ridge, GA. A celebration of a rich Appalachian heritage. 35th annual featuring over
200 craftspeople, continuous music and dance, demonstrations, food and kids activities. 10am – 5pm Sat & Sun.
Oct. 3 / Motorcycle Ride for Angels
Blue ridge, GA. All proceeds benefit the children of Fannin County. Registration starts at 8:30 am. Meal and
prizes upon return. (706) 632-0390 www.rideforangels.com
Oct. 9 – 18 / GA. Mountain Fall Festival
Fairgrounds, Hiawassee, GA. Arts & Craft exhibits. Clogging, singing, demonstrations, pioneer village, kiddie
rides and shows. Featuring the Ole Time Fiddlers Convention. (706) 896-4191
Oct. 15 – Nov 1 / Ruby Falls Haunted Cavern
Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, TN. Thurs – Sun nights opens after dark. Terror 206ft underground.
Oct 17 & 18 – 24 & 25 / Mountain Harvest Sale
Blue Ridge Farmer’s Market. Sat 9am – 5pm, Sun 12pm – 5pm. Arts & Crafts, food & fun. Free admission and
parking. (706) 374-2335
Oct. 24 / Paws in the Park
Downtown Blue ridge city Park. Enjoy a day with your favorite pet. Parade, pet education, demonstrations,
rabies clinic, micro chipping,
contests and prizes and photos with your pet. 10am – 2pm. (706) 632-7311
Oct. 31 / Halloween Safe Zone
Downtown Blue Ridge, GA. Main street closes and trick or treating begins! Food and entertainment, candy
stops, shop to shop. All ages welcome! (706) 632-0547 www.blueridgemountains.com
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I am adding the following event to Septembers calendar:
September 26 & 27, 2009 Saturday 10-6 Sunday 12-5
Summer's Last Kiss on the square in Hiawassee,GA
"An Affair With The Arts"
Art Exhibits, Music, Dance, Theatre, Poetry, Crafts, Street Dance, Food
Community Celebration of Creative Expression held on the square in beautiful Hiawassee, GA.
Admission is FREE!
If you’re looking for a new way to get out and enjoy the beauty of the North Georgia mountains, look no further than Merciers Apple Orchards in Blue Ridge, Georgia. September is the month when, every year, Merciers opens their groves to the public. Every weekend for the entire month you can board the tram and venture out to the vast fields of apple trees and pick the fruits of your own labors.
Once you board the wagon and journey out to the fields of apple trees, you will find yourself surrounded by the most diverse selection of apple varieties to choose from, though you'll want to note that different varieties ripen throughout the month. Every row is clearly 
labeled, but the only way to truly know which flavors appeal to you the most is… you guessed it… eat your way through the orchard.
Everywhere you turn there are fruit laden branches as far as the eye can see; every branch bursting with apples. Some trees have more apples than leaves or branches. No ladders or climbing are required because most of the trees are newer and the fruit is easily accessible, though a long reach can come in handy.
We were told not to worry about all the fruit that falls to the ground, as it is composted into the soil for next year’s fruit, and there’s more than enough apples for the plethora of tourists and locals that get to attend this time honored tradition.
It’s really quite simple. You enter the store and there in the front is the U-pick desk where you can purchase your bushel or 1 & ½ bushel bags. Then you head out to tram stop and hitch a ride out into the the fields where you are surrounded by tree covered hills and picturesque views.
With all that Mercier Orchards has to offer, extensive gift shops and a full service café and bakery, it’s easy to turn this visit into an all day affair. We love to go as a family, and find this more entertaining than a movie, with the added benefit of free healthy snacks and even more treats to bring home.
During other months, Merciers Orchards also offers pick-your-own Cherries, Blueberries, and next year, they are adding Strawberries to their selection, so whenever you visit, don’t miss this fun-filled fruit-filled excursion. And after a day of picking our favorites, all I have to say is... HOW YA LIKE THEM APPLES!?
L.&L. Beanery & Café in historic downtown Blue Ridge Georgia has done it again! Last year they expanded their unique coffee shop & bakery to include a very successful breakfast and luncheon café, and now, this: Great dining with fine food, libations and live music, set in an ambient atmosphere that reeks of high quality, but offers diners an affordable elegant evening.
We were seated right away. The accent lighting and live music created the perfect setting for a fine dining experience. It was a pleasure to finally be offered a wine list with dinner, as Blue Ridge is no longer a DRY county. By the bottle or by the glass, the prices were a pleasant surprise. We decided on a Riesling, and the entire bottle was $17.00. It was crisp and light, a great accompaniment to the vegetarian lasagna, which was a gourmet step above any 
lasagna I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying. We were left with no room for dessert, but the plethera of delectable offerings were tough to resist.
I know this new night spot will fill a niche that Blue Ridge area residents and visitors have been painfully aware of: someplace to have a lovely dinner with a bottle of wine and not end up spending a week’s pay. With the passing of the liquor licensing laws, it seems Blue Ridge will soon be the site of many quaint taverns and local breweries. There are two more evening establishments already in the works just around the corner, getting ready for an opening this Fall. 
Little by little, places like L.&L. Beanery and Merciers Orchard & Café are offering later hours for those who like to stay up past sunset. Little by little, little Blue Ridge Georgia is stepping up with the times and expanding on what it offers visitors and residents. It’s actually an exciting evolution to watch. Bravo L.&L.!
P.S.- Dinner is ONLY offered Friday and Saturday nights, at this point. Due to the crowds we experience up here in the mountains during the Fall, be prepared to linger and enjoy the ambience, as home-made foods and persoanable waitstaff combined with high customer volume can create wait times.
I have a feeling that this is not going to be the most riveting blog I've ever written, but it is the first blog entry I've written in almost 3 months. Guilty as charged... Naughty me (TLW will have to whip me)! I have been incredibly busy with my real estate business, and as such, I have had no time to write.
For those who haven't heard, the activity in the market is on the rise, at least in this neck of the woods. I had 13 buyers in 1 week just a couple weeks ago, and I am still working on several contracts that are coming in from that week. In the mean time, there is no such thing for me as an "easy" deal. Every single contract I have put together that has worked out, has worked me out, that's fer sure. For every one that worked out, I wrote 5 or 6 that did NOT work out. I love being busy, but it would be nice to have a deal where everything just falls into place at least once in a while. No whining when I have contracts, I know.
With that said, my wife just opened a new business here in Blue Ridge. Well, it's not exactly a new business for us, it's our old business...a dance/yoga studio. It's been open a few weeks and the response has been fantastic. As for me, I oversaw all the build-out for the new space and even teach class a few nights a week to help out and keep in shape, but that has been a whole other task unto itself. I have been feeling pulled apart in every direction, so needless to say, my blog has suffered, and I just wanted to take a moment to start back to writing entries at least a few times a week.
I have been to some great new restaurants that have opened in town, and experienced some great local attractions that I am dying to share with my interested blogging audience, but that will be fodder for the rest of this months entries. In the meantime, the BIG NEWS is that the real estate market is up an running again, and the prices are inspiring buyers everywhere. If you have been thinking of investing in a mountain getaway...NOW IS THE TIME! I may be busy, but I'll always make time to show you around and help you in any way I can. I'm just excited to be back in the swing of things and adjusting to my new pace. This is more like it!
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Hello, I'm Mark Hendry, a Real Estate Professional in beautiful Blue Ridge, Georgia. I have a passion for this area, it's landscape & it's people. Let me share my love of the Blue Ridge area with YOU!
Mark brings years of experience to Century 21 that includes creative marketing, business management, property management, and building and design experience. He was proprietor of FLEX Incorporated for 20 years, a small business that encompassed retail stores, preschools and dance studios, which developed into the largest business of its kind on Florida’s West Coast. Having attended Eckerd College to study business management and psychology, his success is attributed to creative thinking and a natural understanding of people. His understanding of finance and marketing, combined with a wealth of connections made through years of interaction with the public, provide a sound foundation for his successful real estate transactions.
After selling his business, Mark purchased 50 acres in Blue Ridge, a perfect setting for a dream log home he designed and built himself, to be featured in Country’s Best Log Home Magazine. With a strong interest in regional mountain art he studied woodturning, rustic furniture design and Appalachian craftsmanship, which developed into Mountain Heritage Arts, a company that produces furniture & design elements for rustic homes. With a deep appreciation for the regional history and artistic ambiance of the Blue Ridge Mountain area, Mark is proud to combine his business experience with his innate appreciation for regional property to represent the buyers and sellers of Fannin County.
More Than a Realtor!
We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for the hard work and dedication Mark has shown in helping us find our new home in the mountains.
Mark, not only did you take the time to show us what was available throughout the area but you also helped us fall in love with Blue Ridge. Your taking the time to show us this wonderful community helped us immensely in making a decision to locate here.
Even though we were under a lot of pressure to close quickly (pre-foreclosure sale) you helped us navigate all of the hurdles and were there while we were away in our primary residence (Marietta, GA). The closing went flawlessly and we couldn’t be happier with our new home. It has truly become our sanctuary from all of the hustle and bustle of Atlanta and we cherish every moment we are there.
To anyone considering asking Mark to aide you in your quest of finding a new home in the mountains you could not be in better hands with someone who not only truly understands the local real estate market but also takes the time to understand you as a person and what your dreams are.
Between the two of us, Angie and I have moved over 20 times during the last 30 years, and Mark has shown knowledge and enthusiasm beyond anyone we have worked with before. Our search and purchase with Mark was one of the most “pain free”experiences we have ever been through. What we found in Mark Hendry was far more than a Realtor. He is now, also, a cherished friend!
Ed & Angie Cherry
Marietta, Georgia
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MARK MOVES MOUNTAINS, ALRIGHT!
Mark Hendry has assisted me in two separate real estate transactions. They both proved very difficult and time consuming with survey, deed and contract issues, but Mark handled everything effortlessly. With myself being out of state, I was relieved to know Mark would ensure all of the paperwork was in order and my investment was secured.
If you are planning to purchase real estate in this area, I highly suggest you entrust Mark to locate the perfect property for you and to get the deal done right; legally and honestly. When you are not from this area, it is difficult to know who to trust and whom to do business with.
I can personally and professionally tell you, “Be smart. Rely on Mark Hendry from Century 21 in Blue Ridge. He’ll go the extra mile to get your purchase closed.”
I would not entrust my real estate business and investment to anyone else. If I ever decide to sell one of my properties, Mark will definitely be the first one I call.
Lynn Haber
Home Inspector
Kerrville, Texas
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