Sallie shared some of her pictures from earlier in the season when Mountain Air's Dining Divas had a great meal in Heritage Ridge Park.  If you like to cook and enjoy sharing delicious food together, talk to Sallie about joining Dining Divas.  Sallie is also one of our Heritage Ridge Villas' board members.

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Every year, the Property Owners Association at Mountain Air hosts the Ferrari Club.  They enjoy the three mile ride from the gate up to the runway at the top of the mountain.  They get to do time trials on the runway and have lunch.  We residents get to enjoy the show.  This year, a few Heritage Ridge Villas residents invited friends and we sat along the side of the road to watch the Ferraris roar up the mountain.  In the video below, you get to see a view from a drone.  It's a nice tour of the mountain.  

One of our residents, Louise Lindsay,  created the following interpretation of her favorite red Ferrari, as it sped by in a time trial on the runway.

#FerrariClub #FerrariClubAtMountainAir

There are always fun activities at Mountain Air.  Last Saturday, runners and walkers made the 5 K climb from the gate to the top of the mountain.  The 5 K race is open to all who are interested and happens every fall, in the midst of the beautiful leaf season.  Part of the ascent comes right up through our Heritage Ridge Park and neighborhood, and we get to cheer everyone on, or maybe join in the race.

Last week one of our residents drove the Blue Ridge Parkway from 80 S to past Mt. Mitchell. She had the privilege of witnessing an afternoon of the great Monarch Butterfly migration from all over Canada and the eastern US to Mexico. Thousands of Monarchs were pausing on their 2500 mile journey and refreshing themselves (nectaring) on the Blue-ridge wildflowers. You could see them all over the wildflowers and everywhere in the sky. Pure heaven. She stopped at every overlook, sat in the grass, and simply experienced this awe-inspiring event.  She shared these pictures with us. 

In the landscape images of the views from the overlooks, you may be able to see the butterflies in the sky, although it's hard to see on small internet images.  

Normally monarchs live 2-6 weeks. The monarchs who fly south to Mexico live closer to 9 months. The same butterflies start the return trip to the States and Canada. They start an inter generational relay of sorts when they reach Texas, as one generation dies out, and successive generations carry on the migration back to their many northern homes! 

If you look up to the skies above and around Mountain Air, often you see the monarchs flying through in the fall.  The Nature Center in the Mountain Air Village also has coccons which hatch and a whole program dealing with monarchs.  Stop by to take a look.

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/…/

monarch-butterfly-mig…/
https://journeynorth.org/…/10032019-riding-ridges-traveling…
https://www.monarch-butterfly.com/monarch-migration.html
#MonarchMigration #MonarchButterflies #nectaring #BlueRidgeParkway #GreenKnobOverlook #BaldOverlook

The Mountain Air Property Owners' Association  just sponsored the first annual 5 K run up Mountain Air.  You might want to sign up for next year's run!  It is open to anyone.   It was a big success.

The video to preview the road for the race also shows you the main road, Mountain Air Drive, up the mountain, all the way to the runway and Mountain Air Village at the top.  The Heritage Ridge Villas are about half way up this drive of 3 miles.  You can see in the video that the drive up the mountain is on a well paved and easy to drive road, with only gentle curves, not harrowing switchbacks.  

The Heritage Ridge Villas are an easy 35 minute, 4 lane expressway drive, from Asheville.  The final drive up the mountain is shown here.  Unlike many other mountain communities, Mountain Air is close to Asheville, but at an altitude that brings cooler temperatures, with an easy drive to and up the mountain. When it is 85 degrees in Asheville in the summer, our temperatures are below 75 degrees because of our altitude.  Our fall weather is beautiful and mild.  Today, at night, it is 65 degrees on my outside porch.  

​Enjoy this video drive up our mountain, especially the views at the end.  Remember that the Heritage Ridge Villas are only half way up the mountain, rather close to the entry gate.  You can see how you gain altitude as you drive up the mountain.  Come for a visit.

Our Heritage Ridge Villas condos are at high elevation, 4000 ft.  They are an easy drive up a well paved and maintained road.  Driving seven minutes down our mountain and on a 4 lane highway brings residents to our lovely local village of Burnsville (elevation 2822 ft.).   A recent Charlotte Magazine article adds to the praises Burnsville always receives.  

We are fortunate in the Heritage Ridge Villas, because we are near the top of Mountain Air, with all the Club amenities nearby.  We have glorious long range mountain views.  And we are near the entry gate and an easy drive into Burnsville.  The nearest grocery store is a ten minute drive away.  There is no "rush hour" traffic.  Burnsville not only has lovely boutiques, but it is also home to many artists and their galleries.  In fact, the Charlotte Magazine article includes pictures of the beautiful murals painted by local artist, Rhea Ormond, mentioned in a prior post.

More than one of our Heritage Ridge Villas residents are from Florida.  Some of us were attracted to buy here because not only do our condos provide a beautiful home away from home, or year round home, but they also offer shelter from the Florida hurricanes.  Some of us sought shelter here.  Our residents live in the Florida Keys (experienced repairable damage), New Smyrna Beach (little damage), the west coast (escaped flooding and damage), St. Augustine (minor damage), Miami, etc.  Many of us have enjoyed the shelter of the mountains, both during Hurricane Irma, and during the disorder of the aftermath.  We are all grateful that damage was minimal, and grateful that our North Carolina mountains provided such good and beautiful shelter.  We are saddened by the devastation caused around the world this year by so many natural disasters.  

​Of course other residents are from many other parts of the country, including New Orleans, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Charlotte, NC, South Carolina, etc. 

Louise Lindsay contributed this "After The Storm" sunrise image, taken from her Heritage Ridge Villas' living room porch.  

While having a lovely dinner at Snap Dragon in Burnsville, I had the opportunity of meeting one of our famous local artists, Rhea Ormond.   Rhea currently has some of her paintings on exhibit at TRAC, in Burnsville.  She has painted several murals in Burnsville and Spruce Pine also.  Images of two of her lovely murals appear below.  Be sure to enjoy the many murals in downtown Burnsville and Spruce Pine, and catch the latest exhibits at TRAC in Burnsville, and Spruce Pine.  Louise Lindsay

The Carolina Mountains Literary Festival was awesome again this year.  Check their website to look into next year's festival,  Sept.  6-8, 2018.  There were highlights this year too numerous to mention.  But one highlight was an interview with James Reston, Jr., pictured below.  There was also a lovely free pre-festival concert, with musicians of local and national note.  That is Rob Levin, our local and world famous glass blowing artist, but also musician, playing the washboard base.  Ron and Minnie teamed up with a yodeler.  And Bruce Greene played the fidel and sang old folk tunes with his wife.  If you missed this event, you can experience some of the music again this coming Saturday at the Burnsville Town Center "Music in the Mountains Folk Festival.

Nearby Asheville is always winning awards and making many different top 10 lists.  A recent Country Living article ranks Asheville #1, among the top ten coziest cities!  Enjoy a visit to Asheville, perhaps to one of their great restaurants, or breweries, to an art gallery, for some bluegrass music, or check out all the many Asheville activities on our helpful Links page.   

We have the best location in the world here at the Heritage Ridge Villas.  We are an easy 35 minute 4 lane highway drive from Asheville.  But we gain 1500 ft. in elevation along the short trip.  That means we have much cooler summer temperatures than Asheville.  Every one of our villas has amazing long range views, as we are nestled on a ridge top with views to the east and the west sometimes.  We have our own on site hiking trails and all the amenities of Mountain Air, including restaurants, a spa and swimming pool, tennis courts and golf,  But lovely Asheville beckons whenever we are up for trying a new restaurant, seeing the latest movie, or attending one of the world class festivals that call Asheville home.

Old cars, of all sorts.  The police chief and his wife, from a local small town, And the "burn out" contest at the Poplar Car Show.  Photos © Louise Lindsay

​For those who are old car fans, or who simply love old time Appalachian parties, check out the Poplar Car Show, coming up on August 27, 2017.  Louise Lindsay and her husband and their two poodles have enjoyed these shows in the past and hope to attend this year.  ​Louise had a lot of fun practicing "street photography" at a prior trip to the Poplar Car show and shares some of her photos with us.

Poplar is out in the middle of no where, but not too far from Mountain Air.  There is a huge field, full of old cars.  Then there is the local "burn-out" contest, where cars compete to spin their wheels and see who can create the most "smoke and burn".  There are food concessions with "funnel cake" and all sorts of Appalachian specialties.  This show is mostly for mountain locals, but is very welcoming of guests.  It is a beautiful drive through the country to get there.  

We get to wake up in our beautiful condos with their long range views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.  We get to enjoy our lovely summer coolness brought by our 4,000 ft. in altitude.  But at our finger tips, adventures await.  A short drive to Asheville brings us all the restaurants and riches of city life.  And a drive through the country brings us the Poplar car show, the world class arts and crafts at Penland School of Crafts, and all sorts of theater, concerts, and literary events very nearby.  Or we can stay put on our mountain all day, enjoy our local hiking trails, eat in our lovely Mountain Air restaurants, and rock on our back or front porches, after a lovely massage at our Mountain Air spa, or a relaxing yoga class, or tennis game, or round of golf.  

Sallie sent in this delightful image of her grandchildren, during an earlier visit to Mountain Air.  So precious!
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Several Heritage Ridge Villas families participated in creating gingerbread houses and holiday decorations.  It's not clear who had more fun - the children, their parents, or their grandparents!   There are always plenty of activities  year round at Mountain Air.

Several of our villa residents were at Heritage Ridge and Mountain Air for Thanksgiving.  The feast at Mountain Air Country Club was reportedly fabulous.

After the big meal, everyone needed some exercise.  Our resident naturalist, Kat, guided a lovely morning moon walk.  Several of our residents attended.  

Many intersting creatures make an apearance around the Heritage ridge Villas area.  Sallie took the following pictures of deer, of an adolescent bear, and of a racoon. We all have seen many deer around the mountain this year.  The nearby 18th hole often is visited by deer crossing the fairway.  Bears seem to be a bit shier but also make their appearances.  

Our three girls looking out from the top of the mountain, outside O and W's restaurant.  Sallie

Fall color is beautiful right now.  Of course, in the mountains of western North Carolina, there is no real peak.  It is so bio-diverse here that fall color goes on and on for weeks, painted every day with different colors.  But this moment is beautiful and will be for the next few weeks.  Right now, there is still much green in the landscape, but also the fall colors that create a beautiful patchwork quilt are popping out everywhere.  Cloud inversions are kissing the mountain most mornings.  Fall wildflowers are blooming- purple asters and bottle gentian are especially plentiful.  More detailed fall color reports can be found here and here.  A taste of the mountain around the Heritage Ridge Villas follows.  Louise

Not only are there all sorts of organized activities available at Mountain Air, but there are also many member-organized activities.  One of these is Dining Divas. About once a month, women get together and each woman prepares a gourmet dish, and then they all dine together at someone's home.  If you are interested, just ask almost anyone around the mountain, and someone will make sure you are invited.  Mountain Air and the Heritage Ridge Villas are a very friendly, inviting and welcoming community.  One of our residents, Sallie, hosted the Dining Divas recently, and you can see what a lovely table she set.  Maybe there is even a new name, "Dining Divas With A View"!

​Debbie contributed this lovely “find”.  Fall colors are popping on the trees and mountainsides, and even at the small macro level.  The weather has been glorious.  It was been cool, yet warm for the season, with blue skies.

​We do keep all of our Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coastal residents in our thoughts and hope that the hurricane moves off shore.  There are a couple Florida residents, who are here, who are very happy that they have a second home in Mountain Air.  At least they know that they are safe, even if they still have property to worry about.