By The Waters Tour of Homes: Lake James NC and Linville River NC Homes,  Open to Benefit Linville United Methodist Church and its Local Missions Saturday, May 19, 2012        10 a.m. -  4 p.m.Save the Date and Buy Your Tickets today! Five Private Homes will be open for this one day only, with proceeds from ticket sales going to the local missions of Linville United Methodist Church, established in 1874, and located at 4446 NC 126, Morganton NC 28655 - right across the road from the incomparably beautiful Lake James and down the road from the Linville River! On the Banks of the Linville River Two log homes at the Linville River community of Fonta Flora are built in the style of early dwellings in the Linville Valley but have all the modern conveniences.Three waterfront homes in SouthPoi... 05/05/2012

Looking for Summer Fun? Join us at the TGIF Concert Series on the Courthouse Square in Morganton, NC!       The series runs Friday nights from May 4 through July 27 . Bands perform from 7:00pm till 10:00pm with food and beverage vendors opening at 6:00pm.  Click on the band names to the right to learn about the musical styles of the bands.    As always, TGIF is a FREE summer concert series!     The small print: No personal coolers, pets, or smoking will be allowed on site. The TGIF Concert Series is a production of Historic Morganton Festival, Inc.             About the Bands click the band names for more information! Throwdown Jones Lizzy Ross Band Mark Roberts Band The Broadcast Skinny Legs and All Uncle Lucius Sweet Revenge Uncle Hamis & The Hooligans Yarn The Buchanan Boys The Alli... 05/04/2012

          I just love our City of Morganton Municipal Auditorium (CoMMA)! Where else can you park easily, sit comfortably, see programs ranging from Broadway musicals to fabulous musical groups, to plays of all kinds, to.."Stuart Little!"   Want to see "Stuart Little" Thursday, March 29 at 7pm for FREE??? If so post a comment on this post about what you like about COMMA or why you want to come to the show. No, don't post here - go to Facebook and post it on your status. Then, tell your friends, like the page, and post your comment!  There will be a drawing on Monday, March 26 to see who wins two tickets to "Stuart Little". The winner will be posted on CoMMA's Facebook page.   Not much time left - do this today!! Need more information about CoMMA? 03/25/2012

Poisoning from prescription medication is a growing problem in North Carolina. Since 1999, nearly 4,500 people have died from prescription drug poisoning.  Operation Medicine Drop is designed to protect your family: simply take your unused and expired medicines to a drop-off site where law enforcement can dispose of them properly.   That's this Saturday, March 24!  Bring your unused and expired medicines to Morganton-Burke Senior Center, 501 N. Green Street, Morganton, NC 28655, from 10 am to 2 pm for proper disposal.Need more information? Contact Burke County Sheriff’s Office at 828-438-5500 or Safe Kids Burke County at 828-439-4427.  03/21/2012

   Girl Scouts in Burke County, NC buried a time capsule on the Old Courthouse Lawn in 1987 to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Girl Scouting.  They have recently unearthed it, 25 years later, and its contents were used in the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of Girl Scouting in Morganton NC on March 9, 2012.  The picture above is of the Flag Ceremony, which took place on the Old Courthouse Lawn.  There were speakers, a HUGE cake, and displays of the items buried.  A portion of  buried  audio cassette tapes were played, and featured Girl Scouts in 1987 talking about what they would be doing in 25 years.  A video tape placed in the capsule was also played on a computer screen.  There were probably 200 people in attendance, including Mikela Wheeler Russell, former scout and scout lea... 03/10/2012

Been to Mountain Burrito yet? Located near TCBY on the "Bypass" in Morganton, NC, this cozy, comfortable eatery will remind you of a franchise you see in larger markets, Chipotle Grill, only fresher and less expensive! I usually order the "Naked" Burrito with lettuce, tomato, rice, black beans, a little sour cream, a little guacamole, and lots of fresh salsa! Their chips are homemade and fresh, so I splurge on those, too. Top that off with water (got to save calories and carbs somewhere), and you've got a great lunch or "lupper" (late lunch, early supper)! Try it - you won't be disappointed! And let me know what you order from Mountain Burrito!   Mountain Burrito           408 W. Fleming Drive           Morganton NC 28655           Tel. 828-438-5008 03/09/2012

MESH Gallery’s newest exhibit brings together a group of artists from Asheville, North Carolina who work and show together regularly. The Artists of Constance Williams Gallery in Asheville exhibit offers variety, with works by Jenny Mastin   (a native of Burke County, working in the Asheville area with the Constance Williams Gallery), Constance Williams, Cassie Ryalls, Angelique Tassistro and Greg Vineyard. You’ll be treated to everything from expressionist encaustic paintings, clay sculpture, inspired illustrations, and ceramics. The Artist’s Reception will be held on Friday, March 2nd, from 6 until 8 pm at MESH Gallery, located at 114 West Union Street in downtown Morganton NC. This reception is free, open to the public, and will give you the opportunity to meet the artists and enjoy... 02/25/2012

Coming up this week in Morganton, NC: North Carolina School for the Deaf students have made 1,000 ceramic bowls since the start of this school year and are sponsoring "NCSD Souper Bowls" on Thursday, February 9. 2012 from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM in the Hoffmeyer Cafeteria on the NSCD campus. Tickets are $10.00 and the purchase price includes a ceramic bowl of your choice (to keep), soup, bread, dessert, and tea. The meal may be eaten in the cafeteria or taken out. Proceeds will go to support the North Carolina Senior Deaf Community in Morganton, NC. Tickets may be purchased at the door, or in advance by calling Dr. Linda Lindsey at (828)448-2923.This is a wonderful way to support NCSD, have a great supper, and add to or start a collection of handmade ceramic bowls! Join us! 02/07/2012

  Just before last Halloween, I posted  C'mon, Burke County NC, We Can Fill These Shelves! Well, we’re still working on it! Filling the shelves at the local food pantries has been a priority for all of us here in Burke County NC!Today’s no exception: youth groups from area churches went house-to-house this afternoon, before the Super Bowl kick-off, collecting canned food. First Baptist Church of Morganton’s youth group, led by Tyler Roach, won the Souper Bowl of Caring challenge.In all, 2,267 pounds of food were collected for the Souper Bowl of Caring! The real winners though, were “the hungry and the poor,” as was so aptly stated by Adam Bowling of First Presbyterian Church of Morganton.Enjoy the game! 02/05/2012

Ekornes, now in Morganton NC!   You know those super comfortable chairs and ottomans you’ve seen that come from Norway? Well, as of January, 2012, Ekornes opened its first manufacturing plant outside of Norway in Morganton, NC! With the work of the whole community (city, county, Burke Development, Inc., and countless others), Ekornes chose to locate its high caliber furniture manufacturing plant here!Scott Darnell, BDI President, hopes that “having a diverse mix of furniture manufacturers in Burke County will benefit the entire Burke County furniture sector as we share best practices and work together to make Burke County the furniture industry capital of NC!”With projected job creation in mind, BDI was able to help secure a Building Reuse Grant from the NC Rural Center to renovate the... 02/01/2012

MESH Gallery in Morganton NC is holding its first exhibition of 2012, a collection of paintings by Jan Oliver Alms completed in 2011.This mixed mediacollection is being shown for the first time, and represents new creative directions for the artist. There are a number of large diptychs, triptychs, and 2”, 6” and 8” square canvases, arranged by Alms. According to the artist, these represent only one possible presentation of the works. As Alms says in MESH’s newsletter, “I invite the art lover to purchase any or all of the canvases from a composition and rearrange them on the wall of their home or office, creating their own interpretation of how my work should be displayed. I consider this interactive exchange between Artist and Buyer an important aspect of the show. The exhibition is ope... 01/02/2012

Will the Mystery of the Brown Mountain Lights (NC) be Solved in 2012? Come and hear two of the world's foremost speakers on this long-unsolved mystery! What causes these lights to be seen? When and where can they be seen?       Paranormal Investigator Joshua P. Warren and Appalachian State University physicist and astronomer Dan Caton will share their theories on the origins of the mysterious lights. Joshua's video of the lights will be shown. Locals who have observed the lights will tell their stories! Included is a Guided Field Trip  to the Brown Mountain Overlook and a catered dinner! When? Saturday, February 11, 2012, from 1 pm to 10 pm. Cost: $20, including catered dinner. Where: Morganton (NC) City Hall/Council Chambers, 305 East Union Street, Morganton NC 28655. Contact: Ed Phill... 12/29/2011

12/22/2011

There’s still time to visit Santa and take a carriage ride in downtown Morganton, NC! This photo is a little blurry since it was just taken from our webcam (see www.DebbePerry.com). Can you see the carriage crossing the street? Meet across from Benjamin’s store (100 N. Sterling Street, Morganton, NC 28655 ) between 6:30 and 9:30 on Dec. 22 or 23, and you can’t miss the carriage stop! There’s a $5 charge for adults, $3 for children. In my opinion, you won’t have more fun anywhere south of New York City!Hope you’ll join us! 12/17/2011

  Time to join the zombies, superheroes  and princesses at the annual Spooktacular Halloween Carnival and Trick or Treating event in  Downtown Morganton, NC on Monday, October 31st, 2011.This annual event is sponsored by the Morganton Downtown Development Association, with the help of the City of Morganton Recreation Department. The merchants downtown offer candy - lots and lots of candy! - to trick ot treaters from 3 to 5 pm. After trick or treating, there will be free hayrides, bounces (sponsored by Journey Church) and free games (compliments of the city Rec Department). There's also a children's Costume Contest, which opens registraition at 3:30 pm and has judging beginning at 5 pm. Prizes include Downtown Bucks, which can be redeemed at downtown businesses, and will be given for 1st... 10/31/2011

                                                   Call it ignorance of the problem, call it lethargy, call it the economy, but all three major food pantries in Burke County NC are low or out of food to feed our neighbors in need. Understanding this, the Morganton Main Street Office is sponsoring a Food Drive during the Halloween Spooktacular and Trick or Treating event  on Monday, October 31, 2011.   There is a  food donation truck parked on S. Green Street in downtown Morganton, beside  Courthouse Square and across from Marquee Cinemas. Residents will be able to drive up, drop off donations, and drive on.   Rising to the challenge, individual REALTORs of Real Living Carolina Property's downtown Morganton and Lake James offices will be bringing canned goods into their office at 121 E. ... 10/30/2011

     The Morganton Main Street Office is sponsoring a Food Drive this weekend during two downtown events. The Food Drive will help fill food pantries in outreach centers in Morganton and Burke County.   On Saturday Oct. 29, during the October Oyster Outing, and Monday Oct. 31, during the Halloween Spooktacular and Trick or Treating event, the Main Street Office will have a food donation truck parked on S. Green Street. The donation truck will be parked beside the Courthouse Square across from Marquee Cinemas and residents will be able to drive up, drop off donations and drive on.   “Food pantries in the city and county need our help, and we thought this would be a great way to give them a hand,” said Main Street Dept. Director Sharon Jablonksi. “People will already be coming downtown fo... 10/26/2011

I love, love , love the local art scene,  and, even though I'm not an artist, I do appreciate the works of those who can translate this area's local beauty to canvas! A favorite artist is Stephanie Blahut Tenery, and she'll be featured in the next exhibit at the MESH Gallery here in Morganton, NC., starting soon!   The show will run from Tuesday, November 1st through Friday, December 30th, 2011, with an opening reception for the artist to be held on Friday, November 4th from 6:00-9:00 pm.  The reception will also feature a live acoustic performance by the Brother Dave Band.  "Through these landscapes, I work to capture the special light of the fading and rising, sun and moon and the impression left by one when it meets the other," Stephanie says in MESH Gallery's newsletter. She studied... 10/25/2011

Love sushi, rolls of all kinds, and hibachi entrees? You've got to try Kin2Kin Restaurant right on the Courthouse Square in downtown Morganton NC! My husband Andy and I could eat sushi for breakfast, so we try to head to Kin2Kin often! It's located right next to the Marquee Cinema, which we also love, so we ate there after seeing Moneyball. (If you don't know how much I loved that movie, see my blogs, Real Estate and Baseball and Moneyball and ActiveRain, and Real Estate and Baseball and Moneyball and ActiveRain, Part II!) When we're not ordering one of the special rolls and nigiri (tuna's our favorite), we order the sushi combo - a roll of your choosing from the list offered, soup, and salad - a GREAT choice for lunch! Price starts at $4.99! I really hope you're going to be in downtown... 10/08/2011

What would a world without books be like? A world where people, rather than talking to each other, interacted only with technology, where happiness was only achieved when knowledge of current events was eliminated? Ray Bradbury imagined this world of the future in his 1953 novel, now classic, entitled Fahrenheit 451. Chosen to be the featured book of a community read program this fall, Fahrenheit 451 will undoubtedly be read and talked about in Morganton, Valdese, Hildebran-to-Lake James in Burke County NC as  we participate in "Burke Reads." The kickoff ceremony is scheduled for September 24 at the Morganton Public Library, or later at any of the county's other library branches. Anyone who wants to participate will receive a free copy of the book and a reader's guide at the event. Not... 09/22/2011