Spring must have come a little early to Murphy, NC with this sweet sign...The Sweet Tooth is open! March 12th they officially opened and Lee and I had to stop by. Lee had a hot fudge sunday and I had my favorite, the twist cone. Of course there is the occasional "lets have a bananna split for dinner" favorite too! We drove a few blocks down through town and parked by the Hiwassee River and enjoyed our sweet treats. Make sure to stop in while you can - Labor Day will be here all too soon and that's when they'll close up again.    Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team at www.MurphyMountainLiving.comFor more information on living in Murphy, NC and the surrounding north GA and east TN mountains 03/18/2011

    As a Marine Mom whose son is about to be deployed to the Mediterranean, I recently was sent this link and wanted to pass it on to everyone. Have you ever seen one of our military walking past you and wanted to convey to them your thanks, but weren't sure how or it felt awkward? Recently, a gentleman from Seattle created a gesture which could be used and has started a movement to get the word out. Please everybody take just a moment to watch.... The Gratitude Campaign...                                                                        THEN START USING THE SIGN http://www.gratitudecampaign.org/index.php?c=pages&m=watch_short_video    03/18/2011

Saint Patrick's Day is in honor of the Patron Saint of Ireland, who brought Christianity to the Emerald Isles, as Ireland is known, and the Irish people in the 400's AD. It is truly a day of celebrating Irish history, ancestry, traditions and customs. And as the saying goes everyone is a little Irish on Saint Patrick's Day. Erin Go Braugh is perhaps the most common Irish term you will hear. It means "Ireland Forever" Did You Know? Over 34 million Americans are of Irish descent. That's almost nine times the population of Ireland!     Traditional Irish Stew Recipe   2 pounds lamb shoulder, cubed 8 medium potatoes, sliced, unpeeled 3 onions, sliced 2 carrots, peeled, sliced into wheels 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley 1 tablespoon chopped, thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 Bay Leaf 2 ... 03/17/2011

Iris: April 10-May 15 Golden Groundsel: April 21-May 15 Dogwood: May 1-May 15 Snow Trillium: May 2-May 15 Pink Azalea: May 2-May 21 Fraser Magnolia: May 5-May 15 Flame Azalea: May 5-June 15 Small's Groundsel: May 7-June 10 Fire Pine: May 10-June 7 Bowman's Root: May 21-June 15 New Jersey Tea: May 21-June 15 Allegheny Blackberry: May 21-June 7 Mountain Laurel: June 1-June 14 Columbine: June 1-July 5 Catawba Rhododendron: June 1-June 20 Viper's Bugloss: June 1-June 30 Beard-tongue: June 1-July 5 Sundrop: June 1-June 21 Goat's Beard: June 7-June 21 American Elder: June 10-July 5 Coreopsis: June 15- August 5 Fragrant Thimbleberry: June 21-July 30 White Rhododendron: June 25- July 14 Sourwood: June 25-July 15 Beebalm: July 1-August 15 Cohost Bugbane: July 10-July 30 Tall Cone Flower: July 10... 03/15/2011

RONALD MCDONALD IS COMING TO MURPHY!!!  I was driving through town yesterday and saw the notice posted on a sign in front of our local McDonalds in Murphy, North Carolina.             Seeing that sign took me back a long time (don’t bother asking how long) to when I was seven years old and my wonderful Grandmother entered me into a contest that was being held by our local McDonalds in Tampa, Florida.   I remember that location so well, it wasn’t too far from our house and there was no inside seating.  You just walked up to the window, ordered your yummy goodness and either ate at concrete tables outside or took it to go in the car.       But, I digress.....  The contest was to find the King and Queen of “McDonald Land” who would ride on the McDonalds float in the Gasparilla Parade.  Ima... 03/15/2011

Murphy, NC has Tigers in their Mountains... Tiger Lilies that is! Murphy, NC has had plenty of rain and sunny warm days and everything is budding and blooming in anticipation of spring. Cherokee County, NC has some great trails and country roads to walk, bike or ride along and enjoy all the bright new colors painting the scenery of the western North Carolina Mountains. Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team for more on living in the Murphy, NC and north GA and east TN Mountains at www.MurphyMountainLiving.com 03/14/2011

March 12, 1987 in Miami, Florida Can it really be 24 years have already gone by? Can we really have a son, Brandon Lee, that's 23 years old? We still feel like newlyweds - most days. Well, we might not look the same, but we still feel the same. What a blessing to be happily married, best friends and a being able to work together as The Mountain Living Team selling Real Estate here in Murphy, NC. Time passes quickly when you're having the time of your life together!      03/12/2011

Our days are getting longer... Don't forget to set your clocks FORWARD this weekend. Before you go to bed on Saturday evening set your clock ahead one hour so you'll show up on time starting Sunday, March 13, 2011 as we Spring Forward.  This is also a good time to change the batteries in your carbon monoxide and fire detectors. Every Spring we move our clocks one hour ahead and "lose" an hour during the night and each Fall we move our clocks back one hour and "gain" an extra hour. But Daylight Saving Time (and not Daylight Savings Time with an "s") wasn't just created to confuse our schedules. Daylight Saving Time was instituted in the United States during World War I in order to save energy for war production by taking advantage of the later hours of daylight between April and October.... 03/11/2011

H                       Eager buyers are snapping up large tracts of mountain land at bargain prices in Murphy, North Carolina and Cherokee County.  The downturn in the real estate market has created once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for savvy investors. As I mentioned in my recent market report on 2010 land sales in the mountains, several parcels of land of 100 acres or more recently sold for $2,500 per acre.  Many smaller tracts of land are currently for sale for under $5,000 per acre, including one acre building lots with community water. Lots with incredible mountain views that previously sold for $50,000 to $100,000 or more are on the market today for under $20,000.  I sold a lot with a 3 state long range mountain view in Grand Vista Subdivision in 2006 for $130,000.  Last fall the ... 03/10/2011

We feel so totally blessed to live in such a beautiful area.  Described as being “2-hours from anywhere”, Murphy, North Carolina is conveniently located 2 hours north of Atlanta, east of Chattanooga and west of Asheville.                              While driving around this week we started to see some little subtle signs that Old Man Winter is loosening his grip and Sister Spring is starting to show her pretty face!               We  hope you’ll enjoy these early signs of Spring in the Mountains.                  And I think you will see why we really don't consider selling real estate in this market "work"!      Of course when you're not "working", there's plenty of outdoor activities you can do here like whitewater rafting,  hiking, boating, or fishing.  You can take a class at the ... 03/10/2011

Just a little place down by the Valley River in Murphy, NC. This old barn was once part of the many farms along this stretch of the river. Now its given way to developments and this is part of the river access the homeowners can also enjoy. Just beside it is a covered picnic pavilion and access to the river for fishing and just relaxing and taking in the country side views. Cherokee County, NC has many views like this scattered throughout the valleys and mountains. Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team about living in Murphy, NC and the surrounding north GA and east TN Mountains and more at www.MurphyMountainLiving.com 03/09/2011

Here is the Murphy, NC Market Snapshot for February 2011.  We've also included the previous month's stats for comparison.  If you're looking to purchase a home or land in Murphy, NC and start enjoying Mountain Living then please contact Lee & Carol Barbour at www.LeeAndCarol.com and we'll get started right away on finding you your perfect "peace of the mountains" in NC, GA or TN.   All statistical information used to create this report was obtained from the MountainLakes Board of Realtors MLS and includes all areas. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. 03/08/2011

Okay Murphy, NC now is the time to get your potatoes ready for planting! Earlier this week we had a lot of rain, but the sun has been shining bright and everything is starting to feel like spring again. Yes, it's time to start thinking about your gardens and planting your potatoes.  So here is a great little tip for getting started... Instead of buying those really expensive seed potatoes, just pick up a 5 pound bag of organic potatoes. We've just ordered some from the Co-Op we belong to - one bag to eat and the other to plant. Put your bag in a cabinet for a couple weeks and "forget" about them.  Let them sprout and, when it is time to plant, just cut them into two or three sections, leaving a good sprout on each section. Put them on the ground, sprout up, and cover them carefully with... 03/04/2011

Are you looking for a real estate team that can help you sell your home, or find the perfect place to live in Murphy, NC? As former Floridians that made the move to the mountains, we want to serve you in finding and making your dreams a reality, too. If you're searching for a get-away log cabin, land, lake, creek or river property, let us show you what the beautiful Western North Carolina, North Georgia and Eastern Tennessee mountains have to offer. Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Teamwww.MurphyMountainLiving.com     02/20/2011

Coldwell Banker High Country Realty in Murphy, NC gives Lee and Carol Barbour a warm welcome. With four offices located in Ellijay, Blue Ridge, Hiawasse, GA and Murphy, NC we are proud to be a part of this team covering the tri-state area for all your real estate needs. Open publication - Free publishing - More views Faron King, Vice President and Managing Broker of Coldwell Banker HighCountry Realty with Lee and Carol Barbour at the Murphy, NC Regional office. Visit Lee & Carol Barbour ~ The Mountain Living Team for more informationon living in the mountains and all this gorgeous area has to offer you. We love living and working here and we'd love the opportunity to partnerwith you in finding your own "peace of the mountains" too. 02/19/2011

I just had a very interesting interesting experience.  I’m on floor this morning  and a very nice couple walk in with one of our brochures in hand and explain that they would like to ask me about some of our listings.   So, in to my office we go.  Of course I ask them all the  usual questions like “where are you from”, “why are you buying” and then the biggie “do we have to sell another house in order to buy this one”?   That’s where this story gets to the interesting part!  “Oh yes” they say, “we do have to sell our house and we have it listed with “Broker Bob” over at XYZ Realty” (the names are changed of course to protect the innocent!).  Imagine my surprise.  But even more so, imagine my curiosity.  They are buying in the same area where they live now, so why are they sitting in MY ... 02/18/2011

  The John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina is all abuzz about their upcoming annual fundraising event known as Empty Bowls.  Each year a group of potters gets together at the Folk School to create the masterpieces that will be the feature of the event, which will be held on Sunday, March 12th, 2011 beginning at 5pm in the Olive Dame Dining Hall.       Tickets are $25 each and ticket-holders will be able to pick out a bowl made by one of the 17 artists participating in this years’ event.   Then they will be able to enjoy a dinner of soup, salad, bread and dessert created by the dining hall staff. The Cherokee County Sharing Center Food Bank in Murphy and the Clay County Food Pantry are the recipients of the proceeds of this event.  According to Alan Peters, director... 02/17/2011

      Today Bill and Cyndi Daves aka “Team Daves”  received the honors of Top Listing Team within the four Regional Offices of Coldwell Banker High Country Realty for the month of January.  "We don’t like to “toot” our own horns, but we think it’s important for you - our clients - to know we are out there in the trenches." says Bill.  "When perhaps we don’t answer the phone or return an email instantly and we apologize this way you'll know it's because we really were unavailable!"   The team at Coldwell Banker High Country is an awesome one and we have some stiff competition and it’s lots of fun to try and stay ahead of the pack.  We won’t always make it to the top - but it won’t be because we didn’t try!!!     Congratulations also to Lisa Dicuffa and Sandra Daley who received the top ... 02/16/2011

Can you believe this is a winter day in the east TN Mountains? After all the snow and rain we've had it doesn't seem to slow down this large farm. These are some of the scenes you'll find as you travel our mountains and decide that this is where you want to settle down in and call home. If you're interested in the western NC, north GA or eastern TN Mountains please visit our web site at www.MurphyMountainLiving.com  You'll find FREE MLS SEARCHES,  Area Resource Links and Outdoor Activities. We also have three new color brochures throughout the year of mountain properties from our Murphy, NC, Ellijay, Blue Ridge and Hiawassee, GA offices. Contact us for the latest online brochure link or to have one mailed directly to you so you can start enjoying true Mountain Living now! Lee & Carol B... 02/06/2011

     EMPTY BOWLS EVENT Now is the time to purchase your tickets for the upcoming Empty Bowls event. Tickets usually sell out fast, so don't put it off! Empty Bowls, a fund raising event for local food banks, is coordinated by our Resident Artist in Clay County NC, Mike Lalone. Tickets are $25 and may be purchased from our Craft Shop, United Community Bank in Hayesville, and the Chamber of Commerce in Murphy. Participants choose a bowl from a variety of beautiful hand made bowls donated by our local potters. The Folk School Dining Hall then serves a hearty meal of soup, bread, salad, and dessert, while live music is enjoyed.   A brown bag auction will be held at 6:00 pm, where other pieces of locally made pottery are available. Extra bowls will be on sale for $20 after the event. Contact... 02/02/2011