Owl's Nest at Engadine
Candler, North Carolina

The drive on Interstate 40 to Candler was short and sweet. It was a country setting, quite a contrast to Asheville. But 12 acres, in the mountains sounded great to me the day at Biltmore. The president of the Asheville Bed & Breakfast Association, Marg Dente, had asked me to come and give her my suggestion about where to put the cabins that she and her partner, Gail Kinney, are planning to build.

After the tour, some photos of the house and getting the Mary Hoyt Room for the evening, I headed out on the path around the property. It has a large, old red barn like I've seen in millions of pictures. The path led you through the woods to a clearing that goes downhill all the way to the property line, clearly marked by a fence. A creek and railroad tracks lie just beyond that.

After I mentally re-routed the walking trail to give walkers an option of a leisurely path or a more strenuous route, there was only one clear location for the cabins. That was on top of the ridge with a gorgeous view of the valley below. A golf course is planned on the other side of the valley and will make good advertising for the Inn. I took photos all the way back to the Inn. It certainly is a beautiful piece of western North Carolina. The look was right out of a postcard.

My room had a brass queen bed, a large rug. There was white wicker furniture, 2 chairs, a love seat and a TV stand. A 3-drawer dresser with mirror, TV with remote, phone and sound machine accented the room. The instant gas fireplace was beautiful. The bath was private, but not en suite.

Speaking of fireplaces, Mary and Gail are remodeling the third floor suite to have a new fireplace. It will be a nice addition to a perfect setting for an anniversary, honeymoon or special getaway.

After a great night's sleep, I woke to the wonderful scents from the kitchen below. I shared breakfast with a couple that wanted to hear about my travels. They laughed so hard about the "Me tied up" story of the red-headed child in Georgia. We enjoyed strawberries and yogurt with our tea, coffee and orange juice. Next came apple puff with maple syrup, ham and star fruit. Too soon, I had to leave and head down the mountain. Make sure you check out Owl's Nest Inn, ask about their Murder Mystery Weekends.....they are to "die" for.... and tell Marg and Gail we said HI!