I had an experience with a fast food chain. The owner lives 5 states away, but controls the heat/air conditioning from his location. The employees had no power. The district leadership had no power. I believe in the power of communication and every company has some kind of email. I have emailed this corporation several times to say I like their food, the location, but if they won't keep the building at a comfortable level to save a few dollars I'm not coming and I'm taking my extended family with me. We meet and enjoy it there. Each time I've complained corporate has contacted the owner and suddenly the climate is adjusted. For stores like Wal-Mart I take out my phone and take pictures. I send those with my complaint or my 'concern'. I'm rather blunt about it. I went to a store and they only had 1 person working at this chain dime store. I said, "If your store loses a lot of product to shoplifters or if people don't return because customers wait 20 minutes to get checked out I don't want to hear it and know I'm taking my business elsewhere if you can't fix this." If we ALL spent 10 minutes to contact Corporate they'd listen. We have power in communication and numbers. We want responsible businesses and good products. Heidi

Real, actual beaches. Great seafood at the coast. It's been said but I'll say it again too: gardening all year, and some bloom every season of the year. I lived in Pennsylania for 3 years (where the roads are all to hell because of the constant freezing and thawing) and winter was a lot more restrictive up there than summer is down here. In Pennsylvania no one complained about Christmas lights being up all January; for one thing, the lights were rather cheery, and two, you'd break your neck on the ice trying to get them down. Chapel Hill. Carolina basketball.

we've camped all around the southern side of asheville over the course of many yrs. it all depends on what you're looking for. there are lots of waterfalls on the southern side of 40, in the pisgah forest region. dupont forest is a must see if you are anywhere close. a lot of the last of the mohicans was filed there and it's full of great hiking trails. there are 5 stunning waterfalls within a reasonably easy half hour walk. http://dupontforest.com/ you can't camp there. if you do visit that area, be sure to see 'pretty place'- just ask directions once there; it's 5 mins from dupont. it's an open air chapel at the tip top of a mtn, right along a cliff. made of stone and wood, with 180 degree views. stunning. but, a campground just a few mins from dupont is http://www.blackforestcampground.com/ . has a bunch of stuff & is quiet. the owner is a bit bossy for my taste but fairly easy to avoid. because of her, the place is very well kept. it has lots of activities- a pool, playground, rec hall & more. plus the best pancake breakfasts to be found. we stayed at a place on the eastern side of asheville along 40 that was nice and close to a lot, near black mountain. right on a small mountain creek. more rustic than some of the others. the link is: http://www.campingnc.com/campground/ another old favorite is http://www.kiz.com/campnet/html/zp/nc/0738/0738pics.htm. they have tame huge trout in their stream that they feed each day, and a neat stone pagoda/fireplace gathering area. mostly rv'ers & older folks, though we didn't feel unwelcome with kids. there's a playground. a place we stayed many yrs ago near brevard that was quaint and quiet with lots of rec opps right there is: http://www.cascadelakerecreationarea.com/ last but not least, our very favorite campground is a place called earthbound lodging in canton, about 45 mins west of asheville. 5 mins from the parkway- and a very good area to do bike riding. right on a creek where you can tube. wonderful people who own & run the place. can't recommend it highly enough. http://www.earthboundlodging.com/amenities.htm if you are on the parkways and pass mt. pisgah inn, stop for the view and wonderful restaurant. that's how we end our camping trip each yr- we spend 1 night there. the food is very reasonable, tastes great, they get all types in there, and it's got a whole wall of glass with 180 degree views from anywhere in the restaurant. there is a campground across the rd, but we've never stayed there, so i can't tell you how good or bad it is. wherever you go, have fun!! tammy

I have seen lady slippers with roots that extended almost a foot on each side. They mainly grow in the duff here, not really down in the soil. So, I probably would not plant anything very near them. I just learned that their fine seeds germinate better on disturbed ground, so it is good to "stir up' the fallen leaves to give space for those seeds to settle in, according to my source. As for books, there are so many,and each one has different photos, which help with ID, as well as descriptions. I started with books focusing on NC, then the east in general, especially the northeast, so that I could cover the mountains of NC. Some are general, and some are more technical, with guides for keying out, such as Newcomb's book. You need to find a book for your zone. As for gardening, one of the easiest to understand but with decent photos and cultural hints, including wildlife benefits, I would recommend 100 EASY-TO-GROW NATIVE PLANTS FOR AMERICAN GARDENS IN TEMPERATE ZONES by Lorraine Johnson.