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The singer Sheryl Crow once said, “No matter how chaotic it is, wildflowers will still spring up in the middle of nowhere.” She’s right, of course. Blossoming amidst the occasional chaos of our lives, wildflowers are a reliable gift every spring. ...read more
Adventure | Inspiration | Local Flavor
Annex - Valle Crucis | Boone | Original - Valle Crucis
Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
All
So many things were different 35 years ago. Cellphones were available, but mostly in the form that had to be carried in a bag or was the size (and weight) of a brick. And there were more businesses moving out of the downtown area than were moving in. But that trend started to change on Thursday, May 26, 1988, when the Mast General Store Old Boone Mercantile opened its doors in the old Hunt’s Department Store. ...read more
Local Flavor | Mast in the News
Boone
Even before we bought the Mast General Store, we were taken by the beauty of Valle Crucis. We’ve heard people describe the drive out Broadstone Road as traveling through a time portal. In the 1970s, fields in the river bottoms would be filled with tobacco, cabbage, or high with hay to feed cattle that were grazing in the summer pasture. ...read more
All
The lucky few who have seen the Earth from a different perspective – astronauts - all echo the same viewpoint upon their return. Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut and the first human to go to space, commented, “Orbiting Earth in the spaceship, I saw how beautiful our planet is. People, let us preserve and increase this beauty, not destroy it.”
Behind the Scenes | Inspiration
All
We’ve all said the phrase, “If these walls could talk, what stories they would tell.” That could be said about many places and perhaps the walls themselves – think about Russia’s famous Amber Room if it’s ever found. Much closer to home, we started wondering about the iconic centerpiece of the Front Room at the Original Mast General Store. Just what is the story of the pot-bellied stove? ...read more
Local Flavor
Original - Valle Crucis
Do you remember visiting your grandma's house and getting a cut or a scrape? She knew just what to do to help. If you looked in grandma's pocketbook, we bet you'd find a whole arsenal of beauty and health supplies to keep her looking great from sun up to sundown. And they had other uses above and beyond outward health and beauty. It just so happens that many of grandma's go-tos are popular today, too!
Rosebud Salve has been found in pocketbooks, purses, and clutches since 1895. It makes a perfect lip gloss and lip moisturizer, but don't let its dainty sounding name make you think it's a pushover. Just a little dab helps soothe dry skin on elbows and knees, and during the winter and cold season, it helps relieve your irritated nose. Rosebud Salve also allays the sting of minor burns. It's like a first aid kit in a pocket-sized tin.
Bag Balm has long been used by dairy farmers to ease the irritation of cow udders. One day, when a farmer came in from milking, his wife was surprised to find that his hands were softer than hers. Crafted in Vermont where some of the coldest, driest winters tempt the fate of everyone's skin, Bag Balm has come to the rescue since 1899. Slathered on udders, hands, and even used to moisturize new tattoos, this cream also soothed the cracked and irritated paws of rescue dogs that searched for survivors at Ground Zero and helped WWII soldiers keep their rifles in good working order.
Witch hazel is a powerful ally for your skin. Grandma may have used it to clean a minor cut or scrape on your knee because it helps stop the bleeding. But at night, she used cotton balls soaked in witch hazel to alleviate puffiness around her eyes. It also can be used for acne, dandruff, and to soothe bug bites and stings.
Another of grandma's cure-alls could be found in the kitchen. Apple cider vinegar has many applications outside of making pickles and killed lettuce and onions. Drink a tablespoon in a glass of water each day for improved health and digestion. Use it to relieve sunburn by applying it directly to the skin with a cotton ball. Then, mix a couple of tablespoons or so of coconut oil with two to three drops of peppermint essential oil and apply it to your skin to further relieve the burn.
Grandma often made do with what she had and found multiple uses for different products. We are re-discovering her timeless wisdom with these tried-and-true shelf staples.