If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

It's week 6 of the Fall Foliage Primer. The colors are hitting their peak in Hendersonville and are still on the uphill climb in Greenville. Other areas are past peak, BUT with the warm temperatures a lot of color still remains. It is amazing! The weekend will feature some moderating temperatures getting at least down to the seasonal level. Hikes, paddles, and scenic drives abound. See what's in store with a quick click.

Week five of the Fall Foliage Primer still has stunning color in just about every reporting area in North Carolina and South Carolina. That's truly amazing! The highest elevations have reached their peak and are shedding their leaves, which leads to fabulous long-range views. Asheville, Waynesville, and Hendersonville are taking on color and a drive along the Parkway to see what's in front of you and down in the valleys is well worth the time. Greenville and Knoxville are beginning to see more color changes. The weather is going to be GREAT this weekend, so get ready to get outside.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

Week four of the Fall Foliage Primer has lots of color in the North Carolina mountains and a smidgen more beginning to appear in the Greenville, SC area. The weather has been unseasonably warm, but this weekend all areas will have decidedly fallish temperatures, which will further hasten the color change. There are still lots of fall events to enjoy and hikes to be experienced. See what our reporters recommend this week.

If you could do one thing that would improve a child’s self-esteem, help facilitate better behavior, and increase his or her learning potential, wouldn’t you do it? It’s easy. Just make sure that the child is not hungry. According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in the U.S. worry about when they’ll have their next meal.

Here we are at the third week of October and more color is beginning to show, but we still have not had a frost. Some areas have had temperatures that dipped down into the 30s, which will get the fall color engine going. This weekend is a great weekend for those looking for Fairs, Festivals, Music, and Arts & Crafts with large festivals happening in all reporting communities. Get out and enjoy!

Did you know that October 9th through 15th is Fire Prevention Week? This week, the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) is educating the public about basic, but essential elements of smoke alarm safety. Their theme for 2016 is “Don’t Wait – Check the Date! Replace Smoke Alarms Every 10 Years.” Below you’ll find valuable information about checking your smoke alarms, fire safety preparedness for your family, and information about the upcoming Valle Love event in honor of our friends affected by the Valle Landing Fire.

The second week of the 2016 Fall Foliage Primer has lots of green prevalent in all reporting areas. But that isn't stopping the colorful fall events to be enjoyed. Reporters have suggested several hikes along the Parkway, a waterfall tour near Hendersonville, and an Albino Skunk Festival. Take a look inside for more details and photos.

Though it’s made great strides in mass appeal over the past decade, the vacuum steel bottle is not a new product. Well over 100 years ago, a Massachusetts man, William Stanley, invented this ingenious bottle. With over 100 patents to his name, Stanley was a major inventor during the golden age of electric development. Thanks to this prolific engineer, we have the pleasure of enjoying our cold drinks staying cold and our hot beverages remaining piping hot due to Stanley’s ingenious all-steel vacuum bottles.

The Indian Summer we’ve been experiencing in the southeast is slowly coming to an end. As we continue to celebrate this Centennial Year of the National Parks, we offer a few suggestions for fall events for the whole family in these beautiful places. Our State and National Parks offer much to enjoy and explore the first weekend in October.

This is the first report for the 2016 Fall Foliage Primer. All reporting locations in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee are reporting spotty color. It's still early, but some moderating and more seasonal temperatures will help begin the journey. Several events of note this week included Tweetsie's Ghost Train, an App State football game, Art in the Park in Asheville, the Pumpkin Patch Express near Waynesville, Art on Main in Hendersonville, and OktoberFest in Greenville.Of course, there are many opportunities for hiking and exploring everywhere!

Summer is slowly giving way to fall, and as the days grow shorter and the weather begins to change, my family enjoys creating homemade decorations to welcome the new season. Each year, we pull out our daughters’ fall-themed creations to decorate the house. The girls love seeing what they’ve made in years past and we all look forward to our tradition of adding a few new decorations to our collection. Here are a few ideas to get you started with your own autumn crafting tradition:

We at Mast General Store feel so lucky that many of our stores are located right in the middle of vibrant urban settings.  There’s so much to do and see right outside our doors. We’re excited to share a selection of our favorites with you!

The Beatles refrain is true, “I get by with a little help from my friends.” On Saturday, September 10, the Mast Store will be hosting Friends in each of its home communities that have the awesome responsibility of taking care of resources that locals and visitors enjoy every day. At the end of the day, each of our store locations will donate 10% of the day’s sales to support our local conservation partners.