The New Year is here. Are you still keeping your New Year's Resolutions? If you're like most of us, probably not. But, let's think about something that is important for your family, your friends, and your co-workers. It's self-care. You did read that correctly; self-care is important to others. Let's take a look.

Here we are about to put another year in the books. How can 365 days pass by so quickly? Wait, we're referring to 2020; it couldn't pass fast enough! With the New Year just hours away, it's time to take steps toward a year filled with good luck.  

The holidays are here with all of their pomp and circumstance, parties and decorations, traditions and food. Many of the celebrations around the holidays have their roots in ancient Christian beliefs and pagan festivals. But there are some that are, well, accidental.

It’s plain to see. This year’s Thanksgiving is going to be very different. Family gatherings are being discouraged, and if you are getting together, it is recommended that meals be enjoyed outside. With resolve and creativity, we can find small things to be thankful for and make this Thanksgiving memorable.

You've mastered being a teacher. Now it's time to pick up a different mantle – camp counselor. Whether you're “hosting” a day camp, overnight camp, or just a weekend experience camp, this blog has ideas for “programming” to keep your campers engaged and happy.

On a cool spring day in 1980, April 30 to be exact, a young family arrived in the mountains of North Carolina. After a long drive from Florida in a UHaul and a pickup truck, they were about to begin their lives' work in an old general store. In this short video blog, you'll hear what their first impressions in Faye's own words.  

Who's ready for another diversion or two? By now, our new routines are, well, routine. Get up, make coffee, fix breakfast, send the students to school in one corner of the living room, and set up the office on the kitchen table. This week's Boredom Busters will revisit a skill that many of us have let slip in the days of GPS, offer up a few podcasts, and send a jigsaw puzzle or two your way.

Back 40 years ago, you couldn't grab a bite to eat in the Valle. It meant a drive to Boone or to Banner Elk or to Mountain City over in Tennessee. That is until John and Faye Cooper decided to open the Mast Store Deli. Sandwiches and soups were served in the back of the store. Here's a little of that story, including a bit of it in Faye's own words.

What were you doing 40 years ago? The year was 1980, and the country was in the middle of the hostage crisis in Iran, facing a recession, and trying to solve the mystery of who shot J. R. Ewing. That’s the big picture, but what was happening in Valle Crucis, NC? Maybe it was a little magic. We’re stepping into our time machine and turning back the clock for a look at the rebirth of the Mast General Store. 

We hope everyone enjoyed a little yoga, fixed a nice extra special meal one night, and then threw down at a big dance party. We are all wearing lots of hats these days – from small business CEO and the school's head master to the top chef and building custodian. That means its even more challenging to get everything done and to have a little spare time for fun. This week we have a few more suggestions to shake up your stay-at-home routine with activities and a movie night.