It's Halloween, and we bet you'll see some colorful characters throughout the day. It's also Week 6 of the Fall Foliage Primer. There is still an amazing amount of color throughout all reporting areas. Asheville, Hendersonville, and Knoxville are still reaching toward their peak colors in this unusual fall. The Boone and Valle Crucis area are beginning to lose leaves, but there are still surprises around many corners. And, you'll still find plenty of fun events to enjoy everywhere. Check it out!

It's hard to believe that we are in the final full week of October and the fall colors are just now beginning to appear. In the Valle Crucis/Boone area, this will likely be the best weekend to view the colors. Other areas are still reaching toward their peak. With the colder temperatures, the color change will be speeding up as will the leaf dropping activities. There are still lots of things to see and do, but plan your visits soon. 

It's amazing what a few days of cooler weather will do! Here in Week 4 of the Fall Foliage Primer, we are FINALLY seeing a bit of color. All locations are experiencing fall-like temperatures, which are bringing out the leaves' true colors. Festivals, like the Woolly Worm Festival and 50th Anniversary of the Carl Sandburg Home,  and hikes along the Blue Ridge Parkway, on the UNC-Asheville Campus, and at Table Rock Park should be on your itinerary. See what else our reporters have to recommend.

"Have you eaten?" That's the secret code for love and care in many families, but it's a question of real consequence for more people than many realize. That's why Mast Store is partnering with Merrell Footwear and local food agencies to turn the answer to that question

into a resounding "yes" in our communities, especially for one of the most vulnerable populations, our children.

It's Week Three for the 2018 Fall Foliage Primer. More color is appearing, but it is appearing slowly. Most areas will have rain through the middle of the week, but the weekend will be great for getting out to local farmers' markets, music festivals, state and national park tours, or a drive along your favorite country road. All locations are filled with abundant color - it's just not from the leaves quite yet. 

Week two of the 2018 Fall Foliage Primer finds that someone has pushed the pause button on the colors ... and fall temperatures, too. There are spotty colors in some of the highest elevations of the mountains, but if you know where to look, there's still fall color to be had. Look for events, mushrooms, vines, and the late blooms of summer. Check out what our reporters are recommending this week. 

Do you carry a knife? What kind is it – traditional, like a “grandpa” pocket knife, or more modern with open assist and a clip? If you spend much time in the Mast Store knife shop, you’ll find that a simple question can open the door to a million and one possibilities. Purchasing a knife is a personal experience, much like choosing a purse for a woman or a wallet for a man. When you visit the Knife Shop at the Original Mast Store in Valle Crucis or the knife collections in any Mast Store location, you’ll want to consider the answers to three basic questions: What is your budget? How will you be using your knife? Do you prefer a folding or a fixed blade?

Fall is here! The bridge between summer and fall is full of delicious possibilities: the last heirloom tomatoes and sweet corn linger, pears and sweet potatoes start to arrive, and more apples than you can name can all be found at your local farmers’ market.

A friend is someone you can call on when you need help, support, or to celebrate a milestone. Each September, the Mast Store celebrates friends in each of its communities that are working to create special places and to positively affect the local economy. On September 8, all Mast Stores will host volunteers from the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation, the Friends of the Smokies, the Friends of the Reedy River, Palmetto Conservation Foundation, and Old Salem Museum and Gardens. At the end of the day, each location will donate 10% of the day’s sales to our community partner.

Francine loves questions. She writes our Almost Monthly E-mail, which, as the name implies, goes out almost monthly. It starts out like a letter from your favorite aunt with a little update on whatever might be on her mind at the time. Then it goes into events in the stores, new products our buyers are particularly proud of, and community happenings that might just prompt you to plan a trip. Most every time the e-mail goes out, she gets a question or two. This week’s blog includes a couple that she thought might be interesting to share with everyone. Let's get to the questions and her answers.