Each year, as the last post of the year, I undertake the impossible task of selecting five favorite Flat Rock Together stories from the preceding 12 months. It is, of course, a task that is both arbitrary and unfair. Every story is valuable and should be celebrated in its own right. Stories are how we mark time, celebrate relationships, bestow accolades on the protagonists, and give meaning to our existence.

That said, here are a handful of stories worthy of a second look...

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the Village,
Not a person was stirring in our small town on the Blue Ridge.
The stockings were hung at the State Theatre with care,
In hopes that the red-clad Vagabond soon would be there. 

In July of 2023, two long-time friends decided to push back their retirement a few more years to do something they both love together. Today, visitors to Dogwood in the bright blue building on Little Rainbow Row in Flat Rock will find new co-owners, Carol Mann Slowik and Tracy O'Connor-McGraw, happily stocking the shelves of their store, chatting with customers who wander in, and sharing in the adventures of business ownership.

Our recent call for authors of books who currently live in Flat Rock or have written about Flat Rock is one more indication regarding the profusion of interesting and talented people living here. Although, there are many ways for us to make our mark in the world - artist, civic or business leader, athlete, musician, academic, or even a simple graciousness of the heart - having a book published is certainly an accomplishment worth celebrating.

This past week, 11 young ladies from Hendersonville Middle School traveled with their faculty sponsors to visit some of Flat Rock’s most successful and inspirational businesswomen. During the course of their two-hour field trip, the girls met with the owners of a photography studio, a retail store, a restaurant, and an interior design firm.

By the time they re-boarded the school activity bus and headed back to school, they had learned about the challenges, rewards, travails, and successes of business owners who had once faced the same questions as their young visitors:  What will I become? How do I find my career? Can I follow my dream?  

Those of us fortunate enough to regularly attend performances at Flat Rock Playhouse know in our hearts that the holiday season officially begins with the opening night of A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas. As the curtain draws back on Leiman Mainstage we know it is time – time to immerse ourselves in the joy of celebrating family, friends, and the meaning of the season. It is a gift from the Playhouse to our community.

Since arriving in Henderson County in 2012, Bryan Byrd has had quite a varied career. His endeavors include national sales rep, radio sales consultant for WTZQ, local real estate agent, music promoter and familiar voice during the annual Bearfootin' Art Walk auction in downtown Hendersonville. This year, however, Bryan is projecting a blockbuster new image – as the owner and operator of Flat Rock Cinema.

As a young boy, Frank Maybank began his relationship with Flat Rock with his family’s annual summer visit to his grandparents at The Dam House. “My grandfather, Dr. Joseph Maybank, bought seven acres of land off of Rutledge Drive from Mrs. Mayberry as a wedding gift for my parents,” recalls Frank. “I was around six years old when my parents found a house plan in a magazine they liked and took the magazine plan to a local contractor, KG Justice, to build it for them.

That house would become known as Stonybrook ...

Last month, board members of Kenmure Fights Cancer met with representatives of Pardee Hospital and AdventHealth Hendersonville to present them with checks totaling over $150,000. The presentations were the culmination of months of fundraising efforts by the residents of Kenmure in Flat Rock. It was also the perfect time to celebrate all the reasons for the impressive 15-year philanthropic history of KFC. A million reasons to be specific.

Ten years ago, Karen Luke Jackson probably never imagined herself being recognized as an award-winning poet and author.  However, Karen’s rich life experiences, her ability to insightfully explore the human experience, and her heart for uncovering the sacred mystery of the seemingly ordinary moments in our lives have led her to publish a trio of acclaimed poetry collections over the past four years.

John Davis was by turn a pioneer, entrepreneur, and civic leader in western North Carolina during the first half of the 19th century. Over the course of his life he would fight alongside a future president of the United States, purchase and sell the land that would become one of the largest estates in Flat Rock, have the occasion to meet future American legend Davey Crockett, play an instrumental role in the establishment of the town of Hendersonville, and even after his death, play a role in the creation of one of only two kingdoms to exist in the history of the United States.

On the first day of autumn, a bright sun bathes the rows of grapevines at Marked Tree Vineyard. Amidst the green vines and bountiful clusters of purple grapes, Kate Thayer, a Flat Rock resident and volunteer harvester, sits on an upturned bucket surrounded by berries ancient Greeks considered the fruit of the gods. With quiet precision, she gently snips another cluster of Petit Verdot grapes free from its vine and carefully places them in a nearby tray. 

When Dr. Gamil T. Arida arrived in the United States from his homeland in Egypt, he brought more than his knowledge and passion for medicine. From his youth, he was an artist at heart who loved to spend his free time drawing and painting. His enthusiasm for art was so significant that later in life he committed to finding ways to lift up both the arts and other artists. That commitment ultimately became the genesis of the annual Arida Arts Symposium hosted each year by Blue Ridge Community College.

Nestled among the trees and adjacent to a thriving community garden with a serene lake view, Highland Lake Cove is evolving as a place to step back from the swirl of everyday stresses.  The Cove is the manifestation of a vision long held by its creator, Kerry Lindsey. It is a place to serve as a joyous event venue, a hub for those wishing to create community, or a peaceful setting for quiet contemplation.

It’s a brilliant end-of-summer weekend at Hubba Hubba Smokehouse on Little Rainbow Row in Flat Rock and the dining patio is awash in a riot of colorful flowers, free-ranging chickens, and the smiling faces of delighted customers.  The food at Hubba Hubba is excellent - and the experience of eating that delicious fare on the patio is exceptional.

Suzanne was in the middle of nowhere, with no cell service, and no idea on how to extricate her vehicle from the ditch. As she stood by the side of the road contemplating her dilemma, an emaciated brown puppy suddenly appeared out of the nearby woods. The young dog clearly needed help, and it seemed the puppy had decided that Suzanne was just the person for the job.

I recently found myself happily meandering through the many twists and turns of a historical rabbit hole reaching back over 140 years. My carefully curated to-do list was pushed aside and I spent several hours transfixed as I searched through the Henderson County Public Library’s absorbing Baker Barber Collection of over 65,000 photographs dating as far back as the 1880s. 

The history of this amazing collection and the people who created it for us.

Perhaps initially overshadowed by other titles in the FRP 2023 season, The Girl on the Train has emerged from those shadows to rightfully claim its position as “must-see” theatre at the Playhouse this year.

Paul Bonesteel, age 57, still rides his bike on the backroads and trails of western North Carolina. On sunny days, when he looks down at the pavement below his bike, he sees the shadow of his wheel spinning towards the crest of the next hill or the next bend in the road. And each time he sees that shadow, Paul is invariably taken back to the summer of 1982 when he was a teenager making an epic journey that would be one of the defining moments of his life.

It was an experience so transformative that 40 years later Paul Bonesteel still points to that summer as one of the most consequential of his life.