Thanksgiving weekend in Flat Rock feels like the perfect time to pause and take stock of the blessings I experience almost daily here in Flat Rock. At a time when it is all too easy to get distracted by the disappointments and troubles that swirl about in the wider world, it is even more important for me to reflect on all that is good in my life.

Today is December 1st. So it seems only fitting that I celebrate the spirit of the season with a list of 31 reasons - one for each day of the month – that I appreciate about living in this beautiful village in the mountains of North Carolina.

With gratitude for you,
bh

This morning and throughout the coming month I will acknowledge my gratitude … 

1 … for The Great Flat Rock which is more than an expanse of stone. The Rock is a testament to our connection to both the past and the future. A landmark for travelers who came before us and a namesake for the community we now cherish.

2 … for the respite of rainy summer days and warmth of sunny winter mornings on the trails of the Sandburg Home. Those days are quiet blessings that ground my spirit and refresh my soul.

3 ... for the brilliant hues of Little Rainbow Row in downtown Flat Rock—vivid blues, lively greens, cherry reds, and sunny yellows—that all paint joy across my heart. Every time I pass through the village center, their cheerful brilliance lifts my spirit like sunlight breaking through clouds.

4 ... for a fleeting flash of cerulean blue—the streak of an Eastern Bluebird soaring over The Park at Flat Rock—that never fails to catch my eye and heart. These tiny winged treasures, lovingly nurtured by Fred and Andrea, transform each walk into a reminder of what is true and good in this world.

5 …the Vagabond Spirt that first arrived in Flat Rock in the 1930s in the form of a passionate actor named Robroy.  And still flows through every incredible production on the stage of Flat Rock Playhouse, The State Theatre of North Carolina.

6 ... for moments spent eating warm apple cider doughnuts at Sky Top while looking out over a spectacular orchard that has been lovingly tended to by the Butler family for nearly 60 years. Every tree and every apple on that property is a powerful testament to the power of passion, hard work, and faith in the face of the vagaries of mountain weather.

7 …for Sonja and all the helpful souls at the Flat Rock Post Office. The lines are short, the smiles are genuine, and the positive experience there is always a powerful rejoinder to the discordant voices that want us to believe that all government agencies are broken and dysfunctional.  

8 … for all the farmers, bakers, and artisans who show up at the Flat Rock Farmers Market each Thursday to share the fruits of their love and labor, offering nourishment and beauty to our lives. Their passion is a gift to us all.

9 … for the visionaries of Historic Flat Rock, Inc., and their successors, who lovingly preserve the grand homes and stories of our village. Their dedication ensures history continues to breathe among us.

10 … for Squirt the Cat, Mayor of Little Rainbow Row, who graces me occasionally with the privilege of scratching behind his ears as he lounges in the sunlight on the Hubba Hubba patio.  His quiet reign and patient tolerance for his human subjects always make me smile.

11 ... for the annual Flat Rock Ice Cream Social each June which brings together a village in a celebration of community and our shared blessings. All served up with free ice cream, good music, and the smiling faces of our neighbors and friends.

12 … for the opportunity to visit with baby goats at the Carl Sandburg Home goat barn in the spring. Knowing that every one of them is a descendant of Lilian Sandburg’s champion goats and thus living breathing bridges to the history of our village.

 13 … for the aroma of freshly baked bread and wood-fired pizzas that greet me every time I step into the Flat Rock Village Bakery. Their homemade bread is Flat Rock’s version of manna from heaven.

14 ... for the view from the summit overlook of Glassy Mountain at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Gazing out toward Jump Off Rock and, beyond it, Mt. Pisgah prominent on the jagged horizon of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Spending a few quiet moments in the company of kindred souls there to witness the grandeur of our mountain home.

 15 … for time spent sharing a bag of popcorn and a cold root beer with my wife in the cozy confines of the Flat Rock Cinema.  Watching first-run movies in a theater just 4 minutes from my house is a simple joy that never fades 

 16 … for the joyful sound of children laughing and playing at the Park at Flat Rock. Their voices fill the air with pure delight. Especially when those happy children are my grandchildren who think their grandfather is extra cool because of “his” playground.  Thank you to The Park for always making me look like a hero in their eyes.

17… for Star Teel’s diligent attendance to the profusion of colorful flowers that blanket Flat Rock’s business district in all the colors of the rainbow. The experience of shopping and dining in Flat Rock is always brighter and more joy-filled for his efforts

 18 … for the annual Art and Bloom exhibition at The Gallery at Flat Rock that blends human creativity with nature’s awe-inspiring beauty. Each year,  Art in Bloom reminds me of the wonder that art brings to our shared existence.

 19 …  for the opportunity for a quiet walk through the churchyard at St. John in the Wilderness. Spending time amidst the generations buried there is a journey through time, a profound connection to history, and a solemn reminder of life’s precious fragility 

 20 …for evenings spent enjoying a quiet dinner on our deck that feels like a treehouse. Sharing a meal encircled by majestic oaks and in the elegant company of birds who enjoy our bird feeders is a meditation in gratitude.

21 … for the opportunity to spend the final chapter of a 50-year friendship living in the same village with my professor, advisor, mentor, confessor, and exceptional friend whose memory will forever be a defining facet of my life. 

 22 … for time spent walking and jogging along the shore of Lake Summit. Stopping for a moment to watch a single kayak glide silently across the water beneath a brilliant Carolina blue sky, a vision of peace that lingers long after the moment fades.

23 … for the knowledge that on Thursday mornings, Flat Rock Backpack volunteers are packing food for school children who might otherwise go hungry. They are people who see the world with their hearts and we are all better for their presence.

24 … for the 34 years Virginia and The Wrinkled Egg have created an iconic shopping experience in Flat Rock.  All while honoring the Peace family’s legacy in one of Flat Rock’s most historic buildings. A visit to The Egg is like stepping into the very heart of Flat Rock

25 … filling the birdfeeder on a cold winter morning and then watching as the white-breasted nuthatch lands on the feeder upside down, carefully extracts a single seed, and flies away in a feathery flutter of blue and white to enjoy her morning snack.

26 … for the chance to live in a place that once birthed the Society of Necessity—a cooperative community effort that gave selflessly even in the face of scarcity. Its history is an enduring reminder of the power of human compassion.

27 … for the memory and legacy of Louise Howe Bailey who captured the essence of Flat Rock and Henderson County in her books; weaving stories that keep our history alive and our community connected.

28 … for the shy Black Bears and bounding white squirrels who occasionally cross my path during my morning walk.  Their presence reminds me that all creatures are passing tenants here, sharing this beautiful land in quiet coexistence.

 29 … for all the kind readers who open the Flat Rock Together newsletter on Sunday mornings, and share in my imperfect attempts to celebrate this special place we call home.

 30 … for a very kind, patient, and pretty wife who has given up almost all of our Saturday nights for the past 6 years so that I can write this blog.  And then is willing to edit what I have written to keep me from embarrassing myself in front of all our subscribers.

31 ... for knowing that almost anywhere I go in Flat Rock, I will see someone I know and spend a few minutes catching up and sharing that sense of community that comes from being seen and heard in the world.  There can be nothing more important in this life than the experience of true community.

Thank you for being part of my community.

What about you? What fills your heart with light in your life? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts in the comments below. Let us collectively speak our thankfulness into the world. At the very least, it will be a positive way to start the first morning of the first day of a new month.

Scroll down to see responses from readers!

Reader Responses …

-Lisa K Bryant, who has kept The Flat Rock Playhouse going despite untimely death, crushing debt, a pandemic, and a storm named Hélène, and fought cancer while doing it. Her strength and optimism and attitude are as solid as the rock upon which the Playhouse sits.

-When our goat barn in Highland Lake was completely damaged during Helene the word went out for funding for the new barn as the barn itself was not covered by insurance. Within weeks the monies needed for our goat shelter was raised. Tess, our trusted 'carer of the goats' immediately secured temporary shelter for our beloved animals and the restoration is moving along because so many responded - as so many more have here in WNC during our collective experience of Helene. I walked by yesterday and felt the collective gratitude.

-Your beautifully written Sunday morning blogs, my good fortune in reconnecting with a Jr High school friend and our subsequent loving 14 year marriage, our beautiful Flat Rock home and neighborhood, my 3 cats, birds at the feeder, white squirrels, my good health, and mornings with a cup of tea, a good book, and a cat on my lap.

-For the beauty of the earth around us, for the love and support of family and friends, for the eloquent writing of Flat Rock Together and its reminders each week of the wonder that surrounds us!

-I am grateful for still being able to enjoy hiking at the age of 81. I consider this area hiker heaven, and I plan to hike until I am no longer able to do so. We met two Thanksgivings ago when I took a group up Big Glassy and you happened to be there. I had planned to do it this year, for the third time in a row, but mother nature had other ideas.

-Today is my husband's 76th birthday. I am incredibly grateful for our marriage of over 54 years. I'm grateful for his good humor and kind heart and all the memories we share. I'm also deeply grateful for our 2 daughters and their now grown families. We moved to this region 22 years ago to be closer to them. Life is so strange, that a family from Massachusetts would raise two very different daughters who both end up living in upstate South Carolina. Since moving here, Flat Rock has always had a special place in my life, and I'm grateful for Flat Rock Together, my Sunday morning "perk me up."

-Such a nice tribute to our wonderful Flat Rock community. I'm so grateful to live here!

-I am grateful for the possibilities for “newness” that enrich our lives if we’ll just be open to them.

-Thank you for naming all of these blessing we know as home here in Flat Rock. All can easily be summed into #31 if we really think about it…… there’s nothing like being a real part of a community. Our small village allows us to walk into just about any business or space and be welcomed with a heartwarming kindness and familiarity that creates great staying power. Let’s pass it on!

-My precious and sacred newborn granddaughter Rylie born 3weeks early on Thanksgiving Day and just perfect.

-Flat Rock Playhouse -- the center of our entertainment and the home of so many friends who allow me to find ways to participate in the wonders that grace the stage at the Playhouse.

-Peaceful Sunday mornings with a cup of coffee and Flat Rock Together.

-I am grateful to sit before the fire on cold winter mornings and in the garden room in summer surrounded by windows bringing in the sounds of wildlife and sights of our ever so green garden and trees. All of this is enjoyed with my wife of fourteen years and friend since age 13. We finally found each other. This is complemented with the richness of an ever increasing family of children of every age.

-I am very grateful that we chose to move to Flat Rock fifteen years ago from northern NJ. We were unaware of the village's beauty but when we saw its charm we knew we would move here. Our first home was on the dirt road known as Trenholm . A delightful setting with horses, sheep and adorable bears to view. We then downsized to the HLV community and once again feel so blessed to be living in such a caring community.

-Grateful for so many things, esp this beautiful area, this little village, I get to call home. I always describe our (personal) home as my little tree house too. ;)

-Moving here 6 years ago from the Chicago suburbs and enjoying the friendliness of people where everyone waves at you and/or says hello. Also, the slower pace of life and the beauty of the area, where no one seems in a rush.

-For the community that opened it’s arms gracefully, so I can spend my retirement years surrounding by beauty.

-I am grateful for the Flat Rock newsletter as it makes me feel connected to the wonderful community I have been living in for the past three years.

-I am grateful for a loving and caring husband, a son and his two children who live within 35 minutes drive, and the blessings I try to see each and every day.

-Gratitude for peace after the storm offered one job at a time by thousands of volunteers who selflessly and heroically restored lives torn apart by the power of nature. Love abounds. All will be well.

-Beautiful lists of things that generate an awareness of gratitude. Meister Eckart said the only (and shortest) prayer necessary is "Thank you".

-That Flat Rock community came together after Hurricane Helene to help folks in greater need than themselves. Thank you... you know who you are!!! :-)

-The Park at Flat Rock. It is always there to help calm my mind.

-My new dog rescue Pits to Doods just got 503 charity status!

-My family who while we often differ in views and opinions, always love each other.

-My dogs Tristan & Freeda Sue who are my best friends and listen to me daily, never complaining or holding a grudge and always excited to have an adventure.

-The community that we witnessed during Helene to give selflessly and generously. Further, for neighbors that fell out and fell in line, enthusiastic, energized, to help the less fortunate!

-After living in Orlando for over 60 years, as pleasant as it once was in the early years, what a “rebirth”the Flat Rock community is for my wife and me.

- As a new resident, you have unknowingly given me a sense of community and joy in my new home and town, which I adore. I landed in the perfect spot. I have already enjoyed most of the 31 wonderful items on your list, and now I have more to explore. Thank you so much for your warm welcome and for creating such a beautiful sense of community for us here.