Lake Junaluska In Western N.C.: a Gem in a Ringed Mountain Centerpiece!

The views overlooking Lake Junaluska are quite spectacular.

All our meals were taken at the Terrace Hotel and the food was quite good!

APtravelnews-Lake Junaluska, in Haywood, N.C.—Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, since 1913 (101 years) is located in Haywood County, it’s a place of Christian hospitality where the easy effort to transform lives through renewal of mind, soul and body. More of a summer place for families to enjoy a full range of outdoor, lakeside and in lake pleasures such as paddle boarding, canoeing, fishing even a labyrinth, a Biblical Garden Heritage Center & Museum to name just a few of the interesting places we visited. The huge open Stuart Auditorium and Memorial Chapel were truly magnificent.

More picturesque it would be hard to find. Lake at its fall best!

Author Bill Lowry spent years researching his new book "The Antechamber of Heaven" A History of Lake Junaluska Assembly. This 242 page book details everything anyone would enjoy knowing about the "Lake" Assembly! — Author Bill Lowry spent years researching his new book “The Antechamber of Heaven” A History of Lake Junaluska Assembly. This 242 page book details everything anyone would enjoy knowing about the “Lake” Assembly!

Barb and I stopped by for a couple of days last week. Even the rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the many folks from around the country who came to the Lake and stayed at the Terrace Hotel. They as we did used this location as a jumping off point for the wonders of the lake properties and also the surrounding communities of Waynesville and their fine restaurants and antiques shops, the Biltmore properties, the Blue Ridge Parkway and it’s many vistas over 650 miles. Take a look at their website: www.LakeJunaluska.com

A scene from 1920's in Janaluska, during a special event. — A scene from 1920’s in Janaluska, the Terrace Hotel in the background is where we stayed during a special event.

An easy ride over to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park can be done from the Lake!

Out the window photo of a young bull elk in the Cataloochie Valley! Just one of the interesting areas easily accessible from the Lake!

Barb looking out at the lake from the Terrace Dining Room where we took all our fine, buffet meals. The views made us hungry for more!

A gorgeous view from the Blue Ridge Parkway of the Smokie Mountains.

Garlic Can Be and Is a Lifesaver in the Tropics & On the Farm

American Press travel News-May 11^th,- Bob and Barb “Stopping to Smell the Roses” and enjoying the garlic too! Years have past, and thanks to finding out about the properties that garlic offered for keeping me healthy through my trek through Africa and the Congo, unlike my companion, who did not cover himself inside and out with garlic, I’d be dead now, as well. Besides the biting and stinging insects, the foods that were eaten, and the water we drank were infested with all manner of potentially, deadly bacteria, flukes, worms, etc.

By eating garlic 3-times daily, I avoided all of the above, or when ingesting foods and water, the garlic (Allium sativum) nullified the negative effects they may, or would have had on my health. Today, besides adding to the fabulous flavors it imparts on all vegetables, meats, fish and seafood’s, garlic’s health benefits are known down through the ages to the present!

Now, on our farm we, as so many farmers in America and around the world, have taken advantage of using garlic oil, we use it to protect our crops, with the incredible advantages of having no poisons to contaminate our soil and water, no harm to plants, animals and people, not being an insecticide, garlic protects the natural way, its highly effective and offers long-term protection, we put it on our crops early in spring before the insects arrive for best results, pests do not build-up resistance, its harmless to beneficial insects, its odorless in minutes, its tasteless on grapes, apples, or vegetables and making your own costs a whole lot less! Want seeds? Go: Plant PEP Punch at Orange Avenuse Organic Produce 1030 Orange Ave. Kalona, IA 52247-9791

Note: Without garlic, so many of our dishes would just be plain and bland and our bodies bereft of the great protective abilities that garlic offers! Check out my book; “Africa on a Pin & a Prayer” and read all about garlic and our adventure in the Congo!

Kings Kitchen-A Southern Kitchen On a Local Charlotte, NC Mission

AMERICAN PRESS TRAVEL NEWS–Charlotte, NC–Right in the city of Charlotte, NC sits the Kings Kitchen. Barb and I loved the food and especially the concept for this restaurant-that was so much more than a place of gastronomy!

**From the Kings Kitchen Bakery at the restaurant, this cheese Danish style pastry had me licking my fingers after all of this large pastry made it past my palate!**

From their original mission statement 12-years ago: The King’s Kitchen operates as a public restaurant, serving local, healthy, Southern cuisine and the profits and proceeds from “The King’s Kitchen” goes toward feeding the poor. In addition, The King’s Kitchen works with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Dream Center to operate “The Restoration Program” a five-part training program to employ, train and minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to the homeless, the poor, troubled youth, rehab graduates and other members of their community who are in need of employment. The King’s Kitchen operates in the spirit of excellence by training and equipping the whole person (spirit, soul and body) thereby sending out developed leaders into their community. This is being done by working together with other local ministries, businesses, nonprofits and people of faith. According to Lindsay Nielander, Event Coordinator and Manager, the Chef, Steven Young Graduated from Johnson & Wales Culinary School, but most importantly he has drawn not only from his schooling, but also from being able to use local produce and goods that has allowed him to experiment, yet keep the flavors as close to the Southern traditions of down- to- earth cuisine that pleases all who indulge in his presentations. Once we get back and enjoy a full spectrum of entrees we will publish another well deserved piece on the Kings Kitchen and Bakery. In the meantime, don’t wait, give a call to 704-375-1990 or also go to kingskitchen.org The Kitchen is located at 129 West Trade St. Charlotte, NC 28202

A coconut dessert to dream over! We only had time to try a couple of desserts and coffee. We had other time constraints, but we’re going back! Everything is luscious at Kings Kitchen and the people are so dedicated to cuisine and people!

New Smyrna Beach – Night Swan Bed and Breakfast

AMERICAN PRESS TRAVELNEWS, Bob, Barb & Terry, “On the Road Again” and “Stopping to Smell the Roses” this time in New Smyrna Beach, FL. When we popped off I-95, heading for New Smyrna Beach, that the National Geographic Magazine folks voted as “the Worlds Top Surf Towns” and Dr. Beach rated New Smyrna as “Florida’s Top 10-Beach Towns” ,we knew that we’d be on the Intracoastal Waterway with dolphins feeding and playing, just about 200 feet away from our lagoon view window. We weren’t wrong! We enjoyed the frolicking marine mammals seen from our Manatee Viewing Suite, at the Night Swan Bed and Breakfast, before heading to the beach, after lunch with Terry at the Dolphin View Seafood Restaurant. Night Swan Owners, Matt and Betsy Baker, bought the business in 2013 and lovingly placed their experience and tastes in all upgrades, and you will see this in everything about the B&B, that consists of twin vintage, but thoroughly updated houses, 16 room, with 6 rooms dedicated to be dog friendly and a dog friendly cottage too! On a historical note; “Smyrna” comes from the word purported to be Myrrh, one of the special fragrances brought to the manger by one of the 3-wise men during the time of Jesus’s birth! There are other thoughts on the name, but from a historical prospective we are offering this theory! The other side of the B&B besides the bed, you also get the breakfast. We enjoyed the fruit, blueberries and seasonal strawberries. The scones, and the really great waffle, with real maple syrup and sausages. The coffee, tasted like coffee! Its not every place you go that you run into the real thing, “baby.” So many times, at too many other locations I have had dishwater called coffee, not at the Night Swan, it was real and good! There was all Breyers ice creams, cookies and drinks anytime you were in the mood for a snack, and we met some fine folks visiting from all parts of the east coast! The one thing that stands out for a great B&B is that the personalities and conviviality you find at a high quality B&B, is found no where else in the accommodations business, with the exception of cruising the oceans of the world! Some of the items and amenities found at the Night Swan: no charge boat dock, flat screen TV’s, private baths, elevated dock (we even watched a NASA launch from it on our last day at the B&B) lovely front porch, free WiFi, all kinds of meeting space for up to 40, great family reunion location, and wedding receptions in the great outdoors and so much, much more! You can come by boat, auto or any way you wish to this B&B—-Go: www.nightswan.com or call 386-423-4940 Check out the myriad of events you can attend weekly, for months in New Smyrna Beach and surrounding enclaves by going: www.nsbfla.com