juniper

11/29/2024

These things I’m holding in tension this holiday season:

grief yet gratitude
sadness and joy
beauty amidst destruction
anticipation while waiting
certainty with confusion
connection alongside loneliness

As I sort through these conflicting emotions, I’m reminded to embrace the season’s rhythm and take a winter pause.

🤍 I have a deep well of gratitude for these humans pictured and their care + love.

📸 And thank you to Helen Joy Photography for capturing the tension so well.

11/12/2024

🎁Give the Gift of Planning this Season.

Looking for a meaningful gift that goes beyond the ordinary? Our Planning Gift Certificates are here! Perfect for anyone dreaming of a WNC getaway, staycation, or special event. Let Juniper handle the details and lighten their load.

Choose from:
▪️One Hour – $75
▪️Two Hours – $150
▪️Three Hours – $225

❤️ Plus, 10% of gift card sales in November and December will support the Love Hendo Business Recovery Fund, helping our beloved small businesses bounce back.

Find yours today at https://craftedbyjuniper.com/product-category/gift-certificates and give the gift of a personalized WNC experience. 🌿



📸: Helen Joy Photography

10/21/2024

In this long road to recovery, rest and nature will be our medicine. If we don’t take care of our bodies, we can’t take care of our community.

Wendell Berry’s words capture this perfectly:

"To rest, go to the woods
Where what is made is made
Without your thought or work.
Sit down; begin the wait
For small trees to grow big,
Feeding on earth and light.
Their good result is song
The winds must bring, that trees
Must wait to sing, and sing
Longer than you can wait.
Soon you must go. The trees,
Your seniors, standing thus
Acknowledge in your eyes,
Stand as your praise and prayer.
Your rest is in this praise
Of what you cannot be
And what you cannot do."
– Wendell Berry, Sabbath Poems

To help you find that rest in nature, I’ve created a Google Map of public lands and outdoor spaces that are accessible in the open counties of Western North Carolina. I’ll be updating it as recovery progresses. If you have any questions about specific trails or places to hike, feel free to reach out.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/1/edit?mid=1UM4kEdvY4PYTWUbyKZdLxtvib2qepUA&usp=sharing

Cover photo: Jared Kay

10/15/2024

As we welcome visitors back to the mountains, we ask that you tread lightly—on the land and with the people who call this place home. The trails, rivers, and roads you travel have been through a lot, and so have the people serving your meals, preparing your vacation rentals, or guiding your adventures.

Many have lost homes, loved ones, or livelihoods. Some are still caring for family members, volunteering to rebuild, or trying to restart businesses. Though the mountains are open to you, they are also still healing.

Here are some ways you can tread lightly during your visit:

▪️Bring groceries with you: Reducing the strain on local supplies will make a difference.
▪️Leave a larger tip: A small gesture that can have a big impact on those who lost work during peak tourism weeks.
▪️Drop a note to your accommodation: A simple thank you for their hard work in reopening can go a long way.
▪️Be patient and kind: Whether it’s slower service or traffic delays, give a little extra grace as our community rebuilds.
▪️Support local businesses: Every purchase you make here helps strengthen the local economy.
▪️Respect the land: Stay on marked trails, pack out what you pack in, and avoid any areas still recovering from the storm.

We ask that you walk softly and tread with care. Our community is still mending, and your mindful presence can be a part of that healing. 🙏🏼



Note: I am adding these words to all my itineraries for the next few weeks/months.

10/14/2024

I have had several former travelers ask how they can support our area (in addition to sending donations & supplies). This resource is absolutely phenomenal for supporting the hard-hit Asheville businesses.

Your support can make a real difference—shop local or donate to help rebuild: https://always.exploreasheville.com/love-asheville

What if the whole country bought their gifts from the WNC region this year?❤️

10/11/2024

I am not ok.

How can I be ‘ok’ when it’s only been two weeks since Helene ravaged the land and communities that I love? It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that I was paddleboarding on the Rocky Broad River just five days before the storm, and dining in Downtown Marshall only two days before (pictured here). These seemingly normal moments feel so distant now.

While I’m from and live in Henderson County, all of Western North Carolina is ‘home’ to me. I grew up camping in Pisgah National Forest, got married in Cedar Mountain, honeymooned in Hot Springs, rafted the French Broad through Marshall, backpacked in Montreat, celebrated my 30th birthday in the River Arts District, and mourned my mother’s death on the Blue Ridge Parkway. These mountains have carried me through life. These places have formed me.

I can’t shake the words of : “There is a feeling of betrayal when a land you love so much seems to turn on you.” My heart feels broken by this betrayal.

While I’m not okay, I recognize that I am one of the fortunate ones. I’m picking up the pieces, serving those in my community who are less fortunate, and—strangely as it feels—getting back to work.

This week, I created an itinerary for a doctor interviewing at a local hospital and a family here on vacation. Our small businesses, these community-building spaces, need us now. Survivor’s guilt is real, but if we have the means to dine and shop, let’s do it. I’m keeping a close pulse on what’s open and being mindful of those around us who are hurting.

I’m here for the rebuild, because as I told a couple over breakfast this morning, we live in the best place on earth with the best community around. And while our land is broken, our hearts are mending—together.

09/29/2024

We feel so fortunate that our home and those of our family members were spared, but the same cannot be said of many of our neighbors and friends and businesses we love.

My heart is completely broken for the WNC communities. I was just thinking of several itineraries I sent off last week, and I’m not even sure if some of the places still exist. Our towns are devastated. Please continue to pray for our community and the people of WNC. We are resilient and we will be back, but right now, we are heartbroken.

09/26/2024

My friends at Children & Family Resource Center didn't get to hold their annual event due to Helene, but their silent auction is now live!
There is an opportunity to bid on a Party Package that includes 5 hours of small event planning (from me!) + a balloon arch and shimmer wall donated by Eventful Arches LLC. 🎉🎈

Are you hosting a holiday gathering, wedding shower, ribbon cutting, or small fundraiser and looking for someone to handle the details? Bid on this package! [Located under Activities & Experiences].

We couldn't hold the Harvest Dinner in person but we wanted everyonen to have the opportunity to bid on our silent auction items. The auction will be open until Monday, September 30 at 9 pm. Thanks so all of our local merchants and friends who donated items to make this auction so full of lots of fun activities, beautiful jewelry, weekend getaways and more! Registration is easy! Just follow this link and HAPPY BIDDING!

https://new.biddingowl.com/harvest24

09/05/2024

Are you traveling from out of town for the Black Bear Half Marathon & 8K weekend? If so, we have something just for you. Juniper has crafted a Black Bear weekend itinerary complete with the best dining spots, movement options, and entertainment ideas, all laid out in a way to maximize your time in the area. This itinerary also includes packet pick-up and day-of race information. ⛰🏃🏃‍♀🍻🍳

Additionally, this itinerary includes local tips from Summer (Henderson County native and Juniper's founder), a local artist playlist to jam out to on your drive from spot to spot, and a Google Map for ease of navigation. 📍

Just click on the link (below) to purchase and download this itinerary and get a jump start in planning your race weekend!
https://craftedbyjuniper.com/.../black-bear-half.../

Background photo by the amazing, Jared Kay.

09/02/2024

We walked always in beauty, it seemed to me. We walked and looked about, or stood and looked. Sometimes, less often, we would sit down. We did not often speak. The place spoke for us and was a kind of speech. We spoke to each other in the things we saw.
- Wendell Berry

Labor Day sunrise & breakfast tradition with my boys.🫶🏼

08/15/2024

In January, these two wonderful folks reached out, planning a large family reunion in Western North Carolina. Initially, they just wanted me to do some research about available locations for hosting their extended family. What I thought would be a one-off research project turned into full-on travel and event planning—and it was a joy!

They flew into Asheville in February, and we did site visits at several locations. Then we moved on to menu and event planning, where I helped them secure local vendors. Since most of the family lived out of town, I also created a Lake Lure & Surrounding Area guide for them. My house even became the storage spot for all of the items they needed for the events! Finally, I joined them at Rumbling Bald on Lake Lure for the weekend, bringing beautiful local flowers from Sourwood Creek Farm for the tables. I stayed on-site to ensure everything flowed smoothly at their gatherings. It was so fun to see it all come together! 🌅

She emailed me yesterday with the kindest words: 'Thank you so very much for all your hard work. You brought it all together for me, and I could not have done the reunion without you! Your attention to detail and follow-up is awesome, and so is your creativity! Thank you for always being budget-conscious for us too.' 💛

Special thanks to Paula Roberts Photography for capturing the event for this sweet family.

08/02/2024

🌟 Just wrapped up my first month of the Stay & Play with Visit Hendersonville, NC and it was fantastic! Thanks to our partnership with local accommodations, this guest (and many others) enjoyed complimentary itineraries during their stays in Hendersonville. One guest, who stayed at the Treehouse at Edenwood after performing on a cruise ship for several weeks, was looking for relaxation, local music, some time in nature, and great food. It was an honor to create a custom itinerary for him. 🌟

This offer is available to all Henderson County accommodations until funds are expended. Reach out to me, and your guests can also receive FREE itineraries that will save them (and you) time while helping them experience the best of our area.

07/25/2024

🗺️📍 Not every customer needs an hour by hour itinerary. A couple of weeks ago a camp mom called asking for some suggestions because she’s going to driving back and forth to WNC six times this summer for camp drop off and pick up.

She said she spent her whole first visit in the parking lot of places googling where to go next and was frustrated!

So, in addition to putting together a curated list of accommodations, food & bev, hiking & swimming spots, I also created a personalized google map with over 40 locations (just for her) so she can access it from wherever she lands.

No more googling for Charlotte! She has a personalized list & map that will guide her all summer long. 😎💦👏🏼

07/02/2024

✨Dream Customer ✨

Yesterday on a questionnaire that came in, the family wrote: We also love hiking and biking and the opportunity to swim in a lake.

Isn’t getting sweaty and then swimming the best part of the mountains in the summertime?!😎

Do you have a favorite hiking/biking + swimming combo in WNC? I’ll put mine in the comments! 🥾💦

07/01/2024

In mid-June I had the honor of joining Marilyn Ball on her Speaking of Travel podcast to share about Juniper! I absolutely loved chatting with her.

If you want to hear more of the 'why' behind the business and what I enjoy about this work, check it out on your next walk or commute! The podcast episode is available on all podcast channels.

Thank you for having me, Marilyn. 💛

There is always a proud sense of community that you find in small towns and communities in our country. And in the North Carolina Mountains, you can add to that something downright magical. Great people, incredible food, and Southern Hospitality t...