Blue Ridge Parkway Open between Asheville and Mt. Mitchell

In July of this year, a large crack formed on a stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway north of Asheville, NC. This is a popular portion of the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, especially for guests of the Inn on Mill Creek B&B since the closure was near the Parkway entrance closest to the Inn (just 20 minutes west of us).

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North Carolina Mountain Birds: Eastern Phoebe

Eastern Phoebe at the Inn on Mill Creek  says, “get my good side”

Csaba the Innpug isn’t the only cute creature at the Inn on Mill Creek with a tail that wags. With its constantly wagging tail, good looks, and social butterfly attitude, the Eastern Phoebe is one of our favorite birds at the Inn. The Phoebe is also a longtime resident of the nest above the back porch door at the Inn on Mill Creek Bed & Breakfast, having constructed the nest in 2008. The Phoebe (we’re not sure it’s the same one, but we like to think so!) has made several upgrades to the mud and grass nest over the years, and we have helped a little as well…you might remember our blog post about the Extreme Makeover Eastern Phoebe Edition.

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Our latest three Kiva loans

Business owner Cosmas in Zambia

Back in May, we set a springtime goal to help fund loans to two or three small business owners through Kiva, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that helps connect lenders and borrowers of microloans, helping entrepreneurs to improve their local economies and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. Many of the borrowers are from developing countries, albeit Kiva has borrowers from the U.S. as well.

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