It’s no secret that I am not from Graham County.
You can tell that from numerous ways, not the least of which is my accent.
Aug. 26 marks the end of my eighth month as a reporter for The Graham Star. Prior to that, I had visited Graham County in the late summer and early fall months for about 15 years.
What that means to me — on a personal level — is that I have at last experienced all the seasons in Graham County.
Were someone to ask which season is my favorite, I would have to answer honestly, if not vaguely: every season has been my favorite.
Obviously, having been a late summer tourist, summertime is a big draw. But then fall arrived.
I’m still looking forward to the full fall experience. Last year, I was in the process of looking for real estate. My wife Sarah and I were making the long drive from New Bern to Graham County about once a week for what seemed like eternity and my experience with early fall was in two- or three-day bursts once a week or two.
But I still saw fall and fall became my favorite.
As the last leaves fell to the ground and the weather turned cold and sometimes bitter, I learned to appreciate the cold stone beauty of Graham County and exactly what they mean when they say “seasonal views.”
A favorite experience was wintertime driving in Graham County. There were times when I virtually owned the road.
As a matter of policy, I explore every road I’ve never been down whenever possible and after covering a Fontana Dam town council meeting, I decided to head home through Deals Gap. From Fontana Village through Deals Gap to Robbinsville, I didn’t encounter a single other car.
So, winter became my favorite.
It wasn’t just the light traffic. Once I learned how to dress appropriately for winter weather, I enjoyed stopping my truck at nearly every turn to take pictures of wintertime in Graham County.
No matter the conditions — clear, rain or snow, but always cold — I walked out the rutted jeep trails behind where I lived near West Buffalo Creek for two to three miles, up the eastern slope of Cedar Top Mountain and back down.
I never tired of it.
Then spring happened. Slowly at first — and then seemingly in a day — Graham County went from all gray and muted under a deep blue sky, to emerald green broken by the purple of exposed boulders, the blues of her skies and waters, and the playful brilliance of flowering plants.
So, yeah, spring became my favorite.
Then it got warm and I do love warm weather. Summer had everything that spring offered, less the flowers but plus the warmth. And I’m reminded what brought me to Graham County in the first place.
I grew up in desert mountains. I never missed the desert, but I did miss the mountains, which in eastern North Carolina are in short supply.
A few years ago, only somewhat as a joke, I drove my son Mark (who was about 12 at the time) to the Craven County Sanitary Landfill. One of its mounds is the highest point in Craven County and I took a picture of Mark standing at the peak.
Craven County is a lovely county — but I don’t miss it, not one bit, because I now live in an area where every season is my favorite season.
Randy Foster is the staff writer for The Graham Star. He can be reached via phone, (828) 479-3383; or by email, news@grahamstar.com.