Hi, Folks! This week’s article is going to be pretty short. For some of you old enough to remember, it should remind you of the late Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of The Story”. Decades ago, the Shelton Laurel Community of Madison County, North Carolina was very remote and isolated. A…
Appalachian women are some of the smartest women I know. Quick witted and sensible, when left to their own devices, they can figure out a solution to any problem. Although a formal education isn’t always achieved, the Appalachian woman is an intelligent woman with plenty of common sense. Years ago,…
The true magic of the Appalachian Mountains manifests itself in the diversity of life found here. Because of the antiquity of the region our flora and fauna have had ample opportunity to adapt to fill every ecological nook and cranny. Only the remaining fragments of the primordial tropical rain forest…
Fall is in the air, and I love it. Fall has become my favorite time of the year as the earth slows down and prepares for a period of rest and renewal. I am usually ready for some rest and renewal myself. In years past, though, fall was probably the…
Hi, Folks! Meet Miss Eller. Technically, her name is Ella Johnson Hensley but everybody just calls her “Miss Eller” out of respect and endearment. I’ve known Miss Eller most of my life and can honestly attest that she is one of the sweetest people on planet Earth. Heck, I’ve never…
My mother was born on a farm in a very rural area here in the mountains in 1924. With no tv and no money for frequent trips to town to see a movie, music became the perfect source of entertainment. Music was her way of escaping her everyday life of…
Hi, Folks! Most of us have a love of Appalachian Barns. You cannot drive down any road in Appalachia without spotting some type of barn. They serve as silent reminders as to how people made their living and in many cases still do. However, absolutely no structure throughout Appalachia offers…
Preface: This is a fictional account of how death and burial were handled in our mountain communities years ago. It is not real; although I’m sure there are aspects of the story that ring true to anyone who has lost a loved one. RJW How quickly a person’s life can…
From where I am sitting this morning I can see 22 different species of trees. That fact may not be remarkable to most people, but to me, it represents the age and wonder of our Appalachian mountains. This is not to mention the dozens of species of shrubs, flowering plants,…
Hi, Folks! Years ago in Appalachia, before the introduction of Civil engineering, there were these things known as “Foot Logs”. Simply put, foot logs were logs that were usually hewn flat on one side and placed across creeks, allowing people to travel onward by foot without having to wade the…
