by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Mar 21, 2019 | Appalachian, Family, History, superstition
North America has Bigfoot. Nepal has the Abominable Snowman. Ireland their Banshees. Everywhere you go, there are monster stories. Well, West Virginia is not one to be left out. My home state has several mythical monsters of its own. Our uniquely Appalachian monsters...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Mar 18, 2019 | Appalachian, Family, Memories, Writing
The Appalachian Studies Association held their annual conference in Asheville this past weekend. Can you believe it? An entire association dedicated to the study of Appalachia. While I didn’t have a chance to go to the full conference, I was able to attend the...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Mar 14, 2019 | Appalachian, Food, Memories, Nature
It’s officially the time of year when seed catalogs become irresistible. I pore over gaudy pictures of corn with luxurious silks, scandalously red tomatoes, strawberries glinting like jewels, and squash that make me wonder why I don’t eat vegetables ALL...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Mar 11, 2019 | Love, Writing
It’s a common refrain among writers. Don’t tell readers what’s happening–show them. Imagine the difference between watching a movie and having someone tell you about it. The telling can get tedious fast, but watching it . . . And so, when...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Mar 7, 2019 | Appalachian, Family, Nature
I got to spend a few days last week back home at the farm in West Virginia. While trips are usually steeped in family time, I did have a solitary morning to soak in the peace. I thought you might like a little dose of that as well . . . Just me, the morning mist, and...
