Appalachian Blessings
Learn MoreBlog
Appalachian Thursday – Roots of the Mountain
Even as I'm looking forward to the release of The Christmas Heirloom on October 2, I'm excited to be working on my next full-length novel tentatively titled Roots of the Mountain. I signed a contract with Bethany House for two more Appalachian stories with the first...
Why is Asking for Prayer Hard?
Pride. That's the short answer. Last week I asked a group of friends to pray for me as a sort of last resort. Why in the world would that be my last resort?? I tried all sorts of things to resolve my challenge on my own. When nothing worked and I began to feel...
Appalachian Thursday – Apple Butter Time
A nearby neighbor gives me free run of his apple trees. This is the kind of neighbor I like to have! While the "eating" tree has failed to produce much of anything this year, the "cooking" apples are just about right. That means I'll soon be making applesauce and...
End of Summer
School starts here today. I used to look forward to the first day of school, but even so there was a bittersweet feeling in the air. Now I miss having the definition--the segmentation that came with the seasons. Life anymore is a bit of a blur. And Labor Day weekend...
Appalachian Thursday – Sang Hunting
While in West Virginia last weekend my brother showed me some ginseng plants. He was checking them to see if they had seeds he could plant to spur future growth. He gathered up the red fruit with seeds inside and sowed them in a new spot. Seeds need 18+ months to...
French Creek Pioneers
I had the pleasure of attending the French Creek Pioneers gathering this past weekend with my dad and brother. This is a meeting of folks descended from the original settlers of French Creek, Va., back in the early 1800s (before West Virginia became a state). There...
Appalachian Thursday – Remembering Miss Anne
It's funny how something can be wonderful and deeply sad at the same time. One of Appalachia's sweet ladies is at home in heaven today. Earlier this year I wrote about my friend Anne--Queen of the May. Her 96th birthday was on May 1 and last night she slipped into...
Start the week with words of love
Twice yesterday I heard someone talk about the importance of sharing words of love or affirmation. That old saying about how sticks and stones can break bones but words can never hurt is nonsense. Words can be excruciating. Conversely, they can be precious, healing,...
Meet Sarah
