Yesterday was Dad’s 79th birthday. Of course it was also three and a half months since he died. Let’s just say I had lots of feelings but they all boiled down to this–I miss him. It’s been raining a lot in Western North Carolina. Dad liked the rain and he taught me to like it,Continue reading “Happy Birthday Dad”
Category Archives: Family
Feeling Nostalgic
A big part of my brand is nostalgia. My stories often appeal to readers who are longing for or remembering the “good ole days.” Even when they weren’t always all that good! It comes from being weaned on Dad’s stories filled with nostalgia for his own childhood. So when I feel nostalgic, it’s not unusual.Continue reading “Feeling Nostalgic”
Appalachian Thursday – A dog named Lant
I’m a dog lover. And I enjoy researching family history. Imagine my delight in finding the two passions intersecting! I’m descended from David Phillips who first purchased the property we now own in West Virginia back in 1833. In reading up on the family, I found a story about David’s brother, Elijah Phillips, and aContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – A dog named Lant”
Appalachian Thursday – A puzzling connection
Some friends and I have been trading jigsaw puzzles back and forth. I have a pretty good collection, mostly from my mother who shares hers with me. My friends had discovered puzzles based on art by Charley Harper, a renowned illustrator and artist who specialized in nature art. I am NUTS for these puzzles! IContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – A puzzling connection”
Appalachian Thursday – Coffin Quilts
I love it when I discover something wonderfully Appalachian that I didn’t know about! I was researching Appalachian funeral traditions for my 2021 story (oops, I think I just gave away that someone dies–well, several someone’s actually!). I knew about cooling boards, sitting up with the dead, hand-digging graves, silver dollars on the eyes (penniesContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – Coffin Quilts”
Appalachian Thursday – 187 Years of History
When my husband and I took on the family farm in West Virginia, a big part of the reason was to preserve family history. Turns out I’m pretty sentimental and I’m fascinated with history–especially my own. I’ve known for years that my brothers and I are the seventh generation to live on that particular parcelContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – 187 Years of History”
The First Father’s Day . . .
Dad’s been gone for almost two months now. And I’m well into the year that will be marked by firsts. The first Father’s Day, the first birthday, the first Christmas, the first . . . well there will be all sorts of firsts without him. And apparently plenty of seconds and thirds as well sinceContinue reading “The First Father’s Day . . .”
Monday Meanderings – Almost Heaven
Today I’m in WV spending the day with my nine-year-old niece. Which means my meanderings are a little more, well, meandering! But I still got some gorgeous photos to share!
Appalachian Thursday – Porch Swings
I enjoy looking at historic homes on-line and recently realized that porch swings are much more common to the rural south–including Appalachia. It finally hit me that northern homes don’t have as many swings–or porches for that matter–because the season for sitting outside is so much shorter. In the mountains of NC we’ve hit primeContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – Porch Swings”
Appalachian Thursday – Haying Season
Thistle and I have been walking through a neighbor’s pasture lately. There’s a critter trail we take and I can’t walk through the waist high grasses without thinking about my father telling us to stay out of the hayfield lest we mash down the grasses ahead of hay season. When I was a kid, theContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – Haying Season”
