by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Jan 17, 2019 | Appalachian, Food, Waiting
It’s January. In case you hadn’t realized. At the grocery store these days, I can buy strawberries and asparagus. This (along with an occasional warmish day) adds to my delusion that spring is just around the corner. The sun stays up just a little longer,...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Dec 3, 2018 | Family, Food, Friends, Love, Thistle
It’s that time of year. The time when car commercials begin subtly hinting that this year a Jaguar or new SUV would be the perfect gift. And while I wouldn’t say no to a Jaguar (even if it DID have 981 miles on it), that really isn’t my idea of a...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Nov 22, 2018 | Appalachian, Family, Food, holidays, Memories
I was talking to Dad about Thanksgiving when he was a child and learned that it was often hog killing day in Appalachia. Everyone was off work and gathering together anyway, so it was a good day for many hands to make light work. While I’m glad NOT to be...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Oct 22, 2018 | Church, Food, History, Love
This year, our church opted to do something a bit different in place of our usual homecoming. We hosted a party for the community. Instead of focusing on our history, reminiscing, and then feasting in the fellowship hall, we invited the neighborhood to come out for...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Oct 11, 2018 | Appalachian, bears, Family, Food, Memories, Nature
I’ve mostly given up trying to grow our food. I keep a pot of herbs and this year I grew a cherry tomato in a pot near the front porch. Based on what I paid for the plant and the number of tomatoes I picked, I’d say I broke even on that one. But, like the...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Sep 20, 2018 | Appalachian, Food, History, Writing
My friend Valerie recently gave me a treasure. It’s a copy of the 8th edition of Old Timey Recipes from 1975 as collected by Phyllis Connor. Inside the front cover someone wrote, “West Virginia, August 1976.” Since I would have been five years old...
