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 . . .”
Category Archives: Memories
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”
Is closure even a THING?
It’s been three weeks since Dad died. I’m getting used to the idea. But not really. Maybe that’s the catch. I don’t actually want to be less sad about losing my father. It feels right to me that I’ll be sad not to have him around until I die and we’re together again. I hopeContinue reading “Is closure even a THING?”
What Happened to That Wedding Gift?
Today is my 24th wedding anniversary. And thankfully we’re not only still in love, we also still like each other enough to stand being quarantined together. Two decades plus somehow feels like both a lifetime and maybe two weeks. Time is slippery that way. Adding to the sense that we just got married is theContinue reading “What Happened to That Wedding Gift?”
An Unusual Anniversary (Fear Not)
Today is my anniversary. Not of my birth or my wedding, but of my stroke. On April 15, 2016, I went to work like usual and as I was addressing an envelope at my desk I . . . fell out. You can read about that experience HERE. In that post, I mentioned that havingContinue reading “An Unusual Anniversary (Fear Not)”
Appalachian Thursday – How Does Your Garden Grow?
I think we’re all looking for good news these days. A hint of a silver lining in the midst of all the craziness in the world. And I think I’ve found one! Growing up, we had a full-on summer garden. Potatoes, sugar peas, lettuces, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans, and so on. We ate, weContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – How Does Your Garden Grow?”
Appalachian Thursday – “It’s not real.”
I recently had my grandmother’s engagement ring restored (thank you Andy at Marthaler Jewelers!) It now sparkles like it must have when Grandpa bought it more than 60 years ago. The ring is VERY special to me. Grandma Burla was Grandpa Rex’s second wife. But he married her before I came along so I neverContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – “It’s not real.””
Appalachian Thursday – The Last Thanksgiving?
I like Thanksgiving almost as much as Easter. It combines gratitude with amazing food and those are two of my favorite things. And Thanksgiving at our family farm has long held a special place in my heart. When I was a kid, Thanksgiving most years centered on my Mom’s family. My grandparents, my aunt andContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – The Last Thanksgiving?”
Appalachian Thursday – Pot-bellied Stoves
I’ve written potbellied stoves into a couple of my stories. You’ll still find them plenty of places in Appalachia and I have direct experience with two. Our one-room church had a potbellied stove on each side of the sanctuary. It was a deacon’s job to come to church early in the winter to get theContinue reading “Appalachian Thursday – Pot-bellied Stoves”
