by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Aug 10, 2017 | Appalachian, Family, Food, Nature
It’s a running joke with my husband and me. I say shoo-make. He says soo-mak. Clearly he’s wrong and just enjoys aggravating me. Oh, I know, I know. If you look up the “official” pronunciation it says that either soo-mak or shoo-mak is...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Jul 6, 2017 | Appalachian, bears, Food, Nature
Summer is a fruitful time in the soft, green mountains of Appalachia. The black raspberries are gone and the blackberries are just getting started. Typically we have MORE than enough to go round–even sharing with the bears! When it comes to blackberries there...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | May 18, 2017 | Appalachian, Family, Food, Memories, Nature
We’re finally having some truly warm weather with days that might even be what you would call “hot.” And as summer approaches, I’ve seen some folks in the area start to put up the first cutting of hay. When I was a kid, the first cutting typically came pretty close to...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | May 1, 2017 | Appalachian, holidays, Nature
There’s an old-time tradition of hanging May baskets on people’s doors on the first day of May (May Day). Small paper cones or other containers would be filled with candy, small gifts, or flowers, then hung–anonymously–on someone’s door....
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Apr 20, 2017 | Appalachian, Family, Food, Hiking, Nature
Spring is prime foraging time in the woods where we hike. We often see folks out with baskets or net bags and I know they’re looking for tasty tidbits to add to dinner. Personally, I’m more of a catch and release forager. I love finding things I could eat,...
by Sarah Loudin Thomas | Apr 6, 2017 | Appalachian, Food, Friends, Nature
Earlier this week I was cutting through the woods on the mountain back of the house when I saw a lush patch of green off through the trees. I recognized it right away. It’s ramp season in Appalachia. I found an on-line article that said, “Ramps are a spring...
