I just finished watching the movie Coal Miner’s Daughter. Its a movie that I have watched many times over. I guess you could say that I’m a little obsessed with Mrs. Lynn. She grew up about 40 minutes away from where I did in Johnson County, Kentucky outside of Van Lear in Butcher Hollow. That in [...]
Rest of the Story ...this story was told to me when i was just a girl, about black snakes that would milk the family milk cow, but any way here is how it was told to me. There was a family of nine kids that lived up the hollow. They had a milk cow name besty, ever morning and [...]
Rest of the Story ...a lot of things have changed since i lived on mill creek road, i can remember there was a dirt road now black top, tv antanta now cable tv where thompson school used to be apartments, and well water now they are putting city water in. i rember the stores on mill creek arbie and [...]
Rest of the Story ...A long time ago, before The Trail of Tears, before the Red Indian was banished to the West, he roamed the hills of Appalachia. His skin was tawny, his limbs were strong and muscled. His face was regal and his war paint fierce. He was the Cherokee of the old days. There was a period [...]
Rest of the Story ...Appalachia has very beautiful landscape. In order to protect and preserve the landscape, in 1911, Congress passed the Weeks Act, giving the federal government authority to create national forests and control timber harvesting. Regional writers and business interests led a movement to create national parks in the eastern United States, culminating in the creation of [...]
Rest of the Story ...Numerous studies are available about fatalism in Appalachia. A few I’ve read, indicate the first Scotch Irish settlers of Appalachia brought their fatalistic outlook with them, then passed it on to future generations. Others infer the sometimes dim outlook of Appalachians is directly related to their isolated lives and the difficult circumstances surrounding them. I personally believe, [...]
Rest of the Story ...My parents recently visited the Museum of Appalachia, located in Clinton, TN. They enjoyed themselves quite a bit during their visit, so much so that I am planning my own visit. They had tons of good things to say about it. I wanted to share this organization with you because of the great work they [...]
Rest of the Story ...When I think of summer, I think of laying by the pool and reading, long summer days, warm Kentucky rains and fairs. I have always loved fairs. It is a time when the community comes together to share a little summer fun, view the local stock, whether it be cows or sheep, watch some local [...]
Rest of the Story ...Tom Dooley is a song I’ve heard all my life, I can even play it on the bass. It’s one of those sad down right mean songs about a horrible act-that still seems to draw me in for some reason. Appalachia abounds with lonesome sadistic songs about killing-almost always a girl. Some of the songs [...]
Rest of the Story ...Some laughter by way of Pap.
Back in the day, Pap and a friend walked to see 2 brothers, who were musicians-in the hopes of hearing some good pickin and grinnin. Soon after arriving, they started asking the brothers to play them a song-but the boys kept putting them off. Even the boys’ Mother encouraged them [...]