Tag Archives: Appalachian

“The Storms are on the Ocean” as a Metaphor for Homesickness

Posted on June 15, 2019 by

The iconic Carter Family of Country Music origins (A. P., Sarah, and “Mother” Maybelle) were known for their classic songs. “The Storms are on the Ocean” is one of them. I have been dabbling in autoharp playing for a while … Continue reading →

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Places I’ve Lived: Paint Lick, VA

Posted on May 12, 2017 by

Back in 1989 I was appointed to the  Belfast-Midway Charge in the Tazewell District of the Holston Conference.  My first appointment out of seminary, it was my first charge as a pastor, and I was given the reigns of two … Continue reading →

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Can We All Just Get Along?  A Consideration of Race and Human Relations from an Appalchian Perspective

Posted on August 13, 2016 by

I was once accused by a supervisor of “having a thing for black people.” Apparently, in his mind, that was a sin, and I was guilty since I was attending seminary at Duke and thought his racist remarks were out … Continue reading →

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Go Rest High on that Mountain: Reflections on a Mountain Man’s Life

Posted on January 30, 2015 by

Saturday my wife and I, and her cousin were sitting with him in his room when he drew his last belabored breath in this life. One of his last requests was for my wife to take him “up the mountain.” When men from his family say that, they are referring to something more final than a trip up a hill. Continue reading →

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Medicine in Appalachia

Posted on April 4, 2014 by

There’s something about the way we mountain people view health.  I think we value our health, but we have odd feelings about medicine. For instance, one of the most widely practiced ways of getting people well in these hills and … Continue reading →

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A Sojourn Among Pine Trees: My Time at Duke

Posted on March 21, 2014 by

Nine generations of the family lived in the lap of mountains.  Like doting grandparents they watched over us, protected us from whatever was beyond and taught us lessons in silence. The sounds of our stories and songs echoed from the … Continue reading →

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Recycling, . . . Sort of

Posted on January 24, 2014 by

On the farm, we try to take care with things and use them as long as we can, since cash isn’t growing on trees.  At least not on our farm.  So we do things with the things we have so … Continue reading →

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