Travel Locally

Welcome!

I really appreciate reading your comments.  This blog post was inspired by a comment someone made about my last week's post about the RC-Moon Pie Festival.  She wistfully said that she would have loved to have been there if it weren't so far away.  It was a wonderful festival, (and as an aside, I'd like to add that before we got there to the festival, they also had a foot race and a parade).

As great as the festival was, there are hundreds of other festivals throughout our country every year that are just as much fun.  They may not have the "world's largest Moon Pie," but they all have other interesting things that are unique to their particular areas.

Enjoyable things to do are not just limited to festivals either, for there are so many other things to see and do in our own areas, like landmarks, museums, restaurants, shows, libraries, parks, fairs, etc.  You don't have to travel miles and miles to find something to do, just look around where you are.

In fact, anytime I'm at a place that has brochures, I gather a few that seem interesting.  I found out about Bell Buckle and all of its festivals including the RC-Moon Pie Festival through a brochure.  Also, talking to other people is another great way to discover what's going on near where you live.

Magazines, brochures, newspapers, and the Internet are all helpful for finding out about an area.  Also, I really like it that our town often displays a banner in the town square, announcing the next special event such as a pancake breakfast or a music festival.

It's amazing that we don't take advantage of what's in our own backyards.  For instance, as incredible as it might seem, very few local people have ever seen the wonderful outdoor drama, "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine" in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, but people from other states, or other parts of the state travel many miles to see it.

Greg and I try to do something a little different each week, and once or twice a month, we try to have a little adventure, by doing something really special.

I guess you could say, investigate and explore where you are now.  You might be amazed at what's right around the corner in your own hometown.

Positive thought: "Adventure is worthwhile." -Aristotle  (I might add that adventure doesn't even have to be far away!)
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

A Visit to Big Stone Gap, Continued

Welcome!

As I said in last Sunday's blog post, we had a great time in Big Stone Gap, Virginia with the book signing for my new paranormal book, Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind. 

While at the signing, I took another paranormal photo which was witnessed by several other people in the room.  To view that photo, please see the current (Saturday, August 3, 2013) blog post on my "Spirit Photographs" blog.

After the signing, Greg and I met my brother, Nick, next door, for the celebration of  the 50th anniversary of  the Official State Outdoor Drama of Virginia, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine . 

Nick and I started things off as we sang for the preshow.

The festivities continued with Barbara Polly, President of Lonesome Pine Arts and Crafts, being honored for all her years of service to the June Tolliver House and to the drama.

All those who had participated in the drama sometime during the past 50 years were asked to come up on stage for a group picture.  (They also did this the night before, as the reunion was two nights , so things would not be so overcrowded on one night.)

Then, we all enjoyed the show.

There are a only a couple of weeks left for the drama this year.  Catch it if you can!

Another every day miracle:  A friend that I had been in the drama with in years passed, asked me if I had a photo of her when she was in the drama, in costume, because she had none.  I told her I'd see if I did.  Luckily, I did find one without much effort (which is a miracle in itself, since we have so many photo albums).  I took the photo to a big box store to copy, but before I did, I shopped some, and then I noticed that I couldn't find my buggy anywhere.  It was gone, and the only copy of that special photo was gone with it.  I panicked, but thankfully found a clerk whom I asked to help me find my buggy with the photo in it.  He explained that if someone had taken my buggy, they would generally place any items on a nearby shelf.  I prayed, and asked the angels to please help me find that photo, as I knew it was a longshot to find something like that in a large, busy store like that.  My prayers were indeed answered, for I just happened to glance over to my right, and there on a shelf was my missing photo in the beaten-up manila envelope I'd brought it in, along with my little package of cashews which I'd put in my buggy earlier.  With tears in my eyes, I thanked Tim (who had helped me, as he'd given me his time and moral support), as I gave him a hug.  I told him I'd write about this.  What would we do without people like Tim who are there to help just at the right time?  (I also learned a lesson: Never leave your buggy unattended, especially when there is something valuable, even irreplaceable in it!)

If any of you have an everyday miracle to share, please feel free to let me know, and I might mention it in another blog post.

F.Y.I.
Photographic Encounters of the Spirit Kind
by Becky Arnott
(Paperback or PDF download)
Fast Pencil Marketplace
http://www.fastpencil.com/marketplace

Positive thought: "Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others."-Booker T. Washington
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky

More Southern Appalachian Mountain Sayings, Etc.

Welcome!

My "Southern Appalachian Mountain Sayings" blog post ( January 15, 2012) has proven to be one of my most popular ones, so I decided to tackle the subject again, but to go beyond just the sayings, to also include some mountain customs, etc.

 Here are some more Southern Appalachian Mountain sayings that Greg and I came up with (in no particular order).

"She gets up with the chickens." (She gets up early.)

"I haven't seen you in a coon's age." (In a long time.)

"I ought to give you a button."  (For doing something that deserves a reward.)

"She'll get that done in no time flat." (Quickly.)

He's "tighter than Dick's hatband."   He's "tighter than bark on a log."  (He doesn't spend much money.)

"It's tight as banjer strings."  (It's on tightly.)

"It's as slick as glass."

"You gotta take the bull by the horns."  (You have to just get in there, take charge, and do it.)

"It's raining cats and dogs."  (It's raining a lot.)

Mountain talk (speech, dialect):

Peonies in the mountains are sometimes referred to as "peony roses" (as we recently found out while we were visiting relatives) or "piney."

                                                                  Peonies

We still call our evening meal "supper."  That word apparently comes from England, as I have heard the characters on my favorite show, Keeping Up Appearances, say "supper."

I have a crick (stiffness) in my neck. 

He "can't see the forest for the trees."  (He can't see the big picture.)

Appalachian Mountain and standard American English meanings:

Her people-relatives

Heered-heard

Pert-near-almost

Haint-a ghost

Dialog Greg overheard while he was in grade school (spelled phonetically):

"Have you got ery pencil?"
"No, I ain't got nary'n."

Greg and I still catch ourselves calling wash cloths, "worsh rags," a carry-over from childhood.

Appalachian Mountain superstitions:

If you spill salt, you need to throw part of the spilled salt over your shoulder or you'll have bad luck.

Breaking a mirror brings the person who broke it seven years of bad luck.

(You can take the above superstitions "with a grain of salt!")

An important Southern custom that you must adhere to: You wear white only between Memorial Day and Labor Day!

If you are really interested in Southern Appalachian Mountain traditions and dialect, wonderful resources are The Trail of the Lonesome Pine book by John Fox, Jr. and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine outdoor drama in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.  (Please see my July 31, 2011 blog post.)

Positive thought: Bye y'all!  Have a great week!
Thanks for visiting!  Until next Sunday, Becky