Life is sweeter when you are in the heart of the Appalachians. The Blue Ridge Mountains is the heart of the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains that earned it's name from the beautiful blueish tones the mountains have when viewed from the distance.
Life in the Blue Ridge Lesson No. 1
In the Blue Ridge we pronounce it as App-uh-LATCH-uhn, we visibly cringe when we hear it pronounced differently. We recognize that most of the States mispronounces this word due to their being ill informed on the historical pronunciation of the word by our brave ancestors who carved out a life in these peaks and valleys. By calling it the App-uh-LAY-shuhn Mountains- we will immediately know that you are a "foreigner" and not from around these parts. Our gracious upbringing will prevent us from spitting in your grits and sweet tea--- unless you continue to say it the wrong way after hearing the beauty of the correct pronunciation of the word.
 |
| The New River in Northwest N. Carolina |
My roots run deep along the banks of the New River. I can trace my family's heritage back to the original land grant from the King of England penned on a sheep skin! Family legend says that the deed was still in our family's position up until the 1950's when my Great-Grandmother burned it because it was moldy and she was cleaning house! Although most of the land has since been sold, some of my cousins still live on property from the original grant. Several decades ago, a distant cousin wrote a book about the history of our family and we laugh that although we aren't blue blooded- we are blue booked! I aim to share the heritage from my family and the traditions of the Blue Ridge with you through scrumptious bites and savory tidbits from home. Although I have since moved into the "flat land" my roots still run deep and my heritage defines who I am in all that I do.
Life in the Blue Ridge Lesson No. 2
The value of family, friends and faith runs deep in the Blue Ridge. Family ties run deep and you never know if you are talking to someone's mother, third cousin twice removed or best friend from high school. A good rule is to always watch what you say so that you don't inadvertently offend someone or put your foot in your mouth. A little bit of kindness goes a long ways with mountain folk, as it isn't forgotten but the same is true for when you hurt someone's feelings. As you travel through the hills, you will notice all kinds of churches- the Methodists, the Baptists (this is where it gets fun because you may see a First Baptist Church next to a Southern Baptist Church across the road from a Missionary Baptist Church all on the same road as an Antioch Baptist Church) and even those churches that test their faith with Snake Handling and Old Time Revivals that are a production to themselves. Children plan their summers with Vacation Bible School schedules and go to VBS at multiple churches. Family and friends gather together to pray when it is needed, share praises when they witness a miracle and honor those who have gone on before.
I am a mother and a wife. I have two toddler boys and married the love of my life.. They are the light of my life and along with their daddy are my world. They make each day sweeter, crazier and brighter just by being. Finding the balance between home and school (aka work- more on that in a minute) is one of the most difficult things I strive to do on a daily basis. I know that many of my generation is struggling to find that balance of providing for their family and maintaining a home while holding down a full time job outside of it. I am lucky- my husband helps in nontraditional ways- he helps cook, clean and watches after our two monsters and I don't know what I would do without him.
I am a teacher. I teach agriculture at our local high school and work crazy hours to make a positive difference in the lives of students through agriculture education. I am "Momma P" to many of my students because of the nature of our program. They do not call me this out of disrespect, they genuinely see me as being one of their mother's at school and I am blessed with the knowledge that they know I genuinely care about them and want the best for them (isn't that the true definition of motherhood?). I am an FFA advisor. If you are not familiar with FFA- it is the Nation's largest agricultural youth organization with over a half a million members throughout the US, Porto Rico and the Virgin Islands. We work closely with students to develop premier leadership, personal growth and career success through activities such as contests, meetings, workshops and events through our local chapter. I have a wonderful co-teacher who has helped our program grow tremendously the last few years and love the opportunities that we provide students.
I am a homemaker. My husband and I both love to garden and to cook and we make dates out of going to the grocery store or canning what we grew in our small garden (I actually live in a housing development "in town" but we have a small garden and chicken coop that keeps us busy in the summer. We plan our meals for the week based on what we have, what's on sale and what we want! We try to mix things up and aren't afraid of trying new things. I am one of "those people" the one who takes pictures of her plate and posts it on Facebook- which has lead to a lot of suggestions from family and friends to blog our recipes and share our adventures.
From the classroom to the dinner table- I hope this blog will help others make life easier, I can't promise that I will always do the best job of keeping up with it as life can and does get in the way, but hopefully can do just enough to help those of you in a pinch!
