Appalachian History

The old ways are almost gone and I’d better be finding an apron and bonnet for gathering

Tipper Presley listened to an elder of her community share memories of plant uses. “She seemed to be telling me the old ways are almost gone.

The Great Smoky Mountains in mid-June light up, as fireflies begin to blink in beautiful, astonishing unison. Waves of light cascade down.

The fireflies can sense when their neighbor fireflies are flashing, & attempt to flash before them, sending waves of light to cascading down.

I began to look at the Tennessee hills differently. They held the history of my family. They held the history of the resources I depend on.

We open today’s show with a review of the recently published “Power in the Blood,” Linda Tate’s memoir of three generations of family women.