1. A few weeks back the girls and I went to a friends birthday party. Right off I saw a lady I’d never seen before with beautiful long wavy brown hair. As the usual crowd welcomed us I noticed the pretty stranger seemed to be taking a real interest in our arrival. I made my way through the kitchen speaking to one friend and another till before I knew it I was standing right in front of the lady. I smiled at her and she said “Your voices, your accent, the way you speak I like it!”
Turns out the lovely lady is visiting from Finland. She told me she learned English in school, but none of the people she learned from sounded like me. She went on to say that although she’d been in the US for the last 3 weeks she hadn’t heard anyone here who sounded like me either. She absolutely made our night when she said “Your voices are the prettiest I’ve ever heard and I want to sit by you tonight so I can hear them more.”
2. We had a frog-strangling rain the other evening. While the rain was coming down in sheets Chitter said “You know what this means don’t you?” I said “No I don’t know what it means.” She said “I’m going to the creek tomorrow to see what washed down in all this rain.” The girl has good instincts! Look what an amazing piece she found. (Just click on the video to start it and then click on it to stop it) Chitter believes its a piece of quartz that was once part of a larger rock.
3. Chitter has been churning out some amazing pieces for her Stamey Creek Creations Etsy Shop. If you haven’t checked it out in a while you need to-her metal smithing skills are growing by leaps and bounds. And who wouldn’t love her photos of jewelry floating on a turnip leaf in the Stamey Branch.
4. The 2017 schedule for The Pressley Girls is filling up fast.
5. It’s been close to three years since my nephew Ben sent me the link to the video of Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out doing the classic Take Me Home Country Roads. I remember wondering if Ben was longing for those country roads to take him home to our mountain holler. Being a fan of the band and of the song I loved the video from the first time I watched it. Other than the mighty fine music and singing, I especially like the obvious friendship and camaraderie of the band.
Tipper
Wow, nice rock. When I was a Young Boy I would loose all track of time, playing in the creeks and looking for interesting rocks. I would be in so much trouble if I was raised in that area.
Tipper, I checked the girls website to see if they were going to be performing in Haywood County and saw that they were! Hopefully I can bring my grandchildren and hear them sing and play at the Strand. The picture on the Pressley Girls website is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Was it taken near your house? May I copy it from the computer? I keep a file of beautiful pictures I see on the Internet.
1. I’m with Chitter – I love to seek out what the rains have washed into the open. Unfortunately, sometimes they cover things up to – maybe that’s tit for tat. Anyway – that is a cool rock – the cleavage of it is interesting
2. I looked at the Etsy site and did not see Chitter’s earrings (floating on a leaf – beautiful picture!) – I would love to purchase a pair just like those – since I’m in Texas maybe she wouldn’t mind duplicating a pair!
3. What a lovely thing – to have someone value the unique sounds of a locale and the speaker.
I think I shared this story before but accent can throw a person: I was shopping for a prom tux rental for our Swiss foreign exchange student when we encountered a sales clerk from New York – Bronx or Brooklyn, I think. As the salesclerk and I discussed options, I noticed Ralf looking at me with a very puzzled look on his face. He siddled up to me and whispered – “I didn’t think you spoke any other languages!” After learning English from a Scotsman and then living with us (midwestern influenced Texas drawl) for almost a year, he still couldn’t understand our New York salesclerk.
My wife and I had the privilege of going to Finland for 2 weeks. I was working and the wife was sightseeing. The Finnish people are the friendliest people in the world surpassing Canadians. A woman overheard my wife asking the hotel clerk where she should go and the clerk had no ideas so the woman told her about a small village close to Helsinki. She and her friends were going to Helsinki and they could drive her to the village and she could catch the bus back in the afternoon.
Bravely the wife did so and had a marvelous time as well as meeting more wonderful people. All young people speak English. She had a 12 year old as translator on the bus (The driver was 50+).
Tipper,
All of you sound perfectly normal to me. That Finland person must really like pure Appalachian talk. Chitter is becoming a real rock hound and knows stuff comes down the creek after a hard rain.
…Ken
Nice find! That would have thrilled me.
Mama & daughter twins! And when did Chatter start wearing glasses? I’m getting way behind.
Sounds like you will have a Finnnish member of your blog. I agree with her.
I think your girls, and you to, are looking for treasures rather consistently. That has always been one of the attractions of nature for me, the never knowing just what one might find.
Certainly an inventive display, green on green and floating in the creek. Although overused, the word ‘organic’ comes to mind.
Chatter and Chitter are going to have a busy year. Apparently the word is out. I hope they enjoy every minute.
Wow, the girls have matured and are beautiful!
Quite an honor to be chosen for a beautiful voice. Some of you know I am a 5th generation Floridian with family in NC on both sides. Our voices here have changed from the soft southern to harsh northern, due to the influx of people from the north. When I hear an accent from NC is sounds like my childhood.
I saw Chitter’s rock. It is sooo cool, it had a prehistoric look to it.
The girls calendar sure is filling up fast!
Tipper, That’s a wonderful picture you you and Chitter. It’s easy to see where they got your good looks and lovely brown eyes.