My life in appalachia a normal appalachian family

When I saw this photo I took of Chatter and The Deer Hunter I really liked it, but couldn’t figure out what I wanted to say about it. Chatter was walking by the computer so I asked her to take a look and tell me what she thought the photo was saying to her. She said “It looks like a normal Appalachian family to me.” I said “Yep that sounds about right.”

Tipper

Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.

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24 Comments

  1. being on a porch swing..whether its with family, or alone its a wonderful place to rock your worries away…….and I too love the black and white…I was just thinking the other night when I was out with my daughters..it was raining and thundering and I said..ohh id like to be on the swing watching the storm..anyone else like to do that? much love to you tipper and the gang

  2. Looks like a great place to sit a spell too, for a family gathering or just a small conversation between family members.
    Prayers everyone has a wonderful, safe weekend.
    God bless.
    RB
    <><

  3. I’ve always described our family as “abnormally normal” – bet there’s more of us around than we might think. We’re the river that gently flows while the “more interesting?” folks make splashes to gain attention.

  4. Normal in Appalachia is not considered normal to the rest of the world. Typical does’t fit your familyscape either. Let’s try quintessential!
    BTW, I’ll bet a Benjamin the B&W wasn’t born a monochrome! But now, the Benjamin I’m betting is the coin not the bill!

  5. My Mom and Dad came to visit yesterday because it was my daughter Alex’s first day of kindergarten. So, they drove 3 hours north just to see their youngest grandchild get off the bus. My Mom has been reading the book “Hillbilly Elegy” and made the comment “Us normal people need to start talking about ourselves. The world is going to think we (Appalachian people) are a bunch of trash.” I told my Mom to start reading this blog.
    Tipper, you lead and I’ll follow.
    Normal needs to be normal again.

  6. Tipper,
    That’s a nice black and white picture of life in Appalachia.
    Today is daddy’s birthday, born in 1910. He’d be 106, same as Jim, Don, and Annette’s
    dad, Commodore’s age. If they knew each other, I never know’d about that. Daddy always had an answer to questions that made sense and he was my best friend.
    Happy Birthday, Daddy…Ken

  7. It looks like part of an ideal Appalachian family. Unfortunately, what passes as normal these days is far from that.

  8. Yes, a normal family conversation, however, it looks to e through facial. Expressions that it may have been a serious one. I am still looking forward to hopefully win the pie server. It looks so attractive and seems to have a great cutting edge. Happy family day to all!

  9. Tipper,
    Yep, that picture about sez it all!
    By the way, is that a real cat or a statue of a fluffy tailed fox under the back of the swing?
    If it is a cat , I notice that it kept its tail away from the rocking chair!
    Great picture Tipper.
    PS Also I noticed this! A real Appalachian man can wear “boots and a beard” during a hot mountain summer!

  10. If only yours was the normal American family. Perhaps it is to a greater degree than I think but appearances are against it. I think perhaps your family is much more rooted and grounded than most.
    Black and white is a good choice for that picture both for the wood and for the subject. There is an impression conveyed of interpersonal relationship that allows one to associate their own memories such as father-daughter, brother-sister, cousin-cousin, etc and with talks on the porch, that Southern outdoor room. The front porch swing or glider was an integral part of my growing up.

  11. I love your back porch, especially the porch swing. If I had a porch and a swing, I would never get anything done because I’d be in the swing all the time. What kind of dog do you have? His face looks a lot like our dog’s face. We have a chihuahua-rat terrier mix, and we have spoiled him rotten. We found him at our local SPCA.

  12. Tipper–I’d add a few “possibles” to PinnacleCreek’s suggestion that some ripening tomatoes might complete the picture.
    *Some fishing poles (preferably old-time cane ones) leaning in the corner.
    *Leather britches hanging from the rafters to dry.
    *Hot peppers strung and hanging.
    *A home-made cushion in the rocking chair.
    *A wash tub hanging on the wall.
    *A churn or pickling crock at the door to hold bumbershoots (umbrellas).
    *Maybe a hummingbird feeder, although that may be one beyond the wind chime and the measuring cup at the door suggests it might have been used to mix sugar water for a feeder.
    Jim Casada

  13. Yes it truly does. The porch swing says so much. I love the deer hunter’s boots. The dog is a must in every Appalachian scene. The only thing that might be added to complete the picture is a row of tomatoes ripening along the railing.

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