Do you believe I would like to crawl under there? I really really would-but I didn’t. Who knows what treasures lie buried under all the years of leaves and other things. Of course there may be a few other things buried under there too-like spiders and a snake or two.
Would you do it for me?
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
33 Comments
Ray Presley
March 7, 2021 at 12:02 pmPractically all the BP stories evoke old memories, especially ones like “Crawl Spaces.” As a child we would wring a chicken’s neck to prepare it for a meal. Well, the chicken would start running around and head straight for the crawl space under the house. And, of course, it was the kids” job to find it, often wedged in the far corner where only a groundhog would go.
Glenda B
May 22, 2011 at 2:15 pmTipper, I’m not even curious about what is under there, so no I would not go under there even if I was young and flexible. I hate close dark spaces and have a fear of creepy crawlies that makes me shiver just thinking about being under that cabin.
Vicki Lane
May 20, 2011 at 10:24 pmWe have an old cabin on our farm with a crawl space like that and all I can think is Copperheads!!!
Maybe it would be safe in winter…
Becky
May 19, 2011 at 9:03 amOh no, you’re not getting me under there. LOL
I can’t even go far enough under my truck to change the oil.
I can’t handle confined spaces.
Patty Hall
May 19, 2011 at 8:52 amLOL! Tipper, doesn’t look like you are going to get any help. I do wonder tho what is under there. I don’t mind spiders and snakes as long as I see them first. Don’t want them sneaking up on me. Our neighbor up the way killed a timber rattler a few weeks ago. 9 rattles and a button.
Patty
Nancy
May 19, 2011 at 7:58 amSorry Tipper, but no. I’m claustrophobic as it is. Add darkness and creepy crawlies, and it’s a no-brainer. 🙂
Anastasia
May 19, 2011 at 2:33 amOh no! I really would never crawl under there. I’m not a daredevil and besides I’m terrified at the idea of snakes lying there or being caught in a spider’s web! Yet, on the other hand I can’t keep wondering whether there’s also some hidden treasure!
Suzi Phillips
May 18, 2011 at 10:21 pmWe have already killed a “rattlesnake’s pilot” this spring, so no matter how curious I might be, I have to say-no way! Will pull up all the floor boards you want in the dead of winter, though-
David Templeton
May 18, 2011 at 9:36 pmNow, if you want a treasure, find the little trenches around the perimeter of the house, about a foot out from the foundation, where the rain ran off the tin roof and splashed away the dirt.
There, somewhere along that line around the house, you’ll find at least one marble, not the boy’s taw but one of his marbles. He used to like to throw them up on the tin roof and scare his little sisters in the house, and he liked to hear them hit the roof and roll down and he didn’t always find them all.
Imagine finding a marble around an old house, holding it, in your wandering daydream seeing that marble, that boy, a circle scratched out on the schoolyard dirt, other boys on their knees, around the “arena”, one bib overall strap falling loose, with their marbles in the circle, everyone with their favorite taw, hot sun, dust, girls laughter from running from whoever was “it”, the boy shooting, knocking one marble out, then another, and going home with a bigger collection than he brought … but he played around the house with them and he lost some and you’ll find his treasure, at least one, somewhere around that old house where he lived with his mommy and daddy and six other brothers and sisters.
SandyCarlson (USA)
May 18, 2011 at 9:06 pmThat is really beautiful. I would love to climb under and see what’s there.
Lisa @ Two Bears Farm
May 18, 2011 at 2:56 pmThanks for the kind invite, but I think I’ll pass on crawling under there for now.
Lanny
May 18, 2011 at 1:34 pmI’ll bring a really long handled rake over and maybe one of those grabit things and we’ll see what we can get, spidies and creepies don’t bother me so much but you must be kidding right? Those rocks are what is holding things up? Uhh lets just see what we can reach from right here!
Rooney Floyd
May 18, 2011 at 1:33 pmRight now, I’m on high level alert for snakes since I peeped into the top of my blue bird house to see how the four little birds were doing and was greeted by a black snake who had eaten them. He lost round two, however…
kat
May 18, 2011 at 1:11 pmOh no! Sorry,but no i would not go under there as much as I’d like to see what’s there. Maybe you could get a hoe and push and pull it as far as you can reach to see what you could find.Let us know if you figure it out.
Jeff
May 18, 2011 at 12:28 pmI would consider it… for a biscuit and some chocolate gravy!!
Ethel
May 18, 2011 at 12:16 pmSorry Tipper, however intrigued I might be I wouldn’t crawl under there for you! I live in terror of spiders! B.Ruth has some very good ideas about exploring without the spiders or too much disruption to the building though, and I would do that with you! Let us know if you decide to investigate further!
Sheila Bergeron
May 18, 2011 at 12:07 pmNo ma’am! You go for it. I’m skeered.
Ken
May 18, 2011 at 11:08 amTipper,
To some folks I may be a little bit strange, but I ain’t crazy.
Actually, I just hate to get those
spider webs all over me. When I
have to go work on my mountain
water system, there are bocoos of
laurals that I have to duck under
and the spiderwebs are everywhere.
And then theres the jacket nests
to watch out for. In the summer
I always kill a couple of snakes
each time I remove the tin that
covers my reservoir. Last spring
two of my youngest granddaughters
were there with me and got to see
how grandpa takes care of those
snakes with my long knife. (Can’t
spell machete) …Ken
downthelanegirl
May 18, 2011 at 10:26 amNo way girl! Starting to scratch my head just thinking about what lurks ‘neath those floor boards…however…I am so mad at myself for never thinking about B. Ruth’s idea. WHat a great idea!!!
Luann Sewell Waters
May 18, 2011 at 10:22 amLoved B. Ruth’s ideas!
I wouldn’t in warm weather, but might consider doing so in the winter! I did use to crawl under an old house where we lived in SE Oklahoma when I was MUCH younger and had better knees than now. Loved all the stuff I could find under there! (Old jars and such)
Bradley
May 18, 2011 at 10:17 amTipper,
I would do that for you if:
1. I were still a young boy.
2. If I were wearing a suit of
armor.
3. I had not had all those
terrifying experiences with
poisonous snakes while in
confined areas! (couldn’t run)
Other than that I would do it for you. Seriously, nothing scares me more than a poisonous snake. Spiders don’t bother me.
Bradley
susie swanson
May 18, 2011 at 9:37 amOh no not me, to afraid of snakes and rats. Now when I was a kid I probably would..
Larry Proffitt
May 18, 2011 at 9:16 amTipper , Not lost anything under there but if it was necessary it would be a piece of cake with my shotgun, good pair of leather gloves ,and a good light in the dead of winter when it was really cold. Larry Proffitt
Miss Cindy
May 18, 2011 at 9:14 amI don’t know, Tipper, I don’t think I could……but I would help you with B.Ruth’s idea of going through the floor boards! lol
Bound to be lots of treasures under there.
How do you suppose they got those rocks to stay stacked up like that. No cement and they have stayed all these years! I think that is amazing. Bet no one could do that today unless you could find a very old country man. A true son of Appalachia!
Sandra
May 18, 2011 at 8:38 amsorry, tipper, you are on your own here. i don’t do spiders and snakes or even HOLES. no tight spaces for me. in 1957 we lived in Sloans Valley KY and there was a potato cave there that looked like this, all the other teens crawled into the cave and told me a few feet back it opened into a gigantic cave… i too there word for it and sat outside waiting for them to come back out.
Barb Johnson
May 18, 2011 at 8:22 amI wouldn’t but I’d send my seven yr old son in for you!
Samantha
May 18, 2011 at 8:02 amI’m game! The only thing I’m truly scared of..bears..are probably not lurking under there 😉
Joe Mode
May 18, 2011 at 7:54 amI would be more than happy to crawl under there for you. Just give me a holler this fall or winter. I don’t mind spiders, but don’t cotton to snakes when they sneak up on you. I often have dreams about snakes. Don’t know why. The last time I dreamt about a snake I actually killed it in the dream. That’s never happened before.
I was in an old barn and saw a nice old box, half buried in straw. It was upside down. I reached over the stall, grabbed the top edge of the box and pulled it right side up. I peered in to see what was underneath it and peering back and hissing and grinning at me was a big ole oppossum.
My wife’s cousin was inn keeper at Bersheaba Springs Inn in Monteagle Tennessee. We had our metal detectors with us and wanted to hunt under the porch, thinking there had to be coins, etc. There was no way to get under the porch, so he tore off some of the “rotten” boards just for us. Found all kinds of treasure.
Don Casada
May 18, 2011 at 7:37 amWhere’s it at?
Phyllis Salmons
May 18, 2011 at 7:23 amI always hated it when a ball or toy went under the house or under the porch and had to be retrieved. After all, a kid’s gotta have their stuff to play with. Many times we grabbed the rake or hoe to reach in and usher the offending object.It would have been an excellent place to play hide and seek, but no, I’d rather climb that big old tree at the edge of the yard!
Sheryl Paul
May 18, 2011 at 7:19 amoh no not me!
B. Ruth
May 18, 2011 at 6:36 amTipper,
If I could do it for you, I would..even though I am more afraid of spiders than I am snakes…except in your part of the country there are Timber rattlers as well as Copperheads…ha Also in that dry environment there could be a Black Widow and a Brown Recluse…scary…
Now then that said…Go inside the cabin/shed and take up a few floor boards big enough to get your body through..This way you can stand up..Make a map by marking the boards where the placement goes…then set off or spray a “anti-spidercide” (insecticide) and “snake-be-gone.” ha…Get the “bestest” and longest rake and start raking and digging. Starting on the North side amd moving around in a circle until you find the treasure…Put those boards back and go to another corner of the cabin or shed and do it again if necessary…Just a thought..No crawling that way!
Good Luck on your treasure hunt..
PS…Don’t forget the heavy hoe! and just in case take a can of “instant freeze-o spider/wasper knock-er-down.”
Thanks Tipper,,,
GrannyPam
May 18, 2011 at 6:17 amOne word: No.