Today I’m going to tell you the story of the traveling arrowhead, don’t worry it’s not a very long journey-at least not in distance.
About 10 years ago, Uncle Henry found the amazing arrowhead you see in the photo in his garden. Over the years, many arrowheads have been found here in Wilson Holler mostly in gardens, sometimes in the woods. But rarely is there ever one found as nice as this one.
Uncle Henry knew he had a real gem. Then he went and lost it. He looked every where he could think of more than once all to no avail.
Uncle Henry chalked his loss up to carelessness and one of those frustrating things in life.
Fast forward to present time.
Uncle Henry was going down the road when he ran into one of our neighbors and friends. The friend stopped Henry, held out his hand which was holding the arrowhead, and said “Is this yours?”
Uncle Henry said “Where in the world did you get that?”
Rewind to the past.
After Uncle Henry found his prize arrowhead he sold his livingroom set to the man down the road. All these years later the gentleman’s wife was doing some deep cleaning and found the arrowhead in the couch.
Every once in a great while, when we lose something of value it comes back to us in an unexpected way.
Tipper
Appalachia Through My Eyes – A series of photographs from my life in Southern Appalachia.
A wonderful story–seems he’s fated to have that beautiful arrowhead.
Once I had a boyfriend who would find them and give them to me. That and picking buttercups for bouquets were about his only redeeming qualities. I wonder if I still have those somewhere. I can’t imagine not keeping them as we all love them.
My husband operates heavy equipment and has found some great ones including what looks like spear heads in turned up earth. He has a lot more redeeming qualities than my old boyfriend!! Still have hlim after almost 44 years! I am part Cherokee from Mama’s side.
Wow! That IS a beauty!!! Looks like it may be obsidian. It’d be a great pendant on a dark rawhide strap, wouldn’t it.
Haven’t done this in a very long time, but whomever’s hand that is has had a very hard life, but will have a very long one, and whatever they have a passion for, they will be very passionate about. It looks like they’ve had one strong love that they’ve spent a long time with, at least one child (looks like a girl or small boy), and they have strong gut feelings (which some call “the sight”) that they have learned to always pay heed to.
Wonder if I still have my touch.
God bless.
RB
<><
What a great story — and what a fine arrowhead!
That lovely tale leaves me with a hopeful feeling. Thanks, Tipper.
Several years ago I lost my favorite pocket knife–a yellow handled Case. I was sick–looked everywhere–couldn’t find it. Couple of years go by and our blue couch is now the wrong color for the den. So we got a new brown one. We gave the old, but still good one, to a young friend starting out life in an appartment. When he came to pick it up, we stood it on end to get it through the door. Out rolled my yellow handled knife! I was Eternally grateful. I’m sitting here holding it in my hand and rubbing it with my thumb right now.
Tipper,
What a great story! I am not sure that arrowhead is typical of the rock around your parts. Almost looks like a pioneer brought it back through as a sovenier of the old west and lost it.
Only if arrowheads could talk! There is maybe a happy rabbit, turkey, deer or person long glad that arrowhead may have missed.
Speaking of lost things, my Goldfinches are gone from the feeder socks, so I guess they are gathering milkweed or thistle down for their nests…
I think I heard a Whistle Pig this morning…at least the sound was like what I think a Whistle Pig would sound like…It also sounded like a bunny in distress. It moved way over to the other side of the garden from the front yard soooo, it must have been a bird of some sorts…It is getting time for migrations…Would anyone know what bird makes a low squealing sound…sounding twice, rest, and sound twice again? This one has me stumped…not a hawk or falcon too very quiet call!
Thanks Tipper,
PS…I am afraid to stick my hand down into the couch…One time I thought I was bit…It was just a fork turned upright that one of the kids back then had dropped on the cushion and had slid down into the couch…LOL
Tim’s story about the lost class ring struck a chord with me. I dropped my class ring in the lake just weeks after graduation but we took a yard broom and bent the prongs back and kept dragging it over the place I dropped it in and finally came up with it.
I have lost so much weight lately that my fingers have shrunk a lot and my wedding band has fallen off somewhere and now it’s gone, (I guess forever). Now, I could get another one but, I don’t want another one, (I want that one). It was on my finger during some of the best and worst times of my life. In fact, my first wife gave me that ring. Incidentally, I still have my first wife! I have taken extra precaution down through the years not to lose her.
I used to have one of Uncle Henry’s knives, but I lost it. If anyone finds it, send it back it me, not Tipper’s uncle.
They make Uncle Henrys in China now. I wouldn’t have a new one.
Tipper,
What a nice lookin’ arrowhead! I
can imagine Uncle Henry being so
happy to get his treasure back.
Although I’m an outdoors kind of
person and wonder about the history
of things, I’ve never had an interest in hunting arrowheads. My
dad often took my oldest daughter
treasure hunting. They went into
old Indian caves in the Nantahala
Gorge and she’d come back just
bubbling with samples and stories.
…Ken
I love stories of long-lost treasures. My brother lost his college ring. Ten years later, my mom and dad saw it in a pawn shop and bought it for him.
I believe that, Tipper.
Great story with a very happy ending. So glad Uncle Henry was reunited with his treasure!
We find bits and pieces of arrowheads here around the house. I’ve only found 2 that were perfect, well one is and the other is close enough just a fragment of the tip is broke off. It’s funny though I found both of them when I wasn’t even looking. 🙂
as they say, if I had a nickle for every time that has happened to me, the losing and finding…
How special that day must have been for Uncle Henry—sometimes things happen for a reason!!!??
Nothing like those deep hiding spaces in a couch. I often wondered when furniture is donated what treasures are found in them. Great story!
That’s awesome.
Great story! I have found lots of arrowheads and points and that one is a real beauty. What impressed me most about this story is man who returned the arrowhead to your uncle. He knew it was a prized possession and he wanted to get back to him. That to me speaks volumes about the integrity of someone.
That’s a heart warming story Tipper. Henry’s arrowhead came back to him. There is more in this world than we see with human eyes.
It is a very pretty arrowhead. We used to find arrowheads at my grandparents garden in Henson Cove above Canton NC.
What I’m wondering now is…..who had the arrowhead before Henry. We know it was an Indian who lived in these mountains or he was passing through these mountains. They may have lived exactly where Henry’s house is now. What if the Indian was Henry and he came back for his arrowhead.
When I get a little spare time (which is not often) I like to metal detect, last fall I was looking around at a local school, and found a class ring, fortunately it had a young mans football jersey number and part of his name, I was able to track down this young feller and his mother came by after work and was so excited to get it back, she said that he got to wear it for about 6 months and then lost it, and that was back in 2010. She wanted to pay me but I wouldn’t take any money, I ask her if she went to Church and she said she did, I told her to tell him to go to Church with her next Sunday and he’d receive 2 blessing that week.. She said she would..