Every January I study on what I’d like to accomplish on the Blind Pig and The Acorn in the coming year. First and foremost I’d like to continue to celebrate and preserve my rich Appalachian culture and heritage. Come March I will have been blogging about Appalachia for 17 years, a length of time which is almost unheard of in the world of blogging.
Here’s the plans I had for 2024 and how things turned out.
- I will try again to get my family to write guest posts. Paul does quite a few on the subject of music and hopefully now that he has retired I can convince him to write about other things too or write more posts about music. I did not reach this goal. Paul wrote music posts for me, but no other family member wrote a post and the only ones Paul wrote were about music.
- I want to do more video interviews in the coming year. There are several folks on my list that have agreed to talk with me. I accomplished this goal.
- I’ve not given up on the eBooks and hope to make some real progress on them. I also want to self-publish two small books of poetry for Granny. I did not reach any part of this goal, although I did take some steps in the right direction.
- We hope to offer a limited run of handmade pottery mugs with our logo on them. We are in the beginning stages of that project and hopefully we can make it happen during the coming year. This goal came to fruition. In fact we have sold several runs of the mugs and plan to continue selling them as long as folks are interested.
- My older brother and his wife have decided to downsize. They are selling their house (hopefully to Chatter and Austin) and have already moved into a lovely house in a beautiful spot not too far from here. The Deer Hunter and I can’t wait to revive Pap’s old garden and grow some corn this summer. There is much work to do to make that happen. Hopefully we can manage to get it done. We grew corn in Pap’s big garden!
- Our cookbook signings have slowed way down, but I hope to do some this year. There were a few cookbook signings so I accomplished this goal.
Here’s our goals for 2025
- We hope to spend more time in the woods and to share those trips here on the blog as well as in video.
- Make real progress on a couple of eBooks and Granny’s poetry books.
- Build a shed.
- Figure out an irrigation plan for the gardens in case we have another dry year like last summer.
- I would love to continue interviewing folks about Appalachia.
- A long range goal of ours is to have some sort of meet and greet where everyone who was able could get together and fellowship one with another. We managed to do this exactly once since the Blind Pig & The Acorn was first started. This likely won’t happen in the coming year, but I sure would love it if it did!
We couldn’t have any of the goals above if it weren’t for you. I appreciate you more than you will ever know.
I hope you will continue to visit Blind Pig and The Acorn during 2025. And if you know someone who might enjoy the blog or the videos, please send them my way.
Last night’s videos: Pulling Your Own Teeth in Appalachia & Easing Powders for Pain.
Tipper
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A fellow in a general store on the other side of Shelby, N.C. headed toward the mountains from Charlotte, N.C.replied when asked if they currently had any Liberty overalls “Well, we would if we did, but we ain’t ’cause we don’t.” which I guess he meant that he carries them, but currently he is out of stock. Is this mountain talk, or bad grammar. It made sense, and I like the flow of words. Any thoughts?
Charles, sounds like mountain talk 🙂
I am due for a new mug if you will contact me about how to purchase one of yours…TIA…
Jackie, everyone would be welcome, I live in a double wide trailer but have a very large (couple of acres) yard and about 30 acres of land to play on. The land is now in my son’s name but we won’t pay any attention to that. The problem would be finding me, I live so far back in the sticks, the sunshine is piped in and already a day old when we get it! GPS can’t even find me. I am all for the hugs and kisses!
Is there a pond across the road from your house? Who is James?
Tipper, as a transplanted West Virginian your blog has been a joy to me since discovering it about two years ago. Reading your many faithful entries from so many friends is special, especially Randys every day response. In 2025 I plan to make more comments and be a greater part of that wonderful Appalachian culture. Thank You for helping to keep so much alive that otherwise would be long forgotten. GOD BLESS all your growing family and especially Granny.
Good morning Tipper – I am coming in late as the email would not download this morning. It is a good thing to have goals whether one can meet them all or not in the time frame one has in mind. May your goals for this year all come to fruition. Those mugs sound wonderful. 🙂 I was not aware you had your logo on some!! I will have to keep an eye out for when you get them in again. I do have a ‘sweatshirt’ that I wear often with your Celebrating Appalachia and pig/acorn logo on it. Praying everyone is well again.
Randy,
Jesus reminds us the that none of us has immunity from trouble and anyone who is as old as you and I knows that for sure… but in your challanges, which are many, please know that your contributions to the BP&A are a blessing to a lot of folks. I personsonally look forward to reading your comments as do others because we all can, in some measure, identify with your experiences. Your sensitivity and insghts are something from which we all draw benefit. Press on good friend.
Joe, thank you, I don’t deserve the kind words you said. I need to keep my troubles to myself. I meant what I said in my early morning comment, I am truly thankful for Tipper, the BP&A and all of the members, I think of all of you as friends.
May all your goals be achieved. I’ve lost the link to the mugs. Could you repost it?
JC-Here is the link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BlindPigAndTheAcorn I’m sold out right now but will announce on the blog when we have more in stock 🙂 Thank you!
I love the goals you have set, and I would love to have a book of Granny’s poetry. I think an irrigation system would be a well worth investment and I can’t wait to see your new shed. I hope all these things come to pass and wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could have a meet and greet? We already feel like family and friends here. We would probably talk ourselves to death, LOL. Have a great day everyone!!
Please sign me up for Granny’s Poetry books! I think it would be interesting for you to interview, on occasion, subscribers to Blind Pig and the Acorn/viewer of Celebrating Appalachia who live in far away places and find out why they are fans. Happy New Year to you all! I wish you could smell the pot of “golden eye” peas and ham hock in my slow cooker on this cold Connecticut morning!
Tipper, we will be reading and watching whatever subject you decide to video or write about. I don’t know how on earth I missed your mug sale, but I won’t let the next release pass without owning one. Last night’s video reminded me of the easing powders folks used when I was a child. I remember one called Stanback that was loosely packed in a delicate paper that served as a funnel to release the powder down one’s throat before chasing it with whatever liquid was within reach. The old timers would say, I swear that stuff eased up the hurtinest toothache I ever had. Looking forward to spending 2025 with my friends here on Blind Pig & the Acorn.
completely missed the mugs! who’s the potter? i want one when you get them back in…
Elithea-Rob is making them for me 🙂
I’ve been around here for a long time too! I’m not sure exactly how long but it has been for most of those 17 years. Maybe you could provide me that?
For all this time I have tried not put my troubles off on you or your guests. I have tried to provide a little levity wherever I can. I have lived a rich life and shared some of my experiences whenever I could.
I’ve been a lot of people here and for the most part nobody noticed up until recently.
Maybe my New Years Resolution should be to provide more guests posts in 2025.
Yours Truly!
Spatial Ed
Ed, I hope you do post more. I always enjoy your comments!
I started read BPATA almost a year ago and have enjoyed every minute. You have had so many educational and enlightening videos. I enjoy watching your family grow and it was such a blessing to follow Katie and Corrie with their pregnancies. I think you accomplished most of your goals and are on the way of fulfilling them and the other goals you have established. I continue to pray for Granny. She is a delight, and she also has many talents of which you have inherited. God bless you and your family, Tipper. I pray that you have a healthy and prosperous new year.
I’d love to meet and greet the folks who participate in the blog. it would be awesome.
Praying and planning. Planning and praying. I prayed many years ago that I can pray without ceasing (like the bible “instructs”). YES, God makes a way when our hearts are right toward Him, and each other.
My gift in prayer is songs I receive each morning. Sometimes they are the same, sometimes like today’s. I wake to it, then it runs in the background all day. So even in the busyness of the day, when things get still even for a moment, there the song is. My prayer!
I woke this morning with Carolyn Arends’, “Seize the Day.” I hadn’t heard/thought of it in years. We saw her opening for a Steven Curtis Chapman concert at Viking Hall, the basketball (and other things) building for Tennessee High School in Bristol. Yes, there is a “Virginia High School” in Bristol too; we straddle the state line.
Carolyn Arends came out by herself and her BIG acoustic guitar and sang, Seize the Day, and walked off. It was surreal.
Today, I have friends on the road to one of their Dad’s “service.” It’s about a 12 hour drive straight North. I pray for their safe travels, and for comfort in this “impossible” time. I don’t know anything about the extended family. But I do hope they, in coming together to “pay their respects,” come together. I don’t know what that means or looks like, but it is my prayer.
THANK YOU for all you shared in 2024 and your faithfulness for continuing into 2025. I found your videos on YouTube which runs about all day (and night) as I flit about. Sometimes I watch, but mostly listen to everything from a wide selection of music to working on equipment to your videos. Yesterday I HEARD Corie going through the antique shop getting Katie a birthday present. It isn’t something I would normally listen to, but it was quite unusual AND a joy to hear a “girl.” Girls… Can you imagine a guy doting over all the cute stuff on shelves? Well… That’s one of the MANY things about girls us guys LOVE. It was fun to listen; interesting to hear how girls think… It’s different, and that’s a GOOD thing!
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Oh Randy, my heart aches when I read your comments about the loss of your precious wife, and as I remember you lost your daughter, too. I also developed severe depression, anxiety & anxiety attacks when my son was killed in a car wreck almost 15 yrs ago. I was put on medication & it sure helps-doesn’t fix it entirely, but helps a lot. I am 73 yrs old & live alone & have often asked what is my purpose now. A person said my purpose is to serve our mighty Lord, and I try each day to do that. Also, people tell me I will be able to see & hug my son again, but it is awfully hard to be patient for that day, isn’t it? I will lift you up in prayer, and I humbly ask you to lift me up in prayer, also. A friend from Mississippi
Cheryl, I know what you say is true, my wife died unexpectedly from a blood clot forming during heart surgery and my daughter was killed 13 years ago in an accident on a 4 wheeler. I know I will see both of them again but as you said waiting until that happens is hard. I talked with my preacher’s wife Sunday, her Daddy passed away during the Christmas holidays, she told me he had been waiting 16years for that day…ever since her Mother and his wife passed away.
I have tried medicine but had some bad side effects. I have my boys (son and 2 grandsons) to keep living for. I will pray for you.
Well I’m hooked on the Blind Pig and The Acorn. I look forward to these posts each morning. I would love to have a book of Granny’s poetry. Hoping and praying you reach all your goals in 2025.
Tipper, even though the goals are for you and your family I am excited to know you will take us along with you as you can and for this I am thankful.
I will always read and watch what you share!
God bless you and yours!❤❤
Keep on keeping on!!! What you are doing with your blog and channel is great!
Here’s hoping you accomplish all your goals for 2025 and more. Looking forward to reading about them all!
Will your mugs be available on your Etsy site? I looked, but didn’t see them there. Thanks!
Kay-yes. I am out right now but will announce here on the blog when I have more in stock. Thank you!
I sure would love a book of Granny’s poetry. What a true treasure that would be.
I’ll pray that you can accomplish your goals for 2025 but sometimes a person can do so much!
Everyone have a great day!
Ebooks and poetry would be amazing and a meet and greet would be wonderful. Your family has become part of mine and Appalachia feels like home!
I’d love to see Josh Griggs interviewed again, or playing music. Or Wayde Powell.
Maybe you can go report on hurricane recovery.
Tipper dear, you couldn’t pay me to stop reading your blog or watching your videos. Since I found your Utube channel a year and a half ago, it’s part of my daily routine, and I don’t think I’ve ever missed a day! To me, you’re the very best representation of the Appalachian culture there could possibly be, and I hope you’ll never stop. I would love it if Paul would contribute more essays, other than music, simply because he’s such a good writer and explains things so well! I could write a book about everything I love about you and your family, but I’ll just say THANK YOU and PLEASE KNOW how much you’re loved and appreciated by all of us. God bless you!
Love, Jackie
So many great things to look forward to! We will be waiting and watching!
My papaw use to pull his own teeth. I’ve given birth, but still not sure I could do that.
Boy howdy, a big ol’ get together would just be amazing! A pitch in with all the country fixins. Mmmm mmm!
Prayers are still being lifted for Granny and all those still hurting and in need from the hurricane. People from our community continue to go and help. My sister and I are talking about making one of the trips. If it be the Lord’s will He will make a way!
God bless!
Debbie, concerning birth, it hurts too much to say much about my wife but she teased me unmerciful when I had a kidney stone and said men can’t take pain, try having a baby. Later on she had one and it was “payback time”, she suffered for about 3 days before passing the stone and later would say giving birth was not nearly as bad as the kidney stone. Truthfully she had a hard time and suffered a lot of pain when giving birth to both of our children. I don’t know how pulling a tooth would compare, I do not take any shots for pain when I go to the dentist.
Randy, kidney stones are awful! I’ve only had one in my life and I had gallstones when I was pregnant years ago. You’re right, pain and misery is an understatement!
My husband suffers kidney stones almost yearly. We now give him corn silk tincture to help them pass. The doctor is amazed at him passing them as they are quite large. I believe the good Lord gave us medicine from the earth for everything and we’ve lost our way with it. I’m VERY grateful for modern medicine and I wouldn’t be here without it, but we’ve become too dependent maybe.
I know you miss your wife something fierce. I think of you often. There are many of us here that look forward to your comments daily! Keep up the good fight and know we all pray for you!
You did accomplish a lot of your 2024 goals and some progress on the ones you may not have completed due to life circumstances, so I think that is a big win for you! I have no doubt that you will achieve all your goals for 2025. What a blessing to have been living your dream by writing this blog for 17 years! God is good and has blessed you beyond your expectations. I pray God continues to bless you and your family. God has used you to be a blessing too. You have inspired, encouraged, enlightened and educated us while making us all feel like old friends that have grow to be like family. Thank you!
a meet and greet annually would be a wonderful thing….also…THR SNOW IS ON THE WAY!❄️❄️❄️❄️
Tipper, I love watching your videos. I truly envy you and your family living in the mountains of Appalachia. I live in a little town called Vanntown in Southern Tennessee. I visit your mountains from time to time,and each time I wish I could stay. I also read your blog everyday. It looks like you might get your snow this week that long for. That we all long for here in the south lol.
Hi Tipper!! Where can we purchase the mugs? Thank you!!
SRJ-We sell them in our Etsy shop. They are currently sold out but when we restock I will make an announcement here on the blog. Thank you!
Tipper, I appreciate everything you and your BP&A do for me. I don’t remember how long I have been a member but I know it was before my wife’s death. Since her death, I now struggle with depression and anxiety and often feel like living is more of a burden than a joy. Reading you post and the member’s comments is one of the few things I still enjoy. I hope you are able to accomplish your goals, I would love to have a meet and greet, I don’t know if I would be able to come but would dearly love meeting the other members. Like others have said, I feel like we are online friends and family. I have trouble getting around with my arthritis knees and legs and haven’t been more than 40 miles from home since her death, there is no joy in going anywhere without her. A lot of you might bring a gun and try to shoot me! I would be hard to miss.
Maybe we should all plan to meet at Randy’s house. We could all give him hugs and a few of us might even kiss him. I would travel much more than 40 miles to see that.
Randy, I have started this note for you three times today. I am in Florida with brother and SIL. She had surgery today. She is doing well.
But as I was saying….I wish I lived closer to you. How I would enjoy visiting with you and hearing your stories. I have not experienced the pain and heartache of such tremendous loss as you but my heart aches for you. I look forward to reading your notes every day. So know even though we have never met you have a big BP& A family here. It sure would be wonderful if we could all get together. And we would get you there, too! But oh what a joyful thought…..one day we shall all be together those that have turned to Jesus. One day….we shall behold Him. What glory awaits us.
Blessings from a Northern Michigan girl.