The 1974 Winter Edition of the Foxfire Magazine contains a compilation of newspaper articles written by Harvey Miller. At the time of the magazine’s publication Miller’s weekly column had been around for sixty years and was still being published in the Tri-County News located in Spruce Pine, North Carolina.
1961
Like the jubilant drums of a returning army, the honking of wild geese to the north was heard by many people in this immediate area during the week of February 27, which is a good old timey sign that spring is almost here with the snakes, the birds and butterflies.
Floyd Barnett killed a large mole in his lawn on Sunday, March 5. He said he really seen the red worms coming to the top of the ground around close where the mole was at work digging in the ground. He said the best time to look for moles is at 11 o’clock a.m. and 4 p.m.
Barnett said he had seen two small butterflies, a white and blue one, on Left Hand Fork on Pigeon Roost Saturday, March 4, which is a good sign that cold winter weather is over with and points to an early spring.
Several bee owners in the Pigeon Roost area were wondering what their honey bees were gathering bee-bread from until Woodard Barnett, a veteran bee raiser, came up with the answer. He said the bees were gathering bee-bread from the alder bushes that grow along the river banks.
Aspie McCoury said he seen a small black pine tree growing near his home on Big Ridge Mountain on the waters of Byrd Creek on Pigeon Roost one day last week that was literally covered with working honey bees. He said he had since wondered about the bees gathering the resin from the pine tree. Could they be putting it in their bee comb?
Solomon Barnett, who has been ill for several years suffering from sugar diabetes, had to have his leg amputated Monday, Feb. 27 in the hospital in Banner Elk, where he has been a patient for several days. At Barnett’s request, his amputated leg was sent back to the Byrd Creek cemetery on Pigeon Roost where it was buried.
3/16/61
1963
The flash flood or spring-like thaw that occurred in the lower section of Mitchell County on Tuesday night, March 5th, done considerable damage to highway roads, bridges and tracts of land situated along the creek banks. The highway in front of Tipton’s home was washed out in a very big place where the traffic was stopped almost all day until the road was repaired.
On Pigeon Roost some land belonging to Garther Barnett, Senia Ray, Lee Roy Miller, Grove Byrd and Howard Byrd was washed very bad. Much of their land was damaged so bad that it appeared that it could never be repaired, as the dirt was washed down to a rock bar.
The little flat field situated on land belonging to Blaine Ray at Pigeon Roost was almost completely washed away. It is the place which was once called the “Budger lot;” where was located years ago an open whiskey saloon. The foot log that spanned the creek to Mr. Ray’s place was washed away.
U.R. Pate, a retired mail carrier who lives in the Pigeon Roost section, said he had never seen the Pigeon Roost Creek any fuller but one time before this and that was in the May flood of 1900.
3/21/63
1964
The wild geese is gone north and the catbirds and Phoebe birds has come home, which is all a good sign that spring-of-the-year is here or is just around the corner.
Mr. and Mrs. Ira Peterson of Relief has recently went to Jonesboro, Tenn. To stay with their children. Mr. Peterson has been in poor health for sometime. The writer has noticed a “For Sale” sign is now posted at their farm.
Harvey Griffith and Harvey Miller (not the writer) both of Relief section spent Sunday, March 8th in the upper section of Pigeon Roost at the Green Buchanan place. Mr. Griffith said that they was just looking around and found plenty of snow back in the mountains.
Harvey Miller of Erwin was transacting business in this section Friday. He said that his wife’s name was Edith, as same as mine.
3/19/64
I always enjoy checking in with Pigeon Roost by way of Harvey Miller. In these excerpts I especially loved the mention of bee-bread and that he ran into another Harvey Miller.
Jump over to the Foxfire website and poke around. They are still publishing the magazine and those wonderful Foxfire Books too.
Last night’s video: Appalachian Words and Phrases that Start with the Letter R.
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Enjoyed today’s post. Talking about the bee-bread was something I’ve never heard of and found it to be quite interesting. I agree with Miss Cindy, life was simpler then and different for sure. Have a great day everyone!!
Gloria and Miss Cindy, I was from 7-10 years old during the years Mr. Miller wrote this. I know I was a child and didn’t truly understand how much of a struggle it was was for my parents to make ends meet. No one had much money, but there seemed to be a lot more love for one another back then. There had been no deaths of any of the family members that I knew or was around and for me times were so much happier and simpler and more carefree back then. Neighbors and families had more time to enjoy each other’s company. I saw some Canadian geese these week but have never heard of bee bread or saw swarms of bees on a pine tree.
I’ve never heard of bee-bread – what do they use it for? And I’ve never heard of bees collecting sap as I would imagine it might be a trap they get stuck in. I have a lot to learn – google, here I come.
I saw honey bees day before yesterday gathering pollen from my snowdab bushes. Their little saddlebags were brimming with bright yellow. There were waspers buzzing around too but their presence did not impress me.
This was told to me by a family member when I was young: An uncle way back in the hollers of Lynchburg, TN lost his finger in a farming accident. I heard tell that my aunt buried the finger on the farm. Well, his finger kept hurting like a cramp was in it so he had her go dig it up to check on it. Sure enough, it was all twisted up. She straightened it out and wrapped it in a clean cloth and reburied it. The finger never hurt after that!
Strange the things you remember from childhood!
Tipper, like Molly mentioned, when visiting Grandparents in small towns in MO and NE, I always enjoyed reading these columns, at first I thought they were silly, then I realized how truly special they were. They cared about each other and what went on in their communities.
I paid special attention to the time Floyd said is best for killing moles. The moles are feeding on grubs in my front yard that looks like it has been freshly plowed. The $20 bag of grub killer didn’t work, nor did the mole traps or electronic gadgets. Maybe these moles are feeding on red worms instead of grubs.
I love Foxfire magazines and books.
I knew a man who was paralyzed by a rock fall in the mines. His circulation deteriorated so badly both legs were amputated years later. I don’t know all the details but they got back to his hometown (and were embalmed I believe). His cousin put them in a metal box and welded it shut. When he was buried years later, the legs were included in his grave.
I love anything from Pigeon Roost, as it gives an old timey feel. My sis never appreciated the old ways until I kept mentioning excerpts from your blog. Now, she mentions anything that might have arisen from our Appalachian culture. Then she shares with others, so your blog has sent little ripples out all over the place. You may never know of your actual impact, Tipper. The best is we can stand so proud, even after society tried to teach us, we were backward and uncultured. It seems everybody had the idea that we had to grow up and get away from the old fashioned and out of date ideas of our raising. Then as we matured, I have watched it almost without fail, folks reaching back and remembering the old ways with such fondness. Fox Fire books does this so well with all things of nature so important. In my estimation, you go them one better by faithfully and persistently showing us the beauty and unique ways of Appalachia. My dad was much like Harvey Miller taking note of all the little signs and wonders of Appalachia. I can never forget driving down the road with him on the passenger side, and he took note of a Mallard duck playing in a mud puddle on the side of the road. While my mind buzzed with our list of errands, and I remarked on the heavy traffic. He simply mentioned that duck having such a blast in that mud puddle.
I always enjoy excerpts from Pigeon’s Roost. I liked that Mr. Barnett sent his amputated leg to the family cemetery for burial. It is important to remember many people feel like Mr. Barnett about their tremendous loss of limb. I’ve seen a few just give up after that. I hated reading about the flooded land down to rock. I hate when bad things like that happen to average folk. If Key West, Newport, Martha’s Vineyard, or upper Manhattan had the same disasters, we would be forced to hear about that misery FOREVER without end and there would be no “moving on.” Erwin, TN is just about the most perfect place I ever bore witness to! It’s a quaint little town and the last time I was there, you were allowed a cold drink on the honor system to pay for it when you check out at Walmart- never heard or saw that before or since… has anybody? I heard from the postal clerk yesterday come March 9 there’s supposed to be the biggest winter storm yet here in southern WV this year. I really hope her ears got clogged and she heard wrong. I suppose we shall see if we live til then. Snow is a four letter curse word around my place.
Interesting about the man who had his amputated leg buried in the cemetery. Confederate General Stonewall Jackson’s amputated arm is buried with a marker in Virginia
60 years give or take and the flooding cycle continues: 1900; early 1960s; and now the 2020s. The earth’s wobble and tilt effects continue. In an odd way I find it reassuring. Parents telling their children to stay out of the rain and full creeks will always be needed. “Don’t play in the creek when it’s full there might be a flood that washes you away and you’d be kilt.” I can here my granny saying that even now all these years later.
Interesting. I don’t have the magazine, but I do have the collection of the Foxfire book…wonderful. Thanks and God Bless.
My Grandma lived in a small town in Mich. They had a local newspaper that had a column that told all the “local news,” When I would go to stay for a week Grandma would have that out in the column about families visiting etc. Then she would send it to me by mail. I thought that was so special that I got my name in Grandma’s newspaper. 🙂
Life was simpler then, I wouldn’t rate it better, just different.
Good morning Tipper, enjoy reading these experts from Mr. Miller.
Is there a book of his columns?
If so I would love to purchase it.
Ron-the book I use is the 1974 Winter Edition of the Foxfire magazine. I’m not sure if they still sell it or not, but you might find an old copy online 🙂
Ther are a couple of copies of News From Pigeon Roost listed on line that I found priced at $44.00 per book. I bought a signed copy several years ago for twelve dollars. The original price was $2.50.
Mr. Milller’s simple approach to the news and life observations could be used in our world today instead of such haste and bitterness.