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.
1966
France Miller, who lives on Rock Creek, has just reported to the following items. He said he had been rather busy of late building a wooden bridge over the very wide stream of Rock Creek that always stays tumidity. He is replacing the bridge that was completely washed away by the flood waters of late last fall. But he said that he was building this bridge about six feet higher than any of the other bridges and he could tell by the water marks on the rocks at the place where he is building the bridge that this six feet higher is the highest stage that the water has ever been at that new location. Since his bridge has been washed out, he had been traveling across the creek in a little canoe-shaped boat but he never could rightly propel the boat with a paddle, probably due to such swiftness of the stream or hidden “suck-holes.” However, he worked out a little device that proved to be very good. He stretched a heavy wire across the stream fastened on each side to posts and he someway fitted a hook to the wire which was also made out of wire which he pulled the boat with, but it is hard on his hands, even if he had gloves on and of course, it was harder to pull if there was a big load in the boat.
But his special story was about a large doe deer that he watched with great interest on two occasions doing its stunts right out in the water way up above its knees. He said on Monday of last week while working on the bridge, he happened to look down the creek about 100 yards away and discovered the deer standing still there in the creek. So as he began to walk down along the bank of the creek where he could get a closer view of the deer, he found it looking right straight down close, to the water and it would bob its head up and down like it was playing hide and seek with something.
Upon closer investigation, he discovered that the deer was really playing with some of the horny-head fish that is very plentiful in Rock Creek. The very next day he seen the deer again playing with the fish not far from where he first seen it. There is a little island just in the background where he seen the deer and it may be a haven for the doe deer for the next few weeks where a little fawn might soon be rambling around on this island, which is a good hiding place even for a bear. Miller ended up his story by saying that was fine about the deer playing with the horny-head fish but he hoped that it won’t go to gettig too rough playing with the fish and hurt some of them.
Miller said that it will not be very long now until there will be many anglers casting their hooks in Rock Creek.
Spring officially arrived here Sunday and the temperatures that day ranged in the lower 60’s. The only tree here so far that is showing foliage is the weeping willow.
3/31/66
I always enjoy checking in with Pigeon Roost by way of Harvey Miller. I wish I could have seen the deer playing with the fish 🙂
Jump over to the Foxfire website and poke around. They are still publishing the magazine and those wonderful Foxfire Books too.
Tipper
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Would like to have seen the deer myself, what a great image! ❤️
Loved the little article about the doe. Prays up for all and may God be with you all. Stay strong and never give up in the name of Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Amen Blessings to you all.
The writings of Harvey Miller are always interesting and pleasant. Here on the Cumberland Plateau, we’re on the leading edge of green up. The valleys are usually at least two weeks ahead of us. I always look forward to Springtime.
I really enjoyed reading this good old fashioned news today. Thanks, Tipper.
I live in Northeast Mississippi, just about 7 minutes from Main Street, but it is like I live in the country. I see deer across the street in the vacant lot. There were nine deer the other evening. I often see other wildlife such as foxes, coyotes, squirrels, possums, raccoons, rabbits, many hawks, owls, and had a snapping turtle in my small fenced in side yard. I am an avid animal lover so I enjoy seeing all of them. I never eat my friends(not a meat eater), but occasionally will eat chicken or turkey if it is hidden in a nice salad.
Spring has officially sprung in east-central Florida. The pollen has abated somewhat, a friend smoked his first gobbler, I found a four-foot blacksnake’s shed skin in our pine-bark mulch, and I heard the first mourning dove cooing–all on this past weekend. Trees are greening up, and there are traffic jams at plant nurseries and box-store gardening centers. I expect to see the first turtles leaving the waterways to lay eggs any day now. I wish them luck crossing streets where I live.
Gene, up my way things are beginning to “green up” our cars and other things are covered in pollen. Funny you mentioned doves cooing, I sat on my deck yesterday afternoon listening to doves cooing in all four directions and some other sounds of spring wildlife. The one sound I wanted to hear most of all was the “bob white”call of a quail. It has been a long time since I have heard one. To this old bird hunter it would be a joy to know a quail called when I was being buried.
Fun reading. My four children went to Raburn Gap Nachoochee School and was part of the Foxfire program. My oldest, Jeff, was on the editorial staff for the magazine & the Foxfire 5 book.
Enjoyed this post, thank you.
Morning everyone. I guess I’m an optimist. The deer might be curious and pulled out the fish. But, the fish dies anyway. Back when I was 18 and went shooting for the first time. I shot a frog on the side of a pond. Other frogs came up and took the body down under the water. I was amazed that frogs have funerals. My friend told me they don’t have funerals, they ate him. Nature is cruel. I was 11 in 1966. Was life so different then. News for the day was about a deer. Now our news is horrifing. I’m sure I spelled that word wrong. Tipper, you could mention something to Corrie and Katie for me. About this time last year I was down the street at the market. Going to my car I looked up and saw 9 Hawks. Yes 9. The most I have ever seen is 5 at a time. I can also say in almost 5 years no mice. No rabbits for a year. Did see one the other night. What bothers me the most is the fox doesn’t come to our property anymore. My son does see her. Maybe the snake grew big. Anna from Arkansas.
I’ve never heard of deer playing with nor eating fish but seems it could happen. I know they play with other animals. A few years ago I saw a hen turkey rolling around and dusting herself for several days in a row in a place where dirt had been removed in our field. One day a deer approached her. The turkey walked a few feet away. The deer followed, getting very close to her. Every time the turkey moved a few feet so did the deer. The turkey looked like it did not want to be disturbed and once walked in a circle. The deer followed, finally jumping up and down in a circle as if playing. This behavior continued until the turkey looked like she gave up and went into the woods. I did make a video but it was so far away it is hard to see. It was fun to watch.
Thanks again for sharing the stories from Pigeon Roost. They are always interesting.
I have to share that because of your post about sweet potatoes and someone’s question as to why I sign as the apple doll lady, Jim Casada and I have talked and I found out he knew my late uncle. It’s definitely a small world. And thanks to you, Tipper, people are making connections.
My one little dogwood’s buds look like they are about to bust open. Reckon this cold spell is what we call Dogwood Winter? Or is it just at my house.
Mr. Ammons, good to see you back in the comments. Hope you are well. I don’t comment often but I read this blog every day and read everyone’s comments .
Brian, I have read every blog Tipper has put out since almost the beginning (abt 2010). I comment often but I don’t always use my full name. At times I use names that wouldn’t reveal who really am. Many times I’ve used names that were totally nonsensical.
I have written several guest posts describing my young life in Appalachia. Type Ed Ammons into the search box of any blog if you are interested in reading them.
I have stopped using Ed in my name recently because there seemed to be an abundance of Eds. To combat that I decided to be just Ammons. While I am one among many as Ed, as Ammons I am the only one. I’m sorry if it caused confusion.
my brother with cancer is with me now,it didn’t work out at my sister’s house, please pray for us, God bless you in Jesus name
Praying for you and your brother, Norman! That is a very loving and weighty responsibility you have taken on. I will keep you in my prayers as you care for your brother during this time.
That deer might not have been playing. A friend of mine shot a deer while hunting in a swampy area close to the Savannah River in Georgia. When he walked up to the deer it had a Bream in it’s mouth.
I blame Walt Disney for trying to make us think all animals are cute. I’ve walked up on deer (out of hunting season) while walking on a trail in the woods, both bucks, and does with fawns. I’m pretty sure the bucks won’t do anything if I just stand there and stare them down (it’s never failed yet), but I don’t mess with a mother and child– I turn around and walk a little ways till I hear rustling in the brush.
Who said critters don’t know about fun? They can get curious and just have to look into things. Reminds me of meeting dog walkers. I often wonder who is walking who? And big dogs just have to pull your arm off to check out every stray scent. Wonder if the deer started using the bridge when it was finished? Wildlife bridges, tunnels and overpasses are a thing now. I40 down the Big Pigeon gorge had a project in progress when Helene struck. Haven’t heard any more about wildlife travel accommodation since then but the heaviest damage appears to be in place we where there is very little opportunity for that.
I routinely take a slow joy ride(is that an oxymoron lol) through the countryside just to see how many deer or wild turkeys I can spot. There’s a small herd of 12 that visit my tiny pond, nightly. They set off the alarm at the end of my lane around midnight. Sometimes it goes off several times if there are stragglers. They also enjoy the grasses and clover in my pasture and fence lines. I’ve taken so many pictures over the past 33 years, yet every time I see even one deer on my property, I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. I dearly love nature and gardening as they tend to go hand in hand around here. My little onion buttons I planted a couple of weeks ago on a balmy 86° day are about 1.5″ tall. I just planted a short row of lettuce 2 days ago. My kitchen table is covered in seed packets as I plot my next planting. Good morning Tipper and acorns and prayers to Charles/Ed to ease his pain♡
This is the kind of news I like to read about…not all the awful stuff we read in newspapers and watch on tv. This the reason I love the Blind Pig blog and music, Celebrating Appalachia, and the Pressley Girls. It’s all down to earth news, information, and entertainment we all want to hear about. Thank you for providing this each day! I wish I could have seen the doe playing with those fish too.
In 1966, I would have been 12 years old and spending a lot of spare time fishing for horny head minnows in the creek on our property. On October 26, 1974, I married the love of my life. She left me on April 15, 2021 for Heaven. Now my life without her is no longer the same.
God bless you Randy, sometimes I read the comments, sometimes I come back and read them, yours got my attention today, God comfort you in Jesus name, Norman Chester Dahlonega Georgia
Good morning, Tipper and Acorns. I love the Foxfire web site. TY for the link. I saw they are holding a needle felting class on making acorns. Places like Foxfire are a treasure. I enjoyed the Salmon Patties and Sweet Potatoes posts. Also, Paul’s music post. I want to thank you all for your prayers for my son Charles (sometimes I call him Ed). He had an extremely bad episode on the 18th and spent almost 2 hours on the bathroom floor in gut-wrenching pain. He’s 6’1″ so our tiny bathroom isn’t the easiest place for him to crash in. He finally got ok, I won’t go into all the details, they are gross. He slept for 16 hours, and we are back on track to try and prevent that from happening again. At least he didn’t wind up in the ER this time. They can’t do anything anyway. Praise the LORD that I’m here to help him. I keep each of you in my prayers. I love you.
I’m sorry. I will keep praying for Ed and for you too!
I’m sorry, Barbara. I am praying for you both!
God bless Charles with deliverance from sickness and disease, Lord heal his body and make him well in Jesus name I pray Amen
I am sure spring was a welcome time for early settlers and dwellers of the rural highlands. Spring was/is a time when fish were beginning to “run” and turkeys starting to “holler”. After a season of trying to keep warm and fed on salt meat, taters, onions, and corn based foods, I am certain warmer temps and fresher foods were most welcome. We have had some crazy weather this year for certain, but the last few days have been nice with temps reaching the 80’s Saturday. It was 44 degrees here at. 4:30 this morning. Trees are “putting on” early this year and the pollen is terrible. Everything is a pale yellowish-green. My grandson heard a turkey withing earshot of our house Sunday. I am about to go and see if I can hear one gobble this morning!
Good post from Foxfire. Two years ago I had a chance to visit the Foxfire historical site and it was wonderful. The old cabins and especially the lady working the loom. Highly recommend going there. As far as deer is concerned we have been blessed with having a small herd of deer on our property in Murphy. Two years ago as my wife and I were looking out our kitchen window at our raised beds we saw a doe with a fawn eating our potato plants. We walked outside very quietly to get a better look at the two deer and that’s v when we made our discovery. The doe only had three legs. It’s front left leg was completely missing. We made the decision to let her eat the plants. We also named her Marianne. I had been feeding the herd away from my garden area but doesn’t really keep the deer out of your garden. We still feed the herd to this day and we have gotten close to Marianne and her fawns. If they are around when I put the corn down they will come up to within 10′ of me. We have found out that deer love marshmallows. I can almost hand feed them. I have some great pictures of Marianne and her family. I’m almost 81 now but when I was in my teens through my 30s I use to hunt deer during the season in NH where I lived at the time. I love venison and find nothing wrong with hunting, the deer population is so big around here that hunting to cull the deer is necessary. But not on my property and not my deer. Have a blessed day.
Ron, I saw a three-legged doe once. A front leg was missing, and her shoulder was smooth. I assume she was born that way. She was running with a small herd, with no sign of impairment.
Try feeding a deer a cigarette. I know these days, it would be an expensive snack, but deer like tobacco. We had a neighbor that had raised a deer after it’s mother had been killed and it would come up and eat a cigarette from my hand/let me pet it. Most days the deer could be seen in their yard and people would stop, hold their hand out with a cig and “Wendy” would come running. This was before “blaze orange” had become the popular hunter safety color. They tied a wide yellow ribbon on the doe’s neck hoping it wouldn’t be harvested. I have fed it while sitting astride a dirt bike several times. It stayed around for years and they heard it eventually was killed by a poacher.
That would have been a sight to see. I love watching the deer around here. My husband and I would go squirrel hunting when we were young and I would sit on a log somewheres and just watch nature. One of my favorite things to do.
Yesterday the subject was salmon. I was going to mention that if you hang a very damp towel above your stove the smell is drawn to that and it doesn’t smell as loud. I hang it out of our microwave door (that we never use) and it truly helps. It was a tip from a magazine I read years ago.
Ammons, I also thought I’d mention my husband takes Febuxostat for gout and has never had a flair up since starting it. He use to suffer something awful from it and often. It was in his knees, hands, and elbows too, not just his feet. Gout can be life threatening if there are many flairs due to the crystalizing in the major organs. Maybe your doctor can tell you more about it.
Debbie, Thanks for thinking about me! The allopurinol seems to be working as of now, but I will keep febuxostat in mind if it fails me. I have gout in all the same places your husband does. Anywhere two or more bones come together gout seems to want to settle. I even had an egg shaped lump on my right elbow that hung around there for a year or so then went completely away.