Rabun County senior citizens coveted and had earned two major things: loafing and laughing. Together we did both. At times I chauffeured the van, known as the Big Cheese, wherever they wanted to go. Elders deserve double honors; they were my bosses.
Miss Mae Craig was picked up three times a week from her small apartment in a Government housing project. At eighty years of age she was spunky and full of life, sharp as a tack with unmatched humor.
One summer afternoon she expressed a longing to return to her old home place under Glassy Mountain. Word was passed among seniors: “We’re going home with Mae; all aboard the Big Cheese.” Miss Mae’s reminiscing prepared our minds to enter the past along the way.
An old farmhouse at the end of a grassy field was just as she described. We stepped off the van into the world of her youth. An ever-present breeze brought scents from an apple orchard across the road. Masses of lilacs bloomed in the old homestead beds.
Miss Mae sat on the remains of the old porch, unloading memories forever etched in her heart. The glow on her face was as refreshing as a summer shower that settles trodden paths. As she talked, we could sense the presence of family, expecting her mother to appear in the old doorway announcing supper time; her dad rearing his sweaty head with an attentive ear from the woodpile in the back. When the carnal ear is turned off, we can hear with our heart. Have you ever noticed, “ear” is the center word in “heart”?
—Barbara Taylor Woodall “It’s Not My Mountain Anymore”
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a used copy of “It’s Not My Mountain Anymore” written by Barbara Taylor Woodall. Leave a comment on this post to be entered. *Giveaway ends November 5, 2022.
Barbara’s book is full of mountain laughter, tenderness, and wisdom. I’ve had the great pleasure of meeting Barbara and she’s full of the same things!
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I just love this!! Sounds like such a good book!! Thank you for reminding us to be thankful everyday!
The book sounds good.
How I wish I could put words to my memories as in the excerpt. Somehow, just by default and that I paid attention as a child I suppose, I became the keeper of the family history, memories, and stories. When someone wants to know or remember some older family information, they say, “you’ll have to ask Cathy.” As I have no children and nieces and nephews are busy with their lives and children and live “away,” I’m afraid it will all die with me.
I do so enjoy and appreciate what you are doing to keep our way of life alive. I feel sad for children growing up without these kinds of memories and particularly without a sense of the “roots” that we all had having our grandparents close by and growing up among so many of our aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Thank you.
I am from Indiana and this is my first post, but I have been working through your older posts and watching the videos on YouTube. Thank you for the insights into Appalachian culture you provide.
You have turned me on to many a good book in a short time, Tipper. Can tell I would love this one! Luckily for me, I get to sit on the steps of my old “homeplace” and be the mother that comes to the door to announce dinner. My parents, who before me lived here, can visit & reminisce anytime they wish. And my old homeplace is surrounded by off shoots of the family who can visit & take a trip down memory lane, in real time. My only regret is that my grandad (who was born here) passed on before he could see the restoration, revitalization & farming taken up again in these beautiful green pastures in CNY.
Since we “discovered” your blog and vlog last winter, we look forward to your daily emails and periodic videos. We especially enjoy “A Day in the Life …” and cooking videos. Thanks!
Wonderful, heart touching post that makes one feel and remember our memories of family and place. Especially poignant as we enter the holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I have collected and read 4 of John Parris’s books on your recommendation. I know I would enjoy reading this book by Barbara Taylor Woodall.
This brings to mind when my mommy and aunt took us to visit the old home place in the head of Little Mud Creek in Floyd County Kentucky. The memories were not only precious to them but for us children as well. We were able to live a little bit of their childhood through those memories. I have now reached an age that I often go back home to visit in my own precious memories. I absolutely love reading and listening to you Tipper. I always feel I am connected just a little to that life I lived in Appalachia.
I sure did enjoy today’s reading Tipper. I’ve always loved older people since the beginning of my life. My Grandma was a wonderful influence in my first years on earth. She and my Aunt Lydia delivered me. I feel a kinship to the place where I was born, way up in the mountains of Union County. My grandparents and aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and neighbors are part of my sweetest memories of my childhood. Thank you for sharing so many wonderful thoughts and memories with us. It means so much to me. Every day I look forward to seeing what you and your family are up to next! There’s never a dull moment! Love you, ” Barbrie” Barbara
She describes it so well ,it’s like I was sitting there with them.
My home is in Eastern, Kentucky. I live near where I was raised. I love it here and know about memories coming back to you. Thank you for encouraging our country language. My niece lives in Georgetown, Kentucky and says that our area is God forsaken and she is embarrassed for me to speak in front of her. It is wonderful people like you who encourage us .
I often travel back to where we lived when I was a small child. The house and barns are no longer there but memories are.
What a lovely passage! It took me back to my childhood roots for a few moments. Thank you for all the sharing please keep up the loving work.
Loved “get on the big cheese”! A funny picture in my mind.
Wonderful memories. Coming to your web page is like a little taste of my child hood home each time I visit.
I may be 3,000 miles from North Carolina, but my reading Blind Pig and The Acorn each day is like a quick return to my childhood in Gaston County 78 years ago. I may not be able to travel back home physically, but I do get to travel back there with my memories, your daily articles, and the wonderfully rich comments from other readers. It’s been a joy to travel with all y’all the past decade plus.
If you want to put a smile on a senior’s face, mention the word, “Home.” As the song says, “precious memories, how they linger….”
The home where I was raised is a sacred place to me, packed with both good & bad memories. My 96 yr old Mother went to assisted living 4 yrs ago, but until that time she lived alone in the house for 18 yrs after Dad died. When she went to assisted living,
I would go every weekend to check her house, make sure her alarm system was still working, water her green plants in her kitchen & remember the times growing up there. I could just smell the coffee, bacon or country ham, eggs & biscuits & gravy Mom made each morning. I could smell the cornbread & dry beans cooking when I would come in from school. Glancing at the corner of the den, I could see us all huddled around the TV every Saturday night to watch Gunsmoke. The house has now sold & the new owners invited me to come view the renovations they have done & to pick up my old bedroom pink ruffled light fixture. I will be going tomorrow evening & I am both excited & overcome with sadness to see my childhood home changed. The big Mississippi pink brick home with massive white columns & a welcoming porch with white wicker furniture will be burned in my memories for the rest of my life. I find comfort in knowing that the young family who bought the house will make their own great memories in that special house and so life goes on.
What a wonderful story. It took me instantly home. Partially in a good way and partially in a melancholy way. I am almost 78 years old and oh how I would love to go sit on my Mama’s porch again and listen to her sweet loving voice.
I hope you realize what you do for us means to each of us. Thank you so much. God bless you and your lovely family.
What beautiful words – turn off the normal ear and listen with your heart – ear is the center of the word heart. For sure and certain I can listen that way and relay things I remember to my grandkids – they like to listen which is a blessing to me. WOW – thank you for giving us all this message. What a blessing for you both to be able to take a senior back to her old homestead. She will remember this trip fondly for the rest of her days.
It would be so great for all seniors to be able to go back like that, to those familiar places that made up their lives. We take my mother on rides past homes they’ve lived it and through the cemetery were family is, she enjoys seeing the places that made up her life and memories. I’ve heard alot of good stories on those rides.❤️
Tipper, like so many of your followers, I look forward to your daily posts. I also enjoy reading the readers comments,
I feel it brings us all together as we share our memories.
She sounds adorable! I would love to read her book! What a treasure! Thank you Tipper for sharing her with us! I love your posts!
Loved this story. Wonder if she & I are related. My maiden name is Taylor too. And I recall my daddy & his siblings talking about their Aunt Barb-ree, the first one couldn’t say Barbara, so the name stuck. They’re from SW VA near the West VA border. Her name brought me right back to their stories.
The movie I was thinking about was “The Trip to Bountiful”. It was a good one.
aaww! That’s so sweet! I love you visit old farm houses and try to imagine the lives of the people who lived there. I really enjoy this blog and your YouTube channel as well. I always look forward to the next episode.
What wonderful memorie. For the older generation they are sometimes are all we have. We are forgotten by the young people who are too busy with their own lives to think about us. We and read and go back to our childhood in the books of others and the memories in our mind and know we are happy and loved. Thank you for helping us relive our happy times.
I am certain I saw most of this beautiful story in a tv movie! The lady in the movie took a bus to her former hometown and then got a ride to the old house, where she did a walk-through and sat on the edge of the porch to rest and reminisce. A kind young woman assisted her in some way, and I think a son tracked her down to rake her home. Does anyone else remember such a program? It aired sometime last year.
A side note: my paternal grandfather was born at Pine Mountain, in Rabun County, GA.
Amazing that this was the story for today! I got up with the song, Precious Memories, on my mind! Going around singing it with Mom and Dad on my mind who have been in Glory for many years! Thinking of the old home place with so many memories! Thank God for those memories!!
Although we have seen so much change in many of our Appalachian small communities, returning home and stirring the priceless memories always tugs at one’s heart. I have been fortunate to visit, live, and see much in other countries and cultures; but, the return to and memories of my family in the holler is immeasurable in the many waves of emotion. Thanks for helping me to continue to relive those wonderful times of back in the day. I too am so very thankful for those wonderful times, experiences, and memories that are brought back by your stories, musical talents, and the stories and comments shared by others on this site.
I loved listening to my husband grandma reminisce about going home. The last house she lived in before she moved out and got married was a Sear and Robuck’s mail order house. It was a huge three story house that her dad and her fiancé built (our grandpa Carl.) She was the oldest, with a sister nearly the same age as her own daughter. My grandma on my mother’s side was pregnant with her last baby at the same time three of her daughters were pregnant, so my uncle has three nieces that are older than him. Anyway, bc of our closeness with my husbands grandparents we were blessed beyond all understanding, it was as if there was no age gap at all! I cherish my memories of all their stories!
Memories of home and family are precious. My youngest sister lives at our homeplace. It is wonderful to go home and remember days gone by. I love reading your blog. I grew up in eastern KY but I can relate to stories of Tennessee and North Carolina. Thank you providing books about Appalachian life.
What a beautiful little snippet to think on today. We really can “hear” with our hearts.
I tell people constantly to look and see with their hearts -not just their eyes. Now I will tell them to also “hear” with their hearts since ear is in the middle of heart.
I enjoyed this post very much. Such a sweet story. Thank you for sharing!
love the way she told her story. I can picture myself sitting on that porch. life may have a way sometime of watching things disappear, but life can’t take away our memories. would enjoy reading her book. have an awesome day
Precious memories and how wonderful to share them with friends.
What a blessing listening with the heart. We don’t realize what we miss when we don’t do this.
What a wonderful story! I think we all park those memories safely in a portion of our mind. We only bring them out when we feel it is safe, because we can find certain of them can bring too much longing to go back home. When you are young the home you share with Mom and Dad seems to belong to you eternally. It is not easy when one day another family lives in that home on what was once your mountain. That is when I must “pull up my bootstraps” just like my dad once advised. It will always be my mountain, but I just have to share it now. I will go on and daily appreciate the wonderful life I am now blessed with.
Overall, life is great for many of us, but it is human nature to long for what once was. Meanwhile we must not overlook what lovely memories we are making each day for those loved ones around us. Thanks for another wonderful blog that takes us back to what was truly some magic times.
At the edge of the woods on the backside of my grandfather’s estate there were (&still are) some remaining jonquils, blooming every early spring. It was called “The old Kennedy Place” for a family who before my time had lived there. For years two old red oaks stood on opposite sides of the old road. In my youth i could see my children playing under those old trees, with my house by the flowers. Alas, that parcel didn’t go to me, and now it’s out of the family.
I love the stories of past generations could listen to them all day.
I would love to read this book!
I so enjoyed reading Barbara’s ‘It’s Not My Mountain Anymore’, and glad you are including it in your giveaway. Also, these comments are treasures in themselves. Thankful.
We can go anywhere anytime in our minds. I suspect that ability is fading, as we replace reading and developing our own mind pictures with online feeds that leave little to the imagination. Too bad.
Memories bring such a mixture of emotions. Happiness that I can remember those long-ago good times; sadness that those times are over. I wonder what my children’s and grandchildren’s memories of me will be someday. I hope they’re good.
What a lovely story. A gift for Miss Mae to have an actual place to go back to, accompanied by all her fond childhood memories. It’s good to take time in our minds, traveling back & giving thanks…
Your blog is a ministry. God bless your Family. Thank you for your encouragement and work. I’m thankful for it.
sounds like my kind of book. would love to read it! take care and God bless ❣️
Hello from Middle Tennessee! Love visiting your site daily❤️
My three sisters and I recently celebrated my one brother’s birthday at the family farm house. Each of us had our own memory of growing up there, including telling my brother and sister-in-law that we missed the clock over the refrigerator! Lots of laughter and fun. I can so relate to what Mae felt when she went back “home”. She sounds like an amazing lady. I’m sure the rest of her stories are just as memorable.
Our “minds eye” is a wonderful thing as we get older. My sister and I were discussing mom’s famous dishes that she cooked and we wished to have just one more time. Thankful for the memories. (We are from Clintwood, Va)
Love to read your work!
I would enjoy reading the book.
We all have a soft spot for the place we grew up as I do for my beautiful Michigan.
My sister’s were able to meet my deceased Mom’s lifelong friend. I sent family pictures for them to share. I did not include (last days) pictures because I didn’t want to upset her friend, but thought memories of the old days would be better. My wise sister said that pictures help warm the hearts of generations to come.
I have always wondered how it would feel to visit the old home place in disrepair and covered with vines and weeds, like Katie and Corie’s walking video showed. I would think it would be sad.
What a beautiful story. That would have been a great bus ride especially listening to childhood memories.
Love the story of going home!
Love your content, appreciative of your continued effort
I love how the description is so realistic!
I hope to read that book
What a precious story! I’ve never noticed that the word ear is in the center of the word heart. Just like Miss Mae, we all long to go home sometimes.
I grew up begging for my favorite stories, those of my mother’s childhood. I have felt drawn to that area all my life, but never had the priveledge to live there. My dad was always working 2-3 jobs so I never heard much about his raising. I find at age 75 I am also mightily drawn to the places I lived growing up. I believe the older the memories the stronger they are because they have been with us the longest. Barbara Taylor Woodall’s book might make a fine reading.
So beautiful!
I really enjoyed Ms. Woodall’s story. Most of my nursing has been with seniors because my grandparents reared me. I have always had a fondness for the elderly. I’ve seen many adored and loved, some mistreated and left behind and quite a few who got old living wrecklessly and simply ran out of time before they realized it. If we live long enough, it’s bound to happen that’s for sure. As I age, my memories are a comfort and sometimes I close my eyes and try with all my might to remember mommy’s (off key yet soothing) singing as she held me or I watched her work, but I cannot hear it anymore. It bothers me that maybe I’m forgetting more than I’m remembering of the old folks these days. I’m comforted in knowing soon to them I will be going. Life gets sweeter and more valuable as we slip into the evening time of life…the old home place is overgrown and falling down in disrepair now. Soon it will be knocked down I’m sure cause it’s in the city. When I went back and walked around it was smaller than I ever imagined and any nice fixtures were long gone. It was cold and sad and wasn’t home anymore honestly. Home is where the people you love are and when they’re gone, there’s no use going home again. It’s just a place.
What a wonderful visual I got from this excerpt. The smells even came thru! Thank you for sharing, I’m sure the book is wonderful.
I have noticed with age I tend to live in the memories of my past a lot. Even though people have bad things that happen it is the good that dwells in our minds and hearts. Going back to where I was raised always floods me with so many wonderful memories. Now that both of my parents are gone and I am a great grandma , I certainly relate to wanting to go back home. Not that my life isn’t enjoyable in the present but it’s the past and all those memories that fully encompass the person that I am. Kind of like that song by Meranda Lambert…The House That Built Me.
What a blessing for Miss Mae to get to return to her roots to re-live some wonderful memories. I can just see the smile on her face and the twinkle in her eye as she shares with her friends. Thank you Tipper for letting me always start my day with a smile.
That small excerpt is beautiful! I’m sure the book would be a delight!
The story of Miss Mae, makes my heart sing. That she was given the opportunity to go home and share memories with her friends is priceless. I could easily picture her farmhouses, porch and flowers.
Oh my goodness…….the writing makes you feel like you were right there on the BIG CHEESE with them. Could almost smell the lilacs. She is truly a gifted writer, and thank you Tipper for bringing this to us.
I would love to read about the days back then.Those days are so very special.
I am so amazed how some people can remember so much from their past. I imagine all the clutter of our world such as TV, radio, the internet etc uses up too much of our memory space. I remember some of the things from my past but sadly not alone. I would love to read this book and if I don’t win I will buy one. Thanks for your work ♡
Love all the stories about going home. Don’t know if I will ever do it again. So glad for memories.
At 56 years of age, I have the privilege of living on the same property with my parents 76 & 80 years old. Divorce is hard, but this is my silver lining. I built a 300 Sq ft cottage in their woods. We share the responsibility of this 12 acres, vegetable garden, dairy goats, and chickens. I am blessed. My 3 grandchildren, 6, 4 and 1 years old, thinks our homestead is magical. Thanks for your create content Tipper. I enjoy it so…..
All the gated communities are like warts on the mountain.
My grandaddy was an orphan at 3 years old. He was born in 1888. A family in the community took him in and raised him while his other two brothers went to other families. In the 60’s he would ask my daddy to take him back to where he had been raised and of course I wanted to tag along. His old home place was about a mile down an abandoned dirt road and we would drive as close as we could and then walk the rest of the way and like older ones will, he would tell us about the days of his youth and have tears in his eyes. He was one the finest Christian men I have ever known and raised a family of seven farming 40 acres with mules. Now that I am close to the age he was I found myself longing to turn back time and go back to the earlier times of my life when so many of my family members were still alive and times were so much happier.I am lucky in that I live and was raised on the old home place of my mother. My uncle drove a Trailways bus out of Atlanta for 32 years. He and another driver would take two bus loads of senior citizens on a month long trip each year. I remember him saying we do whatever they want to do. They would plan their trip on when he and the other driver would be available to drive for them. They would not go with other drivers. The comment about the van driver doing whatever these people wanted made me think of this.
Thank you for sharing this lovely story. Reading this book would bring many more smiles & memories. Donna
All those memories are priceless. Write them down! Don’t let them go when the person passes. Lost Dad Jan 2022 – so glad I have some of his family research. God Bless.
Another great entry of Miss Mae going ‘home’ ….love to read all of your notes Tipper. You do a fine job. Enjoy this 1st Nov. day …. Blessings.
I loved today’s post and would love to read “It’s Not My Mountain Anymore.” We moved to Florida from the Arkansas Ozarks in 2018 and, while I do love Florida, I miss my mountains!
I love that she got to have that visit. Thank you, Tipper.
I look forward to my 6 o’clock email each day! This made me think of my sweet momma who went to her Heavenly home last December. We were always talkin about her old homeplace and she too could make that world come to life. Thank you for your gift of Appalachia to us daily!
I bet she has a mind full of tales to tell and don’t you know just listening to her go on and on and that something she says will bring a spark of memory for the ones listening. Days of yore…Sometime I will say something that my girls will say, wait, what did you say, when did that happen, how old were you and many other questions. We forget that our memories are ours but they are also to be shared with others. I am sure, more to come and we, your fans, can’t wait to hear and/or read them. God Bless
“When the carnal ear is turned off, we can hear with our heart.” Love this! Listening with our hearts is real communication.
This is a wonderful reminiscence of family history. I love reading and/or hearing others’ memories. Memories are ours for our lifetime. Thank you for sharing.
I read your blog every morning, right after i read my devotional book. I dont know which one gets me thru the day..Maybe its the combination of both one is faith , yours is the results of beliving that faith. You keep bloging and I’ll keep reading
I woke up feeling a little overwhelmed and fitful. I appreciate being reminded it’s Thankful November. And what a perfect excerpt for me today.
I need to slow down and hear these moments I’ll cherish one day.
Thanks Tipper!
This makes me think about my grandparents farm. I spent some time there through the summer and every time I opened the door the smell took me back instantly to when they were both still here. I’m so thankful it’s still in the family.
Such a nice story… ive not heard of this book and would love to read more.
Sorry, I meant to write, “Tipper.”
What a beautiful image this excerpt paints! It really is like that when you go home, no matter how long you have been gone. Tippet, I love your blog and videos.
I enjoyed this post. I guess I’m getting old too. I love to reminisce about the old days and growing up. Regretfully, we can only go back in our minds. If they could invent time travel, I think I would be first in line. I volunteer at our senior center, and I enjoy listening to the laughter and memories of them — and to be a part of creating new memories. with them.
What a beautiful passage. Going home is something I think of often recently, having lost my Dad in September of 2020 and my Mom in May if 2022. Our home place has been in my father’s family since about 1910. My brother, sister and I are wrestling with what to do with the property.
Tipper, I wake up every morning to your wonderful stories of Appalachia.
For a few moments every day I’m transported from Michigan to your beautiful mountains.
Thank you and God Bless
That was sweet! I would enjoy reading more!