“In early January 1928, we moved, house and all, higher into the mountains to Mark’s Cove just below Clingman’s Dome. This was the highest peak belonging to the Little River Lumber Company. It was the most beautiful place we lived. Just across the Tennessee-North Carolina line above us, the Norwood Lumber company had burned completely in 1925, and the site had been abandoned. We were the only people for many miles around. Our home was the last one at the end of the line toward Clingman’s Dome.
The company built an extra room on the back of our house so we could keep boarders. As always, there were more workers than housing. Four men moved in. I only cooked for them. They took care of their own bedding and clothing. I never knew what they did with their spare time. Every chance they got, they were back down to Tremont where there were more interesting things to do.
A cold crystal spring ran from the mountain in front of our house. An iron pipe was implanted in the spring, and water ran constantly into a big, galvanized tub. The sun came up in front of the house. While the sky was still dark, silvery streaks appeared over the mountaintops. Later, the sun rose slowly majestically through trees covered with hoar frost and ice. Each icy tree caught the sunlight and gave back rainbow colors.”
—Florence Cope Bush – “Dorie Woman of the Mountains”
“Dorie Woman of the Mountains” is one of my all time favorite books about Appalachia. I identify with so many parts of the story.
Today’s Thankful November giveaway is a used copy of the book. To be entered leave a comment on this post. *Giveaway ends Sunday November 7, 2021.
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If you go to Roan Mountain High Knob, you can see hoar frost all morning, and yeah, it shore is purty! Betty
I am a mountain gal, and I love to read. Anything. If I get bored, which is not often, I will read the cereal boxes. I would love to read some of the books that you are giving away. I have a library card, and boy howdy, do I use it. I have checked out some of your authors, but in Johnson City, this is a hard thing to do, as JC is a metropolis, and they are pullin away from the mountain ways. Here is a recipe that you could use in your kitchen.:
Chess Bars
1 cake mix ( any kind ) I like lemon.
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter
Mix together and place in a 9×13″ baking pan
Press dough mix out with hands
Then mix 1 egg , 1 box powdered sugar, and 1 8 oz. cream cheese ( softened . )
Mix all the above and pour over the mixture in the 9×13″ pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Cool and enjoy.
Dorie sounds like a wonderful woman to read about. I wonder if she ever dreamed her life story would reach so many people?
This sounds like a great read !!
Reading this reminded me of my uncles cattle farm and drinking water from the spring that ran there year round. The spring flowed at the bottom of the hill and at the top stood an old farm house. He had a pipe drove into the spring with a water hose attached and the water ran into an old iron porcelain tub. Every time we went there with him we would stop and take a drink from that hose making sure our mouths didn’t touch anything and that was easy to do since the water came out forcefully. It was always so cool there, temperature wise, since it was shaded and completely out of the sun.
Your posts take me back to when I was a kid growing up in Indiana and the wonderful memories of family and friends.
Fortunately the mountains have regained their splendor and reforested since those days. It reminds us of the hard times of those who came before us, but too, inspires our love of the splendor of God’s mountain creations and the need to preserve them.
Love your post, live a Tennessee farm life myself.
Your blogs always make me think of my mamaw and papaw. They draw me into a time of my early chilhood. My grandparents lived in Shelton Laurel, NC. I lived with them until I was 5 years old. I remember the “smell” of the mountains. The moist smell of the leaves….I didn’t post yesterday because it was my birthday! I was very busy all day!
Linda-Happy Happy Birthday 🙂
I imagine Dorie had some interesting adventures!
I’m thankful that November is observed as the month of thankfulness, though we should be thankful all the time. I would love to win this book! My birthday is November 7, and then I will be 75 years old! What a memorable birthday present it would be, one that I will read and treasure. I read your posts every day and they always give me a taste of the wonderful time when I lived way up in the Appalachian Mountains surrounded by beautiful Nature and wonderful kin folks. Thank you for sharing your memories and your life with me. Blind Pig and Acorn is a blessing for sure! -Barbara Parker
Mountain Women are so beautiful, inside and out. I think they are Godly women.
Tipper, You make me long for the mountains. I lived many years in Missouri’s Ozarks. Oh how I loved vacationing
in the Great Smokey Mountains back in the 90’s. I’m now in the southern tip of Texas with it’s flat landscape. Haven’t
been to physically go back “home” to the hills. I can still see and enjoy those hills and streams through your BP&A and Celebrating Appalachia. Thank you so much. You and your family Bless me every day. God Bless you—keep up the great work.
I am thankful that I found your blog and got to meet you and your family on the square in hayesville just before the girls sang at a funeral.
Reading your blogs are like opening a new chapter in a favorite book! Always interesting and something new. I especially enjoys the different food descriptions and recipes!
My great aunt had a spring house that had a natural spring flow into a long trough . They used it to keep milk, butter, and other foods cold. It had a large pipe that we used to lay in front of and drink the cold spring water. It was the best tasting water and so cold. After she passed, the people who bought the house started to tear the house down and found that the kitchen area hid an original log cabin that they had just covered up when they added the main house.
I love reading your blog! I really don’t read any other blogs anymore, just yours. I enjoyed this excerpt & I know I would love to read this book if I won!
Blind Pig and the Acorn is the only blog I follow. I really enjoy it. Dennis Morgan
What a beautiful visual that story creates in my mind. As I’ve written before, I’ve never lived in Appalachia…I only visited. As a young girl I would volunteer to ride up from Conover/Hickory, NC with anybody “heading up the mountain.” I visited often and stayed as long as I could. The description in the post about the pipe from the spring immediately reminded me of Shatley Springs, NC with its healing waters. And any North Carolina girl east of Charlotte has witnessed many a gorgeous, sunny morning after an ice storm. It’s too beautiful for words. Diamonds glistening with rainbow prisms. It’s so magical and beautiful. I love Appalachia. I’d be honored to be a native, but I’m grateful to be adopted. That’s good enough for me.
Beautifully written. This California-born girl has learned so much about Appalachia from you. I would love to add this book to the Broylesville Archives & Museum, our small rural mill museum and research center (TN), so everyone can enjoy it.
Those words are majestically written just as I know those mountains are. I love reading your posts Tipper and would dearly love reading that book. Happy Thankful November to you and yours.
Just another one of your fans. Happy Thanksgiving!
I really enjoy your blog and reading about life in the Appalachian mountains!
Ahh. The visuals of the Rainbow Effect with the sunrise through the hoarfrost branches in the woods. Oh. My. I’m there. I can even hear that spring bubbling l. Wow. Thanks so much!
I am thankful I found your wonderful blog.
Just the sample you gave. I know it would be a wonderful book to read. You had posted some of Dorie’s last year and loved reading what you had posted. It was would be great to read it. Always love your post Tipper. There’s nothing better than reading about the beautiful mountains.
Thankful November.
I’m thankful that Tipper Wilson Pressley has blessed my life with wonderful blog posts and YouTube videos.
I’m thankful, too, that my older brother, Frank, celebrated the 93rd anniversary of his birth yesterday.
If my name should be drawn for the book, I’d be thankful if it were donated to a local library in Appalachia. I nominate the library in Bryson City, but if they have a copy already, let them suggest another.
Bless you, Tipper.
I love reading your posts each morning. I would love to win and read the book.
I usually start each day when I wake up thanking the Lord that I can hear, see, walk and know that He will always be with me. As others have said, I look forward to opening your posts every morning. The mountains are absolutely beautiful and I was blessed with a husband that took me through and over many times, enjoying N.C., & TN. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary in Pigeon Forge and drove up into the mountains and over just taking in all the beauty we saw. My husband bought me that book for Christmas one year. I very much enjoyed reading it. I love authors who can write so beautifully like painting a picture and you can picture it in your mind.
I feel selfish for wanting this book–I have won before on Blind Pig. But, it sounds so good that I still want it.
Thanks to Mr. Jim Canada and his latest book Smoky Mountain Boyhood I found out about your daily blog, I really enjoy reading your post each morning, the book listed today sounds very interesting and will be added to my “book” wishlist.
I remember many hard cold mornings in the mountains in Cocke county. It was hard cold when even the water in the hand pump was frozen. We had to tote warm water to the barn to thaw it. That’s where the cistern was buried.
Hard cold was what my Granny always called it. Hard cold, because for the rest of the day, all else would be harder and colder than usual.
There is just something about these Appalachian Mountains they aren’t sharp like other mountain ranges, out mountains are soft gentle mountains that fold around us and protect us! I love living here sheltered in the arms of these gentle giants!
I really enjoy reading all of your posts. They remind me of the good old days and make me think fondly on some of my loved ones who are no longer with us. Precious memories.
Leave my name out of the drawing because I already have the book but I had to comment anyway. I hope Dorie Woman of the Mountains will be the next book you read on Youtube.
I love hearing these stories from the past.
This is a beautiful passage and I recognized Dorie right away! I highly reccomend this book to anyone interested in Smoky Mountain heritage. Since I have read it, please give it to someone who hasn’t. Blessings to All!
I just checked and the first picture from Newfound Gap.for today (Nov. 3, 2021) has hoarfrost on the trees along side the parking lot. Wish they had been in sun but they still look like Christmas.
I tried the “archive” feature but I did not get older pictures. I got the calendar but I suspect I went too far back and there was no warning about doing that. I was trying to find fall color.
Beautiful! Sorry for typo.
I always start my day with you, reading your blog…listening to your and the girls videos. I wish I’d discovered you years ago, but I’m happy I’ve found you this year! And, I’m not leaving!
Thanks for all you do!
I loved hearing this story. That’s kind of high up. I lived way up on a mtn by lake Fontana and it had view of clingmans dome.like it was just right there and you could see headlights at night as people left after sunset,etc. beautiful area, but cold! Makes me imagine…
After reading a few lines from your post, I knew it had to be part of Dorie’s story. I got a copy from my library and read it this past summer. Such a great book and am so glad her story was put in print.
This is a brautiful passage and I recognized Dorie right away! I highly reccomend this wonderful book to anyone interested in Smoky Mountain heritage. Since I have read it, please give to someone who hasn’t. Blessings to All!
Yours is the only blog subscription I have for good reason. No other writer draws the interest you do. I have a hunger to learn more about a place that holds my DNA but I have only lived in briefly. I’ve been on kind of a tear acquiring reading material about Appalachia and would love to read this book, too! Thanks for the opportunity.
The Park Service has a web cam at both Clingman’s Dome and Newfound Gap. I think they take the Clingman’s Dome one offline thru the fall and winter, probably offline now. But the Newfound Gap one stays up. A picture is posted each hour from sunrise to sunset. And they keep a number of past days accessible as well.
I have used the Newfound Gap one to both see and get pictures of hoarfrost on the trees, snow on the spruce, sunrise over the mountains, fall color, etc. I write “get” because the pictures can be saved to your own device and are not copyrighted. I don’t think they have even a watermark. I do like to identify the source though if I share them.
We were passing by the Gap once a year or so ago and it was almost 1PM so we ran out into the Newfound Gap parking lot and stood at the painted crosswalk to wave at the camera at 1PM so we could send the kids to look. We looked strange of course, waving at a rocky hillside. A couple wanted to know what we were up to so I explained about the camera. I think the NPS doesn’t really want people to know about it because they might tamper with it. It can’t be seen so one would never know it was there just by looking.
I imagine Dorie would have liked to have seen pictures like that. But they are often bittersweet, seeing what is but remembering what was.
You brighten a lot of lives each morning Tipper, as I’m sure you intend to.
Mountains speak to me. I always feel at home in the mountains, though I’ve never lived there…yet! Dreaming of a mountain homestead for the future. Thank you for offering this giveaway. Sounds like a wonderful book!
With the weather turning cooler it’s easy to visualize what she is describing here, for it to be a favorite that’s reason enough to want to read it.
I’m pretty sure the Lord wants me to have this book 🙂 🙂 Well, I know I would love to receive this gift. Thanks
Would love to read this book.
Would love to read this book. I will see if our library has it. I could just imagine those beautiful frosty trees in the sunlight! Thank you, Tipper. God bless!
I certainly would not be going to Tremont on my off time if I lived under Clingmans Dome.
I could see that house and area so clearly from her description, and I could feel the chill from that mountain water, especially on a cold day like today.
I would really like to own a copy of “Dorie Woman of the Mountains”. Thanks for the opportunity.
“Each icy tree caught the sunlight and gave back rainbow colors.” This describes perfectly a sight I’ve seen countless times as the sun rises on a Winter morning!
Your posts often awaken nostalgic memories of growing up in Shady Valley, Johnson County, Tennessee. I would love to read Dorie Woman of the Mountains.
I did not believe I had any ties to Appalachia, but now I know better, thanks to your blog. The stories, food, and vocabulary you describe are my own. I would love to read this book.
My wife and I climbed to the lookout atop Clingmans Dome this Spring with some friends. It was much tougher than the first time I climbed it some 60 years ago.
What a wonderful recount of this home. I could see it through the authors eyes . Thank you.
I’ve always enjoyed the excerpts you post from that book. I’m sure I would enjoy reading all of it.
Tipper,
Here’s some info on ice: Rime Ice in the North Carolina Mountains
https://www.romanticasheville.com/rime_ice.htm
During the winter months, you will often see white on mountaintops or up just one side of a mountain. You may think it’s snow, but it is often rime ice formed when water droplets in clouds or fog freeze to the trees.
Thank you, this was a wonderful post. Makes me want to read the book!
Almost 100 years later, not only can I see Dorie’s description, I can actually feel it, especially today on this chilly, frosty morning in Northeast TN.
Love spending part of my morning with you!
Throughout the years with your wonderful blog I’ve read your excerpts from “Dorie” and thought it would be so interesting to read the whole book. Unfortunately our little library does not carry a copy! It is so exciting to me to read about the people that came before us. My Scots ancestors settled in these mountains, but my line of the family moved away long ago. My heart called me back and I am settled with mountains all around and loving this time of year’s beautiful colors.
I’m so grateful to have found your YouTube channel and your blog. I love learning more and more about the Appalachian way of life, new and old. Love the recipes you cook and the music the twins play. Give me some of what my heart and soul longs for, those good ole days. Have a blessed day.
Curious how folks could open their homes and have extra folks around; not nearly as common nowadays
Is the house still there?
A picturesque description of the cold spring.
I have a clear picture in my mind and would enjoy reading the book.
So very interesting.
Barbara- the house is no longer there.
Thankfulness is a much-needed state of mind these days, more importantly, it needs to be engraved in our hearts. I am thankful I found you Tipper and your girls, I look forward to diving into your vlogs and your readings and to hearing the sweet beautiful music that comes from your family’s soul. I would love to have this book, embracing our heritage is a nice thing to do, it connects us in so many ways and the lessons we learn are priceless. With much respect and love. Melissa Faith.
I love reading all the excerpts you come up with which tells me you’re an avid reader and quite versed at the English language, which is an accomplishment I should say! Every morning after I get my morning chores done, I grab a cup of mud and “get my Tipper on!” Lol. Your stories sometimes keep me pondering a good part of the day on what all they mean or could be applied in my hillbilly lifestyle. You’ve done so much to heighten and brighten my Appalachian world from baking PURTY cornbread to canning. I tell you I’m right proud to call you my friend in NC. I love to read but I got a hundred books I will never read I suppose. Like always, I come for your blog and don’t need a single thing, THANKYOU, Great Lord, master, and provider!!! El Shaddai!!!
Having to cook for four men was a big job even if she didn’t have to worry about washing their clothes and bedding. They don’t make ’em like Dorie anymore. I love reading anything about Appalachia.
Every morning reading first GuidePost, Bible & then Tipper’s blog Great way to start the day !!! Thank you for the opportunity to win this book. BTW…. I’ve make a habit of buying only used books. Saves me money and gives them a home.
Such a strong reflection on what life was like back then. My own grandparents lived in a big 2-story house across the street from a furniture manufacturing plant and kept boarders over the years. When they stopped keeping boarders, she continued to cook dinner 5 days a week for some of the workers who would run over to the house for a 30-min. hot, delicious lunch. She was a wonderful cook. And, yes, we called lunch dinner back then!
Thanks for the opportunity to win, would absolutely love this book. Takes us back in time…
I love this story! And I love visiting this part of Appalachia! Of course, I love all of Appalachia!
The beauty is all around us. I am trying to start every day by noticing that. Today we have a thick frost that took all my flowers…but the frost looks like diamonds on my roof and on the turning leaves.
Clingman’s Dome is such a beautiful place it has always been hard to pull myself away from. Love those beautiful Smoky Mountains.
This story brought home so many memories for me.living in in in WV between 2 mountains, it got mighty cold in our house. I can remember scratching my my name’s on the inside frost of the bedroom window in the early morning and then sucking on the icicles that hung down from our low roof. I believe my childhood held experiences that most children nowadays will never get to take in. I am happy that I have these memorable times to dwell on as the years fall in.
There was a family in our community who had a pipe that ran several yards from their spring to a spot just off their back porch. We had to draw all our water from a well, so we thought that was the most wonderful thing we had ever seen. I never dreamed we would live in a world where I wouldn’t have to draw water. Thanks for the story.
Enjoy blind pig and the acorn
I so enjoy reading those posts every morning
Love this beautiful word picture. Almost like being there myself. I would love to read the book.
Oh! Oh! I wanna win!
The way she described the sun coming up sounds absolutely beautiful..I can imagine being there, early in the morning, enjoying the peace and beauty.
I love reading books about Appalachia and the wonderful ways of our ancestors. Do you have a compilation of books somewhere that we could look over? Thank you so much for sharing all things Appalachia with us; it is such a blessing!! I look forward to each new email from you!
Deb-you can find some of my favorite books here: https://blindpigandtheacorn.com/dictionary-of-smoky-mountain-english/ 🙂
We just drove through that very area yesterday morning so I am relating to the crisp morning beauty. Love to start my morning off with your message.
Tipper, thanks for the passage from this book. It warms my heart to read the descriptions and appreciate many things we may have forgotten until something you read triggers a memory. I look forward to reading your blog every morning.
I enjoy your blogs so much and would love to have a copy of this book to get me through the cold days a head of us. Blessings to you and yours ❤
Love these stories, reminds me of my childhood. We were poor too but the Lord always provided. We had wonderful grandparents.
Simply thrilled to enter this giveaway and even more thrilled to be the second poster. Guess I’m not the only one who starts off my mornings with a Tipper post. See you tomorrow.
Your posts, early morning, are the the start of my day. A reminder of how richly blessed I’ve been to be born in these mountains and able to remain somewhere , either in them or with them in view. A great many of them bring back a memory of some sort, a meal, a song or a video with something familiar in the background. Thank you for them.
I LIVE FOR THE OLDER DAYS THEY GIVE ME PEACE I’M 68 YEARSENAL OLD AN I LOVE GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY YEAR.THANK SO MUCH.
Her description of where she lived makes me wish I could see it just as it was then.
Thanks for the book recommendation . It on my list of want to read.
That sounds like a book I would love to read. I was born and grew up in Tennessee and visited my grandparents in Kentucky and played in the mountains all the time. Love the mountains.
Love learning about this area of the country!
What a lot to be thankful for, a home in one of the most beautiful areas of the country.
Dad spent a year in Smokemont CCC Camp circa 1934. He had some very interesting stories about building the road to Clingsman Dome and meeting the unique people who were in that area.
That year was an important influence on his life. Said it ws the first time in his life he knew each day he wokke up he would have three good meals and good clothes.
Today it is hard for us to imagine how resiliant folks had to be.
I’ve only seen hoar frost a couple of times in my life but it was always so eerily beautiful. I can see the rainbow effects described by Florence as the sun came up. I love the winter time.
Clingmans Dome is so beautiful- I can just see that sunrise. One of my favorite things to do is visit my daughter in Clyde NC and watch the sunrise (just me and her dog) and then watch the sunset with the family. It is so peaceful
Thanks for the opportunity to win. I love the description of the cold spring and the sun shining through the frost covered trees. Beautiful imagery-
My wife and I like reading books about Appalachia. We would enjoy reading this one.
Thanks for the opportunity of a giveaway as a new subscriber. I look forward to opening up your posts every morning and drinking my morning coffee. In my mind I always think “what’s Tipper up to today?”