Hollow: An Interactive Documentary

Posted in Art & Lit, Coal, History & Culture on April 22nd, 2012 by marklynn
Hollow: An Interactive Documentary
Alan Johnston, featured in Hollow. Some West Virginians are fed up. They’re tired of seeing coal towns die when industry leaves; they’re tired of being painted as bumpkins in pop media; and they’re especially tired of feeling like they can’t do a thing to change their lot. Elaine McMillion is chief among them. A young filmmaker who now lives in Boston, she visited home last August and ended up in McDowell County, which has Read More »


Tags: ,
2 Comments »

Dulcimer and Homesteading Videos Up

Posted in Food, History & Culture, Music on March 11th, 2012 by marklynn
Dulcimer and Homesteading Videos Up
Remember the Mountain Traditions Project, the new series of documentary shorts that was announced a couple of weeks back? Well, the first two clips are up. One features Amy Fabbri, a dulcimer player and keeper of old time tunes. The other profiles a group of homesteaders in Western Maryland. Take a gander, and tell us what you think. You might also like Does Mountain Living Make You Smarter? Read More »


Tags: ,
6 Comments »

Help Tornado Victims in Appalachia

Posted in History & Culture on March 3rd, 2012 by marklynn
Help Tornado Victims in Appalachia
Photo used with permission from the American Red Cross This morning, we awoke to heart wrenching images from yesterday’s devastating tornadoes. Homes, schools, and in some instances entire towns were torn apart as damaging storms and more than 95 tornadoes tore across the Midwest and into the Appalachians. I know we’re all eager to help. Here are announcements that I’ve found for ways to donate funds, time, and other resources t Read More »


Tags: , , , , , ,
3 Comments »

New Doc Series on Mountain Traditions

Posted in History & Culture on February 27th, 2012 by marklynn
New Doc Series on Mountain Traditions
I spent my weekend in the slender crevice between four Maryland mountains. Our friends Tim and Peter lent us their house. It’s a 1930’s bungalow that clings to one mountain, just a few yards higher than the Savage River, and faces another. From its wood porch, I watched for deer on the steep incline across from me and listened to river water splashing against winter’s cold stones. The house is graced with a big-bellied wood stove, mountain Read More »


Tags: ,
1 Comment »

Why Sierra Nevada Fell for Asheville

Posted in History & Culture on February 5th, 2012 by marklynn
Why Sierra Nevada Fell for Asheville
Future eastern home of Sierra Nevada, Mills River, N. Carolina. How can your town attract a leading craft-brewed beer company, along with 200 jobs, a one-of-a-kind tourist destination, and a great restaurant? Ask Asheville. After an exhaustive three year search that spanned more than 200 locations, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company recently announced that its east coast headquarters will be built on Asheville’s south side in a borough called Mi Read More »


Leave A Comment »

The Burro in the Barn Door

Posted in Art & Lit, History & Culture on January 29th, 2012 by marklynn
The Burro in the Barn Door
Steve Alberts is a retiree, and he might be busier now than he was when he was working. He acts; he takes photos; he’s working on a novel; and he writes charming blog posts at OnStevesMountain.com. I was browsing Steve’s site the other day, and one post caught my eye — The Burro in the Barn Door. I’m a sucker for alliteration, so the title hooked me. It was the photo, though, that kept me glued to the post. It’s dec Read More »


Tags:
3 Comments »

Vote: Which Mountain House is for You?

Posted in History & Culture on January 22nd, 2012 by marklynn
Vote: Which Mountain House is for You?
I am a sucker for open houses. When I’m walking around town and see those tell-tale balloons tied to a real estate sign, I make a bee line. I will stand-up friends or be late for a meeting. It doesn’t matter; I won’t pass up a chance to nose around someone else’s place. If I open the door and find the house empty, I do a brisk walk through, maybe critique the bathroom’s tile job or admire a fireplace. I won’t Read More »


Tags: , ,
6 Comments »

The Magic Question: Can Appalachia Keep Its Young People

Posted in History & Culture on January 15th, 2012 by marklynn
The Magic Question: Can Appalachia Keep Its Young People
I will never under estimate the power of the blue and gold. Native West Virginians have flocked to Jason Headley’s love letter to his home state, entitled “Dear West Virginia.” Since it posted last Sunday, more than 42,000 people have read it and hundreds have left heartwarming comments. All of them share Jason’s love for the state’s hills and hollers and many asked an important question – how do we keep gifte Read More »


31 Comments »

Dear West Virginia

Posted in History & Culture on January 8th, 2012 by marklynn
Dear West Virginia
"One Man's Dream" by Cheryl Tarrant. Used with permission. This post is for anyone who has left home. I don’t mean to go to the grocery store or even for vacation. This is for folks who have packed their possessions, hugged their mammas and daddies, and pulled away from the curb with their cheeks wet and their eyes on the road because if they glance in the rearview mirror, they might not go. It’s for those who bookmark Read More »


Tags: ,
422 Comments »

Appalachian NYE – Last Minute Options

Posted in History & Culture on December 31st, 2011 by marklynn
Appalachian NYE – Last Minute Options
If you’re like me, you don’t plan your New Years Eve activities until the eleventh hour. We just decided two days ago to ring in 2012 playing pool and eating pickle flavored potato chips (our local billiard’s specialty). For all of my fellow stragglers, here are five favorite Appalachian NYE options: 5) SnowShoe Mountain’s Gone Country New Years, Snowshoe, West Virginia: Snowshoe’s 15,000 square foot entertainment v Read More »


Tags: , , ,
Leave A Comment »

« Previous Entries
Next Page »