Doesn't that just chill you to the bone? This is above Burning Town in Macon County NC. I believe that might be Winespring Bald in the clouds there. This was taken not far from where Ol' Ranger Buddy Twister was brutally attacked by a squirrel. If it wasn't for his gloves he wouldn't be shooting any birds for a while.
Every day you that you listen or watch the news you see and hear of troubled lands. Death, Starvation and Chaos. Through out the 90's you saw Genocide nightly in what was Yugoslavia. Mass Graves that were later proven not to exist*. You see natural disasters, War, in all of it's forms, and Scandal. You get drowned with broken Hollywood romances.
I don't have to look far to see a troubled Land. I live in it, by choice anymore, fighting, hoping and planning for a better day. But, this ol' town's alright with me, there's no where I'd rather be.
People look at these Mountains and see Heaven, but there's a touch of Hell here. Sometimes we're our own worst enemies, there's our Anti Intellectualism, Inertia, lack of unity and sometimes no purpose that anyone is willing to unite on. You can call this Blue Ridge megalomania, but, I believe the last man standing on Earth will be an Appalachian Hillbilly somewhere between North Alabama and the middle of Pennsylvania. He'll live just for spite.
Our small towns are sprawl towns. Appalachia seems to want to distance itself from it's useful Culture and hang on to the useless that's held it down. It's an Inferiority complex. One we don't deserve. We're unique, from one side of the Mountain to the other, not being the same. One family is not the same as another...A family name means a lot around here.
To many this may seem like plain rambling. It may remind you of your own back yard. But, if your from here it's not plain rambling, but, obvious truth. To those who left these Mountains their shadows follow them around like Ghost. I get downhearted, discouraged and overwhelmed. But, if I was to ever lose hope, I'm a Scotch Irish Hillbilly with some Cherokee thrown in...I've got spite.
* The General is stating his own opinion, however his statements are based on facts.
Hold your head high Appalachia, it doesn't have to end this way.
Appalachian Intellectual
posted by Hill Billy Rave | Monday, January 16, 2006
8 Comments:
That is beautiful country!
Hope you are having a good Monday.
I suspect a line or two of that will appear in my blog. Specifically the last hillbilly standing part.
I have been far and wide and done a lot of things, most of which I am proud of. I will likely never make it back up to where I come from. But I never completely feel like I've left it, either. Or maybe it's that it hasn't left me. Whatever.
I apprieciate tonights blog a lot. Thanks.
Lee Ann, let's not talk about Monday.But here is to an absolutly great Tuesday.For me, you...For everybody!
LOL Ed, last Hillbilly standing, it has a ring to it.
The passion that I hear is what brings me here...
nice post.
Love your post and your pic--good solid hills and good folk (even though I grew up downeast).
Janie, Sage, thank you.
Murf, I don't drink. Why would I have to drink to say the little that I did?
As for a Letter to The Editor, the last time I did that it took nearly a whole page. I've somehow lost that peice. dabgum 8 letters.
Well, Jasmine, I've never met a Mermaid before. Thanks for the compliments. Feel free to dance around the campfire.
Honestly, I've never eaten it either. Possum, that is. People rfrain from Ground Hog, but it eats the same as a Cow.
It's good to know that folks agree with the "Last Hill Billy Standing". Hope we don't have to put it to the test.
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